Search

The modern power system has evolved into a cyber-physical system with deep coupling of physical and information domains, which brings new security risks. Aiming at the problem that the “information-physical” cross-domain attacks with key nodes as springboards seriously threaten the safe and stable operation of power grids, a risk propagation model considering key nodes of power communication coupling networks is proposed to study the risk propagation characteristics of malicious attacks on key nodes and the impact on the system. First, combined with the complex network theory, a topological model of the power communication coupling network is established, and the key nodes of the coupling network are screened out by Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method under the comprehensive evaluation index based on topological characteristics and physical characteristics. Second, a risk propagation model is established for malicious attacks on key nodes to study its propagation characteristics and analyze the state changes of each node in the coupled network. Then, two loss-causing factors: the minimum load loss ratio and transmission delay factor are constructed to quantify the impact of risk propagation on the coupled network. Finally, simulation analysis based on the IEEE 39-node system shows that the probability of node being breached (α) and the security tolerance of the system (β) are the key factors affecting the risk propagation characteristics of the coupled network, as well as the criticality of the node is positively correlated with the damage-causing factor. The proposed methodological model can provide an effective exploration of the diffusion of security risks in control systems on a macro level.

Abstract Background Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is one of the most important economic crops in oilseed production worldwide. The different cultivars exhibit variability in their resistance genes. The NAC transcription factor (TF) family plays diverse roles in plant development and stress responses. With the completion of the H. annuus genome sequence, the entire complement of genes coding for NACs has been identified. However, the reference genome of a single individual cannot cover all the genetic information of the species. Results Considering only a single reference genome to study gene families will miss many meaningful genes. A pangenome-wide survey and characterization of the NAC genes in sunflower species were conducted. In total, 139 HaNAC genes are identified, of which 114 are core and 25 are variable. Phylogenetic analysis of sunflower NAC proteins categorizes these proteins into 16 subgroups. 138 HaNACs are randomly distributed on 17 chromosomes. SNP-based haplotype analysis shows haplotype diversity of the HaNAC genes in wild accessions is richer than in landraces and modern cultivars. Ten HaNAC genes in the basal stalk rot (BSR) resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) are found. A total of 26 HaNAC genes are differentially expressed in response to Sclerotinia head rot (SHR). A total of 137 HaNAC genes are annotated in Gene Ontology (GO) and are classified into 24 functional groups. GO functional enrichment analysis reveals that HaNAC genes are involved in various functions of the biological process. Conclusions We identified NAC genes in H. annuus (HaNAC) on a pangenome-wide scale and analyzed S. sclerotiorum resistance-related NACs. This study provided a theoretical basis for further genomic improvement targeting resistance-related NAC genes in sunflowers.

Abstract The Amur tiger is currently confronted with challenges of anthropogenic development, leading to its population becoming fragmented into two geographically isolated groups: smaller and larger ones. Small and isolated populations frequently face a greater extinction risk, yet the small tiger population’s genetic status and survival potential have not been assessed. Here, a total of 210 samples of suspected Amur tiger feces were collected from this small population, and the genetic background and population survival potentials were assessed by using 14 microsatellite loci. Our results demonstrated that the mean number of alleles in all loci was 3.7 and expected heterozygosity was 0.6, indicating a comparatively lower level of population genetic diversity compared to previously reported studies on other subspecies. The genetic estimates of effective population size (Ne) and the Ne/N ratio were merely 7.6 and 0.152, respectively, representing lower values in comparison to the Amur tiger population in Sikhote-Alin (the larger group). However, multiple methods have indicated the possibility of genetic divergence within our isolated population under study. Meanwhile, the maximum kinship recorded was 0.441, and the mean inbreeding coefficient stood at 0.0868, both of which are higher than those observed in other endangered species, such as the African lion and the grey wolf. Additionally, we have identified a significant risk of future extinction if the lethal equivalents were to reach 6.26, which is higher than that of other large carnivores. Further, our simulation results indicated that an increase in the number of breeding females would enhance the prospects of this population. In summary, our findings provide a critical theoretical basis for further bailout strategies concerning Amur tigers.

