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1.
Front Med (Lausanne) ; 11: 1422081, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38988361

ABSTRACT

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) stands as a prevalent and pivotal clinical condition. The potential cooccurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) among afflicted individuals can profoundly influence their prognosis. In recent times, there has been a growing focus among clinical practitioners on researching the relationship between ICH and AKI. AKI occurring concurrently with ICH predominantly arises from both hemodynamic and non-hemodynamic mechanisms. The latter encompasses neurohumoral regulation, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and iatrogenic factors such as contrast agents, dehydrating agents, antibiotics, and diuretics. Moreover, advanced age, hypertension, elevated baseline creatinine levels, chronic kidney disease, and larger hematomas predispose patients to AKI. Additionally, the current utilization of biomarkers and the development of predictive models appear promising in identifying patients at risk of AKI after ICH. This article aims to underscore the potential of the aforementioned insights to inspire novel approaches to early clinical intervention.

2.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 16171, 2024 Jul 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39003396

ABSTRACT

Immunosuppression and malnutrition play pivotal roles in the complications of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and are intricately linked to the development of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). Inflammatory markers, including NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), SII (systemic immune inflammation index), SIRI (systemic inflammatory response index), and SIS (systemic inflammation score), along with nutritional indexes such as CONUT (controlling nutritional status) and PNI (prognostic nutritional index), are crucial indicators influencing the inflammatory state following ICH. In this study, our objective was to compare the predictive efficacy of inflammatory and nutritional indices for SAP in ICH patients, aiming to determine and explore their clinical utility in early pneumonia detection. Patients with severe ICH requiring ICU admission were screened from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The outcomes included the occurrence of SAP and in-hospital death. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, multivariate logistic regression, smooth curve analysis, and stratified analysis were employed to investigate the relationship between the CONUT index and the clinical outcomes of patients with severe ICH. A total of 348 patients were enrolled in the study. The incidence of SAP was 21.3%, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 17.0%. Among these indicators, multiple regression analysis revealed that CONUT, PNI, and SIRI were independently associated with SAP. Further ROC curve analysis demonstrated that CONUT (AUC 0.6743, 95% CI 0.6079-0.7408) exhibited the most robust predictive ability for SAP in patients with ICH. Threshold analysis revealed that when CONUT < 6, an increase of 1 point in CONUT was associated with a 1.39 times higher risk of SAP. Similarly, our findings indicate that CONUT has the potential to predict the prognosis of patients with ICH. Among the inflammatory and nutritional markers, CONUT stands out as the most reliable predictor of SAP in patients with ICH. Additionally, it proves to be a valuable indicator for assessing the prognosis of patients with ICH.


Subject(s)
Cerebral Hemorrhage , Pneumonia , Humans , Male , Female , Cerebral Hemorrhage/blood , Cerebral Hemorrhage/complications , Aged , Pneumonia/blood , Pneumonia/complications , Pneumonia/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Hospital Mortality , Nutritional Status , Biomarkers/blood , Inflammation/blood , ROC Curve , Nutrition Assessment
3.
Heliyon ; 10(7): e28632, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38590894

ABSTRACT

Background: Brain abscesses caused by Nocardia are rare and difficult to diagnose. Nocardia farcinica is among the most common species; however, the conventional diagnosis of N. farcinica infection consists of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood culture and Gram staining. These procedures prolong the time to diagnosis and initiating treatment. Case presentation: A 69-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus presented with headaches and dizziness persisting for 2 weeks, which was initially diagnosed as a brain abscess. Due to the unusual presentation and rapid progression of symptoms, she underwent surgical resection of the brain abscess. No pathogens were detected in blood or CSF cultures. However, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) identified N. farcinica and Torque teno virus in pus extracted from the abscesses. The patient received appropriate antibiotic therapy and recovered fully without any residual neurological deficits. Conclusion: mNGS useful for prompt diagnosis and selection of antibiotic therapy for brain abscesses caused by Nocardia. Surgical intervention is necessary in some cases.

