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Stability of inverter-dominated microgrids (MGs) faces many challenges such as inertia shortage, mutual interactions among converters and sudden external disturbances. To enhance the stability of MGs, a distributed non-linear stabiliser is designed in this study based on synergetic control theory. First, inverter interfaces are uniformly modelled as virtual synchronous generators, whose small-signal stability is then analysed with the state-space average method. Also, the objective of the following control strategy, i.e. the system unstable domain, is obtained. Second, macro-variables applicable to droop control are constructed based on the typical dynamic model and then the analytic expression of the controller output could be derived. When external disturbances occur, or droop coefficients with high gains are chosen, power system stability could be guaranteed by adding a non-linear stabiliser. Finally, taking a 9-node MG as an example, simulation verifies the feasibility of the proposed strategy in cases of small disturbances, large disturbances and mode transition.

To enhance the delay-dependent stability of interconnected microgrids, a novel adaptive control strategy is designed in this paper. Firstly, an adaptive robust control model is established to coordinate multi-MGs energy management. By regulating control parameters, Lyapunov stability without delay can be guaranteed. Secondly, stability evaluation methods considering uncertainty, such as mode perturbation and communication failure, are proposed to analyze delay-independent system. On this basis, to eliminate the adverse effects of delay caused by wide-area measurement, an active disturbance rejection stabilizer is designed here, which can be self-adjust adaptively via delayed time, and doesn’t require multiple iterations in the parameters regulation. Through Schur complement theorem, the analytic expression of feedback gains is obtained from linear matrix inequalities. Finally, with an IEEE 118-node test feeder as an example, the numerical simulation verifies the feasibility of the proposed stabilizer under the cases of long delays.

We report a highly efficient graphene-based modulator by using an edge plasmonic effect in this paper. The modulation efficiency of the proposed modulator can be as large as 1.58 dB/μm, which is several times larger than that of previous reported modulators. By enhancing the gap plasmon mode and the edge plasmonic effect in a well-designed diagonal waveguide, a wedge-to-wedge SPP mode is strongly confined in both horizontal and vertical directions in terms of a small mode area (Aef /A0

With the development of energy internet technology and smart power distribution & utilisation technology, multiparty interaction based on the complementarity of multi-energy demand has become an alternative solution to avoiding power shortage and improving comprehensive energy efficiency. The industrial integrated energy system with CCHP (combined cooling heating and power) as a generation source of heating and cooling energy is studied. Based on the traditional electrical demand response (DR) mechanism, the demand for electricity, heating and cooling is incorporated in the scope of generalised demand side resources. Considering the difference on price, demand and supply characteristics of multiple energy resources, the multi-energy-based DR scheme and the corresponding optimisation model are established to minimise dispatching expenses and improve the interaction between electricity companies, CCHP and industrial consumers. The numerical analysis shows that the proposed scheme could effectively engage CCHPs and consumers in multi-energy interaction, and the overall expenses can be significantly reduced.

Computational study of nanopillar Si/poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) heterojunction solar cell is performed by using finite element method to solve Poisson equation, drift-diffusion equations, and current continuity equations. The depletion width around the edge of the Si nanopillar is almost the same as that of planar junction, while the depletion width around the middle of the Si nanopillar is much wider than that of planar junction. As a result, besides the enhanced light absorption due to light trapping induced by nanopillar array as in previous studies, larger depletion region, which leads to higher electron-hole separation efficiency under light illumination, is another reason for short-circuit current increase of nanopillar solar cell. The reason for less open-circuit voltage of nanopillar solar cell is also clarified by explaining the reason for large dark current of the nanopillar solar cell compared to its planar structure counterpart as follows. The kink of the potential profile along the lines around the edge nanopillar leads to much sharper potential drop in the following depletion region, and results in greater hole density slope when the solar cells are forwarded biased. Since the Si/PEDOT:PSS behaves like a pn junction rather than a Schottky junction as clarified in the previous study and the PEDOT:PSS is much highly doped, nanopillar heterojunction has larger dark current than planar junction due to the larger hole diffusion current around Si nanopillar edge.

