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General anesthesia shares many similarities with natural sleep in behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns. The latest evidence suggests that general anesthesia and sleep–wake behavior may share overlapping neural substrates. The GABAergic neurons in the basal forebrain (BF) have recently been demonstrated to play a key role in controlling wakefulness. It was hypothesized that BF GABAergic neurons may participate in the regulation of general anesthesia. Here, usingin vivofiber photometry, we found that the activity of BF GABAergic neurons was generally inhibited during isoflurane anesthesia, having obviously decreased during the induction of anesthesia and being gradually restored during the emergence from anesthesia, in Vgat-Cre mice of both sexes. Activation of BF GABAergic neurons with chemogenetic and optogenetic approaches decreased sensitivity to isoflurane, delayed induction, and accelerated emergence from isoflurane anesthesia. Optogenetic activation of BF GABAergic neurons decreased EEG δ power and the burst suppression ratio (BSR) during 0.8% and 1.4% isoflurane anesthesia, respectively. Similar to the effects of activating BF GABAergic cell bodies, photostimulation of BF GABAergic terminals in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) also strongly promoted cortical activation and behavioral emergence from isoflurane anesthesia. Collectively, these results showed that the GABAergic BF is a key neural substrate for general anesthesia regulation that facilitates behavioral and cortical emergence from general anesthesia via the GABAergic BF-TRN pathway. Our findings may provide a new target for attenuating the depth of anesthesia and accelerating emergence from general anesthesia.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe basal forebrain (BF) is a key brain region controlling sleep–wake behavior. Activation of GABAergic neurons in the BF potently promotes behavioral arousal and cortical activity. Recently, many sleep–wake-related brain structures have been reported to participate in the regulation of general anesthesia. However, it is still unclear what role BF GABAergic neurons play in general anesthesia. In this study, we aim to reveal the role of BF GABAergic neurons in behavioral and cortical emergence from isoflurane anesthesia and elucidate the underlying neural pathways. Understanding the specific role of BF GABAergic neurons in isoflurane anesthesia would improve our understanding of the mechanisms of general anesthesia and may provide a new strategy for accelerating emergence from general anesthesia.

Restoring the blood perfusion of ischemic heart tissues is the main treatment for myocardial ischemia. However, the accompanying myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) would aggravate myocardial damage. Previous studies have confirmed that aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is closely correlated to kidney and intestinal IRI. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between AhR and myocardial IRI.An oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model of H9c2 cells and an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model of Sprague-Dawley rat myocardium were established. OGD/R cells and myocardial IRI rats were treated with different concentrations of the AhR antagonist CH-223191 or agonist 6-formylindolo[3,2-b] carbazole (FICZ). Under the conditions of normoxia and hypoxia/reoxygenation, the activity of cardiomyocytes, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cell reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected. In rats, myocardial pathological damage and markers of myocardial injury were detected.According to the results of the cell viability, LDH and ROS tests in vitro, both CH-223191 and FICZ showed no myocardial protection under OGD/R conditions. However, the histological staining and analysis of myocardial injury marker LDH in vitro revealed that CH-223191 could significantly reduce the myocardial IRI.AhR exhibited a different effect on myocardial IRI in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, CH-223191 could significantly alleviate the myocardial IRI, suggesting that inhibition of AhR may play a role in myocardial protection, and AhR may serve as a potential treatment target for myocardial IRI.

Star-shaped small molecules have attracted great attention for organic solar cells (OSCs) because they have three-dimensional charge-transport characteristics, strong light absorption capacities and easily tunable energy levels. Herein, three- and four-armed star-shaped small molecule donors, namely BDT-3Th and BDT-4Th, respectively, have been successfully designed and synthesized, which used benzodithiophene (BDT) as the central unit. The two star-shaped intermediates (2a and 2b) could be simultaneously obtained by one-step of Suzuki coupling, and 1,2-dimethoxyethane played a key role in the Suzuki coupling. Both of them have excellent thermal stability, good solubility and broad absorption. Four-armed BDT-4Th shows a slightly higher extinction coefficient, a deeper HOMO energy level and an obviously better phase separation morphology when blended with Y6 than three-armed BDT-3Th. As a result, increased power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.83% is obtained in the BDT-4Th:Y6-based OSC devices, which is obviously higher than that of the BDT-3Th:Y6-based devices (PCE = 3.78%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest PCE among the BDT-based star-shaped donors-based OSCs. This result provides an effective strategy to obtain star-shaped small molecule donor materials for high efficient organic solar cells.

This study proposes a high‐precision algorithm used in enhanced Loran sky–ground wave separation based on the Levenberg–Marquart algorithm. The simulation results show that, compared with the existing algorithms, the algorithm proposed in this study has higher accuracy, especially in the case of a low signal‐to‐noise ratio. Furthermore, when the skywave of enhanced Loran has at least a 35 μs time delay compared with the groundwave, the performance of the algorithm is significantly better than that of other algorithms. Analysis of an actual signal showed that the average correlation coefficient was greater than 99% and that the signal was successfully separated.

