Reliability analysis and resilience measure of complex systems in shock events

The working environment of complex systems is complex and variable, and their performance is often affected by various shock events during the service phase. In this paper, first, considering that the system performance will be affected by shocks again in the process of maintenance, the reliability changes and fault process of complex systems are discussed. Second, the performance change processes of complex systems are analyzed under multiple shocks and maintenance. Then, based on performance loss and recovery, this paper analyzes the reliability and resilience of complex systems under the intersecting process of multiple shocks and maintenance. Considering the direct and indirect losses caused by shocks, as well as maintenance costs, the changes in total costs are analyzed. Finally, the practicability of the proposed model is checked by using a specific welding robot system

MicroRNA Functions in Thymic Biology: Thymic Development and Involution

During the entire processes of thymus organogenesis, maturation, and involution, gene regulation occurs post-transcriptionally via recently discovered microRNA (miRNA) transcripts. Numerous reports indicate that miRNAs may be involved in the construction of a normal thymic microenvironment, which constitutes a critical component to support T lymphocyte development. MiRNAs are also expressed in thymic stromal cells including thymic epithelial cells (TECs) during maturation and senescence. This review focuses on the function of miRNAs in thymic development and involution. A better understanding of these processes will provide new insights into the regulatory network of TECs and further comprehension of how genes control TECs to maintain the thymic microenvironment during thymus development and aging, thus supporting a normal cellular immune system

Interactions Study of Hydrodynamic-Morphology-Vegetation for Dam-Break Flows

This study models a dam-break flow over a bed by using a depth-averaged numerical model based on finite-volume method and computes the dam-break flow and bed morphology characteristics. The generalized shallow water equations considering the sediment transport and bed change on dam-break flow are adopted in the numerical model, and the vegetation effects on the flow and morphological changes are considered. The model is verified against three cases from the laboratory and field data documented in the literature. The numerical results are consistent with the measured results, which show that the model could accurately simulate the evolution of the dam-break flows and the morphology evolution of bed within a computational domain with complex plant distribution. The results show that the riparian vegetation in the waterway narrows the channel and reduces the conveyance capacity of river. The flood flow is diverted away from the vegetation community toward two sides and forms a weak flow region behind the vegetation domain. The resistance of plants markedly reduces the flow velocity, which directly alters the fluvial processes and influences the waterway morphology

Privacy Preserved Self-Awareness on the Community via Crowd Sensing

In social activities, people are interested in some statistical data, such as purchase records, monthly consumption, and health data, which are usually utilized in recommendation systems. And it is seductive for them to acquire the ranking of these data among friends or other communities. In the meantime, they want their privacy data to be confidential. Therefore, a strategy is presented to allow users to obtain the result of calculating their privacy data while preserving these data. In this method, firstly a polynomial approximation function model is set up for each user. Afterwards, “fragment” the coefficients of each model into pieces. Eventually “blend” all scraps to build the global model of all users. Users can use the global model to gain their corresponding ranking results after a special computing. Security analyses of three aspects elaborate the validity of proposed privacy method, even if some spiteful attackers try to steal private data of users, no matter who they are (users or someone outside the community). Experiments results manifest that the global model competently fits all users data and all privacy data are protected

The combined impact of social networks and connectedness on anxiety, stress, and depression during COVID-19 quarantine: a retrospective observational study

