Uncertain Knowledge Reasoning Based on the Fuzzy Multi-Entity Bayesian Network

With the rapid development of the semantic web and the ever-growing size of uncertain data, representing and reasoning uncertain information has become a great challenge for the semantic web application developers. In this paper, we present a novel reasoning framework based on the representation of fuzzy PR-OWL. Firstly, the paper gives an overview of the previous research work on uncertainty knowledge representation and reasoning, incorporates Ontology into the fuzzy Multi Entity Bayesian Networks theory, and introduces fuzzy PR-OWL, an Ontology language based on OWL2. Fuzzy PR-OWL describes fuzzy semantics and uncertain relations and gives grammatical definition and semantic interpretation. Secondly, the paper explains the integration of the Fuzzy Probability theory and the Belief Propagation algorithm. The influencing factors of fuzzy rules are added to the belief that is propagated between the nodes to create a reasoning framework based on fuzzy PR-OWL. After that, the reasoning process, including the SSFBN structure algorithm, data fuzzification, reasoning of fuzzy rules, and fuzzy belief propagation, is scheduled. Finally, compared with the classical algorithm from the aspect of accuracy and time complexity, our uncertain data representation and reasoning method has higher accuracy without significantly increasing time complexity, which proves the feasibility and validity of our solution to represent and reason uncertain information

Natural products modulate cell apoptosis: a promising way for treating endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a prevalent epithelial malignancy in the uterine corpus’s endometrium and myometrium. Regulating apoptosis of endometrial cancer cells has been a promising approach for treating EC. Recent in-vitro and in-vivo studies show that numerous extracts and monomers from natural products have pro-apoptotic properties in EC. Therefore, we have reviewed the current studies regarding natural products in modulating the apoptosis of EC cells and summarized their potential mechanisms. The potential signaling pathways include the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) mediated apoptotic pathway, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) mediated apoptotic pathway, NF-κB-mediated apoptotic pathway, PI3K/AKT/mTOR mediated apoptotic pathway, the p21-mediated apoptotic pathway, and other reported pathways. This review focuses on the importance of natural products in treating EC and provides a foundation for developing natural products-based anti-EC agents

Use of a wheat straw covering to reduce nitrogen loss during pig slurry storage and reuse of the straw covering in biochar production for nitrogen retention in the slurry

Storing pig slurry (PS) and returning it to the field is one of the most important ways to recycle PS. However, during the storage of PS, the NH3 emissions cause a large loss of nitrogen (N), which reduces the fertilizer value of stored PS and cause environmental pollution. To reduce N loss during PS storage, we added different amounts of wheat straw powder (WSP) and wheat straw segments (WSSs) to the PS. The wheat straw cover was used for biochar production, and then, the biochar was used for N adsorption from the PS. The results showed that the N loss of PS was significantly decreased by use of the wheat straw covering. The N losses in treatments of WSP covering and WSSs covering were reduced by 4.8–53.1 and 0.8–14.2 percentage points compared with that in the control, respectively. Ammonia adsorption is an important reason for the reduction in N loss by straw covering during PS storage. After covering for 180 days in storage, the NH4+-N content in both the WSP covering and WSSs covering increased greatly, and the cover was reused for biochar production. The biochar yield was inversely proportional to the pyrolysis temperature, and the specific surface area and pore volume of the biochar were proportional to the pyrolysis temperature. We achieved the highest amount of NH4+-N adsorption (1.9 mg/g) with a biochar dosage of 0.2 g/L (treatment Y-400). This study provides a new straw-covered PS storage method to achieve straw recycling and low N loss during PS storage

MicroRNA-203 Regulates Growth and Metastasis of Breast Cancer

Backgrounds/Aims: MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) control many biological events and play critical roles in the development of tumor. Among all miRNAs, miR203 has been recently shown to have an inhibitory effect on prostate cancer. However, its involvement in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer has not been reported. Methods: We examined the levels of miR203 in the breast cancer from the patients compared to the paired normal breast tissue. We also examined the levels of miR203 in several commonly used breast cancer cell lines. The effects of overexpression or depletion of miR203 on breast cancer cell growth were analyzed by a MTT assay, and on breast cancer cell invasion were examined by a scratch wound healing assay and a transwell cell migration assay. MiR203-targeted genes were analyzed by Western blot. Results: We detected significantly lower levels of miR203 in the breast cancer from the patients compared to the paired normal breast tissue. Moreover, the levels of miR203 were significantly lower in breast cancer tissue from the patients with cancer metastasis. Decreased miR203 levels were detected in all examined breast cancer lines. Overexpression of miR203 inhibited breast cancer cell growth and invasion, while antisense-mediated inhibition of miR203 enhanced cancer cell growth and invasion. Further analyses show that miR203 may inhibit cell growth through decreasing cell-cycle activator cyclinD2 and CDK6, increasing cell-cycle suppressor p21 and p27, and increasing apoptosis-associated protein Bcl-2. MiR203 may also inhibit cell metastasis through suppressing matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), MMP7 and MMP9. Conclusion: Our data thus highlight miR203 as a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer

Enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties of the nanocrystalline multicomponent Fe–(ZrNbMoTa)x alloys

Thermal stability and mechanical property of the multicomponent nanocrystalline Fe–ZrNbMoTa alloys were investigated. Single-phase nanocrystalline Fe–(ZrNbMoTa)x (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 at. %) alloys were prepared by ball milling and followed by annealing in a set of predesigned condition. It was found that the Fe-based multicomponent alloys possess good thermal stability through 10 h annealing at 900 °C, which is attributed to the thermodynamics effect in the reduction of grain boundary energy caused by multicomponent co-segregation of Zr, Nb, Mo and Ta, and kinetics effect related to sluggish diffusion and Zener pinning of a small amount of second-phase precipitation. Additionally, nanocrystalline Fe–(ZrNbMoTa)x alloys show excellent mechanical properties. The hardness is 738.6 HV, and its yield strength and compressive strength reach up to 3100 MPa and 3600 MPa, respectively. These are attributed to the comprehensive effects of nanocrystalline, solid solution and second phase strengthening

Leisure Agriculture Based on Cultural Resources of Sani People in Yunnan

Through exploring the material and nonmaterial cultural resources in leisure agriculture of Sani People in Shilin of Yunnan Province, this paper introduced festivals, marriage, traditional clothing, and food culture of Sani People, and present the long history and brilliant culture of Sani People. These culture resources could be used to expand the cultural aspects of leisure agriculture, to solve the problems of low participation and less distinct characteristics. This study can provide a reference for building the high-end leisure agriculture with distinct characteristics of Yunnan Province, to form a new growth point for regional growth

The Enlightenment on Urban Ecological Construction by Research Progress of Sponge City in China Based on Literature Analysis

To quantitatively analyze main figure, field, agency and level of sponge city research in China, and clear research focus and hot spot in each year, by using the Full Text Database of Chinese Sci-tech Periodicals and other retrieval tools, the statistics and analysis of 3152 research literatures on sponge city published in domestic academic journals of 2004-2016 are conducted based on bibliometrics. It is found that since the concept of “sponge city” was firstly proposed in 2012, development research of sponge city involves 40 subject fields and is mainly published in 32 kinds of journals, which is dominated by natural science research (1427 literatures). Researchers are mainly from each college and university, some design institutes and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research could play certain guidance significance for further research and construction of ecological city construction in China