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The increasing interest in filter pruning of convolutional neural networks stems from its inherent ability to effectively compress and accelerate these networks. Currently, filter pruning is mainly divided into two schools: norm-based and relation-based. These methods aim to selectively remove the least important filters according to predefined rules. However, the limitations of these methods lie in the inadequate consideration of filter diversity and the impact of batch normalization (BN) layers on the input of the next layer, which may lead to performance degradation. To address the above limitations of norm-based and similarity-based methods, this study conducts empirical analyses to reveal their drawbacks and subsequently introduces a groundbreaking complex hybrid weighted pruning method. By evaluating the correlations and norms between individual filters, as well as the parameters of the BN layer, our method effectively identifies and prunes the most redundant filters in a robust manner, thereby avoiding significant decreases in network performance. We conducted comprehensive and direct pruning experiments on different depths of ResNet using publicly available image classification datasets, ImageNet and CIFAR-10. The results demonstrate the significant efficacy of our approach. In particular, when applied to the ResNet-50 on the ImageNet dataset, achieves a significant reduction of 53.5% in floating-point operations, with a performance loss of only 0.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodically modulated systems with parity symmetry have been extensively investigated in recent years and exhibited various novel phenomena and potential applications in quantum technologies. In this study, a pump‐probe structure is used to observe the influence of generalized parity on the alignment spectra of magnetic resonance in a periodically biharmonic modulated warm atomic cesium ensemble. The alignment spectra are symmetric when the generalized parity of modulated Floquet atomic ensemble is present. The breaking of spectral symmetry is accompanied by the absence of generalized parity. The influence of generalized parity on atomic alignment polarization distribution is analyzed based on the perspective of the angular‐momentum probability surface. A necessary and sufficient condition for generalized parity to maintain spectral symmetry is verified experimentally and theoretically, providing a new perspective to investigative complex periodic modulation system. The results are universally applicable to atomic and solid‐state systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution mechanism behind low cycle fatigue crack propagation behavior subject to overload was investigated by experimental and numerical methods. The retardation effect after the overload application was investigated by using compact tension (CT) specimens. An analysis model was established to consider accumulative plastic damage for CT specimen under single tensile overload. An elastic-plastic numerical model is established, and the stress-strain field near the crack tip is quantified by different numerical parameters. The crack opening displacement was got to reflect the influence of overload on plasticity-induced crack closure, and the evolution mechanism and accumulative plastic damage were investigated by exploring the residual compressive stress near the crack tip. The results show that the residual compressive stress produced by the tensile overload has great influence on the retardation effect, and the large plastic deformation near the crack front region after an overload witnesses a more significant crack closure phenomenon. The magnitude of residual compressive stress near crack tip increases with the increasing overload ratio, that sharpens the retardation effect after single tensile overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition of fish species holds significant importance in aquaculture and marine biology. However, it is a challenging problem due to the high similarity among intra-genus species. Existing recognition methods primarily seek prominent features of the species. However, we believe that the diverse levels of similarity between a species and other species can also function as implicit characteristics for that specific species. Based on this perspective, we propose a dual-branch fusion network for fine-grained fish species recognition utilizing inter-species similarity. This approach consists of a backbone network and two branches for coarse- and fine-grained recognition. In the coarse-grained branch, we designed a guidance matrix and species similarity labels to facilitate the generation of species similarity information. In the fine-grained branch, features from the backbone network are fused with similarity information to achieve precise recognition. Finally, fine-tuning the neural network through loss functions. We conduct experimental validation on three publicly available fish datasets, yielding excellent accuracy outcomes. Code is available at https://github.com/xingxing317/fish_classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting marine object is an attractive but challenging task in ocean exploration and conservation. Although the current popular object detection algorithms perform well in general. Because underwater images are affected by color projections and the scale of the object is usually smaller, the detection performance for marine object is not ideal. Therefore, this paper proposes an augmented weighted bidirectional feature pyramid network (AWBiFPN) that reduces the weakening of underwater image features and improves the integration efficiency of multi-scale feature, improving marine object detection performance. Specifically, this paper designs a multi-scale feature pyramid for efficient integration of feature information at all levels by combining weighted bidirectional integration pathway with designed Consistent Supervision module. Using Residual Feature Augmentation module to enhance the extraction of unchanging proportional contextual information, reduce the loss of information at the highest level of the feature map in the pyramid network and provide richer particulate characteristics for small-target detection. To scale the feature map and effectively utilize the feature information of different channels in the same spatial location, this article proposes the AWBiFPN layer, which replaces the depthwise separable convolution in the original BiFPN layer with conventional convolution. Evaluated on underwater image dataset (UTDAC), only 12 epochs are trained to 81.63% of mAP; experimented on MS COCO benchmark, achieving 37.9 AP. Meanwhile, the accuracy of the Aquarium Life dataset (AMLD) and underwater detection dataset under natural light (RUOD) are 81.41% mAP and 83.62% mAP, respectively. The results show that the method performed better not only in marine object detection but also in general class detection. • A novel feature pyramid network is proposed for marine object detection. • Three modules are designed to improve detection accuracy and efficiency. • Evaluation tests were conducted on four datasets. • Detection results of various structural designs are displayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical study of the optical-radio-frequency (rf) double resonance on hyperfine ground states of alkali-metal atoms in the geophysical magnetic-field range, in which resonance circularly polarized laser light is used in the optical pumping and detection processes. The analytical expressions of the rf resonance signals corresponding to two ground states are obtained based on atomic multipole moments, where the alignment effect is considered and that is responsible for the resonance shape and linewidth especially when the optical power is relatively strong. In addition, we also obtain the analytical expressions of the linewidths of two separated resonance peaks and one presenting the competition process of the optical pumping, rf field and spin-exchange collision. Two different types of light narrowing phenomena are investigated by comparing the longitudinal relaxation rates of atomic multipole moments for two ground states. Applied to rubidium and cesium atoms, we show a particularly close agreement of our analytical results with more elaborate calculations using density-matrix theory. Our theoretical model is relevant for optimizing the sensitivity of magnetometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Silicone surfactant has excellent performance in reducing the surface tension of foam liquid. • Hydrophilic SiO 2 nanoparticles were modified to improve the stability of foam. • The addition of nanoparticles has a influence on the foam performance of hydrocarbon surfactants. • CTAB combined with nanoparticles can play a key role in stabilizing the foam. Foam has been widely used in coal mine dust control. However, its instability is still an issue in its application, and some surfactants components in foaming agents, such as fluorocarbons, are harmful to the environment. In this study, the environmentally friendly alkyl