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The tomato resistance protein Sw-5b differs from the classical coiled-coil nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat ( CC- NB- LRR) resistance proteins by having an extra N-terminal domain ( NTD). To understand how NTD, CC and NB- LRR regulate autoinhibition and activation of Sw-5b, we dissected the function(s) of each domain., When viral elicitor was absent, Sw-5b LRR suppressed the central NB- ARC to maintain autoinhibition of the NB- LRR segment. The CC and NTD domains independently and additively enhanced the autoinhibition of NB- LRR., When viral elicitor was present, the NB- LRR segment of Sw-5b was specifically activated to trigger a hypersensitive response. Surprisingly, Sw-5b CC suppressed the activation of NB- LRR, whereas the extra NTD of Sw-5b became a positive regulator and fully activated the resistance protein, probably by relieving the inhibitory effects of the CC. In infection assays of transgenic plants, the NB- LRR segment alone was insufficient to confer resistance against Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus; the layers of NTD and CC regulation on NB- LRR were required for Sw-5b to confer resistance., Based on these findings, we propose that, to counter the negative regulation of the CC on NB- LRR, Sw-5b evolved an extra NTD to coordinate with the CC, thus developing a multilayered regulatory mechanism to control autoinhibition and activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS) poses potential risks to reproduction and development due to its endocrine-disrupting properties. However, the mechanism of TCS's effects on early embryonic development is little known. Embryonic stem cells (ESC) and zebrafish embryos provide valuable models for testing the toxic effects of environmental chemicals on early embryogenesis. In this study, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) were acutely exposed to TCS for 24 h, and general cytotoxicity and the effect of TCS on pluripotency were then evaluated. In addition, zebrafish embryos were exposed to TCS from 2- to 24-h post-fertilization (hpf), and their morphology was evaluated. In mESC, alkaline phosphatase staining was significantly decreased after treatment with the highest concentration of TCS (50 μM). Although the expression levels of Sox2 mRNA were not changed, the mRNA levels of Oct4 and Nanog in TCS-treated groups were significantly decreased compared to controls. In addition, the protein levels of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog were significantly reduced in response to TCS treatment. MicroRNA ( miR)- 134, an expression inhibitor of pluripotency markers, was significantly increased in TCS-treated mESC. In zebrafish experiments, after 24 hpf of treatment, the controls had developed to the late stage of somitogenesis, while embryos exposed to 300 μg/L of TCS were still at the early stage of somitogenesis, and three genes ( Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog) were upregulated in treated groups when compared with the controls. The two models demonstrated that TCS may affect early embryonic development by disturbing the expression of the pluripotency markers ( Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical estuary wetlands are important for aquaculture and wildlife. However, many of them receive large amounts of anthropogenic heavy metals annually. Here, the transformation of spiked heavy metals, namely, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and the effects of salinity on their transformation in wetland soils after an eight-month-long incubation under moisture-saturation conditions were studied in the Pearl River estuary in China. Cd exhibited high mobility and bioavailability, with 12.2% to 25% Cd existing in the exchangeable fraction. Other heavy metals primarily existed in the reducible and oxidisable forms, and less than 2% were bound to the exchangeable fraction. Compared with the controls, contents of none of the metals associated with residual forms were significantly altered. These results imply that most exchangeable metals, except for Cd, transformed into other stable fractions through an eight-month-long ageing process, but not into the residual fraction. Thus, transformation from non-residual to residual forms was very slow in the tropical estuary wetland environment. Addition of NaCl increased the exchangeable fractions of Cd, Pb, and Zn, suggesting that increased soil salinity induced by flood tides during the dry season may enhance their mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• Developed tZR and iPR mAb with equal reactivity to tZR, tZ and iPR and iP, respectively. • tZR- and iPR-IAC with almost equal elution efficiencies to different forms of CTKs. • Six types of CTKs were measured by IACs coupled with UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. • Active forms CTKs notably decreased to increase the ration of IAA/CTKs. Cytokinins (CTKs) exist in various types in plants. The accurate quantification of free base and nucleoside types of cytokinins are helpful for better understanding their physiological role. In the present study, antibodies against trans -zeatin riboside (tZR) and N6-isopentenyladenine riboside (iPR) antibodies with equal recognition to free base and nucleoside cytokinins were developed. The cross-reactivity of tZR mAb 3G101G7 with tZR, trans -zeatin (tZ), dihydrozeatin riboside (DHZR), dihydrozeatin (DHZ), iPR, and N6-isopentenyladenine (iP) was 100.0%, 95.7%, 19.1%, 18.0%, 1.1%, and 0.7%, and that of iPR mAb 5C82F1 with above-mentioned 6 types of cytokinins was 1.5%, 1.4%, 5.7%, 3.1%, 100.0% and 92.6%, respectively. The obtained antibodies were