KaMRaT: a C++ toolkit for k-mer count matrix dimension reduction.

MOTIVATION: KaMRaT is designed for processing large k-mer count tables derived from multi-sample, RNA-seq data. Its primary objective is to identify condition-specific or differentially expressed sequences, regardless of gene or transcript annotation. RESULTS: KaMRaT is implemented in C++. Major functions include scoring k-mers based on count statistics, merging overlapping k-mers into contigs and selecting k-mers based on their occurrence across specific samples. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Source code and documentation are available via https://github.com/Transipedia/KaMRaT.

Decreased brain iron deposition based on quantitative susceptibility mapping correlates with reduced neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder.

To investigate potential correlations between the susceptibility values of certain brain regions and the severity of disease or neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 18 ASD children and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The neurodevelopmental status was assessed by the Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) and the severity of the disease was evaluated by the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Eleven brain regions were selected as regions of interest and the susceptibility values were measured by quantitative susceptibility mapping. To evaluate the diagnostic capacity of susceptibility values in distinguishing ASD and HC, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was computed. Pearson and Spearman partial correlation analysis were used to depict the correlations between the susceptibility values, the ABC scores, and the GDS scores in the ASD group. ROC curves showed that the susceptibility values of the left and right frontal white matter had a larger area under the curve in the ASD group. The susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus was positively correlated with the GDS-fine motor scale score. These findings indicated that the susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus might be a viable imaging biomarker for evaluating the neurodevelopmental status of ASD children.

Pairing with Enriched Sound Exposure Restores Auditory Processing Degraded by an Antidepressant.

Antidepressants, while effective in treating depression and anxiety disorders, also induce deficits in sensory (particularly auditory) processing, which in turn may exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. How antidepressants cause auditory signature deficits remains largely unknown. Here, we found that fluoxetine-treated adult female rats were significantly less accurate when performing a tone-frequency discrimination task compared with age-matched control rats. Their cortical neurons also responded less selectively to sound frequencies. The degraded behavioral and cortical processing was accompanied by decreased cortical perineuronal nets, particularly those wrapped around parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons. Furthermore, fluoxetine induced critical period-like plasticity in their already mature auditory cortices; therefore, a brief rearing of these drug-treated rats under an enriched acoustic environment renormalized auditory processing degraded by fluoxetine. The altered cortical expression of perineuronal nets was also reversed as a result of enriched sound exposure. These findings suggest that the adverse effects of antidepressants on auditory processing, possibly because of a reduction in intracortical inhibition, can be substantially alleviated by simply pairing drug treatment with passive, enriched sound exposure. They have important implications for understanding the neurobiological basis of antidepressant effects on hearing and for designing novel pharmacological treatment strategies for psychiatric disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Clinical experience suggests that antidepressants adversely affect sensory (particularly auditory) processing, which can exacerbate patients' psychiatric symptoms. Here, we show that the antidepressant fluoxetine reduces cortical inhibition in adult rats, leading to degraded behavioral and cortical spectral processing of sound. Importantly, fluoxetine induces a critical period-like state of plasticity in the mature cortex; therefore, a brief rearing under an enriched acoustic environment is sufficient to reverse the changes in auditory processing caused by the administration of fluoxetine. These results provide a putative neurobiological basis for the effects of antidepressants on hearing and indicate that antidepressant treatment combined with enriched sensory experiences could optimize clinical outcomes.

Failure mechanisms of a silicon-based CMOS image sensor irradiated by a 1550†nm nanosecond laser.

Cameras, LiDAR, and radars are indispensable for accurate perception of the surrounding environment and autonomous driving. Failure mechanisms of silicon-based CMOS image sensor (CIS) irradiated by 1550 nm nanosecond laser were investigated systematically in this paper. The damages of CIS were divided into point damage, line damage, and cross damage according to different damage performances. The damage thresholds under different irradiation conditions (different repetition rates, pulse widths, and irradiation times) were explored. Large repetition rates and long irradiation times would induce more heat accumulation, more temperature increase, and a low point damage threshold. The damage threshold for a pulse with a narrow pulse width is lower than that for a pulse with a long pulse width. The damaged CIS was analyzed further by focused ion beam (FIB) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The damage location in the internal CIS structure was analyzed and the overall failure process was summarized. The results we get could enrich the database of laser damage mechanisms and laser damage thresholds of CIS, which will provide meaningful guidance for the camera design technology and anti-laser reinforcement technology of optoelectronic devices.

