Observation of strong attenuation within the photonic band gap of multiconnected networks

We theoretically and experimentally study a photonic band gap (PBG) material made of coaxial cables. The coaxial cables are waveguides for the electromagnetic waves and provide paths for direct wave interference within the material. Using multiconnected coaxial cables to form a unit cell, we realize PBGs via (i) direct interference between the waveguides within each cell and (ii) scattering among different cells. We systematically investigate the transmission of EM waves in our PBG materials and discuss the mechanism of band gap formation. We observe experimentally for the first time the wide band gap with strong attenuation caused by direct destructive interference

Modeling and Experimental Study of a Novel Multi-DOF Parallel Soft Robot

In view of the demand for flexible drive and large load of the soft robot in the practical application, a novel type of flexible-actuated multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) parallel soft robot is designed. The proposed robot in parallel combination of three groups of flexible-actuated elements (FAEs) realizes large load by increasing the bearing area at the connection between flexible-actuated units (FAUs). In order to improve the driving flexibility, the multi-layer FAU is used to drive independently in parallel so as to realize omnidirectional bending movement by pneumatic drive. With the coupled analysis in terms of motion and force, the mapping model of kinematic attitude parameters and the external load force with output air pressure value is established. Finally, an experimental prototype is developed and an experimental test platform is built. Then, the comparison among the experimental data, simulation results and theoretical results verifies the capability of multi-DOF omnidirectional movement and flexible-actuated large load

Virtualization for Distributed Ledger Technology (vDLT)

Recently, with the tremendous development of crypto-currencies, distributed ledger technology (DLT) (e.g., blockchain) has attracted significant attention. The traditional Internet was originally design to to handle the exchange of information. With DLT, we will have the Internet of value. Although DLT has great potential to create new foundations for our economic and social systems, the existing DLT has a number of drawbacks (e.g., scalability) that prevent it from being used as a generic platform for distributed

Edge Cache-based ISP-CP Collaboration Scheme for Content Delivery Services

With the explosive increase of mobile data traffic, content delivery issue in the Internet is a growing concern for both Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and content providers (CPs). To improve content transmission efficiency and reduce network delay, many ISP-CP cooperation schemes are designed, parts of which are trying to introduce the idea of in-network caching. However, the combination influence of edge cache and content popularity is largely ignored in the existing solutions. Therefore, we propose a novel edge cache-based ISP-CP collaboration model for content delivery services, where the two important factors are simultaneously taken into account. Then, the model is analyzed to obtain the maximal network profit from the perspective of online and offline, respectively. Simulation results show that the profit gains of the proposed solution over the existing Internet models only considering cooperation between ISPs and CPs in the heterogeneous network environments

RNA export factor RAE1 contributes to NUP98-HOXA9-mediated leukemogenesis

金沢大学フロンティアサイエンス機構Chromosomal translocations involving chimeric fusions of the nucleoporin NUP98 protein have often been described in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). All the fusion proteins have an identical NUP98 N terminus, which contains the GLEBS motif for interaction with the mRNA export factor RAE1 and FG repeats that associate with the transcription factors HDAC1 and p300. It is virtually unknown whether these interaction partners affect leukemogenesis. We previously showed that RAE1 depletion caused aneuploidy, which enhanced tumorigenesis. We speculated that RAE1 may also be directly involved in NUP98 fusion-mediated leukemogenesis. We show here that RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of NUP98 caused severe chromosome segregation defects and disrupted RAE1 but not HDAC1 expression and localization. Next, we performed rescue experiments to confirm that the RAE1-NUP98 complex orchestrates proper chromosome segregation. Interestingly, we found diverse behaviors of NUP98 and the leukemogenic fusion protein NUP98-HOXA9 throughout the cell cycle. Strikingly, in NUP98-HOXA9-transfected cells, RAE1 protein were reduced and mis-localized. Our cellular interpretations were further confirmed by NUP98-HOXA9 transgenic mice and the NUP98-HOXA9 AML patient. These data suggest that RAE1 orchestrates NUP98-mediated leukemogenesis and raise the possibility that targeting this negative feedback loop may provide a new strategy for the therapy of aggressive leukemias. © 2011 Landes Bioscience

