Vehicle Type Recognition Combining Global and Local Features via Two-Stage Classification

This study proposes a new vehicle type recognition method that combines global and local features via a two-stage classification. To extract the continuous and complete global feature, an improved Canny edge detection algorithm with smooth filtering and non-maxima suppression abilities is proposed. To extract the local feature from four partitioned key patches, a set of Gabor wavelet kernels with five scales and eight orientations is introduced. Different from the single-stage classification, where all features are incorporated into one classifier simultaneously, the proposed two-stage classification strategy leverages two types of features and classifiers. In the first stage, the preliminary recognition of large vehicle or small vehicle is conducted based on the global feature via a k-nearest neighbor probability classifier. Based on the preliminary result, the specific recognition of bus, truck, van, or sedan is achieved based on the local feature via a discriminative sparse representation based classifier. We experiment with the proposed method on the public and established datasets involving various challenging cases, such as partial occlusion, poor illumination, and scale variation. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods

Recovery and treatment of fracturing flowback fluids in the Sulige Gasfield, Ordos Basin

AbstractCentralized and group well deployment and factory-like fracturing techniques are adopted for low-permeability tight sandstone reservoirs in the Sulige Gasfield, Ordos Basin, so as to realize its efficient and economic development. However, environmental protection is faced with grim situations because fluid delivery rises abruptly on site in a short time due to centralized fracturing of the well group. Based on the characteristics of gas testing after fracturing in this gas field, a fracturing flowback fluid recovery and treatment method suitable for the Sulige Gasfield has been developed with the landform features of this area taken into account. Firstly, a high-efficiency well-to-well fracturing flowback fluid recovery and reutilization technique was developed with multi-effect surfactant polymer recoverable fracturing fluid system as the core, and in virtue of this technique, the treatment efficiency of conventional guar gum fracturing fluid system is increased. Secondly, for recovering and treating the end fluids on the well sites, a fine fracturing flowback fluid recovery and treatment technique has been worked out with “coagulation and precipitation, filtration and disinfection, and sludge dewatering” as the main part. Owing to the application of this method, the on-site water resource utilization ratio has been increased and environmental protection pressure concerned with fracturing operation has been relieved. In 2014, field tests were performed in 62 wells of 10 well groups, with 32980 m3 cumulative treated flowback fluid, 17160 m3 reutilization volume and reutilization ratio over 70%. Obviously, remarkable social and economical benefits are thus realized

Real-time Power Aware Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

Many mission-critical wireless sensor network applications must resolve the inherent conflict between the tight resource constraints on each sensor node, particularly in terms of energy, with the need to achieve desired quality of service such as end-to-end real-time performance. To address this challenge we propose the Real-time Power-Aware Routing (RPAR) protocol. RPAR achieves required communication delays at minimum energy cost by dynamically adapting the transmission power and routing decisions based on packet deadlines. RPAR integrates a geographic forwarding policy cognizant of deadlines, power, and link quality with new algorithms for on-demand power adaptation and efficient neighborhood discovery. Simulations based on a realistic radio model of MICA2 motes show that RPAR significantly reduces the number of deadline misses and energy consumption when compared to existing real-time and energy-efficient routing protocols and beacon based neighborhood management schemes

Glycyrrhizin inhibits the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells via upregulation of expressions of miR-200c and e-cadherin

Purpose: To determine the inhibitory effect of glycyrrhizin (GLA) on cell invasion and metastasis in mammary carcinoma cells, and the mechanisms of actions involved.Methods: The effect of GLA at different concentrations on proliferation of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and BT549 cells was assayed by MTT method. Transwell assay was used to determine the effect of GLA at different concentrations on invasiveness and metastasis of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and BT549 cells. The influence of LGA on expressions of microRNA-200c and miR-200c was assayed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results: There was no statistically significant difference in cell proliferation amongst cells treated with 5 and 20 μM GLA and untreated breast cancer cells. However, the proliferation of cells treated with 40 μM GLA was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). In the cell invasion and migration experiments, cell population transferred to the base of Transwell chamber in the two cell lines treated with GLA was markedly decreased, relative to cells without GLA treatment, while the number of cells decreased with increase in GLA concentration (p < 0.05). Results from image-pro-plus analysis revealed that the population of cells quantitatively crossing the Transwell compartment membrane decreased with increase in GLA concentration (p < 0.05). The expression of e-cadherin was increased by GLA treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, GLA treatment led to significant changes in amounts of miR-200s a, b and c, with changes in miR-200c being the most significant (p < 0.05).Conclusion: GLA suppresses the invasiveness and metastasis of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and BT549 cells via upregulation of the expressions of miR-200c and e-cadherin. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of new breast cancer drugs. Keywords: Glycyrrhiza, GLA, miR-200c, E-cadherin, Inhibition, Breast cancer cells, Invasion, Metastasi

Research on data mining model of fault operation and maintenance based on electric vehicle charging behavior