Construction of recombinant Lactococcus expressing thymosin and interferon fusion protein and its application as an immune adjuvant.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, biosafety and green food safety standards have increased the demand for immune enhancers and adjuvants. In the present study, recombinant food-grade Lactococcus lactis (r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN) expressing thymosin Tα1 and chicken interferon fusion protein was constructed. RESULTS: The in vitro interactions with macrophages revealed a mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN could significantly activate both macrophage J774-Dual™ NF-κB and interferon regulator (IRF) signaling pathways. In vitro interactions with chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) demonstrated that a mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN significantly enhanced the expression levels of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, CD80, and CD86 proteins in chicken PBMCs. Animal experiments displayed that injecting a lysis mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN could significantly activate the proliferation of T cells and antigen-presenting cells in chicken PBMCs. Moreover, 16S analysis of intestinal microbiota demonstrated that injection of the lysis mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN could significantly improve the structure and composition of chicken intestinal microbiota, with a significant increase in probiotic genera, such as Lactobacillus spp. Results of animal experiments using the lysis mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN as an immune adjuvant for inactivated chicken Newcastle disease vaccine showed that the serum antibody titers of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the vaccine control group, and the expression levels of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-2 were significantly higher than those of the vaccine control group. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that food-safe recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN has potential as a vaccine immune booster and immune adjuvant. This study lays the foundation for the development of natural green novel animal immune booster or immune adjuvant.

Effect of biochars on the immobilization and form of Cadmium (Cd) in simulated Cd deposition of iron rich soils.

Atmospheric deposition of Cd poses a serious threat to ecosystem security. Biochar is widely used for polluted soil remediation, however, whether biochar already applied to the soil can reduce the hazards of newly deposited Cd remains to be studied. Thus, an indoor cultural experiment and static adsorption method were conducted to study the isothermal and kinetic adsorption processes of three types of biochar (rice husk, rubber wood, and tobacco stem biochars) on Cd in iron rich soils and the effect of biochar on the morphological distribution of Cd in the soil and the soil pH. The results showed that the soil with biochar in our study could quickly fix "the new deposited Cd" in the soil in 3 h with the maximum adsorption capacity in rubber wood biochar-treated sample (3227.34 mg/kg）. The addition of all three biochar treatments significantly increased the soil pH and reduced the soil exchange state Cd content, with a 13.69-17.32% increase in the pH and a 13.22-54.39% reduction in the exchange state Cd content when contrasted with the control, which could promote those Cd converting into unavailable Cd (carbonate-bound form Cd, Fe-Mn oxide-bound form Cd, or residual form Cd) for crops. In summary, the addition of three kinds of biochar treatments could effectively reduce the ecological and environmental risk of soil that was contaminated by Cd and could provide a reliable theoretical basis for the effect of biochar on the improvement of the quality of soil that is contaminated by heavy metals.

A Surface Electromyography (sEMG) System Applied for Grip Force Monitoring.

Muscles play an indispensable role in human life. Surface electromyography (sEMG), as a non-invasive method, is crucial for monitoring muscle status. It is characterized by its real-time, portable nature and is extensively utilized in sports and rehabilitation sciences. This study proposed a wireless acquisition system based on multi-channel sEMG for objective monitoring of grip force. The system consists of an sEMG acquisition module containing four-channel discrete terminals and a host computer receiver module, using Bluetooth wireless transmission. The system is portable, wearable, low-cost, and easy to operate. Leveraging the system, an experiment for grip force prediction was designed, employing the bald eagle search (BES) algorithm to enhance the Random Forest (RF) algorithm. This approach established a grip force prediction model based on dual-channel sEMG signals. As tested, the performance of acquisition terminal proceeded as follows: the gain was up to 1125 times, and the common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) remained high in the sEMG signal band range (96.94 dB (100 Hz), 84.12 dB (500 Hz)), while the performance of the grip force prediction algorithm had an R2 of 0.9215, an MAE of 1.0637, and an MSE of 1.7479. The proposed system demonstrates excellent performance in real-time signal acquisition and grip force prediction, proving to be an effective muscle status monitoring tool for rehabilitation, training, disease condition surveillance and scientific fitness applications.

[Bioinformatics database and production layout visual analysis platform of medicinal plants:a case study of Dao-di medicinal materials in Sichuan province].

