Energy Metabolites as Biomarkers in Ischemic and Dilated Cardiomyopathy

With more than 25 million people affected, heart failure (HF) is a global threat. As energy production pathways are known to play a pivotal role in HF, we sought here to identify key metabolic changes in ischemic- and non-ischemic HF by using a multi-OMICS approach. Serum metabolites and mRNAseq and epigenetic DNA methylation profiles were analyzed from blood and left ventricular heart biopsy specimens of the same individuals. In total we collected serum from n = 82 patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) and n = 51 controls in the screening stage. We identified several metabolites involved in glycolysis and citric acid cycle to be elevated up to 5.7-fold in DCM (p = 1.7 × 10⁻⁶). Interestingly, cardiac mRNA and epigenetic changes of genes encoding rate-limiting enzymes of these pathways could also be found and validated in our second stage of metabolite assessment in n = 52 DCM, n = 39 ischemic HF and n = 57 controls. In conclusion, we identified a new set of metabolomic biomarkers for HF. We were able to identify underlying biological cascades that potentially represent suitable intervention targets.     

Oxytocin Signaling as a Target to Block Social Defeat-Induced Increases in Drug Abuse Reward

There is huge scientific interest in the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) due to its putative capacity to modulate a wide spectrum of physiological and cognitive processes including motivation, learning, emotion, and the stress response. The present review seeks to increase the understanding of the role of OXT in an individual’s vulnerability or resilience with regard to developing a substance use disorder. It places specific attention on the role of social stress as a risk factor of addiction, and explores the hypothesis that OXT constitutes a homeostatic response to stress that buffers against its negative impact. For this purpose, the review summarizes preclinical and clinical literature regarding the effects of OXT in different stages of the addiction cycle. The current literature affirms that a well-functioning oxytocinergic system has protective effects such as the modulation of the initial response to drugs of abuse, the attenuation of the development of dependence, the blunting of drug reinstatement and a general anti-stress effect. However, this system is dysregulated if there is continuous drug use or chronic exposure to stress. In this context, OXT is emerging as a promising pharmacotherapy to restore its natural beneficial effects in the organism and to help rebalance the functions of the addicted brain.     

Accurate Receptor-Ligand Binding Free Energies from Fast QM Conformational Chemical Space Sampling

Small molecule receptor-binding is dominated by weak, non-covalent interactions such as van-der-Waals hydrogen bonding or electrostatics. Calculating these non-covalent ligand-receptor interactions is a challenge to computational means in terms of accuracy and efficacy since the ligand may bind in a number of thermally accessible conformations. The conformational rotamer ensemble sampling tool (CREST) uses an iterative scheme to efficiently sample the conformational space and calculates energies using the semi-empirical ‘Geometry, Frequency, Noncovalent, eXtended Tight Binding’ (GFN2-xTB) method. This combined approach is applied to blind predictions of the modes and free energies of binding for a set of 10 drug molecule ligands to the cucurbit[n]urils CB[8] receptor from the recent ‘Statistical Assessment of the Modeling of Proteins and Ligands’ (SAMPL) challenge including morphine, hydromorphine, cocaine, fentanyl, and ketamine. For each system, the conformational space was sufficiently sampled for the free ligand and the ligand-receptor complexes using the quantum chemical Hamiltonian. A multitude of structures makes up the final conformer-rotamer ensemble, for which then free energies of binding are calculated. For those large and complex molecules, the results are in good agreement with experimental values with a mean error of 3 kcal/mol. The GFN2-xTB energies of binding are validated by advanced density functional theory calculations and found to be in good agreement. The efficacy of the automated QM sampling workflow allows the extension towards other complex molecular interaction scenarios.     

Optimization algorithm for ultra-sparse arrays in regional energy focusing

The setting of ultra-sparse arrays is one of key factors for the performance of regional energy focusing.This paper focuses on one of its typical applications:Precision Electronic Warfare by UAV,and proposes an optimization algorithm for ultra-sparse arrays to maximize the performance of regional energy focusing.First,we establish the joint optimization model of the interference waveform and the positions of elements.Second,particle swarm optimization (PSO) is adopted to iterate the positions of elements.Then,the target value of the subproblem is solved for the fitness criterion,as the current array is known in each step of the iteration.Finally,we get the optimal solution of the interference waveform and the ultra-sparse array by this method.Numerical results indicate that the algorithm can optimize the array effectively,and improve the indicators of regional energy focusing obviously.Whether the localization errors of elements exist or not,the algorithm provides a better performance than existing algorithms which only design the interference waveform.     

