A Novel Black Widow Optimization Algorithm Based on Lagrange Interpolation Operator for ResNet18.

Hyper-parameters play a critical role in neural networks; they significantly impact both training effectiveness and overall model performance. Proper hyper-parameter settings can accelerate model convergence and improve generalization. Among various hyper-parameters, the learning rate is particularly important.

Hydrogen Sulfide Improves Postharvest Quality of Okra ( (L.) Moench) Pods by Enhancing Antioxidant Capacity and Delaying Lignification.

Okra ( (L.) Moench) pod storage is challenging due to its high water content and tendency to lignify. Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) served as an HS donor in this investigation.

Purification and characterization of a glycoprotein from Sipunculus nudus and its immune-enhancing activity to RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Sipunculus nudus, an edible marine invertebrate, has long been used as traditional Chinese medicine in folk remedies. In order to assess the immunoregulatory activity of glycoproteins in Sipunculus nudus and conduct a structure-activity relationship, a glycoprotein (SGP1) with molecular mass of 9.26 kDa was purified from Sipunculus nudus, and its chemical structure as well as immune-enhancing activity was investigated in this study.

Synthesis of Nano-Structured Ge as Transmissive or Reflective Saturable Absorber for Mode-Locked Fiber Laser.

Amorphous-Ge (α-Ge) or free-standing nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized via hydrogen-free plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) were applied as transmissive or reflective saturable absorbers, respectively, for starting up passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber lasers (EDFLs). Under a threshold pumping power of 41 mW for mode-locking the EDFL, the transmissive α-Ge film could serve as a saturable absorber with a modulation depth of 52-58%, self-starting EDFL pulsation with a pulsewidth of approximately 700 fs. Under a high power of 155 mW, the pulsewidth of the EDFL mode-locked by the 15 s-grown α-Ge was suppressed to 290 fs, with a corresponding spectral linewidth of 8.

Neuroimmune interactions and their roles in neurodegenerative diseases.

The nervous system possesses bidirectional, sophisticated and delicate communications with the immune system. These neuroimmune interactions play a vitally important role in the initiation and development of many disorders, especially neurodegenerative diseases. Although scientific advancements have made tremendous progress in this field during the last few years, neuroimmune communications are still far from being elucidated.

Fabrication and characterization of l-ascorbyl palmitate and phospholipid-based hybrid liposomes and their impacts on the stability of loaded hydrophobic polyphenols.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of l-ascorbyl palmitate (LAP) as an additive to liposome formulations by self-assembling with soy lecithin to form hybrid liposomes, in order to enhance the physical stability and bioactivator-loaded retention ratio of the LAP incorporated liposomes (LAP-LP). The addition of LAP significantly increased its surface negative charge and strong hydrophobic interactions occurred between the hydrophobic tails of LAP and phospholipids resulting in more compactly ordered, rigid and hydrophobic phospholipid bilayers as indicated by surface tension, fluorescence probes and DSC. These changes enhanced the stability of hydrophobic polyphenol loaded LAP-LP during storage.

Improvement of the Centrifugal Force in Gravity Driven Method for the Fabrication of Highly Ordered and Submillimeter-Thick Colloidal Crystal.

In this paper, we propose a modified gravity method by introducing centrifugal force to promote the stacking of silica particles and the order of formed colloidal crystals. In this method, a monodispersed silica colloidal solution is filled into empty cells and placed onto rotation arms that are designed to apply an external centrifugal force to the filled silica solution. When sample fabrication is in progress, silica particles are forced toward the edges of the cells.

A Planar Fresnel Lens in Reflection Type Based on Azo-Dye-Doped Cholesteric Liquid Crystals Fabricated by Photo-Alignment.

This paper presents a focusing efficiency and focal length tunable planar Fresnel lens in reflection type based on azo-dye-doped cholesterol liquid crystal film. The Fresnel-like pattern of a pumping beam can be formed by a Sagnac interferometer. When the azo-dye molecules are irradiated by the pumping beam, the photoalignment effect will be induced in the bright (odd) zones due to the photoisomerization of azo-dye molecules.