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantine measures have precipitated a surge in mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety. Government policies and restrictions on physical activity have contributed to this phenomenon, as well as diminished subjective social connectedness and exacerbated objective social isolation. As two dimensions of social isolation, it is worth noting that subjectively perceived social connectedness serves as a protective factor for mental health, whereas the decline in the size of objectively evaluated social networks poses a significant risk. However, research investigating the combined influence of these two dimensions remains limited.MethodsThis study used an online survey to collect data to investigate the effects of objective social connectedness and objective social networks on anxiety, stress, and depression during COVID-19 quarantine. A total of 485 participants were analyzed using statistical methods, including paired t-test, Pearson correlation analysis, linear regression, cluster analysis, ANOVA, and moderated mediated.ResultsThe study found that anxiety and depression scores increased during the quarantine, with age, education, and social connectedness scores associated with the increase. Pre-quarantine anxiety and depression levels were strongly correlated with mental health status during quarantine. Cluster analysis, respectively, revealed three clusters for those without increasing anxiety and depression scores. The study also found that objective social network influences the impact of subjective social connectedness on pre-quarantine mental health, which in turn affects anxiety and depression levels during quarantine.ConclusionThe study identified that quarantine increased anxiety and depression, with age being protective, and education and subjective social connectedness as risk factors. The study also emphasizes the comprehensive impact of objective and subjective social isolation. Although individuals perceive the same degree of social connectedness, those with smaller social networks are more prone to developing symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are also more likely to worsen during quarantine

Maternal Diet Intervention Before Pregnancy Primes Offspring Lipid Metabolism in Liver

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a developmental origin and is influenced in utero. We aimed to evaluate if maternal diet intervention before pregnancy would be beneficial to reduce the risk of offspring NAFLD. In our study, female mice were either on a normal-fat diet (NF group), or a high-fat diet for 12 weeks and continued on this diet throughout pregnancy and lactation (HF group), or switched from HF-to-NF diet 1 week (H1N group), or 9 weeks (H9N group) before pregnancy. Compared with the NF offspring, the H1N and HF, but not the H9N offspring, displayed more severe hepatic steatosis and glucose intolerance. More specifically, an abnormal blood lipid panel was seen in the H1N offspring and abnormal hepatic free fatty acid composition was present in both the HF and H1N offspring, while the H9N offspring displayed both at normal levels. These physiological changes were associated with desensitized hepatic insulin/AKT signaling, increased expression of genes and proteins for de novo lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis, decreased expression of genes and proteins for fatty acid oxidation, increased Pcsk9 expression, and hypoactivation of 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling in the HF and H1N offspring. However, these effects were completely or partially rescued in the H9N offspring. In summary, we found that early maternal diet intervention is effective in reducing the risk of offspring NAFLD caused by maternal HF diet. These findings provide significant support to develop effective diet intervention strategies and policies for prevention of obesity and NAFLD to promote optimal health outcomes for mothers and children

ISP1-anchored Polarization of GCβ/CDC50A Complex Initiates Malaria Ookinete Gliding Motility

