Spatial Path Following Control of an Autonomous Underactuated Airship

Wei-Xiang Zhou,Chang Xiao,Ping-Fang Zhou,Deng-Ping Duan 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2019 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.17 No.7

This paper studies the spatial path following control of an autonomous underactuated airship in the presence of model uncertainties and external disturbances. Firstly, the nonlinear dynamics model, kinematics modeland path following error dynamics model are given. And the control objective is formulated. Then, an adaptivebackstepping sliding mode controller is designed. Besides, to overcome the disadvantage of dependence on theaccurate vehicle model, a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDOB) is adopted to estimate the attack and sideslip angular velocities. In addition, when backstepping technique is uesd, the complex analytic computation of commandderivative is required to be known. To handle this problem, a sliding mode differentiator is implemented to generatethe command derivatives. Finally, the closed loop stability for the system is proved using Lyapunov stability theory. Numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Visual deprivation modifies oscillatory activity in visual and auditory centers

Ping Pan,You Zhou,Fanghao Fang,Guannan Zhang,Yonghua Ji 한국통합생물학회 2018 Animal cells and systems Vol.22 No.3

Loss of vision may enhance the capabilities of auditory perception, but the mechanisms mediating these changes remain elusive. Here, visual deprivation in rats resulted in altered oscillatory activities, which appeared to be the result of a common mechanism underlying neuronal assembly formation in visual and auditory centers. The power of high-frequency β and γ oscillations in V1 (the primary visual cortex) and β oscillations in the LGN (lateral geniculate nucleus) was increased after one week of visual deprivation. Meanwhile, the power of β oscillations in A1 (the primary auditory cortex) and the power of β and γ oscillations in the MGB (medial geniculate body) were also enhanced in the absence of visual input. Furthermore, nerve tracing revealed a bidirectional nerve fiber connection between V1 and A1 cortices, which might be involved in transmitting auditory information to the visual cortex, contributing to enhanced auditory perception after visual deprivation. These results may facilitate the better understanding of multisensory cross-modal plasticity.

The Relationship between HIF-2α and VEGF with Radiographic Severity in the Primary Osteoarthritic Knee

Zhou Jian-lin,Fang Hong-song,Peng Hao,Deng Shuang,Chen Shen,Li Jian-ping,Qiu Bo,Weng Jin-qing,Liu Feng 연세대학교의과대학 2016 Yonsei medical journal Vol.57 No.3

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of hypoxia-inducible factor-2 (HIF-2α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with radiographic severity in primary osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Expression of these two factors in cartilagesamples from OA knee joints was examined at mRNA and protein levels. Materials and Methods: Knee joints were examined using plain radiographs, and OA severity was assessed using the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grading system. Specimens were collected from 29 patients (31 knees) who underwent total knee replacementbecause of severe medial OA of the knee (KL grades 3 and 4), 16 patients who underwent knee arthroscopy (KL grade 2), and 5 patients with traumatic knees (KL grade 0). HIF-2α and VEGF expression was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reactionand western blotting. Results: Cartilage degeneration correlated with the radiographic severity grade. OA severity, determined using the Mankin scale, correlated positively with the KL grade (r=0.8790, p<0.01), and HIF-2α and VEGF levels with the radiographic severity of knee OA (r=0.7001, p<0.05; r=0.6647, p<0.05). Conclusion: In OA cartilage, HIF-2α and VEGF mRNA and protein levels were significantly and positively correlated. The expressionof both factors correlated positively with the KL grade. HIF-2α and VEGF, therefore, may serve as biochemical markers as well as potential therapeutic targets in knee OA.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Extracted from Lycium barbarum Leaves Ameliorates Asthma in Mice by Reducing Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota

Fang Cui,Chun-li Shi,Xiao-jing Zhou,Wang Wen,Xiao-ping Gao,Li-ying Wang,Bin He,Mei Yin,Jia-qing Zhao 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.7

This study was designed to explore the impact of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on inflammation and gut microbiota in mice with allergic asthma. Mice were divided into four groups: control group, OVA (ovalbumin) group, Con+LBP group, OVA+LBP group. After 28 days of LBP intervention, mice were euthanized and associated indications were investigated. Histopathological examination demonstrated that LBP reduced lung injury. The results of our current study provide evidence that supplementation with LBP in asthmatic mice decreases TNF, IL-4, IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-17A in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Sequencing and analysis of gut microbiota indicated that compared with the OVA group, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were increased, but Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Alistipes, and Clostridiales were decreased in the OVA+LBP group. We also found that gut microbiota were related to inflammation-related factors. Therefore, we speculate that LBP may improve allergic asthma by altering gut microbiota and inhibiting inflammation in mice.