The sunflower, an important oilseed crop and food source across the world, is susceptible to several pathogens, which cause severe losses in sunflower production. The utilization of genetic resistance is the most economical, effective measure to prevent infectious diseases. Based on the sunflower pangenome, in this study, we explored the variability of resistance gene analogs (RGAs) within the species. According to a comparative analysis of RGA candidates in the sunflower pangenome using the RGAugury pipeline, a total of 1344 RGAs were identified, comprising 1107 conserved, 199 varied, and 38 rare RGAs. We also identified RGAs associated with resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum) in sunflower at the quantitative trait locus (QTL). A total of 61 RGAs were found to be located at four quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Through a detailed expression analysis of RGAs in one susceptible and two tolerant sunflower inbred lines (ILs) across various time points post inoculation, we discovered that 348 RGAs exhibited differential expression in response to Sclerotinia head rot (SHR), with 17 of these differentially expressed RGAs being situated within the QTL regions. In addition, 15 RGA candidates had gene introgression. Our data provide a better understanding of RGAs, which facilitate genomics-based improvements in disease resistance in sunflower.

To study genetic diversity and population structure of Leptobotia elongata in China, nine populations in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (Lizhuang (LZ), Jiangnan (JN), Yalong (YL), Xuifeng (XF), Chengjiang (CJ), Xiqu (XQ), Chuxiong (CX), Shizhu (SZ), and Pingshan (PS)) were analogized base on D-Loop gene and nuclear gene. The results showed that 81 mutation sites and 64 haplotypes were detected in 246 D-Loop sequences, and the average haplotype diversity (Hd) and average nucleotide diversity (Pi) were 0.878 and 0.0029, respectively. For L. elongata population, the average number of Alleles per locus was 6.68, the average PIC of each locus was 0.818, the average Shannon index was 1.28, the average Ho was 0.798, and the average He was 0.844. Molecular analysis of variance (AMOVA) showed that Fst > 0.5, There were no individuals independently assigned to one group, and individuals at each sampling site showed similar patterns, with no significantly differentiated geographical groups in Structure analysis. These results can provide an important scientific basis for the protection of L. elongata and wild species with similar life histories.

ABSTRACT The cellular junctional architecture remodeling by Listeria adhesion protein-heat shock protein 60 (LAP-Hsp60) interaction for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) passage through the epithelial barrier is incompletely understood. Here, using the gerbil model, permissive to internalin (Inl) A/B-mediated pathways like in humans, we demonstrate that Lm crosses the intestinal villi at 48 h post-infection. In contrast, the single isogenic (lap− or ΔinlA) or double (lap−ΔinlA) mutant strains show significant defects. LAP promotes Lm translocation via endocytosis of cell-cell junctional complex in enterocytes that do not display luminal E-cadherin. In comparison, InlA facilitates Lm translocation at cells displaying apical E-cadherin during cell extrusion and mucus expulsion from goblet cells. LAP hijacks caveolar endocytosis to traffic integral junctional proteins to the early and recycling endosomes. Pharmacological inhibition in a cell line and genetic knockout of caveolin-1 in mice prevents LAP-induced intestinal permeability, junctional endocytosis, and Lm translocation. Furthermore, LAP-Hsp60-dependent tight junction remodeling is also necessary for InlA access to E-cadherin for Lm intestinal barrier crossing in InlA-permissive hosts.IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a foodborne pathogen with high mortality (20%–30%) and hospitalization rates (94%), particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, fetuses, newborns, seniors, and immunocompromised individuals. Invasive listeriosis involves Lm’s internalin (InlA) protein binding to E-cadherin to breach the intestinal barrier. However, non-functional InlA variants have been identified in Lm isolates, suggesting InlA-independent pathways for translocation. Our study reveals that Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) and InlA cooperatively assist Lm entry into the gut lamina propria in a gerbil model, mimicking human listeriosis in early infection stages. LAP triggers caveolin-1-mediated endocytosis of critical junctional proteins, transporting them to early and recycling endosomes, facilitating Lm passage through enterocytes. Furthermore, LAP-Hsp60-mediated junctional protein endocytosis precedes InlA’s interaction with basolateral E-cadherin, emphasizing LAP and InlA’s cooperation in enhancing Lm intestinal translocation. This understanding is vital in combating the severe consequences of Lm infection, including sepsis, meningitis, encephalitis, and brain abscess.

Summary: Numerous interacting protein partners exist without recognized interactive domains, necessitating a standardized methodology to decipher more in-depth interaction profiles. Here, we present a protocol to reveal the binding partner of a secreted housekeeping enzyme, alcohol acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (Listeria adhesion protein), in Listeria monocytogenes through in silico modeling and in vivo experiments. We describe steps for target protein modeling, biophysical profiling, ClusPro docking optimization, protein variant modeling, and docking comparison. We then provide detailed procedures for in vitro and in vivo protein binding validation.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Liu et al.1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.

