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The aim of this research is to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy for post-stroke fatigue. The methods used in this research are as follows: systematically retrieving China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Chinese Biological Medicine Database, Cochrane Library, Medline and Embase were electronically searched from inception to Dec 2020. The dataset included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with Chinese and English only that compared acupuncture as an adjunct to rehabilitation in stroke patients with fatigue. The methodological quality of the included trials was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Statistical analyses were performed by RevMan V.5.4.A total of 6 RCTs were included in this study, including 426 cases (213 cases in the treatment group and 213 cases in the control group). The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional treatment, acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy can significantly reduce the incidence of post-stroke fatigue [MD = -5.45, 95% CI = (-6.75, -4.14), Z = 8.19 (P < 0.001)]. In terms of energy, acupuncture also has an obvious effect [MD = 1.69, 95% CI = (0.27, 3.12), Z = 2.33 (P < 0.02)]. Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that acupuncture combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy is an effective therapy for patients suffering from post-stroke fatigue, which is suitable for clinical promotion and use. However, due to methodological weakness and limited number of RCTs, the results should be interpreted cautiously. Further clinical trials with large sample sizes and a rigorous design are needed.

“Yang promotes Qi transformation and Yin promotes forming” maintains the normal progress of human life activities, which is an important embodiment of human vitality. The dysfunction of “Yang promotes Qi transformation and Yin promotes forming” leads to the coagulation of pathological products such as phlegm and blood stasis in the breast meridian, resulting in the occurrence of acne mastitis. In clinical treatment, we should take “warm Yang to promote Qi transformation” as the treatment principle, and add or subtract according to the specific situation.

A Microfiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MMZI) based on tapered seven-core fiber (SCF) for curvature measurement has been reported and demonstrated. The tapered SCF promoted the light coupling efficiency from the single-mode fiber (SMF) to the SCF, which results in the transmission spectrum with a low loss and high extinction ratio. In the process of curvature measurement, the sensitivity can reach up to 174.02957 nm/m−1, which is the highest curvature sensitivity in the MZI with SCF as best as we have known. Furthermore, the maximum temperature sensitivity is 0.00956 nm/°C when the temperature changes from 30 °C to 140 °C. It shows that this sensor is naturally insensitive to temperature, which has a good performance in avoiding the cross-sensitivity effect between the temperature and curvature.

Understanding the effects of land-use changes on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities may greatly benefit ecosystem conservation and restoration. However, how AMF communities respond to anthropogenetic land-use change (e.g., from natural ecosystems to farmland ecosystems) is still under debate. To enhance the preservation of vegetation diversity in ancient tea forest (ATF) regions and understand how land-use changes influence the AMF community in acidic soils, the AMF community composition and assembly processes in the ATF region (soil pH: 3.5–4.2) were investigated. Our results showed that AMF α-diversity indices in ATF were significantly higher than those in conventional tea plantations (CTP) and Forest. Moreover, number of indicator species (as virtual taxa, VTX) showed a remarkable decrease when ATF (12 VTXs) changed to Forest (8 VTXs) and CTP (3 VTXs). In addition, neutral processes dominated the AMF community assembly, and Acaulospora was the dominant genus of AMF indicator species in ATF. Moreover, land-use changes eliminated the neutral process of AMF community assembly in CTP and Forest by enhancing the environmental filtering effects. The concentrations of soil nitrate, TK, Mg2+, and Cu2+ were important factors accounting for the AMF community change. In addition, we found that high acidity soils may exert an ecological selection on the AMF community, as only species that adapt to strongly acidic soils persisted. Overall, our results indicated that mitigating soil acidification has potential as a method of improving the AMF community diversity and conserving and restoring ATF ecosystems in southwest China.

