Crossover Photonic Switching Network with CMOS/SEED Smart Pixel Device and 2D Optical Fiber Bundle Array

A 16 X 16 Crossover photonic switching network with hybrid integrated CMOS/SEED smart pixel device and 2D optical fiber bundle array I/O access device is reported in this paper. SEEd array devices ar used as light receivers and transmitters, while CMOS devices make efficient logical processing. 4 X 40 2D multilayer optical fiber bundle arrays are fabricated and are used as I/O access devices in the crossover photonic switching network. The center to center spacing between adjacent optical fibers in the same layer of the fiber array is 125micrometers , and the spacing between adjacent layers is 250micrometers . Displacing tolerance of the fiber bundle arrays is less than 4 micrometers and the angular tilt error is less than 0.03 degree. It has the feature of high density, high precision, array permutation and easy to couple with 2D CMOS/SEED smart pixel device

Real-Time Scalable Visual Tracking via Quadrangle Kernelized Correlation Filters

Correlation filter (CF) has been widely used in tracking tasks due to its simplicity and high efficiency. However, conventional CF-based trackers fail to handle the scale variation that occurs when the targeted object is moving, which is one of the most notable unsolved problems of visual object tracking. In this paper, we propose a scalable visual tracking algorithm based on kernelized correlation filters, referred to as quadrangle kernelized correlation filters (QKCF). Unlike existing complicated scalable trackers that either perform the correlation filtering operation multiple times or extract many candidate windows at various scales, our tracker intends to estimate the scale of the object based on the positions of its four corners, which can be detected using a new Gaussian training output matrix within one filtering process. After obtaining four peak values corresponding to the four corners, we measure the detection confidence of each part response by evaluating its spatial and temporal smoothness. On top of it, a weighted Bayesian inference framework is employed to estimate the final location and size of the bounding box from the response matrix, where the weights are synchronized with the calculated detection likelihoods. Experiments are performed on the OTB-100 data set and 16 benchmark sequences with significant scale variations. The results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method in terms of both effectiveness and robustness, compared with the state-of-the-art methods

Association between exposure to noise and risk of hypertension: A meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies

Background and Objective: An increasing amount of original studies suggested that exposure to noise could be associated with the risk of hypertension, but the results remain inconsistent and inconclusive. We aimed to synthesize available epidemiological evidence about the relationship between various types of noise and hypertension, and to explore the potential dose-response relationship between them in an up-to-date meta-analysis. Methods: We conducted a literature search of PubMed and Embase from these databases’ inception through December 2016 to identify observational epidemiological studies examining the association between noise and risk of hypertension. A Random-effects model was used to combine the results of included studies. Dose-response meta-analysis was conducted to examine the potential dose-response relationship. Results: Thirty-two studies (five cohort studies, one case-control study, and twenty-six cross-section Studies) involving 264,678 participants were eligible for inclusion. Pooled result showed that living or working in environment with noise exposure was significantly associated with increase risk of hypertension (OR 1.62; 95% CI: 1.40 to 1.88). We found no evidence of a curve linear association between noise and risk of hypertension. Dose-response analysis suggested that, for an increment of per 10 dB(A) of noise, the combined odds ratio of hypertension was 1.06 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.08). Conclusions: Integrated epidemiological evidence supports the hypothesis that exposure to noise may be a risk factor of hypertension, and there is a positive dose-response association between them

Reporting quality and statistical analysis of published dose-response meta-analyses was suboptimal: A cross-sectional literature survey

Objective To investigate the characteristics, methodological quality, and reporting of statistical analyses of published dose-response meta-analyses (DRMAs). Study Design and Setting We searched PubMed to identify DRMAs published in 2017. The reporting characteristics and methodological qualities were assessed by the PRISMA (27 items) and AMSTAR (11 items) respectively. We also summarized the reporting of statistical analyses of included DRMAs. Results We identified 93 DRMAs, most of which (59/93) were conducted by Chinese researchers, the main outcome was the incidence of cancers. Of the PRISMA and AMSTAR items, twenty and five were well complied (80% or more) respectively. The compliance rates of several PRISMA checklist items, such as structured summary, objectives, protocol and registration, and funding, were less than 50%. There were no criteria to estimate the doses for the open-ended intervals of exposure or intervention doses. When the restricted cubic splines were used to fit nonlinear dose-response relationships, there were also no criteria to determine the fixed knots. Conclusion The adherence to the methodological items of reporting guidelines and statistical analysis of published DRMAs were suboptimal. Development of reporting guidelines to assist authors in writing and readers in critically appraising the reports of DRMAs is timely