5.
J Hazard Mater ; 469: 133976, 2024 May 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38461664

ABSTRACT

The premise that pathogen colonized microplastics (MPs) can promote the spread of pathogens has been widely recognized, however, their role in the colonization of pathogens in a host intestine has not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the effect of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) on the colonization levels of Aeromonas veronii, a typical aquatic pathogen, in the loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) intestine. Multiple types of MPs were observed to promote the intestinal colonization of A. veronii, among which PS-MPs exhibited the most significant stimulating effect (67.18% increase in A. veronii colonization). PS-MPs inflicted serious damage to the intestinal tracts of loaches and induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis. The abundance of certain intestinal bacteria with resistance against A. veronii colonization decreased, with Lactococcus sp. showing the strongest colonization resistance (73.64% decline in A. veronii colonization). Fecal microbiota transplantation was performed, which revealed that PS-MPs induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis was responsible for the increased colonization of A. veronii in the intestine. It was determined that PS-MPs reshaped the intestinal microbiota community to attenuate the colonization resistance against A. veronii colonization, resulting in an elevated intestinal colonization levels of A. veronii.


Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Microplastics , Humans , Microplastics/toxicity , Polystyrenes/toxicity , Plastics , Aeromonas veronii , Dysbiosis/chemically induced , Intestines
6.
Biomimetics (Basel) ; 9(2)2024 Jan 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38392115

ABSTRACT

Research on systems that imitate the gaze function of human eyes is valuable for the development of humanoid eye intelligent perception. However, the existing systems have some limitations, including the redundancy of servo motors, a lack of camera position adjustment components, and the absence of interest-point-driven binocular cooperative motion-control strategies. In response to these challenges, a novel biomimetic binocular cooperative perception system (BBCPS) was designed and its control was realized. Inspired by the gaze mechanism of human eyes, we designed a simple and flexible biomimetic binocular cooperative perception device (BBCPD). Based on a dynamic analysis, the BBCPD was assembled according to the principle of symmetrical distribution around the center. This enhances braking performance and reduces operating energy consumption, as evidenced by the simulation results. Moreover, we crafted an initial position calibration technique that allows for the calibration and adjustment of the camera pose and servo motor zero-position, to ensure that the state of the BBCPD matches the subsequent control method. Following this, a control method for the BBCPS was developed, combining interest point detection with a motion-control strategy. Specifically, we propose a binocular interest-point extraction method based on frequency-tuned and template-matching algorithms for perceiving interest points. To move an interest point to a principal point, we present a binocular cooperative motion-control strategy. The rotation angles of servo motors were calculated based on the pixel difference between the principal point and the interest point, and PID-controlled servo motors were driven in parallel. Finally, real experiments validated the control performance of the BBCPS, demonstrating that the gaze error was less than three pixels.

7.
Heliyon ; 10(3): e25163, 2024 Feb 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38371971

ABSTRACT

Independent predictors of mortality and transfusion therapy in polytrauma patients from the Chinese population remain unknown. Here, we aimed to identify these predictors by retrospectively collecting and analyzing vital signs and laboratory results for 408 critically ill patients suffering from polytrauma who were treated in Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu Province, China from January 2020 to December 2021. We identified risk factors for mortality and transfusion therapy using logistic regression analysis. As a results, we enrolled a total of 408 polytrauma patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 2:1, a mean age of 49.02 ± 16.84 years, a mortality rate of 15.9 %, and a blood transfusion rate of 45.8 %. The multivariate logistic regression showed that decreased Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.72, 95 % confidence interval (95%CI): 0.63-0.83, P < 0.001), decreased base excess (BE) (OR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.67-0.87, P < 0.001), and increased Injury Severity Score (ISS) (OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.06-1.17, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the mortality. In addition, increased GCS score (OR = 1.17, 95%CI: 1.03-1.35, P = 0.020), increased heart rate (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.04-1.07, P < 0.001), decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (OR = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.96-0.99, P < 0.001), increased peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) (OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 1.04-1.16, P = 0.002), decreased serum lactate (OR = 0.58, 95%CI: 0.42-0.79, P = 0.001), decreased BE (OR = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.39-0.62, P < 0.001), and increased ISS (OR = 1.25, 95%CI: 1.18-1.33, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for blood transfusion. The area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) of the model to predict mortality and blood transfusion were 0.976 (95%CI: 0.960-0.992, P < 0.001) and 0.973 (95%CI: 0.958-0.987, P < 0.001). In conclusion, decreased BE level was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in polytrauma patients. BE, ISS, and GCS might be independent important predictors for mortality and blood transfusion of polytrauma patients.