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Objective: By evaluating the clinical effectiveness and safety, we can better understand the role of acupuncture for cancer-related constipation treatment and provide guidance for clinicians. Methods: We searched some academic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Elsevier SD journal, Springer journal, Chinese Biomedicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Wanfang Data, Chinese VIP Data, etc.). All documents were loaded into Endnote X8 for classification management. After extracting the data, two reviewers assessed the risk bias of each original study using the tool Cochrane manual v.5.1.0. Cochrane Review Manager 5.3 will be used to conduct this meta-analysis. Results: With the data, we can better evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for cancer-related constipation treatment. Conclusion: This study aimed to identify the best acupuncture therapy for cancer-related constipation to guide clinicians and patients.

Proteolytic enzymes and lipopeptides contain broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, which have great potential for research and development. A microbial strain X49 obtained from protease screening plate showed antifungal activities against six fungi. Biochemical analysis, 16S rRNA sequencing, API identification system, and electron microscope analysis were carried out to identify the bacterium. Azocasein method was used to analyze the protease activity. Lipopeptides were extracted for antifungal analysis. The result indicated that strain X49 grew in the range of 10-50 ℃ and pH 4.0-9.0. Moreover, it survived in 10% NaCl, showing good halotolerance. Strain X49 was identified as

ObjectiveThe diurnal rhythm profile of human basal pain sensitivity and its association with sympathetic nerve activity are not fully understood. This study aimed to examine rhythmic changes in experimental pain sensitivity and skin sympathetic nerve activity in healthy volunteers.MethodsThirty healthy volunteers were included in the study. Experimental pain sensitivity, including pressure pain threshold and tolerance, cold pain threshold (CPT) and tolerance, skin sympathetic nerve activity, and cardiovascular parameters (including heart rate, cardiac output, and peripheral vascular resistance) at six time points throughout the day (08:00, 12:00, 16:00, 20:00, 00:00, and 04:00) were sequentially measured. Circadian rhythm analysis was performed on the mean values of the different measurements and individual subjects.ResultsSignificant differences were found in experimental pain sensitivity, skin sympathetic nerve activity, and non-invasive cardiovascular parameters at different time points (P < 0.05). The minimum measured values of all four types of experimental pain sensitivity were consistently observed at 04:00. Rhythmical analysis showed that the mean values of pressure pain threshold (meta2d P = 0.016) and skin sympathetic nerve activity (meta2d P = 0.039) were significant. Significant diurnal rhythms in pain sensitivity and skin sympathetic nerve activity existed in some individuals but not in others. No significant correlation between experimental pain sensitivity and skin sympathetic nerve activity was found at any time point (P > 0.05).ConclusionSignificant diurnal fluctuations were observed in different pain sensitivities and skin sympathetic nerve activity. No significant correlation between experimental pain sensitivity and sympathetic excitability at different times was found; the reasons for these phenomena remain to be further studied.Clinical Trial Registration[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [ChiCTR2000039709].

Background and Aims: Magnesium (Mg) fertilizer has been proved to play an important role in improving the yield and quality of tea. However, plant availability of Mg, including its use, efficiency, and quality improvement effects, were highly affected by plant species, soil characteristics (nutritional status, etc.), and Mg status (chemical-available, etc.).Methods: Tea plants were pot-cultivated in 12 typical tea plantation soils amended with and without Mg fertilizer. Exchangeable Mg (Ex-Mg) concentration in soils was quantitatively extracted using four extraction solutions (Mehlich-3, BaCl2, CaCl2, and NH4OAC). Plant availability of Mg was evaluated by Mg uptake and its use efficiency, as well as its association with quality components in tea plants.Results: Ex-Mg in soils was extracted most efficiently by Mehlich-3, while Mg concentrations in tea plant tissue were higher correlated with Ex-Mg extracted by CaCl2 than other extraction solutions. Mg fertilizer use efficiency in tea plant varied from 6.08 to 29.56 %, and the effect of Mg application on tea quality improvement and the use efficiency of Mg fertilizer both negatively correlated with total Mg concentration (r = −0.94 and −0.63, respectively) and nitrogen (N) level (r = −0.61 and −0.51, respectively) in soils prior to tea plant cultivation.Conclusions: CaCl2 could be recommended for plant-available Mg extraction in tea plantation soil, and Mg fertilizer use efficiency could be affected and predicted by total N and Mg status in soils prior to tea plant cultivation, providing a potential theoretical for the guidance of Mg fertilization for tea yield and quality improvement in tea plantation management.