舌控智能辅助系统的通信装置研究

为提高舌控智能辅助系统舌部运动信息的采集精度,利用STM32H743和LabVIEW设计了一种对舌机接口辅助系统进行信号采集、传输的通信装置.该装置通过舌部触碰嵌入式电极传感器发出信号并传输给单片机(进行舌控信号采集),然后通过串口传给上位机以此最终实现数据的采集与保存.实验结果表明,该装置可有效完成舌控智能辅助系统对控制信号的采集与传输,并具有实时显示、自动保存和查询历史数据等功能; 因此,该装置在舌控智能辅助系统的信号采集中具有良好的应用前景.     

NDN数据提供者移动支持策略能耗建模与分析

基于数据提供者的移动节点在网络中的不同位置及不同移动速度,结合命名数据网络（NDN）请求者驱动的数据传输模式,提出了3类NDN移动支持策略的网络能耗解析表达式,为NDN移动网络的研究提供了形式化的建模方法.对这3类移动支持策略在不同场景下能耗的分析与比较结果表明,数据流行度分布、移动节点所处位置及移动速度对策略的能耗影响不尽相同,为后续探求最优能效的移动支持策略提供了理论参考.     

基于BC聚类的差分隐私保护推荐算法

为提高差分隐私保护下推荐算法的准确性,提出了一种考虑差分隐私保护的基于Bhattacharyya系数（BC）的聚类推荐算法.以BC作为项目相似性度量的标准,根据BC相似性对项目进行K-medoids聚类,并在聚类簇中进行私有项目邻居选择.最后,根据最近邻居集信息,对用户的评分进行预测和Top-n推荐.提出的方案有效地克服了已有方法中存在的相似性度量依赖于共同评分的问题,提高了相似性度量的准确性,有效避免了因隐私保护而造成的最近邻居集质量下降的问题.理论分析和实验测试的结果表明,该方法在实现隐私保护的同时还能有效保证推荐的高质量,较好地实现了隐私保护和数据效用之间的平衡,具有良好的应用潜力.     

车联网基于信任度的RSU识别及资源分配算法

在车联网中,由于部分路侧单元（RSU）的位置比较偏远,无法得到网络管理员的及时维护,可能遭到攻击,变为不可信任的路侧单元,降低了车辆的通信质量和网络能效.为了有效地识别RSU的可靠性,提出了一种基于信任度的路侧单元识别及资源分配算法,将路侧单元识别、传输模式的选择和功率分配联合建模为网络能效的优化问题,并分成3个子优化问题,分别求解.首先,采用基于信任度的RSU识别算法,识别出可信任和不可信任的路侧单元;其次,优化车辆资源块配置和链路选择;最后,通过次梯度算法优化传输功率,最大化网络能效.理论分析和仿真结果表明,所提算法具备较低的复杂度,可以达到较高的路侧单元识别准确度,并有效地提升网络总能效.     

排桩式波浪能发电装置附近流场特性研究

基于雷诺时均Navier-Stokes方程和k?ω湍流模型,研究单排桩式振荡水柱式波浪能发电装置在规则波作用下的桩基附近流场特性. 通过物理模型实验验证所建数值波浪水槽的准确性. 模拟规则波作用下装置附近的流场特性,分析装置附近的涡特征以及其对装置附近泥沙冲刷情况的潜在影响. 结果表明,测试工况下,在桩式振荡水柱装置桩柱体的桩基附近观察到马蹄涡和尾涡现象,马蹄涡强度随着Keulegan–Carpenter（KC）数的增大而减小,尾涡强度随着KC数的增大而增大. 马蹄涡因强度过小,在模拟的KC数范围内不是装置桩基泥沙冲刷的主要因素,高强度的尾涡很可能成为装置桩基附近泥沙起动、输运和冲刷的重要影响因素.     

基于观测器摩擦补偿的机电系统高精度控制

针对机电作动系统在低速阶段摩擦非线性明显且同时存在其他干扰,易导致系统跟踪精度、稳定性下降这一问题,设计基于非线性观测器摩擦补偿的自适应鲁棒控制器. 针对摩擦非线性,利用LuGre摩擦模型描述系统的摩擦现象,提出非线性观测器对模型的内部摩擦状态进行观测. 针对系统摩擦系数、转动惯量及其他不确定性参数,设计参数自适应律进行估计. 利用前馈补偿的方法,对摩擦非线性和参数不确定性进行补偿,设计鲁棒项克服系统的其他扰动. 利用Lyapunov稳定性定理证明了提出的控制器在存在扰动的情况下可以实现系统的有界稳定性. 实验结果表明,提出的控制器具有较高的控制精度与较强的鲁棒性,跟踪精度较传统的PID控制器提高了一个数量级.