Dynamic Structure in Four-strategy Game: Theory and Experiment

Game dynamics theory, as a field of science, the consistency of theory and experiment is essential. In the past 10 years, important progress has been made in the merging of the theory and experiment in this field, in which dynamics cycle is the presentation. However, the merging works have not got rid of the constraints of Euclidean two-dimensional cycle so far. This paper uses a classic four-strategy game to study the dynamic structure (non-Euclidean superplane cycle). The consistency is in significant between the three ways: (1) the analytical results from evolutionary dynamics equations, (2) agent-based simulation results from learning models and (3) laboratory results from human subjects game experiments. The consistency suggests that, game dynamic structure could be quantitatively predictable, observable and controllable in general.Comment: game theory; laboratory game experiment; eigenvector; dynamics system theor

Clinical and cognitive correlates tractography analysis in patients with white matter hyperintensity of vascular origin

PurposeWhite matter hyperintensity lesions (WMHL) in the brain are a consequence of cerebral small vessel disease and microstructural damage. Patients with WMHL have diverse clinical features, and hypertension, advanced age, obesity, and cognitive decline are often observed. However, whether these clinical features are linked to interrupted structural connectivity in the brain requires further investigation. This study therefore explores the white matter pathways associated with WMHL, with the objective of identifying neural correlates for clinical features in patients with WMHL.MethodsDiffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and several clinical features (MoCA scores, hypertension scores, body mass index (BMI), duration of hypertension, total white matter lesion loads, and education.) highly related to WMHL were obtained in 16 patients with WMHL and 20 health controls. We used diffusion MRI connectometry to explore the relationship between clinical features and specific white matter tracts using DSI software.ResultsThe results showed that the anterior splenium of the corpus callosum, the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, the anterior corpus callosum and the middle cerebellar peduncle were significantly correlated with hypertension scores (false discovery rate (FDR) = 0.044). The anterior splenium of the corpus callosum, the left thalamoparietal tract, the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and the left cerebellar were significantly correlated with MoCA scores (FDR = 0.016). The anterior splenium of corpus callosum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, cingulum fasciculus, and fornix/fimbria were significantly correlated with body mass index (FDR = 0.001).ConclusionOur findings show that hypertension score, MoCA score, and BMI are important clinical features in patients with WMHL, hypertension degree and higher BMI are associated with whiter matter local disconnection in patients with WMHL, and may contribute to understanding the cognitive impairments observed in patients with WMHL

Single-cell RNA sequencing highlights the role of PVR/PVRL2 in the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma

IntroductionThe conflict between cancer cells and the host immune system shapes the immune tumour microenvironment (TME) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A deep understanding of the heterogeneity and intercellular communication network in the TME of HCC will provide promising strategies to orchestrate the immune system to target and eradicate cancers.MethodsHere, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and computational analysis of 35786 unselected single cells from 3 human HCC tumour and 3 matched adjacent samples to elucidate the heterogeneity and intercellular communication network of the TME. The specific lysis of HCC cell lines was examined in vitro using cytotoxicity assays. Granzyme B concentration in supernatants of cytotoxicity assays was measured by ELISA.ResultsWe found that VCAN+ tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) might undergo M2-like polarization and differentiate in the tumour region. Regulatory dendritic cells (DCs) exhibited immune regulatory and tolerogenic phenotypes in the TME. Furthermore, we observed intensive potential intercellular crosstalk among C1QC+ TAMs, regulatory DCs, regulator T (Treg) cells, and exhausted CD8+ T cells that fostered an immunosuppressive niche in the HCC TME. Moreover, we identified that the TIGIT-PVR/PVRL2 axis provides a prominent coinhibitory signal in the immunosuppressive TME. In vitro, antibody blockade of PVR or PVRL2 on HCC cell lines or TIGIT blockade on immune cells increased immune cell-mediated lysis of tumour cell. This enhanced immune response is paralleled by the increased secretion of Granzyme B by immune cells.DiscussionCollectively, our study revealed the functional state, clinical significance, and intercellular communication of immunosuppressive cells in HCC at single-cell resolution. Moreover, PVR/PVRL2, interact with TIGIT act as prominent coinhibitory signals and might represent a promising, efficacious immunotherapy strategy in HCC

Evaluation of the shape symmetry of bilateral normal corneas in a Chinese population.