glycoside(APG0814) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were used as the foaming agents, and modified hydrophilic SiO 2 nanoparticles were added to improve foam stability. Also, the surface tension, foam properties, contact angle and intermolecular interaction of APG0814/CTAB/SiO 2 dispersion were studied. The experimental results showed that the appropriate concentration of CTAB combined with nanoparticles played a key role in stabilizing the foam. The surface tension of the foaming liquid increased with the increase in nanoparticles and CTAB, leading to the deterioration of foaming properties. The silicone surfactant GT-248 was added to the APG0814/CTAB/SiO 2 dispersion to further improve the surface activity of the foaming agent, and the effects of the silicone surfactant on the surface tension, foam properties, and wettability were studied systematically. The experimental results showed that the surface tension of the foaming agent decreased, and the foaming and wettability increased with the increase in silicone surfactant concentration. By the synergistic action of nanoparticles and surfactants, long-lasting and stable foam, fast coal dust deposition rate and low contact angle can be obtained. Among them, 0.8 wt%GT-248 was added to achieve the best surface activity, foaming ability and wettability. These fundamental results might guide the application of silicone surfactants combined with nanoparticle-hydrocarbon surfactants in mine dust control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on the Terra spacecraft is completing two decades of successful Earth observations, providing the scientific community with numerous products and supporting applications, such as land surface cover, sea surface temperature, aerosol properties, and vegetation. The 20 reflective solar bands (RSBs) cover a wavelength range from 0.41 to 2.1 $\mu \text{m}$ and are calibrated primarily using a solar diffuser (SD), with lunar measurements and Earth-view (EV) response trends from desert sites used for the response versus scan-angle (RVS) characterization. Prelaunch analysis showed that a few short-wavelength RSBs of Terra MODIS are particularly sensitive to the polarization of the incident light, with on-orbit results further indicating that the polarization sensitivity has experienced changes that are wavelength, mirror side (MS), and scan-angle dependent. Although the primary calibrator, the SD, should provide an unpolarized light, supplemental inputs from the EV response trends used in the RVS characterization are impacted by the Earth scene polarization. The EV trends, uncorrected for polarization, pose a significant challenge in the RVS characterization for the short wavelength bands (3, 8, 9, and 10), therefore impacting the long-term trends and uncertainty characterization. Previous studies from the MODIS Characterization Support Team (MCST) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) have independently estimated the polarization correction to be applied on the calibrated products to mitigate the impacts to some extent. In this article, the RVS is characterized using the EV response trends after correcting for the polarization effects. Results indicate a significant improvement in the long-term trending, reduced uncertainties in the forward prediction, and a more accurate per-pixel uncertainty provided by the uncertainty index (UI) in the MODIS L1B. This enhanced approach will, therefore, be considered for implementation in the future L1B reprocessing efforts. The enhanced approach also vastly simplifies the process of adding long-term trend corrections on top of the MODIS L1B, which should streamline the science data production in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ridesharing platforms like Uber and Didi are getting more and more popular around the world. However, unauthorized ridesharing activities taking advantages of the sharing economy can greatly impair the healthy development of this emerging industry. As the first step to regulate on-demand ride services and eliminate black market, we design a method to detect ridesharing cars from a pool of cars based on their trajectories. Since licensed ridesharing car traces are not openly available and may be completely missing in some cities due to legal issues, we turn to transferring knowledge from public transport open data, i.e., taxis and buses, to ridesharing detection among ordinary vehicles. We propose a novel two-stage transfer learning framework, called CoTrans. In Stage 1, we take taxi and bus data as input to learn a random forest (RF) classifier using trajectory features shared by taxis/buses and ridesharing/other cars. Then, we use the RF to label all the candidate cars. In Stage 2, leveraging the subset of high confident labels from the previous stage as input, we further learn a convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier for ridesharing detection, and iteratively refine the RF and CNN, as well as the feature set, via a co-training process. Finally, we use the resulting ensemble of the RF and CNN to identify the ridesharing cars in the candidate pool. Experiments on real car, taxi and bus traces show that CoTrans, with no need of a pre-labeled ridesharing dataset, can outperform state-of-the-art transfer learning methods with an accuracy comparable to human labeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyruvate participates in diverse metabolic pathways in the body and is normally present in human blood at 40–120 μM, with concentrations outside this range associated with various diseases. Therefore, accurate and stable blood pyruvate level tests are necessary for effective disease detection. However, traditional analytical techniques require complicated instrumentation and are time consuming and expensive, prompting researchers to develop improved methods based on biosensors and bioassays. Here, we designed a highly stable bioelectrochemical pyruvate sensor affixed to a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). To maximize biosensor stability, 0.1 U of lactate dehydrogenase was affixed to the GCE using a sol-gel process, resulting in generation of Gel/LDH/GCE. Next, 2.0 mg/mL AuNPs-rGO was added to enhance current signal strength, resulting in generation of the bioelectrochemical sensor Gel/AuNPs-rGO/LDH/GCE. AuNPs-rGO synthesized in advance was verified as correct using transmission electron microscopy and UV–Vis, Fourier-transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Pyruvate detection conducted via differential pulse voltammetry in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 100 mM) at 37 °C for 1–4500 μM pyruvate provided detection sensitivity as high as 254.54 μA/mM/cm2. The reproducibility, regenerability and storage stability were analyzed with the relative standard deviation of 5 bioeletrochemical sensors detection was 4.60% and biosensor accuracy after 9 cycles was 92%, with accuracy remaining at 86% after 7 days. In the presence of D-glucose, citric acid, dopamine, uric acid and ascorbic acid, the Gel/AuNPs-rGO/LDH/GCE sensor exhibited excellent stability, high anti-interference ability and better performance than conventional spectroscopic methods for detection of pyruvate in artificial serum. [Display omitted] • LDH was immobilized in a film made from sol-gel. • The signal was enhanced by AuNPs-rGO which was added in the sol-gel film. • The sensor performance excellent stability and sensitivity in pyruvate detection. • The sensor shows better accuracy of pyruvate detection in artificial serum compared with spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is currently flying on NASA’s Earth Observing System Terra and Aqua satellites, launched in 1999 and 2002, respectively. MODIS reflective solar bands in the visible wavelength range are known to be sensitive to polarized light based on prelaunch polarization sensitivity tests. After about five years of on-orbit operations, it was discovered that the polarization sensitivity at short wavelengths had shown a noticeable increase. In this paper, we examine the impact of polarization on measured top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectances based on MODIS Collection-6 L1B over pseudoinvariant desert sites. The standard polarization correction equation is used in combination with simulated at-sensor radiances using the second simulation of a satellite signal in the Solar Spectrum, Vector Radiative Transfer Code (6SV). We ignore the polarization contribution from the surface and a ratio approach is used for both 6SV-derived input parameters and observed TOA reflectances. Results indicate that significant gain corrections up to 25% are required near the end of scan for the 412 and 443 nm bands. The polarization correction reduces the seasonal fluctuations in reflectance trends and mirror side ratios from 30% and 12% to 10% and 5%, respectively, for the two bands. Comparison of the effectiveness of the polarization correction with the results from the NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group shows a good agreement in the corrected reflectance trending results and their seasonal fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Realgar, the main