Energy-Efficient Opportunistic Transmission Scheduling for Sparse Sensor Networks with Mobile Relays

Wireless sensing devices have been widely used in civilian and military applications over the past decade. In some application scenarios, the sensors are sparsely deployed in the field and are costly or infeasible to have stable communication links for delivering the collected data to the destined server. A possible solution is to utilize the motion of entities that are already present in the environment to provide opportunistic relaying services for sensory data. In this paper, we design and propose a new scheduling scheme that opportunistically schedules data transmissions based on the optimal stopping theory, with a view of minimizing the energy consumption on network probes for data delivery. In fact, by exploiting the stochastic characteristics of the relay motion, we can postpone the communication up to an acceptable time deadline until the best relay is found. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the derived optimal strategy

Development of an analytical method to detect cyanide in Chinese liquor by ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection

Objective This study aimed to develop an ion chromatography-pulse amperometry (IC-PAD) technique for the identification and quantification of cyanide in Chinese liquor. Methods The real samples from local markets were diluted to 1∶10 with ultrapure water before being injected to IC-PAD. Potassium hydroxide (12 mmol/L) was introduced for gradient elution. Silver electrode was utilized with Ag/AgCl composite reference electrode mode. Three potential wave forms were also involved in the study. Results This method showed good linear responses ranging from 5 to 200 μg/L with satisfactory linear correlation coefficient of 0.999 9. The limit of detection (LOD) was 3.5 μg/L, and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 9.5 μg/L in Chinese liquor samples. For different types of Chinese liquor, the recoveries of cyanide in fortified samples (10, 30, 50 μg/L) were from 91.7% to 102.0%. The intra-day relative standard deviation (RSD) was from 2.2% to 4.8%, and the inter-day RSD ranged from 1.5% to 1.9%. The comparison between this proposed method and the GB 5009.36-2016 method showed no statistical difference (P>0.05). Conclusion This technique was performer-friendly and exhibited high reliability and accuracy, which was suitable for the detection of cyanide in real samples

Design, synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of novel nitrobenzamide derivatives

We report herein the design and synthesis of a series of novel nitrobenzamide derivatives. Results reveal that many of them display considerable in vitro antitubercular activity. Four N-benzyl or N-(pyridine-2-yl)methyl 3,5-dinitrobenzamides A6, A11, C1 and C4 have not only the same excellent MIC values of 1500), opening a new direction for further development

Association of Lean Body Mass Index and Peritoneal Protein Clearance in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Background/Aims: The relationship between peritoneal protein clearance (PPCl) and nutritional status in peritoneal dialysis (PD) population have not been clarified. This study aims to investigate the relationship between PPCl and nutritional status in PD population. Methods: Prevalent PD patients were enrolled in the cross-sectional survey in a single center from April to November 2013. The total amount of protein loss in the dialysate was calculated. PPCl reflects the individual differences of peritoneal protein loss, and is calculated by the formula, that PPCl (ml/day)=24-h dialysate protein loss / (albumin/0.4783). Nutritional status measured by lean body mass index (LBMI) was assessed by multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Results: Totally 351 PD patients (55% male, 17.1% with diabetes, mean age 47.7±14.3 years) were included. The median PPC l was 58 ml/day. Patients were divided into four groups for comparison according to the PPC quartiles. Compared with lower PPCl quartiles, patients with higher PPCl had higher body mass index (BMI) (P< 0.001), body surface area (BSA) (P < 0 .001), LBMI (P<0.001), 4-hour D/P creatinine ratio (P< 0.001), and lower residual renal CCl (P<0.001). Compared with conventional body index (BMI and BSA) in ROC analysis, LBMI (area under curve: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66-0.77) had better performance in predicting higher PPCl. After adjustment in logistic regression models, each 1 kg/m2 increase of LBMI (odd ratio[OR] =1.37; 95% CI: 1.17-1.60), each 0.1 increase of 4-hour D/P creatinine ratio (OR =1.47; 95% CI: 1.11-1.93), and every 1 L/week/1.73m2 decrease of residual renal CCl (OR =0.98; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99) were independently associated with higher PPCl (> 58 ml/day). Conclusion: Higher LBMI was independently associated with higher , indicating that better nutritional status dominates peritoneal protein metabolism in PD patients

Study on coal seam physical characteristics and influence on stimulation: A case study of coal seams in zhengzhuang block

