Performance Analysis and Optimization of a Cooperative Transmission Protocol in NOMA-Assisted Cognitive Radio Networks with Discrete Energy Harvesting.

In this paper, we propose a spectrum-sharing protocol for a cooperative cognitive radio network based on non-orthogonal multiple access technology, where the base station (BS) transmits the superimposed signal to the primary user and secondary user with/without the assistance of a relay station (RS) by adopting the decode-and-forward technique. RS performs discrete-time energy harvesting for opportunistically cooperative transmission. If the RS harvests sufficient energy, the system performs cooperative transmission; otherwise, the system performs direct transmission. Moreover, the outage probabilities and outage capacities of both primary and secondary systems are analyzed, and the corresponding closed-form expressions are derived. In addition, one optimization problem is formulated, where our objective is to maximize the energy efficiency of the secondary system while ensuring that of the primary system exceeds or equals a threshold value. A joint optimization algorithm of power allocation at BS and RS is considered to solve the optimization problem and to realize a mutual improvement in the performance of energy efficiency for both the primary and secondary systems. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the analysis results and prove that the proposed transmission scheme has a higher energy efficiency than the direct transmission scheme and the transmission scheme with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer technology.

Bistable active spectral tuning of one-dimensional nanophotonic crystal by phase change.

Active spectral tuning of nanophotonic devices offers many fascinating prospects for the realization of novel optical function. Here, switchable spectral response is enabled by the architecture of one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PC) integrated with phase change material of the germanium antimony telluride (GST). Active and precise tuning of the bistable passband and central resonant frequency is demonstrated in the 1D PC composed of alternate SiN and GST nanofilms. An analytical model is derived to specify the tunable spectral features, including the band gap and resonant frequencies. Both the measured and calculated results show distinct red shifts of passband and the resonant minima (or maxima), well confirming theoretical predictions. This work demonstrates a route to construct active photonic devices with the electrically or thermally tunable spectra via 1D PC and potentially extends diverse applications based on the PC platform.

Neurotropin inhibits neuroinflammation via suppressing NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 cells.

Neurotropin (NTP) is a widely used drug in China and Japan mainly for the treatment of chronic pain and peripheral inflammation. Nevertheless, the effects of NTP on neuroinflammation have not been explored. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of NTP in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells and its underlying mechanisms. BV-2 cells were pretreated with NTP for 12 h before exposure to LPS. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) were detected by RT-PCR and EILSA at mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Western blotting was conducted to measure the protein levels of major genes in MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways. Results demonstrated that NTP could attenuate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, NTP inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling by decreasing the translocation of NF-κB p65 to the nucleus and suppressed the MAPKs signaling pathway via inhibition of the phosphorylation of p38, ERK and JNK. Taken together, these findings suggest that neurotropin exerts anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators via inhibition of NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells.

Work function: a determining factor of the photodegradation rate of methyl orange via hollow octadecahedron Cu2O crystals.

Currently, photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange by Cu2O nanocrystals with different morphologies is mainly attributed to their narrow bandgap (Eg) and highly active lattice facets. Herein, three different sizes of hollow octadecahedron Cu2O crystals, with different degrees of exposed {110} facets, were developed and exhibited excellent, stable photocatalytic degradation performances. This study has shown that the intermediates in the photocatalytic degradation process are mainly peroxy radicals from the reaction of excited electrons in the Cu2O conduction band with oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface. In the photodegradation process of the hollow octadecahedron (HO) Cu2O crystals, the excited-state electrons must break away from the work function restriction before participating in the reaction. HO-2 has achieved the best photocatalytic properties due to its smallest work function as a determining factor affecting the photocatalytic activity.