used to prepare two immunoaffinity columns (IAC). The elution efficiencies of tZR 3G101G7-IAC for tZ and tZR, DHZ and DHZR and of iPR 5C82F1-IAC for iP and iPR were almost no difference with the same loading amount on their corresponding IACs. Subsequently, six types of cytokinins in mepiquat chloride (MC)-treated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) roots were determined by IACs combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The contents of tZR, iPR and DHZR were increased by 9.3∼38.5%, 6.6∼23.5%, and 30.1∼110.0%, respectively, whereas those of tZ and iP were reduced by 5.3∼20.0% and 27.7∼32.1%, respectively. The decreased tZ and iP levels led to the ratio of auxin-to-active cytokinins increase to promote lateral root initiation in MC-treated cotton seeding. Integration of the IACs equally recognizing cytokinins in their free base and nucleoside forms with UPLC-ESI-MS/MS can accurately quantify different cytokinins in plant tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interveinal leaf chlorosis, brittleness, limited necrotic flecking or bronzing developed on greenhouse-grown tobacco and tomato plants at Nanjing Agricultural University from 2010 to 2013. A positive RT- PCR using a pair of degenerate primers for Crinivirus confirmed the diseased plants were infected with Tomato chlorosis virus ( To CV). The complete RNA 1 genomic sequence of this To CV isolate was determined; it comprises of 8596 nucleotides with four open reading frames. Phylogenetic analysis of To CV isolates from diverse geographical regions categorized the To CV isolates into two main groups. Group one consisted of Chinese, American- Florida, Greek and Brazilian isolates, while Group two contained only the Spanish isolate. The first group had two subgroups, one of Chinese and American- Florida isolates, while the other subgroup had Greek and Brazilian isolates. This is the first study of the complete nucleotide sequence of the RNA 1 of To CV isolated from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant efforts have been made in recent years to produce healthier wines, with the primary goal of reducing the use of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which poses health risks. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of three plant-derived polyphenols (dihydromyricetin, resveratrol, and catechins) as alternatives to SO2 in wine. After a three-month aging process, the wines were evaluated using analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, colorimetry, gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry, as well as electronic nose and electronic tongue analyses, with the purpose to assess parameters including antioxidant activity, color, contents of volatile aroma compounds, and sensory characteristics. The results demonstrated various degrees of improvement in the antioxidant activity, aromatic intensity, and sensory characteristics of wines using polyphenols. Notably, dihydromyricetin (200 mg/L) exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with increases of 18.84%, 23.28%, and 20.87% in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and ferric-ion-reducing antioxidant power assays, respectively. Resveratrol (200 mg/L) made the most significant contribution to volatile aroma compounds, with an 8.89% increase in the total content of alcohol esters. In E-nose analysis, catechins (200 mg/L) showed the highest response to aromatic compounds and the lowest response to volatile sulfur compounds, while also exhibiting the best sensory characteristics. Therefore, the three plant-derived polyphenols investigated here exhibited the potential to enhance wine quality as alternatives to SO2. However, it is important to consider the specific impact of different polyphenols on wine; hence, suitable antioxidants should be selected in wine production according to specific requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis is one of main economical species cultivated seaweed in China. The yield of Gracilaria lemaneiformis was positive related with its rhizoid branching number and length, whereas the regulation on branching and growth of G. lemaneiformis was unclear. IAA was well known to control morphogenesis and growth in land plants. This study aimed to evaluate the roles of IAA on the growth and branch formation of G. lemaneiformis rhizoids. In the present research, IAA can enhance the length of rhizoids, branch rhizoids quantity and elongation to remarkably improved the relative growth rate (RGR) of G. lemaneiformis. The intracellular IAA level increased rapidly exposed to IAA, and then partly conjugated amino acid to form inactive IAA-Asp and IAA-Gly to maintain IAA homeostasis in G. lemaneiformis. To understand the regulatory mechanism of G. lemaneiformis to IAA, we performed transcriptome analysis of branch rhizoids and 2 cm primary rhizoids. IAA could activate the pathways in ABCB auxin transporters, precursor biosynthesis of growth-related hormones and plant hormone signal transduction. IAA promoted the precursors synthesis of CTKs, GAs and BR and activated the ARFs involved in IAA signal transduction, and ARR-A and ARR-B involved in CTKs signal transduction, which further regulate the genes encoding cyclin-dependent kinases, cyclins, tubulin, and cell division cycle involved in cell division process. Meanwhile, carbon fixation, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism were also responsive to IAA, revealed that IAA induced to produce more energy and metabolic intermediates for cell growth. Furthermore, the transcriptome results were in general consistent with the changes in physiological parameters associated with photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation systems. These pathways might coordinate together to promote the growth of G. lemaneiformis in response to IAA. These findings could facilitate our understanding into the molecular mechanisms of increases the rhizoid branch formation and growth of G. lemaneiformis. • IAA enhanced lengt h and branching of rhizoids to promote growth of Gracilaria lemaneiformis. • IAA increased the photosynthetic efficiency and NR, GS activity in G. lemaneiformis. • IAA level increased exposed to IAA and formed IAA conjugates in G. lemaneiformis. • IAA activated IAA and CTKs signal transduction to regulate cell division process. • Carbon fixation, C, N and energy metabolism were responsive to IAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PMS is found to be efficiently activated by FeS 2 under pulsed current assistance. • The iron released is deeply affected by pulsed current intensity, duty cycle and pH. • The pulsed current is better than the DC for converting S O 4 2 - to S O 4 · - . In order to overcome the complexity and high cost of preparation of iron-based modified catalyst, a novel process of natural pyrite (FeS 2) superimposed pulsed electro-assisted activation peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for contamination treatment was developed. Tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) was selected as the target pollutant because of its persistence and high drug-resistance toxicity. Firstly, the optimum parameters (pulse current intensity, duty cycle, pH, PMS concentration) were determined by different conditional experiments. Then, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize pyrite before and after the reaction. And electron spin resonance (ESR) and quenching experiment were used to discern the active species in the reaction processes. The results showed that pyrite could effectively activate PMS to degrade into hydroxyl radicals (OH) and sulfate radicals (SO 4 −) to treatment contamination. In addition, the pulsed electro-assisted addition could weaken concentration polarization, improve TCH removal efficiency to 93%, and reduce energy consumption. More importantly, pulsed current was better than the direct current for converting S O 4 2 - to S O 4 · - . And Fe(III) can be converted to Fe(II) through the action of electrons and S 2 2− in the pulse electro-assisted pyrite activation of PMS process. These findings provide new insights into PMS activation by iron-based catalyst and electrochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PMS is found to be efficiently activated by FeS 2 , achieving ~90% TCH eliminate. • The iron released in the solution is deeply affected by the experiment parameters. • Different sulfur conversion intermediates form on the pyrite surface. • The Fe(II) is the active centers on pyrite in the activation PMS. In recent years, sulfur-doped modified iron-based catalysts have been widely used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) or peroxydisulfate (PDS) for the contamination elimination, however, the manufacturing complicated and costly limit further industrial application. Therefore, a new water purification technology using pyrite activation PMS with electro-assisted is developed, and the parameters are adjusted and underlying mechanism is clarified. It has been found PMS is effectively activated by FeS 2 , achieving ~90% tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) removal. Sulfide is the main electron donor for activation PMS and mediates the regeneration of Fe(II) on the pyrite surface, and different sulfur conversion intermediates such as short-chain polysulfides S n 2−, elemental sulfur S0, and sulfate form from the oxidation of sulfides (S 2 2−). Moreover, the iron ions in-situ generation from pyrite activation PMS involve in TCH degradation, and concurrently is greatly affected by current, PMS and pH. The production of hydroxyl radicals (OH) and sulfate radicals (SO 4 −) by pyrite-activated PMS is confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (ESR) and quenching tests. Finally, the mechanism is proved electro-oxidation, non-radical-oxidation and radical-oxidation synergistically eliminate TCH in EC/PMS/pyrite system. Overall, this study provides a new horizons for heterogeneous activation PMS and unveils the advantages and potential applications of sulfur-containing iron-based activators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Graphite electrode has electrochemical property to convert SO 4 2 - to SO 4 · -. • ESR provides spectroscopy evidence for e - activation PMS to form SO 4 · - and OH. • The singlet oxygen 1O 2 is detected in the electrical-activated PMS system. Nitric oxide (NO) emissions seriously threaten the atmospheric ecology and cause air quality degradation, and the acid rain type has gradually changed from sulfuric acid to nitric acid in some areas of China. To this end, an efficient, facile, innovative strategy of NO removal from simulated flue gas using Fe/Gr periodically reversing electro-activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system is proposed for the first time. Encouragingly, we find that the graphite (Gr) electrode has the similar electrochemical property to those of the boron-doped diamond (BDD) and platinum (Pt) electrodes, converting SO 4 2 - to sulfate radicals (SO 4 · -), and provide direct spectroscopy evidence for the theory that the electron e - can activate PMS to generate SO 4 · - and hydroxyl radicals (OH) via the electron-paramagnetic resonance (ESR) tests. In addition to the two free radicals mentioned above the singlet oxygen (1O 2) is detected synchronously in the electrical-activated PMS system. And the signal intensity of the radicals