Studying an off-axis optical bench for future gravity missions from the perspective of carrier-to-noise ratio.

The inter-satellite laser ranging heterodyne interferometer is vital for future gravity missions to achieve high ranging accuracy. This paper proposes a novel off-axis optical bench design which integrates merits of the off-axis optical bench design of GRACE Follow-On mission and other on-axis designs. This design makes use of lens systems subtly to restrict the tilt-to-length coupling noise and takes advantage of the DWS feedback loop to maintain the transmitting beam and receiving beam anti-parallel. The critical parameters of the optical components are determined and the carrier-to-noise ratio for a single channel of the photoreceiver is calculated to be more than 100 dB-Hz for the high case. The off-axis optical bench design is a potential candidate for China's future gravity missions.

Global dynamics of a tuberculosis model with age-dependent latency and time delays in treatment.

Since there exists heterogeneity in incubation periods of tuberculosis and a time lag between treatment and recovery. In this study, we develop a tuberculosis model that takes into account age-dependent latency and time delays in treatment to describe the transmission of tuberculosis. We first show that the solution semi-flow of the model is well-posed and has a global attractor [Formula: see text] within an infinite dimensional space [Formula: see text]. Then we define the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] and prove that it determines the global dynamics of the model. If [Formula: see text], the global attractor [Formula: see text] reduces to the disease-free equilibrium state, indicating that the disease-free equilibrium state is globally asymptotically stable. When [Formula: see text], the semi-flow generated by the model is uniformly persistent, and there exists an interior global attractor [Formula: see text] for this uniformly persistent model. By constructing a suitable Lyapunov function and applying LaSalle's Invariance Principle, we show that the global attractor [Formula: see text] is reduced to the endemic equilibrium state, which means that the endemic equilibrium state is globally asymptotically stable. Based on the tuberculosis data in China from 2007 to 2020, we simulate the parameters and initial values of the proposed model. Furthermore, we calculate the sensitivity of [Formula: see text] to the parameters and find the most sensitive parameters to [Formula: see text]. Finally, we present an improved strategy to achieve the WHO's goal of reducing the incidence of tuberculosis by 90% by 2035 compared to 2015.

Analysis of an age-structured tuberculosis model with treatment and relapse.

A new tuberculosis model consisting of ordinary differential equations and partial differential equations is established in this paper. The model includes latent age (i.e., the time elapsed since the individual became infected but not infectious) and relapse age (i.e., the time between cure and reappearance of symptoms of tuberculosis). We identify the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] for this model, and show that the [Formula: see text] determines the global dynamics of the model. If [Formula: see text], the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable, which means that tuberculosis will disappear, and if [Formula: see text], there exists a unique endemic equilibrium that attracts all solutions that can cause the spread of tuberculosis. Based on the tuberculosis data in China from 2007 to 2018, we use Grey Wolf Optimizer algorithm to find the optimal parameter values and initial values of the model. Furthermore, we perform uncertainty and sensitivity analysis to identify the parameters that have significant impact on the basic reproduction number. Finally, we give an effective measure to reach the goal of WHO of reducing the incidence of tuberculosis by 80% by 2030 compared to 2015.

Averaging principle for a type of Caputo fractional stochastic differential equations.

The averaging principle for Caputo fractional stochastic differential equations has recently attracted much attention. In this paper, we investigate the averaging principle for a type of Caputo fractional stochastic differential equation. Comparing with the existing literature, we shall use different estimate methods to investigate the averaging principle, which will enrich the development of theory for Caputo fractional stochastic differential equations.

Averaging principle for stochastic differential equations under a weak condition.

The aim of this paper is to establish the averaging principle for stochastic differential equations under a general averaging condition, which is weaker than the traditional case. Under this condition, we establish an effective approximation for the solution of stochastic differential equations in mean square.

A note on the continuity for Caputo fractional stochastic differential equations.

The first aim of this paper is to establish the well-posedness for a type of Caputo fractional stochastic differential equations, and we obtain the global existence and uniqueness of solutions under some conditions consistent with the classic (integer order) stochastic differential equations. The second aim is that we consider the continuity of solutions on the fractional order of those equations.