Using Satellite Data for the Characterization of Local Animal Reservoir Populations of Hantaan Virus on the Weihe Plain, China

Striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) are the main host for the Hantaan virus (HTNV), the cause of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in central China. It has been shown that host population density is associated with pathogen dynamics and disease risk. Thus, a higher population density of A. agrarius in an area might indicate a higher risk for an HFRS outbreak. Here, we surveyed the A. agrarius population density between 2005 and 2012 on the Weihe Plain, Shaanxi Province, China, and used this monitoring data to examine the relationships between the dynamics of A. agrarius populations and environmental conditions of crop-land, represented by remote sensing based indicators. These included the normalized difference vegetation index, leaf area index, fraction of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by vegetation, net photosynthesis (PsnNet), gross primary productivity, and land surface temperature. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to detect the possible causal relationship between PsnNet, A. agrarius population density and HFRS risk. The results showed that A. agrarius was the most frequently captured species with a capture rate of 0.9 individuals per hundred trap-nights, during 96 months of trapping in the study area. The risk of HFRS was highly associated with the abundance of A. agrarius, with a 1–5-month lag. The breeding season of A. agrarius was also found to coincide with agricultural activity and seasons with high PsnNet. The SEM indicated that PsnNet had an indirect positive effect on HFRS incidence via rodents. In conclusion, the remote sensing-based environmental indicator, PsnNet, was highly correlated with HTNV reservoir population dynamics with a 3-month lag (r = 0.46, p < 0.01), and may serve as a predictor of potential HFRS outbreaks

Research on Measures for TBT of Pork Export

With the deepening of economic globalization and increasingly fierce of competition of trade liberalization in WTO member countries, the effect of traditional trade protection measures is gradually weakening or even removed. In recent years, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) as a category of nontariff barriers to trade, are the widely divergent measures that countries use to regulate markets, protect their consumers, or preserve their natural resources (among other objectives), but they also can be used (or perceived by foreign countries) to discriminate against imports in order to protect domestic industries. These directly or indirectly lead to gradual rise of trade friction of China’s pork export. This paper analyzed background and significance of measures for TBT of pork export, current situations of researches on TBT both at home and abroad, and came up with new ideas and viewpoints for further strengthening measures for TBT of pork export

Research on the International Export Competitiveness of Honey – Taking Anhui Province as an example

This article uses the data of honey export from 2000 to 2013 (Jan. to Aug.) to make an analysis on the fluctuation of honey export number and price in Anhui Province in order to know about the current situation of honey export in Anhui Province. Then it quantitatively makes an analysis on the current situation of international export competitiveness of honey in Anhui Province by market share, trade competitiveness index, export quality index and other methods; It also uses the analysis result to find out the relevant factors that affect the international honey export competitiveness and proposes the relevant countermeasures to improve the international competitiveness of honey in Anhui Province

Experimental Study of the Creep Disturbance Effect and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Mudstone with Different Moisture Contents

It is important to have a clear understanding of the creep characteristics of water-rich soft rocks under a dynamic load and the evolution of cracks because soft rock roadways in deep mines are very sensitive to disturbances, and instability and damage can easily occur under the impact of disturbances such as mining and blasting. In this study, a self-developed disturbed creep test bench was used to conduct graded loading creep disturbance tests on mudstone specimens with different moisture contents. The results show that an increase in the moisture content leads to a significant increase in the creep failure strain of mudstone, and the accelerated creep rate is greatly accelerated. Moreover, as the moisture content increases, the type of mudstone creep disturbance failure gradually changes from accelerated creep failure to disturbance failure. By analyzing the acoustic emission (AE) characteristics of the mudstone creep disturbance tests, it was found that the increase in the moisture content greatly weakens the AE count and the accumulated energy. In each stage of disturbance, the AE signals jumped, and the stability was restored at the end of the disturbance. As the load increased, the specimen entered the accelerated creep stage, the AE signal increased exponentially, and the internal cracks expanded rapidly until failure occurred. It is of great significance to carry out creep disturbance experiments and to analyze the evolution of the internal cracks in specimens with different moisture contents to maintain the long-term stability of deep soft rocks