Blockchain-enabled Wireless IoT Networks with Multiple Communication Connections

Blockchain-enabled wireless network has been recognized as an emerging network architecture to be widely employed into the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems for establishing trust and consensus mechanisms without the involvement of a third party. However, the uncertainty and vulnerability of wireless channels among the IoT nodes may pose a serious challenge to facilitate the deployment of blockchain in wireless networks. In this paper, we first present a generic system model for blockchain enabled wireless networks with multiple communication connections, where the number of communication connections between a client IoT node and the blockchain full nodes can be any arbitrary positive integer to satisfy different security requirements. Based on the proposed spatial-temporal network model, we theoretically calculate the transmission successful probability and the required communication throughput to support a wireless blockchain network. Finally, simulation results validate the accuracy of our theoretical analysis

The Organization of Sex Work in Low- and High-Priced Venues with a Focus on the Experiences of Ethnic Minority Women Working in These Venues

Prior research on female sex workers (FSW) in China, and their risk for HIV and STI, neglects the nuanced experiences of ethnic minority FSW. We conducted participant observations and in-depth interviews with 33 FSW and six venue bosses to describe the experiences of FSW and management structures in high and low-priced sex work venues in Liuzhou, China. In low-priced venues, FSW had more autonomy and stronger relationships with their ethnic minority peers. Mid and high-priced venues had more formal management structures. Ethnic minority FSW working in higher priced venues experienced less support and kinship with their peers. HIV/STI prevention outreach activities occurred in all of the venues, but they were not tailored for different venue types or for ethnic minority FSW. Our findings provide guidance for tailoring public health programs that meet the needs of ethnic minority women working in different types of sex work venues

First detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in red-bellied tree squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus) in China

Cryptosporidium spp. are opportunistic pathogens that cause diarrhea in a variety of animal hosts. Although they have been reported in many animals, no information has been published on the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in red-bellied tree squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus). A total of 287 fecal specimens were collected from Sichuan province in China; the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., measured by nested-PCR amplification of the partial small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, was 1.4% (4/287). Three different Cryptosporidium species or genotypes were identified: Cryptosporidium parvum (n = 1), Cryptosporidium wrairi (n = 1), and Cryptosporidium rat genotype II (n = 2). The present study is the first report of Cryptosporidium infection in red-bellied tree squirrels in China. Although there is a relatively low occurrence of Cryptosporidium, the presence of C. parvum and C. wrairi, which were previously reported in humans, indicates that red-bellied tree squirrels may be a source of zoonotic cryptosporidiosis in China

Transcriptional co-activator protein p100 interacts with snRNP proteins and facilitates the assembly of the spliceosome

Transcription and pre-mRNA splicing are the key nuclear processes in eukaryotic gene expression, and identification of factors common to both processes has suggested that they are functionally coordinated. p100 protein has been shown to function as a transcriptional co-activator for several transcription factors. p100 consists of staphylococcal nuclease (SN)-like and Tudor-SN (TSN) domains of which the SN-like domains have been shown to function in transcription, but the function of TSN domain has remained elusive. Here we identified interaction between p100 and small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP) that function in pre-mRNA splicing. The TSN domain of p100 specifically interacts with components of the U5 snRNP, but also with the other spliceosomal snRNPs. In vitro splicing assays revealed that the purified p100, and specifically the TSN domain of p100, accelerates the kinetics of the spliceosome assembly, particularly the formation of complex A, and the transition from complex A to B. Consistently, the p100 protein, as well as the separated TSN domain, enhanced the kinetics of the first step of splicing in an in vitro splicing assay in dose-dependent manner. Thus our results suggest that p100 protein is a novel dual function regulator of gene expression that participates via distinct domains in both transcription and splicing

Comparison of airway anatomical indices in magnetic resonance imaging between growth hormone pituitary adenoma and nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma

Objective To evaluate the application of airway anatomical indices in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict difficult airways in patients with growth hormone pituitary adenoma. Methods This is a retrospective analysis for patients with pituitary adenoma excision under general anesthesia at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from December 2018 to December 2022. Patients with growth hormone pituitary adenoma (GH group, n=81) and patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NF group, n=81) were included. Linear distance between upper lip and uvula (ULUD), tongue thickness on the plane of cervical vertebra 2/3 (TTC2/3), linear distance of supraglottic airway cervical vertebra 2/3(SADC2/3) and linear distance between underlip and posterior pharyngeal wall (ULPD) were measured in the median sagittal plane of head MRI. The data in the two groups were compared. Results ULUD, TTC2/3, and ULPD in the GH group were significantly longer than those in the NF group (P＜0.05). SADC2/3 was not significantly different (P＞0.05). GH was confirmed to be correlated with TTC2/3 and ULPD. Conclusions ULUD, TTC2/3, ULPD found by head MRI and GH can be used as predictors of difficult airway in patients with growth hormone pituitary adenoma

Numerical study on the smoke movement and control in main roadway for mine fires occurred in branch

Mine exogenous fire is the main disaster in coal mines. Owing to the complicated structure and the ventilation network, the smoke movement and control in branched roadway fires of coal mines is more complicated than that in traffic tunnel fires. In this study, the smoke backlayering length and critical velocity in a main roadway for fires that occurred in a branch were studied with varying fire locations. The results suggest that the smoke from the branch does not spread along the width centerline of the main roadway, but forms an early “snake-shaped” structure. The variation of dimensionless backlayering length with the dimensionless variable ln(Q˙*1/3/V*) is divided into two regions with different slopes by the line of L* = 1.6. Besides, branched roadway fires have a lower backlayering length and critical velocity compared to single-hole tunnel fires. These two parameters increase with decreasing the fire-node distance. Combined with dimensionless analysis and simulation results, calculation models considering fire location were proposed to estimate the smoke backlayering length and critical velocity. The credibility of prediction models is validated by comparing them with simulation results. The outcomes of the current study guide smoke control in similar-structured mine roadways and traffic tunnels

Facile Preparation of Carbon Nanotube-Cu2O Nanocomposites as New Catalyst Materials for Reduction of P-Nitrophenol

Abstract The effective synthesis and self-assembly of nanocomposites were of key importance for a broad range of nanomaterial applications. In this work, new carbon nanotube (CNT)-Cu2O nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via a facile approach. CNT was selected as the anchoring substrate to load Cu2O nanoparticles to prepare composite catalysts with well stability and good reusability. It is discovered that the prepared CNT-Cu2O nanocomposite materials could be effectively controlled via regulating preparation temperature and time without the use of any stabilizing agents. The nanostructures of synthesized composites were well characterized by many techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). And the prepared CNT-Cu2O nanocomposites with optimized preparation conditions as new catalyst displayed excellent catalytic performance on the reduction reaction of p-nitrophenol, demonstrating potential applications for environmental governance and composite materials