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In this study, we proposed to design effective multi-target anticancer agents based on the chelation of nontoxic metals with ligands that possess anticancer activity. In total, five Sn(II) pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone complexes are synthesized and their activities are tested. Among these complexes, C5 is found to show the highest cytotoxicity on investigating their structure-activity relationships. In addition, C5 not only exhibits an effective inhibitory effect against tumor growth in vivo, but also suppresses angiogenesis and restricts the metastasis of cancer cells in vitro. Multiple mechanisms underlie the antitumor effect of C5, and they include acting against DNA, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting the activities of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL protein, metalloproteinase MMP2 and topoisomerase II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Although several studies have indicated that valproate (VPA) and oxcarbazepine (OXC) cause reproductive endocrine disorders and sexual dysfunction, there remains some controversy regarding these issues in males with epilepsy. This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of VPA and OXC on sexual function, sperm quality, and sex hormones in young males with epilepsy. Methods. Males with newly diagnosed epilepsy treated with VPA and OXC were recruited, and sexual function questionnaires (International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5)), sperm quality, and sex hormone levels were assessed before treatment and at 6 months after treatment with VPA or OXC monotherapy. Results. Forty-four young males with epilepsy (23 treated with VPA, 21 treated with OXC) and 30 age-matched healthy individuals were recruited for our study. The sexual function, sperm quality, marriage rate, and fertility rate of these young males with epilepsy were lower than those of healthy controls. Sperm quality were significantly reduced in young male patients after 6 months of VPA administration. The level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was increased in patients after OXC treatment. Meanwhile, sexual function and sperm quality were not affected. Conclusion. Sexual function and sperm quality were reduced in young males with epilepsy. VPA may exert a negative effect on sperm quality, whereas OXC has no harmful effect on sexual function and sperm quality in young males with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deregulation of the power industry leads to a deeper penetration of prosumers directly participating in electricity transactions. Local energy trading can mobilize social cooperation and enhance the resilience within the trading system. In this paper, a blockchain-based multi-time-scale autonomous energy trading system within distribution networks is introduced and evaluated. The energy trading mechanism consists of three stages: the day-ahead stage focuses on main load dispatching and on/off decisions; the real-time stage corrects the prediction errors; the energy trading stage completes energy tracking and employs a model predictive control strategy to mitigate uncertainties and improve system performance. From the space perspective, energy management is conducted hierarchically and distributively by central and building energy management systems. For the scheduling process, the heterogeneous consumer preferences, load characteristics and demand flexibility are reflected in the system model. Regarding the clearing process, the nodal clearing prices are determined based on loss allocation, and the settlement results are recorded through blockchain onto the distributed ledgers. Finally, the proposed autonomous energy trading mechanism is verified on the IEEE 13-bus distribution network and investigated with sensitivity analysis. • A multi-time-scale energy trading system within distribution networks is proposed. • ADMM algorithm ensures individual privacy in the community-based trading structure. • Energy trading mitigates system uncertainties with model predictive control. • Flexibility from distributed energy resources enhances system resilience. • Loss allocation and blockchain enables fair, efficient and secure clearing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epilepsy is a severe chronic neurologic disease with a prevalence of 0.7% worldwide; anti-seizure medications (ASMs) are the mainstay of epilepsy treatment. The effects of sociodemographic factors on the characteristics of initial treatment in patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy in Western China are unknown. This study was conducted to explore sociodemographic factors associated with initial treatment characteristics.Methods: Patients with focal epilepsy on continuous ASM treatment who visited to our epilepsy center at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019 were recruited. Data on initial treatment status and sociodemographic variables were obtained from the patients with a questionnaire designed by our researchers. We examined whether sociodemographic factors were associated with epileptic patients' access to neurologists and prescriptions of individual ASMs.Results: A total of 569 patients completed this study. We found that patients with a higher education level, aged < 16 years, and with a higher household disposable income were more likely to receive treatment from a neurologist than their counterparts. Patients with a lower personal income level and who were treated at a junior hospital were more likely to receive prescriptions for carbamazepine, and those who were younger than 16 years were less likely to receive prescriptions for carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine. Patients with a higher education level, with a higher household disposable income level, who were younger than 16 years, and who were treated at a senior hospital were more likely to receive prescriptions for levetiracetam than their counterparts. Adult, female patients with focal epilepsy treated at a senior hospital were more likely to receive prescriptions for lamotrigine.Conclusions: This observation suggests that sociodemographic characteristics are associated with access to neurologists and prescriptions of individual antiepileptic drugs. These data may help public health officials establish guidelines for doctors and distribute resources according to the needs of different patient groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordination of electricity and natural gas systems has attracted increasing attention in recent years. This paper studies the coordinated dispatch of the two systems from a multi-agent perspective. First, our study demonstrates that the coordinated dispatch may lead to a lower payoff obtained by the power system, while the total utility of the two systems increases. For this issue, a transfer payment strategy that redistributes the total payoff to realize incentive compatibility is proposed. To extend its calculation to an incomplete information scenario considering the multi-agent premise, a two-stage algorithm is developed to solve the coordinated dispatch problem and calculate the transfer payment in a decentralized manner. In this algorithm, an anti-cheating mechanism is integrated to ensure mutual trust of the two systems. The numerical test results of two cases confirm the issue of power systems that lack economic incentives in coordination without a transfer payment and further validate the proposed incentive-compatible mutual trust mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A dynamic gas flow model using GPM is proposed. • The GPM is linear and accurate. • The GPM has fewer constraints and variables than the finite difference method. • A GPM-based integrated electricity-gas dispatch (IEGD) is proposed. • The GPM-based IEGD has a shorter calculation time than the traditional IEGD. In this paper, a generalized phasor method (GPM) for modeling gas flow dynamics is proposed and applied in integrated electricity-gas dispatch (IEGD). An accurate dynamic model of natural gas systems is described by partial differential equations (PDEs). In existing studies, PDEs are often approximated by using the finite difference method (FDM), but many variables and constraints are required in that approach. The proposed GPM transforms PDEs into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by using the Fourier method and then eliminates spatial variables by analytically solving the transformed ODEs. Since spatial differences are avoided, the GPM has fewer constraints and variables than the traditional FDM. Moreover, the GPM contains only linear complex algebraic equations, so IEGD problems based on the GPM can be efficiently solved. In case studies, IEGD models based on the GPM and FDM are compared for two integrated electricity-gas systems. The results illustrate that the proposed GPM and FDM yield similar accuracies, but the GPM has a shorter calculation time than the FDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An Information Masking method for MIQP problem is proposed. • The proof for the precise recovery of the optimal solution is given. • Information masking mechanism for MIQP is designed in a cloud-edge framework. • Privacy preservation and computation cost are elaborated to adapt to real applications. The increasing development of information and communication technologies in power grid makes it possible to optimize the energy management of numerous physical users with cloud-based service, while users' concerns about privacy security have attracted increasingly more attention. To attack this challenge, this paper proposes the information masking (IM) method for the energy management problem in the form of mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP). Additionally, the feasibility and optimality of the recovered solution in the IM of MIQP is proven and given in the form of two lemmas. Next, the implementation mechanism of IM is designed based on a cloud-edge framework. Furthermore, the general requirements of the IM of MIQP are elaborated with respect to privacy security and computational cost to better accommodate practical applications. Finally, the optimal schedule of microgrid with on-site generators and flexible demand resources is modelled and simulated to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The idea of shortest path problem is introduced to study the critical load restoration problem. • A high computation efficiency distributed critical load restoration approach is proposed. • The proposed DCLR approach is robust to topology changes and unreliable communication conditions. Natural disasters pose a significant impact on the distribution infrastructures and often cause severe power outage including critical services. This paper proposes a new restoration approach to restore critical loads using distributed energy resources (DERs). Specifically, the critical load restoration problem, considering both the availability of DERs and the optimal restoration path, is formulated as a variation of the shortest path problem. The objective aims at maximizing the reliability of the restoration plan to decrease the possibility of post-restoration failures. A distributed approach framework embedded min/max-consensus, and bias min-consensus algorithms is developed, which only requires information exchange among neighbors based on a peer-to-peer communication protocol. The proposed distributed restoration approach is adaptive to topology changes and robust to unreliable communication network. Numerical results with various scenarios demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed distributed restoration approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A robust optimization model is proposed to handle economic dispatch problems with uncertainties. • An improved distributed approach with self-adaptive step-size and a polynomial filter is proposed. • It has faster convergence performances and robustness to random communication failures. Power systems are confronted with prodigious challenges of scheduling and operation incurred by the high penetration of distributed renewable energy with intermittency and uncertainty. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved distributed robust optimization approach with self-adaptive step-sizes based on the line search method and a polynomial filter, to minimize the overall costs of flexible resources including conventional generators, energy storage systems, renewable energy curtailments, deferrable loads and tie-line power exchanges, while considering various constraints, such as supply-demand power balance, line congestion constraints and power output limits. Numerical case studies conducted in a modified IEEE 14-bus system and a modified IEEE 118-bus system demonstrate the reliability, robustness and extensibility of the proposed approach. In addition, the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed distributed robust optimization approach are validated through comparisons with the traditional centralized gradient method and the convergence performance is better in contrast to other distributed optimization algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature has a significant effect on the lifespan and the safety of the batteries which are one of the core components of electric vehicles. A well-designed battery thermal management system is required to adjust the temperature of the batteries within an appropriate range for thermal safety, and further minimize the energy consumption for energy savings. However, these two goals form a tradeoff. Typically, increased energy consumption for cooling results in safer batteries thermally. To examine this tradeoff, firstly, a linear electro-thermal model is built to evaluate the thermal dynamics of the operating battery-cooling module. The linear model accounts for the heat generation based on internal resistance, and the heat transfer based on a resistance–capacitance model. Such linear model reduces the computation of the model simulation to dynamically catch up with the change of temperatures and to implement control strategies on the cooling system in a short time. Based on this model, a model predictive control (MPC) framework is proposed to design thermal control methods, which considers both thermal safety and energy saving. The weight of these two goals can be adjusted to explore the tradeoff between them. Finally, we investigate the performance of the MPC framework by applying the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) to the battery module. The simulation results show that the electro-thermal model is effective for battery thermal dynamics evaluation. Additionally, the tradeoff between the two goals is demonstrated by the simulation. • A fast temperature prediction and closed-loop thermal control framework is proposed. • An electro-thermal model of an active-liquid-cooling battery module is developed. • A thermal prevention control strategy is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing attention has been paid to resources on islands, thus microgrids on islands need to be invested. Different from onshore microgrids, offshore microgrids (OM) are usually abundant in ocean renewable energy (ORE), such as offshore wind, tidal power generation (TPG), etc. Moreover, some special loads such as seawater desalination unit (SDU) should be included. In this sense, this paper proposes a planning method for OM to minimize the investment cost while the ORE's fluctuation could be accommodated with robustness. First, a deterministic planning model (DPM) is formulated for the OM with TPG and SDU. A robust planning model (RPM) is then developed considering the uncertainties from both TPG and load demand. The Column-and-constraint generation (C&CG) algorithm is then employed to solve the RPM, producing planning results for the OM that is robust against the worst scenario. Results of the case studies show that the investment and operation decisions of the proposed model are robust, and TPG shows good complementarity with the other RESs. • A two-stage robust planning model with desalination and tidal power generation. • Uncertainty sets of tidal power generation modeled in terms of tidal height. • Simulation of scenarios with different tidal delays. • Tidal power generation shows complementarity with the other renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anovel analytical approach for the frequency stability constraint is proposed. • A frequency-constraint unit commitment model is established. • Adecomposition-based solution of the proposed model is introduced. • The effectivenessof the proposed modelisvalidatedin a real-life system. Modern power systems are confronted with great challenges of frequency instability due to the conventional generators constantly being replaced by renewable energy source. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the frequency stability constraints in unit commitment processes to obtain safer operation plans. In this paper, an analytical approach for the frequency stability constraint is proposed. This approach is given by estimating the largest disturbance the system can withstand. Then, a novel frequency constrained unit commitment model is proposed by incorporating the proposed approach into a unit commitment model. The diverse governor response characteristics are considered in the proposed frequency constrained unit commitment model, and the essential inertia and reserve level are accurately estimated. The proposed model is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem, and generalized Benders decomposition is adopted to facilitate the solution generation. The convergence of the decomposition-based solution is proved. Case studies on the New England 39-bus system and a regional system are carried out where the performance of the proposed model is compared with two existing frequency constrained unit commitment models. The results show that the proposed model can guarantee frequency security while preserving the economic factors in power systems with high renewable energy penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiently fusing infrared and visible images is critical for their real-time application in various electro-optic systems. In recent years, deep learning-based methods have significantly improved fusion quality by leveraging feature-based fusion. However, large-scale networks are usually time and resource-consuming. Although current lightweight networks have improved efficiency by tailoring network size, image fusion quality and processing speed are still unsatisfactory especially when deployed on embedded systems. In this paper, we propose to use pixel-based fusion strategy to design simple yet efficient network that learns pixel-by-pixel weights adaptively for image fusion. Based on the proposed fusion network, we further combine it with a detection model to construct a joint optimization framework which optimizes low-level and high-level tasks cooperatively. The fusion quality and processing speed of various infrared and visible image fusion networks are evaluated on multiple datasets and platforms. The evaluation results demonstrate that, the proposed method yields comparable or even better quantitative and qualitative results than current state-of-the-art large-scale and lightweight networks. Besides, the joint optimization is effective for producing better fusion quality and detection accuracy. More importantly, the proposed fusion network only requires ∼ 27 ms to fuse a pair of infrared and visible images with the resolution of 512 × 512 on Jeston Xavier NX, which is only a third of the time required by the previous fastest network. Therefore, the proposed method is an efficient solution for real-time infrared and visible image fusion on embedded systems. • We employ pixel-based fusion to design efficient IR/VIS fusion network. • It yields comparable or even better image fusion quality with current SOTA networks. • Our method achieves the fastest inference time on Jetson Xavier NX. • We offer a better balance between processing quality and speed for embedded devices. • Joint training of fusion and detection tasks further promotes their performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An intraday rolling dispatch framework for an integrated electricity-gas system (IEGS) is designed. • An accurate mixed-integer linear power to gas (P2G) operating model is proposed. • The dynamic model of natural gas flow based on partial differential equations (PDEs) is established. • Two-level constraints are applied to constrain the inevitable deviation of gas flow in the intraday and day-ahead dispatch. • The IEGS rolling dispatch promotes renewable energy accommodation and enhance system flexibility. Rolling dispatch strategy is widely used in power systems to handle the uncertainty and volatility of renewable energy. Meanwhile, flexible gas-fired units and emerging power-to-gas (P2G) facilities integrate the power system and natural gas system as an integrated electricity-gas system (IEGS). Hence, rolling dispatch should be applied to the whole IEGS. This paper designs the rolling dispatch framework in the IEGS and proposes the partial-differential-equations-involved (PDEs) mathematical models that accurately formulate the natural gas network dynamics and the operation properties of P2G facilities to retain the facticity of the IEGS in the rolling dispatch process (e.g., the linepack characteristics of natural gas networks and the physical limits of the P2G facilities). The impact of uncertain wind power on the IEGS operation is also considered. In order to reduce the computational burdens, this paper employs a combination of implicit difference method and the technique of linearization to transform the original rolling dispatch model with PDEs and chance constraints into mixed-integer linear programming which is solvable by off-the-shelf solvers. The results of the case studies demonstrate that the proposed rolling dispatch strategy promotes renewable energy accommodation, enhances the flexibility, security, and efficiency of the IEGS, and mitigates the impact of renewable energy's uncertainty and volatility on the IEGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Medical resources were reallocated during the epidemic. • Our model showed efficacy in managing the PWEs during the outbreak. • Our model showed safety in managing the PWEs during the outbreak. This study aimed to investigate whether the proposed model could manage patients with epilepsy (PWEs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. We used a model to manage the PWEs during the outbreak. Questionnaire survey and hospital data were used to explore whether PWEs under our management were affected by the virus. A total of 118 (78.7%) PWEs completed the survey. During the "model period," 22.9% (27/118) of the respondents reported antiepileptic drug (AEDs) discontinuity, including six (22.2%) PWEs who failed to purchase AEDs. Of the patients, 40.7% (22/54) failed to attend ordinary clinic, which was higher than that during the "period before model" (7.9%, 5/63). The common causes were movement limits (77.3%) and appointment failure (54.5%). A shift from ordinary clinic toward remote consultation was observed. Of the PWEs, 15.7% (13/83) referred to online pharmacy. 87.5% (14/16) of emergencies related to epilepsy were timely treated. 48.3%of PWEs thought that the epidemic had an impact on accessing medical services. Hospital data indicated that a decline in ordinary clinic visit, inpatient, surgery, and emergency attendance was observed in January and February 2020 and an increase in March 2020, as the epidemic mitigated. By contrast, online clinic visit soared in February, when the outbreak hit hard. In addition, we found no cross-infection of COVID-19 in our hospital and respondents. We demonstrated a much-needed model to manage the PWEs during the outbreak. We believed that the core architecture of this model was suitable for the management of other chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic diseases pose a tremendous health threat in both developed and developing countries. The pathophysiology of metabolic diseases is complex but has been shown to be closely associated with sterile inflammation, which is initiated by various danger molecules derived from metabolic overload, such as oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDLs), free fatty acids (FFAs), glucose, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and cholesterol. These danger signals are sensed by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to activate proinflammatory signaling pathways and promote the release of proinflammatory mediators, leading to chronic low-grade inflammation. Although these harmful metabolic stimuli are generally regarded as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), a more specific definition and accurate classification for these DAMPs is still missing. In this opinion, we classify the harmful metabolic stimuli that can incite inflammatory responses and tissue damage via instigating PRRs as metabolism-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), and we summarize their roles in metaflammation-mediated metabolic diseases. The pathogenesis and development of metabolic diseases are largely affected by metabolic inflammation, or 'metaflammation,' which is induced by metabolism-related danger signal molecules derived from metabolic overload. We define molecules derived from excess nutrients and their metabolites, capable of inciting inflammation via activating pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), as metabolism-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), which are a subset of damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMPs) awaiting specific classification. MAMPs interact with PRRs to incite proinflammatory signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, MAPKs, and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways, driving the production of proinflammatory mediators and contributing to the initiation and progression of metabolic diseases. Targeting MAMPs and their downstream signaling molecules might be a promising strategy for developing therapeutic approaches to metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We investigated the impacts of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of vicagrel in healthy Chinese subjects. Methods: CYP2C19 extensive metabolizers (EMs), intermediate metabolizers (IMs) and poor metabolizers (PMs; 16 subjects/group) participated in a randomized, open‐label, 2‐period cross‐over study. Each study period lasted 7 days, with a loading dose of 24 mg of vicagrel or 300 mg of clopidogrel on day 1, and maintenance doses of 6 mg of vicagrel or 75 mg of clopidogrel daily from day 2 to day 7. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were assessed on day 1 and day 7. Results: After a loading dose, the AUC0‐t of the active metabolite H4 by vicagrel was slightly lower in IMs and PMs (decreased by 21 and 27%, respectively) compared to EMs. Similar results were found after maintenance doses. In EMs, the AUC0‐t of H4 by vicagrel was somewhat higher than clopidogrel after the loading dose, and comparable with clopidogrel (90% confidence interval 0.94, 1.21) after the maintenance doses. However, it was much higher than clopidogrel in PMs, with a 1.28‐fold (loading dose) and a 73% (maintenance doses) increases compared to clopidogrel (P < 0.001). Consequently, the inhibition of platelet aggregation by vicagrel was greater than clopidogrel after both loading dose (28.2 vs 12.4% at 4 hours, P < 0.01) and maintenance doses (42.8 vs 24.6% at 4 hours, P < 0.001) in PMs. Conclusions: CYP2C19 polymorphisms have less impact on vicagrel as compared to clopidogrel. Drug exposure and response to vicagrel in PMs were even higher than to clopidogrel in IMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DGOL simplified model is proposed for short-term voltage stability (STVS) analysis. • The mechanism of short-term voltage instability is analyzed based on DGOL model. • A model and data hybrid driven real-time STVS monitoring method is introduced. • A two-dimensional index is proposed to evaluate the STVS margin. • Quantitative evaluation of the influence of rotor angle and motor on STVS. This paper proposes a model and data hybrid-driven short-term voltage stability assessment method. First, a double-generator-one-load (DGOL) simplified model for short-term voltage stability analysis is introduced, and the mechanism of the occurrence of short-term voltage instability is analysed based on a DGOL model. Then, a model and data hybrid-driven online application algorithm is proposed, which includes a pre-fault analysis module and a real-time monitoring module. At last, a two-dimensional index is proposed to evaluate the short-term voltage stability margin. Simulation work is first conducted based on the DGOL system to illustrate the advantage of the proposed simplified model, and on the EPRI 36-bus system to demonstrate the effectiveness of online application algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endocytic recycling of internalized transmembrane proteins is essential for many important physiological processes. Recent studies have revealed that retromer-related Sorting Nexin family (SNX)–Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) proteins can directly recognize cargoes like cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) and Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R); however, it remains poorly understood how SNX-BARs select specific cargo proteins and whether they recognize additional ligands. Here, we discovered that the binding between SNX-BARs and CI-MPR or IGF1R is mediated by the phox-homology (PX) domain of SNX5 or SNX6 and a bipartite motif, termed SNX-BAR-binding motif (SBM), in the cargoes. Using this motif, we identified over 70 putative SNX-BAR ligands, many of which play critical roles in apoptosis, cell adhesion, signal transduction, or metabolite homeostasis. Remarkably, SNX-BARs could cooperate with both SNX27 and retromer in the recycling of ligands encompassing the SBM, PDZ-binding motif, or both motifs. Overall, our studies establish that SNX-BARs function as a direct cargo-selecting module for a large set of transmembrane proteins transiting the endosome, in addition to their roles in phospholipid recognition and biogenesis of tubular structures. Internalized transmembrane proteins can be recognized by specific protein complexes and diverted away from the degradation process. This study identifies a new sorting motif recognized by retromer-linked SNX-BAR proteins and reveals a large repertoire of potential cargoes recycled by the SNX-BAR proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively preventing graphene stacking and maintaining ultrathin layers remains a significant research effort for graphene preparation and applications. In this paper, a novel synthetic strategy based on catalyst migration on the surface of a salt template to control the growth of graphene is used to prepare 3D edge‐curled graphene (3D ECG). Under the synergistic effect of the steric hindrance and the migration of the Ni catalyst, 3D ECG forms a special structure in which the intermediate portion is flat and the edge is curled. The resultant unique structure not only effectively prevents the close stacking and aggregation of graphene, but also significantly improves its lithium storage performance. As an anode for lithium ion batteries, the reversible specific capacity can reach 907.5 and 347.8 mAh g−1 at the current density of 0.05 and 5.0 A g−1. Even after 1000 cycles, the specific capacity of 3D ECG can still be maintained at 605.2 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, demonstrating excellent rate performance and cycle performance. This new synthesis strategy and unique edge‐curled structure can be used to guide more design of 3D graphene materials for further functional applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the current condition of mortality‐specific comorbidity among hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: Five‐year data of inpatients with ischemic stroke (IS) were extracted from the hospital medical database. A retrospective review of eighteen mortality‐specific comorbidities in extensively validated Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was carried out for each patient. In addition, the distribution of the CCI‐based prognostic score was calculated. Results: A total of 10 331 (male 57.6%) cases with IS were recruited in the present study. The most prevalent mortality‐specific comorbidities from high to low were as follows: peripheral vascular disease (35.1%), diabetes uncomplicated (25.2%),mild liver disease (18.3%), chronic pulmonary disease (14.7%), congestive heart failure (10.8%), atrial fibrillation or flutter (10.3%), diabetes complicated (9.1%), moderate or severe renal disease (7.5%), and dementia (7.1%). High prevalence of comorbidities in the elderly was also noted (31.1% patients with score ≥3). Spearman correlation analysis with a rho of 0.25 (P < 0.001) showed a mild correlation between the age‐ and the CCI‐based prognostic score. Conclusion: High prevalence of peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, liver disease, chronic pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, or flutter as major contributors to mortality was presented in in‐hospital patients with IS in our area. One‐third of old patients with IS expose high mortality risk with the CCI score ≥3. Early prevention and management of the potential comorbidities are necessary to reduce the mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of distributed generators, the distribution static voltage stability assessment (D-VSA) becomes as important as the transmission voltage stability assessment (T-VSA). However, the T-VSA and D-VSA normally treat the transmission and distribution separately, neglecting the interactions between transmission and distribution (T-D). This letter studies the impact of coupled T-D on VSA via physical analysis and numerical simulation. We observe that without considering the T-D interaction, D-VSA may exaggerate the actual load margin significantly, and T-VSA may either exaggerate or underestimate the actual load margin, both of which are unreliable. Hence, the coupled T-D interactions must be considered in both T-VSA and D-VSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We consider the three-layer communication architecture of P2P-based virtual power plants (P2PVPPs) for P2P energy trading in market. • A novel two-stage game model is proposed to explore the optimal pricing strategy of P2PVPPs to charge for energy sharing services with the prosumers, where the preferences of prosumers on selection of P2PVPPs are characterized using a Hotelling model. • Pricing and deployment strategies of P2PVPPs are analyzed by investigating the dynamics of profit and corresponding optimal prices through sensitivity analysis. • Two-part tariffs has more significant effect than subscription fees for P2PVPP development. Aiming to deal with the fundamental transition of power networks and efficiently achieve sustainable development in the energy sector, virtual power plants for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy transactions among prosumers have been encouraged around the world. Successful implementation of P2P-based virtual power plants (P2PVPPs) requires a pricing and deployment strategy to charge for energy sharing services with the prosumers. In this study, we propose a two-stage game model to guide the pricing and deployment strategy for P2PVPPs to charge for sharing services with the prosumers, where the preferences of prosumers on the selection of their P2PVPPs are characterized using a Hotelling model. Moreover, we provide a numerical example to determine the optimal pricing and deployment strategy for the P2PVPPs, and a sensitivity analysis is conducted to demonstrate how relevant influential factors, which are presented in the model, can affect the P2PVPP operators' profit and corresponding optimal prices, i.e., subscription fees, for prosumers, which includes buyers and sellers. The results indicate that the two-part tariffs have a more significant effect than subscription fees for P2PVPPs' development and appropriately raising the per-transaction charge for prosumers in the two-part tariffs can help improve the effect of two-part tariffs to more effectively promote the development of P2PVPPs. While high per-agent serving costs for prosumers, including both buyers and sellers, and the generation-demand difference (GDD) level of sellers are not conducive to the development of P2PVPP, increasing the per-transaction charge for prosumers, promoting technological progress and improving the degree of product differentiation can help P2PVPP implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A CCTS (chance-constrained two-stage) stochastic planning model is formulated to realize the planning of building IES. • Various of uncertainties and their correlation of IES are considered through HMMSG. • The benefits of ESS and V2G bidirectional interaction on low-carbon building IES are verified. • The SAA method is combined with HMMSG method to solve chance-constrained optimization problem. The low-carbon building has been proposed to mitigate the climate change caused by environmental problems and realize carbon neutrality in urban areas. In addition, the integrated energy system (IES) has been developed to reduce renewable energy curtailment in the power distribution system and improve energy efficiency due to the independent operation of traditional energy systems. In this paper, we propose a stochastic planning method for low-carbon building IES, in which the Vehicle to Grid (V2G) is also considered to further increase the flexibility of low-carbon buildings. The proposed planning method optimizes the investment and operation costs, and CO2 emission of the building IES, to achieve the maximum benefit of the low-carbon building and help realize carbon neutrality. By considering the uncertainty of distributed renewable energy, multi-energy load fluctuation and the random behavior of EV users, a two-stage stochastic programming model is formulated with chance constraints, in which the heuristic moment matching scenario generation (HMMSG) and sample average approximation (SAA) methods are applied to deal with the uncertainties. In the case study, a real IES office building in Shanghai, where photovoltaic (PV), energy storage system (ESS), fuel cell (FC), EV, etc. are included as planning options, is used as the test system to verify the effectiveness of the proposed planning method, and the functions of the ESS and EV in IES are analyzed in detail in different operation scenarios. The case study results show that the proposed planning scheme can reduce the total cost and carbon emission significantly. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A resiliency-oriented expansion planning and hardening framework for MMDN is proposed. • The invalid feedback cuts issue caused by multi-stage discreteness is pointed out. • An additional cuts generation approach is developed to feedback accurate cuts. • The defense-attack-correction methodology is employed in the modified BD and C&CG solution. • The best network configuration and the preventive measures under extreme contingencies are obtained. As an integrated energy system (IES) incorporated with electricity, gas, and heating networks, the meshed multi-energy distribution network (MMDN) can operate more economically with higher energy utilization efficiency. To achieve high reliability, MMDN is mesh-constructed and radial-operated, complicating the operation scenarios involved in planning. Existing coordinated planning models seldom consider network reconfiguration and hardening strategies collaboratively for extreme contingencies, which is not consistent with actual conditions. In addition, considering the multi-stage discreteness of the expansion planning problem, the existing robust algorithms may feedback invalid cuts. The neglect of such issues could introduce a momentous impact on the optimality of solutions. This paper presents a resiliency-oriented expansion planning and hardening model of MMDN, and the hierarchical algorithm is developed. Specifically, the model is formulated as a min–max-min optimization problem including investment and operation levels. The investment level problem optimizes planning schemes constrained with the robustness verification of the operation level problem. The operation level problem examines the operational cost and feeds back iterative information to the investment level. An additional cuts generation method is developed in the operation level, which effectively deals with invalid feedback information caused by the existing binary variable parameterization. Furthermore, accelerating strategies including infeasible region reduction, multi-cut feedback, and contingency set reduction are developed. To be solved by off-the-shelf solvers, the model is cast as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem by adopting the convex hull relaxation and linearization techniques for operational constraints with high accuracy. Numerical test results justify the effectiveness of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemoselective hydrogenation to afford functionalized amines is a challenging task in the field of applied catalysis. In this work, we constructed a versatile catalytic system for the nondestructive hydrogenation of nitro and cyano group to afford the functionalized aromatic and primary amines under mild conditions. The dilemma of effects on other sensitive functional groups in the hydrogenation is solved by the precisely controlled activity from the trace palladium alloying with copper in our catalyst. The TOF achieved 5376 h−1 and 322581 h−1 for Pd when the functionalized nitriles and nitroarenes were used as substrate respectively. In a word, the good compatibility and recyclability, the mild operation conditions, extremely low consumption of noble metal, ppm level Pd, and economically available hydrogen donor, HCOOH, highlight the contribution of this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facile and large‐scale preparation of materials with uniform distributions of ultrafine particles for catalysis is a challenging task, and it is even more difficult to obtain catalysts that excel in both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogenation, which are the corresponding merging and splitting procedures of hydrogen, respectively. Herein, the fabrication of ultrafine bimetallic PtNi nanoparticles embedded in carbon nanosheets (CNS) by means of in situ self‐polymerization and annealing is reported. This bifunctional catalyst shows excellent performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the hydrogenation of p‐nitrophenol. Remarkably PtNi bimetallic catalyst with low metal loading (PtNi2@CNS‐600, 0.074 wt % Pt) exhibited outstanding HER activity with an overpotential as low as 68 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a platinum loading of only 0.612 μgPt cm−2 and Tafel slope of 35.27 mV dec−1 in a 0.5 m aqueous solution of H2SO4, which is comparable to that of the 20 % Pt/C catalyst (31 mV dec−1). Moreover, it also shows superior long‐term electrochemical durability for at least 30 h with negligible degradation compared with 20 % Pt/C. In addition, the material with increased loading (mPtNi2@CNS‐600, 2.88 % Pt) showed robust catalytic activity for hydrogenation of p‐nitrophenol at ambient pressure and temperature. The catalytic activity towards hydrogen splitting is a circumstantial evidence that agrees with the Volmer–Tafel reaction path in the HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Palbociclib is a Cdk4/6 inhibitor approved for metastatic estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. The drug is also under clinical evaluation for metastatic urothelial cancer and other solid tumors. Preclinical studies from multiple tumor types suggest that other factors also affect the sensitivity of individual tumors to Cdk4/6 inhibitor. We show here that Cdk2 has an essential role in palbociclib antitumor effect against bladder cancers. We found that palbociclib induced apoptosis instead of cell cycle arrest to exhibit its anticancer activity in T24 cells, as was evidenced by membrane blebbing, caspase-3 activation and AIF release from mitochondria. Cdk2 activation was important to palbociclib-induced apoptotic triggering activity, since depletion of Cdk2 significantly inhibited caspase-3 activation and cell apoptosis. Cdk2 activation caused p-Rad9 translocation to the mitochondria and subsequently interaction with Bcl-xl, leading to conformational activation of Bak and cell apoptosis. The anticancer activity and Cdk2 activation of palbociclib-treated mice were finally validated in a T24 xenograft model. Collectively, these results together demonstrate that palbociclib exerts its anticancer effect in T24 cells mainly through Cdk2 activation. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular interactions and anticancer mechanisms of Cdk4/6 inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although elevational patterns of species richness have been well documented, how the drivers of richness gradients vary across ecological guilds has rarely been reported. Here, we examined the effects of spatial factors (area and mid‐domain effect; MDE) and environmental factors, including metrics of climate, productivity, and plant species richness on the richness of breeding birds across different ecological guilds defined by diet and foraging strategy. We surveyed 12 elevation bands at intervals of 300 m between 1,800 and 5,400 m a.s.l using line‐transect methods throughout the wet season in the central Himalaya, China. Multiple regression models and hierarchical partitioning were used to assess the relative importance of spatial and environmental factors on overall bird richness and guild richness (i.e., the richness of species within each guild). Our results showed that richness for all birds and most guilds displayed hump‐shaped elevational trends, which peaked at an elevation of 3,300–3,600 m, although richness of ground‐feeding birds peaked at a higher elevation band (4,200–4,500 m). The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)—an index of primary productivity—and habitat heterogeneity were important factors in explaining overall bird richness as well as that of insectivores and omnivores, with geometric constraints (i.e., the MDE) of secondary importance. Granivore richness was not related to primary production but rather to open habitats (granivores were negatively influenced by habitat heterogeneity), where seeds might be abundant. Our findings provide direct evidence that the richness–environment relationship is often guild‐specific. Taken together, our study highlights the importance of considering how the effects of environmental and spatial factors on patterns of species richness may differ across ecological guilds, potentially leading to a deeper understanding of elevational diversity gradients and their implications for biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenation of nitriles to afford amines under mild conditions is a challenging task with an inexpensive heterogeneous catalyst, and it is even more difficult to obtain primary amines selectively because of the accompanying self-coupling side reactions. An efficient catalytic system was designed as Fe3O4@nSiO2–NH2–RhCu@mSiO2 to prepare primary amines through the transfer hydrogenation of nitrile compounds with economical HCOOH as the hydrogen donor. The loading of rhodium in the catalyst could be at the ppm level, and the TOF reaches 6803 h−1 for Rh. This catalytic system has a wide substrate range including some nitriles that could not proceed in the previous literature. The experimental results demonstrate that the excellent selectivity for primary amines is guaranteed by three tactics, which are the strong active site, the inhibition of side products by the hydrogen source and the special pore structure of the catalyst. In addition, the catalyst could be reused ten times without activity loss through convenient magnetic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background and objectives Vicagrel, a novel thienopyridine antiplatelet agent, is an analogue of clopidogrel in development for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes. This study investigated the pharmacokinetic properties of vicagrel after single oral dosing with a direct comparison with clopidogrel in healthy Chinese subjects in the first two phase I clinical studies. The relationship between the exposure to the active metabolite and the platelet reactivity was also assessed for vicagrel. Methods Study A was a single-ascending-dose study of vicagrel (5–75 mg) compared with clopidogrel (75 mg) in 67 healthy volunteers. Study B was a randomized, two-period, crossover, loading-dose study of vicagrel 20 mg compared with clopidogrel 300 mg in 12 healthy subjects. Plasma concentrations of three common metabolites of vicagrel and clopidogrel, the active thiol metabolite H4, the inactive thiol metabolite H3, and the S -methylated form of H3 (SM3, the major metabolite of vicagrel), were determined using a validated UHPLC–MS/MS method. The relationship between the AUC 0−t of active H4 and the P2Y 12 reaction units at 4 h after administration of vicagrel was investigated. Blood concentrations of vicagrel were determined after a single oral administration of vicagrel 25 mg to two healthy Chinese subjects. Results In the single-ascending-dose study, vicagrel was metabolized rapidly with the median t max for the three metabolites, namely, H4, H3, and SM3, ranging from 0.25–1.75 h. The pharmacokinetics of the three metabolites for vicagrel were linear across the dose range of 5–75 mg, with the mean C max and AUCs for H4 and H3 increasing in an approximately 1:1 dose-proportional manner and for SM3 increasing in a <1:1 dose-proportional manner. The median t max for active H4 in the vicagrel 5 mg group was slightly shorter than that in the clopidogrel 75 mg group (0.50 versus 0.75 h). The mean AUC 0−t for H4 in the vicagrel 5 mg group was similar to that in the clopidogrel 75 mg group (11.7 versus 11.8 ng∙h/mL). The AUC 0−t of active H4 was apparently associated with the P2Y 12 reaction units at 4 h for vicagrel. In the loading-dose study, for active H4, the median t max was slightly shorter (0.50 versus 0.75 h) and the mean AUC 0−t was 29% higher in the vicagrel 20 mg group than those in the clopidogrel 300 mg group. After a single oral administration of vicagrel 25 mg to 2 subjects, vicagrel was detected in blood but in very low concentrations. Conclusions Vicagrel was rapidly and extensively metabolized, and the levels of the parent drug in circulation were very low. The pharmacokinetics of the three metabolites of vicagrel were linear and predictable across the dose range of 5–75 mg. The AUC of active H4 was apparently associated with the P2Y 12 reaction units for vicagrel. For active H4, vicagrel 5 mg produced similar exposure (AUC) with more rapid appearance compared with clopidogrel 75 mg, and vicagrel 20 mg produced even slightly higher exposure (AUC) with more rapid appearance compared with clopidogrel 300 mg in humans. Trial Registration: CTR20150346, CTR20160379. Graphical abstract (A) Metabolic pathways of clopidogrel and vicagrel in humans. (B) Mean plasma concentrations of active H4 after a single oral administration of vicagrel 5 mg or clopidogrel 75 mg in healthy Chinese subjects. (C) Assessment of dose proportionality for AUC 0−t of active H4 after single oral administration of vicagrel. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • An improved synthesis of BMS-986120 has been developed. • Seven deuterated derivatives have been synthesized and biologically evaluated. • Compounds PC-2 and PC-6 had better antiplatelet activity than BMS-986120. • All the deuterated compounds had similar metabolic stability to BMS-986120. Abstract BMS-986120 is a PAR4 antagonist that is being investigated as an antiplatelet agent in phase I clinical trial. An improved synthesis of BMS-986120 has been developed. Based on the novel synthetic approach to BMS-986120 , a series of deuterated derivatives of BMS-986120 have been synthesized and biologically evaluated to search for more potent antiplatelet agents. The in vitro antiplatelet assay by turbidimetry demonstrated that PC-2 and PC-6 had IC 50 values of 6.30 nM and 6.97 nM, respectively, versus BMS-986120 with an IC 50 of 7.80 nM. The result of in vitro metabolic stability study showed that all of the deuterated compounds had similar half-life (T 1/2) and intrinsic clearance (Clint) in comparison with BMS-986120. Further probing the metabolic profile of BMS-986120 is worth being conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A hierarchical modeling for integrated energy management system is set up. • Information masking mechanism is proposed to address the information security. • Modeling of energy hub and load aggregators is considered in the optimization model. Abstract Under the development of information and communication technologies, this paper discusses a cloud-based user-side integrated energy management to improve the energy utilization efficiency in a smart community, for which a two-level model is proposed that relies on an energy hub and load aggregators. Furthermore, to address the issue of preserving confidentiality for the cloud service, an information-masking mechanism is designed based on linear mapping functions, whose information-masking requirements and processes are specified accordingly. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and of the method for cloud computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To develop potential next-generation metal anticancer agents, we designed and synthesised five Cu(II) 2-pyridine-thiosemicarbazone complexes by modifying the hydrogen atom at the N-4 position of ligands, and then investigated their structure-activity relationships and anticancer mechanisms. Modification of the N-4 position with different groups caused significant differences in cellular uptake and produced superior antitumor activity. Cu complexes arrested the cell cycle at S phase, leading to down-regulation of levels of cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinases and up-regulation of expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Cu complexes exerted chemotherapeutic effects via activating p53 and inducing production of reactive oxygen species to regulate expression of the B-cell lymphoma-2 family of proteins, causing a change in the mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c to form a dimer with apoptosis protease activating factor-1, resulting in activation of caspase-9/3 to induce apoptosis. In addition, Cu complexes inhibited telomerase by down-regulating the c-myc regulator gene and expression of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Five Cu(II) complexes modified at the N-4 position of thiosemicarbazones were synthesised. • Cu complexes have high anticancer activity. • Cu complexes arrest the cell at S-phase and inhibit the action of telomerase. • Cu complexes induce the cell apoptosis via p53-mediated mitochondrial pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel core–shell structured nanocatalyst (Fe3O4@SiO2‐NH2‐FeCu nanoparticles) with ultrafine FeCu alloy NPs magnetically immobilized in porous silica has been fabricated. The obtained catalyst revealed excellent activity and chemoselectivity for catalyzing the hydrogenation of nitroarenes to corresponding anilines using hydrazine hydrate as the hydrogen source, and the reaction could be carried out smoothly in water, which is an environmentally friendly solvent. The FeCu alloy effectively prevented the dehalogenation of halonitroarenes, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study showed that it resulted from the electron‐enrichment of Fe from Cu. A kinetics study indicated that the reaction order was about 1.5 towards 4‐CNB and the apparent active energy (Ea) was 48.1 kJ mol−1, which is a relatively low value. Furthermore, the FeCu NPs are magnetically immobilized in the silica spheres (Fe3O4@SiO2), therefore the catalyst can be easily recovered by use of an external magnet and also possesses a long life time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration testing of long span bridges is becoming a commissioning requirement, yet such exercises represent the extreme of experimental capability, with challenges for instrumentation (due to frequency range, resolution and km-order separation of sensor) and system identification (because of the extreme low frequencies). The challenge with instrumentation for modal analysis is managing synchronous data acquisition from sensors distributed widely apart inside and outside the structure. The ideal solution is precisely synchronised autonomous recorders that do not need cables, GPS or wireless communication. The challenge with system identification is to maximise the reliability of modal parameters through experimental design and subsequently to identify the parameters in terms of mean values and standard errors. The challenge is particularly severe for modes with low frequency and damping typical of long span bridges. One solution is to apply ‘third generation’ operational modal analysis procedures using Bayesian approaches in both the planning and analysis stages. The paper presents an exercise on the Jiangyin Yangtze River Bridge, a suspension bridge with a 1385 m main span. The exercise comprised planning of a test campaign to optimise the reliability of operational modal analysis, the deployment of a set of independent data acquisition units synchronised using precision oven controlled crystal oscillators and the subsequent identification of a set of modal parameters in terms of mean and variance errors. Although the bridge has had structural health monitoring technology installed since it was completed, this was the first full modal survey, aimed at identifying important features of the modal behaviour rather than providing fine resolution of mode shapes through the whole structure. Therefore, measurements were made in only the (south) tower, while torsional behaviour was identified by a single measurement using a pair of recorders across the carriageway. The modal survey revealed a first lateral symmetric mode with natural frequency 0.0536 Hz with standard error ±3.6% and damping ratio 4.4% with standard error ±88%. First vertical mode is antisymmetric with frequency 0.11 Hz ± 1.2% and damping ratio 4.9% ± 41%. A significant and novel element of the exercise was planning of the measurement setups and their necessary duration linked to prior estimation of the precision of the frequency and damping estimates. The second novelty is the use of the multi-sensor precision synchronised acquisition without external time reference on a structure of this scale. The challenges of ambient vibration testing and modal identification in a complex environment are addressed leveraging on advances in practical implementation and scientific understanding of the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Complex I inhibitor R419 was firstly revealed to have significant anticancer activity against HepG2 cells (IC 50  = 5.2 ± 0.9 μM). Based on this finding, a series of R419 derivatives were synthesized and biologically evaluated. As results, 9 derivatives were found to have obvious anticancer activity. Among them, H20 exhibited the most potent activity (IC 50  = 2.8 ± 0.4 μM). Mechanism study revealed that H20 caused severe depletion of cellular ATP, dose-dependently activated AMPK, decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio and induced necrotic cell death. Most importantly, H20 displayed definite inhibitory activity against Complex I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GPR120 is an attractive target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In this study, a series of biphenyl derivatives were designed, synthesized by hybrid design. The selected compound 6a exhibited potent GPR120 agonist activity (EC 50  = 93 nM) and high selectivity over GPR40. The results of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) demonstrated that 6a exhibited significant glucose-lowering effect in glucose-loaded ICR male mice. Analysis of the structure–activity relationship is also presented. Compound 6a deserves further biological evaluation and structural modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To develop and validate the Epilepsy Self-Management Scale (ESMS) for Chinese persons with epilepsy (PWE). Methods On the basis of ESMS, the standard translation procedure was used to set up the Chinese version of the ESMS (C-ESMS). A consecutive cohort of PWE admitted in Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital were recruited randomly from May 2017 to December 2017 and required to complete the C-ESMS. Project analysis was employed to test the homogeneity of each dimension. Content validity was evaluated by experts. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to assess the validity. Cronbach’s alpha was used to evaluate the reliability. Results Of the 400 completed C-ESMS forms, only 394 (98.5%) were suitable for analysis. The C-ESMS included 34 items and five dimensions, after removing four and modifying three items. The correlation coefficient of all 34 items was greater than 0.4. Each item level (I-CVI) and scale level CVI (S-CVI) was equal to 1. Five factors were extracted and together they explained 51.24% of the data’s variance. The factor load of each item was 0.446–0.843. The CFA showed that CMIN/DF was 1.325, goodness of fit was 0.835, comparative fit index was 0.921, and root mean square error of approximation was 0.041. The total Cronbach’s alpha of the scale was 0.848, and Cronbach’s alpha in each dimension was 0.784–0.845. Conclusion The C-ESMS exhibited good reliability and validity for adult PWE in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study aimed to explore the mortality risks of hospitalized patients with epilepsy (PWE). Methods Our data source was extracted from discharge abstracts in a hospital medical database. Various clinical variables, including demographical characteristics, natural features of epilepsy, and comprehensive set of comorbidities, were screened to investigate the risk. Comorbidities were defined using a validated ICD-10-based classification. The distributions of comorbid conditions and demographics were presented. In-hospital mortality rates of groups with epilepsy and without epilepsy were compared. Logistic regression was applied to explore the important predictors of in-hospital mortality. Results A cohort of 11,422 PWE (male: 58.5%, mean age: 40.2 years) was recruited for the study. The most common comorbidities were cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease, which accounted for 23.5%, 18.8%, and 8.0% of the study cohort, respectively. In-hospital mortality rates were 2.9% and 1.1% in the epilepsy and nonepilepsy cohort, respectively. Male patients exhibited an increased risk of death (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0–1.6). Patients aged over 65 years were more likely to die than those below 18 years (OR = 18.2; 95% CI = 8.8–31.0). Patients with comorbidities, including central nervous system (CNS) infections, renal disease, traumatic brain and head injuries, anoxic brain injury, metastatic cancer, pulmonary circulation disorders, encephalopathy, solid tumor without metastasis, cardiac arrhythmias, and diabetes without complication, had a higher risk of in-hospital death than patients without comorbidities (OR = 6.1, 5.2, 5.1, 4.4, 3.7, 2.5, 2.4, 2.0, 1.5, 1.4, respectively; 95% CI = 4.1–9.1, 3.8–7.0, 2.8–9.5, 2.4–8.3, 2.2–6.3, 1.5–4.3, 1.4–4.2, 1.1–3.7, 1.1–2.1, 1.0–1.9, respectively). Conclusion The in-hospital mortality of PWE increased remarkably with age, and this parameter was predominant in male patients. Central nervous system infection, renal disease, traumatic brain and head injuries, anoxic brain injury, metastatic cancer, pulmonary circulation disorders, encephalopathy, solid tumor without metastasis, cardiac arrhythmias, and diabetes without complication were the most important comorbidities associated with in-hospital death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: To investigate the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs; oxcarbazepine [OXC], levetiracetam [LEV], and lamotrigine [LTG]) on semen quality, sexual function, and sex hormones in male adults with epilepsy. Methods: Individual treatment with OXC, LEV, or LTG was randomly assigned to 38 newly diagnosed male adult patients with epilepsy. Semen quality and sex hormones were measured before treatment and 6 months after taking the medicine. A questionnaire was administered using the International Index of Erectile Function Scale‐5 and the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool Self‐Assessment Scale to evaluate sexual function, followed by an analysis of the comparison between the treated patients and healthy volunteers (healthy controls) as well as the changes and differences between the patients themselves before and after treatment. Results: The total sperm count, fast forward movement rate (FFMR), survival rate, and normal sperm rate in the group with epilepsy were lower than those in healthy controls (P < .05). The FFMR and survival rate of sperm after OXC treatment were significantly higher than before treatment (P < .05). All semen parameters after LEV and LTG showed a possible trend for improvement, but no significant statistical difference. There was no significant difference in sexual function between patients and the control group, as well as before and after treatment with the 3 different AEDs. There was no significant difference in sex hormone levels in the epilepsy group before treatment compared with the healthy controls, or when compared after treatment with the 3 different AEDs. The marital rate and fertility rate of patients with epilepsy were significantly lower than those of healthy controls (P < .05). Significance: The semen quality of males with epilepsy is decreased even before treatment. The AEDs (OXC, LEV, and LTG) have no significant effect on sexual function and sex hormones, and OXC can improve the sperm FFMR and survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed generators are integrated into microgrids or geographically distributed subsystems in active distribution networks and may belong to various entities. Centralized solutions cannot meet future requirements such as high resilience and privacy protection. Therefore, fully distributed economic dispatch (ED) methods are needed and most existing algorithms exhibit linear or sublinear convergence. This paper introduces an efficient fully distributed dynamic ED solution for minimizing photovoltaic power curtailment, based on a parallel primal-dual interior-point algorithm with a quasi-Newton technique. In this method, each area optimizes its own problem with limited information exchanged with its neighbors, and no central coordinator is needed. Based on a peer-to-peer communication paradigm, this method can achieve a global optimum while the privacy of each area is obliquely protected. Numerical tests demonstrated that the algorithm outperforms gradient-based methods such as ADMM and maintains stability under a partial communication failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storage-concerned economic dispatch (ED) problems with complementarity constraints are strongly non-convex and hard to solve. In this letter, an exact relaxation method is proposed to relax the non-convex ED to a convex form under two sufficient conditions, which can be further generalized for other problems of similar structures. A mathematical proof is provided, and the numerical tests verify the effect of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As traditional transmission contingency screening (TCS) methods neglect impacts of distribution grids, the contingency selection result may not be always satisfactory, especially when distribution networks are more frequently looped in a smart grid. Two new contingency screening methods considering impacts of distribution grids are proposed in this letter. The first one is based on global power flow, and the second only utilizes distribution network equivalencing. Numerical tests show both new methods can give more reliable results than TCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Recent epidemiological studies have indicated that the incidence of epilepsy peaks after 60 years old, and epilepsy has become increasingly prevalent in elderly populations. The aim of this study is to identify the aetiologic characteristics of epilepsy in the elderly. Methods. We retrospectively recruited elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy identified in three epilepsy centres in western China; elderly patients were defined as individuals aged 60 years or older. Demographic characteristics, clinical epilepsy data, and the diagnosis and aetiology of epilepsy were recorded. Results. A total of 760 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy were enrolled in our study. Of these patients, 25% had experienced one or more episodes of status epilepticus, and 62.4% were confirmed as symptomatic. Among the symptomatic cohort, stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) were the two most common causes of epilepsy, followed by cerebral tumour, dementia, hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and central nervous system (CNS) infection. When analysed by residence and age, ischaemic stroke was the most common cause of epilepsy in urban patients, whereas traumatic brain injury was the leading cause of epilepsy in rural patients. Conclusion. More than three-fifths of newly diagnosed epilepsy cases in elderly patients were confirmed as symptomatic, and stroke and traumatic brain injury were the primary aetiologies in elderly epileptic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]