component of which is As 2 S 2 or As 4 S 4 (≥90%), is a traditional Chinese natural medicine that has been used to treat carbuncles, furuncles, snake and insect bites, abdominal pain caused by parasitic worms, and epilepsy in China for many years. Because realgar contains arsenic, chronic or excessive use of single-flavor realgar and realgar-containing Chinese patent medicine can lead to drug-induced arsenic poisoning, but the exact mechanism underlying its toxicity to the central nervous system is unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of realgar-induced neurotoxicity and to investigate the effects of realgar on autophagy and the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE pathway. We used rats treated with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) or adeno-associated virus (AAV2/9-r-shRNA- Sqstm1 , sh- p62) to investigate realgar-induced neurotoxicity and explore the specific relationship between autophagy and the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE pathway (the Nrf2 pathway) in the cerebral cortex. Molecular docking analysis was used to assess the interactions among the Nrf2, p62 and Keap1 proteins. Our results showed that arsenic from realgar accumulated in the brain and blood to cause neuronal and synaptic damage, decrease exploratory behavior and spontaneous movement, and impair memory ability in rats. The mechanism may have involved realgar-mediated autophagy impairment and continuous activation of the Nrf2 pathway via the LC3-p62-Keap1-Nrf2 axis. However, because this activation of the Nrf2 pathway was not sufficient to counteract oxidative damage, apoptosis was aggravated in the cerebral cortex. This study revealed that autophagy, the Nrf2 pathway, and apoptosis are involved in realgar-induced central nervous system toxicity and identified p62 as the hub of the LC3-p62-Keap1-Nrf2 axis in the regulation of autophagy, the Nrf2 pathway, and apoptosis. [Display omitted] • Realgar exposure disrupts autophagy to cause neurotoxicity. • Activation of the Nrf2 pathway cannot relieve realgar-induced oxidative damage. • Realgar disrupts autophagy to regulate Nrf2 pathway via LC3-p62-Keap1-Nrf2 axis. • p62 is the hub linking realgar-activated autophagy, Nrf2 pathway and apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(γ-glutamic acid)-based targeted drug delivery system (PAMCN) targeting transmembrane metalloprotease aminopeptidase-N (APN/CD13) was fabricated and evaluated for the enhancement of targeting efficiency and cytotoxicity. The cisplatin (CDDP) loading content of PAMCN was about 36 ± 5% and PAMCN showed a sustainable release profile with a half-maximal release time ( t1/2) of 23 h. The average size of PAMCN was 132 ± 18 nm determined by light scattering (LS) and 158 ± 67 nm by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscope analysis showed that the drug carrier (PAMN) could specifically bind to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). PAMCN enhanced the efficacy of CDDP to HUVEC cells with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value decreased to 90.83 ± 33.00 μg/ml comparing with free CDDP treatment and showed less tube formation amounts ( p < 0.01) than free CDDP in matrigel angiogenesis inhibition assay in vitro. In vivo toxicity experiment indicated that the survival rate of KM mice in PAMCN group was 100% and PAMCN reduced the hepatic and renal toxicity significantly compared to free CDDP group. Therefore, this novel drug delivery system presents a promising potential for antiangiogenic chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the immunostimulant combination ( IC) containing β-glucan, A3α-peptidoglycan, vitamin C and vitamin E on the growth performance, non-specific immunity and protection against Vibrio harveyi infection in cobia ( Rachycentron canadum). Fish were fed diets containing six graded levels of IC (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 g kg−1 diet) for 8 weeks. The results showed that the survival rate ranged from 81.1 to 84.4% with no significant difference among all the groups ( P > 0.05) after the feeding experiment. Dietary IC significantly increased the specific growth rate ( SGR), serum lysozyme, alternative complement pathway ( ACH50) activity, phagocytosis percentage ( PP) and respiratory burst activity of head kidney macrophages of cobia. Moreover, feeding of supplemented diets containing 3.0 g kg−1 IC resulted in significantly lower mortality against the pathogens, V. harveyi compared with the control group. To elevate the growth and immune resistance ability of cobia, the optimal dose of dietary IC administration, determined by second-order polynomial regression analysis was 3.43 and 2.71 g kg−1 diet, respectively, on the basis of the SGR and mortality after challenge with V. harveyi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a common complication of congenital heart disease (CHD) and is associated with worse outcomes and increased mortality. The Doppler echocardiography (DE) is a commonly used imaging tool for both diagnosis and follow-up examination of PAH. Here is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of DE combined with NTproBNP/BNP as screening strategy in PAH patients with CHD. Methods. A retrospective study in 64 patients with CHD has been carried out to compare estimate pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) measured with DE to that measured with right heart catheterization (RHC). The Pearson correlation analyses were used to calculate the correlation coefficients between RHC and DE. The Bland-Altman analyses were carried out to assess the agreement between the two methods. ROC analyses were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of DE, NTproBNP/BNP, and DE combined with NTproBNP/BNP. Results. Our data have demonstrated that a mild correlation (r = 0.4401 , P < 0.01) was observed between PASP (78.1 ± 29.0 mmHg) measured during RHC and PASP (74.9 ± 19.7 mmHg) as estimated using DE. The Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that the bias for DE PASP estimates was 3.2 mmHg with 95% limits of agreement ranging from -49.53 to 55.90 mmHg. The results of DE showed an AUC of 0.848 (95% CI = 0.666 -1; P < 0.001), the sensitivity of which was 98.3% and the specificity was 77.8%. The AUC of NTproBNP/BNP for the identification of PAH was 0.804 (95% CI = 0.651 -0.956; P < 0.001), the sensitivity of which was 81.4% and the specificity was 87.5%. The AUC of DE combined with NTproBNP/BNP was 0.857 (95% CI = 0.676 -1; P < 0.001), of which sensitivity was 100% and specificity was 77.8%. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 96.6% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions. Our study shows that the Doppler echocardiography combined with NTproBNP/BNP has better diagnostic performance in pulmonary artery hypertension associated with congenital heart disease, especially when DE negative screening in PAH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An efficient copper-catalyzed N-arylation of N-arylsulfonamides with diaryliodonium salts is reported. The reaction employs diaryliodonium salts and N-arylsulfonamides in water at room temperature, giving the products in moderate to excellent yields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper investigates the influence of task type and participatory structure (or classroom organisation) in pre-task planning on the fluency, complexity and accuracy of learners' oral production. 32 participants, divided into three experimental groups and one control group, carried out two tasks – a decision-making and an information-exchange task. The control group had no opportunity to plan while the experimental group participants planned for each task in one of the three planning conditions: pair work, individual or teacher-led. Individual task performances were scored for fluency, complexity and accuracy prior to statistical analysis. Results show that planning led to significantly superior performance than no planning across all dependent variables. Pair work planning significantly advantaged fluency compared to teacher-led planning but not accuracy or complexity. Consistent with previous research, teacher-led planning had some benefits for accuracy, and individual planning for complexity, but neither of these effects reached significance. The decision-making task, meanwhile, led to greater complexity than the information-exchange task. These results can be interpreted as implying that there are benefits in varying classroom organisation in pre-task planning, and that individual planning, whose value has sometimes been underestimated, should not be neglected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in the liver volume and function after direct intrahepatic portocaval shunt (DIPS) in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) with diffuse hepatic vein (HV) occlusion. Methods: The clinical data of 29 patients with BCS who underwent DIPS for intractable ascites caused by diffuse hepatic vein occlusion in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were analysed retrospectively; the patients included 8 males and 21 females, with an average age of 33.3 ± 6.3 years. The patients underwent abdominal CT scanning and liver function examinations before DIPS, and 1 week, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after DIPS. The changes of the liver volume and liver function before and after DIPS were compared. Results: All 29 patients underwent DIPS successfully. 