In this paper, we investigate the problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation for massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) radar, and propose a total array-based multiple signals classification ...(TA-MUSIC) algorithm for two-dimensional direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation with a coprime cubic array (CCA). Unlike the conventional multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm, the TA-MUSIC algorithm employs not only the auto-covariance matrix but also the mutual covariance matrix by stacking the received signals of two sub cubic arrays so that full degrees of freedom (DOFs) can be utilized. We verified that the phase ambiguity problem can be eliminated by employing the coprime property. Moreover, to achieve lower complexity, we explored the estimation of signal parameters via the rotational invariance technique (ESPRIT)-based multiple signal classification (E-MUSIC) algorithm, which uses a successive scheme to be computationally efficient. The Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) was taken as a theoretical benchmark for the lower boundary of the unbiased estimate. Finally, numerical simulations were conducted in order to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed algorithms.
Aiming at the problems of complicated formats in graduation thesis writing, a smart graduation thesis format parsing and generation model is proposed. First, a model is built based on the features of ...the thesis templates analyzed and extracted. Then templates are generated automatically according to user preferences. Finally, content of the thesis is incorporated into the specified template. Experiment shows that it can automatically generate format information according to the templates without human intervention, which could save a lot of time and reduce format errors.
To investigate a new way to detect filarial larvae in mosquitoes and apply it to the surveillance of filariasis.
An oligonucleotide probe that was species-specific to W. malayi was synthesized and ...marked with 32P using molecular biological technique. Then the probe was tested with dot hybridization in detection of W. malayi filarial larvae from mosquitoes.
The minimal detectable limit was found to be 2 ng DNA of filarial larvae or microfilaria (Mf.), with no cross reaction with other animal filariae. A single larva can be detected when infected mosquitoes were tested one by one. One infected mosquito can be detected from a group of 20 mosquitoes tested together.
Our probe is sensitive and specific. It is practical to apply our probe to mosquito surveillance in Brug's filariasis endemic areas.
•The SHPB test was used to study fiber-reinforced shotcrete.•A comprehensive analysis of dynamic properties in shotcrete was conducted.•The energy consumption ratio of fiber-reinforced concretes was ...determined.•The corresponding formula of energy and dynamic compressive strength was established.
In order to study the dynamic mechanical properties of sprayed fiber-reinforced concrete under impact loads, a φ50mm split Hopkinson (SHPB) device was employed to perform dynamic compression experiments on sprayed plain concrete, polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete, and plastic steel fiber-reinforced concrete. Variations in the fracture state and waveform of different sample were obtained through experimentation. The toughness, energy consumption, and strength increased with increasing of strain rate. These fibers improved the dynamic mechanical properties of shotcrete. Plastic steel fibers significantly increased the dynamic compressive strength of shotcrete, while polypropylene fibers significantly improved the toughness and energy consumption ratio. The strain rate effect and the fiber reinforcement principle were analyzed from an energy conversion perspective. A correlation analysis of the elastic strain energy change rate and the dynamic compressive strength was used to obtain a fitting curve, and showed a positive linear correlation between the two. This provides a theoretical basis for further studies on how to improve the dynamic mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete from an energy conversion perspective.
COVID‐19 has developed into a worldwide pandemic; early identification of severe illness is critical for controlling it and improving the prognosis of patients with limited medical resources. The ...present study aimed to analyze the characteristics of severe COVID‐19 and identify biomarkers for differential diagnosis and prognosis prediction. In total, 27 consecutive patients with COVID‐19 and 75 patients with flu were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical parameters were collected from electronic medical records. The disease course was divided into four stages: initial, progression, peak, and recovery stages, according to computed tomography (CT) progress. to mild COVID‐19, the lymphocytes in the severe COVID‐19 progressively decreased at the progression and the peak stages, but rebound in the recovery stage. The levels of C‐reactive protein (CRP) in the severe group at the initial and progression stages were higher than those in the mild group. Correlation analysis showed that CRP (R = .62; P < .01), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (R = .55; P < .01) and granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio (R = .49; P < .01) were positively associated with the CT severity scores. In contrast, the number of lymphocytes (R = −.37; P < .01) was negatively correlated with the CT severity scores. The receiver‐operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that area under the curve of CRP on the first visit for predicting severe COVID‐19 was 0.87 (95% CI 0.10–1.00) at 20.42 mg/L cut‐off, with sensitivity and specificity 83% and 91%, respectively. CRP in severe COVID‐19 patients increased significantly at the initial stage, before CT findings. Importantly, CRP, which was associated with disease development, predicted early severe COVID‐19.
Highlights
Compared with COVID’19, Patients with flu had higher WBC and granulocyte.
Lymphocyte progressively decreased in the progress of COVID’19.
CRP level associated with CT scores and disease development of COVID’19.
CRP increased at the initial stage of severe COVID’19, prior to CT findings.
CRP showed good performance in prediction of severe COVID’19.
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•The effects of caffeic acid and ferulic acid for AD.•The hybrids of caffeic acid or ferulic acid as MTDLs against AD.•The prospect of caffeic acid or ferulic acid derivatives against ...AD.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a complex chronic progressive central nervous system degenerative disease and a public health problem of the world, often characters cognitive dysfunction accompaning aggression and depression, and may lead to death. More attentions should be paid on it because there is no modified strategy against AD till now. AD is featured with the loss of cholinergic neurons, the amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) plaques and the neurofibrillary tangles and several hypotheses were established to explain the pathogenesis of AD. Hydroxycinnamic acids, including caffeic acid (CA) and ferulic acid (FA) are widely distributed in natural plants and fruits. CA and FA exert various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotection, anti-amyloid aggregation and so on. All these pharmacological activities are associated with the treatment of AD. Here we summarized the pharmacological activities of CA and FA, and their hybrids as multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) against AD. The future application of CA and FA was also discussed, hoping to provide beneficial information for the development of CA- and FA-based MTDLs against AD.
