Accurate Spectrum Map Construction Using An Intelligent Frequency-Spatial Reasoning Approach

Spectrum map is of crucial importance for realizing efficient spectrum management in the sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication networks. However, the existing spectrum map construction schemes mainly depend on spatial interpolation and cannot construct the spectrum map when the measurement data of the target frequency are not obtained. In order to overcome this challenge, an accurate spectrum map construction scheme is proposed by using an intelligent frequency-spatial reasoning approach. The frequency correlation among different spectrum maps at different frequencies is fully exploited to construct the highly accurate spectrum maps of the frequencies without spectrum data. A novel autoencoder adapting to the three-dimensional (3D) spectrum data is proposed. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed scheme is superior to the benchmark schemes in terms of the construction accuracy. Moreover, it is shown that our proposed autoencoder network has a fast convergence speed

Resource Allocation for Cell-Free Massive MIMO-aided URLLC Systems Relying on Pilot Sharing

Resource allocation is conceived for cell-free (CF) massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO)-aided ultra-reliable and low latency communication (URLLC) systems. Specifically, to support multiple devices with limited pilot overhead, pilot reuse among the users is considered, where we formulate a joint pilot length and pilot allocation strategy for maximizing the number of devices admitted. Then, the pilot power and transmit power are jointly optimized while simultaneously satisfying the devices’ decoding error probability, latency, and data rate requirements. Firstly, we derive the lower bounds (LBs) of ergodic data rate under finite channel blocklength (FCBL). Then, we propose a novel pilot assignment algorithm for maximizing the number of devices admitted. Based on the pilot allocation pattern advocated, the weighted sum rate (WSR) is maximized by jointly optimizing the pilot power and payload power. To tackle the resultant NP-hard problem, the original optimization problem is first simplified by sophisticated mathematical transformations, and then approximations are found for transforming the original problems into a series of subproblems in geometric programming (GP) forms that can be readily solved. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed pilot allocation strategy is capable of significantly increasing the number of admitted devices and the proposed power allocation achieves substantial WSR performance gain

The experiences of Chinese general practitioners in communicating with people with type 2 diabetes - a focus group study

BACKGROUND: China has more ascertained cases of diabetes than any other country. Much of the care of people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in China is managed by GPs and this will increase with the implementation of health care reforms aimed at strengthening China’s primary health care system. Diabetes care requires effective communication between physicians and patients, yet little is known about this area in China. We aimed to explore the experiences of Chinese GPs in communicating with diabetes patients and how this may relate to communication skills training. METHODS: Focus groups with Chinese GPs were undertaken. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 15 GPs from Guangzhou city in China. All data were audio-recorded and transcribed. A thematic analysis using the Framework Method was applied to code the data and identify themes. RESULTS: Seven males and 8 females from 12 general practices attended 4 focus groups with a mean age of 37.6 years and 7.5 years’ work experience. Four major themes were identified: diversity in diabetic patients, communication with patients, patient-doctor relationship, and communication skills training. GPs reported facing a wide variety of diabetes patients in their daily practice. They believed insufficient knowledge and misunderstanding of diabetes was common among patients. They highlighted several challenges in communicating with diabetes patients, such as insufficient consultation time, poor communication regarding blood glucose monitoring and misunderstanding the risk of complications. They used terms such as “blind spot” or “not on the same channel” to describe gaps in their patients’ understanding of diabetes and its management, and cited this as a cause of ineffective patient-doctor communication. Mutual understanding of diabetes was perceived to be an important factor towards building positive patient-doctor relationships. Although GPs believed communication skills training was necessary, they reported rarely received this. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese GPs reported facing challenges in communicating with diabetes patients. Some of these were perceived as being due to the patients themselves, others were attributed to system constraints, and some were seen as related to a lack of clinician training. The study identified key issues for the development of primary care-based management of diabetes in China, and for developing appropriate communication skills training programs for the primary care workforce. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-021-01506-9

Biomarkers for Clinical and Incipient Tuberculosis: Performance in a TB-Endemic Country

