An All-Digital Clock-Smoothing Technique—Counting-Prognostication

This article presents a novel universal all-digital clock-smoothing technique - counting-prognostication. Operation principles, performance analysis, and comparisons are given. Analysis and measurement results show that this technique can efficiently smooth jitter and wander for a wide pull-in range and pull-out range, and jitter accumulation is small. A cycle-varying counting-prognostication method, which decreases pull-in time, is also suggested

Coding, Decoding, and Recovery of Clock Synchronization in Digital Multiplexing System

High-speed broadband digital communication networks rely on digital multiplexing technology where clock synchronization, including processing, transmission, and recovery of the clock, is the critical technique. This paper interprets the process of clock synchronization in multiplexing systems as quantizing and coding the information of clock synchronization, interprets clock justification as timing sigma-delta modulation (TΔ-ΣM), and interprets the jitter of justification as quantization error. As a result, decreasing the quantization error is equivalent to decreasing the jitter of justification. Using this theory, the paper studies the existing jitter-reducing techniques in transmitters and receivers, presents some techniques that can decrease the quantization error (justification jitter) in digital multiplexing systems, and presents a new method of clock recovery

Unique tracheal fluid microRNA signature predicts response to FETO in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

"Epub ahead of print 2015 Jan 5"OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine the fetal in vivo microRNA signature in hypoplastic lungs of human fetuses with severe isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and changes in tracheal and amniotic fluid of fetuses undergoing fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) to reverse severe lung hypoplasia due to CDH. METHODS:: We profiled microRNA expression in prenatal human lungs by microarray analysis. We then validated this signature with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in tracheal and amniotic fluid of CDH patients undergoing FETO. We further explored the role of miR-200b using semiquantitative in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for TGF-ß2 in postnatal lung sections. We investigated miR-200b effects on TGF-ß signaling using a SMAD-luciferase reporter assay and Western blotting for phospho-SMAD2/3 and ZEB-2 in cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells. RESULTS:: CDH lungs display an increased expression of 2 microRNAs: miR-200b and miR-10a as compared to control lungs. Fetuses undergoing FETO display increased miR-200 expression in their tracheal fluid at the time of balloon removal. Future survivors of FETO display significantly higher miR-200 expression than those with a limited response. miR-200b was expressed in bronchial epithelial cells and vascular endothelial cells. TGF-ß2 expression was lower in CDH lungs. miR-200b inhibited TGF-ß-induced SMAD signaling in cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS:: Human fetal hypoplastic CDH lungs have a specific miR-200/miR-10a signature. Survival after FETO is associated with increased miR-200 family expression. miR-200b overexpression in CDH lungs results in decreased TGF-ß/SMAD signaling

Global solutions for a nonlinear hyperbolic equation with boundary memory source term

We study a nonlinear hyperbolic equation with boundary memory source term. By the use of Galerkin procedure, we prove the global existence and the decay property of solution.</p

Conifers in Mountains of China

China has the largest area of mountains of all countries, with about 70% of land territory covered with mountains and plateaus. Thanks to vastness, mountainousness, highly heterogeneous habitats and long history of biological evolution, China boasts of extremely high biodiversity (more than 30,000 species of seed plants). The objectives of this chapter are to investigate conifer species and to analyze their multi-dimensional distribution in China. Our conclusions include: (1) China has 244 species of conifers belonging to 32 genera in 4 families (Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Podocarpaceae and Taxaceae), accounting for 38.37, 49.29 and 66.67% of the global totals, respectively; (2) there are totally 115 conifer species endemic to China, falling in 23 genera of 4 families; (3) conifers and coniferous forests are widely distributed in China, from north to south and from east to west, more prominently in its numerous and high mountains and plateaus; (4) some conifer species appear even at very high elevations, e.g., Juniperus tibetica forests at 4800–4900 m above sea level in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau; and (5) China has established a large number of nature reserves and promulgated and implemented a series of laws and regulations to protect its rare and precious conifer resources

Brain Functional Networks in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study

