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With the continuous acceleration of urbanization, urban public traffic congestion is becoming more and more serious. In order to alleviate traffic congestion, people’s demand for public transportation is increasing. Due to the increasing passenger flow in the subway station, the original guidance signs in the station often fail to play the expected role, and passengers cannot get effective guidance in the crowded passenger flow. This paper takes the maximum amount of information obtained by passengers as the objective function to establish the guidance sign layout model, and chooses a 0-1 integer programming model to solve it. Based on the distribution coefficient ρij; , the passenger flow wij; , the weight coefficient d and the inverse of the number of intersections qij , these four variables are used to comprehensively analyze the amount of guidance information of the guidance signs, and set constraints based on the number of passenger flow lines and guidance signs. Xiyuan Subway station, for example, through the site of the actual passenger flow survey, to obtain the required parameters, and finally using MATLAB programming solution, to get an effective guidance sign layout position, improve the guidance sign guide efficiency.

OBJECTIVE To assess the correlation between circulating microRNA (miR)-122 level and the prognosis of chronic hepatitis B-related liver failure (CHBLF). METHODS Serum miR-122 from CHBLF patients (n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 6) was quantified using an Exiqon locked nucleic acid microarray. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to determine serum miR-122 expression in 102 patients with different liver diseases [CHBLF (n = 58), acute hepatitis B (n = 10), chronic hepatitis B (n = 22) and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (n = 12)] and 23 healthy controls. The correlations between miR-122 and disease stages based on prothrombin activity (PTA) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were further analyzed. RESULTS Microarray showed that miR-122 was significantly upregulated among 148 significantly modified miRNAs in CHBLF patients. Serum level of miR-122 in CHBLF patients was significantly upregulated at early stage based on PTA or stages I-II based on MELD score. Interestingly, there was a significant correlation between the MELD score and circulating miR-122 level in patients with an MELD score of

This study aims to evaluate the levels of knowledge of different food categories and analyze the association between the levels of dietary knowledge and glycemia in Chinese adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A cross-sectional study design was adopted. A total of 334 patients with T2DM were recruited from six hospitals from July to October 2014 in China. The Diabetes Dietary Knowledge Scale was utilized to obtain dietary knowledge. The results showed the item examining knowledge of carbohydrates received the highest score, whereas the item examining knowledge of healthy fats received the lowest score. The item “nuts” ( B = −0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.38, 0.99]) was associated with the incidence of hyperglycemia. The item “foods when hypoglycemic” ( B = 0.42; 95% CI = [1.22, 2.07]) was associated with the incidence of hypoglycemia. There were different knowledge levels of different food categories in patients with T2DM, and these have implications for blood glucose control.

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the association between interleukin 28B (IL28B) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and sustained virological response (SVR) in Chinese Han patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to analyze the correlations between IL28B SNPs and their personal, virological and clinical characteristics. Methods Altogether 631 Chinese Han individuals, including 297 CHC patients treated with pegylated interferon α plus ribavirin, 14 spontaneous responders to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 320 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Two main SNPs of IL28B, rs12979860 and rs8099917, were genotyped using an SNaPshot Multiplex Assay. Associations between IL28B, treatment outcomes and the patients' characteristics were assessed by multivariate logistic regression. Results The proportion of individuals with the rs12979860 CC or rs8099917 TT genotype was similar in the healthy controls and the CHC patients, although all spontaneous responders presented with both genotypes. Patients with IL28B genotypes had a significantly high rate of rapid virological response (RVR) and SVR. Multivariate analysis revealed that the IL28B SNP rs12979860 CC genotype, being aged

In this paper, we derive a numerical model to analyze the compact Brillouin/erbium fiber laser with a short commercialized normal erbium-doped fiber (EDF) as both the Brillouin and linear gain media. The effects of the 980 nm pump power, the Brillouin pump power, the EDF length, and the output coupling ratio on the BEFL output power characteristics are simulated. The theoretical results predict that a short commercialized normal EDF is capable for a high-power low-threshold compact BEFL. Based on the theoretical analyses, a BEFL using only 4 m normal EDF as the gain medium is designed and constructed. The measured results demonstrate that this BEFL presents low pump threshold (~20 mW), high output power (> 10 mW), single-mode operation and low relative intensity noise (-120 dB/Hz). This BEFL shows potential applications in distributed Brillouin fiber sensors, interferometric fiber sensors, and coherent optical communications, etc.

