Serum proteins differentially expressed in gestational diabetes mellitus assessed using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation proteomics

BACKGROUND As a well-known fact to the public,gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)could bring serious risks for both pregnant women and infants.During this important investigation into the linkage between GDM patients and their altered expression in the serum,proteomics techniques were deployed to detect the differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)of in the serum of GDM patients to further explore its pathogenesis,and find out possible biomarkers to forecast GDM occurrence.METHODS Subjects were divided into GDM and normal control groups according to the IADPSG diagnostic criteria.Serum samples were randomly selected from four cases in each group at 24-28 wk of gestation,and the blood samples were identified by applying iTRAQ technology combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Key proteins and signaling pathways associated with GDM were identified by bioinformatics analysis,and the expression of key proteins in serum from 12 wk to 16 wk of gestation was further verified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).RESULTS Forty-seven proteins were significantly differentially expressed by analyzing the serum samples between the GDMgravidas as well as the healthy ones. Among them, 31 proteins were found to be upregulated notably and the rest16 proteins were downregulated remarkably. Bioinformatic data report revealed abnormal expression of proteinsassociated with lipid metabolism, coagulation cascade activation, complement system and inflammatory responsein the GDM group. ELISA results showed that the contents of RBP4, as well as ANGPTL8, increased in the serumof GDM gravidas compared with the healthy ones, and this change was found to initiate from 12 wk to 16 wk ofgestation.CONCLUSION GDM symptoms may involve abnormalities in lipid metabolism, coagulation cascade activation, complementsystem and inflammatory response. RBP4 and ANGPTL8 are expected to be early predictors of GDM.

The chemical characteristics of different sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate sources and their relative bioavailabilities for broilers fed with a conventional corn‑soybean meal diet

Background Our previous studies demonstrated that divalent organic iron(Fe)proteinate sources with higher complexation or chelation strengths as expressed by the greater quotient of formation(Qf)values displayed higher Fe bioavailabilities for broilers.Sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate(NaFeEDTA)is a trivalent organic Fe source with the strongest chelating ligand EDTA.However,the bioavailability of Fe when administered as NaFeEDTA in broilers and other agricultural animals remains untested.Herein,the chemical characteristics of 12 NaFeEDTA products were determined.Of these,one feed grade NaFeEDTA(Qf=2.07×10^(8)),one food grade NaFeEDTA(Qf=3.31×10^(8)),and one Fe proteinate with an extremely strong chelation strength(Fe-Prot ES,Qf value=8,590)were selected.Their bioavailabilities relative to Fe sulfate(FeSO_(4)·7H_(2)O)for broilers fed with a conventional corn-soybean meal diet were evaluated during d 1 to 21 by investigating the effects of the above Fe sources and added Fe levels on the growth performance,hematological indices,Fe contents,activities and gene expressions of Fe-containing enzymes in various tissues of broilers.Results NaFeEDTA sources varied greatly in their chemical characteristics.Plasma Fe concentration(PI),transferrin saturation(TS),liver Fe content,succinate dehydrogenase(SDH)activities in liver,heart,and kidney,catalase(CAT)activity in liver,and SDH mRNA expressions in liver and kidney increased linearly(P<0.05)with increasing levels of Fe supplementation.However,differences among Fe sources were detected(P<0.05)only for PI,liver Fe content,CAT activity in liver,SDH activities in heart and kidney,and SDH mRNA expressions in liver and kidney.Based on slope ratios from multiple linear regressions of the above indices on daily dietary analyzed Fe intake,the average bioavailabilities of Fe-Prot ES,feed grade NaFeEDTA,and food grade NaFeEDTA relative to the inorganic FeSO_(4)·7H_(2)O(100%)for broilers were 139%,155%,and 166%,respectively.Conclusions The bioavailabilities of organic Fe sources relative to FeSO_(4)·7H_(2)O were closely related to their Qf values,and NaFeEDTA sources with higher Qf values showed higher Fe bioavailabilities for broilers fed with a conventional corn-soybean meal diet.

