The Prominin-1-Derived Peptide Improves Cardiac Function Following Ischemia

Myocardial infarction (MI) remains the leading cause of death in the western world. Despite advancements in interventional revascularization technologies, many patients are not candidates for them due to comorbidities or lack of local resources. Non-invasive approaches to accelerate revascularization within ischemic tissues through angiogenesis by providing Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in protein or gene form has been effective in animal models but not in humans likely due to its short half-life and systemic toxicity. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PR1P, a small VEGF binding peptide that we developed, which stabilizes and upregulates endogenous VEGF, could be used to improve outcome from MI in rodents. To test this hypothesis, we induced MI in mice and rats via left coronary artery ligation and then treated animals with every other day intraperitoneal PR1P or scrambled peptide for 14 days. Hemodynamic monitoring and echocardiography in mice and echocardiography in rats at 14 days showed PR1P significantly improved multiple functional markers of heart function, including stroke volume and cardiac output. Furthermore, molecular biology and histological analyses of tissue samples showed that systemic PR1P targeted, stabilized and upregulated endogenous VEGF within ischemic myocardium. We conclude that PR1P is a potential non-invasive candidate therapeutic for MI.     

More than twenty years of advancements on Frontiers in handwriting recognition

In this paper the results of the research in handwriting/handwritten character recognition in about the last quarter of a century are reported, illustrating the results presented during the International Workshop on Frontiers in Handwriting Recognition (IWFHR) and the International Conference on Frontiers in Handwriting Recognition (ICFHR).     

Advancements in the design and validation of an air pollution integrated assessment model for Spain

This paper describes the design and application of the Atmospheric Evaluation and Research Integrated model for Spain (AERIS). Currently, AERIS can provide concentration profiles of NO₂, O₃, SO₂, NH₃, PM, as a response to emission variations of relevant sectors in Spain. Results are calculated using transfer matrices based on an air quality modelling system (AQMS) composed by the WRF (meteorology), SMOKE (emissions) and CMAQ (atmospheric-chemical processes) models. The AERIS outputs were statistically tested against the conventional AQMS and observations, revealing a good agreement in both cases. At the moment, integrated assessment in AERIS focuses only on the link between emissions and concentrations. The quantification of deposition, impacts (health, ecosystems) and costs will be introduced in the future. In conclusion, the main asset of AERIS is its accuracy in predicting air quality outcomes for different scenarios through a simple yet robust modelling framework, avoiding complex programming and long computing times.     

Estimation of the critical properties of compounds using volume-based thermodynamics

The importance, yet scarcity of the critical constants of thermally unstable fluids warrants the development of reliable methods for the estimation of these essential thermodynamic properties. A thorough investigation undertaken in this study on 1,589 compounds belonging to 83 chemical classes, indicated that the ratio of critical temperature to critical pressure of both low and high molecular weight compounds could be well expressed in terms of their volumetric properties. In addition, two new methodologies are presented for estimating V_c, as well as an indirect approach for prediction of T_c from surface tension data, altogether allowing the calculation of Z_c. Moreover, comparative studies are made with five group contribution methods. It is also demonstrated that by employing the Peng-Robinson EOS, and without prior knowledge of the critical properties, it is possible to calculate various thermophysical properties including P^sat., T_b, , ∆H^vap. , C_p, and even the T_c and P_c themselves.     

基于PR控制器的APF电流跟踪控制策略研究

分析了基于同步谐波旋转坐标系下的电流跟踪控制策略,研究基于PR控制器的静止坐标系下的电流控制方法。理想的PR控制器在谐振频率下增益为无穷大,可以实现谐振频率相同的正弦信号无静差控制。因此,在PI控制的基础上通过分析并联谐振控制器,实现对特定次谐波进行重点补偿。     

脉冲换向电刷镀镍基纳米SiO2复合镀层的耐腐蚀性能研究

采用脉冲换向电刷镀方法制备了Ni/n-SiO2复合镀层,应用SEM对镀层表面形貌进行了分析,测试了镀层的孔隙率,以及镀层在海水浸泡条件下的耐腐蚀性能,讨论了镀层的耐腐蚀机理.实验结果表明:与直流工艺条件下的电刷镀镀层相比,脉冲换向电刷镀工艺得到的Ni/n-SiO2复合镀层具有致密精细的表面、较小的孔隙率和较高的耐腐蚀性能.     