Post-hepatectomy liver dysfunction is a life-threatening morbidity that lacks efficient therapy. Bioactive lipids involved in macrophage polarization crucially regulate tissue injury and ...regeneration. Herein, we investigate the key bioactive lipids that mediate the cytotherapeutic potential of polarized-macrophage for post-hepatectomy liver dysfunction. Untargeted lipidomics identified elevation of ceramide (CER) metabolites as signature lipid species relevant to M1/M2 polarization in mouse bone-marrow-derived-macrophages (BMDMs). M1 BMDMs expressed a CER-generation-metabolic pattern, leading to elevation of CER; M2 BMDMs expressed a CER-breakdown-metabolic pattern, resulting in upregulation of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). After infusing M1- or M2-polarized BMDMs into the mouse liver after hepatectomy, we found that M1-BMDM infusion increased M1 polarization and CER accumulation, resulting in exaggeration of hepatocyte apoptosis and liver dysfunction. Conversely, M2-BMDM infusion enhanced M2 polarization and S1P generation, leading to alleviation of liver dysfunction with improved hepatocyte proliferation. Treatment of exogenous CER and S1P or inhibition CER and S1P synthesis by siRNA targeting relevant enzymes further revealed that CER induced apoptosis while S1P promoted proliferation in post-hepatectomy primary hepatocytes. In conclusion, CER and S1P are uncovered as critical lipid mediators for M1- and M2-polarized BMDMs to promote injury and regeneration in the liver after hepatectomy, respectively. Notably, the upregulation of hepatic S1P induced by M2-BMDM infusion may have therapeutic potential for post-hepatectomy liver dysfunction.
•We propose a new thermal shield structure which can absorb energy and withstand extreme electromagnetic force.
A 40 T hybrid magnet has been constructed and commissioned at the High Magnetic Field ...Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CHMFL). It consists of a 10 T superconducting outsert magnet and a 30 T resistive insert magnet. As an important component of the hybrid magnet, the 80 K thermal shield is located inside of the cryostat protecting the superconducting magnet from thermal radiation. During the commissioning phase, a trip of the water-cooled resistive magnet triggered the quench protection system of the superconducting magnet, huge induced currents resulting in expansion and rupture of the oxygen-free copper thermal shield. In this paper, the cause of thermal shield rupture was investigated via finite element simulations. And the structure design and mechanical assessment of a new alternative thermal shield adopted for the 40 T hybrid magnet is presented.
Autophagy mediates PM2.5-related lung injury (LI) and is tightly linked to inflammation and apoptosis processes. IL-37 has been demonstrated to regulate autophagy. This research aimed to examine the ...involvement of IL-37 in the progression of PM2.5-related LI and assess whether autophagy serves as a mediator for its effects.To create a model of PM2.5-related LI, this research employed a nose-only PM2.5 exposure system and utilized both human IL-37 transgenic mice and wild-type mice. The hIL-37tg mice demonstrated remarkable reductions in pulmonary inflammation and pathological LI compared to the WT mice. Additionally, they exhibited activation of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which served to regulate the levels of autophagy and apoptosis.Furthermore, in vitro experiments revealed a dose-dependent upregulation of autophagy and apoptotic proteins following exposure to PM2.5 DMSO extraction. Simultaneously, p-AKT and p-mTOR expression was found to decrease. However, pretreatment with IL-37 demonstrated a remarkable reduction in the levels of autophagy and apoptotic proteins, along with an elevation of p-AKT and p-mTOR. Interestingly, pretreatment with rapamycin, an autophagy inducer, weakened the therapeutic impact of IL-37. Conversely, the therapeutic impact of IL-37 was enhanced when treated with 3-MA, a potent autophagy inhibitor. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of IL-37 on autophagy was successfully reversed by administering AKT inhibitor MK2206. The findings suggest that IL-37 can inhibit both the inflammatory response and autophagy, leading to the alleviation of PM2.5-related LI. At the molecular level, IL-37 may exert its anti autophagy and anti apoptosis effects by activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
Adaptive signal control is a method that dynamically adjusts signal phases based on real-time traffic conditions, aiming to improve the efficiency of intersection light control. However, in practical ...applications, obtaining complete traffic spatiotemporal states at intersections is challenging given the limited data sources. To address this issue, this paper presents a novel deep reinforcement learning model, namely 3DQN-PSTER, which combines Dueling Deep Q Network, Double Deep Q Network, and Priority SumTree Experience Replay technology. This model effectively extracts traffic states from sampled floating car data (FCD) and achieves optimal timing schemes. To evaluate its performance, the proposed model is tested in a simulated intersection environment using actual intersection data. The model interacts with the environment by adjusting signal phases, updating traffic states, and obtaining optimal timing schemes. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model exhibits higher convergence efficiency and outperforms benchmark models. When applied, the reinforcement learning single control (RLSC) based on the 3DQN-PSTER model outperforms fixed-time signal control schemes and actuated signal control (ASC) schemes. Even in scenarios with low penetration ratios of FCD, RLSC still significantly outperforms ASC. Therefore, the signal timing optimization method proposed in this paper could greatly enhance intersection operation efficiency in both ideal overall data environments and partial states.
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