Understanding the Socio-demographic Representation of Tamoco Mobile Phone App Data in Glasgow City Region

This research advances the home location detection of new forms of mobile phone data by using high-resolution land-use data and compares resulting home location estimates with public socio- demographic data. The research allows us to identify potential biases in mobile phone data which may arise through uneven population coverage. Results show that the number of mobile phone users estimated across the Glasgow City Region in 2020 are proportional to the working population across different socio-demographic groups based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation

Effects of selenoprotein extracts from Cardamine hupingshanensis on growth, selenium metabolism, antioxidant capacity, immunity and intestinal health in largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides

This study aimed to assess the impact of dietary selenoprotein extracts from Cardamine hupingshanensis (SePCH) on the growth, hematological parameters, selenium metabolism, immune responses, antioxidant capacities, inflammatory reactions and intestinal barrier functions in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The base diet was supplemented with four different concentrations of SePCH: 0.00, 0.30, 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg (actual selenium contents: 0.37, 0.59, 0.84 and 1.30 mg/kg). These concentrations were used to formulate four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets for juvenile largemouth bass during a 60-day culture period. Adequate dietary SePCH (0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg) significantly increased weight gain and daily growth rate compared to the control groups (0.00 g/Kg). Furthermore, 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg SePCH significantly enhanced amounts of white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, lymphocytes and monocytes, and levels of hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin in the hemocytes. In addition, 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg SePCH increased the mRNA expression levels of selenocysteine lyase, selenophosphate synthase 1, 15 kDa selenoprotein, selenoprotein T2, selenoprotein H, selenoprotein P and selenoprotein K in the fish liver and intestine compared to the controls. Adequate SePCH not only significantly elevated the activities of antioxidant enzymes (Total superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase), the levels of total antioxidant capacity and glutathione, while increased mRNA transcription levels of NF-E2-related factor 2, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase. However, adequate SePCH significantly decreased levels of malondialdehyde and H2O2 and the mRNA expression levels of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1a and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1b in the fish liver and intestine compared to the controls. Meanwhile, adequate SePCH markedly enhanced the levels of immune factors (alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, lysozyme, complement component 3, complement component 4 and immunoglobulin M) and innate immune-related genes (lysozyme, hepcidin, liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2, complement component 3 and complement component 4) in the fish liver and intestine compared to the controls. Adequate SePCH reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 8, interleukin 1β and interferon γ), while increasing transforming growth factor β1 levels at both transcriptional and protein levels in the liver and intestine. The mRNA expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase 13 (MAPK 13), MAPK14 and nuclear factor kappa B p65 were significantly reduced in the liver and intestine of fish fed with 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg SePCH compared to the controls. Histological sections also demonstrated that 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg SePCH significantly increased intestinal villus height and villus width compared to the controls. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of tight junction proteins (zonula occludens-1, zonula occludens-3, Claudin-1, Claudin-3, Claudin-5, Claudin-11, Claudin-23 and Claudin-34) and Mucin-17 were significantly upregulated in the intestinal epithelial cells of 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg SePCH groups compared to the controls. In conclusion, these results found that 0.60 and 1.20 g/Kg dietary SePCH can not only improve growth, hematological parameters, selenium metabolism, antioxidant capacities, enhance immune responses and intestinal functions, but also alleviate inflammatory responses. This information can serve as a useful reference for formulating feeds for largemouth bass

Nanomaterial-Assisted Signal Enhancement of Hybridization for DNA Biosensors: A Review

