Search

With the continuous integration of new energy sources, the power system gradually begins to present the characteristics of a weak power grid. The system’s inertia decreases, leading to problems in the stability of the power grid. In this paper, a virtual synchronous generator model with a supercapacitor is analyzed. The supercapacitor provides additional virtual inertia to the system and suppresses system frequency disturbances more quickly. Bifurcation theory is used to analyze the nonlinear dynamics of the model. The bifurcation diagram of input active power is given in this paper, and the phase portraits and sequence diagrams of the frequency and power angle are presented to verify that, if the initial value of the system falls inside the stability region, the system can remain stable. If the initial value of the system falls outside the stability region, conversely, the system will lose stability. Finally, the simulation verifies the influence of the supercapacitor on the system inertia. The results show that the recovery speed of a small capacitance system is faster than that of a large capacitance system when disturbance occurs. It is concluded that, the smaller the supercapacitor is, the greater the virtual inertia it can provide.

Objective To investigate the effect of manual acupuncture on diabetic neurogenic bladder (DNB) rats through the protein and mRNA expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA), p75neurotrophinreceptor (p75NTR) in bladder tissue, as well as the levels of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP). Methods A DNB rat model was induced using intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The rats were randomly divided into a blank control group, a model group, and a manual acupuncture group (n = 10). For the manual acupuncture group, the manual acupuncture was applied after modeling. These groups were compared regarding body weight, fasting blood-glucose (FBG), and bladder wet weight. The histomorphology of muscle fibers were observed after hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of bladder tissue sections. Protein and mRNA expression of NGF, TrkA and p75NTR in the bladder tissue were determined by Western blot and real-time PCR analysis, respectively. Levels of SP and CGRP in the bladder tissue were determined by ELISA. Results Compared to the blank control group, the model group and manual acupuncture group both showed higher FBG and lower body weight after STZ injection (P P P

The specific expression profile and function of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in mammalian ovarian follicles, especially during the atresia process, are unclear. In this study, we verified and explored the expression and function of circ-ANKHD1 in granulosa cells. Our results showed that abundance of circ-ANKHD1 was significantly lower in the granulosa cells than that of ANKHD1. The expression of ANKHD1 was highest in the granulosa cells from follicles with a diameter of 5-6 mm and lowest in that with a diameter of 3-4 mm. Furthermore, the expression level of circ-ANKHD1 in the ovarian tissue of 1-day-old piglets was significantly higher than that of 17-month-old multiparous sows. The luciferase reporter assay showed the potential interaction between circ-ANKHD1 and miR-27a-3p/miR-142-5p. Furthermore, circ-ANKHD1 overexpression up-regulated SFRP1 expression, while miR-27a-3p overexpression suppressed SFRP1 expression in granulosa cells. Circ-ANKHD1 overexpression significantly decreased the cell apoptotic rates of the granulosa cells and repressed the cell population at G0/G1 and S phases but increased cell population at G2/M phase. Finally, circ-ANKHD1 overexpression increased the mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 in the granulosa cells, while there are no effects on the mRNA expression levels of caspase-3, p53, Bax, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. In conclusion, our study for the first time identified a novel circRNA, circ-ANKHD1 that may be associated with the biological functions of granulosa cells. Circ-ANKHD1 may promote the granulosa cell proliferation, but attenuate apoptosis, and these effects may be associated with modulation of miR-27a-3p/SFRP1.

