Propagation Analysis of 2.4 GHz Wireless Sensor Network Signal in a Plantation

Wireless sensor network is a popular technology on information acquisition and processing, which has been widely used in plantation ecological monitoring domain. The plantation environments, including antenna height-gain, depolarization, terrain, humidity and many factors have great influences on the propagation of 2.4GHz wireless sensor network radio frequency signal. In this paper, a complete research for propagation law of 2.4GHz wireless sensor network signal in plantation environment is presented, with using regression of support vector machines based on experimental data. A single variable prediction model is established on field strength of wireless sensor network signal in plantation environment, thus compares it with the original experience prediction model and measured data. The establishment of aforesaid model provides an important theoretical support for determining the max effective communication range of wireless sensor node and the nodes' rational distribution. It will certainly promote the application of wireless sensor network in plantation ecological monitoring field

Original Article Diabetes mellitus and risk of deep vein thrombosis after total knee replacement: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

Abstract: The impact of pre-existing diabetes on the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis of cohort studies to evaluate the risk of DVT in patients with and without pre-existing diabetes. We searched Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases from the inception to December 2014 for cohort studies assessing the effect of diabetes on the incidence of DVT. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using random-or fixed-effect models. Six cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis. A fixed-effects model meta-analysis showed that pre-existing diabetes was associated with an increased risk of DVT (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.07-1.72; P=0.01), with moderate heterogeneity among the studies (I 2 =46.2; P=0.10). When patients were divided into two subgroups based on the method of screening DVT, there was no significant heterogeneity in each subgroup. Our meta-analysis suggested that pre-existing diabetes was associated with an increased risk of DVT after total knee replacement. However, the result should be interpreted with caution because of the potential bias and confounding in the included studies

Comparison of intra-articular versus intravenous application of tranexamic acid in total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction: There is much controversy about the optimal application of tranexamic acid (TXA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of the intra-articular and intravenous regimens of TXA in TKA. Material and methods : A literature search of the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Randomized controlled trials comparing the result of intra-articular and intravenous application of TXA during TKA were included. The focus was on the outcomes of blood loss, transfusion requirement and thromboembolic complications. Results: Six studies were eligible for data extraction and meta-analysis. We found no statistically significant difference between intra-articular and intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in terms of total blood loss (WMD, 6.01; 95% CI: –96.78 to 108.79; p = 0.91), drain output (WMD = –20.26; 95% CI: –51.34 to 10.82; p = 0.20), hemoglobin drop (WMD = 0.33; 95% CI: –0.31 to 0.98; p = 0.31), or the incidences of transfusion (RR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.56–1.70; p = 0.93) as well as deep vein thrombosis (RR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.09–2.73; p = 0.42). Conclusions : In comparison with intravenous application of TXA, intra-articular application had a comparable effect on reducing blood loss and the transfusion rate without increasing the complication rate

Advances in algal lipid metabolism and their use to improve oil content

International audienc

The Evolution of Intermetallic Compounds in High-Entropy Alloys: From the Secondary Phase to the Main Phase

High-performance structural materials are critical to the development of transportation, energy, and aerospace. In recent years, newly developed high-entropy alloys with a single-phase solid-solution structure have attracted wide attention from researchers due to their excellent properties. However, this new material also has inevitable shortcomings, such as brittleness at ambient temperature and thermodynamic instability at high temperature. Efforts have been made to introduce a small number of intermetallic compounds into single-phase solid-solution high-entropy alloys as a secondary phase to their enhance properties. Various studies have suggested that the performance of high-entropy alloys can be improved by introducing more intermetallic compounds. At that point, researchers designed an intermetallic compound-strengthened high-entropy alloy, which introduced a massive intermetallic compound as a coherent strengthening phase to further strengthen the matrix of the high-entropy alloy. Inspired from this, Fantao obtained a new alloy—high-entropy intermetallics—by introducing different alloying elements to multi-principalize the material in a previous study. This new alloy treats the intermetallic compound as the main phase and has advantages of both structural and functional materials. It is expected to become a new generation of high-performance amphibious high-entropy materials across the field of structure and function. In this review, we first demonstrate the inevitability of intermetallic compounds in high-entropy alloys and explain the importance of intermetallic compounds in improving the properties of high-entropy alloys. Secondly, we introduce two new high-entropy alloys mainly from the aspects of composition design, structure, underlying mechanism, and performance. Lastly, the high-entropy materials containing intermetallic compound phases are summarized, which lays a theoretical foundation for the development of new advanced materials

