The theory analysis and design for large parameter weak signal detector based on bistable stochastic resonance

Volume 3 Issue 11 (November 2015

Provenance in Data Interoperability for Multi-Sensor Intercomparison

As our inventory of Earth science data sets grows, the ability to compare, merge and fuse multiple datasets grows in importance. This requires a deeper data interoperability than we have now. Efforts such as Open Geospatial Consortium and OPeNDAP (Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol) have broken down format barriers to interoperability; the next challenge is the semantic aspects of the data. Consider the issues when satellite data are merged, cross-calibrated, validated, inter-compared and fused. We must match up data sets that are related, yet different in significant ways: the phenomenon being measured, measurement technique, location in space-time or quality of the measurements. If subtle distinctions between similar measurements are not clear to the user, results can be meaningless or lead to an incorrect interpretation of the data. Most of these distinctions trace to how the data came to be: sensors, processing and quality assessment. For example, monthly averages of satellite-based aerosol measurements often show significant discrepancies, which might be due to differences in spatio- temporal aggregation, sampling issues, sensor biases, algorithm differences or calibration issues. Provenance information must be captured in a semantic framework that allows data inter-use tools to incorporate it and aid in the intervention of comparison or merged products. Semantic web technology allows us to encode our knowledge of measurement characteristics, phenomena measured, space-time representation, and data quality attributes in a well-structured, machine-readable ontology and rulesets. An analysis tool can use this knowledge to show users the provenance-related distrintions between two variables, advising on options for further data processing and analysis. An additional problem for workflows distributed across heterogeneous systems is retrieval and transport of provenance. Provenance may be either embedded within the data payload, or transmitted from server to client in an out-of-band mechanism. The out of band mechanism is more flexible in the richness of provenance information that can be accomodated, but it relies on a persistent framework and can be difficult for legacy clients to use. We are prototyping the embedded model, incorporating provenance within metadata objects in the data payload. Thus, it always remains with the data. The downside is a limit to the size of provenance metadata that we can include, an issue that will eventually need resolution to encompass the richness of provenance information required for daata intercomparison and merging

Combination of thymosin α1 with conventional therapy improves APC and IL-1R1 levels in children with severe pneumonia

Purpose: To investigate the effect of a combination of thymosin α1 with  conventional regimen on APC and IL-1R1 levels in children with severe pneumonia, and to provide a reference for its clinical treatment.Methods: A total of 96 children with severe pneumonia over a period of two years were divided into control and observation groups (48 cases per  group) by random number table method. The patients consisted of 46 males and 50 females within the age range of 0.1 - 6 years (mean age = 3.0 ± 1.2 years), and mean duration of 13.4 ± 2.2 days). Their acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) was 20.3 ± 3.2 points. Patients in the control group were placed on conventional treatment programs, while those in the observation group, in addition to the  conventional treatments, received thymosin α1 (subcutaneous injection of thymosin α1 at a dose of 1.5 mg per injection) twice daily for the first 3 days, then once daily until the 7th day, after which the adverse reactions were observed and treated. Pulmonary function indices, and levels of APC, and IL-1R1 were also determined in the patients’ sera before and after the treatment regime.Results: The clinical efficacy of the observation group was significantly better (p < 0.05) than that of control. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the indices of pulmonary function (maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure, and peak expiratory flow) between the two groups before treatment. However, after treatment they were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the observation group than in control. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in APC and IL-1R1 levels between the two groups before treatment, but after treatment, while the level of APC in the observation group was significantly increased (p < 0.05), the IL-1R1 level was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), when compared to the control group. Both groups showed no obvious adverse reactions during the treatmentregime.Conclusion: Combining thymosin α1 with routine treatment in the  management of children with severe pneumonia can significantly alleviate the symptoms of patients, greatly stimulate recovery of pulmonary function, improve APC and IL-1R1 levels, and prevent inflammation.Keywords: Pneumonia, Thymosin α1, Routine treatment, Inflammatory factors, Pulmonary functio

Activation of Cyclooxygenase-2 by ATF4 During Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Regulates Kidney Podocyte Autophagy Induced by Lupus Nephritis