28 patients survived during the follow-up of 12–33 months, with a median follow-up of 16 months. The patients' liver function were significantly improved at 3, 6 and 12 months after the operation compared to before the operation (P < 0.05). The liver volumes measured before the operation and 1 week, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after the operation were 2124.586 ± 420.889 cm3, 1926.263 ± 372.268 cm3, 1480.592 ± 183.061 cm3, 1461.904 ± 153.027 cm3 and 1469.286 ± 148.549 cm3, respectively. Compared with the preoperative liver volume, the liver volume had decreased significantly at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after the operation (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the liver volumes at 6 and 12 months after the operation (P = 0.35). Conclusions: Direct intrahepatic portocaval shunt has achieved satisfactory clinical results in the treatment of BCS with diffuse hepatic vein occlusion. The congestive hepatomegaly was gradually reduced after the operation. The liver volume (which was defined as the clinical efficacy in this study) remained stable after 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study was performed to investigate the effects of various levels of dietary Bacillus subtilis and chitosan on the growth performance, non-specific immunity and protection against Vibrio harveyi infection in cobia, Rachycentron canadum. Fish were fed with the control diet and six different experimental diets containing three graded levels of B. subtilis at 2 × 1010 CFU g−1 (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 g kg−1 diet) for each of two levels of chitosan (3.0 and 6.0 g kg−1 diet). The results of 8 weeks feeding trial showed that the survival rate ranged from 81.3% to 84.0% with no significant difference (P > 0.05). The SGR (%) in the fish fed with dietary treatments was significantly higher than that of the control fish except diet 6 group with 2.0 g kg−1 B. subtilis and 3.0 g kg−1 chitosan. The serum lysozyme activities were significantly higher in 6.0 g kg−1 chitosan groups and no significant differences were observed among B. subtilis levels. The serum ACP activities were significantly higher in 3.0 g kg−1 chitosan groups at 0.0 and 1.0 g kg−1 B. subtilis levels; at low chitosan level, the cobia fed diets with 1.0 g kg−1 B. subtilis had significantly higher serum ACP activity, but at high chitosan level, the cobia fed diets with 2.0 g kg−1 B. subtilis had significantly higher serum ACP activity. The phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity in the fish fed with dietary treatments was significantly higher than that of the control fish except diet 3 group with 6.0 g kg−1 chitosan. Moreover, fish fed the diet containing 2.0 g kg−1 B. subtilis and 6.0 g kg−1 chitosan had significantly higher post-challenge survival on the 7th day following V. harveyi infection and post-challenge survival showed clearly the synergistic effect of chitosan and B. subtilis. Based on these results, the combination of 1.0 g kg−1 B. subtilis and 6.0 g kg−1 chitosan is optimal for the growth, innate immunity and disease resistance of cobia with an 8-week oral administration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report the finding of isolated stable-water-clusters of tens of nanometers to micron size from the evaporation of very dilute sodium chloride solution at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure. The stable-water-clusters are found to be electrically charged by examination via an Electric Force Microscope (EFM). Raman scattering and infrared spectrum of residues from the evaporation show similar but not identical characteristics of liquid water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose. Hypercholesterolemia and tight junctions play important roles in atherosclerosis. But the relationship between these two factors is unclear. In the present study, we investigated whether hypercholesterolemic serum could change the permeability of endothelial cells through altering expression and/or distribution of tight junction protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway was also examined. Materials and Methods. Cultured endothelial cells were treated with different concentration levels of hypercholesterolemic serum. The expression and distribution of ZO-1, the permeability of cultured cells and the involvement of PI3K signaling pathway were measured by various methods. Results. In the present study, we found that hypercholesterolemic serum could not change the expression of ZO-1 either in mRNA or protein level. However, hypercholesterolemic serum could change the distribution of ZO-1 in cultured endothelial cells, and increase the permeability with a dose-dependent manner. When PI3K specific inhibitor wortmannin was used, the effects induced by hypercholesterolemic serum could be partly reversed. The role of PI3K signaling pathway was further confirmed by PI3K activity assay. Conclusions. Our results suggested that although hypercholesterolemic serum could not change the expression of ZO-1, it could change the distribution and increase the permeability in endothelial cells through PI3K signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective:We aimed to explore the transitional process of sinus cavity mucosa after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and divide it into different stages. Method:The morphological characteristics of sinus cavity mucosa after FESS were continuously observed. Results:Over 90 of the nasal and sinus cavities got clean within 1–2 weeks, over 80 of the operative cavities experienced a reaction to mucosa removal or regenerative diseases within 3–10 weeks, such as mucosal edema, vesicles, granulation tissue, mini-polyps, fibrous hyperplasia and adhesion, which competed against the mucosa epithelialization process. After careful treatment, 90 of the nasal and sinus cavities finished epithelialization, and 60 of them completed epithelialization within 11–14 weeks after operation. Conclusion:The recovery process of mucosa after FESS can be divided into 3 stages: the stage of clean operative cavity, the stage of mucosal transition and the stage of complete epithelialization. Proper management at the 3 stages is very essential to the whole curable effect of FESS.Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional object detection methods cannot effectively identify underwater objects with complex backgrounds, and it is difficult to fully obtain the details of small-scale underwater targets, resulting in poor detection performance. We propose a path-augmented Transformer detection framework to address these limitations to explore the semantic details of small-scale underwater targets in complex environments. On one hand, an embedded local path detection information scheme is devised to facilitate the interaction between high-level and low-level features, thereby enhancing the semantic representation of distinctive features of small-scale underwater targets. Rich dependency relationships are established between the acquired high-level and low-level features within the CSWin-Transformer framework, thus fortifying the semantic representation during the encoding phase. Furthermore, a individualized loss function is employed to optimize and fine-tune features at various hierarchical levels. On the other hand, a detection module with flexible and adaptive point representation that is different from conventional square detection methods is designed. This module covers the underwater target from any direction, and the salient point samples in classification localization and feature selection between points realize the feature selection improves the detection accuracy of underwater objects simultaneously. We designed a new weighted loss function to encourage the network to converge better. Experimental results on open-source underwater and remote sensing images of UTDAC, RUOD, and ADios show that the proposed method outperforms other underwater object detection methods in terms of precision(P), recall(R), comprehensive evaluation index of F1-score and FPS(frames per second). • A novel Path Enhanced Transformer is proposed for underwater object detection. • Added semantic representation of salient features of small-scale underwater Objects. • Designed a detection module with flexible, adaptive point representation. • A new weighted loss function is designed. • Evaluation tests were conducted on three datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let $V$ be a generic complete intersection of hypersurfaces of degree $d_{1}, d_{2}, \cdots , d_{m}$ in $n$-dimensional projective space. We study the question when a divisor on $V$ is nonrational or of general type, and give an alternative proof of a result of Ein. We also give some improvement of Ein's result in the case $d_{1}+d_{2}+\cdots + d_{m}=n+2$. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time and accurate short-term traffic flow prediction is important for the operation and management of expressways. This paper presents a hybrid model that can be used to discover the spatiotemporal dependencies of traffic flows and, thus, achieve a more accurate traffic flow forecast. This model stacks a full connection (FC) layer, two-layer long short-term memory (LSTM), and a middle mean pooling layer, denoted by FC-LSTM, to expand the ability of LSTM to capture spatial correlations and too long-term temporal dependencies of traffic flows. Traffic data of 51 toll stations (accounting for 15% of all stations) in the Guizhou expressway network in China in January 2016 were used to evaluate the validation of FC-LSTM. The results showed that the traffic flows at adjacent tollgates were interactional and correlated, that FC-LSTM could capture this spatial dependency and the temporal correlations of traffic flows, and, thus, that it was superior to other baselines with a low prediction error, high precision, and high fitting degree. Moreover, FC-LSTM is interpretable and robust owing to its explicit input and is suitable for traffic flow prediction for most tollgates under the same parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency-resolved photon statistics of resonance fluorescence generated from a two-level system driven by a strong laser field and a weak laser field with equal frequencies are studied. The frequency resolution of fluorescent radiation is described by quantum filtering dynamics, which is simulated theoretically by two single-mode quantum optical cavities with tunable frequencies to scan the incident fluorescent radiation. By calculating the two-photon intensityâ€"intensity correlation functions in terms of the cavity modes, we demonstrate that two-color strong correlations of resonance fluorescence can be generated not only between the opposite sidebands, but also between the central band and one of the sidebands: although both sidebands are broadened due to the perturbation of the weak laser field on the strong-field dressed atom. We emphasize that these properties are in contrast to the conventional case of the standard single-atom Mollow triplet. Moreover, if the resonance frequencies of the two filtering cavities are tuned appropriately, broadband two-color strong correlations are predicted, and the physical origin is revealed from the perspective of quantum interference of photon emission dynamics. This can be considered as a feasible scheme for the design of broadband non-classical light sources, and may be beneficial to the quantum precise detection of atomic and molecular dynamics via quantum optical spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What determines the rate at which a multicellular organism matures is a fundamental question in biology. In plants, the decline of miR156 with age serves as an intrinsic, evolutionarily conserved timer for the juvenile-to-adult phase transition. However, the way in which age regulates miR156 abundance is poorly understood. Here, we show that the rate of decline in miR156 is correlated with developmental age rather than chronological age. Mechanistically, we found that cell division in the apical meristem is a trigger for miR156 decline. The transcriptional activity of MIR156 genes is gradually attenuated by the deposition of the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 along with cell division. Our findings thus provide a plausible explanation of why the maturation program of a multicellular organism is unidirectional and irreversible under normal growth conditions and suggest that cell quiescence is the fountain of youth in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytohormone cytokinin has various roles in plant development, including meristem maintenance, vascular differentiation, leaf senescence, and regeneration. Prior investigations have revealed that cytokinin acts via a phosphorelay similar to the two-component system by which bacteria sense and respond to external stimuli. The eventual targets of this phosphorelay are type-B ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATORS (B-ARRs), containing the conserved N-terminal receiver domain (RD), middle DNA binding domain (DBD), and C-terminal transactivation domain. While it has been established for two decades that the phosphoryl transfer from a specific histidyl residue in ARABIDOPSIS HIS PHOSPHOTRANSFER PROTEINS (AHPs) to an aspartyl residue in the RD of B-ARRs results in a rapid transcriptional response to cytokinin, the underlying molecular basis remains unclear. In this work, we determine the crystal structures of the RD-DBD of ARR1 (ARR1RD-DBD) as well as the ARR1DBD-DNA complex from Arabidopsis. Analyses of the ARR1DBD-DNA complex have revealed the structural basis for sequence-specific recognition of the GAT trinucleotide by ARR1. In particular, comparing the ARR1RD-DBD and ARR1DBD-DNA structures reveals that unphosphorylated ARR1RD-DBD exists in a closed conformation with extensive contacts between the RD and DBD. In vitro and vivo functional assays have further suggested that phosphorylation of the RD weakens its interaction with DBD, subsequently permits the DNA binding capacity of DBD, and promotes the transcriptional activity of ARR1. Our findings thus provide mechanistic insights into phosphorelay activation of gene transcription in response to cytokinin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between sperm mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (ND6) gene variations and total fertilisation failure (TFF).Material and Methods: A total of 232 sperm samples at the fresh in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle or the half-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle were collected for this retrospective controlled study on Han Chinese people between July 2011 and April 2014. Of the 232 total samples, 45 were from the IVF-TFF group and 187 were from couples with normal fertilisation (fertilisation rate > 50%). The mitochondrial ND5 and ND6 gene variations and sperm haplotypes were confirmed using nested PCR and DNA sequencing.Results: Ten homozygous variations were newly discovered, namely C12417T, T12441A, C12543A, C13650A, C13765A, T13769C, C13775T, A13776G, C13785A and C13845T. The gene variation rates of six sites, C12417T, C13650A, C13765A, T13769C, C13785A and C13845T, in the TFF group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). There were 231 heterozygous variations discovered; however, only nine heterozygous sites (12441, 12561, 12735, 13164, 13743, 13812, 13928, 14172 and 14368) had significantly higher gene variation rates than those in the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the results showed that haplogroup C did not affect TFF (p > 0.05), and the fertilisation failure rates of haplogroup R and haplogroup D4a were both higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Our results suggested that the ND5 and ND6 gene variations are correlated with TFF. Furthermore, this study indicated that haplogroup R and haplogroup D4a might be risk factors for TFF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua polar-orbiting satellite has long been known to be subjected to electronic crosstalk. Its signatures are clearly visible in images of the lunar disk by various bands, which are routinely obtained during scheduled roll maneuvers. Electronic crosstalk can potentially impact Level 1B products, causing image artifacts such as striping and radiometric bias. However, a comprehensive effort in mapping the sending/receiving bands and detectors, deriving the crosstalk coefficients, and assessing the impact of the crosstalk contamination on the Level 1B product for Aqua’s mid-wave IR bands (3.75– 4.52 $\mu \text{m}$) had been lacking. In this work, we surveyed lunar images by the Aqua MODIS bands that are connected to electronic output 2 of the SWIR/MWIR FPA, identifying all detectors affected by electronic crosstalk contamination and determined which bands and detectors are sending the contaminating signal. By assuming a linear model to describe the contamination, we derived linear crosstalk coefficients for the bands/detectors concerned from lunar images and used these to generate corrected Earth Level 1B images for the mid-wave IR bands and assessed the impact of the electronic crosstalk on the Level 1B imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A DMAP-mediated arylation of pyrazolinones by diaryliodonium triflates at room temperature is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some cases, better yields are obtained in dichloromethane as solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the dynamic evolution of multiple solitons (MSs) and noise-like pulse (NLP) in a passively mode-locked fiber laser using the nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM). The conversion from MSs to the NLP-soliton hybrid regime, as well as the conversion from the NLP-soliton hybrid regime to NLP, has been investigated with increasing the pump power. When the state converts from the MS regime to the hybrid regime, the NLP first appears as an