detected increases with increasing current intensity correspondingly. Addition of excess methanol has a greater effect on the NO removal than tert-butanol and sodium azide, demonstrating that SO 4 · - dominates the NO removal. Furthermore, the results show PMS concentration, current intensity, pH, in-situ generated Fe2+ and O 2 concentration have the distinct effect on the NO removal. Compared with different electro-activation systems of Fe/Fe and Gr/Gr and BDD/Gr, Fe/Gr achieves the optimum NO removal effect. Finally, the reaction mechanism is proposed: direct electrode oxidation, non-radical oxidation, and radical oxidation are combined to remove NO in the electro-activated PMS reaction system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticidal proteins encoded by the truncated genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in transgenic crops are released into soil mainly through root exudate and crop residues. In the present study, Bt Cry1Ac protein was hydrolyzed by pronase that was secreted by the soil bacterium Streptomyces griseus. Six peptides were identified as the products of enzymatic hydrolysis by nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). One of the six peptides was labeled with radioactive isotope iodine-125 and then purified. The 125I-peptide solution was irrigated to the rhizosphere soil of watermelon seedlings (Citrullus lanatus L.) and wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.), which the two crops usually intercrop with cotton in China. Detection of radioactivity in both plant tissues within one hour proved adsorption, uptake and translocation of the peptide into watermelon and wheat seedlings. Three of the identified peptides were sprayed onto the seedling leaves of watermelon, wheat and maize (Zea mays L.) in the field or the growth chamber. No significant effects on plant growth were observed. These peptides also did not affect growth of organic phosphate-dissolving, nitrogen-fixing, and potassium-dissolving bacteria in the culture. This study provides a new view of GMO risk assessment methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The nitric oxide radical NO from e-transfer of radical oxidation was detected for the first. • The sequence of reaction rate constant k 0 in PMS degradation by three metal ions catalysis was Fe 2 + > Co 2 + > Fe 3 + • SO 4 −, OH and 1O 2 radicals were detected by ESR produced and three radicals synergistically removed NO. A strategy for removing nitric oxide (NO) from simulated flue gas by transition metal ion ( Fe 2 + , Co 2 + , and Fe 3 + )-induced production of sulfate (SO 4 −), hydroxyl (OH), and singlet oxygen radicals (1O 2) from peroxymonosulfate (PMS) at high temperature was investigated, and the catalytic performances of the three metal ions were compared. The nitric oxide radical (NO) was detected in solution using electron spin-resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, and a pathway for reaction between NO and the radicals was further explored and refined. The metal ion-catalyzed decomposition of PMS could be considered a pseudo-first order reaction with good reliability ( R 2 > 0.97), and the rate constant, k 0 , for metal ion-catalyzed PMS degradation followed the sequence: Fe 2 + > Co 2 + > Fe 3 + . Specific experiments were optimized to select the optimal experimental parameters (PMS/metal molar ratio and solution pH) for maximizing the NO removal efficiency. ESR was employed to monitor the progress of PMS activation, and it was found that: 1) SO 4 −, OH, and 1O 2 radicals were mainly produced during the activation of PMS by the three metal ions; 2) the three radicals synergistically removed NO; 3) the generation of 1O 2 was more sensitive to temperature than the generation of the SO 4 − and OH radicals; 4) the capacity of the metals to catalyze the oxidation reaction followed the order: Fe 2 + > Co 2 + > Fe 3 + . These findings provide new insight into PMS activation by transition metal catalysts at high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The kinetics of on NO removal in an multi-stage stirred bubble reactor were investigated. • The removal process of NO in simulated flue gas was the pseudo first-order reaction. • The increasing of interface temperature has no obvious effect on the NO removal reaction. • The liquid-phase reaction utilization efficiency were close to zero. • Critical concentration of liquid solvent was studied. In this study, the kinetics of on nitric oxide (NO) removal from simulated flue gas using peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with synergic activation of Fe(II) ions and high temperature in a multi-stage stirred bubble reactor were investigated. The new reactor was designed with multiple stages and equipped with multiple agitators, which can increase the gas content in liquid and promote the gas-liquid mass transfer process. In this research we discussed the kinetics of NO removal reaction comprehensively and deeply. To confirm the kinetic model, the effects of initial PMS concentration and reaction temperature of the NO removal process were investigated. The results, with good reliability (0.979, 0.98, 0.963 and 0.963), showed that the removal process of NO in simulated flue gas was considered a pseudo first-order reaction. It worth noting that we have not only investigated the elementary kinetic parameters such as the diffusion coefficient, mass transfer coefficient, reaction rate constant, and enhancement factor of chemical absorption reaction, but also examined other indispensable kinetic parameters such as liquid-phase reaction utilization efficiency, critical concentration equation of liquid solvent and the increase of interface temperature