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Existing computational design tools for steel connection design predominantly employ a point-based design (PBD) approach, which requires iterative re-evaluation whenever there are changes in design specifications. This paper introduces a new framework that adopts a set-based design (SBD) approach, aiming to substantially reduce the iteration and time cost associated with steel connection design and rework. The framework integrates a component-set connection design model with a database storage and query-based data retrieval method. The first method enables the flexible and efficient generation of a large connection design space from all possible component combinations, and automated identification of valid connection configurations within it. The latter method allows for automated design space refinement from preference-based evaluation of connection design efficiency and high-speed comparison and selection of optimal connection designs. To evaluate the relative performance of SBD and PBD approaches, the framework is applied to a steel floor system design case study with 62 connections. Results showed that the SBD approach achieved near-instantaneous connection design automation, with a total execution time of fewer than 55 milliseconds, making it over 10 times faster than the corresponding PBD approach. • First application of set-based parametric design to steel connection detailing. • Component-set connection design model allows flexible design space generation. • Automated design space refinement via detailing validity check and preference-based efficiency measure. • NoSQL database management system decouples design data generation from data use. • Query-based data retrieval allows near real-time connection design automation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-modal combination therapy has attracted great attention, owing to the unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. Mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods possess great potential in photothermal therapy and drug delivery. In this work, we fabricate a dual-responsive nanohybrid for combination treatment of the malignant tumor. In this system, gold nanorods are coated with the degradable mesoporous silica, and the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) and photosensitizer (IR820) are co-loaded inside the pores of the silica. The encapsulation of hyaluronic acid (HA) endow the nanohybrids with mammary carcinoma targeting ability and better biocompatibility, owning to CD44+ receptor overexpressed in some cancer cells. As-prepared nanohybrids exhibit high responsiveness to a high glutathione (GSH) level and degrade rapidly in the presence of hyaluronidase (HAase) and GSH after endocytosis by 4T1 cells, allowing the efficient release of loaded DOX and IR 820 in tumor sites. Interestingly, near-infrared (NIR) laser not only triggers the generation of reactive oxygen species, but also remarkable photothermal efficacy originating from GNRs. Therefore, upon the irradiation of 808 nm NIR light, the combinatorial photodynamic, photothermal and chemotherapy is achieved, accordingly leading to a highly efficient antitumor outcome in vitro and in vivo. This strategy provides an ideal approach to constructing multimodal cancer therapy system. • Dual-responsive nanohybrids for combinatorial therapy of breast cancer. • The nanohybrids exhibit both HAase and GSH stimuli-responsive behavior. • The nanohybrids exhibit light-activated PDT/PTT/chemotherapy. • The nanohybrids show good biosafety for potential clinical application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silane unit with enhanced synergism that is realized using one cationic quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) to draw anionic bacteria to two N -halamine functionalities was designed and polymerized on cellulose for superior biocidability. A monomer containing one tertiary amine, one amide N–H, and one imide N–H, was synthesized via alcoholysis of 3-triethoxysilylpropyl succinic anhydride with 2-(dimethylamino)ethan-1-ol and following esterification with 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)hydantoin. The triethoxysilyl groups of the monomer were hydrolyzed to silanol groups to condense with counterparts in different hydrolyzates and with hydroxyl groups on cellulose to form a polymeric modifier. Each silane unit of the modifier has one QAS and two N -halamine functionalities (quat/di- N -halamines) after quaternization of the tertiary amine and chlorination of the amide and imide hydrogens. The resultant cellulose suppressed (7 logs) both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli within 3 min, demonstrating an enhanced synergism since the inactivation rate is faster than counterparts decorated with only N -halamine and with synergistic units of one cationic center and one N -halamine. The modifier exhibited promising stability and rechargeability toward washings, UV irradiation, and long-term storage. The proved enhanced synergism from the integration of one cationic center with multiple N -halamines directs the synthesis of more powerful biocides for developing antibacterial polymers. • A silane unit with enhanced synergism was designed to form superior biocidal layer on cellulose. • The enhancement is achieved by integration of one QAS and two N -halamine sites. • Enhanced synergism exerted higher efficacy than comparable cases reported so far. • The stability and rechargeability of the biocidal layer were promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PM2.5 exposure could induce the alteration of lncRNA expression profiles. • LOC101927514 was upregulated expression and could play a proinflammatory role in the process of inflammation. • LOC101927514 may modulate the PM 2.5 -driven inflammation through binding p-STAT3 protein. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) may cause or exacerbate many diseases, including respiratory inflammation. However, the full mechanism is not yet fully understood. The newly discovered long chain non-coding RNA, though unable to encode proteins, regulates multiple life activities and participates in the development of inflammation. In this study, we set up a cell inflammation model by using normal bronchial 16HBE cells exposed to PM 2.5. High-throughput sequencing, as well as real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR detection and validation, was performed on the inflamed cells to evaluate the expression level of long chain noncoding RNA that helped us to identify the LncRNA LOC101927514. Inhibiting LncRNA LOC101927514 expression by RNAi, reflected in a reduction in inflammation, is driven by PM 2.5. In addition, we identify LncRNA LOC101927514 to be located within the nucleus and binds to STAT3, altering the inflammatory state of the cells and IL6 and IL8 release. This study identifies that LncRNA LOC101927514 is a new potential target for future treatment of the inflammatory response activated by PM 2.5 in the respiratory system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recent hydrological changes have negatively affected Poyang Lake fisheries. • A Poyang Lake ecosystem model was built to evaluate fishery restoration scenarios. • Restricting fisheries can be more effective than managing water level and stocking. • But building a sluice to manage water level may further limit river–lake connection. • Thus Poyang Lake's fishery production may not be restored to the historical level. Habitat degradation and fragmentation have been the leading cause of reduced fishery yields in many freshwater ecosystems around the world. In Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, recent hydrological changes driven by the operation of Three Gorges Dam (TGD) and drought have caused a drastic loss of fishery resources. In response, managers have planned to build a sluice at Poyang Lake's outlet to manage the lake's water level and, as the sluice will unavoidably limit the river–lake migration of many fishery species, managers have also proposed implementing stock enhancement programs and restricting fisheries to sustain fisheries in the lake. In this study, we built and implemented a Poyang Lake Ecopath with Ecosim model to evaluate effects of water level management, stock enhancement, and fishery restriction on biomass of the four major Chinese carps: grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead carp (H. nobilis), and black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), of which all are river–lake migratory and important to fisheries. Results showed that the total biomass of the four major Chinese carps could increase with increases in water level, increases in stocking biomass, and decreases in fishing pressure. However, even in the best management effort scenario (i.e., highest water level, highest stocking biomass, and no fishing), simulated total biomass of the four major Chinese carps was still 16% lower than the biomass estimate in 2000, three years before the operation of TGD. These results suggest that a combination of managing water level, stocking, and restricting fisheries can substantially offset negative effects of hydrological changes on the four major Chinese carps, but may not be enough to restore the biomass of the four major Chinese carps to high levels that had occurred before the operation of TGD, because of the blockage of river–lake connectivity by the Poyang Lake sluice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the short and long-term efficacy of combining electroacupuncture (EA) and Qibei mixture in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBSD). Methods Six hundred and forty-four patients with confirmed IBSD from the Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University in China, recruited from July 2012 to June 2016, were randomly divided into four groups, the EA group, Qibei mixture group, combination group and medication group with 161 patients in each group. The patients in the EA group were treated with EA at zúsānlǐ (足三里ST36), Gān shù (肝俞BL18), Pǐshù (脾俞BL20), Tàichōng (太冲LR36) and Qízhōngsìbiān (脐中四边) once daily for 4 weeks, while the patients in the Qibei mixture group were treated with 50 mL of Qibei mixture twice daily, the combination group with the above-mentioned EA and Qibei mixture, and the medication group with 1 tablet compound diphenoxylate twice, 3 g montmorillonite powder three times and 25 mg amitriptyline twice daily. The defecation frequencies, stool properties, accompanying symptom score, life quality score and adverse reactions were recorded pre-treatment, at the end of treatment and 6 weeks post-treatment for the four groups. Results Compared with pre-treatment, the defecation frequencies, stool property score and accompanying symptom score were all decreased significantly at the end of treatment in each group (all P  < 0.01), while the scores of nine dimensions of quality of life were all increased significantly (all P  < 0.01). The above-mentioned indices were better in the combination group than in the other groups (all P  < 0.05). Compared with the end of treatment, no significant recurrences of the above-mentioned indices had occurred in the combination group or the EA group at 6 weeks post-treatment (both P >  0.05), but