To improve the automation level of distributed generation, a hierarchical optimisation strategy is proposed in this study. The strategy consists of day-ahead dispatch and scheduling implementation by power control. The energy management framework about the multi-agent system is also designed. Given the collaborative gaming process between microgrid and distributed network, a day-ahead dispatch is used to minimise the general expenses. Moreover, considering security constraints, the secondary control strategy is proposed to realise the precise control of the active power, which is adaptive to voltage inconsistency. Besides, the consensus algorithm is utilised to trace the dispatch target of tie-line power by monitoring power deviation at the point of common coupling. Finally, a series of simulation verifies the effectiveness of the method proposed. The influence of communication delay is also discussed.

Near-infrared photodetectors (NIRPDs) have attracted great attention because of their wide range of applications in many fields. Herein, a novel self-driven NIRPD at the wavelength of 980 nm is reported based on the graphene/GaAs heterostructure. Extraordinarily, its sensitivity to light illumination (980 nm) is far beyond the absorption limitation of GaAs (874 nm). This means that the photocurrent originates from the separation of photo-induced carriers in graphene, which is caused by the vertically built-in electric field formed through the high quality van der Waals contact between graphene and GaAs. Moreover, after introducing NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) onto the graphene/GaAs heterojunction, the responsivity increases to be as superior as 5.97 mA W-1 and the corresponding detectivity is 1.1 × 1011 cm Hz0.5 W-1 under self-driven conditions. This dramatic improvement is mainly ascribed to the radiative energy transfer from UCNPs to the graphene/GaAs heterostructure. The high-quality and self-driven UCNPs/graphene/GaAs heterostructure NIRPD holds significant potential for practical application in low-consumption and large-scale optoelectronic devices.

We established a monolayer polarized cell model using human kidney 2 (HK-2) cells cultured in a transwell chamber to examine the changes in the morphology and physiological functions of human-derived renal proximal tubular epithelial cells caused by tripterygium tablet extract (TTE) and triptolide. HK-2 cells were cultured on PCF membranes to form a complete monolayer of cells. A MTT assay was used to select 10, 40, 160, 640 μg·ml-1 TTE or 4, 16, 64, 256 ng·ml-1 triptolide to treat HK-2 monolayer cells. After 24 hours, a FITC permeability assay was performed; GGT, LDH and NAG secretion on the apical (AP) and basolateral (BL) sides of the cells by HK-2 cells were examined. The morphology and the monolayer structure of HK-2 cells was observed via optical microscope and scanning electron microscope, respectively. The effect on the cytoskeleton of HK-2 cells was observed under a fluorescence microscope. The IC50 of TTE was 277.122 μg·ml-1, and the IC50 of triptolide was 148.035 ng·ml-1. Compared with the DMSO group, the FITC leakage rate with TTE 160, 640 μg·ml-1 treated group and 4 - 256 ng·ml-1 triptolide dose group exhibited statistically significant increase. TTE significantly increased secretion of GGT and LDH at 160, 640 μg·ml-1, meanwhile, dramatically increased the AP/BL ratio of LDH at 160 μg·ml-1; triptolide significantly increased secretion and AP/BL ratio of GGT and LDH at 256 ng·ml-1. The morphological observations via optical and electron microscope indicated various degrees of damage to HK-2 cells by TTE and triptolide, and the degree of damage correlated positively with the dosage of the tested articles. Compared with DMSO group, the cellular damage degrees at TTE dosages of 40 - 640 μg·ml-1 and triptolide dose group at 16, 256 ng·ml-1 exhibited statistically significant differences via observation under optical microscope. Both TTE and triptolide caused various degrees of shortening and thickening of intracellular F-actin bundles of HK-2 cells; aggravation of these changes was observed with increasing drug dosage. Thus, we conclude both TTE and triptolide caused damage to human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells at certain dosages; TTE dosages of 40 μg·ml-1 and above and triptolide dose group at 16 ng·ml-1 and above exhibited the changes in the morphology, meanwhile, TTE dosages of 160 μg·ml-1 and above and triptolide dose group at 256 ng·ml-1 exhibited the changes in the physiological functions such as secretion of HK-2 cell.