intermittent feature of the laser emission, whose lifetime progressively increases, until it becomes permanent. While the conversion from the NLP-soliton hybrid regime to NLP is gradual. Moreover, the hybrid mode of dual-wavelength MSs and NLP is also obtained by adjusting the intra-cavity polarization and the pump power. These findings will constitute an impressive illustration of the connections and interactions between solitons and NLP from a passively mode-locked fiber laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed and exhaustive structural analysis by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) is reported for the C60-induced reconstruction of Cu(111), in the system Cu(111) + (4 × 4)-C60. A wide LEED energy range allows enhanced sensitivity to the crucial C60-metal interface that is buried below the 7-Å-thick molecular layer. The analysis clearly favors a seven-Cu-atom vacancy model (with Pendry R-factor Rp = 0.376) over a one-Cu-atom vacancy model (Rp = 0.608) and over nonreconstructed models (Rp = 0.671 for atop site and Rp = 0.536 for hcp site). The seven-Cu-atom vacancy forms a (4 × 4) lattice of bowl-like holes. In each hole, a C60 molecule can nestle by forming strong bonds (shorter than 2.30 Å) between 15 C atoms of the molecule and 12 Cu atoms of the outermost and second Cu layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to improve the prognosis for patients with invasive benign meningioma by increasing the precision of pre-operative evaluation and refining the surgical resection strategy. A retrospective review of all the cases of invasive benign meningioma admitted to a single institute from 2005 to 2010 was conducted. The clinical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, refined surgical strategies and outcomes were summarized and analyzed. There were 19 cases of invasive benign meningioma among 254 cases of meningioma. Of the earliest 4 cases, a traditional extra-capsular surgical removal approach was applied, which resulted in permanent neurological deficits for all cases. A modified surgical strategy combining intra- and extra-capsular resection techniques was employed for the subsequent 15 cases, which lead to mild neurological impairment in only 1 case. Pre-operative recognition of this unique sub-type of meningioma maybe facilitated by its typical MRI study findings, and the combination of intra- and extra-capsular resection techniques may be of critical importance in achieving complete tumor removal while maintaining intact neurological functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extent of resection (EOR) in glioma contributes to longer survival. The purpose of NCT01479686 was to prove whether intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) increases EOR in glioma surgery and benefit survival. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive the iMRI (n = 161) or the conventional neuronavigation (n = 160). The primary endpoint was gross total resection (GTR); secondary outcomes reported were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. 188 high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and 133 low-grade gliomas (LGGs) were enrolled. GTR was 83.85% in the iMRI group vs. 50.00% in the control group (P < 0.0001). In 321 patients, the median PFS (mPFS) was 65.12 months in the iMRI group and 61.01 months in the control group (P = 0.0202). For HGGs, mPFS was improved in the iMRI group (19.32 vs. 13.34 months, P = 0.0015), and a trend of superior OS compared with control was observed (29.73 vs. 25.33 months, P = 0.1233). In the predefined eloquent area HGG subgroup, mPFS, and mOS were 20.47 months and 33.58 months in the iMRI vs. 12.21 months and 21.16 months in the control group (P = 0.0098; P = 0.0375, respectively). From the exploratory analyses of HGGs, residual tumor volume (TV) < 1.0 cm3 decreased the risk of survival (mPFS: 18.99 vs. 9.43 months, P = 0.0055; mOS: 29.77 vs. 18.10 months, P = 0.0042). LGGs with preoperative (pre-OP) TV > 43.1 cm3 and postoperative (post-OP) TV > 4.6 cm3 showed worse OS (P= 0.0117) It showed that iMRI significantly increased EOR and indicated survival benefits for HGGs, particularly eloquent HGGs. Residual TV in either HGGs or LGGs is a prognostic factor for survival. • Using iMRI improved the chance of GTR in LGGs and HGGs. • iMRI in cerebral glioma surgery translated into prolonged PFS in HGGs. • Achieving GTR might extend PFS and OS of HGGs, particularly for eloquent HGGs. • Residual tumor volume in either HGGs or LGGs is a prognostic factor for survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil productions can result in pore pressure drop in the reservoir, generating an increase in effective stress and leading to reservoir compaction. The compaction in the subsurface reservoir translates to the earth's surface, which is manifested as a loss of elevation (land subsidence), causing damages to oil production facilities and surface infrastructures. The Liaohe oilfield, located in Liaohe River Delta (LRD), northeast of China, is one of the most significant subsidence areas in China as a direct consequence of oil extraction from the reservoir. Previous studies carried out in this area assumed the oil production-induced displacement retrieved from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) corresponds only to vertical deformation. In this work, for the first time, we proposed a method to retrieve the full three-dimensional (3D) displacement field over the oilfield. We retrieved the vertical and east-west displacement components by combining the multiple-geometry InSAR line-of-sight (LOS) observations and retrieved the north-south component based on the assumption of a physical relationship between the horizontal and vertical displacement. Two ascending and two descending datasets from Sentinel-1 satellite covering the area were processed by an InSAR time series analysis over the 2017 to 2021 period, providing consistent displacement rate maps and displacement time series in the LOS direction. Spatial local-scale land subsidence was found in several producing fields over the deltaic region, including Shuguang, Huanxiling, and Jinzhou oilfields. The 3D displacement decomposition was then conducted in Shuguang oilfield. The derived 3D displacement field exhibit a circular subsidence bowl with a maximum subsiding rate reaching 212 mm/year, accompanied by a centripetal pattern of horizontal displacements with maximum rates up to 50–60 mm/year moving towards the subsidence center. The retrieved 3D displacements are in good agreement with predictions from the geomechanical modeling by assuming a disk-shaped reservoir subject to a uniform reduction in pore fluid pressure. Finally, we show the importance of knowing both the vertical and horizontal displacement in characterizing the lateral boundary of the subsurface reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detectors in the Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) reflective solar bands (RSBs) are calibrated assuming a linear relationship between the observed top-of-atmosphere radiance and the instrument output response. Any nonlinear behavior in the system response can contribute to errors in NASA’s Level 1B MODIS reflectance and radiance products, which are used in a wide variety of Earth science applications. While most RSB detectors continue to have very linear behavior even after more than 18 years of operation, we present evidence that the detectors in Aqua MODIS bands 1 (645 nm) and 2 (858 nm) have deviations from gain linearity that change over the mission by up to 3%. We show a clear divergence between gain measurements made with the onboard solar diffuser (SD) at two different radiance levels, achieved by collecting data both with and without an attenuation screen. Radiance trends from lunar calibrations and typical desert and ocean scenes are also compared. We present a simple method to characterize the response nonlinearity using a quadratic function by combining the results of the two sets of SD calibrations. Applying this quadratic calibration algorithm to the desert and lunar data results in improved agreement in their long-term radiance trends. A clear understanding of the magnitude of the gain nonlinearity could be useful to help improve the quality of numerous MODIS science products, including the land imaging applications that rely heavily on these bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract   Aims Glaucoma is a common neurodegenerative disease that affects retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Little is known of the synaptic degeneration involved in the pathophysiology of glaucoma. Here we used an experimental ocular hypertension model in rats to investigate this issue. Methods Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was induced by laser coagulation of the episcleral and limbal veins. RGCs were retrogradely labeled with Fluoro-Gold (FG). The c-fos protein was used as a neuronal connectivity marker. Expression of c-fos in the retinas was investigated by immunohistochemistry at 5 days and 2 weeks after the induction of ocular hypertension. Both surviving RGCs as revealed by retrograde FG-labeled