Introduction. High mortality associated with carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (CP-GNB) has evolved into a global health threat. Rapid and accurate detection as well as prompt treatment are of great significance in this case. Xpert Carba-R, a multiple qualitative analysis designed to detect five clinically relevant carbapenem-resistant gene families within one hour, is regarded as reliable, accurate, and easy-to-operate. This study is to present a systematic evaluation of the performance of Xpert Carba-R in detecting carbapenemase genes in GNB suspected for carbapenemase production. Methods. We searched and screened the literature on “Xpert Carba-R” in the database of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library, employing two independent evaluators to collect data, respectively. Then, statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed by the Stata 12.0 software to measure the accuracy of Xpert Carba-R assay in detecting the carbapenemase genes in GNB. Results. We screened a total of 1767 Gram-negative bacillus isolates documented in 9 articles. The precision of the detection of OXA-48 carbapenemase genes was 100%; that of NDM = 100 %; that of VIM = 100 %. When it came to KPC, the precision rate was 100%; that of IMP = 99 %. The overall accuracy of the detection of carbapenemase genes was 100%. Conclusions. Xpert Carba-R assay demonstrates a 100% precision in identifying carbapenemase genes in GNB. It can be seen that Xpert Carba-R method is an effective tool for early clinical detection, which is suitable for the detection of carbapenase gene in GNB.

Blades with concave segments and multi-layered segments were employed to cut large-sized granite (size: 2000 mm × 2000 mm × 2000 mm) using a diamond frame saw, which can accommodate 80–120 blades (size: 4000 mm × 180 mm × 3.5 mm). Cutting force was determined by a Kistler dynamometer, and diamond segment wear was examined by scanning electron microscopy and Keyence microscopy. Sawing performance was evaluated based on slab quality, radial wear, cutting force (force ratio), and slab production rate. Compared with the blade with multi-layered segments, experimental results showed that the blade with concave segments produced better slab quality; lower cutting forces, force ratio (normal force/horizontal force), and radial wear (tool consumption); and higher slab production rate. Experiments indicate that blades with concave diamond segments are more suitable for the diamond frame saw to cut granite.

Intermedin (IMD), a paracrine/autocrine peptide, protects against cardiac fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Previous study reports that activation of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributed to cardiac fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether IMD mitigates cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3. Cardiac fibrosis was induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion for 2 weeks in rats. Western blot, real-time PCR, histological staining, immunofluorescence assay, RNA sequencing, echocardiography and hemodynamics were used to detect the role and the mechanism of IMD in cardiac fibrosis. Ang II infusion resulted in rat cardiac fibrosis, shown as over-deposition of myocardial interstitial collagen and cardiac dysfunction. Importantly, NLRP3 activation and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) was found in Ang II treated rat myocardium. Ang II infusion decreased the expression of IMD and increased the expression of the receptor system of IMD in the fibrotic rat myocardium. IMD treatment attenuated the cardiac fibrosis and improved cardiac function. In addition, IMD inhibited the upregulation of NLRP3 markers and ERS markers induced by Ang II. In vitro, IMD knockdown by small interfering RNA significantly promoted the Ang II-induced cardiac fibroblast and NLRP3 activation. Moreover, silencing of inositol requiring enzyme 1 α (IRE1α) blocked the effects of IMD inhibiting fibroblast and NLRP3 activation. Pre-incubation with PKA pathway inhibitor H89 blocked the effects of IMD on the anti-ERS, anti-NLRP3 and anti-fibrotic response. In conclusion, IMD alleviates cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation via suppressing IRE1α and cAMP/PKA pathway.

Intermedin (IMD), a paracrine/autocrine peptide, protects against cardiac fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Previous study reports that activation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to cardiac fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether IMD mitigated cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3. Cardiac fibrosis was induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion for 2 weeks in rats. Western blot, real-time PCR, histological staining, immunofluorescence assay, RNA sequencing, echocardiography, and hemodynamics were used to detect the role and the mechanism of IMD in cardiac fibrosis. Ang II infusion resulted in rat cardiac fibrosis, shown as over-deposition of myocardial interstitial collagen and cardiac dysfunction. Importantly, NLRP3 activation and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) were found in Ang II-treated rat myocardium. Ang II infusion decreased the expression of IMD and increased the expression of the receptor system of IMD in the fibrotic rat myocardium. IMD treatment attenuated the cardiac fibrosis and improved cardiac function. In addition, IMD inhibited the upregulation of NLRP3 markers and ERS markers induced by Ang II. In vitro, IMD knockdown by small interfering RNA significantly promoted the Ang II-induced cardiac fibroblast and NLRP3 activation. Moreover, silencing of inositol requiring enzyme 1 α (IRE1α) blocked the effects of IMD inhibiting fibroblast and NLRP3 activation. Pre-incubation with PKA pathway inhibitor H89 blocked the effects of IMD on the anti-ERS, anti-NLRP3, and anti-fibrotic response. In conclusion, IMD alleviated cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation through suppressing IRE1α via the cAMP/PKA pathway.

A series of sawing experiments on granite was carried out to explore the cutting performance of a diamond frame saw with the horizontal reciprocating cutting mode. A model of the average thickness of the cutting chip was established and the characteristics of cutting forces were analyzed. The wear mechanism of segments was revealed by analyzing the width of the saw kerf and the wear morphology of the diamond segments. The results demonstrated that the wear resistance and the cutting forces increased with the feed speed. The cutting forces changed abruptly at the reversing point during granite cutting. Meanwhile, the proportion of macro-fractured and pulled-out diamond particles and the mean wear rate of segments increased with the feed speed, and the mean protrusion height of diamond particles was less than 100 μm. The width of the saw kerf reduced gradually during the sawing progress, forming a cone that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Furthermore, the investigations proved that the wear of the segments remains consistent in two directions (y, z). An increasingly apparent phenomenon of protruding diamond particles appears on the side surface of the segment with the increase of feed speed. The research can provide certain data support for granite cutting and lay the foundation for the subsequent optimization of the equipment.