This paper provides an insight into the demand response (DR) optimization in distribution markets consisting of a retailer and multiple demand response aggregators (DRA), where a retailer determines DR incentives based on power consumption profile. Conventional DR optimization with global states and constraints is intractable to be implemented in a distributed framework, which restricts the application feasibility and the potential profit of DR. To handle these limitations, we design a multi-agent architecture for distributed demand response (DDR). An online data-mining method is developed to identify the characteristics of DR. A leader–follower structure decomposes the original problem into a leader problem with global variables and aggregators of sub-problems, where discrete singular consensus is designed to broadcast the leader’s strategy to followers in real-time. The distributed perturbation primal–dual sub-gradient (D-PPDS) algorithm is proposed to solve the DDR problem with global inequality constraints in a completely distributed fashion. The proposed DDR strategy is tested by an actual case. The simulation results demonstrate that the asynchronous D-PPDS algorithm can obtain the near-optimal solution of the problem with global inequality constraints, and is robust against delay or plug-and-play.

It is of great importance to establish a definite relationship between structure and catalytic properties for developing highly efficient single-atom catalysts (SACs); however, this remains a challenge. Herein, three single atoms anchored on a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix (M-N-C, M = Fe, Co, Ni) with a metal-pyridine N structure were prepared and investigated as catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction. M-N-C exhibit promising capability for CO2-to-CO conversion with the selectivity order of Ni > Co > Fe and the activity order of Co > Ni > Fe, in contrast to the previously reported performance order of Ni > Fe > Co. Among M-N-C catalysts, Ni-N-C shows superior selectivity (approximately 100% CO Faradaic efficiency from −0.66 V to −0.96 V), whereas Co-N-C exhibits high activity (CO current density = −24.24 mA cm−2 and CO turnover frequency = 7182 h−1 at −0.86 V) and capability of yielding syngas (CO/H2 = 0.5∼2.11). Density functional theory calculations support the experimental selectivity and activity orders. This study presents a new possibility for improving the catalytic performance of SACs by investigating the coordinated environments of metal atoms.

Mesozoic sedimentary units within the Nanzhao and Mashiping basins record the paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of the Qinling Orogen (QO). This study uses new detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotopic data to constrain the timing of deposition and provenance of the Taishanmiao, Taizishan, Nanzhao, and Mashiping formations of the North Qinling Orogen (NQO). The detrital zircons can be split by age peaks into five major groups, including Early Cretaceous, Late Triassic, Early Paleozoic, Neoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic age peaks. On the basis of the youngest zircon ages and age-diagnostic fossils, we conclude that the Taishanmiao (youngest age of 234 Ma) and Taizishan (216 Ma) formations were deposited during the Late Triassic, whereas the Nanzhao Formation (110 Ma) was deposited during the Early Cretaceous rather than the Late Jurassic as previously thought. The Mashiping Formation (110 Ma) was also deposited during the Early Cretaceous. Combined with zircon Hf isotopic compositions, zircons from Late Triassic units were generally derived from the NQO, South Qinling Orogen (SQO), and North China Craton (NCC), with minor amounts derived from the Xing–Meng Orogenic Belt. The sediments within the Nanzhao Formation were mainly derived from the QO, with a minor contribution from the NCC. The Early Cretaceous conglomerates of the Mashiping Formation were generally derived from recycled earlier detritus. This implies that Late Triassic deposition was related to the final closure of the Mianlue Ocean, whereas Early Cretaceous deposition was correlated to the continued intercontinental subduction of the Yangtze Craton beneath the QO. The change in provenance within these Mesozoic sediments suggests the QO underwent two periods of significant uplift, which was a process generated sediments that were deposited in a series of basins of this area.

This paper presents an L-2L de-embedding method for characterizing the electromagnetic properties of through-silicon-vias (TSVs) in 3-D ICs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that discusses the use of de-embedding method for multiport TSVs. The L-2L de-embedding structure and the analysis algorithm are first introduced. Then, the techniques for meeting two crucial requirements in accurately applying the method on multiport TSVs are proposed. To meet these two requirements, the de-embedding structure is designed to enhance the symmetry and the shielding TSVs are used to decrease the mutual admittance. The simulation results show that with the appropriate design, the shielding TSVs are able to greatly reduce the mutual admittance with little impact on TSVs and RDLs. Finally, the performance of the designed structures with and without shielding TSVs is examined via both full-wave simulation and the measurements. With the full-wave simulation results of TSVs as reference, it turns out that the de-embedding accuracy is significantly improved with the shielding TSVs. Moreover, the de-embedding results based on the measurements show good agreements with those of the simulation ones.

