Optimal Resource Allocation for U-Shaped Parallel Split Learning

Split learning (SL) has emerged as a promising approach for model training without revealing the raw data samples from the data owners. However, traditional SL inevitably leaks label privacy as the tail model (with the last layers) should be placed on the server. To overcome this limitation, one promising solution is to utilize U-shaped architecture to leave both early layers and last layers on the user side. In this paper, we develop a novel parallel U-shaped split learning and devise the optimal resource optimization scheme to improve the performance of edge networks. In the proposed framework, multiple users communicate with an edge server for SL. We analyze the end-to-end delay of each client during the training process and design an efficient resource allocation algorithm, called LSCRA, which finds the optimal computing resource allocation and split layers. Our experimental results show the effectiveness of LSCRA and that U-shaped PSL can achieve a similar performance with other SL baselines while preserving label privacy. Index Terms: U-shaped network, split learning, label privacy, resource allocation, 5G/6G edge networks.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Study on the Current Situation and Utilization of Titanium Ore Resources in Yunnan

In view of the development and utilization of the titanium industry in Yunnan Province, the paper expounds the current situation and utilization of titanium resources in Yunnan Province, introduces the main mineralization and main element analysis results in central, southern and western Yunnan, and introduces the current development situation of titanium resources in Yunnan Province and puts forward suggestions. Yunnan Province is rich in titanium placer resources, with excellent beneficiation and processing performance and low mining and dressing costs. The construction of a full set of production lines for titanium industry can achieve the goal of making full use of the advantages of titanium resources in Yunnan Province

Study on the Current Situation and Utilization of Titanium Ore Resources in Yunnan

In view of the development and utilization of the titanium industry in Yunnan Province, the paper expounds the current situation and utilization of titanium resources in Yunnan Province, introduces the main mineralization and main element analysis results in central, southern and western Yunnan, and introduces the current development situation of titanium resources in Yunnan Province and puts forward suggestions. Yunnan Province is rich in titanium placer resources, with excellent beneficiation and processing performance and low mining and dressing costs. The construction of a full set of production lines for titanium industry can achieve the goal of making full use of the advantages of titanium resources in Yunnan Province

A Comprehensive Review of the Research of the “Eye–Brain–Hand” Harvesting System in Smart Agriculture

Smart agricultural harvesting robots’ vision recognition, control decision, and mechanical hand modules all resemble the human eye, brain, and hand, respectively. To enable automatic and precise picking of target fruits and vegetables, the system makes use of cutting-edge sensor technology, machine vision algorithms, and intelligent control and decision methods. This paper provides a comprehensive review of international research advancements in the “eye–brain–hand” harvesting systems within the context of smart agriculture, encompassing aspects of mechanical hand devices, visual recognition systems, and intelligent decision systems. Then, the key technologies used in the current research are reviewed, including image processing, object detection and tracking, machine learning, deep learning, etc. In addition, this paper explores the application of the system to different crops and environmental conditions and analyzes its advantages and challenges. Finally, the challenges and prospects for the research on picking robots in the future are presented, including further optimization of the algorithm and improvement of flexibility and reliability of mechanical devices. To sum up, the “eye–brain–hand” picking system in intelligent agriculture has great potential to improve the efficiency and quality of crop picking and reduce labor pressure, and it is expected to be widely used in agricultural production

A Blockchain-Based Human-to-Infrastructure Contact Tracing Approach for COVID-19

In a post-pandemic era with personal precautions and vaccination, the emergence of COVID-19 variants with higher transmissibility and the socio-economic reopening have raised new challenges to existing human-to-human digital contact tracing systems, where privacy, efficiency, and energy-consumption issues are major concerns. In this article, we propose a novel blockchain-based human-to-infrastructure contact tracing framework for the post-pandemic era. Specifically, our approach collects and records the interaction information between persons and predeployed anchor nodes to trace the possible contacts with confirmed patients, so as to capture the indirect contacts and reduces the energy consumption of users. To address the privacy leakage and reliability issues in contact tracing, we introduce a self-sovereign identity (SSI) model-based blockchain which enables users to gain full control of their own identities and eliminate the linkage between the identity and location information in interaction records. To further preserve the privacy of confirmed patients, we introduce the private set intersection cardinality (PSI-CA) protocol to estimate the risk of infection by only counting the number of encounters between users and confirmed patients. Two self-executed smart contracts are deployed on the SSI blockchain to perform contact tracing, which guarantees the robustness of the system. The performance analysis validates the effectiveness of our approach

Electroacupuncture at ST36 modulates the intestinal microecology and may help repair the intestinal barrier in the rat model of severe acute pancreatitis

