A Wolf Pack Optimization Theory Based Improved Density Peaks Clustering Approach

In view of the problem that the Density Peaks Clustering (DPC) algorithm needs to manually set the parameter cut-off distance (dc) we propose a Wolf Pack optimization theory based Density Peaks Clustering approach (WPA-DPC). Firstly, we introduce dc parameter into the Wolf Pack Algorithm (WPA) to speed up the search. Secondly, we introduce the WPA into the DPC algorithm; the cut-off distance is used as the location of the wolf group. Finally, we make silhouette index in the search process as the fitness value, and the optimal location of the wolf group is the parameter value at the end. The simulation results show that compared with the traditional Density Peaks Clustering algorithm, the proposed algorithm is closer to the true clustering number. According to the evaluation results of silhouette and f-measure, the quality of clustering and the accuracy are greatly improved

Relationship between Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction and the Risk of Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

Background. Evidence on the association between subclinical thyroid dysfunction and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes are conflicting. Methods and Results. PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases were searched from inception to July 10, 2016. A total of 16 studies were included for meta-analysis. We found that subclinical hypothyroidism was not correlated with coronary heart disease (CHD) (RR = 1.17; 95% CI, 0.91–1.52), total mortality (RR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.93–1.13), cardiovascular mortality (RR = 1.06; 95% CI, 0.77–1.45), heart failure (RR = 1.17; 95% CI, 0.87–1.57), and atrial fibrillation (RR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.91–1.21), except CHD mortality (RR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.03–1.84). Subgroup analysis indicated a higher estimation risk in CHD (RR = 1.54; 95% CI, 1.00–2.39), cardiovascular mortality (RR = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.43–3.22), and CHD mortality (RR = 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11–2.15) among participants < 65 years. Furthermore, subclinical hyperthyroidism was found to be associated with CHD (RR = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02–1.42), total mortality (RR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.07–1.51), and CHD mortality (RR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.12–1.86). Conclusions. Subclinical hypothyroidism is likely associated with an increased risk of CHD mortality, and subclinical hyperthyroidism is likely associated with increased risk of CHD, CHD mortality, and total mortality

Analyzing the dangers posed by Chrome Extensions

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The Change of Left Ventricular Function in Rats with Subclinical Hypothyroid and the Effects of Thyroxine Replacement

Objective. The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between serca2a, Ryr2, adipokines, and the left ventricular function in the subclinical hypothyroidism with different TSH levels and to determine the impact of L-T4 treatment on these indexes. Methods. Sixty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group; sHT A, B, and C group; and sHT + T4 group. The sHT rats were induced by methimazole (MMI), and the sHT + T4 rats were administered with L-T4 treatment after 8 weeks of MMI administration. Serum TT4, TSH, APN, chemerin, and TNF-α were detected by radioimmunoassay kits and ELISA kits; left ventricular function was measured by PowerLab system via subclavian artery catheter. The expression of Serca2a, Ryr2, APN, chemerin, and TNF-α were detected by RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Results. The sHT groups had significantly higher TSH, chemerin, and TNF-α and lower Serca2a, Ryr2, and APN. The left ventricular pressure and heart rate in sHT groups were significantly lower in control and sHT + T4 group. Histopathological examination revealed the pathological changes in the sHT rats’ heart. L-T4 administration reduced TSH level and improved left ventricular function. Conclusions. TSH can impair left ventricular function by regulating several factors, and L-T4 treatment ameliorates it in sHT rats

Ice-nucleating particles from multiple aerosol sources in the urban environment of Beijing under mixed-phase cloud conditions

Ice crystals occurring in mixed-phase clouds play a vital role in global precipitation and energy balance because of the unstable equilibrium between coexistent liquid droplets and ice crystals, which affects cloud lifetime and radiative properties, as well as precipitation formation. Satellite observations proved that immersion freezing, i.e., ice formation on particles immersed within aqueous droplets, is the dominant ice nucleation (IN) pathway in mixed-phase clouds. However, the impact of anthropogenic emissions on atmospheric IN in the urban environment remains ambiguous. In this study, we present in situ observations of ambient ice-nucleating particle number concentration (NINP) measured at mixed-phase cloud conditions (−30 ∘C, relative humidity with respect to liquid water RHw= 104 %) and the physicochemical properties of ambient aerosol, including chemical composition and size distribution, at an urban site in Beijing during the traditional Chinese Spring Festival. The impact of multiple aerosol sources such as firework emissions, local traffic emissions, mineral dust, and urban secondary aerosols on NINP is investigated. The results show that NINP during the dust event reaches up to 160 # L−1 (where “#” represents number of particles), with an activation fraction (AF) of 0.0036 % ± 0.0011 %. During the rest of the observation, NINP is on the order of 10−1 to 10 # L−1, with an average AF between 0.0001 % and 0.0002 %. No obvious dependence of NINP on the number concentration of particles larger than 500 nm (N500) or black carbon (BC) mass concentration (mBC) is found throughout the field observation. The results indicate a substantial NINP increase during the dust event, although the observation took place at an urban site with high background aerosol concentration. Meanwhile, the presence of atmospheric BC from firework and traffic emissions, along with urban aerosols formed via secondary transformation during heavily polluted periods, does not influence the observed INP concentration. Our study corroborates previous laboratory and field findings that anthropogenic BC emission has a negligible effect on NINP and that NINP is unaffected by heavy pollution in the urban environment under mixed-phase cloud conditions.</p

Cytokine secretion requires phosphatidylcholine synthesis

Altres ajuts: Cancer Center (CORE) Support grant CA 21765, i l'American Lebanese Syrian Associated CharitiesCholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the phosphatidylcholine biosynthetic pathway. Here, we demonstrate that CCTα-mediated phosphatidylcholine synthesis is required to maintain normal Golgi structure and function as well as cytokine secretion from the Golgi complex. CCTα is localized to the trans-Golgi region and its expression is increased in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated wild-type macrophages. Although LPS triggers transient reorganization of Golgi morphology in wild-type macrophages, similar structural alterations persist in CCTα-deficient cells. Pro-tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6 remain lodged in the secretory compartment of CCTα-deficient macrophages after LPS stimulation. However, the lysosomal-mediated secretion pathways for interleukin-1β secretion and constitutive apolipoprotein E secretion are unaltered. Exogenous lysophosphatidylcholine restores LPS-stimulated secretion from CCTα-deficient cells, and elevated diacylglycerol levels alone do not impede secretion of pro-tumor necrosis factor α or interleukin-6. These results identify CCTα as a key component in membrane biogenesis during LPS-stimulated cytokine secretion from the Golgi complex

Probing high-momentum component in nucleon momentum distribution by neutron-proton bremsstrahlung {\gamma}-rays in heavy ion reactions

The high momentum tail (HMT) of nucleons, as a signature of the short-range correlations in nuclei, has been investigated by the high-energy bremsstrahlung $\gamma$ rays produced in $^{86}$Kr + $^{124}$Sn at 25 MeV/u. The energetic photons are measured by a CsI(Tl) hodoscope mounted on the spectrometer CSHINE. The energy spectrum above 30 MeV can be reproduced by the IBUU model calculations incorporating the photon production channel from $np$ process in which the HMTs of nucleons is considered. A non-zero HMT ratio of about $15\%$ is favored by the data. The effect of the capture channel $np \to d\gamma$ is demonstrated