To ensure the safety and durability of concrete structures, timely detection and classification of concrete cracks using a low-cost and high-efficiency method is necessary. In this study, a concrete surface crack damage detection method based on the ResNet-18 residual network was developed. This method was implemented by training a model with images to extract the cracks, where the image processing algorithms and deep learning were combined. The results show that the computational accuracy can meet the requirements by utilizing the established image dataset and appropriate model hyperparameters. The trained model had high recognition accuracy when the 256 × 256 resolution images were adopted, and the worst accuracy of crack recognition in the test set was over 90%. The average accuracy in the test set was 91.3% when considering environmental interference generated by processing the images with a brightness adjustment, salt-and-pepper noise, and localized interference. Then, it was demonstrated that the present model possesses good robustness for crack identification in different environments. The average recognition accuracy when dealing with images of a real bridge, which are outside the training dataset, was 99.7%. The residual network model developed in this study has the advantages of low cost, high efficiency, and practicality compared to traditional detection methods. Compared to the existing deep learning methods, the model created in this study requires less computational resources and storage space, and shows a faster training speed and higher accuracy.

An advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system plays a key role in the smart grid (SG), but it is vulnerable to cyberattacks. Current detection methods for AMI cyberattacks mainly focus on the data center or a distributed independent node. On one hand, it is difficult to train an excellent detection intrusion model on a self-learning independent node. On the other hand, large amounts of data are shared over the network and uploaded to a central node for training. These processes may compromise data privacy, cause communication delay, and incur high communication costs. With these limitations, we propose an intrusion detection method for AMI system based on federated learning (FL). The intrusion detection system is deployed in the data concentrators for training, and only its model parameters are communicated to the data center. Furthermore, the data center distributes the learning to each data concentrator through aggregation and weight assignments for collaborative learning. An optimized deep neural network (DNN) is exploited for this proposed method, and extensive experiments based on the NSL-KDD dataset are carried out. From the results, this proposed method improves detection performance and reduces computation costs, communication delays, and communication overheads while guaranteeing data privacy.

MoVTeNbOx catalysts were prepared through a high-pressure hydrothermal method, in which the crystalline structure and properties of the catalysts were tuned by varying the system pressure (0-12.0 MPa). Results showed that the system pressure had a significant influence on the structure and catalytic performance of MoVTeNbOx. Under 3.0 MPa, MoVTeNbOx prepared possessed the highest content of M1 phase (90.6%) and V5+ content (60.7%), exhibiting a uniform short and thick needle-like morphology. Also, it showed excellent selectivity (79.1%) and yield (52.8%) to acrylic acid at the catalytic temperature of 380°C. However, under 4.4 and 11.6 MPa, the characteristic peaks of M1 shifted to a certain extent and the morphology changed from short and thick to slender. As a result, the V5+ content of M1 (001) plane decreased, resulting in a remarkable decline of the selectivity to acrylic acid. Moreover, DFT simulation results showed that the anti-bond orbital energy of V-O bond is the highest under 3.0 MPa, while further increase of pressure leads to obvious extrusion between atoms in the internal structure of MoVTeNbOx. Moreover, it was clear that the lower the anti-bond orbital energy of V-O bond, the lower the selectivity to acrylic acid.

This paper reports the first account about dynamic changes on genetic diversity and population structure of Leptobotia microphthalma in the Yangtze River drainage due to dam constructions. The genetic diversity and population structure of twelve populations of L. microphthalma collected in 2010 and 2020 were estimated using 12 nuclear microsatellite markers. Reduction of genetic diversity between 2010 and 2020 was not significant in a paired t-test (p > 0.05), but population structure of L. microphthalma had a tendency to change: the genetic differentiation (Fst) among the five populations collected in 2010 were all insignificant (p > 0.05). However, differentiation (Fst) among some populations collected in 2020 were significant (p < 0.05), which indicated the population structure of L. microphthalma was changing. Correlation analysis indicated that negative correlations between the genetic diversities and geographical elevations among populations were significant for seven populations collected in 2020 (r = -0.819, p = 0.039), which means that populations of L. microphthalma in high elevation regions were more vulnerable than those in low elevation regions. Finally, some suggestions for conservation and restoration are proposed, such as artificial propagation, to prevent the further reduction of genetic diversity and population resources.