Tooth loss as a risk factor for dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Tooth loss is suggested to be associated with an increased risk of dementia in many studies. But the relationship between tooth loss and dementia is not yet fully understood. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the relative effect of tooth loss on dementia risk. METHODS: An electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Knowledge was conducted in March 2018 to identify relevant observational studies with the English language restriction. Studies were included if they assessed the relationship between tooth loss and risk of dementia. Study quality was detected by the modified Downs and Black scale. Odds risks (ORs) were pooled using a random-effects model in the crude model. RESULTS: The literature search initially yielded 1574 articles, and 21 observational studies published between 1994 and 2017 were finally included for the analyses. The crude results with random-effects model showed that patients with multiple tooth loss had higher incidence of dementia (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.90-3.61, P < 0.001, I2 = 90.40%). The association remained noted when only adjusted results were pooled from 18 studies (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.41-1.70, P = 0.13, I2 = 28.00%). Meta-regression analysis showed that study design explained about 16.52% of heterogeneity in the crude model. The overall quality rating scores of studies ranged from 11 to 16. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this review evidenced that tooth loss is positively associated with an increased risk of dementia in adults. Future well-designed longitudinal researches examining the direct and indirect relationship between tooth loss and dementia risk are encouraged.

IFITM3-containing exosome as a novel mediator for anti-viral response in dengue virus infection.

Interferon-inducible transmembrane proteins 1, 2 and 3 (IFITM1, IFITM2 and IFITM3) have recently been identified as potent antiviral effectors that function to suppress the entry of a broad range of enveloped viruses and modulate cellular tropism independent of viral receptor expression. However, the antiviral effect and mechanisms of IFITMs in response to viral infections remain incompletely understood and characterized. In this work, we focused our investigation on the function of the extracellular IFITM3 protein. In cell models of DENV-2 infection, we found that IFITM3 contributed to both the baseline and interferon-induced inhibition of DENV entry. Most importantly, our study for the first time demonstrated the presence of IFITM-containing exosome in the extracellular environment, and identified an ability of cellular exosome to intercellularly deliver IFITM3 and thus transmit its antiviral effect from infected to non-infected cells. Thus, our findings provide new insights in the basic mechanisms underlying the actions of IFITM3, which might lead to future development of exosome-mediated anti-viral strategies using IFITM3 as a therapeutic agent. Conceivably, variations in the basal and inducible levels of IFITMs, as well as in intracellular and extracellular levels of IFITMs, might predict the severity of dengue virus infections among individuals or across species.

Interpretation and apportionment source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from neighboring rivers in Dapeng Bay (Taiwan).

The contents of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and surface sediment properties were analyzed from 31 locations in Dapeng Bay and neighboring rivers (i.e., Kaoping River, Tungkang River, and Lingbeng River) in Taiwan. Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) showed that the most important latent factors are the soil-texture-caused factor, the PAHs-caused factor, and the nutrient-caused factor. Contour maps incorporating factor scores showed that phenanthrene and pyrene of PAHs had the highest content at the entrance of the northern side of the lagoon. Benzo(a)pyrene had the highest content located in the midsection of the Kaoping River and in Dapeng Bay. Moreover, canonical discriminant analysis shows that sediment quality in Dapeng Bay was not similar to the other three rivers. The methodologies and results provide useful information on watershed management and may be applicable to other basins with similar properties that are experiencing similar coastal environmental issues.

Controlling Radiation Beams by High-Efficiency Metasurfaces with Enhanced Refractive Index Elements.

The efficient manipulation of the electromagnetic wavefront using metasurfaces (MSs) has attracted a continuous amount of attention in recent years. MSs with arbitrarily controllable amplitude and phase are highly desirable in many emerging fields. However, in previous research, the resonance effect has mainly been used to accomplish the task. This article presents a nonresonant metamaterial element with stronger capacitive coupling. The broadband sandwich-structured meta-atom achieves an enhanced refractive index ranging from 2.44 to 8.90. By using the enhanced refractive index elements, the proposed transmissive MS has an ultrathin thickness (0.23 free-space wavelength). It consists of a specially designed gradient index MS placed on top of the transmitting antenna. The MS is designed to convert the spherical surface wave into a plane wave with high efficiency. One core layer (CL) gradient index MS and two impedance matching layers (IMLs) have been designed to transform the magnitude and phase of the radiation beam from the transmitting antenna. An efficient transmissive MS has been designed and experimentally evaluated with a maximum measured efficiency of over 85%. The proposed control strategy increases the design flexibility of the MS and shows great potential for broadband applications in the realization of efficient functional devices.

