Slow Phase Research Articles

Evolution of machine learning in environmental science—A perspective

Abstract The growth of machine learning (ML) in environmental science can be divided into a slow phase lasting till the mid-2010s and a fast phase thereafter. The rapid transition was brought about by the emergence of powerful new ML methods, allowing ML to successfully tackle many problems where numerical models and statistical models have been hampered. Deep convolutional neural network models greatly advanced the use of ML on 2D or 3D data. Transfer learning has allowed ML to progress in climate science, where data records are generally short for ML. ML and physics are also merging in new areas, for example: (a) using ML for general circulation model parametrization, (b) adding physics constraints in ML models, and (c) using ML in data assimilation.

Layer-dependent photoexcited carrier dynamics of WS2 observed using single pulse pump probe method

Understanding the ultrafast carrier dynamics and the mechanism of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is key to their applications in the field of optoelectronic devices. In this work, a single pulse pump probe method is introduced to detect the layer-dependent ultrafast carrier dynamics of monolayer and few-layer WS2 excited by a femtosecond pulse. Results show that the ultrafast carrier dynamics of the layered WS2 films can be divided into three stages: the fast photoexcitation phase with the characteristic time of 2–4 ps, the fast decay phase with the characteristic time of 4–20 ps, and the slow decay phase lasting several hundred picoseconds. Moreover, the layer dependency of the characteristic time of each stage has been observed, and the corresponding mechanism of free carrier dynamics has been discussed. It has been observed as well that the monolayer WS2 exhibits a unique rising time of carriers after photoexcitation. The proposed method can be expected to be an effective approach for studying the dynamics of the photoexcited carriers in 2D TMDs. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of the photoexcited carrier dynamics of layered WS2, which is essential for its application in optoelectronics and photovoltaic devices.

Translational Motion Compensation for Maneuvering Target Echoes With Sparse Aperture Based on Dimension Compressed Optimization

Translational motion compensation for maneuvering targets is a challenging step in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging. On one hand, nonuniform translational motion and rotational motion of maneuvering targets result in nonlinear bending of the range profile and create high-order slow time phases. On the other hand, radar cross section (RCS) fluctuation of targets may cause a sparse aperture and, therefore, sharply weakens the correlation between the pulses. Under this condition, traditional methods of translational motion compensation are sometimes difficult to get ideal results. Therefore, we propose an effective and novel method to achieve translational motion compensation for maneuvering targets with sparse aperture. In this method, the translational and rotational motions are modeled as cubic polynomial and quadratic polynomial, respectively. Based on this model, we use the echo to construct a 1-D optimization to estimate all translational parameters simultaneously and use the root-mean-square prop-momentum gradient descent (RMSprop-MGD) algorithm to solve the optimization to maintain the accuracy of parameter estimation. Finally, we use those translational parameters to compensate for the translational motion. Since this method converts the multiparameter optimization into a 1-D optimization, we named it dimension compressed optimization (DCO). Experimental results of the measured dataset prove that the proposed method is effective for full-aperture echoes, random sparse echoes, and block sparse echoes. Moreover, this method is robust under a low pulse sampling rate and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environment.

DBI inflation and warped black holes

We study a possible amplification mechanism for the curvature perturbations generated during inflation by a Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) inflaton in the presence of a sharp feature in the warp factor. The large growth resulting in the scalar power spectrum is a consequence of the decreasing speed of sound. We obtain analytical approximate expressions for the relevant dynamical quantities both in the slow roll phase and during the transient phase which leads to the amplification. We finally compare our approximations to the exact numerical evolution and give, in such a context, the general rules for building a viable inflationary model leading to, during the subsequent radiation dominated era, an abundant primordial black holes formation.