Summary: Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) is a secreted acetaldehyde alcohol dehydrogenase (AdhE) that anchors to an unknown molecule on the Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) surface, which is critical for its intestinal epithelium crossing. In the present work, immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry identify internalin B (InlB) as the primary ligand of LAP (KD ∼ 42 nM). InlB-deleted and naturally InlB-deficient Lm strains show reduced LAP-InlB interaction and LAP-mediated pathology in the murine intestine and brain invasion. InlB-overexpressing non-pathogenic Listeria innocua also displays LAP-InlB interplay. In silico predictions reveal that a pocket region in the C-terminal domain of tetrameric LAP is the binding site for InlB. LAP variants containing mutations in negatively charged (E523S, E621S) amino acids in the C terminus confirm altered binding conformations and weaker affinity for InlB. InlB transforms the housekeeping enzyme, AdhE (LAP), into a moonlighting pathogenic factor by fastening on the cell surface.

To investigate the genetic effects on the population of Coreius guichenoti of dam constructions in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, we analyzed the genetic diversity and population structure of 12 populations collected in 2009 and 2019 using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control regions. There was no significant difference in genetic diversity between 2009 and 2019 (P > 0.05), but the population structure tended to become stronger. Genetic differentiation (FST) among five populations (LX, BB, YB, SF and JA) collected in 2009 was not significant (P > 0.05). However, some populations collected in 2019 were significantly differentiated (P < 0.05), indicating that the population structure has undergone change. A correlation analysis showed that the genetic diversity of the seven populations collected in 2019 was significantly negatively correlated with geographical height (r = −0.808, P = 0.028), indicating that the populations at high elevations were more vulnerable than those at low elevations. In order to prevent the further decrease of genetic diversity and population resources, some conservation and restoration suggestions, such as fish passage and artificial breeding, are put forward.

Although the certified power conversion efficiency of organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has reached 25.7%, their thermal and long-term stability is a major challenge due to volatile organic components. This problem has been a major obstacle to their large-scale commercialization. In the last few years, carbon-based all-inorganic perovskite solar cells (C−IPSCs) have exhibited high stability and low-cost advantages by adopting the all-inorganic component with cesium lead halide (CsPbI3−xBrx, x = 0 ~ 3) and eliminating the hole-transporting layer by using cheap carbon paste as the back electrode. So far, many astonishing developments have been achieved in the field of C−IPSCs. In particular, the unencapsulated CsPbBr3 C-IPSCs exhibit excellent stability over thousands of hours in an ambient environment. In addition, the power conversion efficiencies of CsPbI3 and CsPbI2Br C-IPSCs have exceeded 15%, which is close to that of commercial multicrystalline solar cells. Obtaining high-quality cesium lead halide-based perovskite films is the most important aspect in the preparation of high-performance C-IPSCs. In this review, the main challenges in the high-quality film fabrication process for high performance C-IPSCs are summarized and the film fabrication process strategies for CsPbBr3, CsPbIBr2, CsPbI2Br, and CsPbI3 are systematically discussed, respectively. In addition, the prospects for future film fabrication processes for C-IPSCs are proposed.

Abstract Environmental cues promote microbial biofilm formation and physiological and genetic heterogeneity. In food production facilities, biofilms produced by pathogens are a major source for food contamination; however, the pathogenesis of biofilm-isolated sessile cells is not well understood. We investigated the pathogenesis of sessile Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) using cell culture and mouse models. Lm sessile cells express reduced levels of the lap, inlA, hly, prfA, and sigB and show reduced adhesion, invasion, translocation, and cytotoxicity in the cell culture model than the planktonic cells. Oral challenge of C57BL/6 mice with food, clinical, or murinized-InlA (InlAm) strains reveals that at 12 and 24 h post-infection (hpi), Lm burdens are lower in tissues of mice infected with sessile cells than those infected with planktonic cells. However, these differences are negligible at 48 hpi. Besides, the expressions of inlA and lap mRNA in sessile Lm from intestinal content are about 6.0- and 280-fold higher than the sessle inoculum, respectively, suggesting sessile Lm can still upregulate virulence genes shortly after ingestion (12 h). Similarly, exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 3) and intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7) for 13 h shows equal reduction in sessile and planktonic cell counts, but induces LAP and InlA expression and pathogenic phenotypes. Our data show that the virulence of biofilm-isolated Lm is temporarily attenuated and can be upregulated in mice during the early stage (12–24 hpi) but fully restored at a later stage (48 hpi) of infection. Our study further demonstrates that in vitro cell culture assay is unreliable; therefore, an animal model is essential for studying the pathogenesis of biofilm-isolated bacteria.