Metastasis and recurrence account for 95% of deaths from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are regarded as one of the main reasons for tumor cell resistance to clinical therapy, and cancer metastasis or recurrence, while little is known about CSCs in NPC. The present study uncovers a subpopulation of cells labeled as CD45−EPCAM+PROCR+ in NPC biopsy samples that exhibit stem cell-like characteristics. A relatively low number of these cells initiate xenograft tumors in mice. Functional analysis reveals that protein C receptor (PROCR) not only serves as a stem cell marker in NPC, but also maintains tumor cells’ stemness potential through regulating lipid metabolism and mitochondrial fission. Epistatic studies reveal that cAMP-protein kinase A stimulates Ca2+ release to manipulate lipid metabolism related genes’ expression. Finally, in a cohort of 207 NPC samples, PROCR expression is correlated with tumor metastasis or recurrence, and predicts poor prognosis. These novel findings link PROCR labeled CSCs with lipid metabolism and mitochondrial plasticity, and provides new clinical target against metastatic or recurrent NPC.

Recently, the economy has grown rapidly in China’s Central Plains urban agglomeration, with high energy consumption and a huge pressure on reducing CO2 emissions. Thus, low-carbon development is an important measure to solve economic, energy and environmental problems. To analyse low-emission development, this paper clarifies the evolutionary characteristics of CO2 emissions and the decoupling relationship between GDP and CO2 emissions based on the latest available data from 2000 to 2015. The results indicate that CO2 emissions of Pingdingshan and Changzhi are higher in the same year. The ratios from coal consumption accounting for the total CO2 emissions are clearly bigger than from other energy types and industrial processes. Changzhi, Luoyang and Pingdingshan have reached their peaks. Five cities have experienced strong decoupling after 2010, 13 cities present weak decoupling, 4 cities present growth connection, and 7 cities show growth negative decoupling. It can be concluded that a relatively smaller proportion of industry and strict policy implementations of coal reduction are the main factors in inhibiting the decoupling. So the proportion of coal purification should be increased firstly. Then, the energy consumption structure should be changed from the traditional coal consumption structure to coal, oil and gas. Lastly, economic means can be used to control CO2 emissions.

Recently, we have read the original article written by Lebedeva ER et al1 , which was published in European Journal of Neurology [1]. This study enrolled 550 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke and 192 control patients in one single center. They found that headache at onset of ischemic stroke was present in 14.9% of all the patients with first-ever ischemic stroke.

Background and purpose - A correct diagnosis is essential for the appropriate treatment of patients with atypical femoral fractures (AFFs). The diagnostic accuracy of radiographs with standard radiology reports is very poor. We derived a diagnostic algorithm that uses deep neural networks to enable clinicians to discriminate AFFs from normal femur fractures (NFFs) on conventional radiographs. Patients and methods - We entered 433 radiographs from 149 patients with complete AFF and 549 radiographs from 224 patients with NFF into a convolutional neural network (CNN) that acts as a core classifier in an automated pathway and a manual intervention pathway (manual improvement of image orientation). We tested several deep neural network structures (i.e., VGG19, InceptionV3, and ResNet) to identify the network with the highest diagnostic accuracy for distinguishing AFF from NFF. We applied a transfer learning technique and used 5-fold cross-validation and class activation mapping to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy.Results - In the automated pathway, ResNet50 had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with a mean of 91% (SD 1.3), as compared with 83% (SD 1.6) for VGG19, and 89% (SD 2.5) for InceptionV3. The corresponding accuracy levels for the intervention pathway were 94% (SD 2.0), 92% (2.7), and 93% (3.7), respectively. With regards to sensitivity and specificity, ResNet outperformed the other networks with a mean AUC (area under the curve) value of 0.94 (SD 0.01) and surpassed the accuracy of clinical diagnostics.Interpretation - Artificial intelligence systems show excellent diagnostic accuracies for the rare fracture type of AFF in an experimental setting. Funding agencies: Analytic Imaging Diagnostics Arena (AIDA), Vinnova grant 2017-02447, Region Östergötland ALF grants and the Knutand Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