Acoustic wave propagation in permeable lossy metamaterials

This paper investigates acoustic wave propagation in gas-saturated permeable lossy metamaterials, which have different types of resonators, namely, acoustic and elastic resonators, as building-block elements. By using the two-scale asymptotic homogenization method, the macroscopic equations that govern sound propagation in such metamaterials are established. These equations show that the metamaterials can be modeled as equivalent fluids with unconventional effective density and compressibility. Analysis of these frequency-dependent and complex-valued parameters shows that the real parts of both can take negative values within frequency bands determined by inner resonances. The upscaled theory is exemplified with the case of a permeable lossy metamaterial having a unit cell comprising two unconnected fluid networks and a solid frame. One of these fluid networks is loaded with acoustic resonators (e.g., quarter-wavelength, Helmholtz resonators), while thin elastic films are present in the other one. It is shown that the propagation of acoustic waves in permeable lossy metamaterials is determined by both classical visco-thermal dissipation and local elasto-inertial resonances. The results are expected to lead to judicious designs of acoustic materials with peculiar properties including negative phase velocity and phase constant characteristic for regressive waves, very slow phase velocity, and wide sub-wavelength bandgaps.

Effect of Acupuncture on Waveform Characteristics and Visual Acuity in Idiopathic Infantile Nystagmus: A Prospective Interventional Study

Introduction: Idiopathic Infantile Nystagmus or Infantile Nystagmus Syndrome (INS) is one of the known causes for congenital nystagmus. Though the exact aetiology is unknown, there have been studies related to its treatment using prisms and contact lens. However, there have been not many clinical studies using the alternative therapy like acupuncture is done to analyse the effect on nystagmus. Therefore, the rationale of the study was to know the effect of acupuncture in INS and identify the same by Videonystagmography (VNG). Aim: To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on waveform characteristics and visual acuity in INS. Materials and Methods: This prospective interventional study was performed at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi, India, during the period of March 2004 to March 2006. Institutional review board/ethical clearance was obtained and patients with INS of more than 18 years, who were co-operative, underwent acupuncture needle stimulation of sternocleidomastoid. The needles in sternocleidomastoid were stimulated every 5 minutes for 15 minutes for 10 sittings (5 days). Nystagmus parameters like slow phase velocity, amplitude, frequency were recorded by videonystagmograpy for 20 minutes. Changes in waveform and visual acuity (Snellen visual acuity charts) were examined on every visit on all five days and patients were followed-up for three months. Visual acuity, nystagmus intensity, amplitude, frequency and slow phase velocity were the parameters analysed. A repeated measure- Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test and Freidman test was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 16.1) to analyse the data. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Ten patients with INS underwent the procedure. Significant improvement in distant visual acuity was noted at three months (right eye p=0.039, left eye p=0.050). Significant decrease in frequency during treatment (p=0.046, p=0.014 at 10 minutes and 15 minutes respectively) was noted. Dampening of nystagmus amplitude was seen during acupuncture therapy, which got enhanced by twirling of the needles. No permanent changes in waveform characteristics were seen after therapy in the follow-up for over three months. Conclusion: The afferent stimulation from neck muscles by acupuncture in infantile nystagmus does affect waveforms during therapy and visual acuity after the therapy on short-term.

Pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus in patients with lateral canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Background Pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus (PSN) can be detected in patients with lateral canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (LC-BPPV). Its frequency, and correlation with the therapeutic outcome have been less described and conflicting results have been reported. Objective This study aims to investigate its clinical and prognostic significance. Material and method One hundred and eighty-four patients with LC BPPV (98 apogeotropic, 86 geotropic type) were enrolled for the study. Clinical parameters were reviewed in patients with or without PSN. The Chi-square and one way ANOVA tests were used to compare the difference between study groups. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. Results Twenty-two patients with apogeotropic (22.4%; 98/22) and 17 patients with geotropic nystagmus (19.7%; 86/17) had PSN. The incidence, age, male-female ratio, mean slow phase velocity (SPV), duration of BPPV and the rate of recurrence were not significant in patients with LC-BPPV whether they have PSN or not. Conclusion Prognostic role of PSN in patients with LC BPPV seems to be questionable. Significance Appearance and disappearance of PSN with regard to head position helps to differentiate BPPV from other acute vestibular disorders. Additionally, direction of nystagmus assists to determine the site of the affected canal. However, prognostic significance is obscure.

