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AbstractMultiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), a rare tumor syndrome, is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, mainly manifested as primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Surgery is preferred for patients with MEN1 and PHPT. Thermal ablation has been widely applied for PHPT but rarely for postoperative recurrent PHPT in MEN1 patients. Based on a series of cases, we aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation in the treatment of MEN1 patients with postoperative recurrence of PHPT.

Abstract Lane detection is an important component of advanced driving aided system (ADAS). It is a combined component of the planning and control algorithms. Therefore, it has high standards for the detection accuracy and speed. Recently several researchers have worked extensively on this topic. An increasing number of researchers have been interested in self-attention-based lane detection. In difficult situations such as shadows, bright lights, and nights extracting global information is effective. Regardless of channel or spatial attention, it cannot independently extract all global information until a complicated model is used. Furthermore, it affects the run-time. However trading in this contradiction is challenging. In this study, a new lane identification model that combines channel and spatial self-attention was developed. Conv1d and Conv2d were introduced to extract the global information. The model is lightweight and efficient avoiding difficult model calculations and massive matrices, In particular obstacles can be overcome under certain difficult conditions. We used the Tusimple and CULane datasets as verification standards. The accuracy of the Tusimple benchmark was the highest at 95.49%. In the CULane dataset, the proposed model achieved 75.32% in F1, which is the highest result, particularly in difficult scenarios. For the Tusimple and CULane datasets, the proposed model achieved the best performance in terms of accuracy and speed.

Adenosine kinase (ADK) is a key enzyme widely distributed in plants, playing an important role in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis and regulating plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stresses. However, research on ADK genes in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), an economically significant crop, has been limited. This study identified 92 ADK genes from four cotton species (G. arboreum, G. raimondii, G. hirsutum, and G. barbadense) using HMMER and Local BLASTP methods and classified them into six groups. Chromosomal localization revealed a random distribution of ADK genes in G. hirsutum, with 13 genes located on the At subgenome and 14 genes on the Dt subgenome. Gene structure analysis showed consistency in exon–intron organization within subgroups, while conserved motif analysis identified subgroup-specific motifs, indicating functional diversity. Synteny and collinearity mapping analysis revealed that the primary expansion mechanisms of the ADK gene family in cotton are polyploidy and segmental duplication. Cis-regulatory elements in GhADK promoters were classified into light response, hormone response, developmental regulation, and stress response. We also analyzed the expression patterns of GhADK genes under a low temperature (4 °C) and drought conditions. Most GhADK genes responded to cold stress with different expression patterns, indicating their roles in rapid response and long-term cold adaptation. Under drought stress, expression patterns varied, with some genes showing sustained high expression levels. The qRT-PCR validation of transcriptomic data confirmed the stress-induced expression patterns of selected GhADK genes. Functional analysis through the VIGS silencing of GhADK25 demonstrated its importance in cold and drought stress responses, with silencing resulting in poor growth under stress, highlighting its significance in stress tolerance. This study provides a basis for further understanding the evolutionary relationships and functions of the cotton ADK gene family.

The existence of Himalayan long-eared bats, Plecotus homochrous (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), in China has not been previously confirmed. In this study, four bats captured with harp traps from two sites in the Maoershan National Nature Reserve in Guangxi, China were investigated. These bats have long, wide auricles, each with a prominent tragus. The length of each auricle is about the same as that of a forearm. Hairs on the ventral fur have a dark base with mixed grey and yellowish tips; those on the dorsal fur also have a dark base and are bicolored with brown tips. The thumbs are very short. A concavity is present in the front of the dorsal side of the cranium. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogeny using Cyt b gene sequences, these bats were identified as P. homochrous, thus confirming the existence of Himalayan long-eared bats in China.

Objective Thyroid cancer is the third most prevalent cancer among females. Genetic testing based on next-generation sequencing may provide an auxiliary diagnosis to reduce cytologically diagnostic uncertainty. However, commercial multigene tests are not widely available and are not well-tested in the Chinese population. Methods In this study, we designed a multigene testing panel and evaluated its performance in 529 cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules (Bethesda III, IV and V). The molecular data of the DNA mutations and RNA fusions of fine needle aspiration samples were reviewed in conjunction with a clinical diagnosis, pathological reports, and definitive surgery for retrospective analysis. Then, the molecular risk stratification was investigated for its accuracy in malignant risk prediction. Results The overall combined consistency revealed substantial agreement (Kappa = 0.726) with the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive values of 97.80%, 82.14%, 98.99%, and 67.65%, respectively. The most common aberration was BRAFV600E (82.59%), followed by NRAS mutants (4.07%), RET fusions (3.70%), and KRAS mutants (3.15%). Two cases (0.44%) were categorized into a high-risk group, 426 cases (94.67%) were categorized into a BRAF-like group with totally histopathologic papillary patterned tumors, and 22 cases (4.89%) were categorized into a RAS-like group with 14 papillary and eight follicular patterned tumors when the cohort concurrent aberrations were excluded. Potentially aggressive features may be related to concurrent molecular alterations of BRAFV600E with TERTQ302R, and AKT1L52R, NRASG12C, NRASQ61R, and CCDC6-RET fusions. Conclusions This study provided a multigene panel for identifying benign nodules from cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules to avoid unnecessary surgery. We provide further evidence for using molecular risk stratification as a promising predictor of disease outcomes. The results of this study may be limited by the extremely high prevalence of cancer in the cohort for clinical reference.

BackgroundMultiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an inherited endocrine syndrome caused by the mutation in the tumor suppressor gene MEN1. The recurrence rate of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in patients with MEN1 after parathyroidectomy remains high, and the management of recurrent hyperparathyroidism is still challenging.Case presentationWe reported a 44-year-old woman with MEN1 combined with PHPT who was diagnosed through genetic screening of the patient and her family members. After parathyroidectomy to remove one parathyroid gland, the patient suffered from persistent high levels of serum calcium and parathyroid hormone, which returned to normal at up to 8 months after ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for bilateral parathyroid glands, suggesting an acceptable short-term prognosis.ConclusionUltrasound-guided MWA for parathyroid nodules may be an effective therapeutic strategy for recurrent PHPT in MEN1 patients.