MiRNA-15a Mediates Cell Cycle Arrest and Potentiates Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells by Targeting Synuclein-γ

Li, Ping,Xie, Xiao-Bing,Chen, Qian,Pang, Guo-Lian,Luo, Wan,Tu, Jian-Cheng,Zheng, Fang,Liu, Song-Mei,Han, Lu,Zhang, Jian-Kun,Luo, Xian-Yong,Zhou, Xin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.16

Background: Recent studies have indicated that microRNA-15a (miR-15a) is dysregulated in breast cancer (BC). We aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-15a in BC tissues and corresponding para-carcinoma tissues. We also focused on effects of miR-15a on cellular behavior of MDA-MB-231 and expression of its target gene synuclein-${\gamma}$ (SNCG). Materials and Methods: The expression levels of miR-15a were analysed in BC formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues by microarray and quantitative real-time PCR. CCK-8 assays, cell cycle and apoptosis assays were used to explore the potential functions of miR-15a in MDA-MB-231 human BC cells. A luciferase reporter assay confirmed direct targets. Results: Downregulation of miR-15a was detected in most primary BCs. Ectopic expression of miR-15a promoted proliferation and suppressed apoptosis in vivo. Further studies indicated that miR-15a may directly interact with the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of SNCG mRNA, downregulating its mRNA and protein expression levels. SNCG expression was negatively correlated with miR-15a expression. Conclusions: MiR-15a has a critical role in mediating cell cycle arrest and promoting cell apoptosis of BC, probably by directly targeting SNCG. Thus, it may be involved in development and progression of BC.

Robotics in Cervical Spine Surgery: Feasibility and Safety of Posterior Screw Placement

Lu-Ping Zhou,Zhi-Gang Zhang,Dui Li,Shu Fang,Rui Sheng,Ren-Jie Zhang,Cai-Liang Shen 대한척추신경외과학회 2023 Neurospine Vol.20 No.1

Objective: Robot-assisted (RA) techniques have been widely investigated in thoracolumbar spine surgery. However, the application of RA methods on cervical spine surgery is rare due to the complex morphology of cervical vertebrae and catastrophic complications. Thus, the feasibility and safety of RA cervical screw placement remain controversial. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of RA screw placement on cervical spine surgery. Methods: A comprehensive search on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase Database, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Databases, and Wanfang Database was performed to select potential eligible studies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparative cohort studies, and case series reporting the accuracy of cervical screw placement were included. The Cochrane risk of bias criteria and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale criteria were utilized to rate the risk of bias of the included literatures. The primary outcome was the rate of cervical screw placement accuracy with robotic guidance; subgroup analyses based on the screw type and insertion segments were also performed. Results: One RCT, 3 comparative cohort studies, and 3 case series consisting of 160 patients and 719 cervical screws were included in this meta-analysis. The combined outcomes indicated that the rates of optimal and clinically acceptable cervical screw placement accuracy under robotic guidance were 88.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 84.1%–91.4%; p = 0.073; I 2 = 47.941%) and 98.4% (95% CI, 96.8%–99.5%; p = 0.167; I2 = 35.954%). The subgroup analyses showed that the rate of optimal pedicle screw placement accuracy was 88.2% (95% CI, 83.1%–92.6%; p = 0.057; I2 = 53.305%); the rates of optimal screw placement accuracy on C1, C2, and subaxial segments were 96.2% (95% CI, 80.5%–100.0%; p = 0.167; I2 = 44.134X%), 89.7% (95% CI, 80.6%–96.6%; p = 0.370; I2 = 0.000X%), and 82.6% (95% CI, 70.9%–91.9%; p = 0.057; I2 = 65.127X%;), respectively. Conclusion: RA techniques were associated with high rates of optimal and clinically acceptable screw positions. RA cervical screw placement is accurate, safe, and feasible in cervical spine surgery with promising clinical potential.

Comparative Genomic Analysis Reveals That the 20K and 38K Prophages in Listeria monocytogenes Serovar 4a Strains Lm850658 and M7 Contribute to Genetic Diversity but Not to Virulence

( Chun Fang ),( Tong Cao ),( Ying Shan ),( Ye Xia ),( Yong Ping Xin ),( Chang Yong Cheng ),( Houhui Song ),( John Bowman ),( Xiao Liang Li ),( Xiang Yang Zhou ),( Wei Huan Fang ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.1

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen of considerable genetic diversity with varying pathogenicity. Initially, we found that the strain M7 was far less pathogenic than the strain Lm850658 though both are serovar 4a strains belonging to the lineage III. Comparative genomic approaches were then attempted to decipher the genetic basis that might govern the strain-dependent pathotypes. There are 2,761 coding sequences of 100% nucleotide identity between the two strains, accounting for 95.7% of the total genes in Lm850658 and 92.7% in M7. Lm850658 contains 33 specific genes, including a novel 20K prophage whereas strain M7 has 130 specific genes, including two large prophages (38K and 44K). To examine the roles of these specific prophages in pathogenicity, the 20K and 38K prophages were deleted from their respective strains. There were virtually no differences of pathogenicity between the deletion mutants and their parent strains, although some putative virulent factors like VirB4 are present in the 20K region or holin-lysin in the 38K region. In silico PCR analysis of 29 listeria genomes show that only strain SLCC2540 has the same 18 bp integration hotspot as Lm850658, whereas the sequence identity of their 20K prophages is very low (21.3%). The 38K and 44K prophages are located in two other different hotspots and are conserved in low virulent strains M7, HCC23, and L99. In conclusion, the 20K and 38K prophages of L. monocytogenes serovar 4a strains Lm850658 and M7 are not related to virulence but contribute to genetic diversity.