With great interest, we read the recent original article written by Zihan Chang et al1 , which was published in European Journal of Neurology. In this multicenter retrospective case-control study, the authors found that elevated serum Cystatin C may be associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator therapy, independently. The results of receiver operating characteristic curves also showed that model 1 (combining baseline Cystatin C, hypertension, early infarct signs on admission CT scan, WBC and smoking) was able to predict good&sustained benefit (Area under the curve is 0.75). What is more, model 2 (combining baseline Cystatin C, NIHSS on admission, hypertension, early infarct signs on admission CT, and TOAST subtype large-artery atherosclerosis) can be used to forecast good functional outcome (Area under the curve is 0.86). Nevertheless, I still have comments.

Background and aims: Magnesium (Mg) plays important roles in improving the yield and quality of tea. However, Mg deficiency frequently occurs in acidic tea plantation soil. Methods: Tea plants were pot-cultivated in 12 typical tea plantations soils amended with and without Mg fertilizer. Exchangeable Mg (Ex-Mg) concentration in soils were quantitatively extracted using four extraction solutions (Mehlich-3, BaCl2, CaCl2 and NH4OAC). Plant availability of Mg was evaluated by Mg uptake and use efficiency, as well as its association with quality-components in tea plants.Results: Ex-Mg in soils were extracted most efficiently by Mehlich-3, while Mg concentrations in tea plant tissue higher correlated with Ex-Mg extracted by CaCl2 than other extraction solutions. Mg fertilizer use efficiency in tea plant varied from 6.08% to 29.56 %, and Mg fertilization significantly improve green tea quality by decreasing the ratio of total polyphenol to amino acid in tea leaves (24-60%). Moreover, the effect of Mg application on tea quality improvement and the use efficiency of Mg fertilizer both negatively correlated with total Mg concentration (r = -0.94 and -0.63, respectively) and nitrogen (N) level (r = -0.61 and -0.51, respectively) in soils prior to tea plant cultivation.Conclusions: CaCl2 could be recommended for plant-available Mg extraction in tea plantation soil, and Mg fertilizer use efficiency could be affected and predicted by total N and Mg status in soils prior to tea plant cultivation, providing a potential theoretical for guidance of Mg fertilization for tea yield and quality improvement in tea plantation management.

We developed an adaptive whole-body SPECT/CT with a full detector ring and eight sets of multi-pinhole (MPH) collimators. Each MPH collimator was designed for specific clinical practices with optimized resolution-sensitivity tradeoff. Accurate modeling of the point spread function (PSF) is critical for delivering high resolution and quantitative images. In this work, we present a component-based method to accurately model the PSF and quantitatively assess its impact on the imaging performance. The PSF consists of the collimator and detector response function (CDRF) and the object dependent function (ODF). Firstly, the CDRF is modeled as a function of the isotope energy, incident angle and source location in FOV to account for the detector response and the penetration and scatter in pinhole material. The CDRF parameters is calibrated by a hybrid approach of Monte-Carlo simulation and experimental measurements. A point source of Tc-99m and I–131 (

Attention control is a basic behavioral process that has been studied for decades. The currently best models of attention control are deep networks trained on free-viewing behavior to predict bottom-up attention control – saliency. We introduce COCO-Search18, the first dataset of laboratory-quality goal-directed behavior large enough to train deep-network models. We collected eye-movement behavior from 10 people searching for each of 18 target-object categories in 6202 natural-scene images, yielding $$\sim$$ ∼ 300,000 search fixations. We thoroughly characterize COCO-Search18, and benchmark it using three machine-learning methods: a ResNet50 object detector, a ResNet50 trained on fixation-density maps, and an inverse-reinforcement-learning model trained on behavioral search scanpaths. Models were also trained/tested on images transformed to approximate a foveated retina, a fundamental biological constraint. These models, each having a different reliance on behavioral training, collectively comprise the new state-of-the-art in predicting goal-directed search fixations. Our expectation is that future work using COCO-Search18 will far surpass these initial efforts, finding applications in domains ranging from human-computer interactive systems that can anticipate a person’s intent and render assistance to the potentially early identification of attention-related clinical disorders (ADHD, PTSD, phobia) based on deviation from neurotypical fixation behavior.

