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Conditioning-free electrolytes with high reversibility of Mg plating/stripping are of vital importance for the commercialization of the superior rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs). In the present work, a non-nucleophilic electrolyte (denoted as MLCH) based on all-inorganic salts of MgCl2, LiCl and CrCl3 for RMBs is prepared by a straightforward one-step reaction. As a result, the MLCH electrolyte shows the noticeable performance of high ionic conductivity (3.40 mS cm−1), low overpotential (∼46 mV vs Mg/Mg2+), high Coulombic efficiency (∼93%), high anodic stability (SS, ∼2.56 V vs Mg/Mg2+) and long-term (more than 500 h) cycling stability, especially the conditioning-free characteristic. The main equilibrium species in the MLCH electrolyte are confirmed to be the tetracoordinated anions of [LiCl2(THF)2]− and solvated dimers of [Mg2(µ-Cl)3(THF)6]+. The addition of LiCl can assist the dissolution of MgCl2 and activation of the electrode/electrolyte interface, resulting in a superior Mg plating/stripping efficiency. The synergistic effect of LiCl, CrCl3, a small amount of HpMS and the absence of polymerization THF enable the conditioning-free characteristic of the MLCH electrolyte. Moreover, the MLCH electrolyte exhibits decent compatibility with the cathodic materials of CuS. The Mg/CuS full cell using the MLCH electrolyte presents a discharge specific capacity of 215 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and the capacity can retain ∼72% after 40 cycles. Notably, the MLCH electrolyte has other superiorities such as the broad sources of materials, low-cost and easy-preparation, leading to the potential prospect of commercial application.

The assessment of medication toxicity and safety is pivotal during pregnancy. Curdione, a sesquiterpene compound extracted from Curcumae Radix, displays beneficial properties in terms of anti-inflammatory, tumor growth suppression, and anti-coagulative effects. However, its reproductive toxicity and precise mechanism remain unclear. This study aims to explore the mechanism of curdione-induced toxicity damage in HTR-8/SVneo cells through the epigenetics, proteomics, and metabolomics, and experimental verification. The results showed that curdione elicited alterations in m6A modification, gene expression, protein levels, and cellular metabolism of HTR-8/SVneo cells. Additionally, curdione induces oxidative stress, mitochondrial and DNA damage, while also downregulating the expression of Wnt6, β-catenin, ZO-1, and CLDN1 proteins. Curdione has the potential to modulate oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disruption of tight junctions via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which contributes to cellular damage in HTR-8/SVneo cells.

Objective: To explore different mRNA transcriptome patterns and RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) alteration in yunaconitine (YA)-treated HT22 mouse hippocampal neuron, and uncover the role of abnormal mRNA expression and RNA m6A modification in YA-induced neurotoxicity. Methods: HT22 cells were treated with 0, 5, 10, and 50 μM of YA for 72 h to evaluate their viability and GSH content. Subsequently, mRNA-seq and MeRIP-seq analyses were performed on HT22 cells treated with 0 and 10 μM YA for 72 h, and molecular docking was used to simulate interactions between YA and differentially expressed m6A regulators. The mitochondrial membrane potential was examined using the JC-10 probe, and RT-qPCR was conducted to verify the expression levels of differentially expressed m6A regulatory factors, as well as to assess alterations in the mRNA expression levels of antioxidant genes. Results: YA treatment significantly reduced the viability of HT22 cells and decreased GSH content. The mRNA-seq analysis obtained 1018 differentially expressed genes, KEGG and GO enrichment results of differentially expressed genes mainly comprise the nervous system development, cholinergic synapse, response to oxidative stress, and mitochondrial inner membrane. A total of 7 differentially expressed m6A regulators were identified by MeRIP-seq. Notably, molecular docking results suggested a stable interaction between YA and most of the differentially expressed m6A regulators. Conclusion: This study showed that YA-induced HT22 cell damage was associated with the increased methylation modification level of target gene m6A and abnormal expression of m6A regulators.

