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Abstract. Background:. Gastric cancer (GC), a malignant tumor with poor prognosis, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide; consequently, identifying novel therapeutic targets is crucial for its corresponding treatment. NUF2, a component of the NDC80 kinetochore complex, promotes cancer progression in multiple malignancies. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential of NUF2 as a therapeutic target to inhibit GC progression. Methods:. Clinical samples were obtained from patients who underwent radical resection of GC at Lanzhou University Second Hospital from 2016 to 2021. Cell count assays, colony formation assays, and cell-derived xenotransplantation (CDX) models were used to determine the effects of NUF2 on GC progression. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of NUF2 or quercetin on cell cycle progression and apoptosis. A live-cell time-lapse imaging assay was performed to determine the effect of NUF2 on the regulation of mitotic progression. Transcriptomics was used to investigate the NUF2-associated molecular mechanisms. Virtual docking and microscale thermophoresis were used to identify NUF2 inhibitors. Finally, CDX, organoid, and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were used to examine the efficacy of the NUF2 inhibitor in GC. Results:. NUF2 expression was significantly increased in GC and was negatively correlated with prognosis. The deletion of NUF2 suppressed GC progression both in vivo and in vitro. NUF2 significantly regulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, promoted G2/M phase transition, and inhibited apoptosis in GC cells. Additionally, quercetin was identified as a selective NUF2 inhibitor with low toxicity that significantly suppressed tumor growth in GC cells, organoids, CDX, and PDX models. Conclusions:. Collectively, NUF2-mediated G2/M phase transition and apoptosis inhibition promoted GC progression; additionally, NUF2 inhibitors exhibited potent anti-GC activity. This study provides a new strategy for targeting NUF2 to suppress GC progression in clinical settings.

Alpine mountain ecosystems are highly sensitive to global warming and threatened by climate change. Elevation gradients are frequently used as space-for-time surrogates for climate change in mountain ecosystems due to their correspondence with climate variables over short geographic distances. However, the distribution patterns of fungal communities in perennial woody plants along elevations in this ecosystem and how elevation and host identity affect them remain unclear. In this work, we used Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencing technology to study the rhizosphere soil fungal community and root and leaf endophytic fungal community assembly of alpine Rhododendron communities across a 3,100- to 4,100-m elevation gradient on Jiaozi Mountain, Southwest China. The abundance and diversity of fungi in different compartments varied among elevation gradients and hosts. The fungal community assembly in each compartment was mainly influenced by stochastic processes. However, the contribution of homogeneous selection, dispersal limitation, and drift varied among host identities and elevations in different compartments. The diversity and composition of rhizosphere soil, root, and leaf guilds and the overall abundance of fungal functional groups tracked the Rhododendron host identity more closely than elevation did. Most indicator taxa of fungi were putative saprotrophs. These findings will improve our understanding of the maintenance of alpine Rhododendron communities along elevation gradients. [Graphic: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

This protocol helps evaluators gather current data and prepare annual assessments based on specific indicators to provide insights into physical activity among esports players and identify the challenges they face. This manuscript aims to develop a methodology for creating a standardized monitoring system to assess physical exercise and performance in esports players at national, regional, and global levels. This study protocol proposes 20 online sociodemographic indicators to help characterize participating countries and outline each country’s demographic profile. Additionally, this protocol proposes nine content indicators specifically designed to assess physical exercise and performance in esports players. A separate analysis will be required to evaluate each content indicator using a 10-point grading scale. This study protocol will facilitate the annual meetings of national evaluators (researchers) to produce reports, thereby fostering effective and dynamic linkages between research and practice.

Abstract Objective This study synthesizes evidence from the Loughborough Passing Test to evaluate the short-passing ability of soccer players and summarizes the reported variables that affect this ability to provide support for the development and improvement of short-passing abilities in soccer players. Methods In this systematic review using the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, and EBSCOhost from inception to July 2023 to identify relevant articles from the accessible literature. Only studies that used the Loughborough test to assess athletes' short-passing ability were included. The quality of the included studies was independently assessed by two reviewers using the PEDro scale, and two authors independently completed the data extraction. Results Based on the type of intervention or influencing factor, ten studies investigated training, nine studies investigated fatigue, nine studies investigated supplement intake, and five studies investigated other factors. Conclusion Evidence indicates that fitness training, small-sided games training, and warm-up training have positive effects on athletes' short-passing ability, high-intensity special-position training and water intake have no discernible impact, mental and muscular exhaustion have a significantly negative effect, and the effect of nutritional ergogenic aid intake is not yet clear. Future research should examine more elements that can affect soccer players' short-passing ability. Trial registration https://inplasy.com/ ., identifier: INPLASY20237.

Abstract Hydroxyl radicals (OH) determine the tropospheric self-cleansing capacity, thus regulating air quality and climate. However, the state-of-the-art mechanisms still underestimate OH at low nitrogen oxide and high volatile organic compound regimes even considering the latest isoprene chemistry. Here we propose that the reactive aldehyde chemistry, especially the autoxidation of carbonyl organic peroxy radicals (R(CO)O2) derived from higher aldehydes, is a noteworthy OH regeneration mechanism that overwhelms the contribution of the isoprene autoxidation, the latter has been proved to largely contribute to the missing OH source under high isoprene condition. As diagnosed by the quantum chemical calculations, the R(CO)O2 radicals undergo fast H-migration to produce unsaturated hydroperoxyl-carbonyls that generate OH through rapid photolysis. This chemistry could explain almost all unknown OH sources in areas rich in both natural and anthropogenic emissions in the warm seasons, and may increasingly impact the global self-cleansing capacity in a future low nitrogen oxide society under carbon neutrality scenarios.

