Integration of Facility Location and Hypercube Queuing Models in Emergency Medical Systems

The purpose of emergency medical systems(EMS)is to save lives and reduce injuries with a quick response in emergencies.The performance of these systems is highl...     

Improvement in the protective performance and adhesion of polypyrrole coating on AZ31 Mg alloys

The electrochemical synthesis of polypyrrole (Ppy) coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy was successfully achieved in a solution containing sodium salicylate and monomer of pyrrole through cyclic voltammetry technique. The effect of potential range, passivation pretreatment and number of cycles of polymerization on the quality and protective performance of the coatings was evaluated using surface analysis and electrochemical techniques. Through taking the advantage of charge transfer resistance, current density, corrosion potential, optical microscopy images and SEM micrographs, the optimum condition of synthesis of a Ppy coating with the best adhesion and corrosion protection was determined. The optimal PPy coating synthesized over AZ31 increases the polarization resistance and decreases the corrosion current more than one order of magnitude and shift the corrosion potential about 200 mV toward nobler potentials. The SEM studies showed that Ppy coating have cauliflower morphology of Ppy grains with a diameter ranging from 20 nm to 60 nm.     

A PPARγ-FGF1 axis is required for adaptive adipose remodelling and metabolic homeostasis

Although feast and famine cycles illustrate that remodelling of adipose tissue in response to fluctuations in nutrient availability is essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we identify fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) as a critical transducer in this process in mice, and link its regulation to the nuclear receptor PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ), which is the adipocyte master regulator and the target of the thiazolidinedione class of insulin sensitizing drugs. FGF1 is the prototype of the 22-member FGF family of proteins and has been implicated in a range of physiological processes, including development, wound healing and cardiovascular changes. Surprisingly, FGF1 knockout mice display no significant phenotype under standard laboratory conditions. We show that FGF1 is highly induced in adipose tissue in response to a high-fat diet and that mice lacking FGF1 develop an aggressive diabetic phenotype coupled to aberrant adipose expansion when challenged with a high-fat diet. Further analysis of adipose depots in FGF1-deficient mice revealed multiple histopathologies in the vasculature network, an accentuated inflammatory response, aberrant adipocyte size distribution and ectopic expression of pancreatic lipases. On withdrawal of the high-fat diet, this inflamed adipose tissue fails to properly resolve, resulting in extensive fat necrosis. In terms of mechanisms, we show that adipose induction of FGF1 in the fed state is regulated by PPARγ acting through an evolutionarily conserved promoter proximal PPAR response element within the FGF1 gene. The discovery of a phenotype for the FGF1 knockout mouse establishes the PPARγ–FGF1 axis as critical for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and insulin sensitization.     

Synthesis of magnetically recoverable visible-light-induced photocatalysts by combination of Fe_3O_4/ZnO with BiOI and polyaniline

Magnetically recyclable photocatalysts with efficient performances under visible light were synthesized by combining Fe_3O_4/ZnO with BiOI and polyaniline(PANI). The FT-IR, XRD, HRTEM, SEM, EDX, XPS, UV–vis DRS,VSM, BET, and PL instruments were utilized for characterization of the as-prepared products. The activity tests exhibited that the superior rate constant in photocatalytic performance was achieved over the Fe_3O_4/ZnO/BiOI/PANI(20%) nanocomposite, which enhanced for more than 59.9, 10.0, and 6.57 times, as compared to those of the Fe_3O_4/ZnO, Fe_3O_4/ZnO/PANI, and Fe_3O_4/ZnO/BiOI photocatalysts in degradation of RhB, respectively.Successful photocatalytic degradations of MO/MB and photo reduction of Cr(VI) were also investigated to confirm the potential application of the photocatalyst in removal of various pollutants. The considerably enhanced activity pointed to a promoting effect of p-n-p heterojunctions formed between PANI, ZnO, and BiOI, and improved textural characteristics, which are benefit for improvement of the photocatalytic performances.     

Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human with tetraplegia

Neuromotor prostheses (NMPs) aim to replace or restore lost motor functions in paralysed humans by routeing movement-related signals from the brain, around damaged parts of the nervous system, to external effectors. To translate preclinical results from intact animals to a clinically useful NMP, movement signals must persist in cortex after spinal cord injury and be engaged by movement intent when sensory inputs and limb movement are long absent. Furthermore, NMPs would require that intention-driven neuronal activity be converted into a control signal that enables useful tasks. Here we show initial results for a tetraplegic human (MN) using a pilot NMP. Neuronal ensemble activity recorded through a 96-microelectrode array implanted in primary motor cortex demonstrated that intended hand motion modulates cortical spiking patterns three years after spinal cord injury. Decoders were created, providing a 'neural cursor' with which MN opened simulated e-mail and operated devices such as a television, even while conversing. Furthermore, MN used neural control to open and close a prosthetic hand, and perform rudimentary actions with a multi-jointed robotic arm. These early results suggest that NMPs based upon intracortical neuronal ensemble spiking activity could provide a valuable new neurotechnology to restore independence for humans with paralysis.     

新疆吐鲁番市周围地区裸藻植物初步研究

本首次报道了新疆吐鲁番市部分地区裸藻门3科、8属、3亚属、9种、2变种，全部为新疆新纪录，这些结果是对2003年5月16日至9月23日和2004年3月18日至8月21日之间在26处28点采集的28号水样标本鉴定所获得的。     

基于相位的语音信号处理

在语音信号处理系统的设计中，信号的相位信息总是没有得到设计者足够的重视。本书第一次提出并反复强调信号相位信息在声源定位、语音识别和语音增强中的重要作用，书中很好地讨论并总结了当前基于相位的语音信号处理的最新进展。