We aim to further study the global stability of Boolean control networks (BCNs) under aperiodic sampled-data control (ASDC). According to our previous work, it is known that a BCN under ASDC can be ...transformed into a switched Boolean network (SBN), and further global stability of the BCN under ASDC can be obtained by studying the global stability of the transformed SBN. Unfortunately, since the major idea of our previous work is to use stable subsystems to offset the state divergence caused by unstable subsystems, the SBN considered has at least one stable subsystem. The central thought in this paper is that switching behavior also has good stabilization; i.e., the SBN can also be stable with appropriate switching laws designed, even if all subsystems are unstable. This is completely different from that in our previous work. Specifically, for this case, the dwell time (DT) should be limited within a pair of upper and lower bounds. By means of the discretized Lyapunov function and DT, a sufficient condition for global stability is obtained. Finally, the above results are demonstrated by a biological example.
Insect carboxylesterases (CXEs) can be expressed in multiple tissues and play crucial roles in detoxifying xenobiotic insecticides and degrading olfactory cues. Therefore, they have been considered ...as an important target for development of eco-friendly insect pest management strategies. Despite extensive investigation in most insect species, limited information on CXEs in sibling moth species is currently available. The
Prout and
Warren are two closely related tea geometrid species, which share the same host of tea plant but differ in geographical distribution, sex pheromone composition, and symbiotic bacteria abundance, providing an excellent mode species for studies of functional diversity of orthologous CXEs. In this study, we focused on
due to its previously reported non-chemosensory organs-biased expression. First, the
orthologous gene
was cloned and sequence characteristics analysis showed that they share a conserved motif and phylogenetic relationship. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was then used to compare the expression profiles between two
spp. The results showed that
was predominately expressed in
larvae, whereas
was abundant in
at multiple developmental stages. Interestingly, both orthologous
were highly expressed in larval midgut, but the expression level of
in
midgut was significantly higher than that of
in
midgut. In addition, the potential effect of symbiotic bacteria
on the
was examined. This study is the first to provide comparative expression profiles of orthologous
genes in two sibling geometrid moth species and the results will help further elucidate CXEs functions and identify a potential target for tea geometrid pest control.
Isomorphism identification is a crucial issue in the type synthesis of kinematic chains (KCs). To date, various topological characteristics have been used to detect isomorphism, but the manner of the ...correspondence between two isomorphic KCs has seldom been investigated. In this paper, a method using variable high-order adjacency link values to identify isomorphisms in KCs is proposed. First, the definition of improved high-order adjacency link values, which are used to describe the characteristics of KCs, is introduced in detail. The variable high-order adjacency link values are then calculated repeatedly through reassignment procedure according to the repetitions of their elements for one KC. Finally, isomorphisms are identified and all manner of the correspondence are detected by comparing two high-order adjacency link strings from two KCs. The proposed method is tested on 8-link, 15-link, and 28-link KCs, and all results demonstrate its feasibility and efficiency.
According to the local hard‐soft acid – base (HSAB) principle, the generalized local softness has been investigated based on the electrophilic reactions of H2O, HF, HCl and HBr to alkenes, and the ...effect of the softness on the chemical reactivity was studied in terms of the ab initio and atom‐bond electronegativity equalization method plus σπ (ABEEM‐σπ) method. Studies show that the finite difference approximation with ab initio method cannot always be used to predict the regioselectivity of the investigated reactions in terms of the local HSAB principle. But ABEEM‐σπ model could well describe chemical reactivity according to the local HSAB principle. A significant characteristic of the ABEEM‐σπ method is that the double bond is explicitly considered and partitioned. The square sums of differences of the local softness of the reaction center atoms, that is, Δs, or ΔSG with the generalized local softness and ∆sχ with the electronegativity, have been studied on the considered electrophilic additions. Studies indicate that ΔSG can be utilized not only to predict regioselectivity rules but also to rationalize the chemical reactivity of these addition reactions, and the generalized local softness is more suitable for the investigation of chemical reactivity between two chemical species.
The effect of the softness on the chemical reactivity was studied in terms of the electrophilic additions of H2O, HF, HCl and HBr to alkenes based on the local hard soft acid base principle. Studies indicate that ΔSG with the generalized local softness could not only explain the regioselectivity of the alkene reactions, but also rationalize the chemical reactivity.
Hainan Province is the southernmost island in China, far from the mainland, and the resident population changes little. In order to understand the mutation spectrum in Hainan and provide effective ...genetic counseling for deaf people, we carried out genetic analysis on the non-comprehensive hearing impairment in this population. Therefore, in this study, 183 children with moderate sensorineural deafness in the northeast of Hainan were analyzed with susceptibility gene carrying and gene mutation, providing some reference for hainan to guide the prevention and treatment of deafness.
Complete clinical evaluations were performed on 183 unrelated patients with a non-syndromic hearing impairment from Hainan Province. Each subject was screened for common mutations using the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, including GJB2 c.35delG,c.235delC,c.299_300del AT,c.176_191del16,c.167delT; GJB3 c.538 C>T,c.547G >A;SLC26A4 IVS7-2 A>G,c.2168 A>G,c.1174A>T,c.1229 C>T,c.1226G>A,c.1975G>C,c.2027T>A,c.2162C>T,c.281C>T,c.589G>A,IVS15+5G>A; and mtRNA 1494 C>T,1555 A>G.
