Effects of irradiation treatment on protein structure and digestion characteristics of seed-watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var.) kernel protein

Zhi-hao Li,Shang Chu,Ping Wang,Sihai Gao,Shu-gang Li,Xiongwei Yu 한국식품과학회 2020 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.29 No.9

This study examined the effects of differentdoses of irradiation treatments on protein structure anddigestion characteristic of seed-watermelon seed kernelprotein. The results showed that, the molecular structure ofseed-watermelon kernel protein was unfolded after theirradiation treatment, the content of b-sheet structure in thesecondary structure was decreased, while the content ofrandom coil structure increased. The average particle sizeof the protein increased, and the hydrophobic group buriedin the b-sheet structure was exposed hence the surfacehydrophobicity increased. Besides, the surface morphologyof seed-watermelon protein changed from smooth and flatto coarse and concave, the specific surface area in contactwith the aqueous medium increased and its solubilityincreased, the distribution of peptides in the digestabecame wider, and the small molecular weight peptidesgradually increased.

Non-Gaussian features of dynamic wind loads on a long-span roof in boundary layer turbulences with different integral-scales

Xiongwei Yang,Qiang Zhou,Yongfu Lei,Yang Yang,Mingshui Li 한국풍공학회 2022 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.34 No.5

To investigate the non-Gaussian properties of fluctuating wind pressures and the error margin of extreme wind loads on a long-span curved roof with matching and mismatching ratios of turbulence integral scales to depth ( / ), a series of synchronized pressure tests on the rigid model of the complex curved roof were conducted. The regions of Gaussian distribution and non-Gaussian distribution were identified by two criteria, which were based on the cumulative probabilities of higher-order statistical moments (skewness and kurtosis coefficients, Sk and Ku) and spatial correlation of fluctuating wind pressures, respectively. Then the characteristics of fluctuating wind-loads in the non-Gaussian region were analyzed in detail in order to understand the effects of turbulence integral-scale. Results showed that the fluctuating pressures with obvious negative-skewness appear in the area near the leading edge, which is categorized as the non-Gaussian region by both two identification criteria. Comparing with those in the wind field with matching / , the range of non-Gaussian region almost unchanged with a smaller / , while the non-Gaussian features become more evident, leading to higher values of Sk, Ku and peak factor. On contrary, the values of fluctuating pressures become lower in the wind field with a smaller / , eventually resulting in underestimation of extreme wind loads. Hence, the matching relationship of turbulence integral scale to depth should be carefully considered as estimating the extreme wind loads of long-span roof by wind tunnel tests.

Robust Non-negative Matrix Factorization with β-Divergence for Speech Separation

Yinan Li,Xiongwei Zhang,Meng Sun 한국전자통신연구원 2017 ETRI Journal Vol.39 No.1

This paper addresses the problem of unsupervised speech separation based on robust non-negative matrix factorization (RNMF) with β-divergence, when neither speech nor noise training data is available beforehand. We propose a robust version of non-negative matrix factorization, inspired by the recently developed sparse and low-rank decomposition, in which the data matrix is decomposed into the sum of a low-rank matrix and a sparse matrix. Efficient multiplicative update rules to minimize the β-divergence-based cost function are derived. A convolutional extension of the proposed algorithm is also proposed, which considers the time dependency of the non-negative noise bases. Experimental speech separation results show that the proposed convolutional RNMF successfully separates the repeating time-varying spectral structures from the magnitude spectrum of the mixture, and does so without any prior training.

Speech Denoising via Low-Rank and Sparse Matrix Decomposition

Jianjun Huang,Xiongwei Zhang,Yafei Zhang,Xia Zou,Li Zeng 한국전자통신연구원 2014 ETRI Journal Vol.36 No.1

In this letter, we propose an unsupervised framework forspeech noise reduction based on the recent development oflow-rank and sparse matrix decomposition. The proposedframework directly separates the speech signal from noisyspeech by decomposing the noisy speech spectrogram intothree submatrices: the noise structure matrix, the clean speechstructure matrix, and the residual noise matrix. Evaluations onthe Noisex-92 dataset show that the proposed method achievesa signal-to-distortion ratio approximately 2.48 dB and 3.23 dBhigher than that of the robust principal component analysismethod and the non-negative matrix factorization method,respectively, when the input SNR is –5 dB.