Preparation, Properties and Applications of Pre-gelatinized Starch on Starch Based Foods

With the continuous development of modified starch, people's demand for the functional characteristics, safety, and convenience of modified starch has increased significantly. Pre-gelatinized starch (PGS) is a type of starch modified by physical methods, which is a modified starch particle without obvious crystallization obtained by rapid dehydration and drying after starch gelatinization. PGS has a porous and hydrogen-bonded fracture structure, which has the advantages of good cold water solubility, strong water retention ability and high viscoelasticity. Cold water can be mixed into paste during application, eliminating the step of heating and gelatinization. Therefore, as a biodegradable raw material with excellent performance, PGS has important application value in the fields of flour products, low-temperature meat products, condiments and other leisure starch-based foods. This paper briefly introduces the definition, preparation methods, properties, and influencing factors of PGS performance, focuses on the current application status of PGS in starch-based foods, and points out the future research direction of PGS in the field of food, aiming to provide some references for promoting the application of PGS in the food industry

Device-independent verification of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering

If the presence of entanglement could be certified in a device-independent (DI) way, it is likely to provide various quantum information processing tasks with unconditional security. Recently, it was shown that a DI protocol, combining measurement-device-independent techniques with self-testing, is able to verify all entangled states, however, it imposes demanding requirements on its practical implementation. Here, we present a less-demanding protocol based on Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering, which is achievable with current technology. Particularly, we first establish a complete framework for DI verification of EPR steering and show that all steerable states can be verified. Then, we analyze the three-measurement setting case, allowing for imperfections of self-testing. Finally, a four-photon experiment is implemented to device-independently verify EPR steering and to further demonstrate that even Bell local states can be faithfully verified. Our findings pave the way for realistic applications of secure quantum information tasksComment: 6+8 pages; Comments are welcom

Research Progress on Starch Digestibility Regulated by Multi-scale Structure and Physical Modification

Starch provides essential calories for the body's vital activities, but it usually has a high glycemic index. The digestion of starch tends to lead to a steep increase in blood sugar levels, insulin resistance and health risk. The digestibility of starch is related to its multi-scale structure. The regulations of starch digestibility can be achieved by altering its multi-scale structure through the modifications. However, the physical modification has received more and more attention due to its safety, simplicity and environmental friendliness. Based on this, the digestibility of starch is outlined. The relationship between the multi-scale structure and digestive properties of starch is analyzed. The digestive properties of starch regulated by physical modifications, such as hydrothermal treatment, microwave, extrusion, high-pressure homogenization, ultrasonic, cold plasma and physical encapsulation are reviewed. The future research directions on starch digestibility are also provided

A 1HNMR-Based Metabonomics Study of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Intervention Effects of Er-Xian Decoction in Ovariectomized Rats

A metabonomics method using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HNMR) was applied to obtain a systematic view of the development and progression of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), 26 and 34 characteristic resonances were found respectively in urine and plasma of ovariectomized rats (Variable importance, VIP value ≥1.0), and the significant altered metabolites identified in the plasma and urine were 10 and 9, respectively. Changes in these metabolites were related to the pathways of lipid, energy and amino acid metabolism, some of which involved the oxidative system. The described method was also used to analyze the therapeutic effects of Er-Xian Decoction (EXD), a traditional Chinese medicine widely used in the clinical treatment of osteoporosis in China. The results showed that EXD administration could provide satisfactory effects on osteoporosis through partially regulating the perturbed pathways of lipid, energy and amino acid metabolism and improving the anti-oxidative ability