A novel Internet of Things-supported intelligent education management system implemented via collaboration of knowledge and data

The past decade has witnessed great progress in the Internet of Things (IoT), which can provide integrated platforms for data with various formats and to serve different parts of human society. Although IoT-supported education management systems have achieved some successful applications, most existing systems cannot perform intelligent information processing, such as autonomous planning and optimal scheduling. To remedy this gap, this work proposes a novel IoT-supported intelligent education management system that is implemented via collaboration of knowledge and data. First, the macroscopic architecture is designed according to field knowledge of education management, and a clustering-based data analysis algorithm is utilized to visualize real-time classroom characteristics. Then, statistics of learning status are generated, and personalized following plans are accordingly suggested to different specific users. Finally, the functions of the designed smart education management system are tested via computer simulation operations. The obtained results show that the proposal can work well under a real-time data stream and is expected to serve as a typical education management application in smart cities. Through verification, it is found that the integration of general education and professional courses is the ideal starting point for the design of the elements of an optimal course structure for engineering practice majors. In particular, we should strengthen the reform of the following course types: introduction to design, general education, concentrated practice, comprehensive design and peak courses

Lack of spontaneous ocular neovascularization and attenuated laser-induced choroidal neovascularization in IGF-I overexpression transgenic mice

Robust IGF-I overexpression induces ocular angiogenesis in mice. To investigate the effect of subtle IGF-I overexpression, we examined the ocular phenotype of IGF-II promoter-driven IGF-I transgenic mice. Despite 2.5-fold elevation of IGF-I mRNA in the retina and 29 and 52% increase of IGF-I protein in the retina and aqueous humor, respectively, no ocular abnormality was observed in these transgenics. This was correlated with unaltered VEGF mRNA levels in the transgenic retina. The transgene was also associated with an attenuated laser-induced choroidal neovascularization. Differential expression levels and pattern of IGF-I gene may underlie the different retinal phenotypes in different transgenic lines

Emerging role of the calcium-activated, small conductance, SK3 K ⁺ channel in distal tubule function: Regulation by TRPV4

The Ca2+-activated, maxi-K (BK) K+ channel, with low Ca2+-binding affinity, is expressed in the distal tubule of the nephron and contributes to flow-dependent K+ secretion. In the present study we demonstrate that the Ca2+-activated, SK3 (KCa2.3) K + channel, with high Ca2+-binding affinity, is also expressed in the mouse kidney (RT-PCR, immunoblots). Immunohistochemical evaluations using tubule specific markers demonstrate significant expression of SK3 in the distal tubule and the entire collecting duct system, including the connecting tubule (CNT) and cortical collecting duct (CCD). In CNT and CCD, main sites for K+ secretion, the highest levels of expression were along the apical (luminal) cell membranes, including for both principal cells (PCs) and intercalated cells (ICs), posturing the channel for Ca2+- dependent K+ secretion. Fluorescent assessment of cell membrane potential in native, split-opened CCD, demonstrated that selective activation of the Ca2+-permeable TRPV4 channel, thereby inducing Ca2+ influx and elevating intracellular Ca2+ levels, activated both the SK3 channel and the BK channel leading to hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. The hyperpolarization response was decreased to a similar extent by either inhibition of SK3 channel with the selective SK antagonist, apamin, or by inhibition of the BK channel with the selective antagonist, iberiotoxin (IbTX). Addition of both inhibitors produced a further depolarization, indicating cooperative effects of the two channels on Vm. It is concluded that SK3 is functionally expressed in the distal nephron and collecting ducts where induction of TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx, leading to elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels, activates this high Ca2+- affinity K+ channel. Further, with sites of expression localized to the apical cell membrane, especially in the CNT and CCD, SK3 is poised to be a key pathway for Ca2+-dependent regulation of membrane potential and K+ secretion. © 2014 Berrout et al

An Occlusion-Aware Tracker With Local-Global Features Modeling in UAV Videos

Recently, tracking with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) platforms has played significant roles in Earth observation tasks. However, target occlusion remains a challenging factor during the continuous tracking procedure. In particular, incomplete local appearance features can mislead the tracking network to produce inaccurate size and position estimations when the target is occluded. Furthermore, the tracking network lacks sufficient occlusion supervision information, which may lead to template degradation during template updating. To address these challenges, in this article, we design an occlusion-aware tracker with local-global features modeling, which contains two key components, namely the feature intrinsic association module (FIAM) and the feature verification module (FVM). Specifically, the FIAM divides the local features into blocks and utilizes the transformer network to explore the relative relationships among each subblock, which supplements the damaged local target features and assists the modeling for global target features. In addition, the FVM establishes a correlation measurement network between the target and the template. To precisely evaluate the occlusion status, masked samples with occlusion exceeding 50% are selected as negative samples for independent training, which ensures the purity of the target template. Qualitative and quantitative experiments are conducted on publicly available datasets, including UAV20 L, UAV123, and LaSOT. Qualitative and quantitative experiments have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed tracking algorithm over the other state-of-the-art trackers in occlusion scenarios