Impacts of high temperature,relative air humidity,and vapor pressure deficit on the seed set of contrasting maize genotypes during flowering

Heat stress is a major constraint to current and future maize production at the global scale.Male and female reproductive organs both play major roles in increasing seed set under heat stress at flowering,but their relative contributions to seed set are unclear.In this study,a 2-year field experiment including three sowing dates in each year and 20 inbred lines was conducted.Seed set,kernel number per ear,and grain yield were all reduced by more than 80%in the third sowing dates compared to the first sowing dates.Pollen viability,silk emergence ratio,and anthesis-silking interval were the key determinants of seed set under heat stress;and their correlation coefficients were 0.89^(***),0.65^(***),and-0.72^(***),respectively.Vapor pressure deficit(VPD)and relative air humidity(RH)both had significant correlations with pollen viability and the silk emergence ratio.High RH can alleviate the impacts of heat on maize seed set by maintaining high pollen viability and a high silk emergence ratio.Under a warming climate from 2020 to 2050,VPD will decrease due to the increased RH.Based on their pollen viability and silk emergence ratios,the 20 genotypes fell into four different groups.The group with high pollen viability and a high silk emergence ratio performed better under heat stress,and their performance can be further improved by combining the improved flowering pattern traits.

Optimal investment based on relative performance and weighted utility

This paper studies the optimal portfolio allocation of a fund manager when he bases decisions on both the absolute level of terminal relative performance and the change value of terminal relative performance comparison to a predefined reference point. We find the optimal investment strategy by maximizing a weighted average utility of a concave utility and an Sshaped utility via a concavification technique and the martingale method. Numerical results are carried out to show the impact of the extent to which the manager pays attention to the change of relative performance related to the reference point on the optimal terminal relative performance.

Relative orbit determination algorithm of space targets with passive observation

Angles-only relative orbit determination for space non-cooperative targets based on passive sensor is subject to weakly observable problem of the relative state between two spacecraft. Previously, the evidence for angles-only observability was found by using cylindrical dynamics, however, the solution of orbit determination is still not provided. This study develops a relative orbit determination algorithm with the cylindrical dynamics based on differential evolution. Firstly, the relative motion dynamics and line-of-sight measurement model for nearcircular orbit are established in cylindrical coordinate system.Secondly, the observability is qualitatively analyzed by using the dynamics and measurement model where the unobservable geometry is found. Then, the angles-only relative orbit determination problem is modeled into an optimal searching frame and an improved differential evolution algorithm is introduced to solve the problem. Finally, the proposed algorithm is verified and tested by a set of numerical simulations in the context of highEarth and low-Earth cases. The results show that initial relative orbit determination(IROD) solution with an appropriate accuracy in a relative short span is achieved, which can be used to initialize the navigation filter.

Relative peripheral refraction in school children with different refractive errors using a novel multispectral refraction topographer

AIM:To compare relative peripheral refraction(RPR)in Chinese school children with different refractive errors using multispectral refraction topography(MRT).METHODS:A total of 713 eyes of primary school children[172 emmetropia(E),429 low myopia(LM),80 moderate myopia(MM),and 32 low hypermetropia(LH)]aged 10 to 13y were analyzed.RPRs were measured using MRT without mydriasis.MRT results showed RPR at 0-15°(RPR 0-15),15°-30°(RPR 15-30),and 30°-45°(RPR 30-45)annular in the inferior(RPR-I),superior(RPR-S),nasal(RPR-N),and temporal(RPR-T)quadrants.Spherical equivalent(SE)was detected and calculated using an autorefractor.RESULTS:There were significant differences of RPR 15-30 between groups MM[0.02(-0.12;0.18)]and LH[-0.13(-0.36;0.12)](P<0.05),MM and E[-0.06(-0.20;0.10)](P<0.05),and LM[-0.02(-0.15;0.15)]and E(P<0.05).There were also significant differences of RPR 30-45 between groups MM[0.45(0.18;0.74)]and E[0.29(-0.09;0.67)](P<0.05),and LM[0.44(0.14;0.76)]and E(P<0.001).RPR values increased from the hyperopic to medium myopic group in each annular.There were significant differences of RPR-S between groups MM[-0.02(-0.60;0.30)]and E[-0.44(-0.89;-0.04)](P<0.001),and LM[-0.28(-0.71;0.12)]and E(P<0.05).There were also significant differences of RPR-T between groups MM[0.37(0.21;0.78)]and LH[0.14(-0.52;0.50)](P<0.05),LM[0.41(0.06;0.84)]and LH(P<0.05),and LM and E[0.29(-0.10;0.68),P<0.05].A Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between RPR and SE in the 15°-30°(P=0.005),30°-45°(P<0.05)annular(P=0.002),superior(P<0.001),and temporal(P=0.001)quadrants.CONCLUSION:Without pupil dilation,values for RPR 15-30,30-45,RPR-S,and T shows significant differences between myopic eyes and emmetropia,and the differences are negatively correlated with SE.