Detection of DNA sequences has received broad attention due to its potential applications in a variety of fields. As sensitivity of DNA biosensors is determined by signal variation of hybridization events, the signal enhancement is of great significance for improving the sensitivity in DNA detection, which still remains a great challenge. Nanomaterials, which possess some unique chemical and physical properties caused by nanoscale effects, provide a new opportunity for developing novel nanomaterial-based signal-enhancers for DNA biosensors. In this review, recent progress concerning this field, including some newly-developed signal enhancement approaches using quantum-dots, carbon nanotubes and their composites reported by our group and other researchers are comprehensively summarized. Reports on signal enhancement of DNA biosensors by non-nanomaterials, such as enzymes and polymer reagents, are also reviewed for comparison. Furthermore, the prospects for developing DNA biosensors using nanomaterials as signal-enhancers in future are also indicated

Energy-Saving Performance of Flap-Adjustment-Based Centrifugal Fan

The current paper mainly focuses on finding a more appropriate way to enhance the fan performance at off-design conditions. The centrifugal fan (CF) based on flap-adjustment (FA) has been investigated through theoretical, experimental, and finite element methods. To obtain a more predominant performance of CF from the different adjustments, we carried out a comparative analysis on FA and leading-adjustment (LA) in aerodynamic performances, which included the adjusted angle of blades, total pressure, efficiency, system-efficiency, adjustment-efficiency, and energy-saving rate. The contribution of this paper is the integrated performance curve of the CF. Finally, the results showed that the effects of FA and LA on economic performance and energy savings of the fan varied with the blade angles. Furthermore, FA was feasible, which is more sensitive than LA. Moreover, the CF with FA offered a more extended flow-range of high economic characteristic in comparison with LA. Finally, when the operation flow-range extends, energy-saving rate of the fan with FA would have improvement

Earth rotation parameter and variation during 2005–2010 solved with LAGEOS SLR data

Time series of Earth rotation parameters were estimated from range data measured by the satellite laser ranging technique to the Laser Geodynamics Satellites (LAGEOS)-1/2 through 2005 to 2010 using the dynamic method. Compared with Earth orientation parameter (EOP) C04, released by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service, the root mean square errors for the measured X and Y of polar motion (PM) and length of day (LOD) were 0.24 and 0.25 milliarcseconds (mas), and 0.068 milliseconds (ms), respectively. Compared with ILRSA EOP, the X and Y of PM and LOD were 0.27 and 0.30 mas, and 0.054 ms, respectively. The time series were analyzed using the wavelet transformation and least squares methods. Wavelet analysis showed obvious seasonal and interannual variations of LOD, and both annual and Chandler variations of PM; however, the annual variation could not be distinguished from the Chandler variation because the two frequencies were very close. The trends and periodic variations of LOD and PM were obtained in the least squares sense, and PM showed semi-annual, annual, and Chandler periods. Semi-annual, annual, and quasi-biennial cycles for LOD were also detected. The trend rates of PM in the X and Y directions were 3.17 and −1.60 mas per year, respectively, and the North Pole moved to 26.8°E relative to the crust during 2005–2010. The trend rate of the LOD change was 0.028 ms per year

Hybrid Ultrawideband Modulations Compatible for Both Coherent and Transmit-Reference Receivers

This paper considers signaling schemes for heterogeneous ultrawideband communications networks that contain both coherent (rake) and transmitted-reference (TR) receivers. While coherent receivers are capable of receiving TR signals, they do so with a 3 dB penalty, because they cannot make use of the energy invested into the reference pulse. We propose a new signaling scheme that avoids this drawback, by encoding redundant information on the reference pulse. The resulting scheme does not affect the operation of a TR receiver, while recovering the 3 dB penalty and furthermore providing an additional 1.7 dB coding gain to a coherent uncoded binary scheme. This can be explained by interpreting the scheme as a trellis-coded modulation. We also provide an alternative implementation that can be viewed as a recursive systematic convolutional encoder. Combining this version further with a simple forward error correction encoder results in a concatenated code that can be decoded iteratively, providing a bit-error rate of 10-3 at 2.8 dB signal-to-noise ratio in additive white Gaussian noise. The convergence behavior of this iterative code is analyzed by using extrinsic information transfer charts