8.
Fish Shellfish Immunol ; 147: 109460, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38382690

ABSTRACT

Polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) has become a global concern due to their widespread distribution and hazardous properties in aquatic habitats. In this study, the accumulation effect of PE-MPs in the intestine of large-scale loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus) was explored by adding different concentrations of PE-MPs to the water, the destination of PE-MPs after breaking the intestinal barrier and the effects caused. The collected data showed that PE-MPs accumulation for 21d altered the histomorphology and antioxidant enzyme activity of the intestine, induced dysbiosis of the intestinal flora. 10 mg/L of PE-MPs induced a significant increase in the transcript levels of intestinal immunity factors in loach after 21d of exposure. Moreover, the levels of diamine oxidase (DAO) and d-lactic acid (D-Lac) in the gut and serum of loach were significantly increased after exposure to PE-MPs at all concentrations (1, 5, 10 mg/L). Subsequently, the presence of PE-MPs was detected in the blood, suggesting that the disruption of the intestinal multilayer barrier allowed PE-MPs to spill into the circulation. The accumulation of PE-MPs (1,5,10 mg/L) in the blood led to massive apoptosis and necrosis of blood cells and activated phagocytosis in response to PE-MPs invasion. To alleviate the damage, this study further exposure the effect of probiotics on PE-MPs treated loach by adding Leuconostoc mesenteroides DH (109 CFU/g) to the feed. The results showed that DH significantly increased the intestinal index and reduced the levels of DAO and D-Lac. To investigate the reason, we followed the PE-MPs in the intestine and blood of the loach and found that the number of PE-MPs particles was significantly reduced in the probiotic group, while the PE-MPs content in the feces was elevated. Thus, we concluded that DH reducing the accumulation of PE-MPs in the intestinal by increases fecal PE-MPs, which in turn mitigates the damage to the intestinal barrier caused by PE-MPs, and reduces the amount of PE-MPs in the blood. This work offers a robust analysis to understand the mechanisms of damage to the intestinal barrier by MPs and the fate of MPs after escaping the intestinal barrier and provide a new perspective on the application of probiotics in mitigating PE-MPs toxicity.


Subject(s)
Cypriniformes , Leuconostoc mesenteroides , Animals , Polyethylene , Microplastics , Plastics , Antioxidants , Intestines , Blood Cells , Immunity
9.
Heliyon ; 10(1): e23469, 2024 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38170000

ABSTRACT

As urbanization proceeds, urban transportation resilience suffers greater challenges. Covering panel data for 35 Chinese cities from 2006 to 2019, after controlling for other variables that may affect urban residents' transportation volumes, this paper finds that rising houseing prices have a significant positive effect on urban residents' traffic frequency. As frequent traffic trips increase the probability of urban residents experiencing disruptions, rising housing purchase prices would have a negative impact on Chinese urban residents' transportation resilience. The regional comparison analysis finds that the regression coefficients of coastal and eastern cities with more expensive housing price are significantly higher than those of non-coastal and western cities with lower housing price, further validating the findings of this paper.

10.
Fish Shellfish Immunol ; 145: 109346, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38163494

ABSTRACT

C-type lectins (CTLs) are important immune molecules in innate immune, which participate in non-self recognition and clearance of pathogens. Here, a new CTL with two distinct C-type lectin domains (CTLDs) from Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei, designated as PvMR1 was identified. The obtained PvMR1 coding sequence (CDS) was 1044 bp long encoding a protein with 347 amino acids. PvMR1 had two CTLD, a conserved mannose-specific EPN motif and a galactose-specific QPD motif, clustering into the same branch as the crustacean CTLs. PvMR1 was widely distributed in shrimp tissues with the highest transcription level in the hepatopancreas, with significantly induced mRNA expression on the hepatopancreas and intestines after immune challenge with Vibrio anguillarum. In vitro assays with recombinant PvMR1 (rPvMR1) protein revealed that it exhibited a wide range of antimicrobial activity, bacterial binding ability, and bacterial agglutination activity in a Ca2+-independent manner. Moreover, PvMR1 promoted bacterial phagocytosis in hemocytes. Furthermore, rPvMR1 treatment could significantly enhance the bacterial clearance in hemolymph and greatly improved the survival of shrimp under V. anguillarum infection in vivo. These results collectively suggest that PvMR1 plays an important role in antibacterial immune response of P. vannamei.