Bi-exponential modelling of W^{^{prime}} reconstitution kinetics in trained cyclists

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the individual W^{^{prime}} reconstitution kinetics of trained cyclists following repeated bouts of incremental ramp exercise, and to determine an optimal mathematical model to describe W^{^{prime}} reconstitution.MethodsTen trained cyclists (age 41 ± 10 years; mass 73.4 ± 9.9 kg; dot{V}{text{O}}_{2max } 58.6 ± 7.1 mL kg min−1) completed three incremental ramps (20 W min−1) to the limit of tolerance with varying recovery durations (15–360 s) on 5–9 occasions. W^{^{prime}} reconstitution was measured following the first and second recovery periods against which mono-exponential and bi-exponential models were compared with adjusted R2 and bias-corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc).ResultsA bi-exponential model outperformed the mono-exponential model of W^{^{prime}} reconstitution (AICc 30.2 versus 72.2), fitting group mean data well (adjR2 = 0.999) for the first recovery when optimised with parameters of fast component (FC) amplitude = 50.67%; slow component (SC) amplitude = 49.33%; time constant (τ)FC = 21.5 s; τSC = 388 s. Following the second recovery, W′ reconstitution reduced by 9.1 ± 7.3%, at 180 s and 8.2 ± 9.8% at 240 s resulting in an increase in the modelled τSC to 716 s with τFC unchanged. Individual bi-exponential models also fit well (adjR2 = 0.978 ± 0.017) with large individual parameter variations (FC amplitude 47.7 ± 17.8%; first recovery: (τ)FC = 22.0 ± 11.8 s; (τ)SC = 377 ± 100 s; second recovery: (τ)FC = 16.3.0 ± 6.6 s; (τ)SC = 549 ± 226 s).ConclusionsW′ reconstitution kinetics were best described by a bi-exponential model consisting of distinct fast and slow phases. The amplitudes of the FC and SC remained unchanged with repeated bouts, with a slowing of W′ reconstitution confined to an increase in the time constant of the slow component.

Increased Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Accompanying Pro-Inflammatory Processes are Associated with Progressive Hearing Impairment and Bilateral Disability of Meniere’s Disease

Background: The progression of hearing impairment and the bilateral involvement of Meniere’s disease (MD) may depend on the disease duration and aging. Recent studies reported that MD might involve dysfunction of the microvascular circulation damaged due to inflammatory changes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine that the progress of the MD’s hearing impairment and bilateral disability may be associated with the pathogenesis of several pro-inflammatory processes. Patients and Methods: We recruited 30 unilateral MD patients (56.8 ± 14.7 years old), 7 bilateral MD patients (65.3 ± 13.9 years old), and 17 age-matched control subjects (53.5 ± 14.4 years old, p > 0.05). We measured the plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), plasma tumor-necrosis factor α (TNFα), and plasma monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). Results: The bilateral MD group and the unilateral MD group had higher plasma MCP-1 (204.7 ± 41.0 pg/mL and 169.5 ± 32.0 pg/mL) than the control group (149.2 ± 30.7 pg/mL) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma TNFα, IL-6, and VEGF among 3 groups (p > 0.05). There was a strong correlation between the plasma MCP-1 and age in MD patients (r = 0.58, p < 0.01); however, no significant correlation between the plasma MCP-1 and age was found in control subjects (p > 0.05). The plasma MCP-1 significantly correlated with the average hearing level of 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz, and the maximum slow phase eye velocity in caloric test in the better side (p < 0.05). Also, the plasma MCP-1 showed significant positive correlations with the plasma IL-6 (r = 0.49, p < 0.01) and plasma TNFα (r = 0.32, p < 0.05) in MD group. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the increased plasma MCP-1 accompanying pro-inflammatory processes are associated with the progression of the hearing impairment and the bilateral disability of MD.