This paper presents a series of scalable equivalent circuits using an analytical method describing the electromagnetic coupling in the lightly doped CMOS substrate and the isolation structures such as the implanted guard ring. Implemented in Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (GSMC) generic 0.13μm RF CMOS technology, the measurement and full-wave simulation are carried out to verify the proposed models in a broad frequency band ranging from 100 MHz to 40 GHz. By analyzing these layout-dependant models in detail, some layout and substrate characteristics impacting on guard ring performance are concluded and the design flow with guidelines for the guard ring structures implementation in engineering practice for RF signal isolation are presented.

A low-profile broadband bandpass frequency selective surface (FSS) with two rapid band edges is proposed in this paper for 5G near-field applications. The overall structure consists of three metallic layers, separated by two thin substrates with a thickness of 0.07λ. In addition, some centro-symmetric miniaturized slots are introduced in the middle metallic layer to further improve its stability and reduce its physical dimensions. A corresponding equivalent circuit model (ECM) is also proposed to better analyze the principles of the proposed FSS. Finally, an FSS prototype working at the center frequency of 27.5 GHz with a relative -3 dB bandwidth of 20.5% is fabricated and measured. More than 25 dB shielding effectiveness can be obtained out of the passband for a bandwidth of 1.46 GHz in this experiment. Both 3-D full-wave simulations and ECM results are in good agreement with the experimental results, having a maximum deviation of only 2.257% in the transmission zeros and poles. These results demonstrate that the proposed FSS is a good candidate for 5G near-field EMI shielding.

An active absorber with nearly zero static power consumption is proposed based on nonvolatile floating-gate graphene structure. Such absorber has almost no static power consumption benefited from the nonvolatile design. In such design, the central graphene can capture the tunneled electrons under the positive applied voltage, but cannot release these electrons after removing the voltage since it is electrically isolated from the external electrodes. Therefore, no extra power is needed to sustain the conductivity of graphene. Moreover, our proposed absorber exhibits an extremely strong absorption capacity. Even taking the strict condition for the bandwidth where all the absorptivity inside the bandwidth are larger than 90% as criterion, the proposed absorber provides more than 60 GHz absorption bandwidth which is twice larger than previous results. Furthermore, the proposed absorber shows high tolerance against large incidence angle ( $60^\circ $ ), different polarizations and nonideal factors of graphene. The results may promote various future nonvolatile absorber designs.

BackgroundThe dominance complementarity theory argues that effective and continuing interpersonal relationships require complementary dominance and submission values. This theory has been widely applied to interpersonal interaction studies. Although studies have demonstrated the correlation between neurotic personality traits and general well-being (GWB) in older adults, the interpersonal interactions and psychological mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear.AimUsing this theory, we explored the effect of the neuroticism fit between older adults and primary caregivers on older adults’ GWB and examined the mediating role of psychological resilience (PR).MethodsOne hundred sixty-one dyads of older adults and primary caregivers in nursing homes completed scales that included the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale, the 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the GWB Schedule. We performed a cross-level polynomial regression, response surface modeling and mediating effect test to analyze the data.Results(1) Older adults’ GWB was higher when the neuroticism fit between older adults and primary caregivers was incongruent rather than congruent (p < 0.01). (2) In cases of incongruence, older adults’ GWB was higher only if their neuroticism was lower than that of their primary caregivers (p < 0.01). (3) In cases of congruence, older adults’ GWB was higher when the neuroticism of both sides was lower (p < 0.01). (4) PR partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism incongruence and older adults’ GWB (indirect effect = 0.14, p < 0.01).ConclusionThe neuroticism incongruence between older adults and primary caregivers was beneficial to older adults’ GWB and was partially mediated by PR.

A graphene-based hybrid plasmonic modulator (GHPM) is proposed by adopting the electro-absorption effect of graphene. The simulation results show that the modulation efficiency of GHPM can be as large as 0.417 dB/μm, which is more than twice as much as that of recently presented graphene-on-silicon modulator (GOSM). Then we fabricate a prototype of GHPM. The measurement results demonstrate that the GHPM can work in a broadband from 1530 nm to 1570 nm and an improved modulation efficiency of 1.08 dB (at 30 μm). At last, we have discussed the factors that influence the modulation efficiency. Our work may promote the development of on-chip graphene-based plasmonic devices.