Genetic analysis showed that GJB2, SLC26A4, and mitochondrial M. 1555A > G mutations accounted for 7.10%, 8.74%, and 0.55% of the etiology of non-syndromic hearing impairment, respectively. Common mutations include GJB2 C. 235delC, SLC26A4 c.I vs7-2a →G, C. 2168A→G, and mitochondrial M. 1555A > G. The total mutation rate in Hainan was 16.39%.
Our study is the first one to carry out genetic analysis on non-syndromic hearing impairment in Hainan. The results show that in the cases of non-syndromic hearing impairment in these areas, there is a clear genetic cause accounted for 16.39%, and the mutation hot spots are mainly GJB2 and SLC26A4, and SLC26A4 is the most common mutation site. This study provides useful and targeted information for genetic counseling of deafness in people with non-syndromic hearing impairment in Hainan.
This paper, mainly through designing a reinforced structure from the perspective of bionics and substituting a new heat exchange working medium for the traditional working medium, attempted to figure ...out the thermal performance of the waste heat recovery device. By means of numerical method, the following five factors, namely the effects of Reynolds number (Re=1,300-1,800), the new heat transfer medium (CuO-H
2
O nanofluids), the angular frequency of the bionic reinforced structure (
ω
=20 rad/s,
ω
=25 rad/s,
ω
=30 rad/s), the amplitude of the bionic reinforced structure (A=1 mm, A=2 mm, A=3 mm), and the phase shift of the bionic reinforced structure (
α
=0°, 90°, 180°) were probed so as to reveal their effects on the thermal performance of the waste heat recovery unit as well as the latent influencing mechanism. It was found that the improvement of the thermal transmission performance of the afterheat recovery unit synchronizes with the increase of angular frequency, amplitude and phase shift.
The loess tableland provides an excellent site for people to live and cultivate. However, flowslides occur frequently on the slope of loess tablelands due to agriculture irrigation, resulting in ...serious economic losses and casualties. The structure degradation effect of irrigation water seepage on intact loess leads to a weakening of its mechanical properties, which may be responsible for the recurrent occurrence of flowslides in irrigated loess tablelands. In this paper, seepage tests and triaxial tests were carried out to investigate the evolution of the microstructure and undrained shear properties of intact loess during seepage. The results show that water seepage leads to a significant decrease in pore water ion concentration and migration of fine particles with water flow, but no noticeably change in mineral composition. During seepage, the metastable structure of intact loess collapses, the fine particles disperse around the skeleton particle to fill the pores, and the total porosity decreases. The permeability coefficient gradually decreases with seepage time and then tends to a constant. The saturated intact loess shows strongly contractive behavior during undrained shear and has considerable liquefaction potential. After seepage, the intact loess is characterized by more rapid build-up of pore water pressure and more intense strain-softening during shearing and has lower shear strength (including peak strength and steady-state strength). In irrigated loess tablelands, long-term seepage could weaken the shear strength of intact loess and increases its liquefaction potential, which contributes to the initiation of loess flowslide failure and the movement with high-speeds and long run-outs.
Iron is one of the essential minerals that are required for a variety of molecules to maintain their normal structures and functions and for cells to live, grow, and proliferate. The homeostasis of ...iron results from a tightly coordinated regulation by different proteins involved in uptake, excretion and intracellular storage/trafficking. Although it is essential, iron can also be toxic once in excess amounts. Through Fenton reaction, iron as a transit mineral can generate various reactive oxygen or nitrogen species; therefore, abnormal metabolism of iron can lead to several chronic pathogenesis. Oxidative stress is one of the major causative factors for diabetes and diabetic complications. Increasing evidence has indicated that iron overload not only increases risks of insulin resistance and diabetes, but also causes cardiovascular diseases in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects. Temporal iron deficiency was found to sensitize insulin action, but chronic iron deficiency with anemia can accelerate the development of cardiovascular diseases in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. In this review, therefore, we will first outline iron homeostasis, function, and toxicity, and then mainly summarize the data regarding the roles of iron deficiency and overload in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications, as well as the possible links of iron to diabetes and diabetic complications. In the end, the possible therapy using iron chelators for diabetes and diabetic complications will also be discussed.
Congenital scoliosis (CS) is a result of anomalous development of vertebrae and is frequently associated with somitogenesis malformation. Although noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been recently ...determined to be involved in the pathogenesis of CS, the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks in CS remain largely unknown.
Sequencing was conducted to explore the ncRNA expression profiles in rat embryos (gestation day 9) following vitamin A deficiency (VAD) (n = 9 for the vitamin A deficiency-induced congenital scoliosis (VAD-CS) group and n = 4 for the control group). Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted to verify the expression levels of selected mRNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs). Bioinformatics analysis was used to discover the possible relationships and functions of the ceRNAs.
A total of 749 mRNAs, 56 miRNAs, 685 lncRNAs, and 70 circRNAs were identified to have significantly different expression levels in the two groups. Wnt, PI3K-ATK, FoxO, EGFR, and mTOR were found to be the most significant pathways involved in VAD-CS pathogenesis. The circRNA/miRNA/mRNA and lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA networks of CS were built, and the gene expression mechanisms regulated by ncRNAs were unveiled via the ceRNA regulatory networks.
We comprehensively identified ceRNA regulatory networks of embryonic somite development in VAD-CS as well as revealed the contribution of different ncRNA expression profiles. Our data demonstrate the association between mRNAs and ncRNAs in the pathogenic mechanism of CS.