Identifying vital edges in Chinese air route network via memetic algorithm

Due to its rapid development in the past decade, air transportation system has attracted considerable research attention from diverse communities. While most of the previous studies focused on airline networks, here we systematically explore the robustness of the Chinese air route network, and identify the vital edges which form the backbone of Chinese air transportation system. Specifically, we employ a memetic algorithm to minimize the network robustness after removing certain edges hence the solution of this model is the set of vital edges. Counterintuitively, our results show that the most vital edges are not necessarily the edges of highest topological importance, for which we provide an extensive explanation from the microscope of view. Our findings also offer new insights to understanding and optimizing other real-world network systems

Phase Control on Surface for the Stabilization of High Energy Cathode Materials of Lithium Ion Batteries.

The development of high energy electrode materials for lithium ion batteries is challenged by their inherent instabilities, which become more aggravated as the energy densities continue to climb, accordingly causing increasing concerns on battery safety and reliability. Here, taking the high voltage cathode of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 as an example, we demonstrate a protocol to stabilize this cathode through a systematic phase modulating on its particle surface. We are able to transfer the spinel surface into a 30 nm shell composed of two functional phases including a rock-salt one and a layered one. The former is electrochemically inert for surface stabilization while the latter is designated to provide necessary electrochemical activity. The precise synthesis control enables us to tune the ratio of these two phases, and achieve an optimized balance between improved stability against structural degradation without sacrificing its capacity. This study highlights the critical importance of well-tailored surface phase property for the cathode stabilization of high energy lithium ion batteries

A Single Cluster Covering for Dodecagonal Quasiperiodic Structure

Single cluster covering approach provides a plausible mechanism for the formation and stability of octagonal and decagonal quasiperiodic structures. For dodecagonal quasiperiodic pattern such a single cluster covering scheme is still unavailable. Here we demonstrated that the ship tiling, one of the dodecagonal quasiperioidic structures, can be constructed from one single prototile with matching rules. A deflation procedure is devised by assigning proper orientations to the tiles present in the ship tiling including regular triangle, 30{\deg}-rhombus and square, and fourteen types of vertical configurations have been identified in the deflated pattern, which fulfill the closure condition under deflation and all result in a T-cluster centered at vertex. This result can facilitate the study of physical properties of dodecagonal quasicrystals.Comment: 5 pigs ;11page

Long-term proton pump inhibitor use and the incidence of gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: There are controverted whether the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) will increase the risk of gastric cancer. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the risk of gastric cancer in PPI users compared with non-PPI users. Methods: The main inclusion criteria were original studies reporting the incidence of gastric cancer in PPI users compared with non-PPI users. Key outcomes were the risk ratios (RR) for gastric cancer in association with PPI users or non-PPI users. Results: We analyzed data from 8 studies, comprising more than 927,684 patients. The risk of gastric cancer in PPI users was significantly higher than in non-PPI users [RR= 2.10, 95% CI (1.17-3.97)]. The risk of gastric cancer was similar between the 2 groups when the duration was ≤1 year [RR= 2.18, 95% CI (0.66-7.11)]. While the risk of gastric cancer for PPI users was higher than in non-PPI users when the duration was between 1-3 years, ≥1 year, ≥3 years and ≥5 years. The risk of non-cardiac gastric cancer for PPI users was higher than for non-PPI users [RR= 2.66, 95% CI (1.66 -4.27)], and the risk of non-cardiac gastric cancer for PPI users was higher than for non-PPI users when the duration ≥1 year [RR= 1.99, 95% CI (1.03-3.83)], but the risk for cardiac gastric cancer was similar between the 2 groups [RR= 1.86, 95% CI (0.71-4.89)]. Conclusions: We found the long-term use of PPI (duration ≥1 year) was significantly associated with a higher risk of non-cardiac gastric cancer

Laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection: a case of 12-year-old child with advanced gastric cancer

The video shows the operation of laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection for a 12-year-old child with advanced gastric cancer

Nitric Oxide Mediates Stretch-Induced Ca2+ Release via Activation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-Akt Pathway in Smooth Muscle

Hollow smooth muscle organs such as the bladder undergo significant changes in wall tension associated with filling and distension, with attendant changes in muscle tone. Our previous study indicated that stretch induces Ca(2+) release occurs in the form of Ca(2+) sparks and Ca(2+) waves in urinary bladder myocytes. While, the mechanism underlying stretch-induced Ca2+ release in smooth muscle is unknown.We examined the transduction mechanism linking cell stretch to Ca(2+) release. The probability and frequency of Ca(2+) sparks induced by stretch were closely related to the extent of cell extension and the time that the stretch was maintained. Experiments in tissues and single myocytes indicated that mechanical stretch significantly increases the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the amplitude and duration of muscle contraction. Stretch-induced Ca(2+) sparks and contractility increases were abrogated by the NO inhibitor L-NAME and were also absent in eNOS knockout mice. Furthermore, exposure of eNOS null mice to exogenously generated NO induced Ca(2+) sparks. The soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor ODQ did not inhibit SICR, but this process was effectively blocked by the PI3 kinase inhibitors LY494002 and wortmannin; the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS were up-regulated by 204+/-28.6% and 258+/-36.8% by stretch, respectively. Moreover, stretch significantly increased the eNOS protein expression level.Taking together, these results suggest that stretch-induced Ca2+ release is NO dependent, resulting from the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway in smooth muscle