Coalbed Methane (CBM) is an unconventional form of natural gas which is self-generated and self-stored in coal seams. In order to realize the effective exploitation of CBM in Zhengzhuang block, microstructure, wettability, permeability, rock mechanics and in-situ stress of coal were studied in this research. It is found that high rank anthracite characterized by high vitrinite content and low inorganic mineral content, is abundant in CBM. More than 96% of inorganic minerals are clays dominated by kaolinite and illite. Various types of pores are developed on the coal. The wettability of coal differs from high to low to surface water, active water, and foam fracturing fluid; and contact angles of coal with active water and foam fracturing fluid decrease with the increase of burial depth. Gradients of fracture pressure and closure pressure in No.3 coal seam are higher than that of No.15 coal seam. The elastic modulus of coal is lower than that of sandstone. The construction curve of hydraulic fracturing shows that, when the construction flow rate and sand quantity are similar, the construction pressure of prepad in No.3 coal seam is lower than the pumping pressure of No.15 coal seam, but the propagated pressure is higher than that of No.15 coal seam. The drainage effect of No.3 coal seam with large pore volume, shallow burial depth and obvious fracture pressure is better than that of No.15 coal seam. The comprehensive understanding of coal physical properties and engineering practice in the block provide certain guiding significance to the CBM exploitation in Qinshui Basin

A Computer-aided Method for Improving the Reliability of Lenke Classification for Scoliosis

ABSTRACT Classification of the spinal curve pattern is crucial for assessment and treatment of scoliosis. We developed a computer-aided system to improve the reliability of three components of the Lenke classification. The system semi-automatically measured the Cobb angles and identified the apical lumbar vertebra and its pedicles on digitized radiographs. The system then classified the curve type, lumbar modifier, and thoracic sagittal modifier of the Lenke classification based on the computerized measurements and identifications. The system was tested by five operators for 62 scoliotic cases. The kappa statistic was used to assess the reliability. With the aid of computer, the average intra-and interobserver kappa values were improved to 0.89 and 0.81 for the curve type, to 0.83 and 0.81 for the lumbar modifier, and to 0.94 and 0.92 for the sagittal modifier of the Lenke classification, respectively, relative to the classification by two of the operators without the aid of computer. Results indicate that the computerized system can improve reliability for all three components of the Lenke classification

De novo variants in congenital diaphragmatic hernia identify MYRF as a new syndrome and reveal genetic overlaps with other developmental disorders

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe birth defect that is often accompanied by other congenital anomalies. Previous exome sequencing studies for CDH have supported a role of de novo damaging variants but did not identify any recurrently mutated genes. To investigate further the genetics of CDH, we analyzed de novo coding variants in 362 proband-parent trios including 271 new trios reported in this study. We identified four unrelated individuals with damaging de novo variants in MYRF (P = 5.3x10-8), including one likely gene-disrupting (LGD) and three deleterious missense (D-mis) variants. Eight additional individuals with de novo LGD or missense variants were identified from our other genetic studies or from the literature. Common phenotypes of MYRF de novo variant carriers include CDH, congenital heart disease and genitourinary abnormalities, suggesting that it represents a novel syndrome. MYRF is a membrane associated transcriptional factor highly expressed in developing diaphragm and is depleted of LGD variants in the general population. All de novo missense variants aggregated in two functional protein domains. Analyzing the transcriptome of patient-derived diaphragm fibroblast cells suggest that disease associated variants abolish the transcription factor activity. Furthermore, we showed that the remaining genes with damaging variants in CDH significantly overlap with genes implicated in other developmental disorders. Gene expression patterns and patient phenotypes support pleiotropic effects of damaging variants in these genes on CDH and other developmental disorders. Finally, functional enrichment analysis implicates the disruption of regulation of gene expression, kinase activities, intra-cellular signaling, and cytoskeleton organization as pathogenic mechanisms in CDH

Precision Higgs physics at the CEPC

The discovery of the Higgs boson with its mass around 125 GeV by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations marked the beginning of a new era in high energy physics. The Higgs boson will be the subject of extensive studies of the ongoing LHC program. At the same time, lepton collider based Higgs factories have been proposed as a possible next step beyond the LHC, with its main goal to precisely measure the properties of the Higgs boson and probe potential new physics associated with the Higgs boson. The Circular Electron Positron Collider~(CEPC) is one of such proposed Higgs factories. The CEPC is an $e^+e^-$ circular collider proposed by and to be hosted in China. Located in a tunnel of approximately 100~km in circumference, it will operate at a center-of-mass energy of 240~GeV as the Higgs factory. In this paper, we present the first estimates on the precision of the Higgs boson property measurements achievable at the CEPC and discuss implications of these measurements.Comment: 46 pages, 37 figure