these indices all recurred significantly in the group given Qibei mixture and the medication group ( P  < 0.05). The short- and long-term total effective rates in the combination group both showed significant differences from those in the other groups ( P  < 0.05, P  < 0.01). No serious adverse reactions occurred in the four groups. Conclusion EA and Qibei mixture can decrease defecation frequencies, improve stool properties, and alleviate accompanying symptoms to increase life quality, but the therapeutic effect of combination therapy is greater, with better reliability and long-term efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With energy shortage issue rises, value of energy conservation grows. The energy consumption of HVAC system reaches about 50% of the building especially for the hot and humid ambient condition in Taiwan. Energy modeling code eQUEST was applied to evaluate the energy consumption of a hotel building. Through the validation of simulation data and field measurement data, the energy-efficient chiller sizing approach can be obtained. The results revealed that the energy saving of 10.5% can be achieved by optimizing the chiller capacity sizing. The approach by energy modelling in this study will identify the best practice under limited budget as well as to reduce the trial-and-error effort while chiller sizing decision for energy saving have to be carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Plecoptera (stoneflies) is a hemimetabolous order of insects, whose larvae are usually used as indicators for fresh water biomonitoring. Herein, we describe the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of a stonefly species, namely Acroneuria hainana Wu belonging to the family Perlidae. This mt genome contains 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA-coding genes and 2 rRNA-coding genes that are conserved in most insect mt genomes, and it also has the identical gene order with the insect ancestral gene order. However, there are three special initiation codons of ND1 , ND5 and COI in PCGs: TTG, GTG and CGA, coding for L, V and R, respectively. Additionally, the 899-bp control region, with 73.30% A + T content, has two long repeated sequences which are found at the 3′-end closing to the tRNA Ile gene. Both of them can be folded into a stem-loop structure, whose adjacent upstream and downstream sequences can be also folded into stem-loop structures. It is presumed that the four special structures in series could be associated with the D-loop replication. It might be able to adjust the replication speed of two replicate directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant which exerts neurotoxicity upon animals. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms involved in inorganic mercury neurotoxicity are unknown. We investigated protein profiles of marine medaka, chronically exposed to mercuric chloride using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF MS) analysis. The mercury accumulation and ultrastructure were also examined in the brain. The results showed that mercury was significantly accumulated in the treated brain, and subsequently caused a noticeable damage. The comparison of 2D-DIGE protein profiles between the control and treatment revealed that 16 protein spots were remarkably altered in abundance, which were further submitted for MALDI-TOF-TOF MS analysis. The identified proteins indicated that inorganic mercury may cause neurotoxicity through the induction of oxidative stress, cytoskeletal assembly dysfunction and metabolic disorders. Thus, this study provided a basis for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in mercury neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-component hollow structures with attractive physicochemical properties, often show superior electrochemical performance in alkali-ion batteries. Herein, a template-directed strategy is proposed for synthesis of multi-component hollow nanosphere with Co 2 P/MoSe 2 confined in N-doped carbon (Co 2 P/MoSe 2 @NC). This structure markedly improves the kinetics, provides sufficient active sites and accommodates volume expansion, for the large-sized K+/Na+ storage, which is proved by the in-situ and ex-situ transmission electron microscopy measurements. As for sodium storage, a capacity of 230 mAh g−1 over 1500 cycles can be retained at current of 2.0 A g−1, with a capacity retention of 83%. In terms of K+ storage, Co 2 P/MoSe 2 @NC anodes display excellent rate capability and ultra-long cycling performance (177.6 mAh g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 for 5000 cycles with a capacity retention of 75%). Based on the analysis of electrode process by comparison of d Q /d V curves and theoretical calculations, the intercalation-conversion reaction for K+ storage is more reversible and the weaker adsorption of K+ on the Co 2 P/MoSe 2 interface can guarantee the stable storage of the K+-ions. High energy density of 43.34 Wh kg−1 at power densities of 22263.7 W kg−1 is delivered in the Co 2 P/MoSe 2 @NC//AC potassium-ion hybrid supercapacitor. This indicates that a selenide/phosphide combination can exert useful synergistic effects on the large-sized K+/Na+ storage, and is a promising anode candidate. [Display omitted] • A template-directed strategy was used to construct multi-component hollow structures. • Co 2 P/MoSe 2 confined in NC framework was designed in one-step selenization process. • The hollow nanosphere with Co 2 P and MoSe 2 promotes the high-rate storage of Na+/K+. • K+ storage is stable for Co 2 P/MoSe 2 @NC based on d Q/ d V analysis and DFT calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]