Intercoupling of Cascaded Metasurfaces for Broadband Spectral Scalability.

Electromagnetic metasurfaces have been intensively used as ultra-compact and easy-to-integrate platforms for versatile wave manipulations from optical to terahertz (THz) and millimeter wave (MMW) ranges. In this paper, the less investigated effects of the interlayer coupling of multiple metasurfaces cascaded in parallel are intensively exploited and leveraged for scalable broadband spectral regulations. The hybridized resonant modes of cascaded metasurfaces with interlayer couplings are well interpreted and simply modeled by the transmission line lumped equivalent circuits, which are used in return to guide the design of the tunable spectral response. In particular, the interlayer gaps and other parameters of double or triple metasurfaces are deliberately leveraged to tune the inter-couplings for as-required spectral properties, i.e., the bandwidth scaling and central frequency shift. As a proof of concept, the scalable broadband transmissive spectra are demonstrated in the millimeter wave (MMW) range by cascading multilayers of metasurfaces sandwiched together in parallel with low-loss dielectrics (Rogers 3003). Finally, both the numerical and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of our cascaded model of multiple metasurfaces for broadband spectral tuning from a narrow band centered at 50 GHz to a broadened range of 40~55 GHz with ideal side steepness, respectively.

Wideband Omnidirectional Antenna Featuring Small Azimuthal Gain Variation.

Wideband omnidirectional antennas are essential components in radio monitoring and communication systems, enabling the reception of signals from all directions over a wide bandwidth. This paper presents a novel wideband omnidirectional antenna design that achieves a 1-dB gain variation across its azimuthal plane within a bandwidth of 1.8 GHz to 7.77 GHz. The antenna's exceptional performance is attributed to two flower-bud-shaped monopoles that, through pattern superposition, generate a wideband omnidirectional radiation pattern. Analysis shows that the use of a circular ground plane also reduces the azimuthal gain variation. Additionally, an embedded matching structure integrated into the antenna's base enhances the impedance bandwidth without compromising its compact size. Analytical investigations demonstrate that the matching structure effectively behaves as a five-order LC circuit, explaining its wideband matching capabilities. Furthermore, structural modifications effectively reduce side lobe levels, ensuring minimal interference. Experimental measurements corroborate the antenna's omnidirectional radiation pattern and confirm that the azimuthal gain variation remains within 1-dB throughout its bandwidth, while maintaining an S11 below -10 dB from 1.8 GHz to 7.7 GHz. The antenna's bandwidth overlaps with the spectrum intensively used in mobile communication technologies, such as LTE, Bluetooth, and IEEE 802.11be, as well as radiolocation applications, making it a promising choice for unmanned aerial vehicles conducting communication and radio monitoring missions.

Carbon fixation efficiency of plants influenced by sulfur dioxide.

In the land ecosystem, the forest can absorb the carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and turn the CO2 into organic carbon to store it in the plant body. About 2×10(11) tons of CO2 changes through photosynthesis into organic matter by plant annually. In this research, ten kinds of woody plants were selected for assessing the carbon fixation ability influenced by sulfur dioxide (SO2). The tested trees were put into a fumigation chamber for 210 days in a 40-ppb SO2 environment. The results of this study showed that there was no clear symptom of tested trees under a 40-ppb SO2 environment. The tested trees could tolerate this polluted environment, but it will impact their CO2 absorption ability. The carbon fixation ability will reduce as the polluted period lengthens. The carbon fixation potential of tested trees ranged from 2.1 to 15.5 g·CO2/m2·d with an average of 7.7 g·CO2/m2·d. The changes in CO2 absorption volume for Messerschmidia argentea were more stable during the fumigation period with a variation of 102%. Among the tested trees, Diospyros morrisiana had the best carbon fixation potential of 9.19 g·CO2/m2·d and M. argentea had the least with 2.54 g·CO2/m2·d.

