Structural state detection using quaternion-based three-channel joint transmissibility

This paper presented the use of quaternion-based three-channel joint transmissibility (QTJT) in structural state detection. During the detection process, the time-domain pure quaternion sequences were obtained based on the three dimensional spatial vibration signals from two different testing points. Then QTJTs of the object structure under different states were calculated by discrete quaternion Fourier transform (DQFT). Subsequently, modular vectors of the QTJTs were utilized to construct the state matrix of the object structure and the Karhunen-Loeve Transform (K-LT) was employed to calculate the state feature index vectors. Finally, Euclidean distance between state feature index vectors was obtained, which was considered as the state indicator. An actual experiment was performed on the test platform of ballastless track and the result with 100 percent correct identification was achieved. Combined with the experimental results, the advantages of QTJT comparing to transmissibility based on scalar signals were discussed. The QTJT can be used when the vibration composes from multiple dimensional synchronous vibrations. And more importantly, the QTJT is consistent with its theoretical value in spite of the installation orientation of the sensors

Harmine Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment by Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Enhancing the BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway in STZ-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction. Harmine not only effectively improves the symptoms of DM but also provides neuroprotective effects in central nervous system diseases. However, whether harmine has an effect on diabetes-induced cognitive dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, the learning and memory abilities of rats were evaluated by the Morris water maze test. Changes in the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein (NOD)-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/TrkB signaling pathway were determined in both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and high glucose (HG)-treated SH-SY5Y cells by western blotting and histochemistry. Herein, we found that harmine administration significantly ameliorated learning and memory impairment in diabetic rats. Further study showed that harmine inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as demonstrated by reduced NLRP3, ASC, cleaved caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 levels, in the cortex of harmine-treated rats with DM. Harmine was observed to have similar beneficial effects in HG-treated neuronal cells. Moreover, we found that harmine treatment enhanced BDNF and phosphorylated TrkB levels in both the cortex of STZ-induced diabetic rats and HG-treated cells. These data indicate that harmine mitigates cognitive impairment by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and enhancing the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway. Thus, our findings suggest that harmine is a potential therapeutic drug for diabetes-induced cognitive dysfunction

Effects of hypoxia on serum hepatic chemistries of Tibet chicken and Shouguang chicken

Hypoxia is a major factor that affects the subsistence and development of multicellular organisms. Tibet chicken, as a unique native chicken breed in altiplano, shows genetic adaptation to hypoxia comparing with the breeds at the low altitude. In the present study, to explore effects of hypoxia on chicken fetal livers, eggs of Tibet chicken and Shouguang chicken were collected and the samples from each breed were divided into two groups, incubated in hypoxia and in normoxia respectively. The blood of embryos on the 16th day of incubation was collected and the serum chemistry  parameters indicating liver metabolism were determined, which included glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB), total bile acid (TBA), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatease (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), glucose and creatinine. The results show that biochemical indices varied significantly between hypoxia and normoxia except for GPT and glucose. Moreover, the concentration of ALP and LDH showed significant differences between the breeds and the incubations. The results suggest that the livers of both Shouguang chicken and Tibet chicken suffered damages in hypoxia, but the former was more serious. The results of this study support the opinion that Tibet chicken had better genetic adaptability on hypoxia, and made a good basis for further study of the genetic mechanism of adaptation to hypoxia.Key words: Hypoxia adaptation, liver metabolism, serum chemistry, Tibet chicken, chicken embryo

Structural state inspection using dual-tree quaternion wavelet transform

The dual-tree quaternion wavelet transform (QWT) was used in conjunction with quaternion-based three-channel joint transmissibility (QTJT) for state inspection. Multiple QTJTs from the same structural state were used to construct a state matrix, which was considered as a feature image. Then QWT coefficients of the feature image were calculated. It supported one magnitude and three phases, in particular, the low-frequency magnitude-phase was set as state feature index. Ultimately, the difference of the state feature indexes were utilized as the state indicator. This method reduced the influence on state inspection caused by measurement uncertainty of single testing sample, because it took overall consideration of multiple testing samples and described the similarity from multiple directions. The availability of suggested method was demonstrated by a real experiment, in which the state changing was realized by loosening fasteners and altering the longitudinal force of rail. This method was also compared with method based on Karhunen-Loeve Transform (K-LT) and artificial neural network (ANN). Experimental result indicated that the suggested method was integrated optimal, moreover, the resolution of the longitudinal force of rail was less than 10 MPa which was equivalent to temperature change of 1.75 °C for full-lock rail

Structural state detection using quaternion-based three-channel joint transmissibility