In the new stage of trans-omics and trans-subjects for medicinal plants, it is an urgent need to integrate big data, provide interactive applications, and form a unified and multi-level research system and big data platform. Dao-di medicinal material, as an important source of medicinal plants, is a unique quality concept and comprehensive standard of tranditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Several databases have been developed in China and abroad, such as the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine(ETCM) and the Global Pharmacopoeia Genome Database(GPGD). Yet, most databases do not provide multi-dimensional data, including geographic data, phenotype data, compound data, and genetic data. Sichuan, known as the hometown of TCM therapies and the treasure trove of TCM, is the most representative region of medicinal plant diversity in China. According to the latest data of the fourth national survey of TCM resources, there are more than 8 000 TCM and 86 Dao-di medicinal materials in Sichuan province. Based on resource census data and relevant achievements, this study constructed the bioinformatics database of medicinal plants and the visual analysis platform of production layout by taking the Dao-di medicinal materials in Sichuan province as an example, covering geographic data, phenotype data, compound data, and genetic data. It effectively integrates multi-dimensional data of Dao-di medicinal materials and provides different levels of data interaction applications. The platform is the first large-scale multi-dimensional database and visual platform of Dao-di medicinal materials in Sichuan province, which serves as an essential resource for germplasm resources identification, decomposition of biosynthetic pathways, molecular breeding of varieties and provides medicinal plant resource information and data support for development and utilization of medicinal plants in China and abroad.

Brown tides linked to the unique nutrient profile in coastal waters of Qinhuangdao, China.

Brown tides caused by the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens have frequently occurred in the Bohai Sea since 2009 and have led to a dramatic collapse of the local scallop culture. To determine why brown tides occurred in the Bohai Sea rather than in other eutrophic coastal waters of China, phytoplankton communities and nutrients were evaluated and nutrient addition experiments were conducted in the Qinhuangdao coastal area. The concentration of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) was nearly five times higher than that of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) during brown tides. High levels of phytoplankton biomass and nutrients were observed in the inshore waters, and the patterns of different nutrients were heterogeneous, which could be due to the uneven distribution of pelagophytes and non-brown tide phytoplankton populations (NBTP). The nutrient enrichment results indicated that the growth of the phytoplankton community was nitrogen-limited. Enrichment of DON, especially urea, could promote the growth of pelagophytes during the development stages of the brown tide. In brief, the results of this study imply that the unique nutrient profile (rich in DON but deficient in DIN) could support the outbreak of brown tides in the inshore waters of Qinhuangdao.

Real-Time Trajectory Prediction Method for Intelligent Connected Vehicles in Urban Intersection Scenarios.

Intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) have played an important role in improving the intelligence degree of transportation systems, and improving the trajectory prediction capability of ICVs is beneficial for traffic efficiency and safety. In this paper, a real-time trajectory prediction method based on vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication is proposed for ICVs to improve the accuracy of their trajectory prediction. Firstly, this paper applies a Gaussian mixture probability hypothesis density (GM-PHD) model to construct the multidimension dataset of ICV states. Secondly, this paper adopts vehicular microscopic data with more dimensions, which is output by GM-PHD as the input of LSTM to ensure the consistency of the prediction results. Then, the signal light factor and Q-Learning algorithm were applied to improve the LSTM model, adding features in the spatial dimension to complement the temporal features used in the LSTM. When compared with the previous models, more consideration was given to the dynamic spatial environment. Finally, an intersection at Fushi Road in Shijingshan District, Beijing, was selected as the field test scenario. The final experimental results show that the GM-PHD model achieved an average error of 0.1181 m, which is a 44.05% reduction compared to the LiDAR-based model. Meanwhile, the error of the proposed model can reach 0.501 m. When compared to the social LSTM model, the prediction error was reduced by 29.43% under the average displacement error (ADE) metric. The proposed method can provide data support and an effective theoretical basis for decision systems to improve traffic safety.

Digital Fringe Projection-Based Clamping Force Estimation Algorithm for Railway Fasteners.

The inspection of railway fasteners to assess their clamping force can be used to evaluate the looseness of the fasteners and improve railway safety. Although there are various methods for inspecting railway fasteners, there is still a need for non-contact, fast inspection without installing additional devices on fasteners. In this study, a system that uses digital fringe projection technology to measure the 3D topography of the fastener was developed. This system inspects the looseness through a series of algorithms, including point cloud denoising, coarse registration based on fast point feature histograms (FPFH) features, fine registration based on the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm, specific region selection, kernel density estimation, and ridge regression. Unlike the previous inspection technology, which can only measure the geometric parameters of fasteners to characterize the tightness, this system can directly estimate the tightening torque and the bolt clamping force. Experiments on WJ-8 fasteners showed a root mean square error of 9.272 N·m and 1.94 kN for the tightening torque and clamping force, demonstrating that the system is sufficiently precise to replace manual measurement and can substantially improve inspection efficiency while evaluating railway fastener looseness.