This paper explores interaction patterns for multienergy demand management and proposes an integrated demand response (IDR) mechanism for industrial integrated energy system. The incentive payment is provided not only for curtailing interruptible electric load, but also for increasing flexible heating and cooling loads. The coupling characteristics of multi-energy demands are modeled to reflect the mutual influence between the consumption behaviors for different energy sources. Besides, based on the coupling of CCHP (Combined Cooling, Heating and Power) energy outputs, the demand-supply interaction model is also proposed, which could change the electric generation by stimulating heating and cooling demands. The optimization model of IDR is then established with the objective of minimizing total dispatch cost. Simulation results show that the IDR operator, CCHP and consumers could all benefit from this mechanism. Furthermore, the impact of the incentive price on the dispatch cost is also analyzed.

The electric vehicle aggregator (EVA) has been considered as an effective approach to managing the flexibility of electric vehicle (EV) charging loads. In this paper, a joint bi-level optimization model is proposed for EVAs to determine their bidding and pricing strategy. The upper level model maximizes EVA's profit from reserve provision and charging service. The reserve capacity is obtained by providing incentive payment to encourage EVs to adjust their charging loads. The lower level model represents the response of individual EV to the charging price and the incentive price adopted by EVA. The simulation results verify that the method proposed could effectively improve the benefits of both EVAs and EVs.

Jiarui Yang,1,* Yushi Liu,1,* Yanhui Xu,1,* Xiaodan Li,1,* Jiayu Fu,1 Xiaodan Jiang,1 Yilin Chou,1 Jiahui Ma,1 Ran Hao,1 Rong Zhang,2 Weiqiang Qiu,1 Xuemin Li11Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurobiology, Health Science Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: To present a new ocular nebulization therapy for the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) and investigate the efficacy of vitamin B12 (VB12) and oxytocin (OXT) nebulization with clinical parameters and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM).Patients and methods: Thirty-eight patients with DED were enrolled, with 19 receiving VB12 nebulization and 19 receiving OXT nebulization twice weekly for 3 months. Clinical signs and symptoms including Ocular Surface Disease Index, self-assessment of light sensitivity and dryness, tear meniscus height, tear break-up time (BUT), and corneal staining, along with IVCM data of basal epithelial cell density, sub-basal dendritic cell (DC) density, nerve density, and nerve tortuosity were acquired at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after starting treatment.Results: Patients treated with VB12 improved significantly in all signs and symptoms except for nerve tortuosity during the three-month treatment, while OXT demonstrated similar effects apart from BUT and nerve tortuosity. VB12 group revealed a higher BUT at 1 month and 3 months with a higher basal epithelial cell density at 3 months compared with OXT group, and a lower DC density was observed in OXT group at 1 month. Change of basal epithelial cell density was more significant at 3 months in VB12 group, with OXT group showing a significantly higher DC reduction at 1 month.Conclusion: The nebulization therapy delivering VB12 and OXT appears to be effective in improving the symptoms and signs of dry eye, with a relatively stronger effect of BUT elevation and epithelial repair in VB12 and anti-inflammation in OXT nebulization.Keywords: dry eye, in vivo confocal microscopy, nebulization, oxytocin, vitamin B12

This study aimed to observe corneal subbasal nerves and Langerhans cells (LCs) using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) in patients with dry eye, a tool for the evaluation of disease stage and severity and for treatment monitoring at the microstructural level.A total of 107 eyes from 62 patients were included. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire and other examinations were used to assess dry eye symptoms and signs. IVCM was performed to observe subbasal corneal nerves and LCs. Corneal nerves were graded using both objective and subjective methods. The correlations between dry eye symptoms and corneal nerve parameters, corneal nerve grading, and LC number were analyzed.Corneal nerve length was negatively correlated with sensitivity to light [correlation coefficient (CC)= -0.24, P0.05]; nerve width was positively correlated with the OSDI score, painful eyes, and blurred vision (CC = 0.41, 0.23, and 0.46, respectively, all P0.05); and nerve tortuosity was positively correlated with sensitivity to light (CC = 0.23, P0.05). Moreover, both total objective and subjective grading scores were positively correlated with OSDI scores (CC = 0.48 and 0.27, respectively, both P0.05). LC number was found not to be significantly correlated with dry eye symptoms (P0.05).IVCM is a useful tool to evaluate corneal subbasal nerve changes in patients with dry eye. Detailed nerve grading could help to understand and evaluate the pathophysiologic conditions of the disease and could be used for further treatment follow-up in the future.