Life in the fast lane: clinical and immunohistological characteristics of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy-a retrospective study in 684 patients.

Background: Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy (TCM) has been known for decades as a reversible form of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. However, its mechanism and characteristics remain poorly understood.

Objectives: This retrospective study investigated endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) samples from consecutive patients with TCM and compared them with samples from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and inflammatory cardiomyopathy (InCM).

Position Dependence of Emission Wavelength of a SiO Colloidal Photonic-Crystal Laser.

In this paper, a wavelength tunable colloidal-crystal laser with monodispersed silica particles was demonstrated. Silica particles were synthesized through the modified Stöber process and self-assembled into the colloidal photonic-crystal structure, which was then used to form the optic cavity of a wavelength tunable laser device. Due to Bragg's diffraction of the colloidal photonic-crystal and the coffee ring effect, the forbidden energy gap of light varied with different lattice sizes at different positions of the colloidal photonic-crystal.

Predictors of long-term outcome in patients with biopsy proven inflammatory cardiomyopathy.

Background: The objective of this study was to identify prognostic indicators in patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy (iCM) on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB).

Methods And Results: Between 2007 and 2011 all consecutive patients with diagnosed with iCM at EMB were retrospectively analyzed. The combined primary endpoint (EP) (1°EP) was cardiac death, aborted sudden cardiac death/appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shock, progressive heart failure requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and heart transplantation.

Clinical profile of patients with advanced age and inflammatoric dilated cardiomyopathy on endomyocardial biopsy.

Background: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is an important tool when patients with inflammatoric cardiomyopathy (DCMi) are evaluated. We aimed to assess the clinical profile of elderly patients with DCMi on EMB.

Methods: Retrospective study of all consecutive patients hospitalized from January 2007 to December 2011 with clinical suspicion of DCMi undergoing EMB.

Can silicon carbide serve as a saturable absorber for passive mode-locked fiber lasers?

The study presents a novel demonstration of a passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) that is based on a silicon carbide (SixC1-x) saturable absorber. When the C/Si composition ratio is increased to 1.83, the SixC1-x film transforms from two-photon absorption to nonlinear saturable absorption, and the corresponding value reaches -3.

A direct and polymer-free method for transferring graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition to any substrate.

We demonstrate a polymer-free method that can routinely transfer relatively large-area graphene to any substrate with advanced electrical properties and superior atomic and chemical structures as compared to the graphene sheets transferred with conventional polymer-assisted methods. The graphene films that are transferred with polymer-free method show high electrical conductance and excellent optical transmittance. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray/ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy also confirm the presence of high quality graphene sheets with little contamination after transfer.

Individual and institutional factors affecting cardiac monitoring in coronary care units: a national survey of Chinese nurses.

Background: As cardiovascular diseases have become the leading cause of death in many countries including China, nurses are increasingly required to be abreast of technological advances and the skills necessary to manage this increasing health care problem. Chinese nurses are under pressure to provide skilled electrocardiography monitoring, and be sufficiently skilled to detect myocardial ischemia and infarction, in this large patient population. This presents a challenge for the nursing profession in China, particularly for nurses working in coronary care in a country where advancement has been so rapid, yet little research has been conducted or reported in the literature.

[Clinical effects of combination chemotherapy with irinotecan hydrochloride and cisplatin on cervical cancer: study of 46 patients].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination chemotherapy of irinotecan hydrochloride plus cisplatin on cervical cancer.

Methods: Forty-six patients with cervical cancer, 43 with squamous cell carcinoma, 2 adenocarcinoma, and 1 small cell carcinoma, 41 being treated initially and 5 being recurrent cases of which 2 had undergone radiotherapy plus chemotherapy, 2 radical hysterectomy plus pelvic radiotherapy after operation, and 1 radical hysterectomy plus chemotherapy, aged 38 (22-61), were treated with irinotecan hydrochloride, 60 mg/m(2) in 250 ml normal saline administered on days 1, 8, and 15 by intravenous infusion over 60 min, plus cisplatin, 60 mg/m(2) in 500 ml 5% glucose given on day 1. This regimen was repeated every 28 days.