for the first time. The result of liquid-phase reaction utilization efficiency was close to 0 and critical concentration equation of liquid solvent was 8.291–8.732 m m o l / L. And the interface temperature slight increase was not enough to affect the entire reaction process. The indispensable kinetic parameters results provide systematic and comprehensive technical parameters to enable the application of NO removal techniques to industrial scale experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental studies have indicated that alterations in the gut microbiota might play a role in the pathway of diabetes induction resulting from particulate matter pollution with aerodynamic diameters < 2.5 μm (PM 2.5). However, few human studies have examined such experimental findings. Here, we examine the mediating effects of gut microbial dysbiosis on the associations between PM 2.5 and particulate matter pollution with aerodynamic diameters < 1 μm (PM 1) on diabetes using the Guangdong Gut Microbiome Project (GGMP) dataset. A multistage cluster sampling method was employed to recruit adult participants from communities in Guangdong. Each participant was interviewed using a questionnaire, fasting blood and stool samples were collected, and the exposure to air pollutants was assessed using a spatiotemporal land-use regression model. The mediation analysis was conducted to estimate the associations among air pollutants, gut microbiota diversity and diabetes. Both PM 2.5 and PM 1 were positively associated with the risks of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or type 2 diabetes and negatively associated with alpha diversity indices of the gut microbiota. The mediation analyses indicated that the associations of PM 2.5 and PM 1 with the risk of type 2 diabetes were partially mediated by the decrease in gut microbiota diversity. Moreover, we found that 79 (PM 2.5 on IFG), 84 (PM 2.5 on type 2 diabetes), 83 (PM 1 on IFG) and 89 (PM 1 on type 2 diabetes) bacterial taxa could partially mediate the associations of PM 2.5 and PM 1 with IFG and type 2 diabetes, respectively. The relative abundance of most Firmicutes , Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia bacteria were negatively associated with particulate matter (PM) concentrations and the risks of diabetes. Long-term exposure to PM may increase the risk of diabetes, and alterations in the gut microbiota partially explained these associations. Unlabelled Image • Long-term exposure to PM may increase the risks of IFG and T2DM, and decrease the diversity of gut microbiota. • The alternations of gut microbiota diversity could partially mediate the associations of PM with diabetes risk. • Bacterial taxa could partially mediate the effects of PM 2·5 and PM 1 on IFG and T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plant intracellular nucleotide‐binding leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) receptors play critical roles in mediating host immunity to pathogen attack. We use tomato Sw‐5b::tospovirus as a model system to study the specific role of the compartmentalized plant NLR in dictating host defenses against the virus at different infection steps.We demonstrated here that tomato NLR Sw‐5b distributes to the cytoplasm and nucleus, respectively, to play different roles in inducing host resistances against tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) infection. The cytoplasmic‐enriched Sw‐5b induces a strong cell death response to inhibit TSWV replication. This host response is, however, insufficient to block viral intercellular and long‐distance movement. The nuclear‐enriched Sw‐5b triggers a host defense that weakly inhibits viral replication but strongly impedes virus intercellular and systemic movement. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic and nuclear Sw‐5b act synergistically to dictate a full host defense of TSWV infection.We further demonstrated that the extended N‐terminal Solanaceae domain (SD) of Sw‐5b plays critical roles in cytoplasm/nucleus partitioning. Sw‐5b NLR controls its cytoplasm localization. Strikingly, the SD but not coil‐coil domain is crucial for Sw‐5b receptor to import into the nucleus to trigger the immunity. The SD was found to interact with importins. Silencing both importin α and β expression disrupted Sw‐5b nucleus import and host immunity against TSWV systemic infection.Collectively, our findings suggest that Sw‐5b bifurcates disease resistances by cytoplasm/nucleus partitioning to block different infection steps of TSWV. The findings also identified a new regulatory role of extra domain of a plant NLR in mediating host innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both electric vehicles and Tokamak power supply use multiple parallel converters to realize high current operation in four quadrants. A finite‐time current sharing control algorithm based on disturbance compensation is proposed to improve the converter system's dynamic and steady‐state performance so that the system can achieve the required load current and branch‐current sharing in a finite time. In the proposed algorithm, this paper adopts a finite‐time observer for unknown disturbances in the converter system and load circuit due to disturbances, such as unknown inductance and resistance in the converter system. The results show that the load current control overshoot is minimal, and the dynamic performance of each branch current is higher than the traditional control algorithm. A finite‐time current sharing control algorithm based on disturbance compensation is proposed so that the converter system can achieve the required load current and branch current sharing in a finite time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The