For magnesium (Mg) matrix composites (MMCs), trade-off between strength and plasticity has long been an issue of puzzle. In this work, hot-press sintering and hot extrusion are used to prepare Ti particles (Tip) reinforced AZ31 (Tip/AZ31) composites. The strength, plasticity, and wear resistance of Tip/AZ31 composites are improved simultaneously. Ti particles refine the grains of composites and accelerate the precipitation of Mg17Al12 particles in Mg matrix. The best tensile properties and wear resistance are achieved in 6 wt%Tip/AZ31 composite, with ultimate tensile strength of 290 MPa, elongation of 15.5 %, and wear rate of 4.343 × 10−3 mm3/m, respectively. Especially, the wear rate of 6 wt%Tip/AZ31 is reduced by 54.6 % compared to the matrix alloy. The underlying strengthening mechanisms, toughness mechanisms, and wear mechanisms of Tip/AZ31 composites were discussed in detail.

IntroductionWe aimed to assess the impact of myasthenia gravis (MG) on the long-term prognosis in patients with thymoma after surgery and identify related prognostic factors or predictors.MethodsThis retrospective observational study included 509 patients with thymoma (thymoma combined with MG [MG group] and thymoma alone [non-MG group]). Propensity score matching was performed to obtain comparable subsets of 96 patients in each group. A comparative analysis was conducted on various parameters.ResultsBefore matching, the 10-year survival and recurrence-free survival rates in both groups were 93.8 and 98.4%, and 85.9 and 93.4%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference observed in the survival curves between the groups (p > 0.05). After propensity score matching, 96 matched pairs of patients from both groups were created. The 10-year survival and recurrence-free survival rates in these matched pairs were 96.9 and 97.7%, and 86.9 and 91.1%, respectively, with no statistical significance in the survival curves between the groups (p > 0.05). Univariate analysis of patients with thymoma postoperatively revealed that the World Health Organization histopathological classification, Masaoka–Koga stage, Tumor Node Metastasis stage, resection status, and postoperative adjuvant therapy were potentially associated with tumor recurrence after thymoma surgery. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the Masaoka–Koga stage and postoperative adjuvant therapy independently predicted the risk of recurrence in patients with thymoma after surgery.ConclusionThere was no difference in prognosis in patients with thymoma with or without MG. The Masaoka–Koga stage has emerged as an independent prognostic factor affecting recurrence-free survival in patients with thymoma, while postoperative adjuvant therapy represents a poor prognostic factor.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) thin-walled structures have been widely acknowledged as superior energy absorbers due to comprehensive advantages on crashworthiness and light weight. However, few studies have been reported concerning CFRP thin-walled structures with nonlinearly variable sectional dimensions along the longitudinal direction. Hence, in the present study, a novel CFRP functionally-graded conical square thin-walled structure with variable circumscribed diameter (functionally-graded conical square tube, FGCST) is proposed and comprehensively investigated. Specifically, finite element (FE) models of FGCST under multi-angle crushing loading are first built and validated. Second, a comprehensive crashworthiness comparison among the FGCST, the conventional CFRP conical square tube (CST) and the CFRP straight square tube (SST) under multi-angle crushing loading is executed to explore the relative merits of FGCST over others. Third, a parameter study is implemented on FGCST to explore the action laws of its structural parameters on its overall crashworthiness under multi-angle crushing loading. Finally, the FGCST is multi-objective crashworthiness optimized for maximizing overall specific energy absorption (SEA θ ) and minimizing overall peak crushing force (PCF 0 ) simultaneously through Taguchi method coupled with grey relational analysis (GRA). The optimized FGCST obtains 6.06% higher of SEA θ and meanwhile 40.58% lower of PCF 0 compared with the baseline design, thus demonstrating good potential as a superior candidate for vehicle collision energy absorbers.

Aflatoxins belong to a class of mycotoxins, among which aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has detrimental effects on the health of both animals and humans. It is associated with long-term exposure-induced carcinogenicity, hepatotoxicity, renal toxicity, neurotoxicity, and immunosuppressive properties, resulting in a variety of diseases. The intestine is the first barrier for human exposure to AFB1, but limited investigations have been conducted to clarify the underlying mechanisms of intestinal cytotoxicity. The mechanism of AFB1-induced cytotoxicity was investigated in this study using an integrated approach combining transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome analysis along with molecular dynamics simulation. After exposing SW480 cells to 50 μM AFB1 for 72 h, the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome exhibited significant enrichment in pathways associated with oxidative stress, fatty acid and lipid metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. The experimental results demonstrated that AFB1 significantly reduces SW480 cells viability, and induces oxidative stress, calcium overload, mitochondrial damage, and lipid metabolism disorders.