Simple biomarkers are required to identify TB in both HIV(-)TB(+) and HIV(+)TB(+) patients. Earlier studies have identified the M. tuberculosis Malate Synthase (MS) and MPT51 as immunodominant antigens in TB patients. One goal of these investigations was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of anti-MS and -MPT51 antibodies as biomarkers for TB in HIV(-)TB(+) and HIV(+)TB(+) patients from a TB-endemic setting. Earlier studies also demonstrated the presence of these biomarkers during incipient subclinical TB. If these biomarkers correlate with incipient TB, their prevalence should be higher in asymptomatic HIV(+) subjects who are at a high-risk for TB. The second goal was to compare the prevalence of these biomarkers in asymptomatic, CD4(+) T cell-matched HIV(+)TB(-) subjects from India who are at high-risk for TB with similar subjects from US who are at low-risk for TB.Anti-MS and -MPT51 antibodies were assessed in sera from 480 subjects including PPD(+) or PPD(-) healthy subjects, healthy community members, and HIV(-)TB(+) and HIV(+)TB(+) patients from India. Results demonstrate high sensitivity (approximately 80%) of detection of smear-positive HIV(-)TB(+) and HIV(+)TB(+) patients, and high specificity (>97%) with PPD(+) subjects and endemic controls. While approximately 45% of the asymptomatic HIV(+)TB(-) patients at high-risk for TB tested biomarker-positive, >97% of the HIV(+)TB(-) subjects at low risk for TB tested negative. Although the current studies are hampered by lack of knowledge of the outcome, these results provide strong support for the potential of these biomarkers to detect incipient, subclinical TB in HIV(+) subjects.These biomarkers provide high sensitivity and specificity for TB diagnosis in a TB endemic setting. Their performance is not compromised by concurrent HIV infection, site of TB and absence of pulmonary manifestations in HIV(+)TB(+) patients. Results also demonstrate the potential of these biomarkers for identifying incipient subclinical TB in HIV(+)TB(-) subjects at high-risk for TB

Calcium Channel Blockers, More than Diuretics, Enhance Vascular Protective Effects of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in Salt-Loaded Hypertensive Rats

The combination therapy of an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) with a calcium channel blocker (CCB) or with a diuretic is favorably recommended for the treatment of hypertension. However, the difference between these two combination therapies is unclear. The present work was undertaken to examine the possible difference between the two combination therapies in vascular protection. Salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were divided into 6 groups, and they were orally administered (1) vehicle, (2) olmesartan, an ARB, (3) azelnidipine, a CCB, (4) hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic, (5) olmesartan combined with azelnidipine, or (6) olmesartan combined with hydrochlorothiazide. Olmesartan combined with either azelnidipine or hydrochlorothiazide ameliorated vascular endothelial dysfunction and remodeling in SHRSP more than did monotherapy with either agent. However, despite a comparable blood pressure lowering effect between the two treatments, azelnidipine enhanced the amelioration of vascular endothelial dysfunction and remodeling by olmesartan to a greater extent than did hydrochlorothiazide in salt-loaded SHRSP. The increased enhancement by azelnidipine of olmesartan-induced vascular protection than by hydrochlorothiazide was associated with a greater amelioration of vascular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activation, superoxide, mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, and with a greater activation of the Akt/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway. These results provided the first evidence that a CCB potentiates the vascular protective effects of an ARB in salt-sensitive hypertension, compared with a diuretic, and provided a novel rationale explaining the benefit of the combination therapy with an ARB and a CCB

Digital karyotyping reveals probable target genes at 7q21.3 locus in hepatocellular carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignant liver tumor with high incidence in China. Subchromosomal amplifications and deletions accounted for major genomic alterations occurred in HCC. Digital karyotyping was an effective method for analyzing genome-wide chromosomal aberrations at high resolution.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A digital karyotyping library of HCC was constructed and 454 Genome Sequencer FLX System (Roche) was applied in large scale sequencing of the library. Digital Karyotyping Data Viewer software was used to analyze genomic amplifications and deletions. Genomic amplifications of genes detected by digital karyotyping were examined by real-time quantitative PCR. The mRNA expression level of these genes in tumorous and paired nontumorous tissues was also detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 821,252 genomic tags were obtained from the digital karyotyping library of HCC, with 529,162 tags (64%) mapped to unique loci of human genome. Multiple subchromosomal amplifications and deletions were detected through analyzing the digital karyotyping data, among which the amplification of 7q21.3 drew our special attention. Validation of genes harbored within amplicons at 7q21.3 locus revealed that genomic amplification of SGCE, PEG10, DYNC1I1 and SLC25A13 occurred in 11 (21%), 11 (21%), 11 (21%) and 23 (44%) of the 52 HCC samples respectively. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of SGCE, PEG10 and DYNC1I1 were significantly up-regulated in tumorous liver tissues compared with corresponding nontumorous counterparts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicated that subchromosomal region of 7q21.3 was amplified in HCC, and SGCE, PEG10 and DYNC1I1 were probable protooncogenes located within the 7q21.3 locus.</p