Phase noise characteristics induced by stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in the presence of four-wave mixing (FWM) in an interferometric fiber sensing system are investigated. It is found that the phase noise mainly results from SBS and the influence of FWM on the phase noise is negligible. It is due to that the channels are not perfectly equally spaced in the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system and the induced beat noise is filtered by the ∼kHz/MHz photodetector. The phase noise caused by SBS rather than FWM should be focused on in the practical applications of interferometric fiber sensing systems.

The power fluctuation and multi-sidebands of the RF modulated electro-optic intensity modulator (EOIM) can lead to a degraded resolution of the Brillouin distributed sensors. A standard commercial fiber-pigtailed DFB-LD is locked to one of the sidebands of the EOIM. Optical single sideband-frequency generation is realized with the carrier and the other sidebands totally suppressed. The locked LD greatly improves the power stability of the injected sideband. No dc bias controlling to the EOIM is needed in the locking process. This simple method provides large tuning range (∼1 GHz), fast response (∼100 μs), and high side-frequency suppression ratio (∼60 dB). Thus, it is practical for high-resolution Brillouin sensing systems as well as microwave photonics.

Spontaneous and induced modulation instability (MI) in the presence of rather broadband spectra are shown in the conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) for the first time. The broadband spectra are caused by the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) of the erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). The two kinds of MI are seeded by noise components and a probe beam which results from two EDFAs amplification, respectively. For the spontaneous MI, the MI threshold is shown to be ∼170 mW, which contains the laser as well as the ASE component. For the induced MI, an idler beam appears and grows with the peak power of input pulses at first, and then multiple spectral peaks emerge.

To assess the correlation between circulating microRNA (miR)-122 level and the prognosis of chronic hepatitis B-related liver failure (CHBLF).Serum miR-122 from CHBLF patients (n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 6) was quantified using an Exiqon locked nucleic acid microarray. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to determine serum miR-122 expression in 102 patients with different liver diseases [CHBLF (n = 58), acute hepatitis B (n = 10), chronic hepatitis B (n = 22) and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (n = 12)] and 23 healthy controls. The correlations between miR-122 and disease stages based on prothrombin activity (PTA) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were further analyzed.Microarray showed that miR-122 was significantly upregulated among 148 significantly modified miRNAs in CHBLF patients. Serum level of miR-122 in CHBLF patients was significantly upregulated at early stage based on PTA or stages I-II based on MELD score. Interestingly, there was a significant correlation between the MELD score and circulating miR-122 level in patients with an MELD score of30 (r = 0.521, P = 0.001). Moreover, serum level of miR-122 was significantly decreased at discharge compared with that at admission as shown in the same group of CHBLF patients (P0.05).Serum level of miR-122 is correlated with the severity of liver injury at an early stage. miR-122 may be a potential biomarker for both the diagnosis at an early stage of CHBLF and the prognosis for recovery.