This paper presented the use of quaternion-based three-channel joint transmissibility (QTJT) in structural state detection. During the detection process, the time-domain pure quaternion sequences were obtained based on the three dimensional spatial vibration signals from two different testing points. Then QTJTs of the object structure under different states were calculated by discrete quaternion Fourier transform (DQFT). Subsequently, modular vectors of the QTJTs were utilized to construct the state matrix of the object structure and the Karhunen-Loeve Transform (K-LT) was employed to calculate the state feature index vectors. Finally, Euclidean distance between state feature index vectors was obtained, which was considered as the state indicator. An actual experiment was performed on the test platform of ballastless track and the result with 100 percent correct identification was achieved. Combined with the experimental results, the advantages of QTJT comparing to transmissibility based on scalar signals were discussed. The QTJT can be used when the vibration composes from multiple dimensional synchronous vibrations. And more importantly, the QTJT is consistent with its theoretical value in spite of the installation orientation of the sensors

A near complete genome assembly of chia assists in identification of key fatty acid desaturases in developing seeds

Chia is an annual crop whose seeds have the highest content of α-linolenic acid (ALA) of any plant known to date. We generated a high-quality assembly of the chia genome using circular consensus sequencing (CCS) of PacBio. The assembled six chromosomes are composed of 21 contigs and have a total length of 361.7 Mb. Genome annotation revealed a 53.5% repeat content and 35,850 protein-coding genes. Chia shared a common ancestor with Salvia splendens ~6.1 million years ago. Utilizing the reference genome and two transcriptome datasets, we identified candidate fatty acid desaturases responsible for ALA biosynthesis during chia seed development. Because the seed of S. splendens contains significantly lower proportion of ALA but similar total contents of unsaturated fatty acids, we suggest that strong expression of two ShFAD3 genes are critical for the high ALA content of chia seeds. This genome assembly will serve as a valuable resource for breeding, comparative genomics, and functional genomics studies of chia

The genome of broomcorn millet

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is the most water-efficient cereal and one of the earliest domesticated plants. Here we report its high-quality, chromosome-scale genome assembly using a combination of short-read sequencing, single-molecule real-time sequencing, Hi-C, and a high-density genetic map. Phylogenetic analyses reveal two sets of homologous chromosomes that may have merged ~5.6 million years ago, both of which exhibit strong synteny with other grass species. Broomcorn millet contains 55,930 proteincoding genes and 339 microRNA genes. We find Paniceae-specific expansion in several subfamilies of the BTB (broad complex/tramtrack/bric-a-brac) subunit of ubiquitin E3 ligases, suggesting enhanced regulation of protein dynamics may have contributed to the evolution of broomcorn millet. In addition, we identify the coexistence of all three C4 subtypes of carbon fixation candidate genes. The genome sequence is a valuable resource for breeders and will provide the foundation for studying the exceptional stress tolerance as well as C4 biology

The Identification of Lymphocyte-Like Cells and Lymphoid-Related Genes in Amphioxus Indicates the Twilight for the Emergency of Adaptive Immune System

To seek evidence of a primitive adaptive immune system (AIS) before vertebrate, we examined whether lymphocytes or lymphocyte-like cells and the related molecules participating in the lymphocyte function existed in amphioxus. Anatomical analysis by electron microscopy revealed the presence of lymphocyte-like cells in gills, and these cells underwent morphological changes in response to microbial pathogens that are reminiscent of those of mammalian lymphocytes executing immune response to microbial challenge. In addition, a systematic comparative analysis of our cDNA database of amphioxus identified a large number of genes whose vertebrate counterparts are involved in lymphocyte function. Among these genes, several genes were found to be expressed in the vicinity of the lymphocyte-like cells by in situ hybridization and up-regulated after exposure to microbial pathogens. Our findings in the amphioxus indicate the twilight for the emergency of AIS before the invertebrate-vertebrate transition during evolution

Cassava genome from a wild ancestor to cultivated varieties

Cassava is a major tropical food crop in the Euphorbiaceae family that has high carbohydrate production potential and adaptability to diverse environments. Here we present the draft genome sequences of a wild ancestor and a domesticated variety of cassava and comparative analyses with a partial inbred line. We identify 1,584 and 1,678 gene models specific to the wild and domesticated varieties, respectively, and discover high heterozygosity and millions of single-nucleotide variations. Our analyses reveal that genes involved in photosynthesis, starch accumulation and abiotic stresses have been positively selected, whereas those involved in cell wall biosynthesis and secondary metabolism, including cyanogenic glucoside formation, have been negatively selected in the cultivated varieties, reflecting the result of natural selection and domestication. Differences in microRNA genes and retrotransposon regulation could partly explain an increased carbon flux towards starch accumulation and reduced cyanogenic glucoside accumulation in domesticated cassava. These results may contribute to genetic improvement of cassava through better understanding of its biology