Background/Aims: Autophagy plays an essential role in lupus nephritis (LN)-induced kidney injury, although the mechanism of action remains obscure. We investigated the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the ATF4 endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway in LN-induced podocyte autophagy. Methods: We evaluated podocyte autophagy in a mouse model of LN. Protein levels of COX-2 and ATF4, and markers of autophagy, were evaluated by immunofluorescence and western blotting. To evaluate apoptosis, levels of PGE2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: LN induced kidney damage and dysfunction, which was associated with podocyte autophagy. COX-2 and the ATF4 ER stress pathway were induced by LN in cultured podocytes. Inhibition of COX-2 inhibited LN-induced autophagy in podocytes. In addition, blocking ER stress with 4-phenylbutyrate or RNAi partially counteracted COX-2 overexpression and LN-induced autophagy, suggesting that ER stress is required for LN-induced kidney autophagy. Furthermore, LN activated ATF4 and induced its nuclear translocation. Knockdown of ATF4 inhibited LN-induced COX-2 overexpression. Conclusions: Our study suggests a novel molecular mechanism by which COX2 overexpression, induced by the ATF4 ER stress pathway, contributes to LN-induced kidney autophagy and injury. These data demonstrate that COX-2 may be a potential therapeutic target against LN-induced nephropathy

Activation of MET signaling by HDAC6 offers a rationale for a novel ricolinostat and crizotinib combinatorial therapeutic strategy in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma

Some histone deacetylases (HDACs) promote tumor cell growth and pan‐ or selective HDAC inhibitors are active in some cancers; however, the pivotal HDAC enzyme and its functions in human diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remain largely unknown. Using NanoString nCounter assays, we profiled HDAC mRNA expression and identified HDAC6 as an upregulated HDAC family member in DLBCL tissue samples. We then found that HDAC6 plays an oncogenic role in DLBCL, as evidenced by its promotion of cell proliferation in vitro and tumor xenograft growth in vivo. Mechanistically, the interaction between HDAC6 and HR23B downregulated HR23B expression, thereby reducing the levels of casitas B‐lineage lymphoma (c‐Cbl), an E3 ubiquitin ligase for hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET), which resulted in the inhibition of MET ubiquitination‐dependent degradation. In addition, enhanced HDAC6 expression and decreased HR23B expression were correlated with poor overall survival rates among patients with DLBCL. Taken together, these results establish an HDAC6–HR23B–MET axis and indicate that HDAC6 is a potent promoter of lymphomagenesis in DLBCL. Thus, a therapeutic strategy based on HDAC6 inhibitors in combination with MET inhibitors is promising. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146400/1/path5108_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146400/2/path5108.pd

Pilot Study on Image Quality and Radiation Dose of CT Colonography with Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction Three-Dimensional

Objective: To investigate image quality and radiation dose of CT colonography (CTC) with adaptive iterative dose reduction three-dimensional (AIDR3D). Methods: Ten segments of porcine colon phantom were collected, and 30 pedunculate polyps with diameters ranging from 1 to 15 mm were simulated on each segment. Image data were acquired with tube voltage of 120 kVp, and current doses of 10 mAs, 20 mAs, 30 mAs, 40 mAs, 50 mAs, respectively. CTC images were reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP) and AIDR3D. Two radiologists blindly evaluated image quality. Quantitative evaluation of image quality included image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Qualitative image quality was evaluated with a five-score scale. Radiation dose was calculated based on dose-length product. Ten volunteers were examined supine 50 mAs with FBP and prone 20 mAs with AIDR3D, and image qualities were assessed. Paired t test was performed for statistical analysis. Results: For 20 mAs with AIDR3D and 50 mAs with FBP, image noise, SNRs and CNRs were (16.4 ± 1.6) HU vs. (16.8 ± 2.6) HU, 1.9 ± 0.2 vs. 1.9 ± 0.4, and 62.3 ± 6.8 vs. 62.0 ± 6.2, respectively; qualitative image quality scores were 4.1 and 4.3, respectively; their differences were all not statistically significant. Compared with 50 mAs with FBP, radiation dose (1.62 mSv) of 20 mAs with AIDR3D was decreased by 60.0%. There was no statistically significant difference in image noise, SNRs, CNRs and qualitative image quality scores between prone 20 mAs with AIDR3D and supine 50 mAs with FBP in 10 volunteers, the former reduced radiation dose by 61.1%. Conclusion: Image quality of CTC using 20 mAs with AIDR3D could be comparable to standard 50 mAs with FBP, radiation dose of the former reduced by about 60.0% and was only 1.62 mSv