This study aims at analyzing the Th17/Treg cell level and clinical characteristics of the peripheral blood of patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS) complicated with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) so as to deepen the understanding of this disease and seek for its possible onset mechanism. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 24 patients [8 (33%) males and 16 (67%) females] with SS complicated with primary biliary cirrhosis, 50 patients with primary SS and 93 healthy volunteers. These patients were divided into 3 groups: experimental group (SS+PBC), control group (SS) and healthy group. Then, peripheral blood was collected and flow cytometry was conducted to detect level of Th17 cells and Treg cells. A fully automatic biochemical detector was used to detect the corresponding liver function index. The correlation analysis was made based on the clinical manifestations and biochemical characteristics. Compared with the healthy group and control group, the experimental group had the highest Th17/Treg cell ratio, and Th17 cell frequency was significantly increased (P

Currently, the electricity generation companies around the world are moving towards low carbon and low-cost generation sources. It is supported by literature that instead of a single type of renewable source located at one place, dispersed and multiple types of the renewable sources can be the promising solution for low carbon and low-cost electricity supply. However, the best combination of these dispersed and different types of renewable sources for a certain area completely depends on the electric load profile and natural occurrences of natural phenomena. Authors model several combinations of renewable sources (e.g. wind turbine, Solar PV) and energy storage systems (e.g. battery, fuel cell) to supply electricity to a large-scale grid. The proposed model calculates the required combination of renewable sources and energy storage using hourly load and meteorological data of a whole year (8760 hours). Authors find out that low carbon and low-cost combinations contain excessive electricity generation capacity. The presented case study shows this excessive generation capacity is about three times the load peak demand. This is because the different types and excessive renewable generation capacity can meet the load using smaller energy storage which lessens the total system cost.

Grid structures are rapidly evolving in view of contemporary energy policies which ensure the addition of more renewable sources to reduce the carbon footprint. Compared to a centralized approach, low voltage grids (decentralized and distributed) are promising approaches to integrating non-dispatchable renewable energy sources (RESs). Installing local micro level power generation sources such as fuel cells, microturbines, and energy storage systems are a recent trend which helps in the intermittent effects of RESs and makes microgrids less dependable on the main grid. Due to the increasing variety of distributed generation sources having diverse characteristics, power dispatch scheduling of distributed microgrids is becoming challenging. A dispatch scheduling solution from an operator's point of view is presented by the authors. The core objective of this study is to minimize the carbon emissions and the cost of each microgrid. Further, it is observed that sales and purchases from the main grid are reduced. Consequently, transmission losses are also decreased.

Least square method is traditionally used for establishing equivalent dipole matrix in electromagnetic interference problems. However, the accurate phase information is hard to be tested in the real measurement. A new deep learning method is proposed in this paper for dipole matrix reconstruction without considering the phase information on the near-field plane. Compared with least square method, a well-trained convolutional neural network model provides a higher accuracy and efficiency performance.