The traditional two-way (2W) parabolic equation (PE) (2W-PE) method has been applied for modeling groundwave propagation over irregular terrain. However, based on a staircase terrain model (STM), the method is not sufficient in sloping facets modeling. Although more accurate one-way PE method based on conformal mapping model (CMM) is available, it handles only forward-propagating waves and neglects the backward-propagating waves, which become significant especially for steep terrain. In this paper, a hybrid 2W-PE method is presented to model the low-frequency (LF) groundwave propagation over irregular terrain. The method combines the STM and CMM to improve the prediction accuracy of both forward and backward propagations. The numerical results are compared with those of the conventional 2W-PE and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods. While calibrated against the FDTD method, the proposed hybrid 2W-PE method has higher accuracy than the traditional 2W-PE method at the same computational cost.

Mo fibers were added to RMC with different mass ratios of resin and hardener to improve its mechanical properties. The influences of fiber surface state and hardener content on interface bonding strength and mechanical properties of RMC were studied, respectively. Furthermore, strain values of typical measuring points on samples of Mo fiber reinforced RMC (MFRRMC) under different loads were obtained by experiments and finite element analysis. The experimental results prove that scrap Mo fibers can improve interface bonding strength and mechanical properties of RMC better than new smooth Mo fibers because of the discharge pits randomly distributed on the surface of scrap fibers. With the decrease of hardener content, not only interface bonding strength between fiber and matrix, but also compression and flexural strength of MFRRMC increase firstly and then decrease. The properties are best while the mass ratio of resin and hardener reaches 4:1. It is indicated that finite element calculation data basically agree with experimental data by comparison of strain values on typical measuring points, which can provide an important intuitive reference for successive study on other mechanical properties of MFRRMC, validating the correctness of simulation method as well.

Vaccine hesitancy plays a key role in vaccine delay and refusal, but its measurement is still a challenge due to multiple intricacies and uncertainties in factors. This paper attempts to tackle this problem through fuzzy cognitive inference techniques. Firstly, we formulate a vaccine hesitancy determinants matrix containing multi-level factors. Relations between factors are formulated through group decision-making of domain experts, which results in a fuzzy cognitive map. The subjective uncertainty of linguistic variables is expressed by fuzzy numbers. A double-weighted method is designed to integrate the distinguished decisions, in which the subjective hesitancy is considered for each decision. Next, three typical scenarios are constructed to identify key and sensitive factors under different experimental conditions. The experimental results are further discussed, which enrich the approaches of vaccine hesitancy estimation for the post-pandemic global recovery.

As flue gas desulfurization (FGD) was one of the most important purification processes of coal-fired boilers, we selected four boilers, which were equipped with wet limestone, furnace calcium injection, ammonia-based, and double-alkali FGDs, to research the influence of FGDs on the flue particulate matter (PM). The flue PM before and after the FGD were sampled using laboratory resuspension and dilution tunnel sampling methods, respectively, and the PM was analyzed for its chemical composition (i.e., ions, elements, and carbon). The results showed that the types of desulfurizers could influence the composition of the flue PM. After passing through the wet limestone, ammonia-based, and double-alkali FGDs, the proportion of Ca, NH

There are few analyses on the components of particulate matter emitted from waste incineration plants. In past studies, analyses of particle size distribution characteristics of the components were mainly targeted at particles with larger particle sizes. An electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI) was used in this study to collect the particulate matter emitted from a waste incineration plant, and the elements and carbonaceous components of these samples were analyzed. The particle size characteristics of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and heavy metal elements in 14 particle size segments were analyzed and composition profiles of elements and carbonaceous components of PM

Generally the frame sawing with diamond segmented blades is the equipment in soft stones sawing process. In this work, a new type of frame saw machine used for cutting granite is introduced. The sawing trajectory and the theoretical relationship between the average chip thickness and the sawing parameters are established. Utilizing the new frame saw machine, an experimental study was carried out to investigate the sawing forces and segments wear in different strokes. It is concluded that no matter in forward stroke or in backward stroke, only half of the stroke is sawing the stone. The sawing forces of segments increase with the increase of the feed speed and cutting length, and show a decrease trend with the increase of the rotation speed of the crank. What's more, the forces in backward stroke are higher than that of forward stroke. Well-developed matrix tails are formed behind the diamond grits, while the wear of segments at the front end of the blade is severe than that in the middle and at the rear end, the shapes of the diamond segments changed from trapezoidal into rectangular.

Half-cycle cutting mode and horizontal reciprocating cutting mode were employed in this study. Average depth model of single diamond was established. Segments topography was examined. Radial wear of segments was analyzed. Experimental results show that half-cycle cutting mode has advantages in heat dissipation, detritus removal, self-sharpening ability and slab flatness. The matrix tail also can be formed in the half-cycle cutting mode which can increase the retention of matrix to diamond particles. Radical wear in half-cycle cutting mode is also smaller than that in horizontal reciprocating cutting mode.