Phytochemical Engineered Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicles for Photodynamic Effects Promoted Immunotherapy.

Cancer vaccines are emerging as an attractive modality for tumor immunotherapy. However, their practical application is seriously impeded by the complex fabrication and unsatisfactory outcomes. Herein, we construct bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs)-based in situ cancer vaccine with phytochemical features for photodynamic effects-promoted immunotherapy. By simply fusing thylakoid membranes with OMVs, bacteria-plant hybrid vesicles (BPNs) are prepared. After systemic administration, BPNs can target tumor tissues and stimulate the activation of immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs). The photodynamic effects derived from thylakoid lead to the disruption of local tumors and then the release of tumor-associated antigens that are effectively presented by DCs, inducing remarkable tumor-specific CD8+T cell responses. Moreover, BPNs can efficiently ameliorate the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and further boost immune responses. Therefore, both tumor development and metastasis can be efficiently prevented. This work provides a novel idea for developing a versatile membrane-based hybrid system for highly efficient tumor treatment.

Fate-mapping analysis of cochlear cells expressing Atoh1 mRNA via a new Atoh13*HA-P2A-Cre knockin mouse strain.

BACKGROUND: Atoh1 is recognized to be essential for cochlear hair cell (HC) development. However, Atoh1 temporal and spatial expression patterns remain widely debated. Here, we aimed to obtain evidence to resolve the controversies regarding Atoh1 expression by generating a new knockin mouse strain: Atoh13*HA-P2A-Cre . RESULTS: Fate-mapping analysis of Atoh13*HA-P2A-Cre/+ ; Rosa26-CAG-LSL-tdTomato (Ai9)/+ mice enabled us to concurrently characterize the temporal expression of Atoh1 protein (through HA-tag immunostaining) and visualize the cells expressing Atoh1 mRNA (as tdTomato+ cells). Our findings show that whereas Atoh1 mRNA expression is rapidly turned on in early cochlear progenitors, Atoh1 protein is only detected in differentiating HCs or progenitors just committed to the HC fate. Cre activity is also stronger in Atoh13*HA-P2A-Cre/+ than in previous mouse models, because almost all cochlear HCs and nearby supporting cells here are tdTomato+. Furthermore, tdTomato, but not HA, is expressed in middle and apical spiral ganglion neurons. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings indicate that Atoh13*HA-P2A-Cre can serve as a powerful genetic model in the developmental biology field.

Phosphorus-Doped Single-Crystalline Quaternary Sulfide Nanobelts Enable Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

Facilitating charge separation and transport of semiconductors is pivotal to improving their solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. To this end, manipulating the charge dynamics via element doping has attracted much attentions. Here, we doped phosphorus (P) into two-dimensional (2D) single-crystalline quaternary sulfide (SCQS) nanobelts, enabling significantly enhanced photocatalytic H2 production. By carefully studying the carrier dynamics after P doping, we found that the introduction of P leads to a narrowed band gap, inhibits the recombination of photogenerated carriers, and increases the electric conductivity, all of which contributed to their improved catalytic performance. Meanwhile, the inherited single-crystalline structure and exposed (0001) facet favors carrier transport and photocatalytic hydrogen production. It has been found that the P-doped Cu-Zn-In-S (CZIS) nanobelts exhibit a visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 12.2 mmol h-1 g-1 without cocatalysts, which is 3.5-fold higher than that of pristine CZIS nanobelts. Moreover, the P doping strategy is proven to be common to other semiconductors, such as single-crystalline Cu-Zn-Ga-S (CZGS) nanobelts. Our work provides an efficient way to manipulate charge carriers and will help develop high-efficiency photocatalysts.