Background Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a highly profibrogenic molecule implicated in hepatic fibrogenesis. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an effective tool to silence gene expression post-transcriptionally. Therefore, we conducted an investigation to determine if intraportal vein siRNA injection targeting CTGF inhibits CTGF expression on rat liver in vivo and furthermore whether it protects the liver from liver fibrosis. Methods Some rats received carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) by subcutaneous injections every three days for six consecutive weeks, and meantime they also obtained either siRNA (0.1 mg/kg) targeting CTGF, saline or a control siRNA by intraportal vein injection to rats' liver at the same pattern. Other rats received CCl4 by subcutaneous injection for 2 weeks, followed by CCl4 and CTGF siRNA intraportal vein injection for four more weeks. Results Intraportal vein injection of CTGF siRNA specifically reduced the expression of CTGF protein in rat liver, and these effects were maintained for 3 days. Six weeks after CCl4 injection, prominent upregulations were observed in the gene expressions of CTGF, type I, III Collagen, laminin, tissue inhibitor metal proteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in saline or control siRNA-treated rats livers. Administrating CTGF siRNA for 4 or 6 weeks, by contrast, markedly attenuated the induction of CTGF, type I, III collagen, laminin, TIMP-1 and TGF-beta 1 genes, whereas Smad2, 7 gene expression was not affected. The number of active hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) determined by the expression of a-smooth muscle actin was also significantly decreased. The CTGF siRNA treatment markedly reduced serum procollagen type III, hepatic hydroxyproline and liver fibrosis staging. Conclusions Silencing CTGF expression with siRNA demonstrates therapeutic potential to prevent liver fibrosis by inhibiting HSC activation with consequent extracellular matrix accumulation and the upregulation of TGF-beta 1 gene expression. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The phase noises of two narrow-linewidth fiber laser and laser diode are measured by using unbalanced Michelson interferometers with various optical path differences (OPDs). The measured results indicate that the phase noises of the two lasers do not change linearly with the OPD over the range from 1 to 100 m. The laser diode exhibits phase noise levels higher than that of the fiber laser at OPDs longer than 10 m. However, the laser diode outperforms the fiber laser at OPDs shorter than 10 m. The results obtained can assess laser performance and determine the suitable laser for use in a particular application.

To evaluate the efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) treatment and to assess the long-term outcomes, including survival, liver function improvement and virologic response, in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.Patients with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores more than or equal to 7, who had been treated with either lamivudine or other agents, but who were free of co-infection with other hepatitis virus were enrolled between January 2005 and December 2009. The study participants were subgrouped according to the antiviral drugs received or model for endstage liver disease (MELD) score for comparative analyses.Additionally, the 19 patients who were treated with NA for more than 5 years were investigated for changes in biochemical and virological indices, before and after the antiviral treatment.A total of 166 patients (125 males; 89 e-negative) and 52 untreated healthy patients (as control) were analyzed.The cohort of patients receiving antiviral therapy had significantly better 5-year actuarial survival than the untreated patients (74.1% vs.34.9%, P less than 0.001). For patients with MELD score more than or equal to 18, actuarial survival was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.073).Antiviral therapy significantly increases survival and improves the clinical long-term outcome of patients with HBV-induced decompensated cirrhosis.Antiviral treatment should be initiated at an early stage to maximize benefit in the improvement of clinical status.

This study aimed to investigate the association between interleukin 28B (IL28B) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and sustained virological response (SVR) in Chinese Han patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to analyze the correlations between IL28B SNPs and their personal, virological and clinical characteristics.Altogether 631 Chinese Han individuals, including 297 CHC patients treated with pegylated interferon α plus ribavirin, 14 spontaneous responders to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 320 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Two main SNPs of IL28B, rs12979860 and rs8099917, were genotyped using an SNaPshot Multiplex Assay. Associations between IL28B, treatment outcomes and the patients' characteristics were assessed by multivariate logistic regression.The proportion of individuals with the rs12979860 CC or rs8099917 TT genotype was similar in the healthy controls and the CHC patients, although all spontaneous responders presented with both genotypes. Patients with IL28B genotypes had a significantly high rate of rapid virological response (RVR) and SVR. Multivariate analysis revealed that the IL28B SNP rs12979860 CC genotype, being aged40 years and having a non-genotype 1 (G1) were independent predictors for SVR. The rs12979860 CC genotype and rs8099917 TT genotypes were predictors for RVR. The rs12979860 CC and rs8099917 TT genotypes were more prevalent in patients with a non-G1 genotype than those with G1 genotype.IL28B rs12979860 CC genotype is a significant predictor for SVR and RVR in Chinese Han patients with CHC. Non-G1 HCV genotype is associated with favourable IL28B genotypes.