Integrated estuary management for diffused sediment pollution in Dapeng Bay and neighboring rivers (Taiwan).

This work investigated sediment samples collected from Dapeng Bay and three neighboring rivers (Kaoping River, Tungkang River, and Lingbeng River) in southwestern Taiwan, Republic of China. Multivariate statistical analysis techniques, i.e., factor analysis, cluster analysis, and canonical discriminant analysis were used for the evaluation of spatial variations to determine the types of pollution and to identify pollutant sources from neighboring rivers. Factor analysis results showed that the most important latent factors in Dapeng Bay are soil texture, heavy metals, organic matter, and nutrients factors. Contour maps incorporating the factor scores showed heavy metals accumulate along the lakesides, especially on the southeastern banks of the lakes. A cluster analysis was performed using factor scores computed from these latent factors. We then classified these areas into five distinct classes using sampling stations, and we illustrate that in the three river classes, the sediment properties are influenced by industrial and domestic wastewater and agricultural activities (including livestock rearing and farm activities). However, in Dapeng Bay, the rivers were influenced more by complicated biogeochemical processes; these could be identified as a type of pollution. Canonical discriminant analysis illustrated that two constructed discriminant functions made a marked contribution to most of the discriminant variables, and the significant parameters of porosity and Cd, Cr, Al, and Pb content were combined as the "heavy metal factor". The recognition capacities of the two discriminant functions were 82.6% and 17.4%, respectively. It is also likely that the annual mean of the water exchange rate is insufficient (taking about 7 days to eliminate pollutants) and therefore has significantly influenced the carbon and nutrient biogeochemical processes and budgets in the semi-enclosed ecosystem. Thus, the sediment properties are not similar between the lagoon and the neighboring rivers. Our results yield useful information concerning estuary recovery and water resources management and may be applicable to other basins with similar characteristics that are experiencing similar coastal environmental issues.

Additively Manufactured Multi-Material Ultrathin Metasurfaces for Broadband Circular Polarization Decoupled Beams and Orbital Angular Momentum Generation.

Controlling the wavefront and manipulating the polarization of the electromagnetic wave using an ultrathin flat device are highly desirable in many emerging fields. To shape the wavefront between two decoupled orthogonal circular polarization states, that is, the right-hand circular polarization (RCP) and the left-hand circular polarization (LCP), most state-of-the-art metasurfaces (MSs) combine the propagation phase and Pancharatnam-Berry phase into meta-atoms. This article proposes a different strategy to fully decouple the LCP and RCP and control their wavefronts independently. By taking advantage of the conductive and dielectric multi-material-integrated additive manufacturing technique, the proposed transmissive MS has an ultrathin thickness (0.11 free-space wavelength) and controls the LCP and RCP wavefronts independently under linearly polarized incidence illumination. The proposed meta-atom consists of a receiving antenna on the top, a transmitting antenna at the bottom with a strip-line connecting them. The strip-line introduces the same phase shifts for both RCP and LCP waves, while the transmitting antenna with in-plane rotation leads to the opposite phase shifts for RCP and LCP waves. Therefore, the phase delays from the strip-line and the angular rotation of the transmitting antenna provide two degrees of freedom, enabling independent beam shaping of LCP and RCP waves. Two MSs with different functionalities are printed for proof-of-concept, and the performances are experimentally verified.

Assessment of the school drinking water supply and the water quality in Pingtung County, Taiwan.