slow controller is designed to realize operation and monitoring, and high precision timing controller with 10 ns precision is developed to control the timing sequence. • High precision timing controller use timer with different precision to output control pulses according to control requirements. • All the connections among the sub-systems use optical fiber to isolate the cross disturbance. The Compact Torus Injector (CTI) is a magnetic confinement fusion device feeding system, which injects the excited compact toroidal plasma into the target device at high speed, and controls the fuel injection and injection speed to achieve optimal control of the density pressure profile of the magnetic confinement fusion device. As the important subsystem of the CTI, the CTI High-Voltage Pulse Power Supply (HVPPS) system consists of five sets of power supply. This paper uses EPCIS as a development platform to design the control system of the CTI HVPPS which realizes timing sequential control, status detection, parameter setting and read-back status of the CTI power supplies with different communication interfaces and protocols. The discharge experiments are performed on the CTI. The experimental results prove that the control system meets the real-time control requirements of CTI devices for HVPPS. (Abstract) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A coordinated hierarchical control scheme is presented for DC microgrids cluster. • In the tertiary MGC control layer, distributed alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) with bi-level communication networks is proposed to solve the economic dispatch problem (EDP). • A fast second-order distributed average consensus (DAC) algorithm is designed to decouple the constraints among MGs and within MGs, and the convergence is proved. • A distributed control method combing the primary DG control and secondary MG control without droop is put forward for voltage recovery and power distribution. • The control scheme has been verified under different conditions by Matlab/Simulink. This paper proposes a hierarchical control scheme based on distributed alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) for the interconnected DC microgrids cluster. This scheme is fully distributed and consists of three coordinated control levels through bi-level distributed communication networks. The constraints of the economic dispatch problem are decoupled for tertiary control and decomposed into global and local optimization problems using the ADMM framework. To realize parallel computing of ADMM, we designed a fast second-order distributed average consensus algorithm to estimate the global average exchanged value and the average output power of a single microgrid, thus removing the coupling within the microgrids cluster and individual microgrid. Considering the voltage deviation caused by the traditional droop control, voltage control without droop based on the distributed algorithm is proposed to realize voltage restoration and power distribution among dispatchable generators for individual microgrid, combined with traditional primary and secondary control. Numerical simulations of an off-grid microgrids cluster are designed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control method. Results show that the proposed hierarchical control scheme can ensure the independence and privacy of information, which is beneficial to solve technical and economic challenges brought by centralized optimization. In addition, the proposed algorithm can be applied to more realistic scenarios, such as conditions for time-varying loads and cost functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic technology is widely recognized as an effective solution for both the energy crisis and environmental issues. Developing cost-effective alternatives to noble metal-based photocatalytic catalysts is crucial for the degradation of organic pollutants in dye wastewater; however, it remains a challenging task. In this study, a novel approach was presented, wherein a cotton-based carbon aerogel was synthesized using short staple cotton cellulose as the raw material. CdS nanoparticles were then anchored onto the three-dimensional porous structure of the carbon aerogel. The resulting materials were thoroughly characterized and analyzed using various techniques, including XRD, SEM, Mapping, XPS, BET, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and their performance was extensively assessed. Experimental results indicated that the degradation efficiency of 20 ml (15 mg/L) methylene blue solution reached 95.7 % within 90 min, achieving near-complete degradation within 120 min using 10 mg catalyst material. Furthermore, photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted on commonly used reactive red dye (K-type) and reactive yellow dye (M-type) that are typically employed in textile dyeing and finishing processes. For 20 ml of waste liquid, after 90 min, the degradation rates of the reactive red and yellow dyes reached 91.4 % and 94.4 %, respectively, with complete degradation achieved within 120 min. Free radical quenching experiments demonstrated that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and superoxide radicals (•O 2 -) played a central role in mediating the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants using the CdS/carbon aerogel (CdS/CA) composite material. Overall, the research findings suggest that the CdS/CA composite material exhibited highly desirable attributes, effectively adsorbing and photodegrading methylene blue as well as organic dyes in dye wastewater. These results provide valuable insights for the development of cost-effective photocatalytic