Inducing drop to bubble transformation via resonance in ultrasound

Bubble formation plays an important role in industries concerned with mineral flotation, food, cosmetics, and materials, which requires additional energy to produce the liquid–gas interfaces. A naturally observed fact is, owing to the effect of surface tension, a bubble film tends to retract to reduce its surface area. Here we show a “reverse” phenomenon whereby a drop is transformed into a bubble using acoustic levitation via acoustic resonance. Once the volume of the cavity encapsulated by the buckled film reaches a critical value V*, resonance occurs and an abrupt inflation is triggered, leading to the formation of a closed bubble. Experiments and simulations both reveal that V* decreases with increasing acoustic frequency, which agrees well with acoustic resonance theory. The results afford enlightening insights into acoustic resonance and highlight its role in manipulating buckled fluid–fluid interfaces, providing a reference for fabricating unique core–shell-like materials

Hypoglycemia and Death in Mice Following Experimental Exposure to an Extract of Trogia venenata Mushrooms

BACKGROUND: Clusters of sudden unexplained death (SUD) in Yunnan Province, China, have been linked to eating Trogia venenata mushrooms. We evaluated the toxic effect of this mushroom on mice. METHODS: We prepared extracts of fresh T. venenata and Laccaria vinaceoavellanea mushrooms collected from the environs of a village that had SUD. We randomly allocated mice into treatment groups and administered mushroom extracts at doses ranging from 500 to 3500 mg/kg and water (control) via a gavage needle. We observed mice for mortality for 7 days after a 3500 mg/kg dose and for 24 hours after doses from 500 to 3000 mg/kg. We determined biochemical markers from serum two hours after a 2000 mg/kg dose. RESULTS: Ten mice fed T. venenata extract (3500 mg/kg) died by five hours whereas all control mice (L. vinaceoavellanea extract and water) survived the seven-day observation period. All mice died by five hours after exposure to single doses of T. venenata extract ranging from 1500 to 3000 mg/kg, while the four mice exposed to a 500 mg/kg dose all survived. Mice fed 2000 mg/kg of T. venenata extract developed profound hypoglycemia (median= 0.66 mmol/L) two hours after exposure. DISCUSSION: Hypoglycemia and death within hours of exposure, a pattern unique among mushroom toxicity, characterize T. venenata poisoning

Preparation and Characterization of a Lovastatin-Loaded Protein-Free Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Resembling High-Density Lipoprotein and Evaluation of its Targeting to Foam Cells

This study was designed to investigate whether a non-protein nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) resembling high-density lipoprotein (HDL) could deliver a hydrophobic anti-atherogenic drug, lovastatin, to foam cells. Lovastatin-loaded NLC (LT-NLC) was prepared by a nanoprecipitation/solvent diffusion method. The LT-NLC-apoprotein (LT-NLC-apo) was prepared by incubating LT-NLC with native HDL. The physicochemical parameters of LT-NLC were characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential, morphology, entrapment efficiency, and crystallization behavior. Targeting behavior and mechanism were demonstrated by the incubation of LT-NLC-apo with a RAW 264.7 macrophage-derived foam cell model in the presence or absence of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lipase. The results showed that LT-NLC was solid spherical or oval in shape with an average diameter of 13.8 ± 2.2 nm, zeta potential of −29.3 ± 0.2 mV and entrapment efficiency of 96.2 ± 1.3%. Phagocytosis studies showed that uptake of LT-NLC-apo by macrophages was significantly lower than LT-NLC (p < 0.01), suggesting that LT-NLC-apo could possibly escape recognition from macrophages in vivo. The uptake was increased twofold when LT-NLC-apo was incubated with transfected foam cells containing VLDL and lipase. These results indicated that non-protein NLC resembling HDL could be a useful tool to deliver lipophilic anti-atherogenic drugs to foam cells, and that uptake could be enhanced by the VLDL receptor pathway