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In this article, aiming at a Chinese keyword-based book search service, from a technological perspective, we propose to modify a user query sequence carefully to confuse the user query topics and thus protect the user topic privacy on the untrusted server, without compromising the accuracy of each book search service. First, we propose a client-based framework for the privacy protection of book search, and then a privacy model to formulate the constraints in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and security, which the cover queries generated based on a user query sequence should meet. Second, we present a modification algorithm for a user query sequence, based on some heuristic strategies, which can quickly generate a cover query sequence meeting the privacy model by replacing, deleting, and adding keywords for each user query. Finally, both theoretical analysis and experimental evaluation demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, i.e., which can improve the security of users’ topic privacy on the untrusted server without compromising the efficiency, accuracy, and usability of an existing Chinese keyword book search service, so it has a positive impact for the construction of a privacy-preserving text retrieval platform under an untrusted network environment.

PANI-grafted carbon supports can stabilize Pt nanoparticles (NPs) during PEMFC operation. The location of the NPs depends on PANI loading, with only optimal PANI loading (33 wt%) holding the NPs close to the carbon surface – enhancing the stability.

Development and application of electrolyte and electrode materials for aqueous and non-aqueous ultra-low temperature organic batteries.

Mutations ofThe trimeric intracellular cation (TRIC) channel TRIC-B is an ER-resident potassium channel that mediates potassium-calcium counterion exchange for inositol trisphosphate-mediated calcium ion release. Using TRIC-B as a tool, we examined the function of ER-localized polycystin-2 and its role in ADPKD pathogenesis in cultured cells, zebrafish, and mouse models.Agonist-induced ER calcium ion release was defective in cells lacking polycystin-2 and reversed by exogenous expression of TRIC-B.Polycystin-2 in the ER appears to be critical for anticystogenesis and likely functions as a potassium ion channel to facilitate potassium-calcium counterion exchange for inositol trisphosphate-mediated calcium release. The results advance the understanding of ADPKD pathogenesis and provides proof of principle for pharmacotherapy by TRIC-B activators.

Salvianolic acid A (SAA) is one of bioactive polyphenol extracted from a Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), which was widely used to treat cardiovascular disease in traditional Chinese medicine. SAA has been reported to be protective in cardiovascular disease and ischemia injury, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effect, but its role in acute lung injury (ALI) is still unknown. In this study, we sought to investigate the therapeutic effects of SAA in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced ALI. The optimal dose of SAA was determined by comparing the attenuation of lung injury score after administration of SAA at three different doses (low, 5 mg/kg; medium, 10 mg/kg; and, high 15 mg/kg). Dexamethasone (DEX) was used as a positive control for SAA. Here, we showed that the therapeutic effect of SAA (10 mg/kg) against LPS-induced pathologic injury in the lungs was comparable to DEX. SAA and DEX attenuated the increased W/D ratio and the protein level, counts of total cells and neutrophils, and cytokine levels in the BALF of ALI mice similarly. The oxidative stress was also relieved by SAA and DEX according to the superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde. NET level in the lungs was elevated in the injured lung while SAA and DEX reduced it significantly. LPS induced phosphorylation of Src, Raf, MEK, and ERK in the lungs, which was inhibited by SAA and DEX. NET level and phosphorylation level of Src/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway in the neutrophils from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients were also inhibited by SAA and DEX in vitro, but the YEEI peptide reversed the protective effect of SAA completely. The inhibition of NET release by SAA was also reversed by YEEI peptide in LPS-challenged neutrophils from healthy volunteers. Our data demonstrated that SAA ameliorated ALI via attenuating inflammation, oxidative stress, and neutrophil NETosis. The mechanism of such protective effect might involve the inhibition of Src activation.

To improve frequency accuracy which is affected by two parameters in high-dynamic acquisition, we propose a two-step frequency estimation method based on the mean frequency (MF) model for high-dynamic parameters estimation. The first step is based on the discrete chirp-Fourier transform (DCFT) for coarse MF estimation, where the MF accuracy and frequency search step are derived. In the second step, the maximum likelihood estimation process (MLEP) is adopted for fine MF estimation. Compared with state-of-art methods, it is verified that the two-step method can improve the detection probability in coarse MF estimation and improve the MF accuracy with low computational burdens under conditions with a moderate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Aiming at the problem of acceleration and jerk fluctuation caused by the discontinuity at the corner of the tool path in the continuous short-line machining process, a real-time corner smoothing and interpolation algorithm for realizing the continuous motion of the tool axis jerk is proposed. In the corner smoothing process, the C3 continuity of tool path is realized by constructing a symmetrical PH transition curve satisfying the maximum approximation error constraint between adjacent short lines. In the interpolation process, based on the flexible acceleration and deceleration control method, the feed rate, chord error, acceleration, and jerk constraints are considered. For the smooth C3 continuous path, the acceleration and deceleration profile with jerk-continuous is used for velocity planning and interpolation, and the continuous motion of the tool axis jerk is realized. In this paper, the proposed method is compared and analyzed with the C2 continuous algorithm and the traditional point-to-point interpolation algorithm through simulation and experiment for the same tool path. The results show that the jerk fluctuation of the proposed algorithm is reduced by 60.36% on average compared with the C2 continuous algorithm, and the processing time is reduced by 19.5% compared with the point-to-point interpolation algorithm. It proves that the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the vibration of the machine tool and improve the processing efficiency.