To investigate the bilateral symmetry of the global corneal topography in normal corneas with a wide range of curvature, astigmatism and thickness values.Cross-Sectional Study.Topography images were recorded for the anterior and posterior surfaces of 342 participants using a Pentacam. Elevation data were fitted to a general quadratic model that considered both translational and rotational displacements. Comparisons between fellow corneas of estimates of corneal shape parameters (elevation, radius in two main directions, Rx and Ry, and corresponding shape factors, Qx and Qy) and corneal position parameters (translational displacements: x0, y0 and z0, and rotational displacements: α, β and γ) were statistically analyzed.The general quadratic model provided average RMS of fit errors with the topography data of 1.7±0.6 µm and 5.7±1.3 µm in anterior and posterior corneal surfaces. The comparisons showed highly significant bilateral correlations with the differences between fellow corneas in Rx, Ry, Qx and Qy of anterior and posterior surfaces remaining insignificantly different from zero. Bilateral differences in elevation measurements at randomly-selected points in both corneal central and peripheral areas indicated strong mirror symmetry between fellow corneas. The mean geometric center (x0, y0, z0) of both right and left corneas was located on the temporal side and inferior-temporal side of the apex in anterior and posterior topography map, respectively. Rotational displacement angle α along X axis had similar distributions in bilateral corneas, while rotation angle β along Y axis showed both eyes tilting towards the nasal side. Further, rotation angle γ along Z axis, which is related to corneal astigmatism, showed clear mirror symmetry.Analysis of corneal topography demonstrated strong and statistically-significant mirror symmetry between bilateral corneas. This characteristic could help in detection of pathological abnormalities, disease diagnosis, measurement validation and surgery planning

Association between Offset of the Pupil Center from the Corneal Vertex and Wavefront Aberration

Purpose: To investigate the influence of offsets of the pupil center from the corneal vertex on wavefront aberrations in the anterior cornea and the whole eye. Methods: Both right and left eyes of 103 subjects were measured for the wavefront aberrations in the anterior cornea, along with the offset of the pupil center relative to the corneal vertex, using a Humphrey corneal topographer, and for the wavefront aberration in the whole eye using a WASCA wavefront sensor. Correlations of the pupil center offsets with the Zernike aberrations were tested. Results: X-axis shift of the pupil center from the corneal vertex was significantly correlated to horizontal coma for both the right (r = 0.54, P<0.0001) and left eyes (r=0.48, P<0.0001) in the cornea, but was weakly correlated to the coma in the whole eye (r=0.17, P=0.04 for OD; and r=0.17, P=0.05 for OS). Significant but weak correlations with the x-axis pupil center shift were also found for several other Zernike aberrations, including the oblique astigmatism, vertical trefoil and secondary astigmatism. Very few Zernike aberrations were significantly correlated to y-axis pupil center shift. Most Zernike aberrations were significantly correlated between the right and left eyes to produce bilateral symmetry in the cornea and the whole eye. Conclusions: The results suggest that offset of the pupil center from the corneal vertex plays an important role in determining horizontal coma and few other Zernike aberrations. Factors controlling bilateral symmetry of the wavefront aberrations between the two eyes could make important contributions to wavefront aberrations in the human eye

Remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil by biodegradable chelator-induced washing: Efficiencies and mechanisms.

Biodegradable chelators (BCs) are promising substitutes for conventional washing agents in the remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil with strong complexing ability and less cost. However, great challenges for the applications of BC-assisted washing still exist, such as the assessment of the factor affecting the efficiency of metal removal and the unclear of the metal removal mechanism. Batch washing was therefore explored to evaluate the potential for four BCs for removing Cd, Pb, and Zn from polluted soils. The soil spectroscopic characteristics before and after washing were also investigated. The results demonstrated that iminodisuccinic acid (ISA) and glutamate-N, N-diacetic acid (GLDA) were an appealing alternative to commonly used non-biodegradable ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, but glucomonocarbonic acid (GCA) and polyaspartic acid (PASP) were less efficient. Optimal parameters of BCs were determined to be a concentration of 50 mmol L-1, a pH of 5.0, a contact time of 120 min, and a solid/liquid ratio of 1:5, considering metal removal efficiencies and the suitable cost. A single removal washing could be up to 52.39% of Cd, 71.79% of Pb, and 34.13% of Zn from mine soil, and 98.28% of Cd, 91.10% of Pb, and 90.91% of Zn from polluted farmland soil. After washing, the intensity of heavy metal binding to soil colloids increased while the metal mobility reduced because of weakly bound fractions removed by BCs. The BCs-induced soil washing revealed that the possible mechanisms of metal removal included the acid dissolution, ion exchange, and surface complexation. Our findings highlight the potential application of especially ISA and GLDA as efficient washing agents to remove potentially toxic elements from contaminated soils