Here, the authors characterize the effects of Lactobacillus casei strains engineered to express pathogenic or non-pathogenic Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) in systemic colonization and protection against lethal Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice and show that these engineered strains can colonize the intestine and prevent dissemination of L. monocytogenes and protect against lethal infection while promoting immunomodulatory effects.

The Ubiquitous Power Internet of Things (UPIoT) is a concrete manifestation of the Internet of things (IoT) in the power industry, which is a deep integration of the interconnected power network and communication network, realizing full perception of the system status and full business penetration in all links of power production, transmission, and consumption. The introduction of edge computing in UPIoT fully meets the requirements of rapid response, real-time perception, and to some extent, privacy protection. However, there is currently no comprehensive investigation on the application of edge computing technology in UPIoT. First, this paper introduces the development background and construction of UPIoT and its technical architecture. Then the challenges faced by UPIoT in the process of construction are analyzed. Furthermore, the paper elaborates on the functions and features of edge computing, proposes that the support of edge computing technology can solve the challenges of efficient, fast, and secure processing of massive edge data faced by the traditional cloud-based centralized big data processing technology of UPIoT, and analyzes the architecture of the edge computing-assisted UPIoT. For the three typical scenarios of UPIoT, namely power monitoring system, smart energy system and power metering system, the edge computing architecture of the three scenarios are analyzed, and the specific application methods and roles played by edge computing in the three scenarios are also elaborated. Finally, we discuss the challenges of edge computing in UPIoT, in terms of policy challenges, market challenges, and technical challenges, as well as outline the outlooks of the technical challenges.

Animal viruses are parasites of animal cells that have characteristics such as heredity and replication. Viruses can be divided into non-enveloped and enveloped viruses if a lipid bilayer membrane surrounds them or not. All the membrane proteins of enveloped viruses that function in attachment to target cells or membrane fusion are modified by glycosylation. Glycosylation is one of the most common post-translational modifications of proteins and plays an important role in many biological behaviors, such as protein folding and stabilization, virus attachment to target cell receptors and inhibition of antibody neutralization. Glycans of the host receptors can also regulate the attachment of the viruses and then influence the virus entry. With the development of glycosylation research technology, the research and development of novel virus vaccines and antiviral drugs based on glycan have received increasing attention. Here, we review the effects of host glycans and viral proteins on biological behaviors of viruses, and the opportunities for prevention and treatment of viral infectious diseases.

Elongate loach (Leptobotia elongata) is an endemic fish distributed in middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China. The genetic diversity and population structure of twelve populations of the species collected before (2008) and after dam constructions (2014–2015) on lower reaches of the Jinsha River were investigated using mtDNA control region and nuclear microsatellite DNA markers. The allelic richness (Ar) within populations varied from 11.06 to 15.25. Average polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.796 to 0.863. Haplotype diversities (h) ranged from 0.873 to 0.902, nucleotide diversity (π) ranged from 0.0030 to 0.0047. No significant differences of genetic diversities were identified between populations collected in 2008 and 2014–2015. The genetic differentiations (Fst) among the five populations (LUA, CQ, PZH, BX and NX) collected in 2008 were all insignificant, while that among some populations (JPD and CQ or GC, and GLP and NX or WS) collected in 2014–2015 were significant based on microsatellites. Negative correlations between the genetic diversities and geographical elevations for the seven populations collected in 2014–2015 indicated that the populations of L. elongata in high elevation regions were more vulnerable than that in low elevation regions. The results in the present study showed that no decline of genetic diversity occurred in L. elongata after dam constructions on lower reaches of the Jinsha River, while genetic structure of the populations between upstream and downstream of the dams tended to be formed. Translocating wild individuals of the populations between dams is suggested to enhance the gene flow and prevent potential genetic declines and isolations in L. elongata.