Knockdown of GCF2/LRRFIP1 by RNAi Causes Cell Growth Inhibition and Increased Apoptosis in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells

Li, Jing-Ping,Cao, Nai-Xia,Jiang, Ri-Ting,He, Shao-Jian,Huang, Tian-Ming,Wu, Bo,Chen, De-Feng,Ma, Ping,Chen, Li,Zhou, Su-Fang,Xie, Xiao-Xun,Luo, Guo-Rong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.6

Background: GC-binding factor 2 (GCF2) is a transcriptional regulator that represses transcriptional activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by binding to a specific GC-rich sequence in the EGFR gene promoter. In addition to this function, GCF2 has also been identified as a tumor-associated antigen and regarded as a potentially valuable serum biomarker for early human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis. GCF2 is high expressed in most HCC tissues and cell lines including HepG2. This study focused on the influence of GCF2 on cell proliferation and apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Materials and Methods: GCF2 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in HepG2 cells was detected with reverse transcription (RT) PCR and Western blotting, respectively. RNA interference (RNAi) technology was used to knock down GCF2 mRNA and protein expression. Afterwards, cell viability was analyzed with a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), and cell apoptosis and caspase 3 activity by flow cytometry and with a Caspase 3 Activity Kit, respectively. Results: Specific down-regulation of GCF2 expression caused cell growth inhibition, and increased apoptosis and caspase 3 activity in HepG2 cells. Conclusions: These primary results suggest that GCF2 may influence cell proliferation and apoptosis in HepG2 cells, and also provides a molecular basis for further investigation into the possible mechanism at proliferation and apoptosis in HCC.

Roles of microRNA-206 in Osteosarcoma Pathogenesis and Progression

Bao, Yun-Ping,Yi, Yang,Peng, Li-Lin,Fang, Jing,Liu, Ke-Bin,Li, Wu-Zhou,Luo, Hua-Song Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.6

Backgroud and Aims: MicroRNA-206 has proven to be down-regulated in many human malignancies in correlation with tumour progression. Our study aimed to characterize miR-206 contributions to initiation and malignant progression of human osteosarcoma. Methods: MiR-206 expression was detected in human osteosarcoma cell 1ine MG63, human normal osteoblastic cell line hFOB 1.19, and paired osteosarcoma and normal adjacent tissues from 65 patients using quantitative RT-PCR. Relationships of miR-206 levels to clinicopathological characteristics were also investigated. Moreover, miR-206 mimics and negative control siRNA were transfected into MG63 cells to observe effects on cell viability, apoptosis, invasion and migration. Results: We found that miR-206 was down-regulated in the osteosarcoma cell line MG63 and primary tumor samples, and decreased miR-206 expression was significantly associated with advanced clinical stage, T classification, metastasis and poor histological differentiation. Additionally, transfection of miR-206 mimics could reduce MG-63 cell viability, promote cell apoptosis, and inhibit cell invasion and migration. Conclusions: These findings indicate that miR-206 may have a key role in osteosarcoma pathogenesis and development. It could serve as a useful biomarker for prediction of osteosarcoma progression, and provide a potential target for gene therapy.

Static Shape Adjustment and Actuator Layered Optimization for Planar Phased Array Satellite Antenna

Ji-Yang Zhou,Guang-Yu Lu,Guo-Ping CAI,Guang-Qiang Fang,Liang-Liang Lv,Jun-Wei Shi 한국항공우주학회 2019 International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sc Vol.20 No.4

Shape accuracy is of great importance in space antennas, especially in large-scale planar phased array antenna. To maintain the performance of the planar phased array antenna, shape accuracy must be strictly controlled. This paper proposes an optimization method using diagonal cables as actuators to achieve the shape adjustment. As for shape control, actuator placement has a significant impact on the controlled shape accuracy. Misplaced actuators always lead to control problems, and the desired performance may not be achieved with any choice of control forces, so the actuator placement optimization is needed. The optimization problem is challenging because of the mixed discrete–continuous nature of design variables: the actuator placement corresponds to discrete variables and the control forces are continuous variables. A layered optimization method is proposed in this paper to solve the optimal actuator placement and the corresponding control forces. A genetic algorithm is applied in the outside layer to achieve the optimization of the actuator placement, and the quadratic programming method is used in the inside layer to get the corresponding optimal control forces. The proposed layered optimization method is successfully applied to the large-scale planar phased array antenna. Using this method, the influence of the number of actuators on the controlled shape accuracy is also studied.