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ObjectiveAiming at the area coverage problem of multiple autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), this paper investigates a coverage path planning (CPP) strategy based on an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS). MethodFirst, according to the information of sea, land and water depth from ECDIS, an environmental model for the area coverage of ASVs is established based on the grid method. Second, an area division method based on the roulette wheel selection method is proposed to solve the problem of irregular area division in divided areas based on the robots' initial position method, and achieve the reasonable area division of ASVs in the grid map. Finally, a template-based area coverage path planning method is proposed to solve the problem of generating too many turns in paths generated by the spanning tree coverage agorithm.ResultsA human-machine interactive simulation platform for ASVs based on ECDIS is established to verify the effectiveness of the proposed area coverage path planning method based on the roulette wheel method and template method in optimizing the number of turns in the planning path. ConclusionThe proposed area coverage path planning method for ASVs based on ECDIS can be used to achieve coverage path planning in target mission areas at sea.

Abstract Microglia are highly dynamic immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Microglial processes interact with neuronal elements constantly on the order of minutes. The functional significance of this acute microglia-neuron interaction and its potential role in the context of pain is still largely unknown. Here, we found that spinal microglia increased their process motility and electrophysiological reactivity within an hour after the insult in a mouse model of formalin-induced acute, sustained, inflammatory pain. Using an ablation strategy to specifically deplete resident microglia in the CNS, we demonstrate that microglia participate in formalin-induced acute sustained pain behaviors by amplifying neuronal activity in the spinal dorsal horn. Moreover, we identified that the P2Y12 receptor, which is specifically expressed in microglia in the CNS, was required for microglial function in formalin-induced pain. Taken together, our study provides a novel insight into the contribution of microglia and the P2Y12 receptor in inflammatory pain that could be used for potential therapeutic strategies.

Abstract Background We aimed to report pregnancy outcomes of women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in China, on which data were sparse. Methods This is a nationwide retrospective study conducted in 11 general medical centers in 8 cities across China. We investigated the clinical data of all women who attended these centers with a singleton pregnancy and whose pregnancy ended between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2014. Pregnancies of women with pregestational T1D were ascertained and compared with those of women without T1D. Results From over 300 000 pregnancies over the 11‐year study period, we identified 265 singleton pregnancies of women with T1D. One maternal death was documented among 265 (0.37%) women with T1D and 83 among 318 486 (0.03%) women without T1D. Women with T1D suffered from higher rates of pregnancy loss (13.21% vs 2.92%, crude risk ratio [cRR] 5.08 [95% CI, 3.56‐7.26]) and preeclampsia (17.74% vs 4.20%, cRR 4.94 [95% CI, 3.60‐6.77]) compared with those without T1D. Infants of these women with T1D had elevated rates of neonatal death (5.65% vs 0.16%, cRR 37.36 [95% CI, 21.21‐65.82]) and congenital malformation(s) (8.26% vs 3.53%, cRR 2.46 [95% CI, 1.54‐3.93]) compared with those of women without T1D. No significant improvement in pregnancy outcomes in women with T1D was observed over the period 2004 to 2014. Conclusions Pregnancy outcomes were persistently poor in women with T1D during 2004 to 2014 in China. Pregnancy care needs to be improved to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes among Chinese women with T1D.

The influence of groundwater level on water consumption of winter wheat in the Huaibei plain is examined, which is key for agricultural water management. Based on the group of large weighing lysimeters in the Wudaogou Hydrology and Water Resources experimental station from 2017 to 2020, the wheat evapotranspiration at various groundwater levels is simulated and the key environmental factors affecting wheat evapotranspiration are identified for the purpose of exploring the characteristics of wheat evapotranspiration. During the whole growth period, the wheat evapotranspiration at four groundwater levels (depth of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 m) is 510.50, 499.33, 567.88, 727.88 mm, respectively. The correlation coefficient between surface soil moisture and evapotranspiration under each groundwater level is −0.51, −0.71, −0.62 and −0.72, respectively. According to the classified categories by solar radiation, three typical days are chosen with the corresponding evapotranspiration intensity of 0.30 mm/hin the strong radiation day, of 0.07 mm/h in weaker radiation day, and of 0.03 mm/h in the weakest radiation day. The peak of evapotranspiration intensity happens from 5:00 to 20:00 in the strong radiation day, from 7:00 to 17:00 in the weaker radiation day, and from 9:00 to 17:00 in the weakest radiation day. The stronger the solar radiation, the weaker the influence of groundwater level on the peak of evapotranspiration intensity. This is probably because the large groundwater levelmay block energy transmission so that the peak of evapotranspiration intensity lags behind. Surface soil is the main source of evapotranspiration, especially at depth of 1.0 and 2.0 m. Simultaneously, solar radiation, net radiation and soil heat flux drive wheat evapotranspiration positively, while surface soil moisture, average air temperature and air humidity drive contrariwise.