Attention control is a basic behavioral process that has been studied for decades. The currently best models of attention control are deep networks trained on free-viewing behavior to predict bottom-up attention control—saliency. We introduce COCO-Search18, the first dataset of laboratory-quality goal-directed behavior large enough to train deep-network models. We collected eye-movement behavior from 10 people searching for each of 18 target-object categories in 6202 natural-scene images, yielding ∼300,000 search fixations. We thoroughly characterize COCO-Search18, and benchmark it using three machine-learning methods: a ResNet50 object detector, a ResNet50 trained on fixation-density maps, and an inverse-reinforcement-learning model trained on behavioral search scanpaths. Models were also trained/tested on images transformed to approximate a foveated retina, a fundamental biological constraint. These models, each having a different reliance on behavioral training, collectively comprise the new state-of-the-art in predicting goal-directed search fixations. Our expectation is that future work using COCO-Search18 will far surpass these initial efforts, finding applications in domains ranging from human-computer interactive systems that can anticipate a person’s intent and render assistance to the potentially early identification of attention-related clinical disorders (ADHD, PTSD, phobia) based on deviation from neurotypical fixation behavior.

Background With the emergence of more and more cyclodextrin derivatives, cyclodextrin becomes an effective adjuvant for improving the prescription of drugs. Its application in pharmacy, especially in the sustained and controlled release, targeting, transdermal and mucosal drug delivery systems, is also being expanded and deepened. In this study, novel cyclodextrin derivatives were developed to investigate the impact of the charge on antitumor efficiency by introducing different groups (carboxymethyl or quaternary ammonium group) to poly-β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Methods These novel β-CD derivatives were prepared by the nucleophilic substitution reaction and characterized by IR and 1H NMR. Fluorouracil (5-FU) was adopted as a model drug to form inclusion compounds. The content of 5-FU in inclusion compounds was evaluated using fluorine element analysis. Also, the cytotoxicity of poly-β-CD derivatives was studied. Finally, the effect of negative and positive charges on the antitumor activity of poly-β-CD derivatives-5-FU inclusion compounds on HepG2 cancer cells was evaluated. Human liver cancer HepG2 cells (CYP3A4G/7R clone 87, RRID: CVCL_1×10) were purchased from Cell Bank, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (China). Results The results of IR and 1H NMR indicated consistently that both carboxymethyl poly-β-CD (poly-CM-β-CD) and glycidyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (GTMAC) poly-β-CD (poly-GTAC-β-CD) were successfully prepared. Fluorouracil was successfully loaded into poly-β-CD derivatives. The results of fluorine analysis indicated that the content of 5-FU in 1 g poly-β-CD, poly-GTAC-β-CD and poly-CM-β-CD was 1,214, 921 and 1,187 µg, respectively. No cytotoxicity of poly-β-CD derivatives on HepG2 cells was observed. The killing effect of poly-β-CD-5-FU on HepG2 cells was similar to that of poly-GTAC-β-CD-5-FU. Poly-CM-β-CD-5-FU had the worst killing effect on HepG2 cells. Conclusions Charge had impact on antitumor efficiency. These novel poly-β-CD derivatives have potential applications in tumor sustained-release targeted therapy.

Understanding how goals control behavior is a question ripe for interrogation by new methods from machine learning. These methods require large and labeled datasets to train models. To annotate a large-scale image dataset with observed search fixations, we collected 16,184 fixations from people searching for either microwaves or clocks in a dataset of 4,366 images (MS-COCO). We then used this behaviorally-annotated dataset and the machine learning method of inverse-reinforcement learning (IRL) to learn target-specific reward functions and policies for these two target goals. Finally, we used these learned policies to predict the fixations of 60 new behavioral searchers (clock = 30, microwave = 30) in a disjoint test dataset of kitchen scenes depicting both a microwave and a clock (thus controlling for differences in low-level image contrast). We found that the IRL model predicted behavioral search efficiency and fixation-density maps using multiple metrics. Moreover, reward maps from the IRL model revealed target-specific patterns that suggest, not just attention guidance by target features, but also guidance by scene context (e.g., fixations along walls in the search of clocks). Using machine learning and the psychologically-meaningful principle of reward, it is possible to learn the visual features used in goal-directed attention control.