Objective Periprosthetic fracture in total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be catastrophic, and early detection and appropriate management are vital to the overall prognosis. This study aimed to describe and summarize the features of undetected intraoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures (IPFFs) in primary THA patients and treatment measures and to review the relevant literature. Methods We reviewed a total of 6350 primary THAs performed at our institution between January 2013 and December 2020 and screened all IPFFs. Of 138 IPFFs, 24 were undetected and met the inclusion criteria. We recorded and compared basic patient and operative information and measured some parameters to evaluate canal morphologies based on preoperative radiographs. We also compared fracture line characteristics using postoperative radiographs to summarize the features of intraoperative fractures and propose treatment strategies. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was used to test the normality of the variable distributions. Measured parameters in all groups were analyzed using one‐way analysis of variance and compared using Dunnett's test. The χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used to compare reoperation rates across the groups. Interrater and intrarater reliability were evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients. Results Among the 24 hips, there was no significant difference in patient demographics, basic operative information or morphology. The incidence of IPFFs in primary THA patients was 2.17%, and up to 17.4% of IPFFs were undetected until postoperative fluoroscopy. The incidence of undetected IPFFs among all primary THA patients was 0.38% and varied by stem type, with the highest incidence in femurs with either anatomical (1.04%, 4/385) or modular stems (0.90%, 9/1003). Femurs with anatomical stems had a higher reoperation rate. The distal periprosthetic (Gruen zone 4) fracture line of femurs with tapered stems was more prone to involve the medial or lateral bone cortex, which could cause instability. Conclusion An undetected IPFF is most likely in femurs fitted with a prosthesis of an inappropriate size or type. Anatomical stems will most likely cause unstable fractures; thus, it is recommended to use them with caution and note the possibility of medial distal femoral fracture. Improper modular stem type or size selection results in longitudinal fractures of the distal femur, and prophylactic cerclage wire binding is recommended in dysplastic hips. Incorrect use of tapered stems in well‐ossified femurs may cause distal femoral fractures involving the medial or lateral bone cortex. Intraoperative fluoroscopy after implantation may help detect hidden fractures.

Electrochemical oxidation of ammonia is an attractive process for wastewater treatment, hydrogen production, and ammonia fuel cells. However, the sluggish kinetics of the anode reaction has limited its applications, leading to a high demand for novel electrocatalysts. Herein, the electrode with the in situ growth of NiCu(OH)2 was partially transformed into the NiCuOOH phase by a pre-treatment using highly oxidative solutions. As revealed by SEM, XPS, and electrochemical analysis, such a strategy maintained the 3D structure, while inducing more active sites before the in situ generation of oxyhydroxide sites during the electrochemical reaction. The optimized NiCuOOH-1 sample exhibited the current density of 6.06 mA cm−2 at 0.5 V, which is 1.67 times higher than that of NiCu(OH)2 (3.63 mA cm−2). Moreover, the sample with a higher crystalline degree of the NiCuOOH phase exhibited lower performance, demonstrating the importance of a moderate treatment condition. In addition, the NiCuOOH-1 sample presented low selectivity (2− and stable activity during the long-term operation. The findings of this study would provide valuable insights into the development of transition metal electrocatalysts for ammonia oxidation.

Oridonin is the primary active component in the traditional Chinese medicine Rabdosia rubescens, displaying anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and antibacterial effects. It is widely employed in clinical therapy for acute and chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, as well as bronchitis. Nevertheless, the clinical application of oridonin is significantly restricted due to its reproductive toxicity, with the exact mechanism remaining unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of oridonin-induced damage to HTR-8/SVneo cells. Through the integration of epigenetics, proteomics, and metabolomics methodologies, the mechanisms of oridonin-induced reproductive toxicity were discovered and confirmed through fluorescence imaging, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting. Experimental findings indicated that oridonin altered m6A levels, gene and protein expression levels, along with metabolite levels within the cells. Additionally, oridonin triggered oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, leading to a notable decrease in WNT6, β-catenin, CLDN1, CCND1, and ZO-1 protein levels. This implied that the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and disruption of tight junction might be attributed to the cytotoxicity induced by oridonin and mitochondrial dysfunction, ultimately resulting in damage to HTR-8/SVneo cells.