and c-fos-labeled RGCs were counted. Results The c-fos protein was mainly expressed in the nuclei and nucleoli of cells in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer in the normal retina. We also confirmed that c-fos was also expressed in the nuclei and nucleoli of RGCs retrogradely labeled with FG. There was no significant RGC loss at 5 days but about 13% RGC loss at 2 weeks after the induction of ocular hypertension. The number of RGCs expressing c-fos was significantly lower in the experimental animals at both 5 days and 2 weeks than normal. Conclusion Our study suggests that there is synaptic disconnection for RGCs after ocular hypertension and it may precede the cell death in the early stage. It may provide insight into novel therapeutic strategies to slow the progress of glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-wavelength square pulses are generated in the dissipative soliton resonance (DSR) regime by a Yb-doped fiber laser (YDFL) with a long cavity configuration. The spectral filter effect provided by a passive fiber with low-stress birefringence facilitates the establishment of multi-wavelength operation. Through appropriate control of the cavity parameters, a multi-wavelength DSR pulse can be generated in single- and dual-waveband regions. When the multi-wavelength DSR works in the 1038 nm waveband, the pulse duration can broaden from 2 ns to 37.7 ns. The maximum intra-cavity pulse energy is 152.7 nJ. When the DSR works in the 1038 nm and 1080 nm wavebands, the pulse duration can be tuned from 2.3 ns to 10.5 ns with rising pump power. The emergence of the 1080 nm waveband is attributed to the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) effect. Our work might help a deeper insight to be gained into DSR pulses in all-normal-dispersion YDFLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have found that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play key roles in cardiovascular diseases. However, the function of circROBO2 in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of circROBO2 in AMI. Methods: qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to determine the expression levels of circROBO2, miR-1184, and TRADD in AMI and sham-operated mouse models at mRNA and protein level, respectively. The relationship among miR-1184, circROBO2 and TRADD was evaluated by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) analysis and luciferase reporter gene analysis. The roles of circROBO2, miR-1184, and TRADD in myocardial cell apoptosis were evaluated using flow cytometry. Ultrasound echocardiography, serum creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), myocardial infarction area, and myocardial cell apoptosis were measured to examine the effects of circROBO2 on myocardial injury. Results: The expression levels of miR-1184 were significantly reduced, and the expression levels of circROBO2 and TRADD were significantly increased in MI group. CircROBO2 acted as a sponge for miR-1184 by upregulating the expression of TRADD. In addition, overexpression of miR-1184 enhanced the protective effect of knockdown of circROBO2 by partially inhibiting the expression of TRADD in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion: Knockdown of circROBO2 reduced the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes by increasing the expression levels of miR-1184, which in turn decreased the expression levels of TRADD in the myocardium post-MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lo, C.-C.; Liu, H., and Geng, X., 2020. Cross-Boundary governance research of coastal rivers in Taiwan: Case study of the Nanshih River. In: Wan, Z. (ed.), Coordinated Sustainable Development in Coastal Areas: Environment and Economy. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 109, pp. 210–215. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. As a typical coastal city, Taiwan is made up of numerous river basins that can deeply affect the sustainable development of the whole coast. Taiwan's Nanshih River Basin is located in the Taipei Water Source Domain and governmented by different authorities. However, since the related departments lack interaction, the performance of governance is not satisfactory. In order to manage and sustainably use the Nanshih River Basin and protect local precious resources, it must focus on overall basin governance. This study is based on a basic question regarding the cross-boundary governance of the Nanshih River Basin: What is cross-boundary governance? It includes separated duties of basin authorities and conflicts among the regulations; limitations of land use and development; protection of residents' rights; water source and ecological environment issues caused by hot spring tourism; lack of base flow to downstream rivers of the Nanshih River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test the ability of carotid stiffness evaluated by using ultrafast ultrasound imaging to indicate coronary atherosclerosis and its association with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 131 patients with CAD and 60 normal controls. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was measured by two-dimensional ultrasound. Carotid stiffness was determined by ultrafast ultrasound imaging, with which the carotid pulse wave velocity at the beginning (PWVBS) and end (PWVES) of systole were calculated. Gensini scores based on coronary angiography were used to estimate the severity of CAD.Results: Compared with normal controls, the CAD patients had higher carotid diameters, cIMT, PWVBS and PWVES (p < 0.05). In the CAD group, Gensini scores correlated significantly with cIMT, PWVBS and PWVES (r = 0.279, p = 0.001; r = 0.661, p < 0.001; r = 0.620, p < 0.001; respectively). The multivariate analysis further indicated that PWVBS, PWVES and body mass index were independently associated with the Gensini score (β = 0.466, p < 0.001; β = 0.308, p < 0.001; and β = 0.209, p = 0.001; respectively). In addition, the sensitivity and specificity were 54% and 83%, respectively, for PWVBS (cutoff value, 6.9 m/s; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.70) and 64% and 83%, respectively, for PWVES (cutoff value, 8.0 m/s; area under the curve, 0.73).Conclusions: Increased carotid PWVBS and PWVES detected by ultrafast ultrasound imaging as indices of carotid stiffness might serve as promising indicators for CAD and its severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the effectiveness of the GnRH-a ultra-long protocol, GnRH-a long protocol, and GnRH-a short protocol used in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in infertile women with endometriosis. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Elsevier Science Direct, OA Library, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, China Science and Technology Journal database, and the China Biology Medicine disc for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (non-RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of the GnRH-a ultra-long protocol, GnRH-a long protocol, and GnRH-a short protocol in IVF-ET in infertile patients with endometriosis. Results: A total of 21 studies in compliance with the standard literature were included, and RCT and non-RCT studies were analyzed separately. This meta-analysis showed that the GnRH-a ultra-long protocol could improve the clinical pregnancy rate of infertile patients in RCT studies, especially in patients with stages III–IV endometriosis (RR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.37~3.04, P < 0.05). However, subgroup analysis found the different down-regulation protocols provided no significant difference in improving clinical outcomes in patients with endometriosis in the non-RCT studies. Conclusion: This study suggests that the GnRH-a ultra-long protocol can improve the clinical pregnancy rate of the patients with stages III–IV endometriosis in RCT studies. Although it is generally believed that the results of RCT are more reliable, the conclusions of the non-RCT studies cannot be easily neglect, which let us draw conclusions more cautious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the anatomical variations of the superior transverse scapular ligament (STSL) for better understanding the possible predisposing factors for suprascapular nerve entrapment. Methods: The study was using fifty 10% formalin solution-fixed human cadaveric shoulders. After dissection of the suprascapular region, the length, medial width, lateral width and middle width of the suprascapular opening were measured for each STSL. Results: The STSL displayed six types as: (1) band-shaped in 11 cases; (2) fan-shaped in 27 cases; (3) triangular-shaped in 5 cases; (4) linear type in 2 cases; (5) bifid in 1 case; (6) absent in 1 case. The ossified type of STSL was found in 3 cases. There were statistically significant differences in the length (P = 0.009), medial width (P = 0.001), lateral width (P = 0.029) of the three types of fan-shaped, band-shaped and triangular-shaped. However, there was no statistical difference in the middle width of the suprascapular opening of the three types (P = 0.340). Conclusion: Knowing the morphological features and