People make eye movements while interacting with objects, and these behaviors are rich with information about how visual goals are represented in the brain and used to prioritize sequential motor behavior. Here we adopt a real-world perspective and define goal-directed attention control as the guidance (or biasing) of gaze to target-object goals that have uncertain visual appearance. Specifically, we review models of goal-directed attention control that have attempted to predict the behavioral fixations made in the search for target-category goals in images. We will show how modeling perspectives on this question changed over the decades. Using the year 2020 as a reference, we will critically review the recent past of the categorical search modeling literature (~ 2000–2010), the literature defining our present (~ 2010–2020), and speculate about the future of search models and the directions that the literature may turn in the next decade (~ 2020–2030).

The nitrogen (N) content of soil organic matter (OM) fractions is a vital indicator of soil health as it limits crop yield and regulates the loss of N from soil to the environment. We studied the impacts of introducing leguminous green manure (LGM) to replace summer fallow on N distribution in coarse particulate OM (cPOM), fine POM (fPOM), intra-microaggregate POM (iPOM) and mineral associated OM (MAOM). Random forest regression and structural equation modelling were coupled to identify the important OM fractions and reveal how they affect soil organic N pool. The field experiment followed a split-plot design with summer fallow – winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (FW) (control) and LGM – winter wheat as the main treatments. The latter included Huai bean (Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc) – winter wheat (HW), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) – winter wheat (SW) and mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) – winter wheat (MW). The sub-treatments included applying 0 or 135 kg ha−1 of synthetic N fertilizer to winter wheat. Both LGM and synthetic N had limited effects on the mass ratio of OM fractions. Compared with FW, HW and MW increased the N content of unprotected OM fractions (cPOM + fPOM) by 38–58% and all LGM treatments increased the N content of protected OM fractions (iPOM + MAOM) by 9–16%. The main driving factors for enhancing the soil organic N pool were the N in cPOM and iPOM. The indirect paths through the cPOM mediated by the iPOM in large and small macroaggregates were the key pathways that regulated the soil organic N pool. In conclusion, LGM expands the soil organic N pool mainly by regulating the N content of cPOM and iPOM, suggesting this practice can propel sustainable crop production via enhanced short- and long-term soil N supplying capacity.

In recent years, although several related genes had been cloned and characterized, the role of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), the newly cloned gene involved in artemisinin biosynthesis pathway, is still not clear. In this study, a 2,100-bp ALDH1 promoter region fused with GUS reporter gene was stably transferred into Arabidopsis thaliana. Histochemical staining showed the methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and wounding treatment induced the GUS gene expression specifically in the trichomes of transgenic A. thaliana, consistent with the results that the expression level of ALDH1 gene was increased in the A. annua under MeJA and wounding treatments. Two RAA motifs (AP2/ERF binding site) but no W box (WRKY binding site) motif were identified in the ALDH1 promoter by the analysis through PLACE and plantCARE. Through the dual luciferase reporter assay, we revealed that both AaORA and AaERF2, rather than AaWRKY1, could activate the expression of ALDH1 promoter. Our study shed light on the in-depth understanding of the role of ALDH1 in artemisinin biosynthesis.

