Security enhancement for NOMA-UAV networks

Owing to its distinctive merits, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) techniques have been utilized in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) enabled wireless base stations to provide effective coverage for terrestrial users. However, the security of NOMA-UAV systems remains a challenge due to the line-of-sight air-to-ground channels and higher transmission power of weaker users in NOMA. In this paper, we propose two schemes to guarantee the secure transmission in UAV-NOMA networks. When only one user requires secure transmission, we derive the hovering position for the UAV and the power allocation to meet rate threshold of the secure user while maximizing the sum rate of remaining users. This disrupts the eavesdropping towards the secure user effectively. When multiple users require secure transmission, we further take the advantage of beamforming via multiple antennas at the UAV to guarantee their secure transmission. Due to the non-convexity of this problem, we convert it into a convex one for an iterative solution by using the second order cone programming. Finally, simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme

Sedimentary characteristics of the Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation in the E’Xi trough and its petroleum geological significance

Objective  The organic-rich shales of the Lower Cambrian in South China are characterized by significant thickness and high thermal maturity. Recent explorations have yielded industrial gas flows from the Lower Cambrian shales in the Middle Yangtze region. To further investigate the shale gas resource potential of the Lower Cambrian in South China, this study focuses on the Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation in the Middle Yangtze region.   Methods  Through an integrated analysis of outcrop observations and drilling data, we analyzed its sedimentary characteristics and processes. A third-order stratigraphic sequence framework for the Lower Cambrian shale was established, and a sedimentary model of the Early Cambrian E’Xi Trough in the Middle Yangtze region was constructed, clarifying exploration targets.  Results  The Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation in the Middle Yangtze region primarily consists of shallow-water and deep-water shelf facies, with shallow carbonate deposits at both the bottom and top. The Lower Cambrian organic-rich shales can be divided into five third-order sequences, which are correlatable with those in the Upper Yangtze region. The Shuijingtuo Formation formed during the filling stage of the E’xi Trough, primarily consisting of argillaceous clastic sedimentary rocks.   Conclusion  Organic-rich shales are distributed in deep-water facies, with two identified subsags within the E’xi Trough (the Enshi and Yichang–Changyang depressions) serving as key exploration targets. The Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation, together with the underlying Sinian Dengying and Doushantuo Formations, forms a "sandwich-like" conventional hydrocarbon assemblage, which is a priority area for future conventional oil and gas exploration in Western Hubei

Differences in In Vitro Digestibility of Curcumin Nanoemulsions Stabilized by Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Isolate-(–)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate

In this study, the release of free fat acids (FFA) from and the digestion characteristics of curcumin nanoemulsions constructed using whey protein isolate (WPI)-(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (ECGG) graft copolymers with 3% and 4% grafting degrees as emulsifiers were investigated during in vitro simulated digestion and compared with those of curcumin nanoemulsions stabilized by WPI. It was found that binding to EGCG might cause the unfolding of WPI, and the interfacial film thickness of the WPI-EGCG stabilized emulsion increased by 31.6 nm compared with that of the WPI stabilized emulsion. The WPI-EGCG complex stabilized emulsion had a smaller particle size dispersion and average particle size than the WPI stabilized emulsion and was therefore more stable and superior in promoting lipid digestion. After 120 minutes of intestinal digestion, the final release rate of FFA from the nanoemulsion stabilized with 4% WPI-EGCG was 85.13%. Also, the graft treatment improved the bioaccessibility of curcumin encapsulated in the system

Berberine Ameliorates Diabetic Cardiomyopathy in Mice by Decreasing Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress

Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a multifaceted complication of diabetes that lacks effective treatments. Berberine (BBR), a bioactive compound from Rhizoma coptidis , has potential therapeutic implications, but its precise role in diabetic cardiomyopathy remains to be defined. Methods: In this study, a diabetic cardiomyopathy model was established by administration of a high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection to C57BL/6J mice. Concurrently, the mice received BBR treatment daily for a duration of 8 weeks. After the treatment period, myocardial injury, cardiac function, and the levels of oxidative stress and apoptosis were assessed. Results: BBR significantly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction and histopathological damage caused by diabetic cardiomyopathy. This treatment also elevated serum superoxide dismutase levels while decreasing malondialdehyde levels. The anti-apoptotic activity of BBR was evidenced by a decrease in TUNEL-positive cells and the percentage of apoptotic cells, as determined by flow cytometry, in conjunction with diminished levels of BCL2-associated X protein/B cell lymphoma 2 (BAX/BCL2) in heart tissues. Mechanistically, BBR was found to ameliorate diabetic cardiomyopathy by upregulating the expression of myocardial methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) and concurrently suppressing cardiac CaMKII oxidation. Conclusions: BBR alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting myocardial apoptosis and oxidative stress through the MsrA and CaMKII signaling pathways

Does the Elderly's Private Pension Ownership Intensify Aggregate Equity Demand? Empirical Evidence in the U.S.