Subject(s)
Lectins, C-Type , Penaeidae , Animals , Lectins, C-Type/genetics , Base Sequence , Amino Acid Sequence , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Phagocytosis , Immunity, Innate/genetics , Arthropod Proteins/genetics , Phylogeny
11.
Fish Shellfish Immunol ; 145: 109361, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38185393

ABSTRACT

C-type lectins (CTLs) function as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) by recognizing invading microorganisms, thereby triggering downstream immune events against infected pathogens. In this study, a novel CTL containing a low-density lipoprotein receptor class A (LDLa) domain was obtained from Litopenaeus vannamei, designed as LvLDLalec. Stimulation by the bacterial pathogen Vibrio anguillarum (V. anguillarum) resulted in remarkable up-regulation of LvLDLalec, as well as release of LvLDLalec into hemolymph. The rLvLDLalec protein possessed broad-spectrum bacterial binding and agglutinating activities, as well as hemocyte attachment ability. Importantly, LvLDLalec facilitated the bacterial clearance in shrimp hemolymph and protected shrimp from bacterial infection. Further studies revealed that LvLDLalec promoted hemocytes phagocytosis against V. anguillarum and lysosomes were involved in the process. Meanwhile, LvLDLalec participated in humoral immunity through activating and inducing nuclear translocation of Dorsal to regulate phagocytosis-related genes and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) genes, thereby accelerated the removal of invading pathogens in vivo and improved the survival rate of L. vannamei. These results unveil that LvLDLalec serves as a PRR participate in cellular and humoral immunity exerting opsonin activity to play vital roles in the immune regulatory system of L. vannamei.


Subject(s)
Bacterial Infections , Penaeidae , Animals , Lectins, C-Type/genetics , Phagocytosis , Receptors, Pattern Recognition/genetics , Bacteria/metabolism , Crustacea/metabolism , Immunity, Innate/genetics , Hemocytes , Arthropod Proteins/genetics
12.
Sci Total Environ ; 908: 168290, 2024 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37939934

ABSTRACT

Microcystis aeruginosa is ubiquitously found in various water bodies and can produce microcystins (MCs), which threaten the health of aquatic animals and human beings. The elimination of excessive M. aeruginosa is beneficial for the protection of the ecosystems and public health. In this regard, algae-lysing bacteria have been extensively studied as an effective measure for their eradication. However, the active substances generated by algae-lysing bacteria are limited. For this study, we reveal that the phenyllactic acid (PLA) produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides DH exhibits high efficacy for the removal of M. aeruginosa, and explore the elimination mechanism of strain DH on M. aeruginosa. It was found that a cell-free supernatant of strain DH possessed high removal activities against M. aeruginosa. Abundant reactive oxygen species were induced in algal cells following exposure to strain DH supernatant, as well as superoxide dismutase and catalase responses. Furthermore, the integrity of algal cell membranes and photosynthesis was seriously damaged. Interestingly, added exogenous eugenol significantly inhibited the synthesis of active substance produced by strain DH, which further identified that PLA is one of the active substances that contribute to the eradication of M. aeruginosa on the basis of metabolomics analysis. Our finding demonstrated, for the first time, that PLA (as an anti-cyanobacterial compound) can be used for the removal of M. aeruginosa, which provides a theoretical basis for the control of M. aeruginosa.


Subject(s)
Cyanobacteria , Leuconostoc mesenteroides , Microcystis , Animals , Humans , Microcystis/physiology , Leuconostoc mesenteroides/metabolism , Ecosystem , Cyanobacteria/metabolism , Plants/metabolism , Microcystins/metabolism , Polyesters
13.
Appl Environ Microbiol ; 89(11): e0081923, 2023 11 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37902393

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Aeromonas veronii can adhere to host cells through different adherence factors including outer-membrane proteins (OMPs), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and pili, but its adherence mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we evaluated the effect of autoinducer-2 (AI-2) on adherence of A. veronii and its regulation mechanism. After determination of the promotion effect of AI-2 on adherence, we investigated which adherence factor was regulated by AI-2, and the results show that AI-2 only limits the formation of pili. Among the four distinct pili systems, only the mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (MSHA) type IV pili genes were significantly downregulated after deficiency of AI-2. MshE, an ATPase belonged to MSHA type IV pilin, was confirmed as c-di-GMP receptor, that can bind with c-di-GMP which is positively regulated by AI-2, and the increase of c-di-GMP can promote the expression of MSHA type IV pili genes and adherence of A. veronii. Therefore, this study confirms that c-di-GMP positively regulated by AI-2 binds with MshE, then increases the expression of MSHA pili genes, finally promoting adherence of A. veronii, suggesting a multilevel positive regulatory adhesion mechanism that is responsible for A. veronii adherence.