Bats have a very long evolutionary history and are highly differentiated in their physiological functions. Results of recent studies suggest effects of some host factors (e.g., phylogeny and dietary habit) on their gut microbiota. In this study, we examined the gut microbial compositions of 18 different species of bats. Results showed that Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were dominant in all fecal samples of bats. However, the difference in the diversity of gut microbiota among bats of different phylogenies was notable (p = 0.06). Various species of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria were found to contribute to the majority of variations in gut microbiota of all bats examined, and Aeromonas species were much more abundant in bats that feed on both insects and fish than in those of insectivores. The abundance of various species of Clostridium, Euryarchaeota, and ancient bacterial phyla was found to vary among bats of different phylogenies, and various species of Vibrio varied significantly among bats with different dietary habits. No significant difference in the number of genes involved in various metabolic pathways was detected among bats of different phylogenies, but the abundance of genes involved in 5 metabolic pathways, including transcription; replication, recombination, and repair; amino acid transport and metabolism; and signal transduction mechanisms, was different among bats with different dietary habits. The abundance of genes in 3 metabolic pathways, including those involved in stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid, and gingerol biosynthesis, was found to be different between insectivorous bats and bats that feed on both insects and fish. Results of this study suggest a weak association between dietary habit and gut microbiota in most bats but a notable difference in gut microbiota among bats of different phylogenies.

Taraxasterol (TAL) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound, which has anti-inflammatory effect. Cytotoxicity assay was used to determine the optimal concentration of TAL and positive control dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (DG), and the optimal dose of UVB. Experimental data indicate that TAL has scavenging activity against UVB radiation-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to UVB controls. The contents of skin barrier-related factors in the groups were detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), then ELISA and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to detect changes in the inflammatory factors, apoptosis factors, and gene levels in the groups. Therefore, TAL stabilised the levels of inflammation, apoptosis, and skin barrier-related factors by regulating Mitogen-activated protein kinases/nuclear factor-k-gene binding (MAPK/NF-κB) signalling pathways, such as jun-amino-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and NF-κB. These results suggest that TAL repairs UVB-induced skin barrier damage by scavenging reactive oxygen species and regulating the MAPK/NF-κB signalling pathway.

The objective of this study was to reduce the stockpile of steel slag, which is a solid waste generated in the steelmaking process, and promote the resource utilization of steel slag powder (SSP) in construction projects. Experimental research was conducted on SSP and fly ash (FA) as supplementary cementitious materials. Composite cement paste samples were prepared to investigate the effects of the water-to-binder ratio and cement-substitution rate on the macroscopic mechanical properties, including the setting time, fluidity, flexural strength, and compressive strength of the prepared paste. The mineral composition in the raw materials was measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and a micro-morphological and structural analysis of the hydrated cementitious material samples was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the SEM and Image Pro Plus (IPP) image analysis techniques were combined for a quantitative analysis of the microstructure. The results showed that the addition of FA and SSP delayed the hydration of cement, thereby improving the flowability of the composite paste. Under the same curing age and cement substitution rate, the sample strength decreased with increasing water-to-binder ratio. Under the same water-to-binder ratio and curing age, the variations in the flexural and compressive strengths of the SSP group samples were inconsistent in the early and later stages, and the sample group with 20% SSP exhibited optimal mechanical strength in the later stage. The microscopic results showed that the needle-like AFt crystals in the hydrated pores decreased in number with the increase in the SSP content. The hydration products of the FA–SSP admixture, such as C–S–H gel and RO phase, acted as pore fillers in alkaline environments. When the water-to-binder ratio was 0.4 and the FA-to-SSP ratio was 1:1 to replace 40% cement, the performance of the hardened cement paste was the best among all the test groups containing both FA and SSP. This study provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of SSP and FA as cementitious materials in construction-related fields.

Accurate channel estimation is the fundamental requirement for recovering underwater acoustic orthogonal time–frequency space (OTFS) modulation signals. As the Doppler effect in the underwater acoustic channel is much more severe than that in the radio channel, the channel information usually cannot strictly meet the compressed sensing sparsity assumption in the orthogonal matching pursuit channel estimation algorithm. This deviation ultimately leads to a degradation in system performance. This paper proposes a novel approach for OTFS channel estimation in underwater acoustic communications, utilizing a model-driven deep learning technique. Our method incorporates a residual neural network into the OTFS channel estimation process. Specifically, the orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm and denoising convolutional neural network (DnCNN) collaborate to perform channel estimation. The cascaded DnCNN denoises the preliminary channel estimation results generated by the orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm for more accurate OTFS channel estimation results. The use of a lightweight DnCNN network with a single residual block reduces computational complexity while still preserving the accuracy of the neural network. Through extensive evaluations conducted on simulated and experimental underwater acoustic channels, the outcomes demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms traditional threshold-based and orthogonal matching pursuit channel estimation techniques, achieves superior accuracy in channel estimation, and significantly reduces the system’s bit error rate.

Spatially coupled low density parity check (SC-LDPC) are prominent candidates for future communication standards due to their “threshold saturation” properties. To evaluate the finite-length performance of SC-LDPC codes, a general and efficient finite-length analysis from the perspective of the base matrix is proposed. We analyze the evolution of the residual graphs resulting at each iteration during the decoding process based on the base matrix and then derive the expression for the error probability. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed finite-length analysis, we consider the SC-LDPC code ensembles constructed by parallelly connecting multiple chains (PC-MSC-LDPC). The analysis results show that the predicted error probabilities obtained by using the derived expression for the error probability match the simulated error probabilities. The proposed finite-length analysis provides a useful engineering tool for practical SC-LDPC code design and for analyzing the effects of the code parameters on the performances.

Lactobacillus kefiri is a beneficial bacteria that is often used to make yogurt only, and is beneficial to human health when it is used in food fermentation. In this article, a fermentation supernatant (LAF) is prepared by culturing Lactobacillus kefiri, and the anti-aging effects of LAF are evaluated at the biochemical, cellular, and molecular biology levels. The antioxidant activity of LAF is comprehensively evaluated by three free radical scavenging tests and the total antioxidant capacity (ABTS method) test. The toxicity of LAF on human skin fibroblasts (HSF) is detected using the MTT method, and the effects of LAF on H2O2-induced oxidative stress in terms of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, antioxidant enzyme activity are evaluated. The gene expression levels of LC3 and Beclin-1 are detected using the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method, and the protein expression levels of LC3 are detected using the Western blot method to evaluate the effects of LAF on HSF autophagy. The expression of type I collagen (COL-1), Matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1), AKT pathway, MAPK pathway, and other genes are detected by qRT-PCR to study the anti-aging effects of LAF. From the experimental results, it is found that LAF can delay the aging of HSF at the biochemical, cellular, and molecular biology levels, and can be utilized as a functional food ingredient.