Fluctuating lift and drag acting on a 5:1 rectangular cylinder in various turbulent flows

Yang Yang,Mingshui Li,Xiongwei Yang 한국풍공학회 2022 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.34 No.1

In this paper, the fluctuating lift and drag forces on 5:1 rectangular cylinders with two different geometric scales in three turbulent flow-fields are investigated. The study is particularly focused on understanding the influence of the ratio of turbulence integral length scale to structure characteristic dimension (the length scale ratio). The results show that both fluctuating lift and drag forces are influenced by the length scale ratio. For the model with the larger length scale ratio, the corresponding fluctuating force coefficient is larger, while the spanwise correlation is weaker. However, the degree of influence of the length scale ratio on the two fluctuating forces are different. Compared to the fluctuating drag, the fluctuating lift is more sensitive to the variation of the length scale ratio. It is also found through spectral analysis that for the fluctuating lift, the change of length scale ratio mainly leads to the variation in the low frequency part of the loading, while the fluctuating drag generally follows the quasi-steady theory in the low frequency, and the slope of the drag spectrum at high frequencies changes with the length scale ratio. Then based on the experimental data, two empirical formulas considering the influence of length scale ratio are proposed for determining the lift and drag aerodynamic admittances of a 5:1 rectangular cylinder. Furthermore, a simple relationship is established to correlate the turbulence parameter with the fluctuating force coefficient, which could be used to predict the fluctuating force on a 5:1 rectangular cylinder under different parameter conditions.

Disease burden of prostate cancer from 2014 to 2019: estimation from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Lin Shen,Lin Dong,Li Yiyuan,Zhong Lixian,Zhou Wei,Wu Yajing,Xie Chen,Luo Shaohong,Huang Xiaoting,Xu Xiongwei,Weng Xiuhua 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the disease burden of prostate cancer (PC) and assess key influencing factors associated with the disease expenditures of PC in the United States. METHODS The total deaths, incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years of PC were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was used to estimate healthcare expenditures and productivity loss and to investigate patterns of payment and use of healthcare resources in the United States. A multivariable logistic regression model was conducted to identify key factors influencing expenditures. RESULTS For patients aged 50 and older, the burden for all age groups showed a modest increase over the 6-year period. Annual medical expenditures were estimated to range from US$24.8 billion to US$39.2 billion from 2014 to 2019. The annual loss in productivity for patients was approximately US$1,200. The top 3 major components of medical costs were hospital inpatient stays, prescription medicines, and office-based visits. Medicare was the largest source of payments for survivors. In terms of drug consumption, genitourinary tract agents (57.0%) and antineoplastics (18.6%) were the main therapeutic drugs. High medical expenditures were positively associated with age (p=0.005), having private health insurance (p=0.016), more comorbidities, not currently smoking (p=0.001), and patient self-perception of fair/poor health status (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS From 2014 to 2019, the national real-world data of PC revealed that the disease burden in the United States continued to increase, which was partly related to patient characteristics.

Spatial correlation of aerodynamic forces on 5:1 rectangular cylinder in different VIV stages

Yongfu Lei,Yanguo Sun,Tianyi Zhang,Xiongwei Yang,Ming-shui Li 한국풍공학회 2022 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.34 No.1

To better understand the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) characteristics of a 5:1 rectangular cylinder, the distribution of aerodynamic force and the non-dimensional power spectral density (PSD) of fluctuating pressure on the side surface were studied in different VIV development stages, and their differences in the stationary state and vibration stages were analyzed. The spanwise and streamwise correlations of surface pressures were studied, and the flow field structure partitions on the side surface were defined based on the streamwise correlation analysis. The results show that the variation tendencies of mean and root mean square (RMS) pressure coefficients are similar in different VIV development stages. The RMS values during amplitude growth are larger than those at peak amplitude, and the smallest RMS values are observed in the stationary state. The spanwise correlation coefficients of aerodynamic lifts increase with increase of the peak amplitude. However, for the lock-in region, the maximum spanwise correlation coefficient for aerodynamic lifts occurs in the VIV rising stage rather than in the peak amplitude stage, probably due to the interaction of vortex shedding force (VSF) and self-excited force (SEF). The streamwise correlation results show that the demarcation point positions between the recirculation region and the main vortex region remain almost constant in different VIV development stages, and the reattachment points gradually move to the tailing edge with increasing amplitude. This study provides a reference to estimate the demarcation point and reattachment point positions through streamwise correlation and phase angle analysis from wind tunnel tests.