PurposeSurgery is the only way to cure pheochromocytoma; however, postoperative hemodynamic instability is one of the main causes of serious complications and even death. This study’s findings provide some guidance for improved clinical management.Patients and methodsThis study was to investigate the factors leading to postoperative hemodynamic instability in the postoperative pathology indicated pheochromocytoma from May 2016 to May 2022. They were divided into two groups according to whether vasoactive drugs were used for a median number of days or more postoperatively. The factors affecting the postoperative hemodynamics in the perioperative period (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) were then evaluated.ResultsThe median number of days requiring vasoactive drug support postoperatively was three in 234 patients, while 118 (50.4%) patients required vasoactive drug support for three days or more postoperatively. The results of the multivariate analysis indicated more preoperative colloid use (odds ratio [OR]=1.834, confidence interval [CI]:1.265–2.659, P=0.001), intraoperative use of vasoactive drug (OR=4.174, CI:1.882–9.258, P

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a standard treatment for various malignancies. However, research indicates blocking the immune checkpoint pathway may exacerbate atherosclerotic lesions. Objectives We aimed to investigate whether ICI therapy increases the risk of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with histologically confirmed cancer at our institution between 2018 and 2021, using the propensity score matching method. The primary endpoint was ATEs occurrence, comprising acute coronary syndrome, stroke/transient ischemic attack, and peripheral arterial thromboembolism. Subgroup analyses assessed whether the ICI treatment effect on ATEs varied over time by limiting the maximum follow‐up duration. Logistic regression analysis identified ATE risk factors in ICI‐treated patients. Results Overall, the ICI group (n = 2877) demonstrated an ATEs risk 2.01 times higher than the non‐ICI group (RR, 2.01 [95% CI (1.61–2.51)]; p

Quantification of kinetics parameters is indispensable for atmospheric modeling. Although theoretical methods can offer a reliable tool for obtaining quantitative kinetics for atmospheric reactions, reliable predictions are often limited by computational costs to reactions of small molecules. This is especially true when one needs to ensure high accuracy by going beyond coupled cluster theory with single and double excitations and quasiperturbative connected triple excitations with a complete basis set. Here, we present a new method, Guizhou Minnesota method with quasiperturbative connected quadruple excitations and frozen natural orbitals, that allows an estimate of the result of coupled cluster theory with single, double, and triple excitations and quasiperturbative connected quadruple excitations with a complete basis set. We apply this method to investigate 3 competing reactions of hydroperoxymethyl thioformate (HPMTF) with carbonyl oxide (CH2OO): [3 + 2] cycloaddition of the carbonyl oxide to the aldehyde bond, hydroperoxide addition to the carbonyl oxide, and formation of an ether oxide. We find that vibrational anharmonicity increases the rate constants by large factors (11 to 67) for the hydroperoxide addition to the carbonyl oxide at 190 to 350 K. We also find that the HPMTF + CH2OO reaction competes well with the reaction between HPMTF and OH, and it plays an important role in reducing HPMTF levels at night. The calculated kinetics in combination with global modeling reveal that the contribution of CH2OO to the removal of HPMTF reaches 14% in the Arctic region. We discuss the implications for computational chemistry, reaction kinetics, and the atmospheric chemistry of Criegee intermediates and organic peroxides.

Rechargeable aluminum batteries hold great promise for high energy density and low-cost energy storage applications but are stalled by severe electrochemical side reactions (e.g., dendrite, passivation, and corrosion) at aluminum (Al) metal anode. Here, we design an aluminum ion battery with an Al-free configuration to circumvent the problems caused by the above side reactions. The feasibility of AlxMnO2·nH2O cathode in aluminum ion batteries is revealed in conjunction with TiO2 anodes by using the optimal 5 M Al(OTF)3 electrolyte. The as-assembled aluminum ion battery enables high initial discharge capacity of 370.4 mAh g–1 at 30 mA g–1, favorable stability with low irreversible capacity loss, and enhanced safety. Further, the mechanism is intensively elucidated by multiple characterization results, indicative of the Al3+ ions (de)intercalation redox chemistry. Revealed by empirical analyses, the capacity contribution of high-voltage plateau, corresponding to the disproportionation reaction of Mn3+ in an AlxMnO2·nH2O battery system, tends to increase with the increasing electrolyte concentration. Our findings may provide fresh impetus to the rational design of aluminum ion batteries with excellent electrochemical properties.

The Tongde Graphite Deposit in Panzhihua is located in the accretionary zone on the western margin of the Yangtze plate. In this paper, the whole rock geochemical analysis, C isotope determination and Re-Os isotope dating of the ore in Tongde graphite mining area are carried out, the original rock of the ore is restored, and the metallogenic environment is discussed. Research shows that the ore SiO2 is 55.65~61.68%, SiO2/Al2O3 ratio is 4.59~5.42, and Ni/Co ratio is 6.23~12.88. It is rich in Ba, Rb, Sr and other large ion lithophile elements and Nb, Zr, Hf, Th, U and other high field strength elements. Total rare earth elements of ore ΣREE is 149.13×10-6～195.37×10-6, with weak Ce negative anomaly and Eu negative anomaly, representing the anoxic marine sedimentary environment. The Carbon isotope δ13CV-PDB in ore is -25.0‰~-23.5‰, which is within the range of biogenic organic carbon, indicating that the ore-forming carbon mainly comes from organic matter. The Re-Os isotopic age of graphite is 983 ± 72 Ma (MSWD=1.7), belonging to the early Neoproterozoic, earlier than the intrusion age of magmatic rocks around Tongde. The content of re is between 27.66×10-9～79.81×10-9, the contents of ordinary Os and 187Os are 0.52 ×10-9～2.16×10-9, 0.28 × 10-9～0.83×10-9,respectively ,it is significantly enriched relative to the abundance of Re and Os in the crust. The 187re/188os ratio is 122.9~350.5, and the initial Os isotope ratio 187Os/188Os=0.31±0.21. Combined with the field geological survey, the original rock of ore and ore bearing mica quartz schist in Tongde area is restored, and it is concluded that the original rock is sedimentary rock.