AbstractCretaceous igneous rocks in SW Borneo are significant for investigating the Paleo-Pacific subduction and regional correlation. This paper presents new zircon ages and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf–O isotopic and whole-rock geochemical data for the Cretaceous granitoids in the Schwaner Mountains. These granitoid samples yield formation ages of 92–80 Ma and can be geochemically subdivided into Group 1 biotite granite and granodiorite and Group 2 monzogranite. Group 1 has higher εHf t values of +1.2–+14.5 and lower δ18O values of 5.2–6.6‰ than Group 2 with εHf t and δ18O values of −1.5–+5.9 and 6.1–6.6‰, respectively. Group 1 samples show variable εNd t values of −1.9–+1.7, (206Pb/204Pb)i ratios of 18.63–19.29, (207Pb/204Pb)i ratios of 15.62–15.69, and (208Pb/204Pb)i ratios of 38.67–39.49 and are the products of partial melting of newly underplated mafic rocks with a component of crustal rocks. Group 2 with slightly negative εNd t values of −1.1–−1.5 was originated from partial melting of metasedimentary rocks with a juvenile mafic component. These granitoids were formed in a continental arc setting related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction during the Late Cretaceous and can compare with those contemporaneous I-type granites along the Kuching zone in NW Borneo. Those Late Cretaceous granitoids with A-type affinities from the easternmost Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to the east of Sundaland might be formed in a back-arc extensional setting after the Paleo-Pacific subduction.

In this study, chitin fibers (CFs) were combined with molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) to develop high-performance sensors, and chitin carbon materials were innovatively introduced into the application of gas sensing. MoS2/CFs composites were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method. The surface properties of the composites were greatly improved, and the fire resistance effect was remarkable compared with that of the chitin monomer. In the gas-sensitive performance test, the overall performance of the MoS2/CFs composite was more than three times better than that of the MoS2 monomer and showed excellent long-term stability, with less than 10% performance degradation in three months. Extending to the field of strain sensing, MoS2/CFs composites can realize real-time signal conversion in tensile and motion performance tests, which can help inspectors make analytical judgments in response to the analysis results. The extensive application of sensing materials in more fields is expected to be further developed. Based on the recycling of waste chitin textile materials, this paper expands the potential applications of chitin materials in the fields of gas monitoring, biomedicine, behavioral discrimination and intelligent monitoring.

AbstractThe EW-trending Kuching zone in Borneo is a target region for exploring the southern continuation of Paleo-Pacific subduction from South China, Vietnam to SE Asia. Previous studies mainly focused on mafic igneous rocks, and poor attention has been paid to the contemporaneous granitoids in this zone. This study presented detailed zircon U-Pb geochronology and Lu-Hf isotope and whole-rock geochemistry analyses for late Cretaceous granitoids (granodiorites and granites) in the northern Kuching zone. These granitoids are dated at ~77.5-83.6 Ma with younger ages than the igneous rocks in the southern Kuching zone (~130-144 Ma). The granitoids have variable SiO2 (64.86-77.37 wt.%) and A/CNK (0.7-1.5) and are strongly enriched in LILE and depleted in HFSE with significant Ba, Nb, Sr, and Ti negative anomalies. They have variable (87Sr/86Sr)i (from 0.70656 to 0.71208), εNd(t) (from -4.4 to +0.9), and zircon εHf(t) (from -1.2 to +12.4) with high (206Pb/204Pb)i ratio of 18.78-19.74, suggesting derivation from a hybrid source involving meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous rocks. Combined with previously-published data, two episodes of Cretaceous (~77-98 Ma and ~130-144 Ma) magmatic activities are identified in the Kuching zone, showing a younging age trend from south to north. These episodes of Cretaceous igneous rocks and their spatial distribution in the Kuching zone can be totally comparable to those in South China and Vietnam. Thus, the Kuching zone was likely a part of the Paleo-Pacific subduction system during the Cretaceous, northerly linking to Vietnam and South China.

This work presents a physics-based compact GaN device model that can predict the performance characteristics of a wide range of GaN devices for power electronics applications. The model has been validated against the measured characteristics of a 650 V commercially available GaN device. The higher voltage range devices exhibit quasi-saturation on-state behavior due to drift resistance, which is evident from their on-state behavior. Also, higher voltage GaN devices have significant nonlinear capacitance characteristics due to the presence of field plates connected to the source and gate terminals. The field plates are fabricated to improve the electric-field distribution in the channel. The field plates result in significant nonlinearity in the channel capacitance that can be quantified as successive depletion in the device capacitances. The model accurately captures these phenomena in the dc and C-V device characteristics. The model also captures the third-quadrant behavior of all GaN devices with model parameters that are decoupled from the first quadrant while maintaining continuity between the first and third quadrants. Dynamic validation of the model is performed from the double-pulse test. The proposed model can be used to characterize commercially available high-voltage GaN devices that can be used in power electronic applications and design.

Abstract Colon cancer (CC) is characterized by global aberrant DNA methylation that may affect gene expression and genomic stability. A series of studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation could regulate the expressions of not only protein‐coding genes but also ncRNAs. However, the regulatory role of lncRNA genes methylaton in CC remains largely unknown. In the present study, we systemically characterize the profile of DNA methylation, especially the aberrant methylation of lncRNAs genes using MethylRAD technology. A total of 132 999 CCGG/8487 CCWGG sites were identified as differentially methylated sites (DMSs), which were mainly located on the introns and intergenic elements. Moreover, 1,359 CCGG/1,052 CCWGG differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were screened. Our results demonstrated that aberrant methylation of lncRNA genes occurred most frequently, accounting for 37.5% and 44.3% in CCGG and CCWGG DMGs respectively. In addition, 963 lncRNA DMGs were co‐analyzed with 1328 differentially expressed lncRNAs which were identified from TCGA database. We found that 15 lncRNAs might be CC‐related lncRNAs. ZNF667‐AS1 and MAFA‐AS1 were down‐regulated in CC, which might be silenced by hypermethylation. Besides, 13 lncRNAs were hypomethylated and up‐regulated in CC. Moreover, our results validated the expression and methylation level of CC‐related lncRNAs by RT‐qPCR and pyrosequencing assay. In conclusion, we performed a genome‐wide DNA methylation analysis by MethylRAD to acquire both CCGG and CCWGG DMSs and DMGs in CC. The results screened lncRNA DMSs as potential biomarkers and identified 15 lncRNAs as CC‐related lncRNAs. This study provided novel therapy targets and valuable insights into molecular mechanism in tumorigenesis and development of CC.