Objective To explore the mechanism behind the faster volitional reaction time (RT) of open skill sports athletes from the perspective of proactive inhibitory control, with the hypothesis that the superior response speed of athletes from open skill sports is related to their enhanced capacity for releasing inhibition. Methods Participants were divided into two groups, an experimental group of 27 table tennis players and a control group of 27 non-athletes. By manipulating cue–target onset asynchrony (CTOA) in a simple cue-target detection task, the timing of target presentation occurred in different phases of the disinhibition process. The time needed for disinhibition were compared between groups. Results For the experimental group, RT varied with CTOA at delays less than 200 ms; for CTOAs greater than 200 ms, RTs were not significantly different. For the control group, RT varied with CTOA for delays as long as 300 ms. Conclusions Table tennis players took less time (200 ms) than non-athletes (300 ms) to complete the disinhibition process, which might partly explain their rapid response speed measured in unpredictable contexts. Significance The study provided evidence for disinhibition speed as a new index to assess the capacity of proactive inhibitory control, and provided a new perspective to explore the superior RT of athletes from open skill sports. We also offered support for the fundamental cognitive benefits of table tennis training.

Aims. To explore the associations between polymorphisms in SIRT1 and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in Chinese Han patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods. This case-controlled study enrolled 492 patients with T2D: 297 with CHD and 195 without CHD. Five SIRT1 haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3818291, rs12242965, rs3818292, rs4746720, and rs16924934) were selected from Chinese Han data in the GRCh37.p13 phase 3 database and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fraction length polymorphism or sequencing. Results. The rs16924934 G allele was associated with a higher risk of CHD than the A allele (odds ratio OR=1.429; 95% confidence interval CI=1.003–2.037; P=0.048). Using an additive inheritance model, the rs3818291 G/A genotype was associated with a higher CHD risk than the G/G genotype (OR’=1.683; 95%CI=1.033–2.743; P’=0.037 after adjustment for CHD risk factors). Smokers carrying G/A or A/A rs3818291 genotypes had a 3-fold higher CHD risk than those carrying GG (adjusted OR’=3.035; P’=0.011) and a 2.6-fold higher CHD risk than nonsmokers carrying GG (adjusted OR’=2.604; P’=0.033). Conclusions. Genetic polymorphisms of SIRT1 are associated with the risk of CHD in a Chinese Han population with T2D.

The so-called large multi-body floating offshore structure is a new type of offshore structure with a huge and extremely flat deck area, which has a promising prospect as a floating port and also in applications in the area of marine space exploitation. Due to its unique structural form, the hydrodynamic and structural response characteristics are very complex. Specifically, due to the instantaneous position variation in the body surface, the nonlinearity of the free surface, the interactions between floating bodies, and the elastic deformation of floating bodies, the nonlinear factors are significant and cannot be neglected. For these kinds of problems, methods based on CFD-FEA (computation fluid dynamics–finite element analysis) coupling simulation have significant advantages over traditional methods. In the present paper, the hydrodynamic and structural response characteristics of a large multi-body floating offshore structure are studied using a CFD-FEA method, and the results are compared with those obtained by the potential-flow-based commercial code SESAM/WADAM, and a three-dimensional nonlinear hydroelastic analysis commercial code COMPASS-WALCS-NE. The comparison and the analysis of the results show that the CFD-FEA method presented in this study can well simulate the behavior of the hydroelastic responses of flexible floating structures and has the potential to capture complex nonlinear behaviors.

This paper is concerned with the cooperative diving problem of homogenous under-actuated saucer-type autonomous underwater gliders subject to model uncertainties, input constraints as well as external disturbances. A modular back-stepping design method is used to design a robust adaptive cooperative diving controller for each glider. Especially, a kinematic control law is at first designed by employing a line-of-sight guidance principle, and a path variable update law is developed based on a synchronization strategy. Next, in order to identify the unknown dynamics of gliders, an estimation model is constructed by using a fuzzy approximation technique and a low-frequency learning scheme. Finally, it is proved that the closed-loop system is input-to-state stable by using a cascade stability analysis. The simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for cooperative diving of autonomous underwater gliders in a vertical plane.

Insect chemoreception, including olfaction and gustation, involves several families of genes, including odorant receptors (ORs), ionotropic receptors (IRs), and gustatory receptors (GRs). The variegated cutworm Peridroma saucia Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a worldwide agricultural pest that causes serious damage to many crops. To identify such olfactory and gustatory receptors in P. saucia, we performed a systematic analysis of the antennal transcriptome of adult P. saucia through Illumina sequencing. A total of 103 candidate chemosensory receptor genes were identified, including 63 putative ORs, 10 GRs, 24 IRs, and 6 ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs). Phylogenetic relationships of these genes with those from other species were predicted, and specific chemosensory receptor genes were analyzed, including ORco, pheromone receptors (PRs), sugar receptors, CO2 receptors, and IR co-receptors. RT-qPCR analyses of these annotated genes revealed that 6 PRs were predominantly expressed in male antennae; 3 ORs, 1 GR, 2 IRs, and 2 iGluRs had higher expression levels in male than in female antennae; and 14 ORs, 1 GR, and 3 IRs had higher expression levels in female than in male antennae. This research increases the understanding of olfactory and gustatory systems in the antennae of P. saucia and facilitates the discovery of novel strategies for controlling this pest.