Abstract Background Petal blotch is a unique ornamental trait in angiosperm families, and blotch in rose petal is rare and has great esthetic value. However, the cause of the formation of petal blotch in rose is still unclear. The influence of key enzyme genes and regulatory genes in the pigment synthesis pathways needs to be explored and clarified. Results In this study, the rose cultivar ‘Sunset Babylon Eyes’ with rose-red to dark red blotch at the base of petal was selected as the experimental material. The HPLC-DAD and UPLC-TQ-MS analyses indicated that only cyanidin 3,5-O-diglucoside (Cy3G5G) contributed to the blotch pigmentation of ‘Sunset Babylon Eyes’, and the amounts of Cy3G5G varied at different developmental stages. Only flavonols but no flavone were found in blotch and non-blotch parts. As a consequence, kaempferol and its derivatives as well as quercetin and its derivatives may act as background colors during flower developmental stages. Despite of the differences in composition, the total content of carotenoids in blotch and non-blotch parts were similar, and carotenoids may just make the petals show a brighter color. Transcriptomic data, quantitative real-time PCR and promoter sequence analyses indicated that RC7G0058400 (F3’H), RC6G0470600 (DFR) and RC7G0212200 (ANS) may be the key enzyme genes for the early formation and color deepening of blotch at later stages. As for two transcription factor, RC7G0019000 (MYB) and RC1G0363600 (WRKY) may bind to the promoters of critical enzyme genes, or RC1G0363600 (WRKY) may bind to the promoter of RC7G0019000 (MYB) to activate the anthocyanin accumulation in blotch parts of ‘Sunset Babylon Eyes’. Conclusions Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the understanding of the chemical and molecular mechanism for the formation of petal blotch in rose.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to overview the findings of reported meta-analyses on unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO). Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020 (PRISMA 2020) guidelines were followed. Two independent reviewers conducted a literature search of PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for meta-analyses comparing UKA and HTO that were published prior to September 2021. Literature screening, data extraction, and article quality appraisal were performed according to the study protocol registered online at PROSPERO (CRD42021279152). Results A total of 10 meta-analyses were identified, and different studies reported different results. Five of the seven meta-analyses showed that the proportion of subjects with excellent or good functional results was higher for UKA than for HTO. All three meta-analyses showed that UKA was associated with lower pain levels, and all six of the studies that included an analysis of range of motion (ROM) reported that UKA was inferior to HTO. Four of the eight meta-analyses found that total complication rates were lower for UKA. Only 3 of the 10 meta-analyses found that UKA had lower revision rates. Moreover, in the subgroup analysis, the revision and complication rates of UKA were similar to those of opening-wedge HTO but much lower than those of closing-wedge HTO. Conclusions Compared to HTO, UKA was associated with lower pain levels but inferior postoperative ROM. The results were inconclusive regarding whether UKA yielded better knee function scores and lower revision or complication rates than HTO. Accurate identification of indications and appropriate patient selection are essential for treating individuals with OA.

IntroductionThe growing demand for mental health support has highlighted the importance of conversational agents as human supporters worldwide and in China. These agents could increase availability and reduce the relative costs of mental health support. The provided support can be divided into two main types: cognitive and emotional. Existing work on this topic mainly focuses on constructing agents that adopt Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles. Such agents operate based on pre-defined templates and exercises to provide cognitive support. However, research on emotional support using such agents is limited. In addition, most of the constructed agents operate in English, highlighting the importance of conducting such studies in China. To this end, we introduce Emohaa, a conversational agent that provides cognitive support through CBT-Bot exercises and guided conversations. It also emotionally supports users through ES-Bot, enabling them to vent their emotional problems. In this study, we analyze the effectiveness of Emohaa in reducing symptoms of mental distress.Methods and ResultsFollowing the RCT design, the current study randomly assigned participants into three groups: Emohaa (CBT-Bot), Emohaa (Full), and control. With both Intention-To-Treat (N=247) and PerProtocol (N=134) analyses, the results demonstrated that compared to the control group, participants who used two types of Emohaa experienced considerably more significant improvements in symptoms of mental distress, including depression (F[2,244]=6.26, p=0.002), negative affect (F[2,244]=6.09, p=0.003), and insomnia (F[2,244]=3.69, p=0.026).DiscussionBased on the obtained results and participants’ satisfaction with the platform, we concluded that Emohaa is a practical and effective tool for reducing mental distress.