Sepsis is a disease that occurs as a result of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in response to an infection, contributing to multiple organ dysfunction and a high mortality rate. Interleukin-lβ (IL-1β) is a cytokine that plays critical roles in inflammation and cardiac dysfunction during severe sepsis. Intermedin1–53 (IMD1–53) has been recently discovered to possess potential endogenous anti-inflammatory and strong cardiovascular protective effects. To investigate whether IMD1–53 can inhibit the NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1β pathway to alleviate cardiac injury and rescue heart function, sepsis was induced in vivo by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery, and lipopolysaccharides were used as septic stressors for cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) in vitro. The expressions of IMD1–53 receptors in sepsis rat heart were increased. After IMD1–53 treatment, inflammation caused by sepsis in vivo was greatly reduced, as shown by the downregulation of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing family, pyrin containing 3 (NLRP3), pro-IL-1β, caspase 1, and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-kB) protein levels. In addition, cardiac function was significantly improved and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) increased by 34.8% (P

Combination saws are widely used in stone cutting. In this work, the chip geometry model was established to deduce the relationship between diameter and depth of cutting with chip arc length and mean chip thickness. The wear morphology of the segment surface was observed by the scanning electron microscope. The purpose of this work is to reveal the mechanism of wear discrepancy and provide the theoretical foundation for the optimization of combination saw. The results displayed that the wear value of the small diameter circular saw blade is larger than that of the large-diameter circular saw blade. The worn state of the diamond can effectively reflect the sawing ability of the circular saw blade. The difference in the wear state of diamond particles on the segment is due to the difference in chip thickness and the contact length. The wear value of the segment in front and rear is roughly equal, and the increase in the distance between two particles will accelerate the failure of the diamond. For convenience to describe the phenomenon of the worn segment, the wear cycle was defined and described.

An innovative motion mode of reciprocating swing was introduced in frame saw for cutting hard stones in this research. Further, the theoretical models for the prediction of sawing depth and sawing interval of single segment were established, respectively. Sawing experiments and sawing forces test were conducted on the frame saw prototype with the new motion mode to investigate the cutting performance in sawing two types of hard stones. The results demonstrated that the application of the innovative sawing mode resulted in effective shortening of the length of sawing arc, reduced the number of segments involved in sawing simultaneously, avoided the instability of sawblade, and ensured that the sawn slabs met the requirements of qualified products. The segments on sawblade surface were divided into “front end”, “middle end”, and “rear end” according to the difference in contact pattern between the segment and the block. Segments in the middle of sawblade usually participated in sawing at the same position with unequal forces in forward and backward strokes, and the distribution of the sawing forces depended on the position of segment on sawblade surface. However, segments welded in the front end and rear end of the sawblade made an instantaneous cut once at one of the reversing points with higher sawing forces during reciprocating strokes. The sawing force value was found to be positively correlated with the feed rate, negatively correlated with the spindle speed, and also correlated with the stone characteristics. This new sawing mode provides a new approach for frame sawing machine to improve the sawing performance in sawing hard stones.

The kinematics characteristics of the traditional diamond frame saw were analyzed theoretically, and the prediction model of average chip thickness was established in this research. Sawing forces tests and sawing experiments were accomplished to investigate the sawing performance of the traditional horizontal frame saw and explore the instability mechanism of the sawblade in processing two varieties of granite. The results proved that most segments welded on sawblade surface kept synchronous and continuous contact with the stone block during sawing with traditional horizontal saw. The value of sawing force was positive correlation versus the feed velocity and sawing length, negative correlation versus the spindle speed, and also associated with the properties of stone materials. Only a few matrix trails were developed in the left and right ends of segment, and the matrix bond was dominated by severe abrasive. The diamond worn appearance varied greatly in different regions on segment surface, in which higher proportion of blunt and pull-out diamond particles were exhibited in the middle of segment, and the proportion of fractured particles increased in the left and right ends of segment. A long contact arc and continuous long and thin chips were maintained during the traditional frame sawing with the horizontal reciprocating linear motion of the sawblade, which led to larger sawing forces and instability of the sawblade, thus reducing the sawn slabs flatness.

Modeling of stone processing, especially the sawability of stones (SS) has been studied extensively over the last decade. Artificial neural network (ANN) is an effective method to deal with complex engineering problems. However, ANN has some limitations such as trapped in local minima and cannot analyze the sensitivity of parameters. To fill the gaps, the primary objectives of this paper are to optimize ANN by genetic algorithm (GA) and introduce mean impact value (MIV) algorithm for parametric sensitivity analysis. Therefore, a hybrid model was proposed for predicting SS based on BP neural network (BPNN), MIV algorithm, and GA. Further, the main factors that affect SS were analyzed based on the grinding mechanism and fracture mechanics. The proposed model is not only meaningful to analyze SS, but provides a novel foundation for studying other stone procedures in future.

In this paper, the wear characteristics of diamond segments adopted to multi-blade combination circular saw with different diameters were compared and investigated in the process of granite through an experiment. Load model with a diameter as the variable of combination saw was established based on the maximum undeformed chip thickness of a single particle. Combined with the load model, scanning electron microscope, laser microscope and vernier calipers were used to comprehensively analyze the wear characteristics of segment form the aspects of the wear morphology of diamond and metal matrix, the particle protrusion height, and the abrasion loss of segment. The results indicated that load nonuniformity of diamond generated by diameters change of saw blade was the main reason for segment wear discrepancy of large and small diameter saw blade when rocks were sawed by combination saw, and abrasion loss of segment adopted to small diameter saw blade was significantly higher than that of large-diameter saw blade. Diameter variation of saw blade in combination saw caused the different wear mechanism of diamond in segment, pulled-out and macro-fractured crystals were dominant in small-diameter saw blade, then the proportion of whole particles increased in segment used to the saw blade of large diameter. Particle protrusion height was related to the diameter in the combination saw. The high protrusion height of particles existed in the large-diameter saw blade.