Pollution Evaluation and Health Risk Assessment of Trace Metals in Eleven Tissues of Mylopharyngodon piceus Collected from an Aquaculture Pond in Huzhou, near Southern Taihu Lake

Pollution evaluation and health risk assessment are critical procedures for residents consuming black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) contaminated with non-essential hazardous trace elements in an artificial wetland also known as an aquaculture pond. Samples were collected, dissected and digested to analyze the pollution status and health risk associated with four heavy metals present in eleven tissues of black carp fish based on the metal pollution index (MPI) and target hazard quotient (THQ). The results indicated that the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb were 1.36 ± 0.04 mg/kg, 13.70 ± 0.50 mg/kg, 2.85 ± 0.10 mg/kg, and 4.98 ± 0.18 mg/kg in large black carp, while the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb were 4.27 ± 0.08 mg/kg, 50.84 ± 0.82 mg/kg, 9.33 ± 0.18 mg/kg, and 22.49 ± 0.42 mg/kg in small specimens. The MPI values showed that the heavy metal pollution detected in small fish was much more significant than in large fish. Notably, the polluted metals were more likely to accumulate in the viscera (e.g., brain and heart) rather than in the external tissues (e.g., muscle and epidermis). In addition, the estimated THQ and HI values for three edible tissues demonstrated that the health risk associated with muscle tissue intake of both small and large black carp was within the acceptable range, while the contaminants were likely to pose health risks associated with the consumption of fish head tissue. Small black carp are generally not fit for human consumption, thus both the epidermis and muscle of the fish are often cooked in China. However, the ingestion of large black carp is relatively safe. The contributions to THQ values of these four heavy metals decreased in the following sequence: Cr > Pb > Cd > Cu. Cr is the critical pollutant with its contribution to HI values measuring over 50%. We suggest that in artificial wetlands (e.g., aquaculture ponds) more attention should be paid to heavy metal pollution, the conservation of the aquaculture ecosystem, and effects on human health

A fast and robust interpolation filter for airborne lidar point clouds.

A fast and robust interpolation filter based on finite difference TPS has been proposed in this paper. The proposed method employs discrete cosine transform to efficiently solve the linear system of TPS equations in case of gridded data, and by a pre-defined weight function with respect to simulation residuals to reduce the effect of outliers and misclassified non-ground points on the accuracy of reference ground surface construction. Fifteen groups of benchmark datasets, provided by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) commission, were employed to compare the performance of the proposed method with that of the multi-resolution hierarchical classification method (MHC). Results indicate that with respect to kappa coefficient and total error, the proposed method is averagely more accurate than MHC. Specifically, the proposed method is 1.03 and 1.32 times as accurate as MHC in terms of kappa coefficient and total errors. More importantly, the proposed method is averagely more than 8 times faster than MHC. In comparison with some recently developed methods, the proposed algorithm also achieves a good performance

A benzochalcone derivative synchronously induces apoptosis and ferroptosis in pancreatic cancer cells

Background Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive and lethal disease with limited treatment options. In this study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of compound KL-6 on pancreatic cancer cells. Methods The study involved assessing the inhibitory effects of KL-6 on cell proliferation, clonogenic potential, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Additionally, we examined the action mechanism of KL-6 by RNA-seq and bioinformatic analysis and validated by qRT-PCR and western blot in pancreatic cancer cells. Results Our results demonstrated that KL-6 effectively inhibited the growth of pancreatic cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. It induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, disrupting the cell cycle progression and promoting cell death. KL-6 also exhibited inhibitory effects on cell migration and invasion, suggesting its potential to suppress the metastatic properties of pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, KL-6 modulated the expression of genes involved in various cancer-related pathways including apoptosis and ferroptosis. Conclusion These findings collectively support the potential of KL-6 as a promising therapeutic option for pancreatic cancer treatment. Further research is needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and evaluate the clinical efficacy of KL-6 in pancreatic cancer patients