Boosting immune response with the invariant chain segments via association with non-peptide binding region of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on binding of invariant chain (Ii) to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules to form complexes, Ii-segment hybrids, Ii-key structure linking an epitope, or Ii class II-associated invariant chain peptide (CLIP) replaced with an epitope were used to increase immune response. It is currently unknown whether the Ii-segment cytosolic and transmembrane domains bind to the MHC non-peptide binding region (PBR) and consequently influence immune response. To investigate the potential role of Ii-segments in the immune response via MHC II/peptide complexes, a few hybrids containing Ii-segments and a multiepitope (F306) from Newcastle disease virus fusion protein (F) were constructed, and their binding effects on MHC II molecules and specific antibody production were compared using confocal microscopy, immunoprecipitation, western blotting and animal experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One of the Ii-segment/F306 hybrids, containing ND (Asn–Asp) outside the F306 in the Ii-key structure (Ii-key/F306/ND), neither co-localized with MHC II molecules on plasma membrane nor bound to MHC II molecules to form complexes. However, stimulation of mice with the structure produced 4-fold higher antibody titers compared with F306 alone. The two other Ii-segment/F306 hybrids, in which the transmembrane and cytosolic domains of Ii were linked to this structure (Cyt/TM/Ii-key/F306/ND), partially co-localized on plasma membrane with MHC class II molecules and weakly bound MHC II molecules to form complexes. They induced mice to produce approximately 9-fold higher antibody titers compared with F306 alone. Furthermore, an Ii/F306 hybrid (F306 substituting CLIP) co-localized well with MHC II molecules on the membrane to form complexes, although it increased antibody titer about 3-fold relative to F306 alone.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that Ii-segments improve specific immune response by binding to the non-PBR on MHC class II molecules and enabling membrane co-localization with MHC II molecules, resulting in the formation of relatively stable MHC II/peptide complexes on the plasma membrane, and signal transduction.</p

SOLUTION COMBUSTION SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NANOSCALE MgO POWDERS

Nanoscale MgO powders were fabricated via a microwave-induced solution combustion process using Mg(NO3)2 and starch as starting materials. Effects of the relative fuel-to-oxidant ratios (φe = 1.1, 1.0, 0.9 and 0.8, respectively) on characteristics of MgO nanoparticles were also investigated. The XRD analysis discloses that MgO nanocrystalline are successfully synthesized and the crystalline size of MgO increases remarkably with increasing of φe from 0.8 to 1.1. TEM images reveal that nanoporous agglomerates of MgO nanocrystalline are formed in the powders. Experimental results show that the average particles’ size of the powders decreases significantly as φe increases from 0.8 to 1.1. However, the powders from the precursors with φe equal to 1.0 exhibit larger specific surface area as compared the other powders

Structure-based virtual screening for the inhibition and clearance of amyloidosis by small molecules as pharmacological chaperones

The accumulation, processing and toxicity of Aβ can be affected by interacting with transthyretin (TTR). We obtained 31 compounds with different structures by virtual screening based on protein structure. Among them, compound 11 inhibited acid-induced TTR protein amyloid fibrils by 75.57 ​± ​11.27%, inhibited Aβ amyloid fibrils by 68.55 ​± ​0.81%, and promoted depolymerization of Aβ fibrils by 109.2 ​± ​7.9%. Surprisingly, this molecule, as a pharmacological chaperone of TTR/Aβ, bound to TTR and Aβ to form a ternary complex that promoted Aβ phagocytosis by microglia and attenuated Aβ neurotoxicity. These results together suggest that formation of the ternary complex [TTR+11] +Aβ may become a viable therapeutic approach for AD treatment

The evolution of dual-phase core–shell structure and mechanical properties induced by Co addition in as-cast high-entropy intermetallic

In this work, three as-cast L12-type HEIs with different content of Co element were carefully examined combined with TEM, SEM and XRD technologies. The main matrix of three alloys was L12 ordered phase, and Si,Ti-rich grain-boundary precipitate phase generated with the addition of Co. In Co1 alloy, distinct dual-phase core–shell structure was found within grain due to the precipitation of extra FCC disordered secondary phase, which leads to a better strength-plasticity combination (compressive strength of 3441 ± 50 MPa, and fracture strain of 46.0 ± 1.5%) than Co0 and Co0.5 alloy at room temperature. With the increase of temperature, particular anomalous yield effect was discovered in Co1 alloy. It is clear that SFs became main deformation substructure in Co1 alloy at elevated temperature, and the interaction between non-coplanar SFs motivated the generation of L-C Locks, which assists the K-W Locks to pin dislocations movement and enhance the yield strength from room temperature to about 650 ℃. In addition, the interaction between SFs resulted in the formation of nano-spaced SF network, which contributes to the dynamic Hall-Petch effect. Finally, excellent high-temperature yield strength was achieved in as-cast Co1 alloy, which is higher than room-temperature yield strength until 950 ℃

The establishment of DC power meter calibration system at China Electric Power Research Institute

The establishment of a DC power meter calibration system using a DC current comparator and a synchronous sampling technique at China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI) is described. Measurements can be made at DC voltages ranging from lOmV to IOOOV, and DC currents from lOrnA to SOOA. The system features a synchronous voltage/current sampling system and a multi-ratio DC current comparator. The uncertainty of the DC power meter calibration system is estimated to be not more than 120 JJ.WIW. Furthermore, a comparison of DC power meter calibration systems between CEPRI and National Institute of Metrology China (NIMC) is discussed and presented.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye