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As a powerful architecture for large-scale computation, cloud computing has revolutionized the way that computing infrastructure is abstracted and utilized. Coupled with the challenges caused by Big Data, the rocketing development of cloud computing boosts the complexity of system management and maintenance, resulting in weakened trustworthiness of cloud services. To cope with this problem, a compelling method, i.e., Support Vector Data Description (SVDD), is investigated in this paper for detecting anomalous performance metrics of cloud services. Although competent in general anomaly detection, SVDD suffers from unsatisfactory false alarm rate and computational complexity in time series anomaly detection, which considerably hinders its practical applications. Therefore, this paper proposes a relaxed form of linear programming SVDD (RLPSVDD) and presents important insights into parameter selection for practical time series anomaly detection in order to monitor the operations of cloud services. Experiments on the Iris dataset and the Yahoo benchmark datasets validate the effectiveness of our approaches. Furthermore, the comparison of RLPSVDD and the methods obtained from Twitter, Numenta, Etsy and Yahoo, shows the overall preference for RLPSVDD in time series anomaly detection.

In situ constructing hetero-interface, and revealing its interfacial polarization is challenging. Here, the Mo defect-induced interfacial polarization on MoC(−)/NC(+) interface was clarified, and for the first time, directly observed by hologram.

Strong intermolecular interactions in 2D organic molecular crystals arising from π-π stacking have been widely explored to achieve high thermal stability, high carrier mobility, and novel physical properties, which have already produced phenomenal progress. However, strong intermolecular interactions in 2D inorganic molecular crystals (2DIMCs) have rarely been investigated, severely limiting both the fundamental research in molecular physics and the potential applications of 2DIMCs for optoelectronics. Here, the effect of strong intermolecular interactions induced by unique short intermolecular Se-Se and P-Se contacts in 2D α-P4Se3 nanoflakes is reported. On the basis of theoretical calculations of the charge density distribution and an analysis of the thermal expansion and plastic-crystal transition, the physical picture of strong intermolecular interactions can be elucidated as a higher charge density between adjacent P4Se3 molecules, arising from an orderly and close packing of P4Se3 molecules. More importantly, encouraged by the strong intermolecular coupling, the in-plane mobility of α-P4Se3 nanoflakes is first calculated with a quantum nuclear tunneling model, and a competitive hole mobility of 0.4 cm2 V-1 s-1 is obtained. Our work sheds new light on the intermolecular interactions in 2D inorganic molecular crystals and is highly significant for promoting the development of molecular physics and optoelectronics.

Suppressing the dissolution and accelerating conversion kinetics of intermediate polysulfides are central to the practical usage of lithium−sulfur (Li–S) battery in a wide temperature range. Herein, an atomic engineering strategy is innovatively proposed to constructing a sulfur host consisting of chemical-anchoring zinc atomic cluster within double layer N-doped carbon matrix (ZnAC CM@CL) for addressing concerns. The as-prepared ZnAC CM@CL@S can deliver capacity as high as 1451 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C with electrolyte/sulfur ratio (E/S ratio) of 5.5 μL mg−1 and maintain 749 mAh g−1 after 1200 cycles (fading rate of 0.021% per cycle) at 5 C. Remarkably, the reversible capacity holds 627 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C at the −25 ℃. By a further combination analysis of electron holography (EH) and geometry phase analysis (GPA), the outstanding performance is revealed to be mainly traced to synergistic effect of the polarity N-doped multi-layer carbon matrix and internal periodical charge field induced by atomic strain, greatly enhancing the capability towards on the immobilization and conversion of intermediate polysulfides. More importantly, such an interplay also renders the strongly coupled cathode achieve a high area specific capacity of 8.71 mAh cm−2 even the area sulfur loading obtain to 7.34 mg cm−2. This atomic-level engineering strategy might shed light on the novel insights on the design of high performance for sulfur hosts.

We report the current-induced creation of magnetic skyrmions in a chiral magnet FeGe nanostructure by using

Two-dimensional (2D) ternary materials have sprung up in a broad variety of optoelectronic applications due to their robust degree of freedom to design the physical properties of the materials through adjusting the stoichiometric ratio. However, the controlled growth of high-quality 2D ternary materials with good chemical stoichiometry remains challenging, which severely impedes their further development and future device applications. Herein, we synthesize ternary Bi2Te2Se (BTS) flakes with a thickness down to 4 nm and a lateral dimension about 60 μm by an atmospheric-pressure solid source thermal evaporation method on a mica substrate. The phonon vibration and electrical transportation of 2D BTS are respectively investigated by temperature-dependent Raman spectrum and conductivity measurements. Furthermore, the photodetector based on 2D BTS exhibits excellent performance with a high light on/off ratio of 1300 (365 nm), a wide spectral response range from 365 to 980 nm, and an ultra-fast response speed up to 2 μs. In addition, its electrical and photoelectric properties can be modulated by the gate voltage, offering an improved infrared responsivity to 2.74 A W−1 and an on/off ratio of 2266 under 980 nm. This work introduces an effective approach to obtain 2D BTS flakes and demonstrates their excellent prospects in optoelectronics.

Studies of the diffusion dynamics of magnetic skyrmions have generated widespread interest in both fundamental physics and spintronics applications. Here we report the magnetic-field-assisted diffusion motion of skyrmions in a microstructured chiral FeGe magnet. We demonstrate the enhancement of diffusion motion of magnetic skyrmions that is manipulated and driven by an oscillatory magnetic field. Further, the directed diffusion of skyrmions is observed when an in-plane field was introduced to break the symmetry of the system. Finally, we demonstrate the application of a magnetic field can induce an arrangements transition of skyrmions assemble in microstructure, that is, from a stiff hexagonal lattice to a weak interactional isotropic state. By using a step-ascended magnetic field we finished the observation of a particle-like diffusive motion for magnetic skyrmions that transport from high-concentration regions to low-concentration regions and the diffusion flux is proportional to the concentration gradient followed Fick's law.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatments are still urgently needed for critically and severely ill patients. Human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) infusion has therapeutic benefits in COVID-19 patients; however, uncertain therapeutic efficacy has been reported in severe patients. In this study, we selected an appropriate cytokine, IL-18, based on the special cytokine expression profile in severe pneumonia of mice induced by H1N1virus to prime hUC-MSCs in vitro and improve the therapeutic effect of hUC-MSCs in vivo. In vitro, we demonstrated that IL-18-primed hUC-MSCs (IL18-hUCMSC) have higher proliferative ability than non-primed hUC-MSCs (hUCMSCcon), and there was no significant difference in their migration capacity. In addition, VCAM-1, MMP-1, TGF-β1, and some chemokines (CCL2 and CXCL12, for example) are more highly expressed in IL18-hUCMSCs. We found that IL18-hUCMSC significantly enhanced the immunosuppressive effect on CD3+ T-cells. In vivo, we demonstrated that IL18-hUCMSC infusion could reduce the body weight loss caused by a viral infection and significantly improve the survival rate. Of note, IL18-hUCMSC can also significantly attenuate certain clinical symptoms, including reduced activity, ruffled fur, hunched backs, and lung injuries. Pathologically, IL18-hUCMSC transplantation significantly enhanced the inhibition of inflammation, viral load, fibrosis, and cell apoptosis in acute lung injuries. Notably, IL18-hUCMSC treatment has a superior inhibitory effect on T-cell exudation and proinflammatory cytokine secretion in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Altogether, IL-18 is a promising cytokine that can prime hUC-MSCs to improve the efficacy of precision therapy against viral-induced pneumonia, such as COVID-19.

ObjectiveLong-term acupoint stimulation (LAS), also called embedding acupuncture, is a modified acupuncture technique. The preliminary results have demonstrated its efficacy in body-weight control. However, the low quality of available trials limited its application. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LAS in body-weight control by using a randomized, parallel, sham-controlled clinical trial design.MethodsThis was a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial including 84 adult participants (18–60 years) with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 24 kg/m2 conducted in three general hospitals in Shanghai, China. Participants were equally assigned to receive LAS or sham LAS (SLAS) once per 10 days, eight times in total. After completion, an additional intervention with a 3-month follow-up period was set to examine the continued effect of LAS. The primary outcome was the change in body weight from baseline to treatment endpoint within the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Secondary outcomes contained changes in waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lipid metabolism, and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues.ResultsFrom 14 May 2018 to 03 November 2019, 84 participants out of 201 screened individuals met the eligibility criteria, were randomized, and were analyzed (42 participants in each group). From baseline to treatment endpoint, the body-weight reduction in the LAS group was significantly larger than in the sham control (net difference: 1.57 kg, 95% CI: 0.29–2.86, p = 0.012). The superior weight reduction effect persisted in the follow-up period (net difference: 3.20 kg, 95% CI: 1.17–5.21, p = 0.001). LAS therapy also showed improvement in triglyceride and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) compared with sham control. One participant in the LAS group reported a slightly uncomfortable and tingling sensation after the additional intervention. No other adverse events (AEs) were documented.ConclusionLAS, a modified acupuncture technique, is safe and effective in body-weight control. It could be used as an alternative choice to classical acupuncture for obesity management.Clinical Trial Registration[www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR1800015498].