This study aimed to explore the most up-to-date distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in China, especially the association between HCV genotypes and patients' characteristics and clinical parameters.Sera from 483 HCV antibody-positive patients were genotyped using a HCV genotyping chip assay. The distribution of HCV genotypes, clinical parameters, modes of transmission and duration of infection were determined and the relationships among these parameters were analyzed.A total of 424 patients were successfully genotyped. HCV genotypes 1, 2, 3 and 6 were found with a constituent ratio of 72.1%, 12.3%, 10.6% and 5.0%, respectively, in which subtypes 1b (69.1%), 2a (11.6%) and 3a (7.5%) were prevalent. The mean age of patients with genotype 1 and 2 was significantly elder than those with genotype 3 and 6 (P 0.05). The distribution of HCV genotypes in relation to the mode of HCV transmission was remarkable (P 0.001). Transfusion of blood and blood products was the main mode of transmission. Most genotype 1 infection (53.1%) was found in the group with a duration of HCV infection of 10-20 years. Genotype 1b was independently associated with age (P = 0.001) and mode of HCV transmission (P = 0.007).The main HCV subtype was genotype 1b in Chinese patients. The prevalence of HCV genotypes was correlated with age and the mode of HCV transmission. Genotype 3a and 6 may become an increasing threat in the future.

Phase noise characteristics for four-wave transmission in a long-haul interferometric fiber sensing system are investigated. It is found that the phase noise in the presence and absence of four-wave mixing (FWM) is almost the same, which indicates that the influence of FWM can be negligible. It is due to that the bandwidth of the photodetector used in the fiber sensing system is often narrower than the beat frequency between FWM induced light and signal light, leading the beat noise to be filtered. This noise characteristic is different from that in the fiber communication system and provides guidance for the practical application of the interferometric fiber sensing system. © (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

To investigate the female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in type 2 diabetes patients, by comparing the sexual function between type 2 diabetic women and non-diabetic women with Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).115 type 2 diabetic women and 107 age-matched non-diabetes women were enrolled with similar backgrounds. Their sexual functions were evaluated with FSFI. Metabolic parameters such as body mass index, blood lipid profile, hemoglobin A1C, plasma glucose were also collected.Total score of FSFI of the type 2 diabetic women were significantly lower than that of the non-diabetic controls (18.27±8.96 vs. 23.02±5.78, P=0.000). Scores of the FSFI domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, pain) of the type 2 diabetic group were also lower than those of the control group. According to the FSD criterion (FSFI25) available in China, the percentage of FSD in the type 2 diabetic group was significantly higher than that of the control group (79.2%vs. 55.0%, P0.001). These trends seemed more prominent in pre-menopause subgroups. The logistic regression analysis indicated that age and diabetes were independent risk factors of FSD. Body Mass Index (BMI) also had influence in the diabetes group.Findings from this study showed that there are more FDS in Chinese type 2 diabetic women than in their non-diabetic counterparts, especially in pre-menopause participants.

AIM: To study the effects of synthetic nonmethylated CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs), either alone or combined with recombinant Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) polypeptide, on the phenotype, function, and intracellular signaling pathways of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: Peripheral blood monocytes isolated from CHB patients and healthy volunteers were induced to be dendritic cells by recombinant human granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4. The DCs were then treated with CpG-ODNs, CpG-ODNs/HBsAg, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α for 18 h. The expression of surface molecules including HLA-DR, CD86, and CD1a in DCs were detected by flow cytometry, and the expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT1, 3, 4, 5, 6) and suppressors of cell signaling (SOCS1, 3) were determined by Western blotting assay. In addition, the capacity of DCs to stimulate allogeneic T lymphocytes and the amount of IL-12p70 released from DCs were measured. RESULTS: In the DCs derived from patients with CHB, treatment with TNF-α, CpG-ODNs, or CpG-ODNs/HBsAg, as compared to the vector control, significantly increased the expression of HLA-DR, stimulated the release of IL-12p70, and enhanced the capacity of DCs to stimulate allogenic T lymphocytes. The expressions of STAT1/4/6 and SOCS1/3, but not STAT3/5, were upregulated by TNF-α, CpG-ODNs, and CpG-ODNs/HBsAg. In addition, the expression of CD1a was upregulated only in the presence of both CpG-ODNs and HBsAg. CONCLUSION: The treatment with CpG-ODNs, either alone or combined with HBsAg, has a remarkable stimulatory effect on the impaired phenotype and function of DCs in CHB, possibly by regulating the expression of STAT1, 4, 6 and SOCS1, 3.