In this study, a questionnaire survey of school drinking water quality of 42 schools in Pingtung County was conducted according to the water sources, treatment facilities, location of school as well as different grade levels. Among them, 45% of schools used tap water as the main source of drinking water, and the schools using groundwater and surface water as drinking water source account for 29% and 26%, respectively. The schools above senior high school level in the city used tap water as drinking water more than underground water, while the schools under junior high school level in the rural area used surface water as their main source of drinking water. The surface water was normally boiled before being provided to their students. The reverse osmosis system is a commonly used water treatment equipment for those schools using tap water or underground water. Drinking fountain or boiled water unit is widely installed in schools above senior high school level. For schools under junior high school level, a pipeline is stretched across the campus. Relative test shows that the unqualified rate of microbe in water is 26.2%. All parameters for physical and chemical properties and metal content had met the domestic standards except that the turbidity of schools under junior high school level using tap water is slightly higher than the standard value.

Recent Advances on Glioblastoma Multiforme and Nano-drug Carriers: A Review.

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent glioma with a poor prognosis. The mainstay treatment for GBM is chemotherapy, but the average survival of GBM remains unsatisfactory due to therapeutic resistance. Poor permeability restricted by the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) and the presence of Glioblastoma Stem Cells (GSCs) remain as two problems for chemotherapy. Recently, nanocarriers have attracted much attention in the research of GBM, owing to their advantages in self-assembly, biosafety, release controllability, and BBB penetrability, making them promising candidates for GBM treatment. This article aims to review the biologic signatures of BBB and GSCs, as well as the new development of nano-drug delivery systems to facilitate our understanding of targeted treatment for GBM.

Utilization of the fermentation residues of validamycin as a potential platform for seed treatment.

Seed coating is a versatile means to control crop pests and diseases, which can effectively reduce pesticide quantity and improve pesticide efficacy. Herein, 6% tebuconazole flowable concentrate for seed treatment (FS) was prepared by using the validamycin fermentation residue (VFR) as a pesticide carrier. Then, the effects of the VFR and dispersants on the physicochemical properties of the FS were systematically evaluated. Moreover, the germination rate and antibacterial performance of wheat seeds coated with FS were investigated through a bioactivity experiment. The experimental results show that the FS prepared by VFR, dispersant SD-816 and NNO exhibits superior suspension stability. The suspension rates at 1 h and 24 h are 99.78% and 95.11% respectively. Furthermore, the viscosity of the system only slightly changes after 30 days. In addition, the obtained FS system exhibits shear thinning behavior under high speed shearing showing typical features of pseudo-plastic non-Newtonian fluids, which conforms to the Herschel-Buckley model. A bioactivity experiment showed the germination rate of coated wheat seeds reached 90%, and increased by 7.0% and 3.0% compared to the control group and positive control Raxil respectively. Futhermore, the antibacterial rate reached 80.5%, and was higher than the control group and Raxil. In addition, the obtained FS was very efficacious in controlling wheat powdery mildew compared to the commercial formulation Raxil.

Dual Specificity Phosphatase 6 Protects Neural Stem Cells from ß-Amyloid-Induced Cytotoxicity through ERK1/2 Inactivation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options and no cure. Beta-amyloid (Aß) is a hallmark of AD that has potent neurotoxicity in neural stem cells (NSCs). Dual specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6) is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which is involved in regulating various physiological and pathological processes. Whether DUSP6 has a protective effect on Aß-induced NSC injury remains to be explored. C17.2 neural stem cells were transfected with DUSP6-overexpressed plasmid. NSCs with or without DUSP6 overexpression were administrated with Aß25⁻35 at various concentrations (i.e., 0, 2.5, 5 µM). DUSP6 expression after Aß treatment was detected by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot and cell vitality was examined by the CCK8 assay. The oxidative stress (intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA)), endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER calcium level) and mitochondrial dysfunction (cytochrome c homeostasis) were tested. The expression of p-ERK1/2 and ERK1/2 were assayed by Western blot. Our results showed that Aß decreased the expression of DUSP6 in a dose-dependent manner. The overexpression of DUSP6 increased the cell vitality of NSCs after Aß treatment. Oxidative stress, ER stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by Aß could be restored by DUSP6 overexpression. Additionally, the Aß-induced ERK1/2 activation was reversed. In summary, DUSP6 might have a neuroprotective effect on Aß-induced cytotoxicity, probably via ERK1/2 activation.