Subject(s)
Aeromonas veronii , Hemagglutinins , Mannose , Fimbriae, Bacterial/genetics
14.
Front Public Health ; 11: 1235304, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37732094

ABSTRACT

Acute poisoning is a significant public health concern. This retrospective study investigates trends in acute poisoning cases and explores the clinical and sociodemographic profiles associated with this condition. Medical data from 859 hospitalized patients diagnosed with acute poisoning between January 2017 and December 2022 were comprehensively analyzed. The descriptive statistical analysis revealed that 360 patients had underlying diseases, with depression being the most prevalent among them. Furthermore, urban areas accounted for 87.2% of the acute poisoning cases, indicating a higher incidence compared to rural areas. The substances implicated in acute poisoning incidents varied, with drugs of abuse being the most common (53.2%), followed by pesticides (22.2%), carbon monoxide (11.8%), and alcohol (5.4%). Suicide attempt/suicide emerged as the leading cause of acute poisoning incidents, accounting for 75.9% of cases, while poisoning accidents predominantly occurred within the home setting. Through chi-square tests, it was determined that risk factors for suicide attempt/suicide included female gender and underlying medical conditions. Temporal analysis showed that the total number of acute poisoning cases increased from 2017 to 2019 and decreased from 2019 to 2022. Notably, suicide-related cases exhibited an upward trend, with suicide attempt/suicide accounting for over 80% of all acute poisoning cases after 2020. This study contributes valuable insights into the trends, profiles, and risk factors associated with acute poisoning cases.


Subject(s)
Pesticides , Humans , Female , Retrospective Studies , Ethanol , Public Health
15.
J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis ; 40(7): 1276-1288, 2023 Jul 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37706727

ABSTRACT

To obtain high-visual-quality underwater images by image post-processing, many underwater image restoration and enhancement methods have been proposed. Underwater image quality assessment (UIQA) methods have been developed to compare these restoration and enhancement methods. This paper comprehensively summarizes the subjective and objective UIQA methods, metrics, and datasets. Experiments are conducted on two underwater image datasets to analyze the performance of several typical UIQA metrics. Suggestions for further research directions are put forward as well.

16.
Exp Ther Med ; 26(3): 455, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37614417

ABSTRACT

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is a complication resulting from acute or chronic upper airway obstruction, often posing challenges in recognition and diagnosis for clinicians. If left untreated, NPPE can lead to hypoxemia, heart failure and even shock. Furthermore, the drug treatment of NPPE remains a subject of controversy. The primary pathophysiological mechanism of NPPE involves the need for high inspiratory pressure to counteract upper airway obstruction, subsequently causing a progressive rise in negative pressure within the pleural cavity. Consequently, this results in increased pulmonary microvascular pressure, leading to the infiltration of pulmonary capillary fluid into the alveoli. NPPE exhibits numerous risk factors and causes, with laryngospasm following anesthesia and extubation being the most prevalent. The diagnosis of NPPE often presents challenges due to confusion with conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux or cardiogenic pulmonary edema, given the similarity in initial factors triggering both diseases. Upper airway patency, positive pressure non-invasive ventilation, supplemental oxygen and re-intubation mechanical ventilation are the foundation of the treatment of NPPE. The present review aims to discuss the etiology, clinical presentation, pathophysiology and management of NPPE.