BackgroundSouthern China is at risk for arborvirus disease transmission, including Zika virus and dengue. Patients often present to clinical care with non-specific acute febrile illnesses (AFI). To better describe the etiology of AFI, we implemented a two-year AFI surveillance project at five sentinel hospitals in Yunnan and Guangdong Provinces.MethodsBetween June 2017 and August 2019, we enrolled patients between 2 and 65 years of age presenting at one sentinel hospital in Mengla County, Yunnan, and four in Jiangmen City, Guangdong, with symptoms of AFI (acute onset of fever ≥ 37.5°C within the past 7 days) without respiratory symptoms or diarrhea. Demographic, epidemiologic, and clinical information was obtained and entered into a web-based AFI surveillance database. A custom TaqMan Array card (TAC) was used to test patients' whole blood specimens for 27 different pathogens using real-time polymerase chain reaction assays.ResultsDuring the two-year project period, 836 patients were enrolled; 443 patients from Mengla County and 393 patients from Jiangmen City. The median age was 33 years [range: 2-65], and most were hospitalized [641, 77%]. Of 796 patients with valid TAC results, 341 (43%) were positive for at least one of the 10 unique pathogens detected. This included 205 (26%) patients positive for dengue virus, 60 (8%) for Orientia tsutsugamushi, and 42 (5%) for Coxiella burnetii. Ten patients (1%) in Jiangmen City tested positive for malaria, 8 of whom reported recent travel outside of China. TAC results were negative for 455 (57%) patients. None of the patients had a positive TAC detection for Zika virus.ConclusionsThe project detected variability in the etiology of AFI in Southern China and highlighted the importance of differential diagnosis. Dengue, O. tsutsugamushi, and C. burnetii were the most frequently identified pathogens among enrolled AFI patients. As a non-notifiable disease, the frequent detection of C. burnetii is noteworthy and warrants additional investigation. The project provided a framework for routine surveillance for persons presenting with AFI.

Syslog parsing is of vital importance for the detection, diagnosis and prediction of network device failures in a datacenter. A common approach to syslog parsing is to extract templates from historical syslogs, after which syslogs are matched to these templates. To address the problems in the existing syslog parsing techniques, we propose a novel framework, Craftsman, which identifies frequent combinations of (syslog) words and then applies them as templates. Craftsman empirically extracts templates accurately, is extremely efficient in template matching, and naturally supports incremental learning. To compare the performance of Craftsman and three other template learning techniques designed for network devices, we experiment them on two-years' worth of syslogs collected from network devices deployed across 10+ datacenters of a tier-one service provider. The experiments demonstrate that Craftsman achieves a close-to-one accuracy (as measured by rand index), and improves the computational efficiency by 6.88 to 10.25 times in template matching, and by 730 to 6847 times in syslog parsing. It also improves the accuracy (as measured by F1 measure) of failure prediction by 13.07% to 188%. In addition, we demonstrate Craftsman's superior generality by comparing it with three widely-applied log parsing methods over five large log datasets collected from servers, distributed systems and applications.

Orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) is a novel two-dimensional (2D) modulation technique that provides reliable communications over time- and frequency-selective channels. In underwater acoustic (UWA) channel, the multi-path delay and Doppler shift are several magnitudes larger than wireless radio communication, which will cause severe time- and frequency-selective fading. The receiver has to recover the distorted OTFS signal with inter-symbol interference (ISI) and inter-carrier interference (ICI). The conventional UWA OTFS receivers perform channel estimation explicitly and equalization to detect transmitted symbols, which requires prior knowledge of the system. This paper proposes a deep learning-based signal detection method for UWA OTFS communication, in which the deep neural network can recover the received symbols after sufficient training. In particular, it cascades a convolutional neural network (CNN) with skip connections (SC) and a bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) network to perform signal recovery. The proposed method extracts feature information from received OTFS signal sequences and trains the neural network for signal detection. The numerical results demonstrate that the SC-CNN-BiLSTM-based OTFS detection method performs with a lower bit error rate (BER) than the 2D-CNN, FC-DNN, and conventional signal detection methods.

A large amount of data transmission is one of the challenges faced by communication systems. In this paper, we revisit the intelligent receiver consisting of a neural network, and we find that the intelligent receiver can reduce the data at the transmitting end while improving the decoding accuracy. Specifically, we first construct a smart receiver model, and then design two ways to reduce the data at the transmitter side, namely, end-of-transmitter data trimming and equal-interval data trimming, to investigate the decoding performance of the receiver under the different trimming methods. The simulation results show that the receiver still has an accurate decoding performance with a small amount of trimming at the end of the transmitter data, while the decoding performance of the smart receiver is better than that of the conventional receiver with complete data when the data is trimmed at equal intervals. Moreover, the receiver with equally-spaced data cropping has a lower BER when the data at the transmitter side is reduced by the same data length. This paper provides a new solution to reduce the amount of data at the transmitter side.

The aim of the present study was to develop a radiomics nomogram to assess whether thyroid nodules (TNs) < 1 cm are benign or malignant. From March 2021 to March 2022, 156 patients were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, and from September 2017 to March 2022, 116 patients were retrospectively collected from the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. These patients were divided into a training group and an external test group. A radiomics nomogram was established using multivariate logistics regression analysis using the radiomics score and clinical data, including the ultrasound feature scoring terms from the thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS). The radiomics nomogram incorporated the correlated predictors, and compared with the clinical model (training set AUC: 0.795; test set AUC: 0.783) and radiomics model (training set AUC: 0.774; test set AUC: 0.740), had better discrimination performance and correction effects in both the training set (AUC: 0.866) and the test set (AUC: 0.866). Both the decision curve analysis and clinical impact curve showed that the nomogram had a high clinical application value. The nomogram constructed based on TI-RADS and radiomics features had good results in predicting and distinguishing benign and malignant TNs < 1 cm.