Polyethylene glycol recombinant human growth hormone in Chinese prepubertal slow-growing short children: doses reported in a multicenter real-world study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effectiveness of individualized-dose polyethylene glycol recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH) for short stature. METHODS: This real-world study enrolled children with short stature in 19 hospitals throughout China. They were treated with PEG-rhGH for 6 months. The starting dosage ranged from 0.10 to 0.20 mg/kg/week. The primary outcome was the change in height standard deviation score (ΔHt SDS). RESULTS: Five hundred and ten patients were included and grouped based on dosage as A (0.10-0.14 mg/kg/week), B (0.15-0.16 mg/kg/week), C (0.17-0.19 mg/kg/week), and D (0.20 mg/kg/week). The mean 6-month ΔHt SDS for the total cohort was 0.49 ± 0.27, and the means differed among the four dose groups (P = 0.002). The ΔHt SDS was lower in group A than in groups B (LSM difference [95%CI], -0.09 [-0.17, -0.01]), C (LSM difference [95%CI], -0.10 [-0.18, -0.02]), and D (LSM difference [95%CI], -0.13 [-0.21, -0.05]) after adjusting baseline covariates. There were no significant differences among groups B, C, and D. When the baseline IGF-1 was < -2 SDS or > 0 SDS, the △Ht SDS was not different among the four groups (P = 0.931 and P = 0.400). In children with baseline IGF-1 SDS of -2 ~ 0 SDS, a higher dosage was associated with a better treatment effect (P = 0.003), and the △Ht SDS was lower in older children than in younger ones (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PEG-rhGH could effectively increase height in prepubertal short children. When the baseline IGF-1 was < -2 SDS, 0.10 mg/kg/week could be a starting dose. In other IGF-1 statuses, 0.15-0.20 mg/kg/week might be preferred. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03249480 , retrospectively registered.

Temporal trends in suicide attempts among adolescents aged 12-15 years from 12 low- and middle-income countries.

PURPOSE: Suicide is a major public health problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, current data on temporal trends in suicide attempts are limited. Therefore, we explored the temporal trends in suicide attempts among adolescents aged 12-15 years from 12 LMICs. METHODS: The data for this study were obtained from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2009-2017, wherein the interval between two surveys in most of the participating countries was approximately 6 years. The prevalences of suicide attempts were reported as weighted prevalences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pooled overall estimates were calculated using meta-analysis with a random-effects model. Linear regression was used to assess the associations of a country's GNI/capita with the prevalence and temporal variations of suicide attempts. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of suicide attempts in the LMICs decreased significantly from 17.56% in the first survey to 13.77% in the second survey (difference = 3.65%, 95% CI = 0.35-6.95%, P = 0.03). However, significant decreasing trends were only observed in two countries (Benin and Samoa), the prevalence in the remaining countries remained relatively stable. The pooled prevalence of suicide attempts decreased significantly in boys and in the 12- to 13 year age group (difference = 3.77% and 4.44%, Both P < 0.05). In addition, the correlations of gross national income per capita with the prevalences of suicide attempts was negative but not significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal a decreasing trend in the prevalence of suicide attempts among 12-15 year-old adolescents in 12 LMICs. However, the trend varied in each country. This suggests the need for tailored suicide prevention strategies in each country to reduce suicide attempts.

Value of multi-detector computed tomography combined with serum tumor markers in diagnosis, preoperative, and prognostic evaluation of pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) and serum tumor markers are commonly used in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (PC). In this article, we focused on the evaluation of the clinical value of MDCT combined with serum tumor markers CA199, CA242, and CEA in diagnosis, preoperative, and prognostic evaluation of PC. METHODS: Eighty-five PC patients (PC group) and 39 patients with pancreatitis (control group) admitted to our hospital were selected for our present research study. MDCT, CA199, CA242, and CEA examination were examined in all patients, and their value in diagnosis, preoperative, and prognostic evaluation of PC was retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: There were 69 patients whose clinical staging results of MDCT were consistent with the postoperative pathological diagnosis. The coincidence rate was 70.00% in stage I, 62.96% in stage II, 72.72% in stage III, and 80.00% in stage IV, respectively, and the overall coincidence rate was 69.57%The levels of CA199, CA242, and CEA in PC group were remarkably higher than those in control group and were sharply correlated with clinical stage, differentiation degree, and distant metastasis. The sensitivity, accuracy, and negative predictive value of MDCT combined with serum CA199, CA242 and CEA in the diagnosis of PC were significantly improved compared with those of each single test. In PC group, the 2-year event-free survival rate of the group with high CA199, CA242, and CEA expression was remarkably lower than that of the low expression group. CONCLUSION: MDCT combined with CA199, CA242, and CEA notably improved the diagnostic efficiency of PC and had guiding significance for preoperative and prognostic evaluation of PC.