Kangfa Huang,1 Chengde Li,1 Fenglei Gao,2 Yushan Fan,1 Fanwen Zeng,1 Li Meng,1 Li Li,1 Shouquan Zhang,1 Hengxi Wei1 1National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, College of Guangdong Agriculture Industry Business Polytechnic, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510507, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hengxi WeiNational Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-20-85284869Email weihengxi@scau.edu.cnPurpose: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major ingredient of catechin polyphenols and exerts protective effects because of its strong antioxidant properties. As far as we know, there is still a lack of systematic research on the effects of EGCG on the in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) of porcine oocytes. The present study aimed to determine the effects of EGCG on the IVM and IVF of porcine oocytes.Methods: Porcine oocytes were treated with different concentrations of EGCG (5, 10 and 20 μM), and the cumulus cell expansion, oocyte maturation rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total antioxidant capacity were determined. The mRNA expression levels of oxidative stress- and apoptosis-associated genes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of oocytes after 10 μM EGCG treatment during IVM and IVF were also evaluated.Results: EGCG at 5, 10 and 20 μM significantly promoted cumulus cell expansion, and EGCG at 10 μM increased the oocyte maturation rate. EGCG (10 μM) treatment reduced the ROS and MDA levels, while increased the antioxidant capacity and GSH concentrations in the mature oocytes. The qRT-PCR results showed that EGCG treatment up-regulated the mRNA expression of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the mature oocytes. In addition, EGCG treatment also decreased the mRNA expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 and increased the Bcl-2 mRNA expression level in the mature oocytes. In addition, the cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of oocytes treated with 10 μM EGCG during IVM and IVF were significantly higher than those of the control group.Conclusion: Our results suggest that EGCG promotes the in vitro maturation and embryo development following IVF of porcine oocytes. The protective effects of EGCG on the oocytes may be associated with its antioxidant and anti-apoptosis properties.Keywords: EGCG, porcine oocytes, IVM, antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, IVF

An enzyme-regulated UiO-66-NH

The proteins in the seminal plasma and on the sperm surface play important roles in sperm function and numerous reproductive processes. The cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs) are enriched biasedly in the male reproductive tract of mammals, and CRISP2 is the sole member of CRISPs produced during spermatogenesis; whereas the role of CRISP2 in fertilization and its association with fertility of boars are still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the sperm CRISP2 and boar fertility, and explore its impact sperm fertilizing ability. The levels of CRISP2 protein in sperm were quantified by ELISA; correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the association between CRISP2 protein levels and boar reproductive parameters. Meanwhile, the expression of CRISP2 in boar reproductive organs and sperm, and the effects of CRISP2 on in vitro fertilization (IVF) were examined. The results showed that boars with high sperm levels of CRISP2 had high fertility. The protein levels of CRISP2 in sperm were positively correlated with the litter size (r = 0.412, p = 0.026), the number of live-born piglets (r = 0.421, p = 0.023) and the qualified piglets per litter (r = 0.381, p = 0.042). CRISP2 is specifically expressed in the testis and sperm of adult boars, and its location on sperm changed mainly from the post-acrosomal region to the apical segment of acrosome during capacitation. The cleavage rate was significantly decreased by adding the anti-CRISP2 antibody to the IVF medium, which indicates CRISP2 plays a critical role in fertilization. In conclusion, CRISP2 protein is specifically expressed in the adult testis and sperm and is associated with sperm fertilizing ability and boar fertility. Further mechanistic studies are warranted, in order to fully decipher the role of CRISP2 in the boar reproduction.

Background: Nocturia is a common and highly troubled lower urinary tract symptom, which has a wide range of effects. About 33% of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms have been affected by nocturia. Nocturia is mainly manifested as the increase of urination frequency and urine volume at night. It has been proved that acupuncture can reduce the symptoms of nocturia and regulate bladder function in Western countries. Acupuncture may be a promising choice for the treatment of nocturia. Methods: RCTs of acupuncture for nocturia will be searched in the relevant database, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database. The studies of electronic searches will be exported to EndNote V.9.1 software. We will run meta-analyses using the Review Manager (RevMan) V.5.3 software. Any disagreement will be solved in consultation with a third reviewer. Results: Our study aims to explore the efficacy of acupuncture for nocturia and to provide up-to-date evidence for clinical of nocturia. Conclusion: The conclusion of this study will provide evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture treatment of nocturia. INPLASY registration number: INPLASY202130100.

Background : This study aimed to explore the pathological mechanism of endometriosis (EMs) in rats by high-throughput sequencing. Methods : Rat EMs model, sham operation group and drug treatment group were established. Uterine tissue was collected for construction of sequencing library and high-throughput sequencing. Data quality was examined. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was carried out. Results : Percentages of both high-quality sequence Reads and high-quality sequence bases accounted for more than 98%, suggesting that the data quality was acceptable. Total sequences mapped to reference genome (Total Mapped) accounted for more than 90% of total sequences used for mapping (Clean Reads), suggesting that the mapping results of the sequencing data were acceptable. There were 440 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the drug treatment group compared with the sham operation group, 382 DEGs in the drug treatment group compared with the model group, and 503 DEGs in the sham operation group compared with the model group. We screened genes ENSRNOG00000023079 and ENSRNOG00000012175 related to vascular endothelial growth factor pathway. The DEGs were mainly enriched in the signaling pathways such as phagosome, natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription signaling pathway, hematopoietic cell lineage, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, regulation of actin cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction. Conclusions : EMs might begin with the inflammatory response of the ectopic endometrium. Phagocytes played a key role in this process. The ectopic endometrium adhered to the abdominal wall with the help of the inflammation reaction, generated blood vessels, and finally transformed into growing lesions.