Entrapped air in the chambers of a T-girder bridge generates a considerably large vertical force which is harmful to the safety of the bridge superstructure. The contribution of the entrapped air is not considered when calculating flood force in the related specifications, and also it has not been taken into account by researchers. Two-dimensional, scaled-down models at a 1:40 scale are selected as the research object. Analytical and numerical methods are employed to investigate the contribution of entrapped air in T-girder chambers to flood forces. Results show that the entrapped air in the rear chambers could escape easier than that in the front chambers and the compressibility of entrapped air has a small influence on drag force and vertical force (generated by dynamic pressure) coefficients, but it reduces the buoyancy of the T-girder. Considering the entrapped air compressibility and entrapped air escape, the calculation method of the buoyancy of entrapped air is proposed to improve the precision of the existing flood force calculation method.

Underwater acoustic (UWA) adaptive modulation (AM) requires feedback about channel state information (CSI) but the long propagation delays and time-varying features of UWA channels can cause the CSI feedback to be outdated. When the AM mode is selected by outdated CSI, the mismatch between the outdated CSI and the actual CSI during transmission degrades the performance and can even lead to communication failure. Reinforcement learning has the ability to learn the relationships between adaptive systems and the environment. This paper proposes a deep Q-network (DQN)-based AM method for UWA communication that uses a series of outdated CSI as the system input. Our study showed that it could extract channel information and select appropriate modulation modes in the expected channels more effectively than single Q-learning (QL) without needing a deep neural network structure. Furthermore, to mitigate any decision bias that was caused by partial observations of UWA channels, we improved the DQN-based AM by integrating a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network, named LSTM-DQN-AM. The proposed scheme could enhance the DQN’s ability to remember and process historical input channel information, thus strengthening its relationship mapping ability for state-action pairs and rewards. The pool and sea experimental results demonstrated that the proposed LSTM-DQN-AM outperformed DQN-, QL- and threshold-based AM methods.

Abstract New geochronological and geochemical data document a new and widely distributed succession of igneous and sedimentary rocks within the Sibumasu that extend from SW Yunnan through SE Asia as far as Sumatra. Our data revealed the presence of an Ordovician‐Silurian (mainly ∼490–430 Ma) igneous zone. The early Paleozoic granites in the zone display similar elemental and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf isotopic compositions. They were derived from a common mixed source of ancient crustal materials with a juvenile component and formed in a subduction‐related setting. Detrital‐zircon U‐Pb apparent ages from the previously defined Precambrian Lancang and Ximeng units in the SW Yunnan portion of the Sibumasu are in the range of 3,306–428 Ma and 3,316–512 Ma, with the youngest age‐peaks of 505 Ma and 447 Ma, respectively, indicating the lower Paleozoic (Cambrian‐Silurian) sedimentary sequences. The Tarutao Unit and its equivalents in the SE Asia portion of the Sibumasu yield the U‐Pb apparent ages of 3,177–510 Ma, suggesting the maximum deposited time being Cambrian‐Ordovician. All these detrital zircon U‐Pb ages define two main peaks of ∼554–528 Ma and 964–905 Ma with εHf(t) values similar to those in the Qiangtang, Tethyan Himalaya, and eastern Indochina. The lower Paleozoic detritus in the Sibumasu were likely derived from the India‐Antarctica region of East Gondwana. We propose that the late Cambrian‐Silurian units formed in an outward‐propagating accretionary orogen in response to the consumption of the Prototethyan Ocean in SW Yunnan and SE Asia. Sibumasu might represent a part of the easterly migrating accretionary orogen along the northern margin of East Gondwana in the late Cambrian‐late Silurian.

Abstract Background Genic male sterility (GMS) line is an important approach to utilize heterosis in Brassica rapa, one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops in Northeast Asia. However, the molecular genetic mechanisms of GMS remain to be largely unknown. Results Detailed phenotypic observation of ‘Bcajh97-01A/B’, a B. rapa genic male sterile AB line in this study revealed that the aberrant meiotic cytokinesis and premature tapetal programmed cell death occurring in the sterile line ultimately resulted in microspore degeneration and pollen wall defect. Further gene expression profile of the sterile and fertile floral buds of ‘Bcajh97-01A/B’ at five typical developmental stages during pollen development supported the result of phenotypic observation and identified stage-specific genes associated with the main events associated with pollen wall development, including tapetum development or functioning, callose metabolism, pollen exine formation and cell wall modification. Additionally, by using ChIP-sequencing, the genomic and gene-level distribution of trimethylated histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) and H3K27 were mapped on the fertile floral buds, and a great deal of pollen development-associated genes that were covalently modified by H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 were identified. Conclusions Our study provids a deeper understanding into the gene expression and regulation network during pollen development and pollen wall formation in B. rapa, and enabled the identification of a set of candidate genes for further functional annotation.

In topography detection procedures for diamond wire, precision motion control is one of the key preconditions; the motion control unit of detection needs both micron resolutions and centimeter strokes. In this paper, a linear motor with four sets of multilayer piezoelectric actuators was developed to achieve an actuator with high resolution and a large stroke. The stroke depended on the guideways of the system, which mar enlarged the stroke of a single multilayer piezoelectric actuator. The mechanism of differential actuation was analyzed by dividing an operation cycle into several states. A symmetrically arranged four-foot design was proposed, and a corresponding excitation method was devised. A prototype was fabricated to conduct a proof-of-concept operation test. Experimental results validated the feasibility of the prototype with a 10 mm stroke. The speed of the prototype increased when the amplitudes of driving voltage signals increased from 30 V to 100 V. Within the frequency range of 1 Hz to 120 Hz, the speed increased initially then decreased with driving frequency, the maximum of which was at 100 Hz. With an excitation voltage signal of 100 V and 100 Hz, the speed reached a maximum of 740 μm/s. With an excitation voltage signal of 30 V and 120 Hz, the resolution of the prototype reached 0.26 μm. The prototype satisfies precision motion control of topography detection for diamond wire. This work also provides an option for automatic systems that require high resolutions and large strokes.

