Endothelial toll-like receptor 4 maintains lung integrity via epigenetic suppression of p16INK4a.

We previously reported that the canonical innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is critical in maintaining lung integrity. However, the molecular mechanisms via which TLR4 mediates its effect remained unclear. In the present study, we identified distinct contributions of lung endothelial cells (Ec) and epithelial cells TLR4 to pulmonary homeostasis using genetic-specific, lung- and cell-targeted in vivo methods. Emphysema was significantly prevented via the reconstituting of human TLR4 expression in the lung Ec of TLR4-/- mice. Lung Ec-silencing of TLR4 in wild-type mice induced emphysema, highlighting the specific and distinct role of Ec-expressed TLR4 in maintaining lung integrity. We also identified a previously unrecognized role of TLR4 in preventing expression of p16INK4a , a senescence-associated gene. Lung Ec-p16INK4a -silencing prevented TLR4-/- induced emphysema, revealing a new functional role for p16INK4a in lungs. TLR4 suppressed endogenous p16INK4a expression via HDAC2-mediated deacetylation of histone H4. These findings suggest a novel role for TLR4 in maintaining of lung homeostasis via epigenetic regulation of senescence-related gene expression

Learning Vehicle Dynamics from Cropped Image Patches for Robot Navigation in Unpaved Outdoor Terrains

In the realm of autonomous mobile robots, safe navigation through unpaved outdoor environments remains a challenging task. Due to the high-dimensional nature of sensor data, extracting relevant information becomes a complex problem, which hinders adequate perception and path planning. Previous works have shown promising performances in extracting global features from full-sized images. However, they often face challenges in capturing essential local information. In this paper, we propose Crop-LSTM, which iteratively takes cropped image patches around the current robot's position and predicts the future position, orientation, and bumpiness. Our method performs local feature extraction by paying attention to corresponding image patches along the predicted robot trajectory in the 2D image plane. This enables more accurate predictions of the robot's future trajectory. With our wheeled mobile robot platform Raicart, we demonstrated the effectiveness of Crop-LSTM for point-goal navigation in an unpaved outdoor environment. Our method enabled safe and robust navigation using RGBD images in challenging unpaved outdoor terrains. The summary video is available at https://youtu.be/iIGNZ8ignk0.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

Influence of Carbon Content and Isothermal Heat Treatment Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-High Strength Bainitic Steels

The effect of carbon content and isothermal heat treatment conditions on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of ultra-high strength bainitic steels was investigated. A reduction in carbon content from 0.8 wt% to 0.6 wt% in super-bainite steel with typical chemistry effectively improved not only the Charpy impact toughness but also the strength level. This suggests that reducing the carbon content is a very promising way to obtain better mechanical balance between strength and impact toughness. The higher Charpy impact toughness at a lower carbon content of 0.6 wt% is thought to result from a reduction in austenite fraction, and refinement of the austenite grain. The coarse austenite grains have a detrimental effect on impact toughness, by prematurely transforming to deformation-induced martensite during crack propagation. Mechanical properties were also affected by the isothermal treatment temperature. The lower isothermal temperature enhanced the formation of bainitic ferrite with a refined microstructure, which has a beneficial influence on strength, but reduces impact toughness. The lower impact toughness at lower isothermal temperature is attributed to the sluggish redistribution of carbon from the bainitic ferrite into the surrounding austenite. Higher solute carbon in the bainitic ferrite contributes to an increase of strength, but at the same time, encourages a propensity to cleavage fracture.11Ysciescopuskc

A Hierarchical Approach to Computer-Aided Design of Quantum Circuits

A new approach to synthesis of permutation class of quantum logic circuits has been proposed in this paper. This approach produces better results than the previous approaches based on classical reversible logic and can be easier tuned to any particular quantum technology such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). First we synthesize a library of permutation (pseudobinary) gates using a Computer-Aided-Design approach that links evolutionary and combinatorics approaches with human experience and creativity. Next the circuit is designed using these gates and standard 1*1 and 2*2 quantum gates and finally the optimizing tautological transforms are applied to the circuit, producing a sequence of quantum operations being close to operations practically realizable. These hierarchical stages can be compared to standard gate library design, generic logic synthesis and technology mapping stages of classical CAD systems, respectively. We use an informed genetic algorithm to evolve arbitrary quantum circuit specified by a (target) unitary matrix, specific encoding that reduces the time of calculating the resultant unitary matrices of chromosomes, and an evolutionary algorithm specialized to permutation circuits specified by truth tables. We outline interactive CAD approach in which the designer is a part of feedback loop in evolutionary program and the search is not for circuits of known specifications, but for any gates with high processing power and small cost for given constraints. In contrast to previous approaches, our methodology allows synthesis of both: small quantum circuits of arbitrary type (gates), and permutation class circuits that are well realizable in particular technology

Volume preservation of a shattered kidney after blunt trauma by superselective renal artery embolization

PURPOSEWe examined whether superselective embolization of the renal artery could be effectively employed to preserve traumatic kidneys and assessed its clinical outcomes.METHODSBetween December 2015 and November 2019, 26 patients who had American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade V traumatic shattered kidneys were identified. Among them, a retrospective review was conducted of 16 patients who underwent superselective renal artery embolization for shattered kidney. The mean age was 41.2 ± 15.7 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 138.2 ± 140.1 days. Patient data including procedure details and clinical outcomes were reviewed, and the preserved volume of kidney parenchyma was calculated.RESULTSBleeding control was achieved in 13 (81%) patients and kidney preservation was achieved in 11 (79%). There was no mortality, and the median intensive care unit stay was 1.5 days. The mean volume of remnant kidney was 122.3 ± 66.0 cm3 (70%) on the last follow-up computed tomography. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was not significantly changed after superselective renal artery embolization.CONCLUSIONSuperselective renal artery embolization using a microcatheter for the shattered kidney effectively controlled hemorrhage in acute stage trauma and enabled kidney preservation

Two Separated Ileal Adenocarcinomas in Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Patients with neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1) have increased susceptibility to a variety of malignancies. Here, we document a rare case of two separated ileal adenocarcinomas in NF-1. The adenocarcinomas were surrounded by a diffuse tubular adenomatous lesion of the mucosa, and ganglion cells were scattered in the NF background. We found this case meaningful for several reasons: two separated adenocarcinomas arising in an unusual ileal segment, the association with precancerous tubular adenoma, and the presence of ganglion cells, which suggests ganglioneuromatosis in NF-1