materials and the efficient degradation of dyes. • The composite carbon aerogel has a very high specific surface area. • The aerogel, as a carrier, can protect the photocatalyst nanoparticles from aggregating or deactivating during the photocatalytic reaction. • The composite carbon aerogel has the following advantages compared to the single CdS nanoparticles, it can promote the effective separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluate the reproductive and developmental toxicity of PBDES, using mESCs model. • BDE47 exposure altered D3 mESC trophoblast functions. • In mESC, BDE-47 induced the increased levels of miR-145 and miR-34a. 2,2′,4,4′-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47) poses potential risks to reproduction and development, but the mechanism of its toxicity has not yet been elucidated. To explore the developmental toxicity of BDE47, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), which are ideal models for testing the developmental toxicity of environmental contaminants in vitro, were exposed to BDE47 (0.04 μM, 1 μM, 25 μM, or 100 μM) for 24 h or 48 h in this study. Our results indicated that BDE47 treatment changed the morphology of mESCs, inhibited cell viability and increased apoptosis. In addition, alkaline phosphatase (AP) staining in mESCs was significantly decreased after BDE47 treatment (25 μM and 100 μM), indicating that BDE47 treatment affected the pluripotency of mESCs. Through a cell immunofluorescence assay, we found that the fluorescence intensities of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog were all significantly lower in the group treated with the highest BDE47 concentration (100 μM) than in the control group, consistent with the qRT-PCR and Western blot results. The levels of miR-145 and miR-34a, which regulate genes related to cell differentiation, were significantly increased in BDE47-treated mESCs, further clarifying the potential mechanism. Overall, our findings demonstrate that BDE47 exposure upregulates the expression of miR-145 and miR-34a and in turn downregulates the expression of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog, thereby affecting apoptosis and pluripotency and causing toxicity during embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) poloidal field (PF) power supply is composed of 14 sets of AC/DC converter units. Converter bridges are the key components of ITER PF converter unit, which is supplied by converter transformer and output the on-load voltage (±1.05 kV) and the rated DC current (±27.5 kA). There are 12 thyristor branches in parallel on each arm of the converter bridge. Therefore, the current sharing test is essential to verify the current sharing characteristics of the converter bridge arm under steady rated current. At present, the current sharing tests of Converter Bridge for 14 sets of converter units have been completed. During the test, there have been all kinds of faults. Accordingly, the fault reason should be analyzed firstly, and then corresponding effective measures should be taken for specific reasons. This paper mainly presents the fault analysis methods and the corresponding treatment measures aiming at all kinds of faults appearing in the test. The contents described in this paper can provide guidance and reference for current sharing test of high-current converter applied in other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The architecture of two layers is designed following the guidelines specified by the PCDH issued by IO. • Architecture of field layer designed by redundant ring network topology based on EtherCAT with high real-time communication. • Mini-CML developed by the CODAC system to achieve the real-time monitoring, remote operation, data storage, query, and alarm. • A method to realize cross-platform data transmission of control system based on EPICS is presented. This paper describes ITER PF converter system architecture in details. According to its real-time and reliability characteristics, ITER PF converter system uses an industrial Ethernet fieldbus based on EtherCAT protocol with high real-time communication performance to develop its remote monitoring system. This system follows ITER design specification, it realize the real-time monitoring of thousands of analog and digital signals, and can realize remote operation of the switches in the field layer, real-time data and historical data query, event alarm and authority management functions. The system has achieved continuous and stable operation on the test platform of ITER PF converter system, meeting the requirements of high real-time performance and reliability of the remote monitoring system of ITER PF converter system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 as a kind of layered oxide, has garnered significant interest due to its low cost and facile preparation method. Nevertheless, fast discharge capacity attenuation, poor cycle stability restricts it further application. To optimize its properties, in this paper, a novel eutectic mixed molten salt method is proposed to synthesize LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2. The results demonstrate that the LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 obtained through LiOH-LiNO 3 as eutectic mixed molten salt exhibited exceptional electrochemical properties. It had a reversible capacity of 151.7 mAh·g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 C, with a capacity retention of 89.3%, the discharge capacities of 165.6, 135.8, 121.8 and 111.2 mAh·g−1 at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 C, respectively. This study highlights a convenient method for preparing LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 