Background: In cancer treatment, targeting the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is crucial as it promotes tumor progression and metastasis through the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Pinocembrin, a dihydroxyflavanone found naturally in propolis and honey, is known for its antioxidant and vasodilating properties. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of pinocembrin in regulating the STAT3 signaling pathway to inhibit migration and invasion of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Methods: Hematoxylin staining was used to determine the migration and invasion of A549 cells. The relative expression of EMT-related proteins and invasive proteins in A549 cells was determined by Western blot analysis. STAT3 activity was evaluated using a luciferase assay. Overexpression of STAT3 was utilized to assess the role of pinocembrin in regulating STAT3. Results: Pinocembrin treatment (50 μM) significantly reduced the number of migrating and invasive cells. Pinocembrin upregulated the protein level of E-cadherin and downregulated the protein levels of N-cadherin and vimentin. Additionally, pinocembrin blocked the phosphorylation and activation of STAT3. Overexpression of STAT3 reversed the inhibitory effects of pinocembrin on cell migration and invasion. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that pinocembrin can inhibit the activation of STAT3, which is associated with EMT and thereby attenuate migration and invasion in NSCLC cells.

Capripox viruses (CaPVs), including sheep pox virus (SPV), goat pox virus (GPV), and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), are the cause of sheep pox (SPP), goat pox (GTP), and lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle. These diseases are of great economic significance to farmers, as they are endemic on farms and are a major constraint to international trade in livestock and their products. Capripoxvirus (CaPV) infections produce similar symptoms in sheep and goats, and the three viruses cannot be distinguished serologically. In this study, we developed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for identifying CaPV in goats, sheep, and cattle. Clinical samples were tested and verified. The developed assay was highly specific for target viruses, including GPVSPV and LSDV, which had no cross-reaction with other viruses causing similar clinical symptoms. An artificially synthesized positive control plasmid using the CaPV 32 gene inserted into the vector pMD19-T was used as a template, and the correlation coefficient of the linear regression curve (R2) was 0.9916, the estimated amplification efficiency (E) was 96.06%, and the sensitivity (limit of detection, LOD) was 3.80 copies per reaction. Using the clinical samples as a template, the limit of detection (LOD) was 4.91 × 10−5 ng per reaction (1.60 × 10−5–2.13 × 10−3 ng, 95% confidence interval (CI)), which means that this method was one of the most sensitive detection assays for CaPVs. A total of 85 clinical samples from CaPV-infected animals (goats, sheep, and cattle) and 50 clinical samples from healthy animals were used to test and compare the diagnostic results using the Synergy Brands (SYBR) Green-based PCR method recommended by the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH). Both diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) (95.8–100%, 95% CI) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) (92.9–100%, 95% CI) results of the real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and SYBR Green PCR were 100%, and the kappa value (κ) was 1.0 (1-1, 95% CI). In summary, the assay established based on TaqMan probes was advantageous in high specificity, sensitivity, and general applicability and could be a competitive candidate tool for the diagnosis of CaPV in clinically suspected animals.

During gas well cementing operation, the erosion of acidic formation corrosive medium will destroy the cementation between the cement slurry and the sidewall in the well sealing section, reduce the mechanical properties of the cement paste, cause problems such as sidewall collapse and casing damage, seriously endanger the normal exploitation of oil and gas resources, and cause major safety accidents. Therefore, improving the corrosion resistance of cement paste is the key to ensuring long-term stable cementing of high-temperature sour gas wells. This paper summarizes the influencing factors, corrosion mechanism, corrosion test methods and research status of anti-corrosion oil well cement additives, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each anti-corrosion additive, summarizes the latest progress and challenges of anti-corrosion oil well cement, and aims to provide some reference for researchers in related fields.