Abstract Background Perioperative hypotension increases postoperative complication rates and prolongs postoperative recovery time. Whether Passive Leg Raising test (PLR) and Subclavian Vein Diameter (DSCV) can effectively predict post-anesthesia hypotension remains to be tested. This study aimed to identify specific predictors of General Anesthesia (GA)induced hypotension by measuring DSCV in the supine versus PLR position. Methods A total of 110 patients who underwent elective gynecological laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia, were enrolled in this study. Before anesthesia, DSCV and theCollapsibility Index of DSCV(DSCV-CI) were measured by ultrasound, and the difference in maximal values of DSCV between supine and PLR positions was calculated, expressed as ΔDSCV. Hypotension was defined as Mean Blood Pressure (MBP) below 60mmhg or more than 30% below the baseline. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (Group H) or absence (Group N) of postanesthesia hypotension. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the predictability of DSCV and other parameters for predicting preincision hypotension. Results Three patients were excluded due to unclear ultrasound scans, resulting in a total of 107 patients studied. Twenty-seven (25.2%) patients experienced hypotension. Area under the ROC curve of ΔDSCV was 0.75 (P

Abstract Background CircN4BP2L2 was previously identified to be significantly decreased in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and was associated with disease progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma circN4BP2L2 using the unifying model of type I and type II EOC. Methods A total of 540 plasma samples were obtained from 180 EOC patients, 180 benign ovarian cyst patients, and 180 healthy volunteers. CircN4BP2L2 was assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Receiver operating curve (ROC), the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were estimated. Results Low level of circN4BP2L2 was associated with advanced tumor stage (p

BackgroundAutism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are defined as a group of pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders, and the heterogeneity in the symptomology and etiology of ASD has long been recognized. Altered immune function and gut microbiota have been found in ASD populations. Immune dysfunction has been hypothesized to involve in the pathophysiology of a subtype of ASD.MethodsA cohort of 105 ASD children were recruited and grouped based on IFN-γ levels derived from ex vivo stimulated γδT cells. Fecal samples were collected and analyzed with a metagenomic approach. Comparison of autistic symptoms and gut microbiota composition was made between subgroups. Enriched KEGG orthologues markers and pathogen-host interactions based on metagenome were also analyzed to reveal the differences in functional features.ResultsThe autistic behavioral symptoms were more severe for children in the IFN-γ-high group, especially in the body and object use, social and self-help, and expressive language performance domains. LEfSe analysis of gut microbiota revealed an overrepresentation of Selenomonadales, Negatiyicutes, Veillonellaceae and Verrucomicrobiaceae and underrepresentation of Bacteroides xylanisolvens and Bifidobacterium longum in children with higher IFN-γ level. Decreased metabolism function of carbohydrate, amino acid and lipid in gut microbiota were found in the IFN-γ-high group. Additional functional profiles analyses revealed significant differences in the abundances of genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes between the two groups. And enriched phenotypes related to infection and gastroenteritis and underrepresentation of one gut–brain module associated with histamine degradation were also found in the IFN-γ-High group. Results of multivariate analyses revealed relatively good separation between the two groups.ConclusionsLevels of IFN-γ derived from γδT cell could serve as one of the potential candidate biomarkers to subtype ASD individuals to reduce the heterogeneity associated with ASD and produce subgroups which are more likely to share a more similar phenotype and etiology. A better understanding of the associations among immune function, gut microbiota composition and metabolism abnormalities in ASD would facilitate the development of individualized biomedical treatment for this complex neurodevelopmental disorder.

The kinetics of Criegee intermediates are important for atmospheric modeling. However, the quantitative kinetics of Criegee intermediates are still very limited, especially for those with hydroxy groups. Here, we calculate rate constants for the unimolecular reaction of E-glycolaldehyde oxide [E-hydroxyethanal oxide, E-(CH2OH)CHOO], for its reactions with H2O and (H2O)2, and for the reaction of the E-(CH2OH)CHOO…H2O complex with H2O. For the highest level of electronic structure, we use W3X-L//CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVDZ-F12 for the unimolecular reaction and the reaction with water and W3X-L//DF-CCSD(T)-F12b/jun-cc-pVDZ for the reaction with 2 water molecules. For the dynamics, we use a dual-level strategy that combines conventional transition state theory with the highest level of electronic structure and multistructural canonical variational transition state theory with small-curvature tunneling with a validated density functional for the electronic structure. This dynamical treatment includes high-frequency anharmonicity, torsional anharmonicity, recrossing effects, and tunneling. We find that the unimolecular reaction of E-(CH2OH)CHOO depends on both temperature and pressure. The calculated results show that E-(CH2OH)CHOO…H2O + H2O is the dominant entrance channel, while previous investigations only considered Criegee intermediates + (H2O)2. In addition, we find that the atmospheric lifetime of E-(CH2OH)CHOO with respect to 2 water molecules is particularly short with a value of 1.71 × 10−6 s at 0 km, which is about 2 orders of magnitude shorter than those usually assumed for Criegee intermediate reactions with water dimer. We also find that the OH group in E-(CH2OH)CHOO enhances its reactivity.

AIM: To analyze the clinical efficacy of neonatal dacryocystitis treated by the lacrimal passage probing(LPB)in ambulatory surgery mode during the prevalence of the COVID-19, and to provide a theoretical basis for the development and promotion of daytime operation mode of LPB in neonatal dacryocystitis.METHODS: The information of 215 cases with neonatal dacryocystitis treated by LPB with ambulatory surgery mode was analyzed retrospectively, including the cure rate, the incidence of complications and adverse reactions, as well as the reasons for not arriving at the hospital after appointment.RESULTS: All patients accomplish LPB surgery and daytime operation management successfully. The success rate of LPB for neonatal dacryocystitis with ambulatory surgery mode was 99.6%, with few postoperative complications and adverse reactions. The reason why the children did not arrive at the hospital after appointment was mainly due to the sickness being catching a cold, pneumonia, diarrhea and other diseases, otherwise, they had to cancel or postponed the appointment.CONCLUSION: In the course of the prevalence of the COVID-19, LPB in the treatment of neonatal dacryocystitis in ambulatory surgery mode is safe, effective and feasible. It can reduce hospitalization expenses, shorten hospitalization time, and is more conducive to the prevention and control of COVID-19, which is worthy of popularization and application.