UVA can cause oxidative stress and photoaging of cells. We established a UVA-induced oxidative stress model of human fibroblasts and focused on the antioxidant and anti-photoaging ability of Lactobacillus plantarum fermented Rhodiola rosea. Compared with the unfermented Rhodiola rosea, Lactobacillus plantarum fermented Rhodiola rosea has better DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical scavenging ability, significantly reduces the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and improves the antioxidant level. Further studies have shown that the Lactobacillus plantarum fermented Rhodiola rosea can activate the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway and up-regulate heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), catalase (CAT) and glutathione Peptide peroxidase (GSH-Px), and protect fibroblasts from oxidative stress caused by UVA. On the other hand, Lactobacillus plantarum fermented Rhodiola rosea significantly reduces the activity of metalloproteinases in the cell, thereby increasing the collagen and elastin in the cell, alleviating the photoaging caused by UVA. Finally, we concluded that the antioxidant capacity and anti-photoaging ability of Lactobacillus plantarum fermented Rhodiola rosea are better than that of unfermented Rhodiola rosea.

Histone demethylases containing JumonjiC (JmjC) domains regulate gene transcription and chromatin structure by changing the methylation status of lysine residues and play an important role in plant growth and development. In this study, a total of 332 JmjC family genes were identified from 21 different plant species. The evolutionary analysis results showed that the JmjC gene was detected in each species, that is, the gene has already appeared in algae. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the KDM3/JHDM2 subfamily genes may have appeared when plants transitioned from water to land, but were lost in lycophytes (Selaginella moellendorffii). During the evolutionary process, some subfamily genes may have been lost in individual species. According to the analysis of the conserved domains, all of the plant JmjC genes contained a typical JmjC domain, which was highly conserved during plant evolution. The analysis of cis-acting elements showed that the promoter region of the JmjC gene was rich in phytohormones and biotic and abiotic stress-related elements. The transcriptome data analysis and protein interaction analyses showed that JmjC genes play an important role in plant growth and development. The results clarified the evolutionary history of JmjC family genes in plants and lay the foundation for the analysis of the biological functions of JmjC family genes.

Abstract The thick Silurian siliciclastic sedimentary rocks in the Qin‐Fang region contrasting with their absence in surrounding regions have long been an enigma for the early Paleozoic geology of South China. Here we employ detrital zircon U‐Pb geochronology and Lu‐Hf isotope analysis of Cambrian to Devonian samples from the Qin‐Fang and adjacent regions to trace sedimentary provenance and to further constrain its tectonic setting. The similar age spectra of the Cambrian samples from both sides of the Qin‐Fang region imply that they should be derived from a common source(s), arguing against the presence of a Cambrian ocean in the Qin‐Fang region. However, the U‐Pb age patterns of these Cambrian samples, as well as from Silurian and Ordovician sandstones both from within and outside the Qin‐Fang region, differ significantly from those of a middle Devonian sample from the Qin‐Fang region, and Ordovician to upper Triassic samples from the Indochina Block. These results, in conjunction with regional geological information, indicate that the Yunkai Mountain, which is located adjacent to the Qin‐Fang region, must have been emerged above sea level in the middle Devonian. Meanwhile, it can also imply that the Qin‐Fang region should be a part of South China rather than being a segment of the Indochina Block. A two‐stage evolutionary history of the Qin‐Fang region is proposed, (1) an intracontinental basin mainly filled by materials eroded from east Gondwana and/or eastern Cathaysia Block during the early Paleozoic and (2) a foreland basin in the Yunkai Mountain region at least since the middle Devonian.

To deal with the problem of weak prediction and performance evaluation capabilities of traditional prediction and evaluation methods, a method of health state prediction and performance evaluation of belt conveyor based on Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) is proposed. First, the belt conveyor sensor monitoring data are preprocessed to obtain the feature data set with labels. At the same time, qualitative and quantitative analyses and interval discretization are carried out from belt conveyor fault-causing elements to construct the DBN network. Then, the sample data are applied to the DBN network for training, and the DBN-based prediction and performance evaluation model is established. Finally, taking the real-time monitoring data of a belt conveyor in an underground mine as an example, a DBN-based belt conveyor health prediction and evaluation model is constructed to evaluate and predict the health of the equipment. The results show that the model could identify different operating conditions and failure modes and further improves the prediction accuracy.

Predicting crystal structure has been a challenging problem in physics and materials science for a long time. A reliable energy calculation engine combined with an efficient global search algorithm, such as particle swarm optimization algorithm or genetic algorithm, is needed to conduct crystal structure prediction. In recent years, machine learning-based interatomic potential energy surface models have been proposed, potentially allowing us to perform crystal structure prediction for systems with the accuracy of density functional theory (DFT) and the speed of empirical force fields. In this paper, we employ a previously developed Deep Potential model to predict the intermetallic compound of the aluminum–magnesium system, and find six meta-stable phases with negative or nearly zero formation energy. In particular, Mg12Al8 shows excellent ductility and Mg5Al27 has a high Young's modulus. Based on our benchmark results, we propose a relatively robust structure screening criterion that selects potentially stable structures from the Deep Potential-based convex hull and performs DFT refinement. By using this criterion, the computational cost needed to construct the convex hull with ab initio accuracy can be dramatically reduced.

In the complex and dynamically varying underwater acoustic (UWA) channel, cooperative communication can improve throughput for UWA sensor networks. In this paper, we design a reasonable relay selection strategy for efficient cooperation with reinforcement learning (RL), considering the characteristics of UWA channel variation and long transmission delay. The proposed scheme establishes effective state and reward expression to better reveal the relationship between RL and UWA environment. Meanwhile, simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is integrated with RL to improve the performance of relay selection, where exploration rate of RL is dynamically adapted by SA optimization through the temperature decline rate. Furthermore, the fast reinforcement learning (FRL) strategy with pre-training process is proposed for practical UWA network implementation. The whole proposed SA-FRL scheme has been evaluated by both simulation and experimental data. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed relay selection scheme can converge more quickly than classical RL and random selection with the increase of the number of iterations. The reward, access delay and data rate of SA-FRL can converge at the highest value and are close to the ideal optimum value. All in all, the proposed SA-FRL relay selection scheme can improve the communication efficiency through the selection of the relay nodes with high link quality and low access delay.