PoliticalEconomyIn this paper, the authors investigate how the old generation income structure affects aggregate equity purchases, using Flows of Funds Accounts and Survey of Consumer Finances. Results suggest that the risk aversion that increases with age could be modified to incorporate the old’s pension ownership. In particular, private pension income to elder households are related to increased aggregate equity purchases, even considering other pension and all other income. In this sense, private pensions are a ‘stepping-stone’ to increased equity investment in U.S. households

M-Finder: Uncovering functionally associated proteins from interactome data integrated with GO annotations

BACKGROUND: Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play a key role in understanding the mechanisms of cellular processes. The availability of interactome data has catalyzed the development of computational approaches to elucidate functional behaviors of proteins on a system level. Gene Ontology (GO) and its annotations are a significant resource for functional characterization of proteins. Because of wide coverage, GO data have often been adopted as a benchmark for protein function prediction on the genomic scale. RESULTS: We propose a computational approach, called M-Finder, for functional association pattern mining. This method employs semantic analytics to integrate the genome-wide PPIs with GO data. We also introduce an interactive web application tool that visualizes a functional association network linked to a protein specified by a user. The proposed approach comprises two major components. First, the PPIs that have been generated by high-throughput methods are weighted in terms of their functional consistency using GO and its annotations. We assess two advanced semantic similarity metrics which quantify the functional association level of each interacting protein pair. We demonstrate that these measures outperform the other existing methods by evaluating their agreement to other biological features, such as sequence similarity, the presence of common Pfam domains, and core PPIs. Second, the information flow-based algorithm is employed to discover a set of proteins functionally associated with the protein in a query and their links efficiently. This algorithm reconstructs a functional association network of the query protein. The output network size can be flexibly determined by parameters. CONCLUSIONS: M-Finder provides a useful framework to investigate functional association patterns with any protein. This software will also allow users to perform further systematic analysis of a set of proteins for any specific function. It is available online at http://bionet.ecs.baylor.edu/mfinde

Study on soil seed bank and seedling regeneration of different populations of Amygdalus ledebouriana in wild fruit forest in Tae Basin

Abstract [Objective] The study aims to investigate the soil seed bank and seedling regeneration characteristics of Amygdalus ledebouriana in Xinjiang, and to explore the limiting factors affecting the population regeneration of A . ledebouriana. [Methods] A . ledebouriana in the Tae Basin of Xinjiang was used as the research object, and the soil seed bank and seedling regeneration were studied by means of field plot investigation, soil sample collection, and seedling number and grade statistics under the mother plant. [Results] (1) The average density of seeds in the soil seed bank of A . ledebouriana was 96.45 m2. The complete seed density of the Tuoli population was the highest, and the density of seeds eaten by the Yumin population was the highest, while the insect-eaten seeds only appeared in the Tacheng population. (2) The seeds of A . ledebouriana were mainly distributed in the litter layer, accounting for 56.29% of the total seeds, S2 (0-5 cm) soil layer accounted for 29.07%, and S3 (5-10 cm) soil layer accounted for 14.65%. The horizontal diffusion distance of soil seeds was proportional to the slope of A . ledebouriana. (3) No seedlings were found in the investigated A . ledebouriana seedlings. Grade Ⅰ seedlings accounted for 51.12% of the total number of seedlings. A . ledebouriana seedlings were concentrated in the range of 50 cm from the base of the mother plant. [Conclusion] The distribution characteristics of soil seed bank of A . ledebouriana is near the mother plant and the surface, and the characteristics of seedling regeneration is also near the mother plant distribution. Under natural conditions, gnawed seeds, insect-infested seeds, and niche loss are the main reasons why A . ledebouriana seedlings cannot germinate and the regeneration of seedlings is limited