Influences of cutting parameters (feed rate, cutting length, and flywheel rotation speed) and stone properties (such as quartz content, uniaxial compression strength, and bending strength) on forces in various granites cutting by diamond frame saw (diamond gang saw) were studied. Feed rate ranks first in governing cutting force compared with flywheel rotation speed and cutting length. Uniaxial compression strength affects cutting forces most compared with other stone properties. The mathematical models can predict cutting forces for manufacturers and users, as well as provide a theoretical basis for improvement and optimization of stone sawing machines. Matrix tail can form during half-cycle sawing mode, which can improve the holding force of the bond to diamonds. Segments have better sawing conditions, and the main wear mode of diamond grits are whole and microfractured crystal. Slab productivity represents a 13–21 % increase, while geometrical deviation of the slab is less than 1.5 mm/m, thus reducing subsequent processing cost, such as polishing stage.

Background and aims Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dedifferentiation contributes to neointima formation, which results in various vascular disorders. Intermedin (IMD), a cardiovascular paracrine/autocrine polypeptide, is involved in maintaining circulatory homeostasis. However, whether IMD protects against neointima formation remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of IMD in neointima formation and the possible mechanism. Methods IMD 1-53 (100ng/kg/h) or saline water was used on rat carotid-artery balloon-injury model. The mouse left common carotid-artery ligation-injury model was established using IMD-transgenic and C57BL/6J mice. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the protein expression in rat carotid arteries. Radioimmunoassay was used to determine the serum IMD level. The hematoxylin andeosin staining was used for carotid arteries morphological testing. In vitro , for rat primary cultured VSMC phenotype transition, proliferation and migration assays, platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) reagent and IMD 1-53 peptide were added to the culture media at the final concentration of 20 ng/mL and 10 -7 mol/L respectively. Quantification of VSMC proliferation involved MTT and BrdU assay and migration was detected by wound-healing assay. Western blot and realtime PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA levels of tissues or cells. Results With the rat carotid-artery balloon-injury model, IMD was significantly downregulated in injured arteries and plasma. Exogenous IMD 1-53 greatly inhibited neointima formation and prevented VSMC from switching to a synthetic phenotype. With the left common carotid-artery ligation-injury model, IMD-transgenic mice showed less neointima formation than C57BL/6J mice. PDGF-BB reduced IMD mRNA expression in rat primary cultured VSMCs but increased that of its receptors, calcitonin receptor-like receptor or receptor activity-modifying proteins. Furthermore, PDGF-BB promoted VSMC proliferation and migration and transformed VSMCs to the synthetic phenotype, which was reversed with IMD 1-53 treatment. Mechanistically, IMD 1-53 maintained the contractile VSMC phenotype via the cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway. Conclusions IMD attenuated neointima formation both in the rat model of carotid-artery balloon injury and mouse model of common carotid-artery ligation injury. IMD protection may be mediated by maintaining a VSMC contractile phenotype via the cAMP/PKA pathway.

We previously developed a tri-diagonalized finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm based on the weighted Laguerre polynomials (WLPs) for modeling wave propagation in magnetized plasma. The algorithm demonstrated dramatic CPU time reduction in comparison with the original WLP-FDTD algorithm. However, a splitting error was caused owing to the additional perturbation term. In this paper, an iterative scheme is introduced to the tri-diagonalized WLP-FDTD algorithm to further reduce the splitting error. Numerical example shows the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

To investigate the characterization of chemical compositions in size-segregated particles during severe haze pollution episodes in different regions of China, a campaign was conducted in Tianjin, Hangzhou and Chengdu. Size-segregated particles were collected with eight-stage Anderson cascade impactor in these cities in winter respectively. Ten major compositions of particles including (Na + , NH 4 + , K + , Mg 2 + , Ca 2 + , Cl − , NO 3 − , SO 4 2 − , OC and EC) were analyzed. A similar bimodal distribution of particles was found between northern and southern cities peaked at 0.7–2.1 and 9.0–10.0 μm. OC, EC, SO 4 2 − , NO 3 − , Cl − and NH 4 + were the major chemical compositions of fine-mode particles, whereas OC, EC, SO 4 2 − , NO 3 − and Ca 2 + were the major compositions of coarse-mode particles. In the three cities, Cl − , SO 4 2 − , NO 3 − , NH 4 + and K + of all compositions were unimodal distributions peaked at 0.7–2.1 μm. Different sources to particles in the three cities were inferred based on the size distribution characteristics of chemical compositions. For Tianjin, the influence of sea salt was greater to Hangzhou and Chengdu based on the concentrations and distributions of Na + and the Cl − . Fine-mode Cl − and SO 4 2 − were highest in Tianjin, meaning the greater contribution of coal burning to particles during severe pollution. For Hangzhou, the NO 3 − concentration was higher than Tianjin and Chengdu. Contribution of nitrate to PM was higher than that of sulfate. For Chengdu, carbonaceous species contributed mostly to fine particles. However, sulfate and nitrate contributed mostly to fine particles in Tianjin and Hangzhou. The contributions of EC and Ca 2 + to coarse-mode particles was much higher than that in other cities, implying the greater influence of soil particles, construction dust or falling dust to PM in Chengdu. In addition, there were greater emission source of NH 4 + in Chengdu. Northwest, west and southeast were the major transport pathways of air masses for Tianjin, Hangzhou and Chengdu.

