Assessment of lumbar disc herniation-impaired gait by using IMU data fusion method.

The inertial motion unit (IMU) is an effective tool for monitoring and assessing gait impairment in patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH). However, the current clinical assessment methods for LDH gait focus on patients' subjective scoring indicators and lack the assessment of kinematic ability; at the same time, individual differences in the motor function degradation of the healthy and affected lower limbs of LDH patients are also ignored. To solve this problem, we propose an LDH gait feature model based on multi-source adaptive Kalman data fusion of acceleration and angular velocity. The gait phase is segmented by using an adaptive Kalman data fusion algorithm to estimate the attitude angle, and obtaining gait events through a zero-velocity update technique and a peak detection algorithm. Two IMUs were used to analyze the gait characteristics of lumbar disc patients and healthy gait people, including 12 gait characteristics such as gait spatiotemporal parameters, kinematic parameters, gait variability and stability. Statistical methods were used to analyze the characteristic model and verify the biological differences between the healthy affected side of LDH and healthy subjects. Finally, feature engineering and machine learning technology were used to identify the gait pattern of inertial movement units in patients with lumbar intervertebral disc disease, and achieved a classification accuracy of 95.50%, providing an effective gait feature set and method for clinical evaluation of LDH.

Evaluation of socio-economic-ecological environmental benefits of urban renewal projects based on the coupling coordination degree.

The success of urban renewal projects is attributed to the synergistic development of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. However, people often seek unilateral economic benefits and ignore the coupling and coordination degree of economy-social ecological and environmental benefits. This paper attempts to evaluate the success and sustainability of urban renewal projects based on the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of economic-social-ecological benefits. Firstly, this study relies on a literature review and structural interviews to build a coupling indicator system of economic-social-ecological benefits of urban renewal projects and calculates the weight of evaluation indicators based on the entropy method. Taking 15 urban renewal projects in Guangzhou as objects, this research measures their CCD and explores the coupling relationship. The research results show that (1) among the 60 comprehensive benefit evaluation indicator elements of urban renewal projects, the indicator element with a larger weight is " Education support facilities," the economic benefit indicator element with greater weight is "Regional housing price of renewal areas," and the ecological benefit indicator element with a large weight is "Vitality, and health of the urban landscape, and the characteristics of meeting the needs of residents of all ages." (2) From the project dimension, the evaluation value of the social, economic, and ecological environment benefits of different reconstruction projects have certain differences. From the perspective of the regional dimension, the CCD of comprehensive benefits of urban renewal projects has obvious regional differences. The projects with a high CCD are mostly distributed in the most economically developed regions. The economic and social benefits of the renewal projects located in the economic core of the city center are usually higher, but their eco-environmental benefits are not necessarily the highest. (3) The government should innovate the reconstruction mode of diversified development, improve the public participation mechanism, and build an efficient urban renewal ecosystem. This study concludes that the government should introduce relevant urban renewal policies to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for enterprises to participate in urban renewal projects.

In-Plane Phonon Anisotropy and Anharmonicity in Exfoliated Natural Black Arsenic.

Group-VA two-dimensional layered materials in a puckered honeycomb structure exhibit strong in-plane anisotropy and have emerged as new platforms for novel devices. Here, we report on systematic Raman investigations on exfoliated b-As flakes on the Ag1 and Ag2 polarization dependence on their symmetry, excitation wavelength, and flake thickness. The intensity maximums of both phonons are corrected in the b-As armchair direction under 633 nm excitation regardless of the flake thickness upon considering optical birefringence effects and interference effects. The intensity ratio of Ag1 to Ag2 modes under 532 nm excitation is useful for b-As crystalline orientation identification. Temperature-dependent Raman investigations reveal the linearly anharmonic behaviors of both phonons in the range from 173 to 293 K and a slightly greater first-order temperature coefficient in the zigzag direction. Our findings give deep insight into the in-plane phonon anisotropy and anharmonicity of b-As and provide a step toward future device applications.

Cytomembrane visualization using Stokes parameter confocal microscopy.

A new, to the best of our knowledge, method for Stokes vector imaging is proposed to achieve imaging and dynamic monitoring of a non-labeled cytomembrane. In this work, a polarization state vector is described by a Stokes vector and expressed in chrominance space. A physical quantity called polarization chromaticity value (PCV) corresponding to a Stokes vector is used as the imaging parameter to perform Stokes vector imaging. By using the PCV imaging technique, the Stokes vector can be expressed in three-dimensional real space rather than in a Poincare sphere. Furthermore, a four-way Stokes parameter confocal microscopy system is designed to measure four Stokes parameters simultaneously and obtain micro-imaging. Label-free living onion cell membranes and their plasmolysis process are selected as the representative micro-anisotropy experimental analysis. It is proved that PCV imaging can perform visualization of cytomembranes, and further, microscopic orientation is demonstrated. The prospect of universal measurement of anisotropy details for analysis and diagnosis is provided.

C-type lectin 5, a novel pattern recognition receptor for the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in Bombyx mori.

The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription cascade transduction (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway is highly conserved in mammals, but the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and their functions are unclear. We found that the expression pattern of Bombyx mori C-type lectin 5 (BmCTL 5) had a synergy relevance with the JAK/STAT signaling pathway against Beauveria bassiana. An RNAi assay, subcellular localization analysis, yeast two-hybrid technique, protein recruitment experiment and pathogen infection tests were used to explore the roles of BmCTL 5 in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Knock-down of the BmCTL 5 suppressed the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and the PO cascade of nodule melanization. BmCTL 5 is located in the cytomembrane and interacted with BmHOP both in yeast and B. mori ovary cells N (BmN cells). BmCTL 5 and the JAK/STAT signaling pathway was activated by B. bassiana but only slightly activated by B. mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV), Nosema bombycis and bacteria LPS. These findings suggest that BmCTL 5 might be an important PRR for the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and may mediate the nodule melanization for fungi infection. These data provide insights into the immune mechanism of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in insects and aid understanding of the mechanism of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and adaptive immune systems in mammals.