An Experimental Study on the Effect of a Nanofluid on Oil-Water Relative Permeability

The low porosity and low permeability of tight oil reservoirs call for improvements in the current technologies for oil recovery.Traditional chemical solutions with large molecular size cannot effectively flow through the nanopores of the reservoir.In this study,the feasibility of Nanofluids has been investigated using a high pressure high temperature core-holder and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR).The results of the experiments indicate that the specified Nanofluids can enhance the tight oil recovery significantly.The water and oil relative permeability curve shifts to the high water saturation side after Nanofluid flooding,thereby demonstrating an increase in the water wettability of the core.In the Nanofluid flooding process the oil recovery was enhanced by 15.1%,compared to waterflooding stage.The T2 spectra using the NMR show that after Nanofluid flooding,a 7.18%increment in oil recovery factor was gained in the small pores,a 4.9%increase in the middle pores,and a 0.29%increase in the large pores.These results confirm that the Nanofluids can improve the flow state in micro-sized pores inside the core and increase the ultimate oil recovery factor.

Prediction of Low Heating Value of Sugar Cane Bagasse as a Fuel for Industrial Boilers in the High Relative Humidity Region: Case of Cameroon

Many attempts have been made to estimate calorific value of bagasse using mathematical equations, which were created based on data from proximate, ultimate, physical and chemical analysis. Questions have been raised on the applicability of these equations in different parts of the globe. This study was initiated to tackle these problems and also check the most suited mathematical models for the Law Heating Value of Cameroonian bagasse. Data and bagasse samples were collected at the Cameroonian sugarcane factory. The effects of cane variety, age of harvesting, source, moisture content, and sucrose on the LHV of Cameroon bagasse have been tested. It was shown that humidity does not change within a variety, but changes from the dry season to the rainy season;the sugar in the rainy season is significantly different from that collected in the dry season. Samples of the same variety have identical LHV. LHV in the dry season is significantly different from LHV in the rainy season. According to the fact that this study was done for cane with different ages of harvesting, the maturity of Cameroonian sugarcane does not affect LHV of bagasse. Tree selected models are much superior tool for the prediction of the LHV for bagasse in Cameroon compared to others. The standard deviation of these validated models is around 200 kJ/kg compared to the experimental. Thus, the models determined in foreign countries, are not necessarily applicable in predicting the LHV of bagasse in other countries with the same accuracy as that in their native country. There was linear relationship between humidity, ash and sugar content in the bagasse. It is possible to build models based on data from physical composition of bagasse using regression analysis.

RELATIVE ENTROPY DIMENSION FOR COUNTABLE AMENABLE GROUP ACTIONS

We study the topological complexities of relative entropy zero extensions acted upon by countable-infinite amenable groups.First,for a given Følner sequence,we define the relative entropy dimensions and the dimensions of the relative entropy generating sets to characterize the sub-exponential growth of the relative topological complexity.we also investigate the relations among these.Second,we introduce the notion of a relative dimension set.Moreover,using the method,we discuss the disjointness between the relative entropy zero extensions via the relative dimension sets of two extensions,which says that if the relative dimension sets of two extensions are different,then the extensions are disjoint.

Relative Ding Projective Modules over Formal Triangular Matrix Rings

Let U be a (B, A)-bimodule, A and B be rings, and be a formal triangular matrix ring. In this paper, we characterize the structure of relative Ding projective modules over T under some conditions. Furthermore, using the left global relative Ding projective dimensions of A and B, we estimate the relative Ding projective dimension of a left T-module.

