Optimal Formation Reconfiguration Control of Multiple UCAVs Using Improved Particle Swarm Optimization

Optimal formation reconfiguration control of multiple Uninhabited Combat Air Vehicles （UCAVs） is a complicated global optimum problem. Particle Swarm Optimization （PSO） is a population based stochastic optimization technique inspired by social behaviour of bird flocking or fish schooling. PSO can achieve better results in a faster, cheaper way compared with other bio-inspired computational methods, and there are few parameters to adjust in PSO. In this paper, we propose an improved PSO model for solving the optimal formation reconfiguration control problem for multiple UCAVs. Firstly, the Control Parameterization and Time Diseretization （CPTD） method is designed in detail. Then, the mutation strategy and a special mutation-escape operator are adopted in the improved PSO model to make particles explore the search space more efficiently. The proposed strategy can produce a large speed value dynamically according to the variation of the speed, which makes the algorithm explore the local and global minima thoroughly at the same time. Series experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method in solving the optimal formation reconfiguration control problem for multiple UCAVs.     

Residue conservation information for generating near-native structures in protein-protein docking

MOTIVATION: Protein-protein docking algorithms typically generate large numbers of possible complex structures with only a few of them resembling the native structure. Recently (Duan et al., Protein Sci, 14:316-218, 2005), it was observed that the surface density of conserved residue positions is high at the interface regions of interacting protein surfaces, except for antibody-antigen complexes, where a lesser number of conserved positions than average is observed at the interface regions. Using this observation, we identified putative interacting regions on the surface of interacting partners and significantly improved docking results by assigning top ranks to near-native complex structures. In this paper, we combine the residue conservation information with a widely used shape complementarity algorithm to generate candidate complex structures with a higher percentage of near-native structures (hits). What is new in this work is that the conservation information is used early in the generation stage and not only in the ranking stage of the docking algorithm. This results in a significantly larger number of generated hits and an improved predictive ability in identifying the native structure of protein-protein complexes. RESULTS: We report on results from 48 well-characterized protein complexes, which have enough residue conservation information from the same 59 benchmark complexes used in our previous work. We compute conservation indices of residue positions on the surfaces of interacting proteins using available homologous sequences from UNIPROT and calculate the solvent accessible surface area. We combine this information with shape-complementarity scores to generate candidate protein-protein complex structures. When compared with pure shape-complementarity algorithms, performed by FTDock, our method results in significantly more hits, with the improvement being over 100% in many instances. We demonstrate that residue conservation information is useful not only in refinement and scoring of docking solutions, but also helpful in enrichment of near-native-structures during the generation of candidate geometries of complex structures.     

过氧亚硝基阴离子通过JAK/STAT信号途径促进系膜细胞纤连蛋白的合成

氧化应激是糖尿病肾病的重要发病机制之一。过氧亚硝基阴离子(peroxynitrite,ONOO–)是参与氧化应激损伤的重要成员,与糖尿病及其并发症密切相关。该文观察高糖环境下ONOO–对系膜细胞合成纤连蛋白(fibronectin,FN)的影响,并探讨其作用机制。实验中,人肾小球系膜细胞分为4组:正常对照组、高糖组、高糖+尿酸组及高糖+AG490组。培养12,24,48 h后收集细胞及其上清液、并提取细胞总蛋白。采用酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)检测细胞上清液中FN的含量,采用免疫细胞化学和Western blot检测NT总蛋白(ONOO–生成的生物标志物)、p-JAK2及p-STAT3蛋白的表达。结果显示,与同期正常组相比,高糖组NT总蛋白、p-JAK2及p-STAT3的表达及FN含量明显增高(P<0.05),并且随着时间的延长表达逐渐增多,以48 h组最为显著;高糖+尿酸组,NT、p-JAK2、p-STAT3及FN较高糖组明显减少(P<0.05);高糖+AG490组,p-JAK2、p-STAT3及FN较高糖组明显减少(P<0.05),但NT表达与高糖组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。由此可见,高糖环境下系膜细胞中存在ONOO–的过量表达,ONOO–通过JAK/STAT信号途径促进系膜细胞FN的合成。     

皂荚化学成分和生物活性的研究进展

我国的皂荚植物主要有皂荚、山皂荚、野皂荚和三刺皂荚.对皂荚的萜类、黄酮类、酚酸类、甾体类等化学成分及其抗菌、杀虫、抗病毒、抗肿瘤、免疫调节作用等生物学活性进行了综述.     