The releasing program of Chinese sucker (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) has been conducted for years in China. To prevent loss of genetic variation in wild populations, it is important to assess and monitor genetic diversity of broodstocks before release of offspring. Three broodstocks (Pixian Base of Sichuan Fisheries Research Institute, China (PBS), Yibin Base of Sichuan Fisheries Research Institute, China (YBS) and Yibin Rare Aquatic Animal Research Institute, China (YRA)) were investigated using mitochondrial control region and 12 microsatellites. The relatively low genetic diversities of these broodstocks were detected (PBS, haplotype diversity (h) = 0.877, observed heterozygosity (Ho) = 0.416; YBS, h = 0.812, Ho = 0.392; YRA, h = 0.818, Ho = 0.365). PBS showed higher Ho than YBS and YRA (P < 0.05). Genetic divergence (FST) based on microsatellites between PBS and YRA was significant (FST = 0.1270, P < 0.05), the same situation happened between YBS and YRA (FST = 0.1319, P < 0.05). However, divergence between PBS and YBS was not significant (FST = 0.0029, P > 0.05). Structure analysis revealed that YRA were distinct from PBS and YBS. Based on these results, it is important to propose some suggestions of genetic management for artificial propagation of Chinese sucker, such as broodstock exchange among hatcheries and broodstock supplement from wild.

This paper proposes an idea for modeling and control of a V2G charging station (CS) for electric vehicles (EVs) by using synchronverter technology. First, the architecture of the CS is introduced. Then, a T-S fuzzy controller is designed to decide the reference real power of the synchronverter by considering the grid frequency. Due to the inner frequency- and voltage-drooping mechanisms of the synchronverter, the input and output real and reactive power of the CS will be automatically adjusted on the basis of the reference value according to the degree of deviation from the nominal value of the grid frequency and voltage. To ensure the safety of this operation, an adaptive frequency droop coefficient mechanism is designed to adapt the change of the total energy storage of a CS unit by changing the slope of the P-f control characteristic of the synchronverter. The performance of the CS with the proposed control strategy is investigated with EVs of different battery states, different users' sets and under different grid status. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can not only effectively perform controlled charging/discharging of each single electric vehicle inside the CS, but also improve the performance of the electricity grid in terms of efficiency, stability and reliability.

Electric vehicles (EVs) will play a vital role in the future's transportation systems since this technology is promising for environment, energy security, and improved fuel economy. EVs have huge potential of serving as the energy storage for the power grid as well as inhabitants in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) or vehicle-to-house (V2H) scenario. In this study, a control method is proposed for EV charging and discharging by using the synchronverter technology and H^∞ repetitive controller, where synchronverter technology is used to generate the reference voltage to decide the power angle and amplitude of the AC side voltage of the charging/discharging port, so that the power flow between EV and the grid is controlled. In order to ensure the power quality of EVs provided for the grid and the load while EVs are with local loads, a H^∞ repetitive controller is designed to control the voltage between EVs and the grid to follow the reference voltage. Simulation results have shown that the proposed controller is not only able to realise bi-directional real power and reactive power control, but also keep the output voltage of EVs in V2G or V2H scenario stable and clear while they are with different kinds of local loads.

The emergence of bacterial resistance to therapeutic antibiotics limits options for treatment of common microbial diseases. Subinhibitory antibiotics dosing, often aid in the emergence of resistance, but its impact on pathogen’s physiology and pathogenesis is not well understood. Here we investigated the effect of tunicamycin, a cell wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthesis inhibiting antibiotic at the subinhibitory dosage on Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes physiology, antibiotic cross-resistance, biofilm-formation, and virulence. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tunicamycin to S. aureus and L. monocytogenes was 20–40 μg/ml and 2.5–5 μg/ml, respectively, and the subinhibitory concentration was 2.5–5 μg/ml and 0.31–0.62 μg/ml, respectively. Tunicamycin pre-exposure reduced cellular WTA levels by 18–20% and affected bacterial cell wall ultrastructure, cell membrane permeability, morphology, laser-induced colony scatter signature, and bacterial ability to form biofilms. It also induced a moderate level of cross-resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, erythromycin, and meropenem for S. aureus, and ampicillin, erythromycin, vancomycin, and meropenem for L. monocytogenes. Pre-treatment of bacterial cells with subinhibitory concentrations of tunicamycin also significantly reduced bacterial adhesion to and invasion into an enterocyte-like Caco-2 cell line, which is supported by reduced expression of key virulence factors, Internalin B (InlB) and Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) in L. monocytogenes, and a S. aureus surface protein A (SasA) in S. aureus. Tunicamycin-treated bacteria or the bacterial WTA preparation suppressed NF-κB and inflammatory cytokine production (TNFα, and IL-6) from murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) indicating the reduced WTA level possibly attenuates an inflammatory response. These results suggest that at the subinhibitory dosage, tunicamycin-mediated inhibition of WTA biosynthesis interferes with cell wall structure, pathogens infectivity and inflammatory response, and ability to form biofilms but promotes the development of antibiotic cross-resistance.