Background: Labial gland biopsies play a significant role in diagnosing primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) but their clinical use is limited because of their invasiveness. We assessed the value of impression cytology (IC) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) for diagnosing pSS. Methods: Consecutive patients with clinically suspected pSS (n = 102) were enrolled. According to the American College of Rheumatology-European League Against Rheumatism (ACR-EULAR) criteria, all patients underwent labial gland biopsies, serum anti-Sjogren's syndrome A (SSA)/Ro antibody testing, Schirmer's tests (STs), corneal staining and unstimulated whole saliva flow (UWS) determinations. The patients were divided into pSS (n = 28) and control (n = 74) groups, all underwent lip mucosa IC and IVCM analyses. The salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) score, ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear meniscus height (TMH), tear film breakup time (BUT), and meibomian gland score were recorded. The associations between IC/IVCM parameters and clinical/laboratory results were analyzed. Findings: The absolute agreements between lip mucosal IC and the ACR-EULAR criteria (98·04%)/ labial gland biopsy (97·06%) were good. A combination of IC and anti-SSA/Ro antibody determination showed high predictive value for diagnosing pSS. Compared with controls, IVCM revealed significant lip mucosal epithelium thinning and lamina propria atrophy in the pSS group (both, P < 0·001). The sensitivities for diagnosing pSS corresponding to a lamina propria thickness ≤126 μm and a gland diameter ≤90 μm were both 85·71%; the specificities were 90·54% and 100%, respectively. A combination of IVCM results and anti-SSA/Ro antibody results showed high predictive value for diagnosing pSS. Interpretation: Characteristic cellular and morphological changes of lip mucosa in patients with pSS could be detected by IC and IVCM. These noninvasive and easy-to-perform examinations may be an alternative to labial gland biopsies for diagnosing pSS. Funding Statement: This study was supported by a grant from the Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission, Capital’s Funds for Health Improvement and Research [Grant numbers: CFH2018-2-4093]. Declaration of Interests: The authors state: "None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to report." Ethics Approval Statement: The study was performed according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Human Research and Ethics Committee, Peking University Third Hospital; written informed consent was obtained from each study participant.

Invasive ant species interact with both native and previously introduced ants in new environments. Their effects on resident species may vary warranting a careful examination of the possible mechanisms that govern these differences. We used individual and group aggression assays and an assay of walking speed to examine behavioral interactions between Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972 and one native and four previously introduced ant species in China. We also determined the toxicity of S. invicta venom to these resident ants and inferred differences in trophic position for all five ant species using stable isotope (δ15N) data. No differences in walking speed were observed between S. invicta and other species with the exception of the introduced Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857), which had a faster walking speed than S. invicta. Maximum aggression scores were observed between S. invicta and the introduced Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804) (2.83 ± 0.11) as well as the native Pheidole yeensis Forel, 1902 (2.37 ± 0.15), followed by A. gracilipes (2.05 ± 0.15), in the individual aggression assay. In the group aggression assay, workers of S. invicta were very aggressive towards four resident ants and caused high mortality of P. yeensis (98%) and S. geminata (80%), followed by Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793) (66%). However, one introduced ant, A. gracilipes, was more aggressive and caused high mortality in S. invicta (62%). The application of venom of S. invicta caused high mortality in T. melanocephalum (61.68 ± 8.62%) but did not differ from the mortality of A. gracilipes and S. geminata. In the trophic assay, S. invicta occupied a significantly higher trophic position than the native ant and two introduced species, but occupied a similar trophic position to the introduced species S. geminata and Paratrechina longicornis. These results suggest species differences in behavioral and trophic interactions between invasive and resident ants may promote co-existence for some species and that S. geminata is most likely to be replaced by S. invicta.

We present an effective scheme to improve the modulation capacity in graphene-based silicon modulator by employing the double slots configuration with hybrid plasmonic effects. Two modulators, i.e., metal-insulator-metal and insulator-metal-insulator configurations have been demonstrated, showing that the double slots design can significantly improve the modulation efficiency. The obtained modulation efficiency is up to 0.525 dB/μm per graphene layer, far exceeding previous studies. It can be found that the light-graphene interaction plays a pivotal role in the modulation efficiency, whereas the height of metal has profound influence on the modulation. Our results may promote various future modulation devices based on graphene.

Being invisible at will has been a long-standing dream for centuries, epitomized by numerous legends; humans have never stopped their exploration steps to realize this dream. Recent years have witnessed a breakthrough in this search due to the advent of transformation optics, metamaterials, and metasurfaces. However, the previous metasurface cloaks typically work in a reflection manner that relies on a high-reflection background, thus limiting the applications. Here, we propose an easy yet viable approach to realize the transmitted metasurface cloak, just composed of two planar metasurfaces to hide an object inside, such as a cat. To tackle the hard-to-converge issue caused by the nonuniqueness phenomenon, we deploy a tandem neural network (T-NN) to efficiently streamline the inverse design. Once pretrained, the T-NN can work for a customer-desired electromagnetic response in one single forward computation, saving a great amount of time. Our work opens a new avenue to realize a transparent invisibility cloak, and the tandem-NN can also inspire the inverse design of other metamaterials and photonics.