variations of the STSL is important for better understanding the anatomical conditions, which could be taken into consideration during open suprascapular operations or arthroscopic decompressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument was driven by the scientific community’s desire to have near-daily global coverage at moderate resolution (~1km) with comprehensive spectral coverage from visible to long-wave infrared wavelengths. Since their launches in 1999 and 2002, respectively, the Terra and Aqua MODIS instruments have made continuous global observations and generated numerous data products to help users worldwide with their studies of the Earth’s system and its short- and long-term changes. The 20 reflective solar bands (RSBs) with wavelengths from 0.41 to $2.2~\mu \text{m}$ collect data at three nadir spatial resolutions: 250 m, 500 m, and 1 km. The solar diffuser (SD) coupled with the SD stability monitor (SDSM) provides a reflectance-based calibration on-orbit. In addition, lunar observations and response trends from pseudoinvariant desert sites are used to characterize the response versus scan-angle changes on-orbit. This paper provides a brief overview of MODIS RSB calibration algorithms, as implemented in the latest Level 1B version 6.1, operational activities, on-orbit performance, remaining challenges, and potential improvements. Results from the SD and SDSM measurements show a wavelength and mirror-side-dependent degradation in RSB responses, with the largest degradation at the shortest wavelengths, particularly for Terra MODIS. Aqua MODIS has experienced far less degradation of its optics and on-board calibrators compared with Terra MODIS, resulting in an overall better performance. With the exception of Aqua band 6, there have been no new noisy or inoperable detectors in the RSB of either instrument during postlaunch operations. As the instruments age and continue to endure the space environment, the detectors and the optical systems degrade. The challenges associated with incorporating these on-orbit changes to ensure a production of high-quality calibrated L1B data products are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been implicated in a series of physiological and pathological processes. However, its correlation in coronary heart disease (CHD) still remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to determine the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) of stable angina pectoris (SAP) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. In addition, the effect of rosuvastatin on their activities was analyzed in vitro. A total of 60 participants with SAP (n=20), AMI (n=20) and non-CHD controls (n=20) were enrolled. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting, real-time PCR, western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to reveal the role of NLRP3 inflammasome. NLRP3 inflammasome was expressed in the PBMCs, and revealed an increased expression along the downstream interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 in both SAP and AMI groups, compared to the control group. Moreover, there was a more marked increase in the expression of these indicators in AMI patients when compared to SAP patients. Interference with rosuvastatin in vitro revealed that the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and its downstream cytokines were significantly downregulated in both SAP and AMI groups in a time-dependent manner. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome may be involved in the development of CHD, and rosuvastatin could attenuate the inflammatory process of atherosclerosis by downregulating NLRP3 expression and its downstream mediators. These findings indicated a potential role of NLRP3 in the pathogenesis and management of CHD, and also provided new insights into the mechanistic framework of rosuvastatin activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To prospectively evaluate the diagnostic value of 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance 3-dimensional sampling perfection with application-optimized contrast using different flip angle evolution (3D-SPACE) in the detection of sinus wall invasion and sinus patency in parasinus meningiomas. Methods In this study, 28 patients with suspected meningiomas adjacent to the venous sinus underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance venography, and 3D-SPACE scans. We collected patient charts and surgical reports for demographic details, histologic analysis, and neurologic performance preoperatively and postoperatively. Images obtained by each technique were assessed independently by 2 neurosurgeons for characteristics of sinus infiltration, wall invasion, lumen patency, and collateral veins. Results The blood flow signal inside the lumen and collateral veins were depressed and presented as black, contrasting well with the sinus wall on 3D-SPACE imaging. When the curved-planar reconstruction images were combined, it was intuitive and accurate to detect the extent of sinus wall invasion by meningioma and also to detect lumen patency. An intratumoral "false lumen" was shown to maintain the blood flow inside the sinus at a totally invaded lesion. Moreover, collateral veins enveloped in a meningioma with their confluence points of the venous sinus were easily observed on 3D-SPACE images. Conclusion With an integrative presentation of parasinus meningioma, wall invasion, lumen patency, and collateral veins, high-resolution 3D-SPACE imaging provides a reliable technique to accurately assess venous sinus invasion preoperatively. Highlights • 3.0 Tesla 3D-SPACE imaging facilitates the detection of sinus invasion extent. • Curved planar reconstruction imaging is more intuitive for observation of patency. • Confluence between collateral vein and sinus can be shown by 3D-SPACE. • 3 months after operation is a better point in time for reexamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum-maltolate (Al-Malt) is a potent apoptosis inductor, which has been widely reported as an etiologic factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD). MicroRNA-322 (miR-322) is a vital regulator in various biological processes. The aim of the current study was to identify the role and possible underlying mechanism of miR-322 in Al-Malt-induced apoptosis. Eight concentrations of Al-Malt were prepared and used for treating the human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y. Subsequent to treatment with Al-Malt for 3 days, cell viability, apoptosis and the expression levels of apoptosis-associated factors were measured. In addition, the mRNA expression level of miR-322 was monitored. Furthermore, cells were transfected with an miR-322 mimic and/or treated with Al-Malt, and cell viability, apoptosis and the expression levels of apoptosis-associated factors were measured again. Al-Malt significantly inhibited cell viability, but promoted apoptosis. The apoptosis-associated factors, V-Myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (c-Myc), Bcl-2-associated X protein, caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3 were markedly upregulated by Al-Malt. The mRNA expression level of miR-322 was negatively regulated by Al-Malt. Furthermore, miR-322 attenuated the apoptosis induced by Al-Malt and recovered the expression changes of these four factors. Thus, miR-322 may attenuate Al-Malt-induced apoptosis by recovering the expression change of c-Myc. Furthermore, miR-322 may be involved in the pathogenesis of Al-Malt-associated AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intercomparison of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) reflective solar bands onboard Aqua and Terra is very important for the assessment of each instrument’s calibration. One of the limitations is the lack of simultaneous nadir overpasses. Their measurements over a selected Earth view target have significant differences in solar and view angles, which magnify the effects of atmospheric scattering and bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). In this paper, an intercomparison technique is formulated after correction for site’s BRDF and atmospheric effects. The reflectance measurements over Libya desert sites 1, 2, and 4 from both the Aqua and Terra MODIS are regressed to a BRDF model with an adjustable coefficient accounting for calibration difference. The ratio between Aqua and Terra reflectance measurements is derived for bands 1–9 and the results from different sites show good agreement. For year 2003, the ratios are in the range of 0.985–1.010 for bands 1–9. Band 3 shows the lowest ratio 0.985 and band 1 shows the highest ratio 1.010. For the year 2014, the ratio ranges from approximately 0.983 for bands 2 and 1.012 for band 8. The BRDF corrected reflectance for the two instruments is also derived for every year from 2003 to 2014 for stability assessment. Bands 1 and 2 show greater than 1% differences between the two instruments. Aqua bands 1 and 2 show downward trends while Terra bands 1 and 2 show upward trends. Bands 8 and 9 of both Aqua and Terra show large variations of reflectance measurement over time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]