Quantitative distinction of the relative actions of climate change and human activities on vegetation evolution in the Yellow River Basin of China during 1981-2019

Under the combined influence of climate change and human activities,vegetation ecosystem has undergone profound changes.It can be seen that there are obvious differences in the evolution patterns and driving mechanisms of vegetation ecosystem in different historical periods.Therefore,it is urgent to identify and reveal the dominant factors and their contribution rates in the vegetation change cycle.Based on the data of climate elements(sunshine hours,precipitation and temperature),human activities(population intensity and GDP intensity)and other natural factors(altitude,slope and aspect),this study explored the spatial and temporal evolution patterns of vegetation NDVI in the Yellow River Basin of China from 1989 to 2019 through a residual method,a trend analysis,and a gravity center model,and quantitatively distinguished the relative actions of climate change and human activities on vegetation evolution based on Geodetector model.The results showed that the spatial distribution of vegetation NDVI in the Yellow River Basin showed a decreasing trend from southeast to northwest.During 1981-2019,the temporal variation of vegetation NDVI showed an overall increasing trend.The gravity centers of average vegetation NDVI during the study period was distributed in Zhenyuan County,Gansu Province,and the center moved northeastwards from 1981 to 2019.During 1981-2000 and 2001-2019,the proportion of vegetation restoration areas promoted by the combined action of climate change and human activities was the largest.During the study period(1981-2019),the dominant factors influencing vegetation NDVI shifted from natural factors to human activities.These results could provide decision support for the protection and restoration of vegetation ecosystem in the Yellow River Basin.

Characterization of the generalized permeability jail in tight reservoirs by analyzing relative-permeability curves and numerical simulation

This study comprehensively characterizes the boundary values of generalized permeability jail in tight reservoirs through relative-permeability curve analysis,numerical simulation,and economic evaluation.A total number of 108 relative-permeability curves of rock samples from tight reservoirs were obtained,and the characteristics of relative-permeability curves were analyzed.The irreducible water saturation(Swi)mainly ranges from 20% to 70%,and the residual gas saturation(Sgr)ranges from 5% to 15% for 55% of the samples.The relative-permeability curves are categorized into six types(Category-Ⅰ to Ⅵ)by analyzing the following characteristics:The relative permeability of gas at Swi,the relative permeability of water at Sgr,and the relative permeability corresponding to the isotonic point.The relative permeability curves were normalized to facilitate numerical simulation and evaluate the impact of different types of curves on production performance.The results of simulation show significant difference in production performance for different types of relative-permeability curves:Category-Ⅰ corresponds to the case with best well performance,whereas Categories-Ⅴ and Ⅵ correspond to the cases with least production volume.The results of economic evaluation show a generalized permeability jail for Categories-Ⅳ,Ⅴ,and Ⅵ,and the permeability jail develops when the relative permeability of gas and water is below 0.06.This study further quantifies the range of micro-pore parameters corresponding to the generalized permeability jail for a tight sandstone reservoir.

An aerial ammunition ad hoc network collaborative localization algorithm based on relative ranging and velocity measurement in a highly-dynamic topographic structure

In the internet of battlefield things, ammunition is becoming networked and intelligent, which depends on location information. Therefore, this paper focuses on the self-organized network collaborative localization of munitions with an aerial three-dimensional(3D) highly-dynamic topographic structure under a satellite denied environment. As for aerial networked munitions, the measurement of munitions is objectively incomplete due to the degenerated and interrupted link of munitions. For this reason, a cluster-oriented collaborative localization method is put forward in this paper. Multidimensional scaling(MDS) was first integrated with a trilateration localization method(TLM) to construct a relative localization algorithm for determining the relative location of a mobile cluster network. The information related to relative velocity was then combined into a collaborative localization framework to devise a TLM-vMDS algorithm. Finally, an iterative refinement algorithm based on scaling by majorizing a complicated function(SMACOF) was employed to effectively eliminate the influence of incomplete link observation on localization accuracy. Compared with the currently available advanced algorithms, the proposed TLM-vMDS algorithm achieves higher localization accuracy and faster convergence for a cluster of extensively networked munitions, and also offers better numerical stability and robustness for highspeed motion models.