The frequent accidents caused by the main fan motor in coal mines have exposed the safety hazards of rolling bearings. When a rolling bearing fails, its symmetry is broken, resulting in a rapid decline in its safety performance and posing a great threat to the main fan. Therefore, accurate rolling bearing fault diagnoses are the key to ensuring the safe and durable operation of main fans. Thus, in this paper, we propose a new fault diagnosis method of rolling bearing based on wavelet packet analysis and deep forest algorithm. Firstly, experiments were conducted under different health states to guarantee the diversity of data relating to the rolling bearing’s main fan and then to ensure the accuracy of the fault diagnosis under different health states. On the basis of the collected vibration signal data, we conducted the wavelet packet analysis method to extract the characteristics of the vibration signal and obtained a feature vector that characterizes the health of the bearing. After that, the extracted feature vector was used as the feature vector of the deep forest algorithm to train the deep forest diagnosis model and determine the location and fault type of the bearing fault. Finally, the proposed method in this paper was validated with real-time monitoring data of a main ventilation fan and compared with other diagnostic algorithms, which not only verified the diagnostic capability of deep forest in handling small samples, but also verified the diagnostic capability of the fault diagnosis model. In summary, the proposed fault diagnosis approach is promising in real coal mine main fans.

IntroductionEtiology studies of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in adults are limited. We studied potential etiologies of SARI among adults in six countries using multi-pathogen diagnostics.MethodsWe enrolled both adults with SARI (acute respiratory illness onset with fever and cough requiring hospitalization) and asymptomatic adults (adults hospitalized with non-infectious illnesses, non-household members accompanying SARI patients, adults enrolled from outpatient departments, and community members) in each country. Demographics, clinical data, and nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal specimens were collected from both SARI patients and asymptomatic adults. Specimens were tested for presence of 29 pathogens utilizing the Taqman® Array Card platform. We applied a non-parametric Bayesian regression extension of a partially latent class model approach to estimate proportions of SARI caused by specific pathogens.ResultsWe enrolled 2,388 SARI patients and 1,135 asymptomatic adults from October 2013 through October 2015. We detected ≥1 pathogen in 76% of SARI patients and 67% of asymptomatic adults. Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae were most commonly detected (≥23% of SARI patients and asymptomatic adults). Through modeling, etiology was attributed to a pathogen in most SARI patients (range among countries: 57.3-93.2%); pathogens commonly attributed to SARI etiology included influenza A (14.4-54.4%), influenza B (1.9-19.1%), rhino/enterovirus (1.8-42.6%), and RSV (3.6-14.6%).ConclusionsUse of multi-pathogen diagnostics and modeling enabled attribution of etiology in most adult SARI patients, despite frequent detection of multiple pathogens in the upper respiratory tract. Seasonal flu vaccination and development of RSV vaccine would likely reduce the burden of SARI in these populations.

A multiphysics mathematical model of high-speed railway (HSR) roadbeds is necessary to facilitate a good level of understanding of the frost heaving mechanism. Based on the classical hydrodynamic model and fundamental thermoelasticity theories, we propose a thermo-hydro coupled model, based on the soil-water characteristic curve and solid-liquid ratio as the relation equations, with the effects of the ice-water phase change and water migration due to temperature change considered. With the linear expansion coefficient related to the temperature and the mass of ice content in roadbeds as the relation equation, we establish a macroscopic thermal-hydro-mechanical model for unsaturated soil to calculate the roadbed deformations. Based upon the field data of a typical cross section of the Harbin-Dalian HSR roadbed, the variation of the thermal-hydro-mechanical characteristics is simulated and studied. The results demonstrate that the increase of water content in the roadbed’s central line mainly appears in soil layers at depths less than 1.2 m and most ice-containing soil layers are at depths less than 0.6 m. Under the driving force of thermal and hydraulic migration, the vertical displacement of the west shoulder is increased to 18 mm. Then the settled maximum surface unevenness reaches 16 mm between the shoulder and centre line.

Compaction level is an important control index to guarantee subgrade stability. Under freezing-thawing cycles, water-heat-vapor characteristics due to different compaction levels of unsaturated coarse-grained fillings of high-speed railway (HSR) subgrade are key factors in understanding the mechanism of freezing-thawing deformations. Experiments have been performed to study the characteristics of water-heat-vapor of coarse-grained fillings with different compaction levels exposed to freezing and thawing. Fluorescein was used to trace the variations of liquid water in external moisture supply. Test results indicated that compaction level affected the water-heat-vapor characteristics of coarse-grained fillings to some extent. The increase of compaction level increased frost penetration and freezing rate; however, initial water replenishment time delayed during freezing process; liquid water migration height and external liquid migration increased, but total moisture migration, the amount of vapor migration, and vapor of the soil sample moving up to the top pedestal simultaneously reduced. Repeated freezing-thawing cycles improve the compaction of coarse-grained fillings. Variation of the amount of moisture caused by the increase of compaction level may decrease the frost heaving of coarse-grained fillings. Therefore, proper selection and uniformity of compaction level is of critical importance in HSR engineering.

BACKGROUND:Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) is a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis and a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is defined as isolation of Sp from a normally sterile site, including blood or cerebrospinal fluid. The aim of this study is to describe outcomes as well as clinical and epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized IPD case patients in central China. METHODS:We conducted surveillance for IPD among children and adults from April 5, 2010 to September 30, 2012, in four major hospitals in Jingzhou City, Hubei Province. We collected demographic, clinical, and outcome data for all enrolled hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) or meningitis, and collected blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for laboratory testing for Sp infections. Collected data were entered into Epidata software and imported into SPSS for analysis. RESULTS:We enrolled 22,375 patients, including 22,202 (99%) with SARI and 173 (1%) with meningitis. One hundred and eighteen (118, 3%) with either SARI or meningitis were Sp positive, 32 (0.8%) from blood/CSF culture, and 87 (5%) from urine antigen testing. Of those 118 patients, 57% were aged ≥65 years and nearly 100% received antibiotics during hospitalization. None were previously vaccinated with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV 7), 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, or seasonal influenza vaccine. The main serotypes identified were 14, 12, 3, 1, 19F, 4, 5, 9V, 15 and 18C, corresponding to serotype coverage rates of 42%, 63%, and 77% for PCV7, PCV10, and PCV13, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Further work is needed to expand access to pneumococcal vaccination in China, both among children and potentially among the elderly, and inappropriate use of antibiotics is a widespread and serious problem in China.