A time-domain numerical algorithm based on the higher-order boundary element method and the iterative time-marching scheme is proposed for seakeeping analysis. The ship waves generated by a hull advancing at a constant forward speed in incident waves and the resultant diffraction forces acting on the hull are computed to investigate the hull-form effects on the hydrodynamic forces. A rectangular computational domain travelling at ship’s speed is considered. An artificial damping beach for satisfying the radiation condition is installed at the outer portion of the free surface except the downstream side. An iterative time-marching scheme is employed for updating both kinematic and dynamic free-surface boundary conditions for numerical accuracy and stability. The boundary integral equation is solved by distributing higher-order boundary elements over the wetted body surface and the free surface. The hull-form effects on the naval hydrodynamics are investigated by comparing three different Wigley models. Finally, the corresponding unsteady wave patterns and the wave profiles around the hulls are illustrated and discussed.

PM2.5 samples were collected for August 13–22 (non-harvest period, NHP) and for October 21–31 (harvest period, HP) in 2014 from an agricultural region of Eastern China. The samples were subsequently analysed to determine mass concentrations and fractions of elements, water-soluble ions and carbon components. Online datasets (SO2, NO2, O3, CO, PM10 and PM2.5) and meteorological conditions were synchronously monitored. The average mass concentrations of PM2.5 during the HP and NHP were respectively 108.3 and 62.6 µg m–3. Compared with the mass concentrations of organic carbon (OC), Cl–, NO3– and K+ during the NHP, those during the HP were significantly increased. Moreover, the mass fractions of OC, elemental carbon (EC), Cl– and K+ during the HP were respectively 1.6, 1.3, 3.2 and 1.3 times of those during the NHP. SO42–, NO3–, and OC were the major chemical components in PM2.5 during the HP, indicating that biomass burning and secondary transformation may be two major sources of PM2.5 during the HP. The K+/Cl– value in PM2.5 during the HP was lower than 1, indicating that maize straws were the crop residues in the study area. Although the sulphur and nitrogen oxidation ratios during the HP were lower than during the NHP, the effects of the secondary transformation on particles cannot be ignored during the HP. Biomass burning yielded a 58% OC concentration during the HP.

Considering the lack of numbers and updates of particulate matter (PM) source profiles, which show PM emitted from the Chinese iron and steel industry, a dilution tunnel system was used to sample PM discharged from the three main processes (sintering, puddling, and steelmaking) of an iron and steel company in Wuhan, China. Six source profiles for fine and coarse PM were established, and their characteristics were researched. The main conclusions were as follows:① For the sintering source profiles, SO

Objective— Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Intermedin (IMD) is a regulator of oxidative stress. Here, we investigated whether IMD reduces AAA by inhibiting oxidative stress. Approach and Results— In angiotensin II–induced ApoE − /− mouse and CaCl 2 -induced C57BL/6J mouse model of AAA, IMD 1− 53 significantly reduced the incidence of AAA and maximal aortic diameter. Ultrasonography, hematoxylin, and eosin staining and Verhoeff–van Gieson staining showed that IMD 1− 53 significantly decreased the enlarged aortas and elastic lamina degradation induced by angiotensin II or CaCl 2 . Mechanistically, IMD 1− 53 attenuated oxidative stress, inflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis, and matrix metalloproteinase activation. IMD 1− 53 inhibited the activation of redox-sensitive signaling pathways, decreased the mRNA and protein expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunits, and reduced the activity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase in AAA mice. Expression of Nox4 was upregulated in human AAA segments and in angiotensin II–treated mouse aortas and was markedly decreased by IMD 1− 53 . In vitro, vascular smooth muscle cells with small-interfering RNA knockdown of IMD showed significantly increased angiotensin II–induced reactive oxygen species, and small-interfering RNA knockdown of Nox4 markedly inhibited the reactive oxygen species. IMD knockdown further increased the apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells and inflammation, which was reversed by Nox4 knockdown. Preincubation with IMD 17− 47 and protein kinase A inhibitor H89 inhibited the effect of IMD 1–53 , reducing Nox4 protein levels. Conclusions— IMD 1− 53 could have a protective effect on AAA by inhibiting oxidative stress.

An investigation has been undertaken into the stone processing machines. Diamond circular saws and diamond wire saws present some technological limits, and the marble frame saw cannot process granite by now. The present work shows an innovative frame saw machine to cut granite, the eccentric hinge guide mechanism is introduced into the machine. A sawing test and a simulation were carried out to analyze the sawing trajectory, the surface topography of the segments and the percentage of worn diamond particles. In addition, both cutting efficiency and slab flatness were recorded. The results show that the contact area between the blade and granite is not following a straight line, and the time required for stone sawing is only one half of the full sawing cycle. The eccentric hinge guide mechanism facilitates the formation of both matrix tails on the segments and a group of more new micro cutting edges, which improve diamond stability as well as self-sharpening. The proportion of micro-fractured and good diamonds in the new frame saw machine are 45% and 25%, respectively, and the productivity of the new machine is between 6 and 15 m 2 /h. These values are significantly larger than that of the marble frame saw. Thus, the new prototype machine is suitable for sawing granite.