Root water uptake is strongly influenced by the morphology and anatomical structure of roots, which are regulated by nitrogen forms and environmental stimuli. To further illustrate the roles of different nitrogen forms on root water uptake under osmotic stress, a split-root system was supplied with different nitrogen forms and osmotic stress simulated by adding 10% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG, 6000). The local effects of nitrogen form and osmotic stress on root morphology, anatomical structure, root lignin content, and water uptake rate were investigated. Under osmotic stress conditions, ammonium markedly promoted the formation and elongation of the lateral root, whereas a significant decrease in numbers of lateral roots was observed under local nitrate supply. Under nitrate supply in split-root systems, osmotic stress significantly promoted root cell death and more aerenchyma formation, as well as accelerated the lignification of the root. However, osmotic stress had no negative effect on the root anatomical structure under ammonium supply. The root water uptake rate was significantly higher in split-root supplied with ammonium than nitrate under osmotic stress conditions. In conclusion, the high water uptake ability in local ammonium supply was associated with the more lateral roots development and the lower cell death, aerenchyma formation and lignification under osmotic stress.

Surgery may lead to poor blood flow and hypercoagulation. Few studies have investigated the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Asian patients following appendectomy. We conducted a nationwide cohort study to investigate the risk of VTE in patients who underwent appendectomy compared with those who did not in Taiwan. We studied the entire hospitalized population in Taiwan from 2000 to 2012, with a follow-up period extending to the end of 2013. We identified patients who underwent appendectomy in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database as the appendectomy cohort, and selected a nonappendectomy cohort from the general population that was 4:1 frequency-matched by age (5-year interval), sex, and index year for each appendectomy case. We used Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for symptomatic VTE in the appendectomy cohort for comparison with the nonappendectomy cohort. The appendectomy cohort exhibited a higher incidence of symptomatic VTE than the nonappendectomy cohort (5.90 vs. 3.29 per 10,000 person-years). After adjustment for covariates, a 1.68-fold HR for symptomatic VTE was observed in the appendectomy cohort (95% CI 1.56-1.81). Compared with the nonappendectomy cohort, the patients who underwent open appendectomy had a 1.73-fold increased adjusted HR for symptomatic VTE (95% CI 1.61-1.87). Laparoscopic appendectomy was not significantly associated with symptomatic VTE. An 8.15-fold higher adjusted HR for VTE was observed in patients who underwent appendectomy within the first month after surgery compared with the nonappendectomy cohort. Open appendectomy carried an increased risk of symptomatic VTE. Laparoscopic appendectomy was not significantly associated with symptomatic VTE.

The prediction of human shifts of attention is a widelystudied question in both behavioral and computer vision, especially in the context of a free viewing task. However, search behavior, where the fixation scanpaths are highly dependent on the viewer’s goals, has received far less attention, even though visual search constitutes much of a person’s everyday behavior. One reason for this is the absence of real-world image datasets on which search models can be trained. In this paper we present a carefully created dataset for two target categories, microwaves and clocks, curated from the COCO2014 dataset. A total of 2183 images were presented to multiple participants, who were tasked to search for one of the two categories. This yields a total of 16184 validated fixations used for training, making our microwave-clock dataset currently one of the largest datasets of eye fixations in categorical search. We also present a 40-image testing dataset, where images depict both a microwave and a clock target. Distinct fixation patterns emerged depending on whether participants searched for a microwave (n=30) or a clock (n=30) in the same images, meaning that models need to predict different search scanpaths from the same pixel inputs. We report the results of several state-of-the-art deep network models that were trained and evaluated on these datasets. Collectively, these datasets and our protocol for evaluation provide what we hope will be a useful test-bed for the development of new methods for predicting category-specific visual search behavior.

A tunable all-fiber optical attenuator (AOA) based on microfiber with adjustable coupling angle is reported and demonstrated. The AOA is fabricated of a microfiber probe coupled to a tapered fiber on the waist region through van der Waals and electrostatic forces. The attenuation can be tuned by adjusting the coupling angle of the two microfibers. When the coupling is fabricated of angles adjust from 8 0 o to 1 0 o , the optical attenuation can be tuned in a large range from 5.7 dB to 40.1 dB with low insertion loss. The simulation and experimental show that the coupling length can be changed by increasing the coupling angle, which results in decreasing the attenuation of AOA. The attenuation of AOA is decreased linearly by increasing the coupling angle. It provides a feasible approach to achieve attenuators with miniature volume, low cost, and multiple functions in optical communication and fiber lasers.