A New Species of the Genus Protobothrops(Squamata:Viperidae:Crotalinae) from the Dabie Mountains,Anhui,China

During a biological survey in July 2011, a pit viper was collected from the Yaoluoping Nature Reserve in the Dabie Mountains, Anhui, China. The pit viper’s the total length measured 836 mm with a dorsal ground color of yellowbrown, decorated by 56 dark-brown transverse bands. The 4thsupralabial squama of the new species is separated from subocular by two squamae, and the tip of tail is orange; this combination of characters distinguish it from other species of the genus Protobothrops. Based on the body proportions, number of squamae, body color pattern, and comparing the data of its life history with those of other species of Protobothrops, we herein describe it as a new species, belonging to the genus of Protobothrops.

Factors associated with levelⅢlymph nodes positive and survival analysis of its dissection in patients with breast cancer

Objective:Surgical resection remains the mainstream radical therapy in patients with breast cancer.Given that no consensus has been reached on the exact indication for levelⅢlymph node dissection,the aim of this study is to explore factors associated with levelⅢlymph nodes positive and survival analysis of its dissection in patients with breast cancer.Materials and methods:A retrospective study including 61 patients after levelⅠ-Ⅲdissection via a smaller incision of pectoralis major and 61 patients experiencing only levelⅠandⅡclearance was performed.Clinicopathological outcomes were compared initially and survival analysis was conducted subsequently.Results:No significant differences were presented in baseline and clinicopathological characteristics between the two groups.Ten(16.4%)patients’levelⅢnodes were proven positive after levelⅢdissection.Positive nodes in levelⅠandⅡlymph nodes over 9 was demonstrated as an independent predictor of levelⅢnodes positive(OR:200.75[95%CI:7.77e5187.19],p-0.001).Although the levelⅠ-Ⅲlymph node dissection group presented a seemingly better disease-free survival,statistical significance was not detected(p-0.21).Conclusions:This study revealed that having positive nodes in levelⅠandⅡlymph nodes over 9 was a risk factor of levelⅢlymph nodes positive.But levelⅢlymph node dissection does not offer definite survival benefit.

Observer-based control for the platform of a tethered space robot

This paper addresses the attitude control problem of a space tethered robot platform in the presence of unknown external disturbance caused by a connecting elastic tether. The tethergenerated unknown disturbance leads to tremendous challenges for attitude control of the platform.In this work, the perturbed attitude dynamics of the platform are derived with a consideration of the libration of the elastic tether, and then with the purpose of compensating the unknown disturbance, major attention is dedicated to develop a nonlinear disturbance observer based on gyros measurements, after which, an adaptive attitude scheme is proposed by combining the disturbance observer with a sliding mode controller. Finally, benefits from the observer based on an adaptive controller are validated by series of numerical simulations.