In recent years, with the development of new energy technology and the country’s strong support for electric vehicles, there is a lack of effective electric vehicle charging fault analysis and diagnosis methods at this stage. A comprehensive analysis of the working principle of the charging process of electric vehicles, based on the clarification of the failure mechanism of the power battery and charging equipment, analyzes the fault-related factors affecting the power battery and charging equipment from multiple angles, and summarizes the relationship between the power battery and charging equipment. The feature parameters related to equipment failure are discretized by the k-means clustering algorithm. Using the optimized FP-Growth algorithm based on weights, the association rules between the power battery and charging equipment failures and the characteristic parameters of the failure factors are mined, and the correlation of the failures is analyzed based on the association rules, and the correlation between the failure factors and the failures is obtained relevant level

Qi-fu-yin attenuated cognitive disorders in 5xFAD mice of Alzheimer's disease animal model by regulating immunity

IntroductionCognitive impairment is the main symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Accumulating evidence implicate that immunity plays an important role in AD. Here, we investigated the effect of Qi-fu-yin (QFY) on cognitive impairment and cytokine secretion of 5xFAD mice.MethodsWe used 2.5-month-old 5xFAD transgenic mice for behavioral tests to observe the changes in cognitive function after QFY treatment. After the behavioral experiment, the whole brain, cortex and plasma of each mouse were collected for soluble Aβ analysis, immunohistochemical experiment and cytokine analysis.ResultsHere we found that the treatment of QFY ameliorated the ability of object recognition, passive avoidance responses and the ability of spatial learning and memory in 5xFAD mice. The deposits of β1 − 42 and Aβ1 − 40 were alleviated and the ration of Aβ1 − 42/Aβ1 − 40 was decrease in the plasma and brain of 5xFAD mice administrated with QFY. The administration of QFY promoted the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-5, IL-10 and G-CSF, and reduced the content of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ in plasma of 5xFAD mice. Notably, we found that the treatment of QFY decreased the concentration of CCL11 in the brain and plasma of 5xFAD mice.ConclusionThis suggested that QFY improved cognition and reduced Aβ deposits in 5xFAD mice by regulating abnormal immunity in 5xFAD mice. QFY may be as a potential therapeutic agent for AD

Ginsenoside induces cell death in breast cancer cells via ROS/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Purpose: To study the influence of ginsenoside on breast carcinoma, and the mechanism of action involved.Methods: Different concentrations of ginsenoside were used to treat MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay, while protein expressions of p-Akt and p-PI3K were determined using Western blotting. The concentrations of reactive oxidative reactants and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed using fluorescence immunoassay and immunofluorescence assay. The mechanism of action involved in ginsenoside-mediated apoptosis was determined based on ROS/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Results: There was no change in the inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation in control cells with time (p > 0.05). However, inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation in ginsenoside group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05); furthermore, it increased with time and ginsenoside concentration. Apoptosis was markedly and concentration-dependently higher in ginsenoside-treated MCF-7 cells than in controls (p > 0.05). There were lower protein levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt in ginsenoside-exposed MCF-7 cells than in control group; the protein expressions  decreased with increase in ginsenoside concentration (p < 0.05). The expressions of ROS in ginsenoside-treated MCF-7 cells declined, relative to the untreated group; in addition, the expressions decreased with increase in ginsenoside concentration (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Ginsenoside suppresses proliferation of MCF-7 cell line, and exerts apoptotic effect on the cells via inhibition of the ROS/PI3K/Akt signal pathway. This provides a new approach to treat breast cancer. Keywords: Breast cancer cells, Ginsenoside, Apoptosis, ROS/PI3K/Akt signaling pathwa

Effects of nitrogen fertilization and bioenergy crop type on topsoil organic carbon and total Nitrogen contents in middle Tennessee USA

Nitrogen (N) fertilization affects bioenergy crop growth and productivity and consequently carbon (C) and N contents in soil, it however remains unclear whether N fertilization and crop type individually or interactively influence soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N (TN). In a three-year long fertilization experiment in switchgrass (SG: Panicum virgatum L.) and gamagrass (GG: Tripsacum dactyloides L.) croplands in Middle Tennessee USA, soil samples (0–15cm) were collected in plots with no N input (NN), low N input (LN: 84 kg N ha-1 yr-1 in urea) and high N input (HN: 168 kg N ha-1 yr-1 in urea). Besides SOC and TN, the aboveground plant biomass was also quantified. In addition to a summary of published root morphology data based on a separated mesocosm experiment, the root leachable dissolved organic matter (DOM) of both crops was also measured using archived samples. Results showed no significant interaction of N fertilization and crop type on SOC, TN or plant aboveground biomass (ABG). Relative to NN, HN (not LN) significantly increased SOC and TN in both crops. Though SG showed a 15–68% significantly higher ABG than GG, GG showed a 9.3–12% significantly higher SOC and TN than SG. The positive linear relationships of SOC or TN with ABG were identified for SG. However, GG showed structurally more complex and less readily decomposed root DOM, a larger root volume, total root length and surface area than SG. Collectively, these suggested that intensive N fertilization could increase C and N stocks in bioenergy cropland soils but these effects may be more likely mediated by the aboveground biomass in SG and root chemistry and morphology in GG. Future studies are expected to examine the root characteristics in different bioenergy croplands under the field fertilization experiment