In the research field of enterprise modeling and CIM implementation, many results have been achieved in the last 20 years (1979-1999), such as CIMOSA, GRAI-GIM, PERA, ARIS and DEM. But difficulties were still encountered when these methods were applied to guide CIM system design and implementation. A novel integrated enterprise modeling methodology based on the workflow model is proposed. The corresponding system architecture is presented. The integrated modeling environment is described, and the relationship between the workflow model and views are discussed.

Yujun He,1 Furui Miao,1 Yushan Fan,1 Fangzhi Zhang,1 Pu Yang,2 Xinyi Zhao,3 Miaodong Wang,2 Cai He,1 Jiujie He1 1Faculty of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui Na of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530001, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School of Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangxi Zhuang Yao Medicine Center of Engineering and Technology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Furui Miao; Yushan Fan, Faculty of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui Na, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 179 Mingxiu East Road, Xi Xiang Tang District, Nanning, Guangxi, 530001, People’s Republic of China, Email snowymiao@163.com; doctorfanyushan@163.comBackground: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a common disease that is difficult to clinically treat, which seriously affects people’s health and living quality. Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture therapy is an effective treatment for PS, but the optimal method of various acupuncture methods has remained unknown. The aim of this study protocol is to compare the efficacy and the safety of different acupuncture methods for PS.Methods: We will search seven electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be selected for assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on PS. Primary outcome measure for this study is pain intensity, and the secondary outcomes are clinical symptoms and signs, physical activity, effective rate, and adverse events. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment will be independently completed by at least two reviewers. Then, standard pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis will be conducted using Revman 5.3, Stata V.15.1 and OpenBUGS V.3.2.3. The heterogeneity will be explored by subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis, if applicable. Finally, Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) pro system will be used to evaluate the quality of evidence.Results: Our systematic review and network meta-analysis will identify the best acupuncture treatment method for PS patients.Conclusion: The results of our review will help decision-makers make educated choices regarding evidence-based acupuncture management options for PS.Prospero Registration Number: No. CRD42022335028.Keywords: piriformis syndrome, systematic review, network meta-analysis, protocol

Yujun He,1 Furui Miao,1 Yushan Fan,1 Fangzhi Zhang,1 Pu Yang,2 Xinyi Zhao,3 Miaodong Wang,2 Cai He,1 Jiujie He1 1Faculty of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui Na, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangxi Zhuang Yao Medicine Center of Engineering and Technology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yushan Fan, Faculty of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tui Na, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 179 Mingxiu East Road, Xi Xiang Tang District, Nanning, People’s Republic of China, Email doctorfanyushan@163.comBackground: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), as the most common compression neuropathy in the upper limb, can lead to upper limb dysfunction in patients. The effectiveness of acupuncture in treating CTS has been validated based on numerous clinical trials and meta-analyses, but questions remain, such as how to select the best acupoints. Our purpose is to conduct the first data mining analysis to identify the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for treating CTS.Methods: We will search 7 electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to March 2023. Clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on the management of CTS will be selected. Reviews, protocols, animal trials, case reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses will be excluded. The primary outcome measure will be clinical result associated with CTS. Descriptive statistics will be performed in Excel 2019. Association rule analysis will be performed in SPSS Modeler 18.0. Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis will be performed in SPSS Statistics 26.0.Results: This study will investigate the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for patients with CTS.Conclusion: Our findings will provide evidence for the effectiveness and potential treatment prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with CTS, helping clinicians and patients make a more informed decision together.Keywords: acupuncture, carpal tunnel syndrome, data mining, descriptive statistics, association rule analysis, exploratory factor analysis, cluster analysis