Therapeutic potential of salidroside in type I diabetic erectile dysfunction: Attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

The primary objective of this work was to delve into the potential therapeutic advantages and dissect the molecular mechanisms of salidroside in enhancing erectile function in rats afflicted with diabetic microvascular erectile dysfunction (DMED), addressing both the whole-animal and cellular dimensions.We established a DMED model in Sprague‒Dawley (SD) rats and conducted in vivo experiments. The DMED rats were administered varying doses of salidroside, the effects of which on DMED were compared. Erectile function was evaluated by applying electrical stimulation to the cavernous nerves and measuring intracavernous pressure in real time. The penile tissue underwent histological examination and Western blotting. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was employed in the in vitro trial to induce an oxidative stress for the purpose of identifying alterations in cell viability. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure the viability of corpus cavernous smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) treated with vs. without salidroside. Flow cytometry was utilized to detect alterations in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Apoptosis was assessed through Western blotting and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL). Animal and cellular experiments indicate that the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway may be upregulated by salidroside, leading to the improvement of erectile function in diabetic male rats by alleviating oxidative stress and reducing apoptosis in corpus cavernosum tissue.

Natural Glycyrrhizic Acid-Tailored Homogeneous Conductive Polyaniline Hydrogel as a Flexible Strain Sensor.

Polyaniline (PANi) hydrogels often exhibit highly mechanical and electrochemical properties, which have received extensive attention in the fields of batteries, supercapacitors, and sensors. However, the shortcomings such as hydrophobicity and easy aggregation of PANi frequently result in deterioration of mechanical and electrochemical performance of PANi hydrogels. Here, a bifunctional natural product, glycyrrhizic acid (GL), is utilized to prepare the homogeneous conductive PANi hydrogel, because GL not only can assemble into supramolecular hydrogel as the biocompatible matrix but also can salinize aniline monomers to facilitate the polymerization in situ to form uniformly dispersed PANi within GL matrix. Accordingly, the resulting GL/PANi hydrogel shows the Tyndall effect caused by the nanoclusters entangled by nanofibers and exhibits an improved storage modulus G' (3.2 kPa) and loss modulus G″ (0.9 kPa), as well as the expected conductivity (0.17 S·m-1). In addition, the GL/PANi hydrogel is further reinforced by blending poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) for the required strength and stretchability as a flexible strain sensor. The results reveal that the obtained PVA/GL/PANi hydrogel has a fracture stress of 693 kPa at an elongation of 329%, with a fracture toughness of 82 MJ·m-3 and Young's modulus of 47.9 kPa. Its gauge factor (GF) is measured to be 2.5 at lower strain (<130%) and up to 4.3 at larger strain (>130%). This good sensitivity and sensing stability make the PVA/GL/PANi hydrogel effectively monitor relevant human motion detections. Our work provides an innovative strategy to manufacture the homogeneous conductive PANi hydrogel for high-performance soft electronic devices.

Dual-emission carbon dots-stabilized copper nanoclusters for ratiometric and visual detection of Cr2O72- ions and Cd2+ ions.

The pollution of heavy metal increases greatly accompanying by the development of industries. So, it is very important to build up a quick and reliable technique for detection of heavy metal ions. In this work, we developed a simple and convenient method for ratiometric and visual detection of Cr2O72- ions and Cd2+ ions. We utilized glutathione as raw material to prepare cyan-emitting carbon dots (GSH@CDs). The GSH@CDs were further used as the template to prepare carbon dots-stabilized copper nanoclusters (GSH@CDs-Cu NCs) that displayed two well-separated emission peaks respectively at 450 nm and 750 nm. The GSH@CDs-Cu NCs can be applied for the ratiometric and visual detection of Cr2O72- and Cd2+ ions based on the fluorescence quenching or enhancement of GSH@CDs-Cu NCs at 750 nm. A linear range of 2-40 µmol L-1 with a detection limit of 0.9 µmol L-1 for Cr2O72- ions, and a linear range of 0-20 µmol L-1 with a detection limit of 0.6 µmol L-1 for Cd2+ ions were achieved based on this method. The fluorescent test strips for Cr2O72- ions were successfully prepared based on GSH@CDs-Cu NCs. Moreover, the GSH@CDs-Cu NCs were successfully applied to determine Cr2O72- and Cd2+ ions in real samples with promising results.

Hopf bifurcation of an age-structured HIV infection model with logistic target-cell growth.

In this paper, we investigate an age-structured HIV infection model with logistic growth for target cell. We rewrite the model as an abstract non-densely defined Cauchy problem and obtain the condition which guarantees the existence of the unique positive steady state. By linearizing the model at steady state and analysing the associated characteristic transcendental equations, we study the local asymptotic stability of the steady state. Furthermore, by using Hopf bifurcation theorem in Liu et al., we show that Hopf bifurcation occurs at the positive steady state when bifurcating parameter crosses some critical values. Finally, we perform some numerical simulations to illustrate our results.