In this paper, a control method for electric vehicles (EVs) participating in grid Frequency regulation is proposed. Firstly, considering dispatching large-scale electric vehicles, the K-means clustering algorithm is applied to cluster EVs with different battery state of charge and with different average vehicle daily travel miles. Then, for each class of electric vehicle group, a multi-objective optimization model considering reducing power imbalance and feeding the driving power demand for electric vehicles is proposed. Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is applied to solve the optimization model and obtain the best control parameters for “virtual synchronous machine”, which is functioned as the power controller between EVs and the power grid. At last, based on a Monte Carlo sampling, the simulation analysis of 50 EVs with the normal distribution of battery state of charge and average vehicle daily travel miles is carried out by using the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method can effectively classify the electric vehicles with different battery state of charge and different average vehicle daily travel miles. The parameters of the power converter controller for different classes of electric vehicles are optimized considering power grid frequency, their battery state of charge and their average daily travel miles, so as to maintain the balance of power grid frequency, and to meet the power needs of EV daily drive.

This paper proposed a optimal strategy for coordinated operation of electric vehicles (EVs) charging and discharging with wind-thermal system. By aggregating a large number of EVs, the huge total battery capacity is sufficient to stabilize the disturbance of the transmission grid. Hence, a dynamic environmental dispatch model which coordinates a cluster of charging and discharging controllable EV units with wind farms and thermal plants is proposed. A multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm and a fuzzy decision maker are put forward for the simultaneous optimization of grid operating cost, CO2 emissions, wind curtailment, and EV users’ cost. Simulations are done in a 30 node system containing three traditional thermal plants, two carbon capture and storage (CCS) thermal plants, two wind farms, and six EV aggregations. Contrast of strategies under different EV charging/discharging price is also discussed. The results are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

Auxiliary power units (APUs) are widely used for electric power generation in various types of electric vehicles, improvements in fuel economy and emissions of these vehicles directly depend on the operating point of the APUs. In order to balance the conflicting goals of fuel consumption and emissions reduction in the process of operating point choice, the APU operating point optimization problem is formulated as a constrained multi-objective optimization problem (CMOP) firstly. The four competing objectives of this CMOP are fuel-electricity conversion cost, hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, carbon monoxide (CO) emissions and nitric oxide (NO x ) emissions. Then, the multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm and weighted metric decision making method are employed to solve the APU operating point multi-objective optimization model. Finally, bench experiments under New European driving cycle (NEDC), Federal test procedure (FTP) and high way fuel economy test (HWFET) driving cycles show that, compared with the results of the traditional fuel consumption single-objective optimization approach, the proposed multi-objective optimization approach shows significant improvements in emissions performance, at the expense of a slight drop in fuel efficiency.

The virtual synchronous generator (VSG) has been widely used to improve the system inertia and damping in the renewable energy generation system. However, the in-depth understanding of VSG's stability under disturbances on different control parameters is lacked. In order to solve the problem, the small-signal model of single-VSG is established at first. The influences of key control parameters on the stability of system are analyzed by using the eigenvalue analysis method in detail. On this basis, a novel optimization strategy for control parameters is proposed based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The control parameters are optimized to realize excellent damping and stability of VSG system. Finally, the simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of stability analysis and parameter optimization strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is characterized by mucosal lesions, salivary gland dysfunction etc., accompanied by pain and oral dysfunction. The efficacy of photobiomodulation (PBM) in managing pain and inflammation has been demonstrated. PBM has been applied in oral GVHD and is regarded as a potent adjunctive therapy. Objective: To review the application of PBM for oral GVHD and summarize its biological mechanisms and recommended parameters. Materials and Methods: The article provides an overview of the therapeutic effects of PBM in oral GVHD cases. It analyzes the biological mechanisms from different aspects and explores the potential prospects of PBM, and appropriate parameters and frequency for GVHD are recommended. Conclusions: The efficacy of PBM in oral GVHD has been demonstrated through symptom alleviation and function improvement. It is recommended as an adjuvant therapy for oral GVHD. However, further research is required to explore optimal devices, parameters, and potential complications associated with using PBM in oral GVHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]