Interactions of Fipronil within Fish and Insects: Experimental and Molecular Modeling Studies.

Fipronil is an efficient phenylpyrazole insecticide that acts on insect γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors (GABARs) and has low toxicity to mammals but high toxicity to nontarget organisms such as fish. To develop novel efficient low-toxicity insecticides, it is necessary to determine the detailed toxic mechanism at the molecular target level. In this work, methods including affinity chromatography, fluorescent-labeled binding assays, and molecular modeling were integrated to explore the binding of fipronil to GABARs in fish ( Aristichthys nobilis) and insects ( Musca domestica). Affinity chromatography revealed that fipronil acts on two different subunits of GABARs in fish and M. domestica. Moreover, fluorescence assays revealed that fipronil exhibits similar affinity to the two GABARs. The Kd and Bmax of fipronil binding to the A. nobilis GABAR were 346 ± 6 nmol/L and 40.6 ± 3.5 pmol/mg of protein, respectively. And the Kd and Bmax of fipronil binding to the GABAR in M. domestica brain were 109 ± 9 nM and 21.3 ± 2.5 pmol/mg of protein, respectively. In addition, similar fipronil binding positions but different binding modes were observed in docking studies with Brachydanio rerio var. and M. domestica GABARs. These findings indicated similar interactions of fipronil with fish and insects, leading to high toxicity. The different binding features of fipronil between the two species might be helpful for the design and development of highly selective insecticides with low toxicity to fish.

Neurotropin® alleviates hippocampal neuron damage through a HIF-1α/MAPK pathway.

AIMS: The main purpose was to verify the potent capacity of Neurotropin® against neuronal damage in hippocampus and to explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: HT22 cells were treated with 40 µmol/L Aß25-35 in the presence of various concentrations of Neurotropin® or in its absence. The cell viability was assessed with a CCK-8 assay, and flow cytometry was used to measure cell apoptosis, intracellular ROS levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Aß plaques were examined by Bielschowsky silver staining, and the activities of antioxidants were detected in hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice after Neurotropin® treatment. The expression of proteins, including HIF-1α, Bcl-2, Bax, and MAPKs signaling molecules was evaluated by Western blot. RESULTS: Neurotropin® significantly reversed the cell injury induced by Aß25-35 through increasing cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential, decreasing intracellular ROS and cell apoptosis of HT22 cells (P<.05). Furthermore, Neurotropin® markedly reduced the formation of Aß plaques and upregulated the activities of antioxidants (P<.05). Additionally, the protein expression of HIF-1α, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, and p-P38 was significantly inhibited in hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. CONCLUSIONS: Neurotropin® exhibited a potent neuroprotective effect on inhibiting Aß-induced oxidative damage and alleviating Aß deposition in hippocampus via modulation of HIF-1α/MAPK signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-30e* suppresses dengue virus replication by promoting NF-κB-dependent IFN production.

MicroRNAs have been shown to contribute to a repertoire of host-pathogen interactions during viral infection. Our previous study demonstrated that microRNA-30e* (miR-30e*) directly targeted the IκBα 3'-UTR and disrupted the NF-κB/IκBα negative feedback loop, leading to hyperactivation of NF-κB. This current study investigated the possible role of miR-30e* in the regulation of innate immunity associated with dengue virus (DENV) infection. We found that DENV infection could induce miR-30e* expression in DENV-permissive cells, and such an overexpression of miR-30e* upregulated IFN-ß and the downstream IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) such as OAS1, MxA and IFITM1, and suppressed DENV replication. Furthermore, suppression of IκBα mediates the enhancing effect of miR-30e* on IFN-ß-induced antiviral response. Collectively, our findings suggest a modulatory role of miR-30e* in DENV induced IFN-ß signaling via the NF-κB-dependent pathway. Further investigation is needed to evaluate whether miR-30e* has an anti-DENV effect in vivo.