Emergency frequency control is one of the most critical approaches to maintain power system stability after major disturbances. With the increasing number of grid-connected renewable energy sources, existing model-based methods of frequency control are facing up with challenges of computational speed and scalability for large-scale systems. In this paper, the emergency frequency control problem is formulated as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) and solved through a novel Distributional Deep Reinforcement Learning (DDRL) method, namely the distributional soft actor critic (DSAC) method. Compared with other RL methods that only estimate the mean value, the proposed DSAC model estimates the distribution of value function over returns. This advancement can lead to more insights and knowledge for the agent, with the benefit of a much faster and more stable learning process, and the improved frequency control performance. The simulation results on IEEE 39-bus and IEEE 118-bus systems demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of proposed models, as well as the advantage compared to other state-of-the-art DRL algorithms.

PtM (M = 3d transition metals) alloys are known as the promising oxygen reduction reaction catalysts and have been considered as the replacement of pure Pt catalysts for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Although great progress has been made in the past three decades, the performance and durability of PtM catalysts still face stringent challenges from practical applications. Functionalization of a catalyst carbon support with nitrogen-contained groups can add charges onto its surface, which can be utilized to build a more complete ionomer/catalyst interface, to reduce the catalyst particle size, and to improve particle size distribution. Nitriding of PtNi catalysts can effectively improve the catalyst activity and stability by the modification of lattice strain. Hereby, we propose a synergistic approach of combining polybenzimidazole-grafted Vulcan XC72 carbon as the catalyst carbon support and the nitriding of PtNi to develop PtNiN/XC72-polybenzimidazole catalysts. Such PtNiN/XC72-PBI catalysts exhibit the excellent performance of fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (i.e., mass activity, 440 mA mg

Background The cadherin-4 gene (CDH4), a member of the cadherin family genes, encodes R-cadherin (R-cad); however, the function of this gene in different types of cancer remains controversial. The function of CDH4 in OSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma) is unknown. Materials and methods We use the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to find the expression of CDH4 in OSCC is more than normal tissue. Our tissue samples also confirmed that CDH4 gene was highly expressed in OSCC. The related cell function assay detected that CDH4 promotes the ability of cell proliferation, migration, self-renewal and invasion. Cell staining experiment confirmed that the change of CDH4 expression would change the cell mortality. The western blot of GPX4 (glutathione-dependent peroxidase-4), GSH (reduced glutathione) test assay and MDA(Malondialdehyde) test assay show that the expression of CDH4 may resist the sensitivity of ferropotosis in OSCC. Results CDH4 was upregulated in OSCC samples and was correlation with poor survival of patients. High expression of CDH4 effectively promotes the proliferation, mobility of OSCC cells and reduce the sensitivity of OSCC cells to ferroptosis. CDH4 is positively correlated with EMT pathway genes, negatively correlated with fatty acid metabolism pathway genes and peroxisome pathway genes, and positively correlated with ferroptosis suppressor genes in OSCC. Conclusions These results indicate that CDH4 may play a positive role in tumor progression and resistance ferroptosis and may be a potential therapeutic target for OSCC.

Introduction This study conducted an ethnobotanical survey of wild medicinal plants in the multi-ethnic areas of Gansu–Ningxia–Inner Mongolia intersection zone. Traditional knowledge of medicinal plant use in the region was compiled to identify important medicinal plants currently used for treating relevant diseases and to determine species with potential for development. Methods Key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, participatory rural appraisal methods, and ethnobotanical quantitative evaluation were used to investigate and study the traditional knowledge of local residents' use of wild medicinal plants in the region. The relative importance of the referenced plants was assessed, as well as the prominent species widely used in medicinal applications. Results The study found that the region has a total of 204 wild medicinal plant resources, belonging to 149 genera of 51 families. Among these resources, a total of 50 commonly used plants were identified (44 of which were herbs, some of which were multi-origin), belonging to 27 families, with the most species found in the Asteraceae family, with 11 species. These herbs are mainly used for preventing and treating colds and nourishing health, followed by treatment of fever, stomach problems, and bleeding. The most frequently used medicinal plant in the region is “Ai”, which includes Artemisia argyi Lévl. et Van. and Artemisia kanashiroi Kitam. All respondents provided information about the use of this medicinal plant to varying degrees, followed by Artemisia annua Linn., Ephedra sinica Stapf, Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz., Sonchus arvensis Linn., Artemisia capillaris Thunb., among others. Conclusion Our investigation gained a wealth of traditional knowledge about the use of wild herbs, using wild herbs, which plays an important role in the lives of local residents. Especially, the herbs and application methods used for treating colds, bleeding, and stomach problems are worthy of further research and development.