Research on dynamic characteristics of arc under electrode relative motion

The relative motion of the electrodes is a typical feature of sliding electrical contact systems.The system fault caused by the arc is the key problem that restricts the service life of the sliding electrical contact system.In this paper,an arcing experimental platform that can accurately control the relative speed and distance of electrodes is built,and the influence of different electrode speeds and electrode distances on arc motion characteristics is explored.It is found that there are three different modes of arc root motion:single arc root motion mode,single and double arc roots alternating motion mode,and multiple arc roots motion mode.The physical process and influence mechanism of different arc root motion modes are further studied,and the corresponding relationship between arc root motion modes and electrode speed is revealed.In addition,to further explore the distribution characteristics of arc temperature and its influencing factors,an arc magnetohydrodynamic model under the relative motion of electrodes is established,and the variation law of arc temperature under the effect of different electrode speeds and electrode distances is summarized.Finally,the influence mechanism of electrode speed and electrode distance on arc temperature,arc root distance,and arc root speed is clarified.The research results enrich the research system of arc dynamic characteristics in the field of sliding electrical contact,and provide theoretical support for restraining arc erosion and improving the service life of the sliding electrical contact system.

Preliminary results on a near-real-time rock slope damage monitoring system based on relative velocity changes following the September 5,2022 M_(S) 6.8 Luding,China earthquake

Relative seismic velocity change(dv/v)is important for monitoring changes in subsurface material properties and evaluating earthquake-induced rock slope damage in a geological disaster-prone region.In this paper,we present a rapid damage assessment on three slow-moving rock slopes by measuring dv/v decrease caused by the 2022 M_(S) 6.8 Luding earthquake in Southwest China.By applying the stretching method to the cross-correlated seismic wavefields between sensors installed on each slope,we obtain earthquake-induced dv/v decreases of~2.1%,~0.5%,and~0.2%on three slopes at distances ranging from~86 to~370 km to the epicenter,respectively.Moreover,based on seismic data recorded by 16 sensors deployed on the rock slope at a distance of~370 km away from the epicenter,a localized dv/v decease region was observed at the crest of the slope by calculating the spatial dv/v images before and after the earthquake.We also derive an empirical in situ stress sensitivity of -7.29×10^(-8)/Pa by relating the dv/v change to the measured peak dynamic stresses.Our results indicate that a rapid dv/v assessment not only can help facilitate on-site emergency response to earthquakeinduced secondary geological disasters but also can provide a better understanding of the subsurface geological risks under diverse seismic loadings.

Experimental analysis of the pore structure, relative permeability, and water flooding characteristics of the Yan'an Formation sandstone, southwestern Ordos Basin

The oil and gas potential of the Yan'an Formation in the Ordos Basin has yet to be fully tapped. In this study, the pore structure, mobile fluid saturation, and water flooding micro-mechanism of the Yan'an Formation sandstone are systematically studied through the application of a series of rock physics and fluid experiments. The results show that there is a good positive correlation between porosity and permeability, and the reservoirs are divided into types Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ. Mercury injection tests show that the average pore throat radius of the oil-bearing reservoir ranges from 1 to 7 μm. The displacement pressure of the Yan'an Formation is also relatively low, and it decreases from 0.1 MPa to 0.01 MPa as the rock porosity increases from 11% to 18%. NMR tests show that small (diameter <0.5 μm) and medium pores (diameter ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 μm) are predominant in the reservoir. Different types of reservoirs have different characteristics of relative permeability curve. In addition, when the average oil recovery rate is less than 1 ml/min, the oil displacement efficiency increases faster. However, when the average oil recovery rate is between 1–3.5 ml/min, the oil displacement efficiency is maintained at around 27%–30%. Physical properties of the reservoir, pore-throat structure, experimental pressure difference, and pore volume injected — all have significant effects on oil displacement efficiency. For Type Ⅰ and Type Ⅱ reservoirs, the increase of the pore volume injected has a significant effect on oil displacement efficiency. However, for Type Ⅲ reservoirs, the change of pore volume injected has insignificant effect on oil displacement efficiency. This study provides a reference for the formulation of estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) measures for similar sandstone reservoirs.