Abstract Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) onset and development are closely associated with intestinal barrier injury. Evidence from clinical practice and research has shown that electroacupuncture (EA) at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint can improve intestinal barrier function and abdominal symptoms in patients with SAP; however, the specific mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study aimed to observe the changes in the intestinal microbiota and metabolites in SAP rats and to explore the effect of EA at ST36 on intestinal barrier injury in SAP rats. 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with microbial diversity analysis, short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs)‐targeted metabolomics, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and other techniques were used to explore the mechanism of EA at bilateral ST36 acupoints on SAP‐related intestinal barrier injury. Our results showed that EA at ST36 could repair intestinal barrier injury by modulating intestinal microecology, thereby reducing intestinal inflammation, restoring intestinal function, and ultimately alleviating the prognosis of SAP. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms and treatment of intestinal barrier injury in patients with SAP from the perspectives of microbiota and SCFAs regulation

Divinylsulfonamides as Specific Linkers for Stapling Disulfide Bonds in Peptides

A new class of <i>N</i>-phenyl-divinylsulfonamides which can be easily prepared have been successfully developed and utilized as efficient linkers in the field of disulfide bond modification. Functional divinylsulfonamides provide opportunities for the specific introduction of various functionalities, including affinity probes, fluorescent tags, and drugs, into peptides

Disrupted gut microbiota aggravates spatial memory dysfunction induced by high altitude exposure: A link between plateau environment and microbiome–gut–brain axis

Approximately 400 million people work and live in high-altitude areas and suffer from memory dysfunction worldwide. Until now, the role of the intestinal flora in plateau-induced brain damage has rarely been reported. To address this, we investigated the effect of intestinal flora on spatial memory impairment induced by high altitudes based on the microbiome–gut–brain axis theory. C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: control, high-altitude (HA), and high-altitude antibiotic treatment (HAA) group. The HA and HAA groups were exposed to a low-pressure oxygen chamber that simulated an altitude of 4000 m above sea level (m. a. s.l.) for 14 days, with the air pressure in the chamber set at 60–65 kPa. The results showed that spatial memory dysfunction induced by the high-altitude environment was aggravated by antibiotic treatment, manifesting as lowered escape latency and hippocampal memory-related proteins (BDNF and PSD-95). 16 S rRNA sequencing showed a remarkable separation of the ileal microbiota among the three groups. Antibiotic treatment exacerbated the reduced richness and diversity of the ileal microbiota in mice in the HA group. Lactobacillaceae were the main target bacteria and were significantly reduced in the HA group, which was exacerbated by antibiotic treatment. Meanwhile, reduced intestinal permeability and ileal immune function in mice exposed high-altitude environment was also aggravated by antibiotic treatment, as indicated by the lowered tight junction proteins and IL-1β and IFN-γ levels. Furthermore, indicator species analysis and Netshift co-analysis revealed that Lactobacillaceae (ASV11) and Corynebacteriaceae (ASV78, ASV25, and ASV47) play important roles in high-altitude exposure-induced memory dysfunction. Interestingly, ASV78 was negatively correlated with IL-1β and IFN-γ levels, indicating that ASV78 may be induced by reduced ileal immune function, which mediates high-altitude environment exposure-induced memory dysfunction. This study provides evidence that the intestinal flora is effective in preventing brain dysfunction caused by exposure to high-altitude environments, suggesting a relationship between the microbiome–gut–brain axis and altitude exposure

A dual functional Ti-Ga alloy: inhibiting biofilm formation and osteoclastogenesis differentiation via disturbing iron metabolism

Abstract Background Although biomedical implants have been widely used in orthopedic treatments, two major clinical challenges remain to be solved, one is the bacterial infection resulting in biofilm formation, and the other is aseptic loosening during implantation due to over-activated osteoclastogenesis. These factors can cause many clinical issues and even lead to implant failure. Thus, it is necessary to endow implants with antibiofilm and aseptic loosening-prevention properties, to facilitate the integration between implants and bone tissues for successful implantation. To achieve this goal, this study aimed to develop a biocompatible titanium alloy with antibiofilm and anti-aseptic loosening dual function by utilizing gallium (Ga) as a component. Methods A series of Ti-Ga alloys were prepared. We examined the Ga content, Ga distribution, hardness, tensile strength, biocompatibility, and anti-biofilm performance in vitro and in vivo. We also explored how Ga3+ ions inhibited the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and osteoclast differentiation. Results The alloy exhibited outstanding antibiofilm properties against both S. aureus and E. coli in vitro and decent antibiofilm performance against S. aureus in vivo. The proteomics results demonstrated that Ga3+ ions could disturb the bacterial Fe metabolism of both S. aureus and E. coli, inhibiting bacterial biofilm formation. In addition, Ti-Ga alloys could inhibit receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-dependent osteoclast differentiation and function by targeting iron metabolism, then suppressing the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, thus, showing their potential to prevent aseptic loosening. Conclusion This study provides an advanced Ti-Ga alloy that can be used as a promising orthopedic implant raw material for various clinical scenarios. This work also revealed that iron metabolism is the common target of Ga3+ ions to inhibit biofilm formation and osteoclast differentiation