BackgroundPrevious diabetes mellitus studies of cognitive impairments in the early stages have focused on changes in brain structure and function, and more recently the focus has shifted to the relationships between encephalic regions and diversification of network topology. However, studies examining network topology in diabetic brain function are still limited.MethodsThe study included 102 subjects; 55 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients plus 47 healthy controls. All subjects were examined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan. According to Automated Anatomical Labeling, the brain was divided into 90 anatomical regions, and every region corresponds to a brain network analysis node. The whole brain functional network was constructed by thresholding the correlation matrices of the 90 brain regions, and the topological properties of the network were computed based on graph theory. Then, the topological properties of the network were compared between different groups by using a non-parametric test. Finally, the associations between differences in topological properties and the clinical indicators were analyzed.ResultsThe brain functional networks of both T2DM patients and healthy controls were found to possess small-world characteristics, i.e., normalized clustering coefficient (γ) &gt; 1, and normalized characteristic path length (λ) close to 1. No significant differences were found in the small-world characteristics (σ). Second, the T2DM patient group displayed significant differences in node properties in certain brain regions. Correlative analytic results showed that the node degree of the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and the node efficiencies of the right ITG and superior temporal gyrus of T2DM patients were positively correlated with body mass index.ConclusionThe brain network of T2DM patients has the same small-world characteristics as normal people, but the normalized clustering coefficient is higher and the normalized characteristic path length is lower than that of the normal control group, indicating that the brain function network of the T2DM patients has changed. The changes of node properties were mostly concentrated in frontal lobe, temporal lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus. The abnormal changes in these indices in T2DM patients might be explained as a compensatory behavior to reduce cognitive impairments, which is achieved by mobilizing additional neural resources, such as the excessive activation of the network and the efficient networking of multiple brain regions

Disrupted Functional Network Topology in Children and Adolescents With Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Neuroimaging studies in children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have focused on abnormal structures and the functionality of a few individual brain regions. However, little is known about alterations to the topological organization of whole-brain functional networks in children and adolescents with PTSD. To this end, we investigated the topological properties of brain functional networks derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (r-fMRI) in patients suffering from PTSD. The r-fMRI data were obtained from 10 PTSD patients and 16 trauma-exposed non-PTSD subjects. Graph theory analysis was used to investigate the topological properties of the two groups, and group comparisons of topological metrics were performed using nonparametric permutation tests. Both the PTSD and non-PTSD groups showed the functional brain network to have a small-world architecture. However, the PTSD group exhibited alterations in global properties characterized by higher global efficiency, lower clustering coefficient, and characteristic path length, implying a shift toward randomization of the networks. The PTSD group also showed increased nodal centralities, predominately in the left middle frontal gyrus, caudate nucleus, and hippocampus, and decreased nodal centralities in the left anterior cingulate cortex, left paracentral lobule, and bilateral thalami. In addition, the clustering coefficient and nodal betweenness of the left paracentral lobule were found to be negatively and positively correlated with the re-experiencing and hyper-arousal symptoms of PTSD respectively. The findings of disrupted topological properties of functional brain networks may help to better understand the pathophysiological mechanism of PTSD in children and adolescents

Connectome-Scale Assessments of Functional Connectivity in Children with Primary Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis

Primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) is a common developmental disorder in children. Previous literature has suggested that PMNE not only is a micturition disorder but also is characterized by cerebral structure abnormalities and dysfunction. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the disease are not thoroughly understood. Graph theoretical analysis has provided a unique tool to reveal the intrinsic attributes of the connectivity patterns of a complex network from a global perspective. Resting-state fMRI was performed in 20 children with PMNE and 20 healthy controls. Brain networks were constructed by computing Pearson’s correlations for blood oxygenation level-dependent temporal fluctuations among the 2 groups, followed by graph-based network analyses. The functional brain networks in the PMNE patients were characterized by a significantly lower clustering coefficient, global and local efficiency, and higher characteristic path length compared with controls. PMNE patients also showed a reduced nodal efficiency in the bilateral calcarine sulcus, bilateral cuneus, bilateral lingual gyri, and right superior temporal gyrus. Our findings suggest that PMNE includes brain network alterations that may affect global communication and integration.</jats:p