AlCoNiFeCrTiVx High-Entropy Coatings Prepared by Electron-Beam Cladding

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in "A. D. Pogrebnjak and O. Bondar (eds.), Microstructure and Properties of Micro- and Nanoscale Materials, Films, and Coatings (NAP 2019), Springer Proceedings in Physics 240". The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1742-6_16.This study reports the investigation of high-entropy coatings obtained by electron-beam cladding in a vacuum of Al-Co-Ni-Fe-Cr-Ti-Vx powder blend on a steel substrate. V was added to the Al-Co-Ni-Fe-Cr-Ti equiatomic system and the effects of this added element on structure, phase composition and microhardness of AlCoNiFeCrTiVx high entropy coatings resulted from electron beam cladding were studied. The AlCoNiFeCrTiV0 coatings consist of two solid solutions with BCC1 and BCC structure with different lattice parameters and a small volume fraction of σ-phase. It was shown that with an increase in V content from x = 0 to x = 1.5, the phase composition of the coatings transforms from two solid solutions to single BCC solid solution and σ-phases of different compositions. The σ-phase volume fraction increased with an increase in the V content. The addition of V to AlCoNiFeCrTi shows the strengthening effect of the AlCoNiFeCrTiV0.5–1.5 coatings and the Vickers hardness increased from 8.4 to 11 GPa. Microhardness of the coatings was affected by the sigma phase. The hardness enhancement can be likely attributed to the effect of solid solution strengthening and to the presence of σ-phase particles in the coating structure

Tear fluid biomarkers in ocular and systemic disease: potential use for predictive, preventive and personalised medicine

In the field of predictive, preventive and personalised medicine, researchers are keen to identify novel and reliable ways to predict and diagnose disease, as well as to monitor patient response to therapeutic agents. In the last decade alone, the sensitivity of profiling technologies has undergone huge improvements in detection sensitivity, thus allowing quantification of minute samples, for example body fluids that were previously difficult to assay. As a consequence, there has been a huge increase in tear fluid investigation, predominantly in the field of ocular surface disease. As tears are a more accessible and less complex body fluid (than serum or plasma) and sampling is much less invasive, research is starting to focus on how disease processes affect the proteomic, lipidomic and metabolomic composition of the tear film. By determining compositional changes to tear profiles, crucial pathways in disease progression may be identified, allowing for more predictive and personalised therapy of the individual. This article will provide an overview of the various putative tear fluid biomarkers that have been identified to date, ranging from ocular surface disease and retinopathies to cancer and multiple sclerosis. Putative tear fluid biomarkers of ocular disorders, as well as the more recent field of systemic disease biomarkers, will be shown

Mature seed-derived callus of the model indica rice variety Kasalath is highly competent in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

We previously established an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system using primary calli derived from mature seeds of the model japonica rice variety Nipponbare. We expected that the shortened tissue culture period would reduce callus browning—a common problem with the indica transformation system during prolonged tissue culture in the undifferentiated state. In this study, we successfully applied our efficient transformation system to Kasalath—a model variety of indica rice. The Luc reporter system is sensitive enough to allow quantitative analysis of the competency of rice callus for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. We unexpectedly discovered that primary callus of Kasalath exhibits a remarkably high competency for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation compared to Nipponbare. Southern blot analysis and Luc luminescence showed that independent transformation events in primary callus of Kasalath occurred successfully at ca. tenfold higher frequency than in Nipponbare, and single copy T-DNA integration was observed in ~40% of these events. We also compared the competency of secondary callus of Nipponbare and Kasalath and again found superior competency in Kasalath, although the identification and subsequent observation of independent transformation events in secondary callus is difficult due to the vigorous growth of both transformed and non-transformed cells. An efficient transformation system in Kasalath could facilitate the identification of QTL genes, since many QTL genes are analyzed in a Nipponbare × Kasalath genetic background. The higher transformation competency of Kasalath could be a useful trait in the establishment of highly efficient systems involving new transformation technologies such as gene targeting

Molecular biology of breast cancer metastasis: Genetic regulation of human breast carcinoma metastasis

The present is an overview of recent data that describes the genetic underpinnings of the suppression of cancer metastasis. Despite the explosion of new information about the genetics of cancer, only six human genes have thus far been shown to suppress metastasis functionally. Not all have been shown to be functional in breast carcinoma. Several additional genes inhibit various steps of the metastatic cascade, but do not necessarily block metastasis when tested using in vivo assays. The implications of this are discussed. Two recently discovered metastasis suppressor genes block proliferation of tumor cells at a secondary site, offering a new target for therapeutic intervention