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) regulate multiple pathways during lung cancer pathogenesis. Apart from functional significance, many circRNAs have been shown to be associated with clinicopathological characteristics and predict lung cancer prognosis. Our aim is to summarize the expanding knowledge of clinical roles of circRNAs in lung cancer. Methods A thorough search of literature was conducted to identify articles about the correlation between circRNA expression and its prognostic and clinicopathological values. Biological mechanisms were summarized. Results This study included 35 original articles and 32 circRNAs with prognostic roles for lung cancer. Increased expression of 25 circRNAs and decreased expression of 7 circRNAs predicted poor prognosis. For non-small cell lung cancer, changes of circRNAs were correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, and differentiation, indicating the major function of circRNAs is to promote lung cancer invasion and migration. Particularly, meta-analysis of ciRS-7, hsa_circ_0020123, hsa_circ_0067934 showed increase of the 3 circRNAs was associated with positive lymph node metastasis. Increase of ciRS-7 and hsa_circ_0067934 was also related with advanced TNM stage. The biological effects depend on the general function of circRNA as microRNA sponge. Conclusions CircRNAs have the potential to function as prognostic markers and are associated with lung cancer progression and metastasis.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has infected more than 210 million individuals globally and resulted in over 4 million deaths since the first report in December 2019. The early use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for light and ordinary patients, can rapidly improve symptoms, shorten hospitalization days and reduce severe cases transformed from light and normal. Many TCM formulas and products have a wide application in treating infectious and non-infectious diseases. Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. (P. cuspidatum), is an important Traditional Chinese Medicine with actions of clearing away heat and eliminating dampness, draining the gallbladder to relieve jaundice, removing blood stasis to alleviate pain, resolving phlegm and arrest cough. In the search for anti-SARS-CoV-2, P. cuspidatum was recommended as as a therapeutic drug of COVID-19 pneumonia.In this study, we aimed to identifies P. cuspidatum is the potential broad-spectrum inhibitor for the treatment of coronaviruses infections. Methods: In the present study , we infected human malignant embryonal rhabdomyoma (RD) cells with the OC43 strain of the coronavirus, which represent an alternative model for SARS-CoV-2 and then employed the cell viability assay kit for the antiviral activity. We combined computer aided virtual screening to predicte the binding site and employed Surface plasmon resonance analysis (SPR) to comfirm the interaction between drugs and coronavirus. We employed fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology to identify drug's inhibition in the proteolytic activity of 3CLpro and Plpro. Results: Based on our results, polydatin and resveratrol derived from P. cuspidatum significantly suppressed HCoV-OC43 replication. 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of polydatin inhibited SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and Plpro, MERS Mpro and Plpro were 18.66, 125, 14.6 and 25.42 µm, respectively. IC50 values of resveratrol inhibited SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and Plpro, MERS Mpro and Plpro were 29.81 ,60.86, 16.35 and19.04 µM, respectively. Finally, SPR assay confirmed that polydatin and resveratrol had high affinity to SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV 3Clpro, MERS-CoV 3Clpro and PLpro protein. Conclusions: we identified the antiviral activity of flavonoids polydatin and resveratrol on RD cells. Polydatin and resveratrol were found to be specific and selective inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2, 3CLpro and PLpro, viral cysteine proteases. In summary, this study identifies P. cuspidatum as the potential broad-spectrum inhibitor for the treatment of coronaviruses infections.

This paper considers the problem of distributed online economic dispatch (DOED) from sequential data using reinforcement learning. Learning operation behavior in high-dimension environments with constraints is a major challenge for the DOED of networked microgrids (MGs), where insufficient exploration disables agents to build complex policies. Therefore, this paper develops a hierarchical reinforcement learning (HRL) to handle the DOED problem, where radial basis function (RBF) approximation is incorporated to make policies in continuous space. Based on the hierarchical framework, the HRL algorithm increases the training efficiency and reduces computational cost. The online HRL achieves distributed selfadaption and better performance of real-time dispatch by a modest number of interacting variables. In addition, guided by domain knowledge, the HRL algorithm avoids onerous additional learning beyond feasible action space. In the case of an actual networked MGcluster in Qingdao with real operation data, simulation is conducted to verify that the proposed learning framework can reduce longterm operation costs and enhance operation stability. To explore the learning process, we also provide its convergence condition andanalyze the sensitivity of the learning parameters.