The satisfaction of elderly people with elderly caring social organizations and its relationship with social support and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Background: With the deepening of China’s aging population, higher demands have been placed on the supply of elderly care services. As one of the main sources of providing elderly care services, the quality of service provided by elderly caring social organizations (SOs) directly affects the quality of life of the elderly. In recent years, mental health issues among the elderly have become increasingly prominent, especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Necessitating the need to pay much more attention to the social support and mental health of this population. This study, therefore, explores the mediating role of institutional satisfaction between the social support and anxiety levels of elderly people in Chongqing’s elderly caring SOs. Method: This study employed a multi-stage stratified random sampling method to survey 1004 service recipients in elderly caring social organizations from July to August 2022. The self-made sociodemographic questionnaire, institutional satisfaction questionnaire, MSPSS, and GAD-7 were used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, institutional satisfaction, social support, and anxiety levels of older adults. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s alpha were used to test construct validity and scale reliability, respectively. Data features were described with One-Way Analysis of Variance, while Multiple Linear Regression and Structural Equation Modeling were used to evaluate relationships between social support, institutional satisfaction, and anxiety levels. Results: The average institutional satisfaction score for elderly people in elderly caring SOs was 48.14 ± 6.75. Specifically, the satisfaction score for environmental quality and the satisfaction score for service quality were 16.63 ± 2.56 and 31.52 ± 4.76, respectively. In terms of socio-demographic variables, the presence of visits from relatives, personal annual average income, and self-rated health status all have significant effects on anxiety. Elders who receive visits from relatives have lower levels of anxiety compared to those who do not. Personal annual average income and self-rated health status are negatively correlated with anxiety levels. Social support had significant positive effect on institutional satisfaction, while institutional satisfaction had significant negative effect on anxiety. Institutional satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between social support and anxiety. Conclusions: Our research demonstrates that improving the quality of organizational services in elderly caring SOs and increasing institutional satisfaction among the elders has significant potential for reducing anxiety levels among the elderly. Additionally, the social support by visits from family members cannot be overlooked. We encourage increasing the frequency of family visits through various means to enhance the support provided to elderly individuals

Protein tyrosine phosphatase Meg2 dephosphorylates signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and suppresses tumor growth in breast cancer

INTRODUCTION: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is over-activated or phosphorylated in breast cancers. The hyper-phosphorylation of STAT3 was attributed to either up-regulated phosphorylation by several tyrosine-kinases or down-regulated activity of phosphatases. Although several factors have been identified to phosphorylate STAT3, it remains unclear how STAT3 is dephosphorylated by PTPMeg2. The aim of this study was to determine the role of PTPMeg2 as a phosphatase in regulation of the activity of STAT3 in breast cancers. METHODS: Immunoprecipitation assays were used to study the interaction of STAT3 with PTPMeg2. A series of biochemistry experiments were performed to evaluate the role of PTPMeg2 in the dephosphorylation of STAT3. Two breast cancer cell lines MCF7 (PTPMeg2 was depleted as it was endogenously high) and MDA-MB-231 (PTPMeg2 was overexpressed as it was endogenously low) were used to compare the level of phosphorylated STAT3 and the tumor growth ability in vitro and in vivo. Samples from breast carcinoma (n = 73) were subjected to a pair-wise Pearson correlation analysis for the correlation of levels of PTPMeg2 and phosphorylated STAT3. RESULTS: PTPMeg2 directly interacts with STAT3 and mediates its dephosphorylation in the cytoplasm. Over-expression of PTPMeg2 decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 while depletion of PTPMeg2 increased its phosphorylation. The decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 is coupled with suppression of STAT3 transcriptional activity and reduced tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Levels of PTPMeg2 and phosphorylated STAT3 were inversely correlated in breast cancer tissues (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: PTPMeg2 is an important phosphatase for the dephosphorylation of STAT3 and plays a critical role in breast cancer development