Relative-Position Estimation Based on Loosely Coupled UWB–IMU Fusion for Wearable IoT Devices

Relative positioning is one of the important techniques in collaborativerobotics, autonomous vehicles, and virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR)applications. Recently, ultra-wideband (UWB) has been utilized to calculaterelative position as it does not require a line of sight compared to a camerato calculate the range between two objects with centimeter-level accuracy.However, the single UWB range measurement cannot provide the relativeposition and attitude of any device in three dimensions (3D) because oflacking bearing information. In this paper, we have proposed a UWB-IMUfusion-based relative position system to provide accurate relative positionand attitude between wearable Internet of Things (IoT) devices in 3D. Weintroduce a distributed Euler angle antenna orientationwhich can be equippedwith the mobile structure to enable relative positioning. Moving average andmin-max removing preprocessing filters are introduced to reduce the standarddeviation. The standard multilateration method is modified to calculate therelative position between mobile structures. We combine UWB and IMUmeasurements in a probabilistic framework that enables users to calculatethe relative position between two nodes with less error. We have carried outdifferent experiments to illustrate the advantages of fusing IMU and UWBranges for relative positioning systems. We have achieved a mean accuracy of0.31m for 3D relative positioning in indoor line of sight conditions.

L-shell x-ray fluorescence relative intensities for elements with 62≤Z≤83 at 18 keV and 23 keV by synchrotron radiation

The relative intensities of L-subshell x-ray fluorescence(XRF)for elements with atomic numbers 62≤Z≤83 were measured at two excitation energies,18 keV and 23 keV,using a synchrotron radiation source at a beamline of the Synchrotron Light Center for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East(SESAME),Jordan.The experimentally measured results of the relative intensities were compared with the calculated results using the subshell fluorescence yield and the Coster-Kronig transition probabilities recommended by Campbell and the values based on the Dirac-Hartree-Slater model by Puri.The experimental and theoretical results are in agreement.In this work,L XRF relative intensities for the elements Sm,Gd,Tb,Er,Ta,W,Re,Hg,Pb and Bi at energies of 18 keV and 23 keV were measured.

Cooperative Angles-Only Relative Navigation Algorithm for Multi-Spacecraft Formation in Close-Range

As to solve the collaborative relative navigation problem for near-circular orbiting small satellites in close-range under GNSS denied environment,a novel consensus constrained relative navigation algorithm based on the lever arm effect of the sensor offset from the spacecraft center of mass is proposed.Firstly,the orbital propagation model for the relative motion of multi-spacecraft is established based on Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire dynamics and the line-of-sight measurement under sensor offset condition is modeled in Local Vertical Local Horizontal frame.Secondly,the consensus constraint model for the relative orbit state is constructed by introducing the geometry constraint between the spacecraft,based on which the consensus unscented Kalman filter is designed.Thirdly,the observability analysis is done and the necessary conditions of the sensor offset to make the state observable are obtained.Lastly,digital simulations are conducted to verify the proposed algorithm,where the comparison to the unconstrained case is also done.The results show that the estimated error of the relative position converges very quickly,the location error is smaller than 10m under the condition of 10−3 rad level camera and 5m offset.

Influence of relative compaction and degree of saturation on the deformation characteristics of bentonite under freeze-thaw cycles

Bentonite,consisting of clay minerals of the montmorillonite group,has been widely used as an adsorbent and backfill material in nuclear waste disposal and groundwater remediation.It is challenging to use bentonite as a filling material in cold regions since bentonite is highly sensitive to thermal environmental changes,during which its bulk volume and microstructure change significantly.In this study,a series of one-dimensional and three-dimensional freeze-thaw tests were carried out within a closed system to investigate the influencing factors of the deformation of bentonite under freeze-thaw cycles.Results show that the initial soil water content greatly impacts bentonite's deformation during freeze-thaw cycles.For an initial higher degree of saturation(Sr),the expansion caused by the formation of ice lenses has a greater impact than the shrinkage induced by dehydration,ice-cementation,and so on.Conversely,bentonite tends to shrink at a lower degree of saturation during freezing.And the critical degree of saturation that determines bentonite's behavior of frost heave or frost shrinkage seems to be roughly 0.8.As the number of freeze-thaw cycles rises,initially uncompacted bentonite clay becomes more compacted,and initially compacted bentonite clay remains unchanged.