and demonstrates the effectiveness of the eutectic mixed molten salt approach in enhancing electrochemical properties. [Display omitted] • LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 was prepared through a facile eutectic mixed molten salt method. • LiNO 3 and LiOH·H 2 O in a molar ratio of 3:2 as eutectic Li salt. • NCM-HN exhibited the initial specific discharge capacity of 175.1 mAh·g−1 at 0.2 C. • NCM-HN maintained a capacity retention of 89.3% after 100 cycles at 0.2 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature and light are two pivotal environmental factors for the growth of marine photosynthetic organisms. While the responses of Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis to individual high temperature or light stress have been explored, our understanding of its combined stress responses remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of short-term high temperature (33 °C, 8 h) and different light intensities, that is, low light (LL, 50 μmol photon m−2 s−1), medium light (ML, 150 μmol photon m−2 s−1), and high light (HL, 300 μmol photon m−2 s−1), on the physiological responses and lipid remodeling of G. lemaneiformis. Results demonstrated that short-term exposure to either high temperature or high light stress led to a reduction in maximum (F v /Fm), effective photochemical efficiency (F v '/F m ') and maximum relative electron transfer rate (rETR max), and the combination of these stresses exerted a more pronounced inhibitory effect on photosystem II efficiency. Short-term exposure to heat stress led to an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as well as a rise in glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (Asc) contents under LL, while the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase) and levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH and Asc) were reduced under ML and HL. Additionally, short-term heat stress induced the accumulations of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, and triacylglycerol (TAG) under LL, while heat-induced lipid accumulation decreased under ML and HL. Furthermore, heat stress increased the accumulation of saturated or unsaturated PC species under LL. Specifically, there was an increase in the levels of saturated or monounsaturated acyl chain–containing PC species, whereas the levels of polyunsaturated acyl chain-containing PC species declined under ML and HL. Correspondingly, a significant increase in TAG species with polyunsaturated acyl chains was observed, particularly under LL conditions, suggesting a potential lipid turnover between PC and TAG. These results showed that the lipid metabolic plasticity of G. lemaneiformis enabled it to rapidly adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions, and the light environment regulated its heat stress response. • Light intensity affects the short-term heat adaption of Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. • High light exacerbates short-term heat stress-induced damage of PSII efficiency. • Heat stress increased the levels of phospholipid species containing SFA and MUFA. • High light inhibited the short-term heat stress-induced glycerolipid accumulation. • PUFA-TAG synthesis and acyl editing are vital for light-regulated heat adaption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of electric vehicle charging stations, effective management of them has become challenging due to the high uncertainty of electric vehicles, the pricing mechanisms of charging stations, and their coupling with distribution networks. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a two-stage framework for energy management at charging stations. In the first stage, a resource allocation model considering the profits of distribution systems, charging stations, and electric vehicle users is established based on the aggregate feasible power regions of charging stations. The aggregate feasible region is obtained based on the combination of Minkowski summation and the data-driven method, which can preserve the privacy of electric vehicle data and reduce the computational burden. In the second stage, a novel hierarchical pricing mechanism is developed, which encompasses both the clearing price between charging stations and distribution networks and the retail electricity price between charging stations and electric vehicle users. Notably, charging stations participate in the power clearing of distributed networks based on the aggregate feasible power region, while a two-stage robust pricing strategy is established between electric vehicle users and charging stations. The model is finally optimized through a distributed coordination mechanism with a clear physical interpretation. The simulation results show that the proposed aggregation method enables charging stations to achieve a total economic profit at least 1.76 % higher than three competitive methods. The hierarchical pricing mechanism allows charging stations to achieve total economic profits 18.60 % and 2.94 % higher than those in the centralized dispatch and price-taker modes, respectively, while simultaneously reducing operating costs for the distributed network by 25.96 % and 27.99 %. • A novel two-stage framework for energy management of electric vehicle charging stations is proposed. • A hierarchical pricing mechanism for charging stations is defined. • A new computation method for the aggregate feasible power region of charging stations. • A novel distributed management mechanism is designed to achieve the coordination of three participants. • Comprehensive performance comparisons are conducted to highlight the advantages of the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]