Deficiency in α-Klotho is involved in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification. Since intermedin (IMD) 1–53 (a calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide) protects against vascular calcification, we studied whether IMD 1–53 inhibits vascular calcification by upregulating α-Klotho. A rat model of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with vascular calcification induced by the 5/6 nephrectomy plus vitamin D 3 was used for study. The aortas of rats with CKD showed reduced IMD content but an increase of its receptor, calcitonin receptor-like receptor, and its receptor modifier, receptor activity-modifying protein 3. IMD 1–53 treatment reduced vascular calcification. The expression of α-Klotho was greatly decreased in the aortas of rats with CKD but increased in the aortas of IMD 1–53 -treated rats with CKD. In vitro , IMD 1–53 increased α-Klotho protein level in calcified vascular smooth muscle cells. α-Klotho knockdown blocked the inhibitory effect of IMD 1–53 on vascular smooth muscle cell calcification and their transformation into osteoblast-like cells. The effect of IMD 1–53 to upregulate α-Klotho and inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell calcification was abolished by knockdown of its receptor or its modifier protein, or treatment with the protein kinase A inhibitor H89. Thus, IMD 1–53 may attenuate vascular calcification by upregulating α-Klotho via the calcitonin receptor/modifying protein complex and protein kinase A signaling.

Over the last decades, stringent regulations forced the stone industry to take concrete steps towards cleaner production. Despite promotion in environmental friendliness through implementation of clean technologies, this sector still needs other efforts to minimize environmental impacts of production processes. It is generally known that the environmental and economic performances of the granite processing organization are greatly influenced by its block sawing technology. However, the selection of the sawing technology is commonly based on the experience and preference of the manager. It is complicated to select the most appropriate technology from a set of alternatives in a scientific way and therefore, this study focused on the granite block sawing process and used sustainability-based Multiple-Attribute Decision-Making (MADM) method to evaluate the performance and cross-media effects of alternatives applicable for this process. The method was illustrated by a granite processing firm in Shandong Province, China. The gangsaw technology was chosen as the reference technology due to its wide range of applications. Five sawing technologies were identified as the alternatives by considering several constraints proposed by experts. The performances of alternatives were expressed and compared using relevant environmental, economic and technical indicators. The decision-making algorithm was developed by integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model and the Technique For Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) model. The priorities of the five alternatives were achieved by the designed algorithm. The results showed that the Diamond Multi-Circular Saw with 30 blades (DMCS 30) technology had the largest closeness coefficient to the ideal solution. So it was recommended to be the most sustainable technology for the case firm. The case study illustrated that the method can reduce the environmental impacts, whilst providing the economic benefits to the granite processing firms. This research showed that the proposed method is helpful and practical in providing guidelines for the decision-makers to select the sustainable technology for cutting granite block into slabs. It also demonstrated the method can complement the technological approach in fostering the cleaner production mode in the granite processing sector.

The weighted Laguerre polynomials-based finite-difference time-domain algorithm is applied for modeling wave propagation in a magnetized plasma medium. Its anisotropic property is treated by solving a set of tightly coupled current densities components implicitly at each iteration step. The equations are formulated in a stretched-coordinate system for the implementation of perfectly matched layer. Numerical examples validate the accuracy and efficiency of the developed algorithm.

We previously introduced an efficient parabolic equation (PE) method to solve the Loran-C additional secondary factors (ASFs) in the presence of irregular terrain. However, traditional PE analysis, based on the approximation of a narrowband Loran-C source to a 100 kHz sinusoidal source, is not sufficient for realistic Loran-C ASF prediction. In this letter, a pulse PE method is employed to further improve the accuracy of the Loran-C ASF prediction over irregular terrain. The main idea of this approach is that it converts the time-domain wave propagation problems to the frequency-domain wave propagation ones, which can be solved by the traditional PE solution. Numerical examples illustrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method.

From the perspective of statics, the deformation of welded beam under the action of gravity and cutting force was studied in the paper. During the actual machining process, vibration of welded beam and even the machine can be caused due to the change of cutting condition and interference from the outside. To avoid the natural frequency, and prevent the occurrence of resonance phenomena, welded beam modal was further analyzed; the first six natural frequencies and mode shapes of the beam were achieved. Statics and modal analysis are the basis of lightweight design of the welded beam based on topology optimization. The topology optimization model of maximum stiffness design and eigenvalue problem structural dynamics was established. Finite element model of beam and its components was established in hypermesh, and the optimization objective function, constraint function and boundary conditions were also set. Compared with the structure before optimization, the weight of the beam was reduced 10%, the lightweight design of the welded beam was achieved and the comprehensive performance of the beam was significantly improved.

Aim: Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and inflammation participate in cardiac fibrosis. Importantly, a novel paracrine/autocrine peptide intermedin1–53 (IMD1–53) in the heart inhibits myocardial fibrosis in rats. However, the mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated. Methods: Myocardial fibrosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE -/-) mice and neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were induced using homocysteine (Hcy). Results: IMD1–53 inhibited myocardial fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. Picrosirius red staining showed that IMD1–53 reduced myocardial interstitial collagen deposition in ApoE-/- mice treated with Hcy and decreased the expression of myocardial collagen I and III, which was further verified in rat CFs. IMD1–53 attenuated myocardial hypertrophy, as shown by cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, ratio of heart weight to body weight, and mRNA levels of atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide. IMD1–53 inhibited the upregulation of ERS hallmarkers such as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), GRP94, activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), ATF4, inositol-requiring enzyme 1α, spliced-X-box-binding protein-1, protein kinase receptor-like ER kinase, and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α in mouse myocardium and rat CFs treated with Hcy. In addition, IMD1–53 decreased the production of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in the mouse myocardium and rat CFs treated with Hcy. Concurrently, IMD1–53 ameliorated the expression of nuclear factor-κB, transforming growth factor-β1, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in the mouse myocardium and rat CFs treated with Hcy. Conclusions: IMD potentially protects against myocardial fibrosis induced by Hcy in ApoE-/- mice, possibly via attenuating myocardial ERS and inflammation.

