Thermogram-based estimation of foot arterial blood flow using neural networks

The altered blood flow in the foot is an important indicator of early diabetic foot complications.However,it is challenging to measure the blood flow at the whole foot scale.This study presents an approach for estimating the foot arterial blood flow using the temperature distribution and an artificial neural network.To quantify the relationship between the blood flow and the temperature distribution,a bioheat transfer model of a voxel-meshed foot tissue with discrete blood vessels is established based on the computed tomography(CT)sequential images and the anatomical information of the vascular structure.In our model,the heat transfer from blood vessels and tissue and the inter-domain heat exchange between them are considered thoroughly,and the computed temperatures are consistent with the experimental results.Analytical data are then used to train a neural network to determine the foot arterial blood flow.The trained network is able to estimate the objective blood flow for various degrees of stenosis in multiple blood vessels with an accuracy rate of more than 90%.Compared with the Pennes bioheat transfer equation,this model fully describes intra-and inter-domain heat transfer in blood vessels and tissue,closely approximating physiological conditions.By introducing a vascular component to an inverse model,the blood flow itself,rather than blood perfusion,can be estimated,directly informing vascular health.

Joint Spectrum Partition and Performance Analysis of Full-Duplex D2D Communications in Multi-Tier Wireless Networks

Full-duplex(FD)has been recognized as a promising technology for future 5G networks to improve the spectrum efficiency.However,the biggest practical impediments of realizing full-duplex communications are the presence of self-interference,especially in complex cellular networks.With the current development of self-interference cancellation techniques,full-duplex has been considered to be more suitable for device-to-device(D2D)and small cell communications which have small transmission range and low transmit power.In this paper,we consider the full-duplex D2D communications in multi-tier wireless networks and present an analytical model which jointly considers mode selection,resource allocation,and power control.Specifically,we consider a distance based mode selection scheme.The performance analysis of different D2D communications modes are performed based on stochastic geometry,and tractable analytical solutions are obtained.Then we investigate the optimal resource partitions between dedicated D2D mode and cellular mode.Numerical results validate the theoretical anlaysis and indicate that with appropriate proportions of users operated in different transmission modes and optimal partitioning of spectrum,the performance gain of FD-D2D communication can be achieved.

Metagenomic insights into responses of microbial population and key functional genes to fulvic acid during partial nitritation

The long-term impact of fulvic acid(FA)on partial nitritation(PN)systemwas initially examined in this study.The obtained results revealed that the FA lower than 50 mg/L had negligible effect on the nitrite accumulation rate(NAR nearly 100%)and ammonium removal rate(ARR 56.85%),while FA over 50 mg/L decreased ARR from 56.85%to 0.7%.Sludge characteristics analysis found that appropriate FA(<50 mg/L)exposure promoted the settling performance and granulation of PN sludge by removing Bacteroidetes and accumulating Chloroflexi.The analysis of metagenomics suggested that the presence of limited FA(0-50 mg/L)stimulated the generation of NADH,which favors the denitrification and nitrite reduction.The negative impact of FA on the PN system could be divided into two stages.Initially,limited FA(50-120 mg/L)was decomposed by Anaerolineae to stimulate the growth and propagation of heterotrophic bacteria(Thauera).Increasing heterotrophs competed with AOB(Nitrosomonas)for dissolved oxygen,causing AOB to be eliminated and ARR to declined.Subsequently,when FA dosage was over 120 mg/L,Anaerolineae were inhibited and heterotrophic bacteria reduced,resulting in the abundance of AOB recovered.Nevertheless,the ammonium transformation pathway was suppressed because genes amoABC and hao were obviously reduced,leading to the deterioration of reactor performance.Overall,these results provide theoretical guidance for the practical application of PN for the treatment of FA-containing sewage.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of2-(((5-akly/aryl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)methyl)thio)-5-alkyl-6-(cyclohexylmethyl)-pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones as potential HIV-1 inhibitors

A series of 2-(((5-akly/aryl-1 H-pyrazol-3-yl)methyl)thio)-5-alkyl-6-(cyclohexylmethyl)-pyrimidin-4(3 H)-ones were synthesized and their anti-HIV-1 activities were evaluated.Most of these compounds were highly active against wild-type(WT)HIV-1 strain(ⅢB)with EC50 values in the range of0.0038-0.4759μmol/L.Among those compounds,I-11 had an EC50 value of 3.8 nmol/L and SI(selectivity index)of up to 25,468 indicating excellent activity against WT HIV-1.In vitro anti-HIV-1 activity and resistance profile studies suggested that compounds 1-11 and 1-12 displayed potential anti-HIV-1 activity against laboratory adapted strains and primary isolated strains including different subtypes and tropism strains(EC50s range from 4.3 to 63.6 nmol/L and 18.9-219.3 nmol/L,respectively).On the other hand,it was observed that those two compounds were less effective with EC50 values of 2.77 and4.87μmol/L for HIV-1 A17(K103 N+Y181 C).The activity against reverse transcriptase(RT)was also evaluated for those compounds.Both I-11 and 1-12 obtained sub-micromolar IC50 values showing their potential in RT inhibition.The pharmacokinetics examination in rats indicated that compound 1-11 has acceptable pharmacokinetic properties and bioavailability.Preliminary structure-activity relationships and molecular modeling studies were also discussed.

Structure-based linker optimization of 6-(2-cyclohexyl-1-alkyl)-2-(2-oxo-2-phenylethylsulfanyl)pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones as potent non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors

In continuation of our efforts toward the discovery of potent HIV-1 NNRTIs with diverse structures,a series of novel S-DACO analogues of 6-(2-cyclohexyl-1-allkyl)-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylsulfanyl)pyrimidin-4(3 H)-ones were designed,synthesized and evaluated for their antiviral activities in MT-4 cells.Most of these new compounds showed moderate to good activities against wild type HIV-1 with IC_(50) values ranging from 7.55μmol/L to 0.018μmol/L.Among them,compound 5 c was identified as the most promising inhibitor against HIV-1 replication with an IC_(50)=0.018μmol/L,CC_(50)=194μmol/L,and SI=12791,which was much more potent than the reference drugs NVP and DLV and comparable to AZT and EFV.In addition,5 c also exhibited improved activity against double mutant HIV-1 strain RES056 compared to that of the reference drugs NVP/DLV and DB02.The preliminary structure-activity relationship(SAR)and molecular modeling studies were also discussed,which provides some useful indications for guiding the further rational design of new S-DACO analogues.

泰缅边境达拉昂人的迁移、族群裂变与跨国民族治理

民族的跨国分布是当今世界多民族国家形成的历史过程、现代国家建构与实践的结果。面对日益多元的动因促使下的跨国民族迁移与流动,跨国民族的研究必须直面民族的感性生活和现实问题,从本质论转向实践论、过程论的角度来分析跨国民族的内涵及其生成过程。文章通过对泰缅边境Nor Lae(诺雷)村Dara-ang(达拉昂)人(1)的跨国流动及其族别身份的获得过程的研究,试图提出族群裂变与人口治理是促成跨国民族形成的内生与外在动力,而民族跨国迁移的社会过程、现代民族国家整合与治理的需求以及国家的治理差异、族群的身份认同意识的差别则是跨国民族形成的动力机制的社会情境。