To investigate the correlation between viral factors and liver histological changes of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently normal serum ALT levels (PNAL).HBV DNA level, HBV genotype, basal core promoter (BCP) and precore mutation were examined in 52 HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with PNAL (defined as normal ALT measured on at least 3 occasions in the intervals of about two months over a period of 12 months or more prior to the biopsy).Subjects with both BCP and precore mutations had significantly higher HBV DNA levels than those without mutations [(4.9+/-1.4) vs (4.1+/-1.1) log(10)copies/ml, t = 2.308, P0.05]. A higher proportion of patients with histological activity index (HAI)or = to 4 was found in patients with both mutations (32.1% vs 16.7%) than in patients without mutation, however, the proportion of patients with histological activity index (HAI)or = to 3 in patients with mutations was not significantly different from that in patients without mutations (14.3% vs. 12.5%, x(2)=0.000, P0.05). In patients without precore or BCP mutations, there was a strong positive correlation between viral load and liver inflammation as well as fibrosis (precore: r=0.626, 0.592, P0.01; BCP: r=0.730, 0.641, P0.01). In patients without both mutations, HBV DNA has shown a high accuracy for predecting fibrosis (For = 3) (AUC = 0.905, 95% CI: 0.771-1.039, P0.05) with the cutoff value of 4.5 log(10) copies/ml (sensitivity = 1.000, specificity = 0.778, PPV = 42.9%, NPV = 100.0%). Results of both genotypes and mutations were successfully obtained in 40 samples with HBV DNA isor = to 10(4) copies/ml. The higher viral load was observed in the patients with genotype B than genotype C (5.1 vs 4.3 log(10)copies/ml, t = 2.059, P0.05), but no difference was seen of liver pathologic changes between these two genotypes.Virus harboring both BCP and precore mutants has the higher replication level than wild type virus. 32.1% and 14.3% of the patients with both mutations have moderate or severe inflammation and fibrosis. There was a strong positive correlation between viral load and liver histological changes in patients without precore or BCP mutations, and viral load shows a high accuracy for predecting significant fibrosis (For = 3).

This paper presents a approach of SIFT feature points matching for image mosaic. This method combines improved K-means clustering and simulated annealing algorithm to match SIFT feature points. Firstly, high robust points are extracted by SIFT algorithm; Secondly, cluster with the initial centers obtained by density function, and then optimize the results of clustering which are used as initial results of simulated annealing algorithm by perturbation; Thirdly, match feature points according to Nearest Neighbor algorithm; Finally, calculate the homography and realize image mosaic. This method does not need to traverse all feature points and avoid trapping in a local extremum. Experimental results prove that the method is only relative to geometric position of feature points, and is robust on scale invariant, arbitrary rotation and scaling.

To investigate the anti-fibrogenesis property of intraportal vein injection of small interfering RNA targeting connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in a rat model of liver fibrosis and its effect on the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM).Thirty male rats were randomly divided into five groups. Some rats received CCl4 subcutaneously every three days for 6 consecutive weeks, and in the meantime they also received either siRNA targeting CTGF (preventive group), saline (model group) or siRNA (siRNA control group) by intraportal vein injections. Other rats received CCl4 by subcutaneous injection for 2 weeks, followed by CCl4 and CTGF siRNA intraportal vein injection for 4 more weeks (as treatment group). The expressions of CTGF and type I and III collagen genes were detected by means of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or Western blot respectively. Hepatic histology was evaluated by HE and Sirius red stained sections. The collagen staining areas were measured quantitatively using a computer-aided manipulator with slight modifications. Serum procollagen type III and hyaluronic acid were determined by radioimmunoassay.Six weeks after CCl4 injection, prominent upregulation of gene expressions of CTGF, type I and III collagen, and laminin in saline or siRNA-treated rat livers were observed. The expressions of CTGF at mRNA and protein level and type I and III collagen at mRNA level were markedly reduced in rats with CTGF siRNA treated for four or six weeks. Expressions of CTGF at mRNA and protein levels decreased by 76%+/-8%, 80%+/-3% (F = 68.630) and 95%+/-2%, 93%+/-3% (F = 21.234, P0.01); type I and III collagen and laminin at mRNA levels decreased by 74%+/-8%, 78%+/-8%, 31%+/-7% and 57%+/-6%, 59%+/-10%, 43%+/-9% (F = 24.219, 16.315, 9.716, P0.01) compared with rats in the model group at 72 h. The CTGF siRNA treatment markedly reduced serum levels of procollagen type III and hyaluronic acid and the degrees of liver fibrosis.Intraportal vein siRNA injection targeting CTGF could significantly inhibit CTGF gene expression in rats, thereby attenuating liver fibrosis by reducing ECM accumulation.