SIRT1 Inhibition Impairs Ca2+ Buffering in Coronary Smooth Muscle Cells of Ossabaw Miniature Swine

Background: SIRT1 is a deacetylase that has diverse roles in intracellular Ca2+ signaling, metabolism, and cardiovascular disease. SIRT1 increases sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) activity that is essential to buffer the increase in Ca2+ induced by release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Our lab has shown that metabolic syndrome (MetS) impairs SERCA activity in coronary smooth muscle cells and causes coronary artery disease in Ossabaw miniature swine. We hypothesized that SIRT1 inhibition and MetS would impair Ca2+ buffering. &#x0D; Methods: CRISPR/Cas9 methods delivered a leucine to proline point mutation in SIRT1 (SIRT1L100P) into the Ossabaw swine genome to compare to wild type (WT) and mimic the naturally occurring mutation in humans and decrease SIRT1 activity. Four treatment groups of juvenile swine were based on genotype and diet: WT Lean, SIRT1 Lean, WT MetS, and SIRT1 MetS. Lean swine were fed normal chow and MetS were fed a hypercaloric, atherogenic diet for 7 months. The left anterior descending coronary artery was harvested and enzymatically digested to obtain cells. Fluorescence microscopy measured the Ca2+ indicator fura-2 in single cells. The cells were exposed to 5 mM caffeine to maximally release stores of Ca2+ from the SR. Ca2+ buffering capacity of each cell was analyzed after the caffeine-induced peak increase to assess Ca2+ efflux and SERCA activity. &#x0D; Results: MetS was confirmed by increased body weight, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and hypercholesterolemia. Coronary atherosclerosis was shown by angiography, intravascular ultrasound, and gross imaging. The rapid phase of Ca2+ buffering due to Ca2+ efflux was not affected by SIRT1 mutation or MetS. The slower phase of Ca2+ buffering due to SERCA activity was impaired only by SIRT1 mutation (p&lt;0.0005), not by MetS. &#x0D; Conclusion: SIRT1 mutation alone inhibited SERCA buffering of Ca2+ in coronary smooth muscle. (Support: NIH T35HL110854, DK120240, DK09751.)

Nystagmus Parameters of Supine Roll Test Correlates With Prognosis After Repositioning Maneuver in Horizontal Semicircular Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Background: Positional nystagmus induced by supine roll test is characteristic for diagnosing horizontal semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (HC-BPPV). In this study, we aimed to explore the value of nystagmus parameters in by supine roll test (SRT) as prognostic factors in HC-BPPV.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the nystagmus parameters of 813 patients diagnosed with HC-BPPV by the SRT model in the SRM-IV system through video nystagmography. Then we used the computer-controlled canalith repositioning procedure (CCRP) mode for treatment. Based on the outcomes, patients were divided into either the cured group or the resistant group. The 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to minimize potential selection bias. Then univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify the association of nystagmus parameters and the efficacy of CCRP.Results: Among the 813 patients, 99 (12.2%) were classified in the resistant group. The right side of HC-BPPV patients was twice the number of the left side patients (537 vs. 276). PSM is used to pair resistant patients to the cured patients, in which 99 pairs were successfully matched. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that patients in the resistant group have longer latency in the affected side [odds ratio (OR) = 1.231 (1.110–1.366); P < 0.001] and slower slow phase velocity (SPV) in the healthy side [OR = 0.957 (0.917–0.999); P = 0.045].Conclusion: Nystagmus parameters may represent the characteristics of canalith. HC-BPPV patients with a longer latency in the affected side and slower SPV on the healthy side during SRT have a higher risk of HC-BPPV persisting after a single CCRP.

Stable microwave LO distribution via a phase-locked OEO assisted by passive compensation

We present a stable microwave local oscillator (LO) distribution scheme based on a phase-locked optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) assisted by passive compensation. By injecting the LO reference into the phase-locked OEO and locking it with the oscillation signal, a microwave LO with a low phase noise can be tapped at the remote site. Meanwhile, a frequency-mixing-based passive compensation system is utilized to efficiently prevent the remote LO signal from the slow phase drift caused by the temperature susceptibility of fiber. In the experiment, a 10.8 GHz LO signal is stably distributed along a 6.8-km ring fiber to the remote site that is 1.8 km away from the local site. The frequency stability of 3.8 × 10−14 at 1s and 2.3 × 10−17 at 10000 s can be attained. The single-sideband (SSB) phase noise of the received signal at the remote site is up to –110 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset frequency with the root-mean-square phase jitter of 0.023 rad.

