A Complexity Indicator for 4D Flight Trajectories Based on Conflict Probability

In this paper, a complexity indicator for 4D flight trajectories is developed based on conflict probability. A 4D trajectory is modeled as piecewise linear segments connected by waypoints. The position of each aircraft is modeled as a 2D Gaussian random variable and an approximation of the conflict probability between two aircraft is deduced analytically over each segment. Based on such conflict probability, a complexity indicator is constructed for the whole trajectory. Numerical examples show that the proposed complexity indicator is able to reflect the complexity of 4D trajectories perceived by air traffic controllers

Quadruplex Slot Antenna for Dual-standard Operation with Small Frequency Ratio

In this communication, a novel four-port slot antenna designed for both 5G New Radio (NR) and WiFi operations is introduced. Wideband NR antennas are achieved using a hybrid mode concept. Then, two NR slot antennas are co-designed as a radiative bandstop structure. By moving the resonance frequencies of the hybrid modes close to the band-reject points of this bandstop filter, a wideband decoupled dual-antenna structure is achieved. To enhance functionality, two additional ports are incorporated into the dummy slot area between these two NR ports, resulting in a quadruplex antenna. In this final configuration, two of the antennas are optimized for 5G NR applications, covering the 5G N77, N78, and N79 bands (3.3 GHz-5.0 GHz), while the remaining two antennas serve the WiFi band (5.15 GHz-5.8 GHz). Compared to other presented works, the simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this work not only, for the first time, achieves simultaneously wideband in-band and small frequency ratio (1.05) out-of-band duplex in one single module, but also has the advantages of high isolation, compact size, and low cost

Eradication of unresectable liver metastasis through induction of tumour specific energy depletion.

Treatment of liver metastasis experiences slow progress owing to the severe side effects. In this study, we demonstrate a strategy capable of eliminating metastatic cancer cells in a selective manner. Nucleus-targeting W18O49 nanoparticles (WONPs) are conjugated to mitochondria-selective mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) containing photosensitizer (Ce6) through a Cathepsin B-cleavable peptide. In hepatocytes, upon the laser irradiation, the generated singlet oxygen species are consumed by WONPs, in turn leading to the loss of their photothermally heating capacity, thereby sparing hepatocyte from thermal damage induced by the laser illumination. By contrast, in cancer cells, the cleaved peptide linker allows WONPs and MSNs to respectively target nucleus and mitochondria, where the therapeutic powers could be unleashed, both photodynamically and photothermally. This ensures the energy production of cancer cells can be abolished. We further assess the underlying molecular mechanism at both gene and protein levels to better understand the therapeutic outcome

Joint fMRI Decoding and Encoding with Latent Embedding Alignment

The connection between brain activity and corresponding visual stimuli is crucial in comprehending the human brain. While deep generative models have exhibited advancement in recovering brain recordings by generating images conditioned on fMRI signals, accomplishing high-quality generation with consistent semantics continues to pose challenges. Moreover, the prediction of brain activity from visual stimuli remains a formidable undertaking. In this paper, we introduce a unified framework that addresses both fMRI decoding and encoding. Commencing with the establishment of two latent spaces capable of representing and reconstructing fMRI signals and visual images, respectively, we proceed to align the fMRI signals and visual images within the latent space, thereby enabling a bidirectional transformation between the two domains. Our Latent Embedding Alignment (LEA) model concurrently recovers visual stimuli from fMRI signals and predicts brain activity from images within a unified framework. The performance of LEA surpasses that of existing methods on multiple benchmark fMRI decoding and encoding datasets. By integrating fMRI decoding and encoding, LEA offers a comprehensive solution for modeling the intricate relationship between brain activity and visual stimuli.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Review of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in China

Inflammatory bowel disease mainly consisting of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease has been rising gradually during the last two decades in China. In this review article, we provide the latest epidemiological trends in incidence, prevalence, and mortality of IBD patients in China and summarize the risk factors and genetic susceptibility of Chinese IBD patients. We also compare these characteristics to those of IBD patients in Western countries

Inhibition of microRNA-383 promotes apoptosis of human colon cancer cells by upregulation of caspase-2 gene expression

Purpose: To investigate microRNA-383 (miR-383) as a therapeutic target for the management of colon cancer.Methods: Total RNA was isolated using RNeasy RNA isolation kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. cDNA was synthesized using RevertAid cDNA synthesis kit. Expression analysis was carried out by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell proliferation was examined using CellTiter 96 AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay system, while apoptosis was detected by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and annexin V/PI double staining followed by flow cytometry. The miR-383 target was delimited using TargetScan software. Protein expression analysis was carried out by western blotting.Results: The results indicate that miR-383 was highly expressed in colon cancer cells. Down-regulation of miR-383 inhibited cancer cell proliferation, and promoted apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, in silico analysis revealed caspase-2 gene to be the downstream target of miR-383, a finding that was further confirmed by western blotting.Conclusion: The results reveal that miR-383 may be an important target to tackle the increasing incidence of colon cancer. Thus, drugs that target miR-383 and inhibit its expression can potentially be developed for the treatment of colon cancer.Keywords: MicroRNA, Colon cancer, Cell proliferation, Apoptosis, Protein expressio

A Case of Premature Ventricular Complexes from the Proximal Left Bundle Branch Successfully Ablated from the Right Coronary Cusp

Background: Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) from the proximal left bundle branch (LBB) can be ablated in the left ventricular outflow tract but can easily damage normal conduction bundles. Here, we report a case of successful ablation of PVCs from the proximal LBB within the right coronary cusp (RCC). Case presentation: Our patient was a 70-year-old woman with PVCs from the proximal LBB that were successfully ablated via the RCC through radiofrequency catheter ablation with a 3D mapping system; she had a complication of incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) and remained asymptomatic during follow-up. Conclusion: The RCC provides an alternative approach for ablating PVCs originating from the proximal LBB, owing to the close relationship between the RCC and proximal LBB