Distributed-Satellite-Clusters-Based Spectrum Sensing with Two-Stage Phase Alignment.

We investigate a distributed-satellite-clusters (DSC)-system-based spectrum sensing, to enhance the ability for sensing weak signals. However, the spectrum-sensing performance may be significantly decreased by the phase deviations among different satellite clusters, where the deviations may be caused by the movement and the perturbation of satellites. To eliminate such a decrement, we propose a cooperative spectrum-sensing scheme in the presence of phase deviations, where the deviations are alleviated by a special two-stage phase synchronization. Specifically, the phase compensation is first performed relying on broadcasting reference signals and the ephemeris, to address the challenges of the deviations caused by the movement. Then, a two-bit feedback algorithm, having a dynamic disturbance step size, is further adopted for controlling and mitigating the deviations caused by the perturbation. Additionally, we provide the closed-form expression of the correct detection probability of the proposed spectrum-sensing scheme, using the specially derived probability density function of the sum of the shadowed-Rician random variables with independently identical distribution. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can achieve the best spectrum-sensing performance, comparing with the traditional energy detection, eigenvalue ratio test and the generalized likelihood ratio test.

Advanced Pedestrian State Sensing Method for Automated Patrol Vehicle Based on Multi-Sensor Fusion.

At present, the COVID-19 pandemic still presents with outbreaks occasionally, and pedestrians in public areas are at risk of being infected by the viruses. In order to reduce the risk of cross-infection, an advanced pedestrian state sensing method for automated patrol vehicles based on multi-sensor fusion is proposed to sense pedestrian state. Firstly, the pedestrian data output by the Euclidean clustering algorithm and the YOLO V4 network are obtained, and a decision-level fusion method is adopted to improve the accuracy of pedestrian detection. Then, combined with the pedestrian detection results, we calculate the crowd density distribution based on multi-layer fusion and estimate the crowd density in the scenario according to the density distribution. In addition, once the crowd aggregates, the body temperature of the aggregated crowd is detected by a thermal infrared camera. Finally, based on the proposed method, an experiment with an automated patrol vehicle is designed to verify the accuracy and feasibility. The experimental results have shown that the mean accuracy of pedestrian detection is increased by 17.1% compared with using a single sensor. The area of crowd aggregation is divided, and the mean error of the crowd density estimation is 3.74%. The maximum error between the body temperature detection results and thermometer measurement results is less than 0.8°, and the abnormal temperature targets can be determined in the scenario, which can provide an efficient advanced pedestrian state sensing technique for the prevention and control area of an epidemic.

Effects of acute heat stress on liver damage, apoptosis and inflammation of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca).

Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) is a sub-cold water fish species with high aquaculture potential. Its culture is seriously affected by increasing summer temperatures in recent years. Aim to investigate the effects of heat stress on apoptosis, oxidative stress, and the immune response in pikeperch. the fish were heat stressed at 30 °C, 32 °C and 34 °C for 2h respectively, followed by a 48h recovery period. The results showed that as temperature increased, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the liver increased significantly. Meanwhile, acute heat stress results in progressive deleterious alterations in liver tissue, especially vascular rupture, blood infiltration, and severe vacuolation at 34 °C. TUNEL staining revealed that the apoptosis level increased significantly with the rising temperature. Acute heat stress significantly induced the mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes, including tumor suppressor (p53), B-cell lymphoma-2 (bcl-2), bcl-2-associated X (bax), apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (apaf-1), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (caspase-3 and caspase-9), and the expression of p53 was also positively correlated with bax expression and the bax/bcl-2 ratio. Additionally, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity increased significantly at 34 °C compared with the control group (23 °C). Innate immune genes, including tumor necrosis factor (tnf-α), interleukins (il-7, il-8, il-10 and il-1ß), complement 3 (c3) were activated under acute heat stress, and H2O2 content was positively correlated with the expressions of tnf-α and il-1ß. After the temperature reached again 23 °C, most measured indexes in heat-stressed groups didn't return to stress-free levels, and liver tissue also didn't return to its normal state in the histopathology. It was found that p53-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was triggered in pikeperch under acute heat stress, and there may be a vicious cycle between oxidative stress and inflammation. In summary, the present study is helpful to elucidate how acute heat stress mediates liver injury of pikeperch through mitochondrial pathway, inflammation and oxidative stress.