该工作历时四年，由博士毕业生高涵（第一作者）、博士生杨振科和王旭（共同第一作者）、硕士生钱鹏戈和洪仁杰完成；袁晶教授为通讯作者；厦门大学为第一完成单位。 该工作揭示了疟疾病原疟原虫通过媒介按蚊传播过程中的关键步骤---控制动合子运动的环磷酸鸟苷cGMP信号的激活机制。 疟原虫属于顶复体亚门原生动物，每年导致数亿人口感染疟疾和超过40万病人死亡。疟原虫通过雌性按蚊在哺乳动物宿主间传播。疟疾病人被按蚊叮咬吸血，疟原虫雌雄配子在按蚊消化道中受精形成合子，进一步变形发育为具有运动能力的新月形动合子。只有获得运动能力的动合子，才能穿越按蚊消化道单层上皮细胞，成功感染按蚊媒介。在本研究中，通过大量基因修饰模型，发现GCβ缺失导致动合子运动完全丢失，进而失去按蚊感染和传播能力。研究还发现，GCβ由细胞质均匀分布改变为在动合子顶体突出一侧聚集，并且GCβ聚集和动合子成熟完全同步，显示GCβ聚集可能直接激活cGMP信号。 本工作还发现GCβ结合蛋白CDC50A，后者承担分子伴侣功能，在动合子转化和成熟动合子中，稳定GCβ。此外，进一步筛选发现动合子内膜复合物蛋白ISP1，能够结合和锚定GCβ/CDC50A复合物，在成熟动合子中维持复合物的聚集。本研究为深入开展寄生性原生动物的发育转化和信号调控提供了线索和借鉴。【Abstract】Ookinete gliding motility is essential for penetration of the mosquito midgut wall and transmission of malaria parasites. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling has been implicated in ookinete gliding. However, the upstream mechanism of how the parasites activate cGMP signaling and thus initiate ookinete gliding remains unknown. Using real-time imaging to visualize Plasmodium yoelii guanylate cyclase β (GCβ), we show that cytoplasmic GCβ translocates and polarizes to the parasite plasma membrane at “ookinete extrados site” (OES) during zygote to ookinete differentiation. The polarization of enzymatic active GCβ at OES initiates gliding of matured ookinete. Both the P4-ATPase-like domain and guanylate cyclase domain are required for GCβ polarization and ookinete gliding. CDC50A, a co-factor of P4-ATPase, binds to and stabilizes GCβ during ookinete development. Screening of inner membrane complex proteins identifies ISP1 as a key molecule that anchors GCβ/CDC50A complex at the OES of mature ookinetes. This study defines a spatial-temporal mechanism for the initiation of ookinete gliding, where GCβ polarization likely elevates local cGMP levels and activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase signaling.We thank Dr. David Baker (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) for his comments on this manuscript. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81522027, 31772443, and 31501912), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (20720160069, 20720150165, and 2013121033), the China's 1000 Young Talents Program, the “111” Project of the Ministration of Education of China (B06016), and the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH (X.S.). The authors thank Cindy Clark, NIH Library Writing Center, for manuscript editing assistance. 该研究得到国家自然科学基金委、中组部“青年千人计划”和厦门大学校长基金的资助

ALDH1 Expression and Vasculogenic Mimicry Are Positively Associated with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Breast Cancer

Background/Aims: This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) expression and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in patients with breast cancer. Methods: ALDH1 expression and the presence of VM were examined by immunohistochemistry and CD31/PAS double staining, respectively, using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 202 breast cancer patients. The mean follow-up period ranged from 15 to 115 months. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves. Prognostic values were assessed by multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model. Results: ALDH1 expression was strongly associated with VM (P = 0.005). ALDH1 expression was positively correlated with histological grade (P = 0.011). Both ALDH1 expression and VM were negatively related to the status of the estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor and were statistically increased in triple-negative breast cancer. Patients with ALDH1 expression or VM displayed poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than ALDH1-negative or VM-negative patients, with the worst OS and DFS observed in ALDH1/VM-double-positive patients. ALDH1-positive and VM-positive were independent survival risk factors for DFS and OS. Conclusion: ALDH1 expression and VM are correlated with the survival rate of patients with breast cancer. ALDH1 and VM, either alone or together, are prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer

Polydopamine nanoparticles for treatment of acute inflammation-induced injury

Nanotechnology-mediated anti-inflammatory therapy is emerging as a novel strategy for treatment of inflammation-induced injury. However, one of the main hurdles for these anti-inflammatory nano-drugs is their potential toxic side effects in vivo. Herein, we uncovered that polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles with structure and chemical properties similar to melanin, a natural bio-polymer, displayed significant anti-inflammation therapeutic effect on acute inflammation-induced injury. PDA with enriched phenol groups functioned as a radical scavenger to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during inflammatory responses. As revealed by in vivo photoacoustic imaging with a H2O2-specific nanoprobe, PDA nanoparticles remarkably reduced intracellular ROS levels in murine macrophages challenged with either H2O2 or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The anti-inflammatory capacity of PDA nanoparticles was further demonstrated in murine models of both acute peritonitis and acute lung injury (ALI), where diminished ROS generation, reduced proinflammatory cytokines, attenuated neutrophil infiltration, and alleviated lung tissue damage were observed in PDA-treated mice after a single dose of PDA treatment. Our work therefore presents the great promise of PDA nanoparticles as a biocompatible nano-drug for anti-inflammation therapy to treat acute inflammation-induced injury