To investigate the effect of synthetic non-methylated CpG-ODN combined with recombined HBsAg on the phenotype, function and the expression level of nucleic transcription factor NF-kappa B (NF-kB) and AP-1 of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Purified monocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of CHB patients and healthy volunteers and cultured with human granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor added together with interleukin-4. On the fifth day of culture, CpG-ODN, HBsAg and other reagents, such as TNF alpha and PBS, were added to the medium, and 18 hours later cells were collected for the detection of surface molecules (HLA-DR/CD86/CD1a). IL-12p70 levels in the supernatant and stimulating capacity to allogenic T lymphocytes were detected. The nucleic proteins of NF-kB and AP-1 in DC were extracted and purified for the gel shift assay.Compared with those of the PBS group, the expression rates of HLA-DR of DC treated with CpG-ODN and/or HBsAg were obviously increased. Both the IL-12p70 level and the stimulating capacity of DC to allogenic T lymphocytes in mixed lymphocyte reaction increased significantly in the CpG-ODN group and in the CpG-ODN/HBsAg combination group (P less than 0.01 and 0.05, respectively). The expression rates of CD1a were raised only in the CpG-ODN/HBsAg combination group. Three kinds of immunological adjuvants, TNF alpha, CpG-ODN and CpG-ODN/HBsAg enhanced the expression of nucleic NF-kB and inhibited the expression of AP-1 in DC.CpG-ODN, like TNF alpha, has remarkable stimulatory effect on the impaired phenotype and function of monocyte-derived DC in patients with CHB; CpG-ODN and HBsAg have a synergetic effect in increasing the antigen presenting function. The regulating ability of CpG-ODN and TNF alpha on the expression levels of NF-kB and AP-1 might be one of the mechanisms of their immunostimulatory effects on DC of the CHB patients.

In this study, changes in the transverse relaxation time (T2), signal intensity (A2), and images of ‘Jinxiu’ yellow peach fruits were investigated using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and proton magnetic resonance imaging (1H-MRI). The water content, (determined using centrifuging technology), fruit firmness, and ethylene production were evaluated at 4±1°C and 25±2°C. The results showed a signal peak (A2) and T2 at 500–1000 ms. On days 4–6, T2 changed from 796 ms to 861 ms, and decreased with longer time at 25°C. Water content also decreased and high adjusted determination coefficient (adj-R2) values with water content were found for T2 (R2 = 0.95) and A2 (R2 = 0.99), indicating a high degree of fit for the prediction equations. A2 decreased and T2 shortened after prolonged storage at 4°C and high adj-R2 values were found between the water content and T2 (R2 = 0.93) and A2 (R2 = 0.97).Ethylene production and firmness were the same as for T2, A2, and internal breakdown at 25°C for 4–6 days, and 4°C for 16–21 days. Compared with storage at 25°C, low temperature storage inhibited water loss and also prohibited internal breakdown. T2 and A2 can be used to evaluate the storage characteristics of yellow peach fruits, and the internal breakdown of pulp tissue could be clearly observed by 1H-MRI, which is a function of LF-NMR. 1H-MRI can provide high-resolution images showing the internal structure of intact peaches. Thus, LF-NMR is a new technology that could be an effective and simpler method for monitoring and predicting water content, as well as detecting quality issues during peaches storage.