Differential effects of sex on adaptive responses of skeletal muscle vasodilation to exercise training in type 2 diabetes

AimsWe tested the hypotheses that exercise training improves the peak and dynamic responses of leg vascular conductance (LVC) in males and females with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). MethodsForty-one males and females with T2DM were assigned to two training groups and two control groups. Twelve weeks of aerobic/resistance training was performed three times per week, 60–90 min per session. Responses of calf muscle blood flow and systemic arterial pressure during incremental and constant-load (30% maximal voluntary contraction) intermittent plantar-flexion protocols in the supine position were recorded. ResultsTraining significantly increased peak LVC in males (4.86 ± 1.88 to 6.06 ± 2.06 ml·min−1·mm Hg−1) and females (3.91 ± 1.13 to 5.40 ± 1.38 ml·min−1·mm Hg−1) with no changes in control groups. For dynamic responses, training significantly increased the amplitude of the fast growth phase of LVC (1.81 ± 1.12 to 2.68 ± 1.01 ml·min−1·mm Hg−1) and decreased the time constant of the slow growth phase (43.6 ± 46.4 s to 16.1 14.0 s) in females, but no improvements were observed in control females or in any of the two male groups. ConclusionsThese data suggest that training increases the peak vasodilatory response in males and females, whereas the speed of the dynamic response of vasodilation is improved in females but not males.

Investigation on structural, morphological, and optical studies of multiphase titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Multiphase titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The as-prepared nanoparticles were subjected to different annealing temperatures (Ta) to investigate their effects on the structural, morphological, and opto-chemical properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Ultraviolet-visible spectrometry (UV–Vis) techniques. As Ta is increased from 200 to 1200 °C, the TiO2 nanoparticles appear to have a stable tetragonal crystal structure throughout the various Ta. XRD measurements indicate an extended presence of mixed anatase-rutile phase composition with a slow phase transformation mechanism. The crystalline size of both the anatase and rutile phase increases from 19 to 38 nm and 18 -57 nm, respectively. The behaviour in the lattice parameter indicates that increasing Ta forces the crystalline structure in both phases to expand. Images from TEM and SEM micrographs reveal a similar morphology in agreement with XRD measurements. The micrographs reveal that increasing Ta increases material porosity and the dispersion of well-defined TiO2 nanostructure. The EDX spectroscopy confirms the successful synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles with the absence of impurities after annealing. FT-IR confirms vibrational modes and bond behaviour associated with the expected titanium and oxygen elements with Ta. The UV–Vis spectroscopy characterizes changes in the multiphase TiO2 optical properties as the Ta is increased. An intense UV absorption is reported in the results section and its importance in solar cell applications is stated in the conclusion.

A model for firmness and low temperature-induced storage breakdown disorder of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit in supply chain

Flesh softening and chilling injury related storage breakdown disorder (SBD) are the most important quality issues in the kiwifruit industry. This study was aimed at developing a mathematical model that could describe and predict evolution of storage breakdown disorder and firmness. A mechanistic modelling approach was adopted, with different concepts used to model the three phases of softening often observed in kiwifruit. The initial rapid softening phase was modelled as a function of starch breakdown, the slow softening phase was modelled as function of pectin degradation, while the final softening phase often characterised by tissue collapse, was modelled as a function of chilling injury related storage breakdown disorder. The model was calibrated using data collected from three seasons, across multiple maturity areas and subjected to different cooling and storage temperature regimes. 93 % of the total variance in the firmness data could be explained by the model. A mean absolute error of 0.2–2.2 % was obtained for SBD predictions. The developed model could be used by growers and postharvest managers to predict kiwifruit softening under different supply chain conditions.