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is involved in endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and inflammation, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study aimed to investigate whether p38 MAPK contributes to the pathogenesis of T2DM. 6-week-old female db/db mice were randomly assigned to Dmo and Dmi groups, and C57 mice were assigned as controls. The Dmi group was gavaged with the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 for 9 weeks, and the effects on β cell dysfunction and apoptosis were investigated. db/db mice showed higher food intake, body mass, fasting glucose, and plasma insulin levels than C57 mice. After SB203580 administration, blood glucose was significantly lower. HOMA β and HOMA IR were improved. Islet mRNA expression levels of the ERS markers were lower. P38 MAPK inhibition reduced blood glucose and improved β cell function, at least in part by reducing β cell apoptosis.

Peripheral nerve injury causes neuropathic pain accompanied by remarkable microgliosis in the spinal cord dorsal horn. However, it is still debated whether infiltrated monocytes contribute to injury-induced expansion of the microglial population. Here, we found that spinal microgliosis predominantly results from local proliferation of resident microglia but not from infiltrating monocytes after spinal nerve transection (SNT) by using two genetic mouse models (CCR2RFP/+:CX3CR1GFP/+ and CX3CR1creER/+:R26tdTomato/+ mice) as well as specific staining of microglia and macrophages. Pharmacological inhibition of SNT-induced microglial proliferation correlated with attenuated neuropathic pain hypersensitivities. Microglial proliferation is partially controlled by purinergic and fractalkine signaling, as CX3CR1−/− and P2Y12−/− mice show reduced spinal microglial proliferation and neuropathic pain. These results suggest that local microglial proliferation is the sole source of spinal microgliosis, which represents a potential therapeutic target for neuropathic pain management.

Microglia and monocytes contribute to neuropathic pain states, but the precise role of the two cell types is not clear. Here Peng et al.use temporally controlled ablation of monocytes and microglia in mice to show that these cells work together to initiate neuropathic-pain like behaviour, but are less important in the maintenance phase.

Aims. Protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) pathway mutations lead to failure of β-cell function. The aim of this article was to assess the association between eIF2α and the risk of glucose metabolism abnormalities. Methods. Two eIF2α SNPs (rs9840992 T>C and rs13072593 A>G) were selected based on CHB data from HapMap, and 1466 unrelated nondiabetes individuals were genotyped. All subjects were examined by the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, and 733 participated in a subsequent insulin release test. Various indicators of insulin resistance and islet β-cell function were examined. Results. There were no significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency between the prediabetes and controls. CC genotype carriers at rs9840992 showed higher insulin levels at 120 min after a 75 g glucose load than noncarriers. Also, CC homozygotes had higher ΔI30/ΔG30 and ΔI120/ΔG120 than noncarriers, even after adjusting for insulin resistance. CC homozygotes had greater AUCi values than noncarriers. Subjects aged ≥ 65 yrs, those with a BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 and those carrying the rs9840992 risk allele, had a 2.5-fold higher risk of glucose abnormalities than subjects who had none of these risk factors. Conclusion. The eIF2α polymorphism is associated with islet β-cell function in a Chinese population.

Background. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) bestows protective effects upon the cardiovascular system through direct cardiovascular interactions or by improvements to metabolic function. Both these effects are thought to be at least partly mediated by the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R). This case-controlled study investigated whether polymorphisms in the GLP-1R gene affect the risk of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients in the Chinese Han population. Methods. Eleven haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), distributed across 22 kb of the 39 kb GLP-1R gene, were selected and genotyped in diabetic patients from a Chinese Han population. Patients were classified based on the severity of coronary artery stenosis. Coronary artery stenosis was ≥50% in 394 patients (coronary artery disease- (CAD-) positive group), and coronary artery stenosis was

Background. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is closely related to diabetes and obesity, both of which are confirmed to increase the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Our study aimed to investigate whether the polymorphisms in GIP genes could affect the risk of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients in the Chinese Han population. Methods. We selected and genotyped two haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tag-SNPs) (rs2291725 C>T, rs8078510 G>A) of GIP gene based on CHB data in HapMap Phase II database (r2