To study the role of caspase-12 expression on hepatocyte apoptosis in an experimental model of acute hepatic failure (AHF).A mouse experimental model of AHF was developed by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and D-galactosamine (D-Gal). Hepatocyte apoptosis was examined by DNA agarose gel and liver pathology. Caspase-12 mRNA expression in liver was detected by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) method. The expression of caspase-12, GRP78 proteins in livers was determined by Western blot.Caspase-12 mRNA expression in the livers increased significantly from 5 to 7 hours after administration of LPS and D-Gal. Typical manifestation of hepatocyte apoptosis appeared at 5 hours after the drug administration. After 5 hours the level of serum ALT and AST were remarkably increased, and they reached the peak at 7 hours. The expression of procaspase-12 protein decreased obviously at 7 hours. Seven hours after the drug administration, hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis both started. The marker of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Bip/GRP78 was activated during the development of hepatocyte apoptosis. The level of Bip/GRP78 protein was gradually increased at 5 hours after the drug induction.Hepatocyte apoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AHF. Caspase-12 induced ER stress involves in hepatocyte apoptosis. It suggests that inhibition of caspase-12 activation might be a potential strategy in the treatment of AHF in the future.

Phonon lifetime is a significant parameter in the process of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). In the present study, SBS slow light technique is used to measure phonon lifetime. Brillouin bandwidth is divided into natural, spontaneous and stimulated bandwidth. Compared with the traditional heterodyne-detection and pump-probe techniques, the natural Brillouin bandwidth can be obtained by SBS slow light technique, which equals the reciprocal of phonon lifetime and has no relations with the pump power. Another advantage of this technique is that the effect of polarization can be excluded. The natural Brillouin bandwidth is measured to be ~50 MHz and the phonon lifetime ~3.2 ns in the conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) at room temperature and zero strain. The obtained results are guidable in applications where the phonon lifetime information is a requisite such as phase conjugation and pulse compression.

A single-mode Brillouin-erbium fiber laser (BEFL) is realized using only a 5 m single-mode fiber (SMF) as Brillouin gain medium, which to our best knowledge is the shortest SMF ever used to construct a BEFL. The Brillouin pump (BP) preamplification technique is adopted using a bidirectionally amplified erbium-doped fiber amplifier inside the BEFL cavity. This BEFL presents a high optical signal-to-noise ratio (~40 dB), a large output power (~10 mW), and a low 980 nm pump threshold (~15 mW). Experimental results indicate that this threshold increases with the BP power. Two lower and upper BP thresholds exist for the BEFL onset and turnoff, respectively, for a fixed 980 nm pump power. Moreover, the output power of this BEFL increases linearly with the 980 nm pump power at the same slope efficiency of ~10% for various BP powers, but decreases linearly with the BP power at the same slope efficiency of ~-26% for various 980 nm pump powers.

Four-wave mixing induced by modulation instability in a single-mode fiber is analyzed from the phase-matching point of view. For the two-channel transmission, a method is proposed to select the four-wave-mixing-induced sidebands, which is based on the proper use of a continuous-wave and a pulse as light sources. We find that a mass of sidebands are generated in the modulation instability resonance region, and the power of the sideband increases with not only the peak power of the pump pulse but also the continuous-wave power which acts as a seed. The research will provide guidance for fiber communication and sensing systems using wavelength division multiplexing technology.

We investigate modulation instability (MI) in the presence of a monochromatic spectrum and on the background of a broadband amplified spontaneous emission spectrum induced by an erbium-doped fiber amplifier, respectively. For the former case, the MI threshold is ~110 mW, which agrees well with the theoretical value. However, for the latter case, the threshold is as high as ~170 mW, which indicates that the MI threshold depends on the shape of the input spectrum and that the broadband spectrum has a higher threshold than the monochromatic one.

Stimulated Brillouin scattering-induced phase noise is harmful to interferometric fiber sensing systems. The localized fluctuating model is used to study the intensity noise caused by the stimulated Brillouin scattering in a single-mode fiber. The phase noise structure is analyzed for an interferometric fiber sensing system, and an unbalanced Michelson interferometer with an optical path difference of 1 m, as well as the phase-generated carrier technique, is used to measure the phase noise. It is found that the phase noise is small when the input power is below the stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold, increases dramatically at first and then gradually becomes flat when the input power is above the threshold, which is similar to the variation in relative intensity noise. It can be inferred that the increase in phase noise is mainly due to the broadening of the laser linewidth caused by stimulated Brillouin scattering, which is verified through linewidth measurements in the absence and presence of the stimulated Brillouin scattering.