Abstract 12155: Detecting Peripheral Arterial Stenosis and Monitoring Atherosclerosis Severity

Background: The AHA guidelines recommend measuring the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) for assessing the severity of atherosclerosis. There is also an unmet need for early detection of peripheral artery stenosis to reduce morbidity and tissue loss. However, the sensitivity of ABI in detecting arterial stenosis is limited in the presence of arterial stiffening (arteriosclerosis), especially in diabetic and elderly patients, since arteriosclerosis yields fictitious higher ABI. We hypothesize that non-invasive quantification of the peripheral perfusion dynamics, instead of a single pressure point, can improve the diagnosis and differentiate between focal stenosis and general arteriosclerosis. Methods: Impedance plethysmography (IPG) were measured from the calf of patients that underwent peripheral revascularization, before and shortly after the interventions. The characteristic perfusion dynamics curves were derived from the cardiac complexes of the IPG that were recorded over at least 3 minutes. Successful interventions were defined according to the guidelines as a post-operational ABI increase of at least 0.15. Results: Twenty-four patients (60.9±9.3 years old, 16 (66.6 %) diabetics) that underwent above-knee revascularization were analyzed. The perfusion upstroke consisted of two characteristic phases: an initial slow phase followed by a fast vigorous rise. Improvement in the perfusion after the revascularization appeared only in the initial slow duration, denoted as the ‘Perfusion Deficit Index` (PDI). Of those, 15 (62%) had a successful intervention and the PDI decreased from 115±48 ms to 22±10 ms (p&lt;0.0001) while the ABI increased from 0.53±0.26 to 0.94±0.22. In 9 limbs (37%) with unsuccessful interventions, there were no significant changes in PDI and ABI (from 143±31 ms to 117±40 ms and from 0.38±0.11 to 0.48±0.11, respectively). There was no significant change in the pulse transit time (p=0.19), a well-known index of arteriosclerosis, before and after the interventions. Conclusions: The PDI is a novel sensitive index for detection of focal arterial stenosis and it is independent of the severity of arteriosclerosis. This simple to use method can be used for monitoring atherosclerosis severity.

Non-classical nucleation in vapor\u2013liquid\u2013solid growth of monolayer WS2 revealed by in-situ monitoring chemical vapor deposition

The very early nucleation stage of a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) was directly observed with in-situ monitoring of chemical vapor deposition and automated image analysis. Unique nucleation dynamics, such as very large critical nuclei and slow to rapid growth transitions, were observed during the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth of monolayer tungsten disulfide (WS2). This can be explained by two-step nucleation, also known as non-classical nucleation, in which metastable clusters are formed through the aggregation of droplets. Subsequently, nucleation of solid WS2 takes place inside the metastable cluster. Furthermore, the detailed nucleation dynamics was systematically investigated from a thermodynamic point of view, revealing that the incubation time of metastable cluster formation follows the traditional time–temperature transformation diagram. Quantitative phase field simulation, combined with Bayesian inference, was conducted to extract quantitative information on the growth dynamics and crystal anisotropy from in-situ images. A clear transition in growth dynamics and crystal anisotropy between the slow and rapid growth phases was quantitatively verified. This observation supports the existence of two-step nucleation in the VLS growth of WS2. Such detailed understanding of TMD nucleation dynamics can be useful for achieving perfect structure control of TMDs.

Induction of remission in chronic urticaria by immunotherapy using immunoglobulin/histamine complex (Histobulin\u2122): a case report

BackgroundSymptom control is a major concern in chronic urticaria. Histobulin™ is a histamine/immunoglobulin complex that has been approved for allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma and chronic urticaria in some countries. Not only has the immunoglobulin/histamine complex been reported to be effective in allergic diseases, including chronic urticaria, but recently, the possibility of remission induction in chronic urticaria by the immunoglobulin/histamine complex has been reported.Case presentationHistobulin™ was administered until remission was induced instead of fixing the number of administrations in four cases of chronic urticaria. Two patients showed an early response and finished treatment with 12 injections of Histobulin™, and the other two patients showed a late response and were injected 43 and 46 times. Remission was induced successfully in all four cases.ConclusionsHistobulin™ is not only effective but also induces remission in CSU. The Histobulin™ therapy protocol in CSU may be better if the treatment is continued until remission is achieved. Based on the responses of the patients, early responders and late responders were present. The progression of the disease during treatment consisted of a slow improvement phase and a rapid improvement phase. Uniquely, the appropriate allergy laboratory results, including blood eosinophil fraction, total IgE and eosinophil cationic protein level, were normal in all 4 cases. Further studies concerning the mechanisms of Histobulin™ may be needed.