Aims. We investigated the association between ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2Z (UBE2Z) gene SNP rs46522 and the risk of CAD in a Chinese Han population with type 2 diabetes and explored a possible interactive effect with environmental risk factors of CAD. Methods. 665 patients with T2D were enrolled; 390 were CAD patients and 275 were non-CAD patients. Genotype analysis of rs46522 (T>C) was performed using PCR-RFLP. Results. The SNP rs47522 was associated with the risk of CAD supposing recessive inheritance model (TT versus CC+CT, OR′=1.277, 95%CI′ 1.039–1.570, p′=0.020) and codominant model (TT versus CT, OR′=1.673, 95%CI′ 1.088–2.570, p′=0.019) after adjustment for confounders of CAD. A synergistic effect of rs46522 and BMI was discovered (β=0.012, p for interreaction = 0.028). In subgroup analysis, minor allele T was significantly associated with CAD in overweight and obesity subgroup (p=0.034), and the association was also proved in recessive model (OR=1.537, 95%CI 1.075–2.196, p=0.018). Smokers with genotype TT had threefold risk of CAD in comparison to nonsmokers with genotype TC or CC (p

Background. Recent studies indicated that the Serine threonine kinase 11 (STK11), which is a key regulator of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), plays a crucial role in cardiovascular system. This study aimed to investigate whether genetic variations in the STK11 gene affect the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese type 2 diabetics. Methods. 5 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected, and 288 CAD-positive cases and 159 CAD-negative controls with type 2 diabetes were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. Results. The carriers of minor allele A at rs12977689 had a higher risk of CAD compared to the homozygotes of CC (OR = 1.572, 95% CI = 1.039–2.376, p=0.035), and the difference was still significant after adjustment for the other known CAD risk factors (OR′ = 1.184, 95% CI′ = 1.036–1.353, p′=0.013). Conclusion. Genetic variability at STK11 locus is associated with CAD risk in type 2 diabetes in the Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), converted by proprotein convertase 1 (PC1/3) from proinsulin and proglucagon, are associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study is to investigate the association of PCSK1 gene, which encodes PC1/3, with the risk of CAD in Chinese patients with T2DM. METHODS: We selected and genotyped 5 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at PCSK1 gene (across 39873bp locus) in a case-control study of Chinese Han population involving 425 diabetic patients (62.1% male, mean age 63.2 years) with CAD as positive cases and 258 diabetic patients (44.2% male, mean age 62.0 years) without CAD as controls. RESULTS: The allele frequencies at rs3811951 were significantly different between cases and controls (30.7% vs. 37.2%), with the allele G associated with decreased risk for CAD (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.59-0.94, p = 0.013). In recessive inheritance mode, the carriers of GG had a lower risk (OR = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.31-0.82, p = 0.005), even after adjusted for gender, age, BMI and smoking (OR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.24-0.77, p = 0.004). The carriers of the minor allele A at rs156019 had a higher risk (OR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.10-2.50, p = 0.016 after adjustment) in dominant inheritance mode. The SNP rs6234 was also significantly associated with CAD risk in women, with the carriers of the minor allele G at rs6234 associated with a reduced CAD risk in recessive inheritance mode (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.18-0.95, p = 0.036 after adjustment). CONCLUSIONS: Our results found that common genetic variants in PCSK1 were associated with CAD in Chinese patients with T2DM.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is one of the contributing factors to the development of β-cell failure in type 2 diabetes. ER stress response through ATF6 has been shown to play an important role in insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell function. We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms in ATF6 were associated with the risk of pre-diabetes in a Chinese Han population, and whether they had a synergistic effect with obesity. Our samples included 828 individuals who were diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and 620 controls. The minor allele A at rs2340721 was associated with increased risk for pre-diabetes(p = 0.013), and this association was still significant after adjusting for gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and waist-hip ratio(p' = 0.011). BMI, treated as a continuous variable, and rs2340721 had an interactive effect on pre-diabetic risk(p for interaction = 0.003, β = 0.106). Carriers of GG at rs7522210 were also at a higher risk compared to non-carriers (OR = 1.390, 95%CI:1.206-1.818, p = 0.013, adjusted OR' = 1.516, 95%CI:1.101-2.006, p' = 0.006). GG homozygotes had increased fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels(GG vs CX: 5.6 ± 0.52 vs 5.5 ± 0.57 mmol/L, p = 0.016), lower insulin levels (0,30,120 minutes after glucose load) (p < 0.05), and reduced areas under the insulin curve than non-carriers(GG vs CX:67.3(44.2-102.3) vs 73.1(49.4-111.4), p = 0.014). rs10918270 was associated with FBG, and rs4657103 with 2 hour glucose levels after a 75 g glucose load. We also identified a haplotype of TTAG composed of rs4657103, rs2134697, rs2340721, and rs12079579, which was associated with pre-diabetes. The genetic variation in ATF6 is associated with pre-diabetes and has interactive effects with BMI on pre-diabetes in the Chinese Han population.