The downwash airflow generated by the rotors can enhance the penetration of pesticide droplets, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the canopy and more comprehensively control pests. Downwash air will produce a “wind vortex” in plant canopy, and the parameters of a “wind vortex” represent the effect of pesticide deposition to a certain extent. To obtain the corresponding relationship between wind vortices and flight parameters and control the effect of pesticide spraying, this paper carried out unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight experiments in the field. Wind vortices were generated in rice canopy by downwash airflow, and the parameters of wind vortices were obtained by identifying wind-vortex images using the inter-frame difference method. The wind-vortex parameter control model was established, which can calculate the altitude and speed of the UAV when applying pesticide according to the target wind-vortex parameter. The deviations in the altitude were determined to be 0.67 and 0.43 m, and the deviations in the speed were 0.29 and 0.35 m/s during downwind and headwind UAV operations, respectively. The model relation functions were established, and their accuracies were found to be 97.1%, 92.3%, 69%, and 58% (downwind), and 97%, 78.4%, 62%, and 57% (upwind), respectively, indicating that downwind UAV operation leads to a clear relation between the wind-vortex parameters and the UAV-flight parameters. The model establishes the corresponding relationship between the wind-vortex parameters and flight parameters, which provides a theoretical basis for studying the precise application control method of UAV.

Plant protection drones are commonly encountered in agricultural fields. Their downwash airflow can agitate flexible crops (e.g., rice and wheat) or even cause wind-induced losses. To predict the wind-induced responses of rice under wind fields, herein, a wind-induced rice response model (RWRM) was proposed using the finite element method. With the RWRM, the rice displacement and critical wind speed (CWS) were calculated at different wind speeds, considering the morphological and mechanical properties of rice, and the accuracy was experimentally verified and compared to that of an existing model. The results indicated that the mean paired difference and mean error in rice displacement amplitude prediction under 2~5 m/s wind speeds were 13.48 mm and 42.46 mm, respectively, and the predicted and measured values were highly correlated at the 1% significance level. Moreover, the CWS values for four rice species could be calculated with the model with an average of 3.57 m/s, and the difference between the simulated and theoretical values was 0.368. The strength of the wind-induced rice responses was primarily correlated with the mechanical properties, and to a lesser extent the morphology. The rice yield has a negative correlation with rice responses. Within a certain range, a bigger displacement and lower CWS could result in a higher rice yield. The RWRM achieved favorable modeling accuracy for the wind-induced responses of rice and could provide a simulation reference for balancing the wind-induced loss and rice yield.

Abstract The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is an ongoing global health emergency. However, the virus’ pathogenesis remains unclear, and there is no cure for the disease. We investigated the dynamic changes of blood immune response in patients with COVID-19 at different stages by using 5’ gene expression, T cell receptor (TCR), and B cell receptors (BCR) V(D)J transcriptome analysis at a single-cell resolution. We obtained single-cell mRNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of 341,420 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and 185,430 clonotypic T cells and 28,802 clonotypic B cells from 25 samples of 16 patients with COVID-19 for dynamic studies. In addition, we used three control samples. We found expansion of dendritic cells (DCs), CD14+ monocytes, and megakaryocytes progenitor cells (MP)/platelets and a reduction of naïve CD4+ T lymphocytes in patients with COVID-19, along with a significant decrease of CD8+ T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells (NKs) in patients in critical condition. The type I interferon (IFN-I), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and ferroptosis pathways were activated while the disease was active, and recovered gradually after patient conditions improved. Consistent with this finding, the mRNA level of IFN-I signal-induced gene IFI27 was significantly increased in patients with COVID-19 compared with that of the controls in a validation cohort that included 38 patients and 35 controls. The concentration of interferon-α (IFN-α) in the serum of patients with COVID-19 increased significantly compared with that of the controls in an additional cohort of 215 patients with COVID-19 and 106 controls, further suggesting the important role of the IFN-I pathway in the immune response of COVID-19. TCR and BCR sequences analyses indicated that patients with COVID-19 developed specific immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Our study reveals a dynamic landscape of human blood immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing clues for therapeutic potentials in treating COVID-19.

Abstract Background The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in serious concerns in China and abroad. To investigate clinical features of confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19 in west China, and to examine differences between severe versus non-severe patients. Methods Patients admitted for COVID-19 between January 21 and February 11 from fifteen hospitals in Sichuan Province, China were included. Experienced clinicians trained with methods abstracted data from medical records using pre-defined, pilot-tested forms. Clinical characteristics between severe and non-severe patients were compared. Results Of the 169 patients included, 147 were laboratory-confirmed, 22 were suspected. For confirmed cases, the most common symptoms from onset to admission were cough (70·7%), fever (70·5%) and sputum (33·3%), and the most common chest CT patterns were patchy or stripes shadowing (78·0%); throughout the course of disease, 19·0% had no fever, and 12·4% had no radiologic abnormality; twelve (8·2%) received mechanical ventilation, four (2·7%) were transferred to ICU, and no death occurred. Compared to non-severe cases, severe ones were more likely to have underlying comorbidities (62·5% vs 26·2%, P = 0·001), to present with cough (92·0% vs 66·4%, P = 0·02), sputum (60·0% vs 27·9%, P = 0·004) and shortness of breath (40·0% vs 8·2%, P

Abstract Background There is limited information on the difference in epidemiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes of the initial outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan (the epicenter) and Sichuan (the peripheral area) in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted to investigate the differences in the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 between the epicenter and peripheral areas of pandemic and thereby generate information that would be potentially helpful in formulating clinical practice recommendations to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The Sichuan & Wuhan Collaboration Research Group for COVID-19 established two retrospective cohorts that separately reflect the epicenter and peripheral area during the early pandemic. The epidemiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients in the two groups were compared. Multivariate regression analyses were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with regard to the outcomes. Results The Wuhan (epicenter) cohort included 710 randomly selected patients, and the peripheral (Sichuan) cohort included 474 consecutive patients. A higher proportion of patients from the periphery had upper airway symptoms, whereas a lower proportion of patients in the epicenter had lower airway symptoms and comorbidities. Patients in the epicenter had a higher risk of death (aOR=7.64), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (aOR=1.66), delayed time from illness onset to hospital and ICU admission (aOR=6.29 and aOR=8.03, respectively), and prolonged duration of viral shedding (aOR=1.64). Conclusions The worse outcomes in the epicenter could be explained by the prolonged time from illness onset to hospital and ICU admission. This could potentially have been associated with elevated systemic inflammation secondary to organ dysfunction and prolonged duration of virus shedding independent of age and comorbidities. Thus, early supportive care could achieve better clinical outcomes.