17.
Heliyon ; 9(5): e15942, 2023 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37305483

ABSTRACT

Background: Standardized training of resident physicians (STRP) includes clinical practice, professional required courses, and public required courses, among others. Of them, clinical practice is the most important as it allows residents to implement what they have learned in theoretical education to practice. Clinical practice includes different teaching methods, such as traditional lectures, bedside teaching, and workshops, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages in different situations of interest. Emergency medicine (EM) focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of urgent medical conditions and entails several emergency procedures. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of workshop-based STRP and traditional STRP on emergency physicians. Methods: Overall, 125 residents who received STRP in EM between January and December 2021 were selected and randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n = 60; received traditional teaching) and the intervention group (n = 65; received workshop-based training). The theoretical performance, operative performance, and satisfaction of both groups were compared and analyzed. Results: Regarding theoretical assessment, the scores of airway management, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and trauma management in the intervention group were 4.81 (t = 5.82, p < 0.001), 6.90 (t = 7.72, p < 0.001), and 5.25 (t = 6.14, p < 0.001), respectively. Regarding skill assessment, the scores for the same items in the intervention group were 4.43 (t = 5.30, p < 0.001), 4.55 (t = 5.61, p < 0.001), and 5.62 (t = 6.65, P < 0.001), respectively. Regarding satisfaction evaluation, the scores in the intervention group were 1.99 (t = 6.03, p < 0.001), 1.98 (t = 6.41, p < 0.001), and 1.96 (t = 6.14, p < 0.001), respectively. Overall, the scores were higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Conclusion: The workshop training model effectively improves the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of EM residents undergoing standardized training. The residents found the training and its outcomes satisfactory, ultimately improving their emergency response and first-responder skills.

18.
IEEE Trans Cybern ; PP2023 Jun 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37368814

ABSTRACT

This article proposes an optimal controller for a team of underactuated quadrotors with multiple active leaders in containment control tasks. The quadrotor dynamics are underactuated, nonlinear, uncertain, and subject to external disturbances. The active team leaders have control inputs to enhance the maneuverability of the containment system. The proposed controller consists of a position control law to guarantee the achievement of position containment and an attitude control law to regulate the rotational motion, which are learned via off-policy reinforcement learning using historical data from quadrotor trajectories. The closed-loop system stability can be guaranteed by theoretical analysis. Simulation results of cooperative transportation missions with multiple active leaders demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.

19.
Theriogenology ; 207: 82-95, 2023 Sep 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37269599

ABSTRACT

In recent years, sex-controlled breeding has emerged as an effective strategy to enhance the yields of economic animals with different growth characteristics, while increasing the economic benefits of aquaculture. It is known that the NF-κB pathway participates in gonadal differentiation and reproduction. Therefore, we used the large-scale loach as a research model for the present study and selected an effective inhibitor of the NF-κB signaling pathway (QNZ). This, to investigates the impacts of the NF-κB signaling pathway on gonadal differentiation during a critical period of gonad development and after maturation. Simultaneously, the sex ratio bias and the reproductive capacities of adult fish were analyzed. Our results indicated that the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway influenced the expression of genes related to gonad development, regulated the gene expression related to the brain-gonad-liver axis of juvenile loaches, and finally impacted the gonadal differentiation of the large-scale loach and promoted a male-biased sex ratio. Meanwhile, high QNZ concentrations affected the reproductive abilities of adult loaches and inhibited the growth performance of offspring. Thus, our results deepened the exploration of sex control in fish and provided a certain research basis for the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry.


Subject(s)
Cypriniformes , NF-kappa B , Male , Animals , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Gonads/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Sex Differentiation/genetics , Cypriniformes/genetics , Cypriniformes/metabolism
20.
Biomimetics (Basel) ; 8(2)2023 Mar 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37092391

ABSTRACT

Imitating the visual characteristics of human eyes is one of the important tasks of digital image processing and computer vision. Feature correspondence of humanoid-eye binocular images is a prerequisite for obtaining the fused image. Human eyes are more sensitive to edge, because it contains much information. However, existing matching methods usually fail in producing enough edge corresponding pairs for humanoid-eye images because of viewpoint and view direction differences. To this end, we propose a novel and effective feature matching algorithm based on edge points. The proposed method consists of four steps. First, the SUSAN operator is employed to detect features, for its outstanding edge feature extraction capability. Second, the input image is constructed into a multi-scale structure based on image pyramid theory, which is then used to compute simplified SIFT descriptors for all feature points. Third, a novel multi-scale descriptor is constructed, by stitching the simplified SIFT descriptor of each layer. Finally, the similarity of multi-scale descriptors is measured by bidirectional matching, and the obtained preliminary matches are refined by subsequent procedures, to achieve accurate matching results. We respectively conduct qualitative and quantitative experiments, which demonstrate that our method can robustly match feature points in humanoid-eye binocular image pairs, and achieve favorable performance under illumination changes compared to the state-of-the-art.

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