We report on the development of direct diode laser source with high-power and high reliability. The laser source was realized by the polarization and wavelength combination of four diode laser stacks. When at the operating current of 122 A, the source was capable of producing 10,120 W output while maintaining 46% electro-optical conversion efficiency. The maximum temperature on the lens was decreased from 442.2 K to 320 K by utilizing an efficient thermal dissipation structure, and the corresponding maximum von Mises stress was reduced from 75.4 MPa to 14 MPa. In addition, a reliability test demonstrated that our laser source was reliable and potential in the applications of laser cladding and heat treatment.

In this letter, an efficient implementation of the iterative unconditionally stable finite-difference time domain (FDTD) based on weighted Laguerre polynomials (WLPs) algorithm is presented for isotropic cold plasma. The iterative scheme is employed to reduce the splitting error in WLP-FDTD with factorization-splitting procedure. Meanwhile, a stretched-coordinate perfectly matched layer with a complex-frequency-shifted factor is used as the absorbing boundary condition. Numerical example demonstrates the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.

In this letter, a stretched coordinate (SC) perfectly matched layer (PML) is presented for the iterative finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method based on weighted Laguerre polynomials (WLPs). By applying the iterative scheme, the splitting error in WLP-FDTD is reduced. The SC-PML can be easily combined with a complex-frequency-shifted factor to improve the performance for low frequency and evanescent wave absorption. Numerical example demonstrates the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

In this study, the wear characteristics of two kinds of diamond segments with different composition of matrix were compared and investigated under two sawing modes through an experiment. Diamond particles were studied through scanning electron microscopy and three dimensional imaging system. Then, the remaining height of diamond segments was measured by digital vernier caliper. The wear characteristics of diamond segments were analyzed from wear morphology, protrusion height of diamond particles and the remaining height of diamond segments. The motion of two sawing modes and their effects on trajectories were analyzed which presented that the rocking reciprocating sawing mode can reduce sawing length and sawing time compared with horizontal reciprocating sawing mode used daily in industry. The results of experiment demonstrated that the main wear mechanism attributed to diamond segments wear is the fracture and falling of diamond particles caused by heavy loads especially in rocking reciprocating sawing mode. The average protrusion height of diamond particles is related with loads and the bonding strength of matrix. However, diamond segments wear can be effectively reduced in rocking reciprocating sawing mode while cobalt-based segments were adopted because a higher bonding strength to diamond particles can be provided compared with iron-based segments. The matrix of segments can be abrased slower while sawing length and sawing time were reduced.

In order to investigate the carbonaceous characteristics of particles emitted from the iron and steel industry, an electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI) was used to collect three sets of samples from the sintering process and one set of samples from the ironmaking process emissions of particulate matters. Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), which were divided into seven carbonaceous components based on the temperature of the particulate matter, were analyzed using a thermal-light reflection method. Results show that OC in sintering process particles is higher than that in ironmaking particles and accounts for 5.3%±2.3% and 7.1%±3.0% of PM

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging as promising candidates for the next generation of image contrast agents and their performance is largely dependent on physicochemical properties. In this paper, a new type of 'top-down' fabrication technique was developed to synthesize ultrasmall magnetic NPs as a contrast enhancer. In a detailed, home-made oxygen plasma generator, fragments of larger KMnF

The finite-different time-domain (FDTD) method is applied to solve wave propagation in anisotropic dispersive materials by means of bilinear transform (BT) technique. The frequency-dependent and anisotropic constitutive relation is translated into time-domain update equations with coupled x- and y-components of electric fields. The proposed algorithm has a simple formulation and is easy to apply to general dispersive anisotropic or isotropic material. The transmission and reflection coefficients of a 9-mm magnetized plasma slab are calculated and compared to analytical solutions for validation purpose. Very-good agreements are found in both amplitude and phase of these coefficients.

The implementation of Cleaner Production (CP) is a strategy for achieving a corporate's sustainable development and therefore is an important instrument for improving environmental performance. Due to the rapid economic development and urbanization in China, the stone processing industry is developing fast, resulting in several environmental problems. The stone processing sector has begun to implement the CP technologies and practices to tackle with environmental problems caused by the production process. However, the evaluation methodologies of the effectiveness of CP implementation in this sector have rarely been examined in the literature. This paper proposed a CP evaluation system that enables decision-makers to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of CP in the stone processing industry. A three-level framework was structured with 6 first-grade indicators and 24 sub-indicators according to the context and characteristics of the stone processing production. And the evaluation criteria were closely related to the laws, rules, regulations and discharge standards in China as well as the current CP technology level. Using analytical hierarchy process and fuzzy membership degree analysis, the weights of each indicators were determined, and evaluation results were achieved. Moreover, the evaluation methodology was verified to be reasonable and practical in the case study of a stone processing firm in Shandong Province. The entire and detailed assessment results demonstrate that the evaluation methodology is helpful in providing guidelines for the implementation of CP strategy in the industry of stone processing.