Male-sterile plants provide an important breeding tool for the heterosis of hybrid crops, such as Brassicaceae. In the last decade, circular RNAs (circRNAs), as a novel class of covalently closed and single-stranded endogenous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), have received much attention because of their functions as “microRNA (miRNA) sponges” and “competing endogenous RNAs” (ceRNAs). However, the information about circRNAs in the regulation of male-sterility and anther development is limited. In this study, we established the Polima cytoplasm male sterility (CMS) line “Bcpol97-05A”, and the fertile line, “Bcajh97-01B”, in Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino, syn. B. rapa ssp. chinensis, and performed RNA expression profiling comparisons between the flower buds of the sterile line and fertile line by whole-transcriptome sequencing. A total of 31 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs, 47 DE miRNAs, and 4779 DE mRNAs were identified. By using Cytoscape, the miRNA-mediated regulatory network and ceRNA network were constructed, and the circRNA A02:23507399|23531438 was hypothesized to be an important circRNA regulating anther development at the post-transcriptional level. The gene ontology (GO) analysis demonstrated that miRNAs and circRNAs could regulate the orderly secretion and deposition of cellulose, sporopollenin, pectin, and tryphine; the timely degradation of lipids; and the programmed cell death (PCD) of tapetum cells, which play key roles in anther development. Our study revealed a new circRNA−miRNA−mRNA network, which is involved in the anther development of B. campestris, which enriched the understanding of CMS in flowering plants, and laid a foundation for further study on the functions of circRNAs and miRNAs during anther development.

Thermal control materials are employed to adjust the temperature of a spacecraft operating in deep space. The spectral emissivity is a crucial factor in evaluating the thermal radiative properties of such materials. An apparatus, composed of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), a sample cooling chamber and a mechanical modulation system was demonstrated to measure low temperature infrared spectral emissivity under vacuum. The mechanical modulation system, which includes a chopper and a lock-in amplifier, is employed to reduce the interference of background radiation during measurements. The limitation of the Fourier transform frequency on the chopper frequency can be eliminated by setting the FTIR on step-scan mode. The apparatus is separated into two parts and evacuated by different pumps. In this study, a high quality emission spectrum of a sample is measured by the apparatus. The spectral emissivity of thermal control materials are obtained in the wavelength range of 8 to 14 μm at 173 and 213 K. The combined standard uncertainty of the apparatus is 3.30% at 213 K.

This paper proposes a new hybrid modulation mode (HMM) to eliminate the zero-crossing distortion of grid current and enable reactive power provision for a H6 configuration PV (photovoltaic) grid-tied inverter. The common mode voltage, leakage current, and efficiency for the proposed approach are also analyzed. In order to improve grid frequency tracking a novel frequency self-adaptive proportional-integral-resonant (FSAPIR) controller is implemented which reduces error for changes in grid frequency. The proposed approach provides the basis for accurately adjusting the active and reactive current without error to improve the grid support capability of the inverter. Theoretical analysis, simulation, and experiment verify the newly proposed modulation mode and controller.

In underwater sensor networks (UWSNs), the unique characteristics of acoustic channels have posed great challenges for the design of medium access control (MAC) protocols. The long propagation delay problem has been widely explored in recent literature. However, the long preamble problem with acoustic modems revealed in real experiments brings new challenges to underwater MAC design. The overhead of control messages in handshaking-based protocols becomes significant due to the long preamble in underwater acoustic modems. To address this problem, we advocate the receiver-initiated handshaking method with parallel reservation to improve the handshaking efficiency. Despite some existing works along this direction, the data polling problem is still an open issue. Without knowing the status of senders, the receiver faces two challenges for efficient data polling: when to poll data from the sender and how much data to request. In this paper, we propose a traffic estimation-based receiver-initiated MAC (TERI-MAC) to solve this problem with an adaptive approach. Data polling in TERI-MAC depends on an online approximation of traffic distribution. It estimates the energy efficiency and network latency and starts the data request only when the preferred performance can be achieved. TERI-MAC can achieve a stable energy efficiency with arbitrary network traffic patterns. For traffic estimation, we employ a resampling technique to keep a small computation and memory overhead. The performance of TERI-MAC in terms of energy efficiency, channel utilization, and communication latency is verified in simulations. Our results show that, compared with existing receiver-initiated-based underwater MAC protocols, TERI-MAC can achieve higher energy efficiency at the price of a delay penalty. This confirms the strength of TERI-MAC for delay-tolerant applications.

Multipath routing is an alternative routing technique, which uses redundant paths to deliver data from source to destination. Compared to single path routing protocols, it can address reliability, delay, and energy consumption issues. Thus, multipath routing is a potential technique to overcome the long propagation delay and adverse link condition in underwater environment. However, there are still some problems in multipath routing. For example, the multiple paths may interfere with each other and arouse large end-to-end delay difference amongst multiple paths. This paper proposes a novel multipath routing structure and a conflict-free algorithm based on TDMA scheme. The forwarding nodes are selected based on the propagation delay and location information. This special multiple routing structure not only can ensure parallel multiple transmission without collision, but also can get a small end-to-end delay difference amongst multiple paths. Simulation results show that the multipath routing scheme proposed in this paper outperforms the traditional strategy.

BACKGROUND:After the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, we conducted hospital-based severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance in one central Chinese city to assess disease burden attributable to influenza among adults and adolescents. METHODS:We defined an adult SARI case as a hospitalized patient aged ≥ 15 years with temperature ≥38.0°C and at least one of the following: cough, sore throat, tachypnea, difficulty breathing, abnormal breath sounds on auscultation, sputum production, hemoptysis, chest pain, or chest radiograph consistent with pneumonia. For each enrolled SARI case-patient, we completed a standardized case report form, and collected a nasopharyngeal swab within 24 hours of admission. Specimens were tested for influenza viruses by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). We analyzed data from adult SARI cases in four hospitals in Jingzhou, China from April 2010 to April 2012. RESULTS:Of 1,790 adult SARI patients enrolled, 40% were aged ≥ 65 years old. The median duration of hospitalization was 9 days. Nearly all were prescribed antibiotics during their hospitalization, less than 1% were prescribed oseltamivir, and 28% were prescribed corticosteroids. Only 0.1% reported receiving influenza vaccination in the past year. Of 1,704 samples tested, 16% were positive for influenza. Influenza activity in all age groups showed winter-spring and summer peaks. Influenza-positive patients had a longer duration from illness onset to hospitalization and a shorter duration from hospital admission to discharge or death compared to influenza negative SARI patients. CONCLUSIONS:There is substantial burden of influenza-associated SARI hospitalizations in Jingzhou, China, especially among older adults. More effective promotion of annual seasonal influenza vaccination and timely oseltamivir treatment among high risk groups may improve influenza prevention and control in China.