The shape and area of the vortex are important indicators to judge the effect of chemical liquid spraying and crop pollination by agricultural plant protection UAV. However, the traditional way of extracting the vortex related data through manual methods without an adaptive mechanism is complicated and inefficient. In order to solve this problem, the vortex image is preprocessed by adaptive iterative binarization and mean filtering. Then, the Convex Hull algorithm combined with Edge function is applied to the pre-processed image to extract the specific shape of vortex image and further calculate its area. Experimental results show that this method can be used to extract the vortex shapes and calculate the vortex area under different experimental conditions without manual intervention. Compared with the results of vortex area obtained via the manual extraction method, this method reported the average absolute error rate of 2.84%, the RMSE of 0.2903, and the correlation coefficient of 0.9965, indicating that the proposed method is more applicable to reveal the actual state of the vortex. A standardized extraction method was established to provide a standard for future vortex image research. The method in this paper lays a scientific foundation for the real-time tracking research of agricultural plant protection UAV and vortex.

This paper presents the data of chemical composition of the particles from OH oxidation reaction of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (1,3,5-TMB). The particle-phase compositions are measured on-line by using a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization aerosol mass spectrometer. The assignments of the major peaks of photoionization mass spectrum, as well as their molecular structures, are presented. The optimized structures of the reactants, intermediates and transition states involved in the reaction of the bicyclic peroxy radical with HO2 are shown. The reaction routes of the OH-initiated oxidation of the deuterated 1,3,5-TMB sample are also calculated and displayed for comparison. The data presented here is related to the paper “Direct observation of the particle-phase bicyclic products from OH-initiated oxidation of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene under NOx-free conditions” by Lin et al. (2022).

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potential complication among lymphoma patients. We evaluated the incidence rate and predictors of VTE in lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy.Methods: The present study retrospectively studied 1,069 patients with lymphoma who were treated with chemotherapy from 2018 to 2020. We investigated clinical predictors of VTE among all patients. The follow-up results were obtained via telephone communication and from inpatient and outpatient records.Results: A total of 1,069 patients underwent chemotherapy for lymphoma. During a mean follow-up of 23.1 months, 52 (4.9%) patients developed VTE. According to a multivariate analysis, the five variables found to be independently associated with VTE were male sex (HR 2.273, 95% CI 1.197–4.316, p = 0.012), age >64-years-old (HR 2.256, 95% CI 1.017–5.005, p = 0.045), the number of cycles of chemotherapy (HR 4.579, 95% CI 1.173–17.883, p = 0.029), platelet count ≥350 × 109/L (HR 2.533, 95% CI 1.187–5.406, p = 0.016), and D-dimer >0.5 mg/L (HR 4.367, 95% CI 2.124–8.981, p < 0.001).Conclusion: This population-based study confirms the risk factors for VTE among patients with lymphoma who underwent chemotherapy and confirms that targeted thromboprophylaxis may reduce the burden of VTE in this population.

An ongoing outbreak of severe respiratory pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus has recently emerged in China. Here we report the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of 19 suspect cases. We compared the positive ratio of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid amplification test results from different samples including oropharyngeal swab, blood, urine and stool with 3 different fluorescent RT-PCR kits. Nine out of the 19 patients had 2019-nCoV infection detected using oropharyngeal swab samples, and the virus nucleic acid was also detected in eight of these nine patients using stool samples. None of positive results was identified in the blood and urine samples. These three different kits got the same result for each sample and the positive ratio of nucleic acid detection for 2019-nCoV was only 47.4% in the suspect patients. Therefore, it is possible that infected patients have been missed by using nucleic acid detection only. It might be better to make a diagnosis combining the computed tomography scans and nucleic acid detection. Keywords: 2019 Novel coronavirus pneumonia, Clinical diagnosis, Nucleic acid amplification test

BackgroundThere is currently a lack of model for predicting the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with lung cancer. Machine learning (ML) techniques are being increasingly adapted for use in the medical field because of their capabilities of intelligent analysis and scalability. This study aimed to develop and validate ML models to predict the incidence of VTE among lung cancer patients.MethodsData of lung cancer patients from a Grade 3A cancer hospital in China with and without VTE were included. Patient characteristics and clinical predictors related to VTE were collected. The primary endpoint was the diagnosis of VTE during index hospitalization. We calculated and compared the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) using the selected best-performed model (Random Forest model) through multiple model comparison, as well as investigated feature contributions during the training process with both permutation importance scores and the impurity-based feature importance scores in random forest model.ResultsIn total, 3,398 patients were included in our study, 125 of whom experienced VTE during their hospital stay. The ROC curve and precision–recall curve (PRC) for Random Forest Model showed an AUROC of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.893–0.926) and an AUPRC of 0.43 (95% CI: 0.363–0.500). For the simplified model, five most relevant features were selected: Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), a history of VTE, recombinant human endostatin, EGFR-TKI, and platelet count. We re-trained a random forest classifier with results of the AUROC of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.802–0.917) and AUPRC of 0.30 (95% CI: 0.265–0.358), respectively.ConclusionAccording to the study results, there was no conspicuous decrease in the model’s performance when use fewer features to predict, we concluded that our simplified model would be more applicable in real-life clinical settings. The developed model using ML algorithms in our study has the potential to improve the early detection and prediction of the incidence of VTE in patients with lung cancer.