Bifurcation analysis of an age-structured alcoholism model.

In this paper, we investigate a new alcoholism model in which alcoholics have age structure. We rewrite the model as an abstract non-densely defined Cauchy problem and obtain the condition which guarantees the existence of the unique positive steady state. By linearizing the model at steady state and analyzing the associated characteristic transcendental equations, we study the local asymptotic stability of the steady state. Furthermore, by using Hopf bifurcation theorem in Liu et al. (Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 62 (2011) 191-222), we show that Hopf bifurcation occurs at the positive steady state when bifurcating parameter crosses some critical values. Finally, we perform some numerical simulations to illustrate our theoretical results and give a brief conclusion.

BMP7-overexpressing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are more effective than wild-type BMSCs in healing fractures.

Bone fractures are a worldwide public health concern. Previous studies have demonstrated that bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) gene transfer or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation may be a promising novel therapeutic approach. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to observe the effect of bone BMP7 transfer to MSCs on fracture healing. Bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) from New Zealand white rabbits were isolated and identified using flow cytometry. A recombinant BMP7 overexpressing adenovirus vector (Adv) was constructed and transfected into BMSCs. The expression of BMP7 was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence and western blotting. The present study additionally investigated the effect of BMP7 on the differentiation capacity of BMSCs. Finally, tissue-engineered bone was created with support material to verify the effect of BMP7-BMSCs on fracture healing. The results demonstrated that the expression of BMP7 was increased at the mRNA and protein levels in BMSCs following transfection with BMP7 overexpressing Adv. The results additionally demonstrated that the expression of BMP7 enhanced the differentiation capacity of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and had a promotional effect on fracture healing. Overall, these data suggest that Adv-BMP7 is useful for introducing foreign genes into BMSCs and will be a powerful gene therapy tool for bone regeneration and other tissue engineering applications in the future.

Role of the propagation reactions on the hydroxyl radical formation in ozonation and peroxone (ozone/hydrogen peroxide) processes.

To better predict the elimination of highly ozone-refractory organic micro-pollutants from wastewater in ozonation and peroxone (O3/H2O2) processes, it is important to understand the OH• formation therein. Nevertheless, the contribution of the propagation reactions (in brief, OH• + DOM (Dissolved Organic Matter) + O2 → O2•⁻, O3 + O2•⁻ → O3•⁻ → OH•) to the OH• yields (Ф) in these two processes has not received great attention so far. In this study, >25% of O3 was estimated to be consumed via the propagation reactions in ozonation of wastewater effluents. The competition method (taking the OH• exposure and scavenging capacity of water matrix into account) was recommended to determine the Ф values, and thus the relatively higher values (i.e., 33­58% vs. 6­24%) in ozonation were obtained as compared with the "tert-Butanol (tBuOH) assay" (with excess tBuOH to scavenge OH• producing stoichiometric formaldehyde), where the contribution of the propagation reactions was otherwise neglected when excess tBuOH completely scavenged OH. In peroxone of wastewater effluents, the rate constant of O3 consumption increased significantly with the increase of H2O2 concentration ([H2O2]:[O3] = 0.1­0.35). However, compared to ozonation alone, the improvement of the Ф values was negligible over a wide range of [H2O2]:[O3] = 0.1­2.0. This discrepancy was mainly ascribed to the fact that substantial O3 consumption via the propagation reactions resulted in comparable Ф values in peroxone vs. ozonation processes.

Invasion dynamics of epidemic with the Allee effect.

Investigating the likely success of epidemic invasion is important in the epidemic management and control. In the present study, the invasion of epidemic is initially introduced to a predator-prey system, both species of which are considered to be subject to the Allee effect. Mathematically, the invasion dynamics is described by three nonlinear diffusion-reaction equations and the spatial implicit and explicit models are designed. By means of extensive numerical simulations, the results of spatial implicit model show that the Allee effect has an opposite impact on the invasion criteria and local dynamics when that on the different species. As the intensity of the Allee effect increases, the domain of epidemic invasion reduces and the system dynamics is changed from the stable state to the limit cycle and finally becomes the chaotic state when the susceptible prey with the Allee effect, but the domain expands and the system dynamics is changed from limit cycle to a table point when the predator is subject to the Allee effect. Results from the spatial explicit model show that the strong intensity of the Allee effect can lead to the catastrophic global extinction of all species in the case of that on the susceptible prey. While the predator with the Allee effect, the increased intensity of which makes spatial species reach a stable state. Furthermore, numerical simulations reveal a certain relationship between the invasion speed and spatial patterns.