Background To explore the gut microbiota characteristics in depressed patients with bipolar disorder (BD) as well as the connection between the gut microbiota and inflammatory markers. Methods Totally 72 depressed BD patients and 16 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the study. Blood and feces samples were taken from each subject. With the help of 16S-ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, the characteristics of the gut microbiota in each participant were examined. Correlation analysis was then utilized to assess the relationship between the gut microbiota and clinical parameters. Results We found the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiota, but not its diversity, was significantly different in BD patients compared to HCs. We found the abundance of Bacilli, Lactobacillales and genus Veillonella were higher in BD patients than in HCs, while genus Dorea was more abundant in HCs. Additionally, correlation analysis showed that the bacterial genera’ abundance in BD patients was strongly correlated with the severity of depression and inflammatory markers. Conclusions According to these results, the gut microbiota characteristics were changed in depressed BD patients, which may have been associated with the severity of depression and the inflammatory pathways.

Here, we report a series of two-dimensional lanthanide metal-organic frameworks Ln-DBTPA (where DBTPA = 2,5-dibromoterephthalic acid and Ln = Tb (

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have long been studied for applications in sustainable transportation. The recent shift in focus from passenger vehicle to heavy duty applications places increased demand on the efficiency and durability of the components used in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs).[1] Of particular interest are the oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts used in the fuel cell cathode. While the relaxed capital cost requirements for heavy duty applications allows for increased precious metal loadings, the four-fold increase in operating lifetime requires improved catalysts which can express their high activity not only at beginning-of-life, but also after 25k-hour equivalent accelerated stress tests (ASTs). This paradigm shift prioritizes efforts aimed at understanding and subsequently controlling catalyst degradation. In situ characterization methods can be instrumental in this effort, but it is critical that the operating conditions in these studies reliably replicate the type and degree of degradation observed in the operating fuel cell.[2,3] In this study, identical-location scanning transmission electron microscopy (IL-STEM) is used to compare catalyst degradation in an aqueous environment to degradation observed ex situ in MEAs following AST cycling.[4] For traditional catalysts, the aqueous environment appears to replicate the dissolution and coalescence mechanisms observed for Pt catalysts with small starting particle sizes ( To better replicate the type and degree of degradation in the MEA environment, various experimental parameters such as temperature, acid type/concentration, and upper and lower potential limits were explored. By extending the cycling potential window from 0.6-0.95 Vvs . to 0.4-1.0 Vvs . RHE in an sulfuric acid electrolyte containing Pt ions, the Ostwald ripening mechanism was enhanced, resulting in an end-of-test particle size distribution and composition which better match MEA tests. These refined conditions can now be used to perform in situ and identical-location experiments that will play an important role in the development of robust catalysts for heavy-duty vehicle applications.[6] References [1] D. A. Cullen, et al. Nat. Energy 2021, 6 (5), 462–474. [2] J. A. Gilbert, et al. Electrochim. Acta 2015, 173, 223–234. [3] I. Martens, et al. ACS Energy Lett. 2021, 6 (8), 2742–2749. [4] S. Rasouli, et al. Nano Lett. 2019, 19 (1), 46–53. [5] E. Padgett, et al. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2019, 166 (4), F198–F207 [6] This material is primarily based on work performed by the Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck (M2FCT) Consortium (https://millionmilefuelcelltruck.org), technology manager Greg Kleen, which is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. Electron microscopy was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

Increasing evidence shows that autophagy impairment is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). We previously identified a natural alkaloid named corynoxine B (Cory B) as a neuronal autophagy inducer. However, its brain permeability is relatively low, which hinders its potential use in treating PD. Thus we synthesized various derivatives of Cory B to find more potent autophagy inducers with improved brain bioavailability. In this study, we evaluated the autophagy-enhancing effect of CB6 derivative and its neuroprotective action against PD in vitro and in vivo. We showed that CB6 (5-40 μM) dose-dependently accelerated autophagy flux in cultured N2a neural cells through activating the PIK3C3 complex and promoting PI3P production. In MPP