手性指数的研究及其应用

该工作对手性化合物的构效关系进行了研究,其内容包括:(1)对二维拓扑指数Ami进行了扩展,即在指数的衍生中加入手性碳原子的因素,使之成功地应用于14个手性化合物活性的预测;(2)描述了构象独立的手性指数(CICC法)和构象依赖的手性指数(CDCC法),采用CDCC和CICC预测了80个二级醇的1H NMR化学位移差的符号,并由此可以确定该类化合物的绝对构型;(3)描述了原子构象依赖的手性指数(aCDCC),并将这种方法用于手性仲醇的α-碳原子的13C NMR在不同手性溶剂中的化学位移差的预测,获得了满意的结果.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel blue azo‐dye derivatives containing acrylate group for dye‐based color filters

Abstract— Even though dyes have a fine resolution and good chromaticities, they are not widely used as coloring materials for color filters (CFs) due to their low thermal stability and chemical resistance. A series of azo‐dye derivatives, which consist of two cross‐linkable acrylate or methacrylate groups to improve thermal and chemical properties, have been synthesized and used to fabricate color filters. The spectral properties and chemical/thermal stabilities of the fabricated CFs were investigated by comparing dye‐based CFs, without a complicated dispersion process, but with pigment‐based CFs using dispersed pigment. Also, more properties including the development test and surface morphologies lithographic properties were studied. The synthesized azo dyes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV‐visible spectra, IR, mass, and ¹H‐NMR spectra.     

基于Haar小波的图像变换方法的研究

系统地介绍了基于快速滤波器组卷积算法的第一代小波和基于提升方案的第二代小波。通过对图像先行后列分离,结合惰性滤波器进行奇偶分割,由欧几里得算法求出预测算子和更新算子,实现了由此提升方案构造的Haar小波1级图像分解。实验结果表明提升方案构造的Haar小波实现起来相当容易,简化了很多复杂的计算过程,其本身的诸多特点更便于在实际中应用,且在变换后的效果上,与第一代基本无差异。     

Entropy maximisation and open queueing networks with priorities and blocking

A review is carried out on the characterisation and algorithmic implementation of an extended product-form approximation, based on the principle of maximum entropy (ME), for a wide class of arbitrary finite capacity open queueing network models (QNMs) with service and space priorities. A single server finite capacity GE/GE/1/N queue with R (R>1) distinct priority classes, compound Poisson arrival processes (CPPs) with geometrically distributed batches and generalised exponential (GE) service times is analysed via entropy maximisation, subject to suitable GE-type queueing theoretic constraints, under preemptive resume (PR) and head-of-line (HOL) scheduling rules combined with complete buffer sharing (CBS) and partial buffer sharing (PBS) management schemes stipulating a sequence of buffer thresholds {N=(N₁,…,N_R),0<N_i≤N_i−1,i=2,…,R}. The GE/GE/1/N queue is utilised, in conjunction with GE-type first two moment flow approximation formulae, as a cost-effective building block towards the establishment of a generic ME queue-by-queue decomposition algorithm for arbitrary open QNMs with space and service priorities under repetitive service blocking with random destination (RS-RD). Typical numerical results are included to illustrate the credibility of the ME algorithm against simulation for various network topologies and define experimentally pessimistic GE-type performance bounds. Remarks on the extensions of the ME algorithm to other types of blocking mechanisms, such as repetitive service blocking with fixed destination (RS-FD) and blocking-after-service (BAS), are included.