Fast and precise localization of Tianwen-1 Mars roverlanding site

<p indent=0mm>At 7:18 on May 15, 2021, Beijing time, more than <sc>9 months</sc> after the launch of China’s first Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1, the lander successfully landed in the pre-selected landing area in the southern Utopia Plain of Mars. The overall terrain in this area is relatively flat, making it easier for the Tianwen-1 lander to land safely, but there are still scattered obstacles such as craters, sand dunes, and ridges. Therefore, the Tianwen-1 lander still needs to be accurately located, in order to plan the path of the rover, preventing the rover from overturning due to obstructive terrain. Besides, incorporating the follow-up data of the rover into the unified Martian geographic coordinate system also needs the accurate landing site. The location of the landing site can be estimated according to the lander’s landing orbit data, however, due to the parachute landing method, the error of the estimated location is large, so the image obtained after the landing of the Tianwen-1 lander should be used to accurately locate the landing site. Mars is far away from the Earth, and data transmission channel is limited. After the Tianwen-1 landed, the relevant image data received until May 22, 2021 only had the following three types of data: Remote sensing images obtained by the orbiter, a descent image during hovering obstacle avoidance and slow descent phase, and the ring-shot stereo image pairs of the Mars rover’s navigation camera on the landing platform after landing. In order to locate the landing site of the Mars rover as soon as possible, this article proposes a precise positioning method based on the above limited data. At first, using the digital orthophoto map (DOM) generated by the orbiter remote sensing image as the base map, extract the craters, sand dunes, craters and ridges in the pre-selected landing area, and calculate the topological relationship between them. In addition, the topological relationship between the crater, sand dune, crater and ridge around the landing site is also calculated based on the ring-shot stereo image pair of the navigation camera. The second step is to perform fuzzy matching between the topological relationship of the feature geomorphology calculated by the navigation camera’s ring-shooting stereo pair and the topological relationship of the feature geomorphology extracted from the DOM of the orbiter remote sensing image to obtain several suspected landing sites, and then to determine one of them as the initial position of the landing site based on the descent image during the hovering obstacle avoidance and slow descent phase obtained near the landing site. Finally, through the multi-image space resection of the navigation camera images, the precise position of the landing site is calculated as (109.925°E, 25.066°N). This method makes full use of the limited data at the initial stage of the landing, and realizes the first-time positioning of the Tianwen-1 lander’s landing site. It has strong timeliness and ensures the safe movement of the rover. On June 6, 2021, U.S. time, the HiRISE camera on the Mars reconnaissance orbiter (MRO) captured high-resolution remote sensing images of the Tianwen-1 lander and the Mars rover. The position of the Tianwen-1 lander on the image is the same as that in this article, which further verifies the accuracy of the positioning method.

European Union’s Goals Towards Electromobility: An Assessment of Plans’ Implementation in Polish Cities

Purpose: The majority of world's population live in cities, this trend is also visible in the European Union (EU). This creates both opportunities and threats including social and environmental tensions. One of the solutions to eliminate traffic pollution is electromobility. Therefore, the aim of this article is to examine the implementation of EU’s electromobility goals based on the example of Polish cities. Methodology: Following the documentary research, the main tool used in this research is an omnibus study. Nearly 10% of all Polish cities took part in this study, including 74% of cities a status of a county. Findings: The results show that there are many barriers and challenges to the development of electromobility in Polish cities. This includes a slow phase of growth in the number of electric vehicles and charging stations, and insufficient funds in municipal budgets for investment in infrastructure and electric fleets. Practical Implications: Public transport based on electromobility currently does not play a significant role in improving the quality of life in Polish cities. Also, even when considering funding opportunities from the EU and ambitious national plans to introduce 1 million electric cars in Poland by 2025, one cannot expect changes in cities in the relatively fast pace. Originality/Value: The presented results of studies show both research and practical value regarding the current state of art regarding the electromobility in cities while comparing strategic documents and policies with practical actions taken in cities so far and discussion regarding the next steps towards the year 2025 and further.