Multiple-Penalty-Weighted Regularization Inversion for Dynamic Light Scattering

By using different weights to deal with the autocorrelation function data of every delay time period, the information utilization of dynamic light scattering can be obviously enhanced in the information-weighted constrained regularization inversion, but the denoising ability and the peak resolution under noise conditions for information-weighted inversion algorithm are still insufficient. On the basis of information weighting, we added a penalty term with the function of flatness constraints to the objective function of the regularization inversion, and performed the inversion of multiangle dynamic light scattering data, including the simulated data of bimodal distribution particles (466/915 nm, 316/470 nm) and trimodal distribution particles (324/601/871 nm), and the measured data of bimodal distribution particles (306/974 nm, 300/502 nm). The results of the inversion show that multiple-penalty-weighted regularization inversion can not only improve the utilization of the particle size information, but also effectively eliminate the false peaks and burrs in the inversed particle size distributions, and further improve the resolution of peaks in the noise conditions, and then improve the weighting effects of the information-weighted inversion

RNA-guided transcriptional activation via CRISPR/dCas9 mimics overexpression phenotypes in Arabidopsis

<div><p>Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and the CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) system allows effective gene modification through RNA-guided DNA targeting. The Cas9 has undergone a series of functional alterations from the original active endonuclease to partially or completely deactivated Cas9. The catalytically deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) offers a platform to regulate transcriptional expression with the addition of activator or repressor domains. We redesigned a CRISPR/Cas9 activation system by adding the p65 transactivating subunit of NF-kappa B and a heat-shock factor 1 (HSF) activation domain to dCas9 bound with the VP64 (tetramer of VP16) activation domain for application in plants. The redesigned CRISPR/Cas9 activation system was tested in Arabidopsis to increase endogenous transcriptional levels of <u><i>p</i></u><i>roduction of</i> <u><i>a</i></u><i>nthocyanin</i> <u><i>p</i></u><i>igment 1</i> (<i>PAP1</i>) and <u><i>A</i></u><i>rabidopsis thaliana</i> <u><i>v</i></u><i>acuolar H</i>^<i>+</i>-<u><i>p</i></u><i>yrophosphatase</i> (<i>AVP1</i>). The expression of <i>PAP1</i> was increased two- to three-fold and the activated plants exhibited purple leaves similar to that of <i>PAP1</i> overexpressors. The <i>AVP1</i> gene expression was increased two- to five-fold in transgenic plants. In comparison to the wild type, <i>AVP1</i> activated plants had increased leaf numbers, larger single-leaf areas and improved tolerance to drought stress. The <i>AVP1</i> activated plants showed similar phenotypes to <i>AVP1</i> overexpressors. Therefore, the redesigned CRISPR/Cas9 activation system containing modified p65-HSF provides a simple approach for producing activated plants by upregulating endogenous transcriptional levels.</p></div

One-Step Synthesis of Self-Supported Ni3S2/NiS Composite Film on Ni Foam by Electrodeposition for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Herein, a facile one-step electrodeposition route was presented for preparing Ni3S2/NiS composite film on Ni foam substrate (denoted as NiSx/NF). The NiSx granular film is composed of mangy interconnected ultra-thin NiSx nanoflakes with porous structures. When applied as electrodes for supercapacitors, the ultra-thin nanoflakes can provide more active sites for redox reaction, and the interconnected porous structure has an advantage for electrolyte ions to penetrate into the inner space of active materials quickly. As expected, the obtained NiSx/NF sample exhibited high gravimetric capacitance of 1649.8 F&middot;g&minus;1 and areal capacitance of 2.63 F&middot;cm&minus;2. Furthermore, a gravimetric capacitance of 1120.1 F&middot;g&minus;1 can be maintained at a high current density of 20 mA&middot;cm&minus;2, suggesting a good rate capability. The influence of the different molar ratios of electrodeposition electrolyte (NiNO3 and thiourea) on the morphology and electrochemical properties of NiSx/NF sample was investigated to provide an optimum route for one-step electrodeposition of Ni3S2/NiS composite film. The outstanding performance indicated the Ni3S2/NiS composite film on Ni foam has great potential as an electrode material for supercapacitors

Dietary Copper Reduces the Hepatotoxicity of (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate in Mice

We developed Cu-deficient, -sufficient and -super nutrition mice models by feeding them with diet containing 1.68, 11.72 or 51.69 mg of Cu/kg for 28 days, respectively. Then, the mice were treated to (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG, 750 mg/kg BW) by oral in order to assess the acute toxicity of the drug. Following EGCG treatment, the survival rates were 12.5%, 50% and 100% in the Cu-deficient, -sufficient and Cu-super nutrition groups of mice, respectively. Cu level and ceruloplasmin activity in serum were significantly increased with the increase of dietary Cu. However, the Cu supplementation did not produce any obvious impact on serum superoxide dismutase activity. Furthermore, ceruloplasmin, in vitro, significantly promotes EGCG oxidation accompanied with increasing oxidation products and decreasing levels of reactive oxygen species. These results, therefore, suggest that Cu can relieve EGCG hepatotoxicity, possibly by up-regulating ceruloplasmin activity, which can be used to promote EGCG applications

qRT-PCR analysis of transient expression levels of <i>PAP1</i> (A) and <i>AVP1</i> (B) constructs in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts.

<p><i>PAP1</i> (P902 and P903 each carrying a single target; P905 carrying double targets), <i>AVP1</i> (P900 and P901 each carrying a single target; P904 carrying double targets), empty vector (P886) and GFP (35S-GFP). <i>Actin 2</i> was used as an endogenous control (value = 1).</p