我国单季稻种植区的气候适宜性

从国家层次和年尺度阐明影响我国单季稻种植区分布的主导气候因子, 揭示我国单季稻种植区的潜在分布及其气候适宜性,可为我国优化单季稻生产布局、改进种植制度和引种提供科学依据.本文从国家层次和年尺度选取影响我国单季稻分布的潜在气候因子, 利用其地理分布信息,结合最大熵模型和ArcGIS的空间分析功能, 阐明影响我国单季稻分布的主导气候因子并构建我国单季稻分布与气候的关系模型. 结果表明: 影响我国单季稻潜在种植区分布的主导气候因子是年降水量、湿润指数和稳定通过18 ℃日数, 它们对单季稻分布的累积贡献率达到了潜在气候因子的94.5%; 基于主导气候因子和单季稻种植点分布的地理信息, 结合最大熵模型构建的我国单季稻种植区分布与气候的关系模型能够很好地模拟我国单季稻种植区的潜在分布. 根据待预测区单季稻的存在概率, 明确了我国单季稻种植区潜在分布的气候低、中、高适宜区和气候不适宜区, 并分析了各气候适宜区的气候特征.     

Cold atmospheric plasma ameliorates imiquimod-induced psoriasiform dermatitis in mice by mediating antiproliferative effects

Psoriasis is a chronic hyperproliferative skin disease characterised by excessive growth of keratinocytes. Indeed, inducing keratinocyte apoptosis is a key mechanism responsible for psoriatic plaques clearance following some important existing therapies, which display pro-oxidant activity. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), acting as a tuneable source of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), can controllably transfer RONS to the cellular environment, deliver antiproliferative RONS concentrations and exert antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects. This study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic potential of CAP in psoriasis. We used cell models of psoriasis-like inflammation by adding lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) to HaCaT keratinocytes. Indirect plasma, plasma-activated medium (PAM), was administered to HaCaT cells. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) was applied directly to imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasiform dermatitis in mice. The results showed that PAM induced an increase in intracellular ROS and caused keratinocyte apoptosis. Moreover, cells under inflammation showed lesser viability and larger apoptosis rate. With repeated administration of APPJ, psoriasiform lesions showed ameliorated morphological manifestation and reduced epidermal proliferation. Overall, this study supports that CAP holds good potential in psoriasis treatment.     

抗病毒感染固有免疫应答的信号转导

入侵病毒的探知和适应性免疫应答启动均依靠固有免疫系统。三种模式识别受体(PRRs)在宿主防御系统第一线占据极其重要地位:Toll样受体、维甲酸诱导基因I样受体、核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体。PRRs识别病原相关分子模式(PAMP)或危险信号分子模式(DAMPs)启动和调节固有免疫和适应性免疫应答。每种PRR都有单独的识别配体和细胞定位。激活的PRRs将信号分子传递给其配体分子(MyD88,TRIF,IRAK,IPS-1),配体活化后作为信使激活信号途径下游激酶(IKK复合物,MAPKs,TBK1,RIP-1)和转录因子(NF-κB,AP-1,IRF3),最终产生细胞因子、趋化因子、促炎细胞因子和I型干扰素。本文重点讨论PRRs信号通路及该领域取得的成果,以期为人类健康和免疫疾病防治提供策略。     

木薯果胶甲基酯酶抑制因子MePMEI1的生物信息学分析

为探讨木薯MePMEI1的分子结构特征。通过PCR扩增和测序技术及生物信息学分析工具对木薯MePMEI1基因进行克隆、测序及相关生物信息学分析。结果表明木薯MePMEI1基因编码区全长609 bp,编码202个氨基酸残基;MePMEI1基因编码蛋白分子量21.78 k D,理论等电点(pI)约为5.51;生物信息学预测发现,木薯MePMEI1蛋白是稳定的亲水蛋白;具有跨膜区为分泌蛋白;含有1个PMEI结构域,1个糖基化位点,31个磷酸化位点;二、三级结构以α螺旋和无规则卷曲为主。该蛋白的生物功能可能与细胞被膜、酶和生长因子等相关。木薯MePMEI1基因的生物信息学分析为进一步研究其遗传特性和生理生化机制提供了理论依据。