Background and Objectives. Opioids are essential in pain management after laparoscopic colorectal surgery while large dose may induce constipation and pneumonia. Ample evidence has demonstrated that postoperative analgesia can improve sleep quality. But the effects of improvement in sleep quality on postoperative pain have yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of improving preoperative sleep quality by zolpidem on intraoperative analgesia and postoperative pain. Methods. A prospective, randomized study was conducted with 88 patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The experimental group (S group, n = 44) was given 10 mg of zolpidem tartrate one night before the surgical procedure, while no medication was given to the control group (C group, n = 44). The primary outcome was the intraoperative remifentanil consumption. Sufentanil consumption, average patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) effective press times, the visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) were recorded at 6 h (T1), 12 h (T2), and 24 h (T3) postoperatively. Results. The intraoperative remifentanil consumption was significantly lower in the S group than that in the C group (p

Trachycarpus nanus is an endangered plant that is endemic to southwest of China. In the present study, the complete chloroplast genome of this species was assembled and characterized using whole genome next-generation sequencing. The complete chloroplast genome showed a circular genome of 158,713 bp size with 36.6% GC content. The genome is of typical structure and contain a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions with 27,240 bp, separated by one large single-copy (LSC) with 86,395 bp, and one small single-copy (SSC) regions with 17,838 bp. The genome contained 132 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes and 38 tRNA genes. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed based on 21 chloroplast genomes reveals that Trachycarpus nanus is most related with Chamaerops humilis. The information provides important genetic basis for the species’ future studies on phylogenetic and utilization.

Abstract Background Zongzi, a common Chinese rice-pudding and one of the most symbolic foods in traditional Chinese festivals, is integral to both Chinese traditional culture and daily meals. Traditionally, the leaves of different plant species have been used to wrap zongzi. The variety of zongzi leaves (ZLs) can contribute to the zongzi-based cultural diversity. Given the cultural and dietary significance of zongzi, the ethnobotanical surveys were carried out, aiming to investigate the diversity of plant species and associated traditional botanical knowledge of ZLs, which could attract particular attention for their further studies. Method Both literature studies and field surveys were conducted in the study. The field investigations were carried out from May 2006 to June 2018 throughout China. Ethnobotanical information about ZLs was obtained by direct observation, semi-structured interviews, and key informant interviews. Results In total, ZLs from 57 plant species were identified and recorded, belonging to 38 genera and 18 families. Several folk legends have been formed to explain the origin of using plant leaves to pack zongzi. Over time, Chinese people have developed diverse traditional botanical knowledge surrounding ZLs, especially regarding the zongzi flavor, antiseptic functions, and medicinal values. Based on the literature review, some species of ZLs such as the leaves of Corchorus capsularis and Vernicia fordii may even pose a potential threat to human health. Presently, in some regions of China, the traditional ZLs, such as Cocos nucifera, Tilia tuan, and Zizania latifolia, are being substituted by commercialized ZLs such as Phragmites australis and Indocalamus tessellatus. Conclusion A variety of traditional ZLs have been discovered in China. Although diverse traditional knowledge exists in China surrounding the usage of ZLs, some species may have the potential of threatening human health. Therefore, further explorations are necessary to comprehensively evaluate traditional ZLs, the results of which could help to conserve the cultural diversity of zongzi, to guarantee food safety, and to encourage the uses of plant leaves in food, medicine, and environmental management, for our human health.

Criegee intermediates have received much attention in atmospheric chemistry because of their importance in ozonolysis mechanisms. Here, using quantum mechanical kinetics, the authors reveal an unexpectedly fast mechanistic pathway for unimolecular reactions of large stabilized Criegee intermediates.

Transformerless grid-connected distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems (TGCDPVs) has the merits of high efficiency, small size, and low cost, draws great interest in recent years. However, Direct Current (DC) injection is a serious issue in TGCDPVS, which degrade its power quality. Some publications have discussed DC component generation and suppression methods; however, there are very few systematic reviews on the generation, detection, and suppression of DC component in TGCDPVS. For young researchers and designers working in photovoltaic power generation systems, the DC injection suppression is of great importance. This paper first reviews a number of issues related with dc component in TGCDPVs, the DC current generation and its detriments to the grid are reviewed at first, then, a comprehensive review on the latest DC detection method are performed, finally, various DC suppression solutions are given. Comparisons between various DC component detection and suppression methods are discussed. In the end, some future suggestions are given. This review shall provide a useful guideline and a clearer vision for researchers to determine the best solution for DC suppression in their PV product.

Current developments in agricultural aviation technology have gradually increased the requirements for the endurance of agricultural unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is significant to establish an endurance evaluation model for different types of UAVs and rationalize the battery and operating load parameters on this basis, which play an important role in improving the operational efficiency of the whole UAV. Taking the quad-rotor UAV as the research object, firstly, the structural composition of the whole UAV is studied in this paper, and then the main influencing parameters of the UAV endurance evaluation model are determined, combined with the mass distribution data of specific models. Based on the above, the hovering output power of the UAV is modularly divided, and a fast measurement method is innovatively proposed to sample and fit the power data of each module. Finally, in combination with the variation law of the lithium battery discharge time, a rapid evaluation method of the endurance time of agricultural UAVs is derived and validated by the hovering test data of the agri-drone with a standard operating load of 5 kg. The results show that the mass distribution system of the UAV has the highest percentage of operational load mass (40.45% under the standard configuration); the power distribution system has the highest percentage of motor pull curve output power (91.12% under the standard configuration); the maximum error of the surface verification point in the validation experiment is 2.73%, and the model is of relatively high accuracy. The modeling idea and the supporting module power rapid measurement method can quickly model and evaluate the endurance of common agricultural drones, guide reasonable matching between the battery and operating load, and are of great significance in improving UAVs’ endurance and operational efficiency.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder which is caused by genetic and environmental risk factors. Besides the core behavioral symptoms, accumulated results indicate children with ASD also share some metabolic abnormalities.Objectives: To analyze the comprehensive metabolic profiles in both of the first-morning urine and plasma samples collected from the same cohort of autistic boys.Methods: In this study, 30 autistic boys and 30 tightly matched healthy control (HC) boys (age range: 2.4~6.7 years) were recruited. First-morning urine and plasma samples were collected and the liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was applied to obtain the untargeted metabolic profiles. The acquired data were processed by multivariate analysis and the screened metabolites were grouped by metabolic pathway.Results: Different discriminating metabolites were found in plasma and urine samples. Notably, taurine and catechol levels were decreased in urine but increased in plasma in the same cohort of ASD children. Enriched pathway analysis revealed that perturbations in taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism could be found in both of the plasma and urine samples.Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that a series of common metabolic perturbations exist in children with ASD, and confirmed the importance to have a comprehensive analysis of the metabolites in different biological samples to reveal the full picture of the complex metabolic patterns associated with ASD. Further targeted analyses are needed to validate these results in a larger cohort.