Disease burden of prostate cancer from 2014 to 2019 in the United States: estimation from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Shen Lin,Dong Lin,Yiyuan Li,Lixian Zhong,Wei Zhou,Yajing Wu,Chen Xie,Shaohong Luo,Xiaoting Huang,Xiongwei Xu,Xiuhua Weng 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the disease burden of prostate cancer (PC) and assess key influencing factors associated with the disease expenditures of PC in the United States. METHODS: The total deaths, incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years of PC were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was used to estimate healthcare expenditures and productivity loss and to investigate patterns of payment and use of healthcare resources in the United States. A multivariable logistic regression model was conducted to identify key factors influencing expenditures. RESULTS: For patients aged 50 and older, the burden for all age groups showed a modest increase over the 6-year period. Annual medical expenditures were estimated to range from US$24.8 billion to US$39.2 billion from 2014 to 2019. The annual loss in productivity for patients was approximately US$1,200. The top 3 major components of medical costs were hospital inpatient stays, prescription medicines, and office-based visits. Medicare was the largest source of payments for survivors. In terms of drug consumption, genitourinary tract agents (57.0%) and antineoplastics (18.6%) were the main therapeutic drugs. High medical expenditures were positively associated with age (p=0.005), having private health insurance (p=0.016), more comorbidities, not currently smoking (p=0.001), and patient self-perception of fair/poor health status (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: From 2014 to 2019, the national real-world data of PC revealed that the disease burden in the United States continued to increase, which was partly related to patient characteristics.

Effects of IBA on rooting ability of Cinnamomum bodinieri citral type micro-shoots from transcriptomics analysis

Xiao Zufei,Jin Zhinong,Zhang Beihong,Li Feng,Yu Faxin,Zhang Haiyan,Lü Xiongwei,Zhang Jie 한국식물생명공학회 2020 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.14 No.4

Cinnamomum bodinieri is a useful plant that could be improved by increasing its cultivation rate. To explore the optimal concentration of exogenously applied IBA for root formation and development in the C. bodinieri citral type, micro-shoots and the fresh tissues of their bases were subjected to morphological and transcriptome analyses, respectively. When plantedQuery on a rooting medium (1/2 MS) with 1.5 mg/L IBA for 25 days, the rooting rates and root numbers were significantly higher than those obtained with 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/L IBA treatment. Transcriptome analyses conducted 0 day, 7 days, 11 days, and 14 days after planting in the optimal rooting medium demonstrated that the IBA modified the plant’s carbohydrate metabolism and auxin signaling pathway. The root-specific expressions of TIR1, GH3, and SAUR were up-expressed while AUX/IAA was repressed, which contributed to the formation of lateral root initiation sites and root cell elongation. At the same time, d-glucose synthesis increased and the accumulation of starch decreased as more carbohydrates were used to form and develop roots instead of being used for the rapid cell division required for shoot growth. This study identified the optimal rooting medium for the C. bodinieri citral type and determined the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of exogenously applied IBA during root formation and development at the transcriptional level.

What Drives China’s 2015 Stock Market Surges and Turmoil?

Jui-Jung Tsai,Yang-Chao Wang,Xiongwei Li 한국증권학회 2019 Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies Vol.48 No.3

Using high-frequency data, we investigate China’s stock market surges and turmoil from 2014 to 2015 by employing GARCH family models to evaluate the effects of government policies, economic factors, and related announcements. The results indicate that China’s stock market has primarily been driven by government policies rather than economic factors. During the period, the commentaries of the People’s Daily further amplified the direction of market movements in the market surges and turmoil. In addition to individual policies and announcements, we explore the structural changes in volatility in different market stages and provide explanations for the distinct features of each stage.