Purpose: To investigate the spectrum-effect relationship between HPLC fingerprints and the inhibitory effect on MUC5AC mucin of Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum Cum Alumine (PRPCA).Methods: The fingerprints of 20 PRPCA batches were established using HPLC and their similarities or differences were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The inhibitory effects of MUC5AC mucin were evaluated in LPS-treated NCI-H292 cells. The spectrum-effect relationship between common chromatographic peaks and MUC5AC inhibition was established using a partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA).Results: Fifteen common chromatographic peaks were identified by analyzing HPLC fingerprints, with uridine, tyrosine, uracil, and inosine found as possible markers to distinguish the PRPCA from different sources. Spectrum-effect relationship analysis showed that the chromatographic peaks 5, 6, 10 (vernine), 12 (5-hydroxymethylfurfural), 14 (tryptophan) and 15 (adenosine) were closely associated with the inhibitory effect on MUC5AC mucin.Conclusion: The spectrum-effect relationship between HPLC fingerprints and the inhibitory effect on MUC5AC mucin of PRPCA was successfully established in the present study. Our findings further reveal the material basis of PRPCA and provide an effective method for its quality control.

Highlights Three-dimension hierarchical core–shell Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites were successfully constructed via a fast MOF-based ligand exchange strategy.Abundant magnetic CoFe nanoparticles suspended within “nanotubes on microrods” matrix exhibited strong magnetic loss capability, confirmed by off-axis electron holography.Hierarchical Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites displayed remarkable microwave absorption value of − 53.5 dB. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-020-00572-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., Hierarchical magnetic-dielectric composites are promising functional materials with prospective applications in microwave absorption (MA) field. Herein, a three-dimension hierarchical “nanotubes on microrods,” core–shell magnetic metal–carbon composite is rationally constructed for the first time via a fast metal–organic frameworks-based ligand exchange strategy followed by a carbonization treatment with melamine. Abundant magnetic CoFe nanoparticles are embedded within one-dimensional graphitized carbon/carbon nanotubes supported on micro-scale Mo2N rod (Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT), constructing a special multi-dimension hierarchical MA material. Ligand exchange reaction is found to determine the formation of hierarchical magnetic-dielectric composite, which is assembled by dielectric Mo2N as core and spatially dispersed CoFe nanoparticles within C/CNTs as shell. Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites exhibit superior MA performance with maximum reflection loss of − 53.5 dB at 2 mm thickness and show a broad effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz. The Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites hold the following advantages: (1) hierarchical core–shell structure offers plentiful of heterojunction interfaces and triggers interfacial polarization, (2) unique electronic migration/hop paths in the graphitized C/CNTs and Mo2N rod facilitate conductive loss, (3) highly dispersed magnetic CoFe nanoparticles within “tubes on rods” matrix build multi-scale magnetic coupling network and reinforce magnetic response capability, confirmed by the off-axis electron holography. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-020-00572-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Correction for ‘Interfacial engineering between SnO2/MAPbI3 by maleate pheniramine halides toward carbon counter electrode-based perovskite solar cells with 16.21% efficiency’ by Duoling Cao et al., Mater. Chem. Front., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2qm01149b.

Background. Emerging evidences have shown that long noncoding RNA SPRY4-IT1 can be aberrantly expressed in human cancers, and it could be an unfavorable prognostic factor in cancer patients. However, the prognostic mechanism of SPRY4-IT1 is still unclear. This study is aimed at evaluating its potential predictive value for cancer prognosis. Methods. We thoroughly searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases so as to explore the relationship between SPRY4-IT1 expression and cancer prognosis value. Then, TCGA datasets were used to validate the results of our meta-analysis. Results. In all, seventeen studies involving 1650 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled results showed that high expression of SPRY4-IT1 was significantly correlated with poor OS ( HR = 1.96 , 95% confidence interval CI = 1.47 ‐ 2.62 , P < 0.001 ) in cancer patients. Furthermore, exploration of TCGA dataset further validated that SPRY4-IT1 was aberrantly expressed in various cancers, which partially confirmed our results in this meta-analysis. Conclusions. The present systematic review and meta-analysis implicated that the aberrant expressions of lncRNA SPRY4-IT1 were strongly associated with clinical survival outcomes in various cancers and therefore might serve as a promising biomarker for predicting prognosis of human cancers.