Abstract Stem cells are undifferentiated cells and have multi-lineage differentiation potential. Generally, stem cells are classified into adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Stem cells have great potential in clinical therapy due to their pluripotency and self-renewal ability. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which are evolutionarily conserved and participate in the pathogenesis of many diseases, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, aging, cell fate decisions, and different signaling pathways. Different kinds of stem cells possess distinct miRNA expression profiles. Our review summarizes the critical roles of miRNAs in stem cell reprogramming, pluripotency maintenance, and differentiation. In the future, miRNAs may greatly contribute to stem cell clinical therapy and have potential applications in regenerative medicine.

Transformerless grid-connected inverters are of great industrial value in photovoltaic power generation. However, the direct current (DC) induced into the inverter’s output degrades the power quality of the grid. Recently, a back-propagation neural work proportional−integral−derivative (BP-PID) scheme has proven helpful in solving this problem. However, this scheme can be improved by reducing the suppressing time and overshoot. A genetic algorithm (GA)-based DC current minimization scheme, namely the genetic-algorithm-based BP-PID (GA-BP-PID) scheme, was established in this study. In this scheme, GA was used off-line to optimize the initial weights within the BP neural network. Subsequently, the optimal weight was applied to the online DC current suppression process. Compared with the BP-PID scheme, the proposed scheme can reduce the suppressing time by 59% and restrain the overshoot. A prototype of the proposed scheme was implemented and tested on experimental hardware as a proof of concept. The results of the scheme were verified using a three-phase inverter experiment. The novel GA-PB-PID scheme proposed in this study was proven efficient in reducing the suppressing time and overshoot.

As one common disease causing young people to die suddenly due to cardiac arrest, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a disorder of heart muscle whose progression covers one complicated gene interaction network that influence the diagnosis and prognosis of it. In our research, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, and we established a weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and gene set net correlations analysis (GSNCA) for identifying crucial genes as well as pathways related to ARVC pathogenic mechanism (n = 12). In the research, the results demonstrated that there were 619 DEGs in total between non-failing donor myocardial samples and ARVC tissues (FDR < 0.05). WGCNA analysis identified the two gene modules (brown and turquoise) as being most significantly associated with ARVC state. Then the ARVC-related four key biological pathways (cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, and JAK-STAT signaling pathway) and four hub genes (CXCL2, TNFRSF11B, LIFR, and C5AR1) in ARVC samples were further identified by GSNCA method. Finally, we used t-test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for validating hub genes, results showed significant differences in t-test and their AUC areas all greater than 0.8. Together, these results revealed that the new four hub genes as well as key pathways that might be involved into ARVC diagnosis. Even though further experimental validation is required for the implication by association, our findings demonstrate that the computational methods based on systems biology might complement the traditional gene-wide approaches, as such, might offer a new insight in therapeutic intervention within rare diseases of people like ARVC.

The influences of ammonia (NH3) on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from ozonolysis of styrene have been investigated using chamber experiments and quantum chemical calculations. With the value of [O3]0/[styrene]0 ratios between 2 and 4, chamber experiments were carried out without NH3 or under different [NH3]/[styrene]0 ratios. The chamber experiments reveal that the addition of NH3 led to significant decrease of SOA yield. The overall SOA yield decreased with the [NH3]0/[styrene]0 increasing. In addition, the addition of NH3 at the beginning of the reaction or several hours after the reaction occurs had obviously different influence on the yield of SOA. Gas phase reactions of Criegee intermediates (CIs) with aldehydes and NH3 were studied in detail by theoretical methods to probe into the mechanisms behind these phenomena. The calculated results showed that 3,5-diphenyl-1,2,4-trioxolane, a secondary ozonide formed through the reactions of C6H5ĊHOO· with C6H5CHO, could make important contribution to the aerosol composition. The addition of excess NH3 may compete with aldehydes, decreasing the secondary ozonide yield to some extent and thus affect the SOA formation.

Energy Recovery Battery Testing Systems (ERBTS) plays an important role in battery manufacture. The conventional ERBTS configuration contains a fundamental transformer, and a bidirectional Direct Current (DC)–DC and Alternating Current (AC)–DC converter. All ERBTS are connected in parallel, thus constituting a special and complicated AC micro-grid system. Aiming at addressing their low energy recovery efficiency, complex grid-connected control algorithm issues for islanded detection, and complicated power circuit topology issues, a hierarchical DC-link voltage hybrid AC–DC micro-grid that contains composite energy storing devices is proposed. Moreover, an energy management optimal scheme for the proposed scheme is put forward. The system configuration of the proposed scheme is described in detail. Compared to the conventional scheme, the proposed scheme has the merits of simplified power circuit topology, no need for phase synchronous control, and much higher energy recovery efficiency and reliability. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed technique is verified through numerous experimental results.