Experimental and computational studies on a three-membered diphosphido thorium metallaheterocycle [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th[η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2].

A three-membered thorium metallaheterocycle [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th[η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2] (4) is readily prepared besides H2 from [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(PH-2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2 (3) upon heating in toluene solution. Density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed to elucidate the 5f orbital contribution to the bonding within Th-(η2-P-P) revealing more covalent bonds between the [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th2+ and [η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2]2- fragments than those in the related thorium metallacyclopropene. Consequently, distinctively different reactivity patterns emerge, e.g., while 4 reacts with pyridine derivatives such as 4-dimethyaminopyridnie (DMAP) and forms the DMAP adduct [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th[η2-P2(2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2](DMAP) (5), it may also act as a [η5-1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Th(ii) synthon when reacted with bipy, Ph2S2 or Ph2Se2. Nevertheless, no reaction of complex 4 with alkynes is observed, but it reacts as a nucleophile towards nitriles and aldehydes resulting in five- or seven-membered metallaheterocycles, respectively. DFT computations provide some additional insights into the experimental observations.

Synthetic Methodology for the Fabrication of Porous Porphyrin Materials with Metal-Organic-Polymer Aerogels.

A promising fabrication strategy used for designing porous porphyrin materials and a group of rigid carboxyl porphyrins based metal-organic-polymer aerogels (MOPAs) has been proposed recently. These newly synthesized MOPAs were exemplarily characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis-DRS, EDS, PXRD, TGA, SEM, TEM, and gas sorption measurements. A gelation study has shown that solvents, molar ratio, temperature, and peripheral carboxyl number in porphyrins all affect gel generation. The MOPA series exhibit eminent thermal stability, high removal efficiency in dye adsorption, versatile morphologies, and permanent tunable porosity; also the BET surface areas fall within the range 249-779 m(2) g(-1). All of the mentioned properties are significantly superior to some other porous materials, which enable these compounds to be potential candidates for dye uptake, gas storage, and separation.

An ultrasensitive label-free assay of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine based on the conformational switching of aptamer.

We developed a highly sensitive label-free assay of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) using 8-OHdG-aptamer (Apt) as the recognition element. The Apt was adsorbed onto the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which prevents them from aggregating under high-salt conditions. Upon addition of 8-OHdG, the conformation of the Apt changes to form a G-quadruplex structure, which leads to the aggregation of the AuNPs along with the increase of the resonance light scattering intensity. The mechanism of 8-OHdG that induces Apt to form G-quadruplexes structure was studied by circular dichroism. The response signals linearly correlated with the concentration of 8-OHdG ranging from 90.8pM to 14.1nM with a detection limit of 27.3pM, which is much lower than that obtained by other methods. This method does not need any label steps and sophisticated equipment. The application for detection of 8-OHdG in real samples further demonstrated its reliability. This strategy would be helpful for developing a universal analytical method by simply replacing corresponding aptamers for various target molecules.

Fluorescence quenching determination of metallothioneins using 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid-Cd(II) chelate.

A novel method for the determination of metallothioneins (MTs) in urine was developed by fluorescence quenching strategy. The response signals linearly correlated with the concentration of MTs in the ranges of 3.12×10(-8)-1.23×10(-6) mol L(-1), and the limit of detection (LOD) was 9.36×10(-9) mol L(-1). The proposed method avoids the label and derivatization steps in common methods, and is reliable, inexpensive and sensitive. Furthermore, the interaction of MTs and 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid (HQS)-Cd(II) chelate was investigated, and a static quenching mode was proposed to be primarily responsible for the fluorescence quenching event. It could provide a promising potential for the detection of the biomacromolecules which have no native fluorescence, and be benefit to extend the application of fluorescence strategy.

Resonance light scattering determination of uranyl based on labeled DNAzyme-gold nanoparticle system.

A resonance light scattering (RLS) method has been developed using a uranyl (UO2(2+)) specific DNAzyme and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). In this strategy, the cleavage of the substrate strand (SDNA) of DNAzyme results in releasing a shorter duplex in the presence of UO2(2+), leading to the aggregation of AuNPs and the increase of RLS intensity. The response signals linearly correlated with the concentration of UO2(2+) over the range of 1.36×10(-8)-1.50×10(-7) mol L(-1). The limit of detection (LOD) is 4.09×10(-9) mol L(-1). The method has excellent selectivity and higher sensitivity. It could provide a promising potential for the detection of metal ions, and be benefit to extend the application of RLS method.

Colorimetric detection of metallothioneins using a thymine-rich oligonucleotide-Hg complex and gold nanoparticles.

A simple and sensitive method for label-free, colorimetric detection of metallothioneins (MTs) has been developed by using a thymine (T)-rich oligonucleotide (TRO)-Hg-AuNP system. In this colorimetric strategy, the thiol groups of MTs could interact with mercury from the T-Hg(2+)-T complex to release TRO, resulting in a color change of the system. The response signals linearly correlated with the concentration of MTs over the range of 2.56 × 10(-8) to 3.08 × 10(-7) mol L(-1), and the limit of detection was 7.67 × 10(-9) mol L(-1). The relative standard deviation and the recovery were 2.3-4.8% (n = 11) and 94.2-103.9%, respectively. The proposed method avoids the label and derivatization steps in common methods, allows direct analysis of the samples by the naked eye without costly instruments, and is reliable, inexpensive, and sensitive.