The matching rule of Panum’s limiting case and its influencing factors

IntroductionPanum’s limiting case is one of the typical configurations of monocular occlusion region. The matching rule of Panum’s limiting case is the key to understanding how monocular occlusion region produces stereopsis. There are currently two main views on the matching rule of Panum’s limiting case, namely double fusion and uniqueness constraint. This paper further discusses its matching mechanism on the basis of previous studies.MethodsIn this study, fold line Panum’s stimuli were used to study the matching rule of Panum’s limiting case. In Experiment 1, fixation position was adopted to present the stimulus in a short time to explore the matching rules in Panum’s limiting case. In Experiment 2, the effect of fixation position on Panum’s limiting case matching results was further investigated.ResultsThe results of Experiment 1 show that when stimuli are presented in a short period of time, the reported result that a single feature in one eye may be matched alternately with two features in the other eye. This matching rule is called “fast alternative matching” in this article. The results of Experiment 2 results show that the position of the fixation could affect the matching result of participants.ConclusionIn conclusion, the matching rule of Panum’s limiting case is fast alternative matching, and the matching result is related to the attention state of the participant. These results not only provide a new perspective for matching rules in Panum’s limiting case, but also show that depth perception results in stereopsis can be influenced by top-down cognitive processing. This study provides a theoretical basis for studying the formation of stereopsis in the monocular region to a certain extent. In summary, the matching rule of Panum’s limiting case is fast alternative matching. In previous studies, the perceived result of double fusion may be caused by fast alternative matching. Also, the matching results are related to the participant’s state of attention, which suggests that the depth perception results of stereopsis are influenced by top-down cognitive processing

Analysis and Introduction of Effective Permeability with Additional Air-Gaps on Wireless Power Transfer Coils for Electric Vehicle based on SAE J2954 Recommended Practice

The wireless power transfer (WPT) method for electric vehicles (EVs) is becoming more popular, and to ensure the interoperability of WPT systems, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) established the J2954 recommended practice (RP). It includes powering frequency, electrical parameters, specifications, testing procedures, and other contents for EV WPT. Specifically, it describes the ranges of self-inductances of the transmitting coil, the receiving coil, and coupling coefficient (k), as well as the impedance matching values of the WPT system. Following the electrical parameters listed in SAE J2954 RP is crucial to ensure the EV wireless charging system is interoperable. This paper introduces a method for adjusting the effective permeability of the ferrite blocks in the standard model, to tune the self-inductance of the coils as well as the coupling coefficient. To guarantee the given values of the self-inductance of the coil and coupling coefficient matched those in the standard, we slightly modified the air-gap between the ferrite tiles in a specific region. Based on this method, it was possible to successfully tune the self-inductance of the transmitting coil and receiving coil as well as the coupling coefficient. The proposed method was verified by simulation and experimental measurements

The PstI/RsaI and DraI polymorphisms of CYP2E1 and head and neck cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on 21 case-control studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>CYP2E1 </it>encodes a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes which play a central role in activating and detoxifying many carcinogens and endogenous compounds thought to be involved in the development of cancer. The PstI/RsaI and DraI polymorphism are two of the most commonly studied polymorphisms of the gene for their association with risk of head and neck cancer, but the results are conflicting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a meta-analysis using 21 eligible case-control studies with a total of 4,951 patients and 6,071 controls to summarize the data on the association between the <it>CYP2E1 </it>PstI/RsaI and DraI polymorphism and head and neck cancer risk, especially by interacting with smoking or alcohol.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with the wild genotype, the OR was 1.96 (95% CI: 1.33-2.90) for PstI/RsaI and 1.56 (95% CI: 1.06-2.27) for DraI polymorphism respectively. When stratified according to ethnicity, the OR increased in the Asians for both polymorphisms (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.32-3.15 for PstI/RsaI; OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.27-3.29 for DraI), suggesting that the risk is more pronounced in Asians.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our meta-analysis suggests that individuals with the homozygote genotypes of PstI/RsaI or DraI polymorphism might be associated with an increased risk of head and neck cancer, especially in Asians.</p

FGF22 deletion causes hidden hearing loss by affecting the function of inner hair cell ribbon synapses

Ribbon synapses are important structures in transmitting auditory signals from the inner hair cells (IHCs) to their corresponding spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Over the last few decades, deafness has been primarily attributed to the deterioration of cochlear hair cells rather than ribbon synapses. Hearing dysfunction that cannot be detected by the hearing threshold is defined as hidden hearing loss (HHL). The relationship between ribbon synapses and FGF22 deletion remains unknown. In this study, we used a 6-week-old FGF22 knockout mice model (Fgf22–/–) and mainly focused on alteration in ribbon synapses by applying the auditory brainstem response (ABR) test, the immunofluorescence staining, the patch-clamp recording, and quantitative real-time PCR. In Fgf22–/– mice, we found the decreased amplitude of ABR wave I, the reduced vesicles of ribbon synapses, and the decreased efficiency of exocytosis, which was suggested by a decrease in the capacitance change. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Fgf22–/– led to dysfunction in ribbon synapses by downregulating SNAP-25 and Gipc3 and upregulating MEF2D expression, which was important for the maintenance of ribbon synapses’ function. Our research concluded that FGF22 deletion caused HHL by affecting the function of IHC ribbon synapses and may offer a novel therapeutic target to meet an ever-growing demand for deafness treatment

Improvement of protein production in baculovirus expression vector system by removing a total of 10 kb of nonessential fragments from Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus genome

Baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is a powerful and versatile platform for recombinant protein production in insect cells. As the most frequently used baculovirus, Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) encodes 155 open reading frames (ORFs), including a considerable number of non-essential genes for the virus replication in cell culture. Studies have shown that protein production in BEVS can be improved by removing some viral dispensable genes, and these AcMNPV vectors also offer the possibility of accommodating larger exogenous gene fragments. In this study, we, respectively, deleted 14 DNA fragments from AcMNPV genome, each of them containing at least two contiguous genes that were known nonessential for viral replication in cell culture or functionally unknown. The effects of these fragment-deletions on virus replication and exogenous protein production were examined. The results showed that 11 of the 14 fragments, containing 43 genes, were dispensable for the virus replication in cultured cells. By detecting the expression of intracellularly expressed and secreted reporter proteins, we demonstrated that nine of the fragment-deletions benefited protein production in Sf9 cells and/or in High Five cells. After combining the deletion of some dispensable fragments, we obtained two AcMNPV vectors shortened by more than 10 kb but displayed an improved capacity for recombinant protein production. The deletion strategies used in this study has the potential to further improve the BEVS

Transport of intense ion beams in plasmas: collimation and energy-loss reduction

We compare the transport properties of a well-characterized hydrogen plasma for low and high current ion beams. The energy-loss of low current beams can be well understood, within the framework of current stopping power models. However, for high current proton beams, significant energy-loss reduction and collimation is observed in the experiment. We have developed a new particle-in-cell code, which includes both collective electromagnetic effects and collisional interactions. Our simulations indicate that resistive magnetic fields, induced by the transport of an intense proton beam, act to collimate the proton beam and simultaneously deplete the local plasma density along the beam path. This in turn causes the energy-loss reduction detected in the experiment

Transcriptome profile analysis in spinal cord injury rats with transplantation of menstrual blood-derived stem cells

IntroductionMenstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) are vital in treating many degenerative and traumatic disorders. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure in MenSCs-treating spinal cord injury (SCI) rats.MethodsMenSCs were adopted into the injured sites of rat spinal cords at day 7 post surgery and the tissues were harvested for total RNA sequencing analysis at day 21 after surgery to investigate the expression patterns of RNAs. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed with volcano and heatmap plot. DEGs were sequentially analyzed by weighted gene co-expression network, functional enrichment, and competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network analysis. Next, expression of selected miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs and mRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Bioinformatics packages and extra databases were enrolled to scoop the genes functions and their interaction relationships.ResultsA total of 89 lncRNAs, 65 circRNAs, 120 miRNAs and 422 mRNAs were significantly upregulated and 65 lncRNAs, 72 circRNAs, 74 miRNAs, and 190 mRNAs were significantly downregulated in the MenSCs treated rats compared to SCI ones. Current investigation revealed that MenSCs treatment improve the recovery of the injured rats and the most significantly involved pathways in SCI regeneration were cell adhesion molecules, nature killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, primary immunodeficiency, chemokine signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway and B cell receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network of SCI was constructed. Finally, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the top 100 DE mRNAs. The constructed PPI network included 47 nodes and 70 edges.DiscussionIn summary, the above results revealed the expression profile and potential functions of differentially expressed (DE) RNAs in the injured spinal cords of rats in the MenSCs-treated and SCI groups, and this study may provide new clues to understand the mechanisms of MenSCs in treating SCI

Modeling Rett Syndrome Using TALEN-Edited MECP2 Mutant Cynomolgus Monkeys

Gene-editing technologies have made it feasible to create nonhuman primate models for human genetic disorders. Here, we report detailed genotypes and phenotypes of TALEN-edited MECP2 mutant cynomolgus monkeys serving as a model for a neurodevelopmental disorder, Rett syndrome (RTT), which is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the human MECP2 gene. Male mutant monkeys were embryonic lethal, reiterating that RTT is a disease of females. Through a battery of behavioral analyses, including primate-unique eye-tracking tests, in combination with brain imaging via MRI, we found a series of physiological, behavioral, and structural abnormalities resembling clinical manifestations of RTT. Moreover, blood transcriptome profiling revealed that mutant monkeys resembled RTT patients in immune gene dysregulation. Taken together, the stark similarity in phenotype and/or endophenotype between monkeys and patients suggested that gene-edited RTT founder monkeys would be of value for disease mechanistic studies as well as development of potential therapeutic interventions for RTT

Revealing the crystalline packing structure of Y6 in the active layer of organic solar cells: the critical role of solvent additives

The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) morphology of photovoltaic materials is crucial to the fundamental optoelectronic properties of organic solar cells (OSCs). However, in the photoactive layer, the intrinsic crystalline packing structure of Y6, currently the hallmark molecule among Y-series non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs), has not been unambiguously determined. Here, employing grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), we managed to uncover the intrinsic crystalline packing structure of Y6 in the BHJ active layer of OSCs, which is found to be different from its single-crystal structure reported previously. Moreover, we find that solvent additive 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) can induce highly ordered packing of Y6 in BHJ thin films. With the help of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, it is revealed that π-π interactions generally exist between naphthalene derivatives and IC terminals of Y6 analogues, which would essentially improve their long-range ordering. Our work reveals the intrinsic crystalline packing structure of Y6 in the BHJ active layer as well as its crystallization mechanism in thin films, thus providing direct correlations between this crystalline packing and the device characteristics and photophysical properties.Knut och Alice Wallenbergs StiftelseImmediate accessThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]