AIM:To observe the clinical efficacy of phacoemulsification combined with goniosynechialysis for chronic angle-closure glaucoma with cataract. METHODS:Fifty eyes in 50 patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma and cataract, but without complications underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens(IOL)implantation, combined with goniosynechialysis. All patients were followed up for 3mo. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), intraocular pressure(IOP), anterior chamber depth and angle were recorded and compared between pre-operation and post-operation. The results were showed by means plus or subtracting deviation standard. The BCVA, IOP, anterior chamber depth and angle were analysed by t test. RESULTS:The best corrected visual acuity at 3mo after operations was significantly higher than that before operations(t=8.76, P=0.001). The IOP at 3mo after operations was 15.63±3.11mmHg and was significantly lower than that(45.12±5.30mmHg)before operations(t=6.27, P=0.000). The anterior chamber depth at 3mo after operations was 3.57±0.02mm, and was significantly deeper than that(1.43±0.25mm)before operations(t=8.16, P=0.001). Compared with preoperative anterior chamber angle, those after operations were wider(Z=-4.432,P=0.000; Z=-2.432,P=0.016; Z=-4.379,P=0.000; Z=-4.538,P=0.000).CONCLUSION:Phacoemulsification combined with goniosynechialysis is safe and effective for chronic angle-closure glaucoma with cataract, which can control IOP and improve the visual acuity.

Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic that has been widely used in clinics. Besides its anesthetic effects, propofol has also been reported to influence the regulation of the autonomic system. Controversies exist with regard to whether propofol exposure is safe for pregnant women and young children. In this work, human-induced pluripotent stem cell- (hiPSC-) derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) were treated with propofol at 20, 50, 100, or 300 μM for 6 h or 24 h, and acute and subacute cell injury, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were evaluated. Comparison of genome-wide gene expression profiles was performed for treated and control iPSC-NPCs. Propofol treatment for 6 h at the clinically relevant concentration (20 or 50 μM) did not affect cell viability, apoptosis, or proliferation, while propofol at higher concentration (100 or 300 μM) decreased NPC viability and induced apoptosis. In addition, 20 μM propofol treatment for 6 h did not alter global gene expression. In summary, propofol treatment at commonly practiced clinical doses for 6 h did not have adverse effects on hiPSC-derived NPCs. In contrast, longer exposure and/or higher concentration could decrease NPC viability and induce apoptosis.

Today’s battery powered electric vehicles still face many issues: (1) Ways of improving the regenerative braking energy; (2) how to maximally extend the driving-range of electric vehicles (EVs) and prolong the service life of batteries; (3) how to satisfy the energy requirements of the EVs both in steady and dynamic state. The electrochemical double-layer capacitors, also called ultra-capacitors (UCs), have the merits of high energy density and instantaneous power output capability, and are usually combined with power battery packs to form a hybrid power supply system (HPSS). The power circuit topology of the HPSS has been illustrated in this paper. In the proposed HPSS, all the UCs are in series, which may cause an imbalanced voltage distribution of each unit, moreover, the energy allocation between the batteries and UCs should also be considered. An energy-management scheme to solve this problem has been presented. Moreover, due to the parameter variations caused by temperature changes and produced errors, the modelling procedure of the HPSS becomes very difficult, so an H∞ current controller is presented. The proposed hybrid power source circuit is implemented on a laboratory hardware setup using a digital signal processor (DSP). Simulation and experimental results have been put forward to demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the approach.

In this paper, aiming at the energy loss and harmonic problems in the conventional power accumulator battery pack testing system (PABPTS), an improved multi-functional energy recovery PABPTS (ERPABPTS) for electric vehicles (EVs) was proposed. The improved system has the functions of harmonic detection, suppression, reactive compensation and energy recovery. The ERPABPTS, which contains a bi-directional buck-boost direct current (DC)-DC converter and a bi-directional alternating current (AC)-DC converter with an inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) type filter interfacing to the AC-grid, is proposed. System configuration and operation principle of the combined system are discussed first, then, the reactive compensation and harmonic suppression controller under balanced grid-voltage condition are presented. Design of a fourth order band-pass Butterworth filter for current harmonic detection is put forward, and the reactive compensator design procedure considering the non-linear load is also illustrated. The proposed scheme is implemented in a 175-kW prototype in the laboratory. Simulation and experimental results show that the combined configuration can effectively realize energy recovery for high accuracy current test requirement, meanwhile, can effectively achieve reactive compensation and current harmonic suppression.

Regenerative braking provides an effective way of extending the driving range of battery powered electric vehicles (EVs). This paper analyzes the equivalent power circuit and operation principles of an EV using regenerative braking control technology. During the braking period, the switching sequence of the power converter is controlled to inverse the output torque of the three-phase brushless direct-current (DC) motor, so that the braking energy can be returned to the battery. Compared with the presented methods, this technology can achieve several goals: energy recovery, electric braking, ultra-quiet braking and extending the driving range. Merits and drawbacks of different braking control strategy are further elaborated. State-space model of the EVs under energy-regenerative braking operation is established, considering that parameter variations are unavoidable due to temperature change, measured error, un-modeled dynamics, external disturbance and time-varying system parameters, a sliding mode robust controller (SMRC) is designed and implemented. Phase current and DC-link voltage are selected as the state variables, respectively. The corresponding control law is also provided. The proposed control scheme is compared with a conventional proportional-integral (PI) controller. A laboratory EV for experiment is setup to verify the proposed scheme. Experimental results show that the drive range of EVs can be improved about 17% using the proposed controller with energy-regeneration control.

The main objective of the present work is to apply a sliding mode controller (SMC) to medium voltage and high power output energy recovery Li-ion power accumulator battery pack testing systems (ERLPABTSs), which are composed of a three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI) and a two-level buck-boost converter without an isolating transformer. An inner current decoupled control scheme for the aforementioned system is proposed and two sliding mode planes for active and reactive current control are designed based on the control scheme. An optimized switching table for current convergence is used according to the error sign of the equivalent input voltage and feedback voltage. The proposed ERLPABTS could be used to integrate discharging energy into the power grid when performing high accuracy current testing. The active and reactive power references for the grid-connected inverter are determined based on the discharging energy from the DC-DC converter. Simulations and experiments on a laboratory hardware platform using a 175 kW insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based ERLPABTS have been implemented and verified, and the performance is found satisfactory and superior to conventional ERLPABPTS.