This study evaluated the efficacy of neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (Io+Chemo) versus chemotherapy alone (Chemo) in resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a real-world setting. The association of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) with pathologic response to different neoadjuvant therapies was also explored.Stage I−III NSCLC patients who received Io+Chemo or Chemo alone followed by surgery were included in the study. Tumor tissues collected during surgery were subjected to TIME evaluation using multiplex immunohistochemistry to measure immune cell subsets, including T cells, B cells, NK cells, and macrophages. Fifty-five patients were included, including 24 treated with neoadjuvant Io+Chemo and 31 with Chemo alone. Io+Chemo induced significantly higher major pathologic response (MPR) (75.0% vs. 38.7%, P = 0.0133) and numerically better pathologic complete response (pCR) (33.3% vs. 12.9%, P = 0.1013) than Chemo. Compared with tumors with Chemo, tumors with Io+Chemo demonstrated a significantly higher ratio of M1 macrophage density in the tumor to that in the stroma (P = 0.0446), more abundant CD8+ cells in the stroma (P = 0.0335), and fewer PD-L1+CD68+ cells in both tumor and stroma. pCR/MPR patients displayed significantly higher density of CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD20+, CD56 bright cell subsets and more tertiary lymphoid structures and significantly lower density of PD-L1+CD68+ and CD3+CD4+Foxp3+cells in the tumor or stroma. This study favored neoadjuvant Io+Chemo over Chemo and revealed the TIME features underlying the outperformance of Io+Chemo over Chemo.

In recent years, with the rapid development of biomass combustion power generation and heat generation as the main application industry, the amount of byproduct biological ash is also increasing year by year. How to effectively utilize the biological ash in a more green, environmental friendly and economic way has become a research hotspot. In view of the problem that the mechanical properties of the cement stone decreased when the conventional latex was used as the toughening agent, based on the introduction of high dispersive composite modified fiber to enhance the toughness of the cement stone, this paper analyzed the physical and chemical properties and application status of the biological ash, and further explored the influence and role of the biological ash as the cement stone admixture on the high-temperature mechanical properties of the composite fiber cement stone Mechanism. The results show that when the dosage of biological ash is in the range of 0–10% (wt%), it has little effect on the basic slurry properties of cement stone, and has a certain preventive effect on the gas channeling of cement stone. In the analysis of comprehensive mechanical properties, the activated biological ash can enhance the compactness of cement matrix under high temperature by reducing the Ca/Si ratio through the secondary pozzolanic effect, stimulate the formation of a large number of hydration products, and strengthen the later strength growth rate of cement. The high temperature resistance of cement paste can be effectively improved by hybrid high dispersion composite fiber.

Renewable energy is gradually replacing traditional power plants to provide electricity for users, but it also brings potential risks to the safe operation of the power grid. Thus, in the planning stage, it is necessary to comprehensively evaluate the probability of violation risk of maximum frequency deviation. Planning method based on Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) is inefficient, while artificial neural network (ANN) can make fast and effective prediction by learning data. Therefore, this paper proposed an MCS-ANN algorithm to realize the rapid assessment of violation risk of regional maximum frequency deviation. Firstly, a large number of stochastic disturbances were generated, and only a small part of disturbances were used for MCS. Then, these data were sent to the neural network for training, and most of the remaining disturbances were sent to the trained neural network for output prediction. The above training and prediction processes were repeated. The average of multiple prediction results was used as the final prediction output, and the probability distribution of each risk interval was obtained. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed MCS-ANN algorithm was verified on IEEE 10-machine 39-node system.

Local heterogeneity of the frequency response of modern grids becomes more severe than ever before due to 1) weaker grid connection strength brought by the favorable grid interconnection, and 2) more uncertainties and less system inertia brought by the increasing renewable integration. This dominant characteristic is difficult to be accurately characterized and evaluated by the classic aggregated system frequency response (SFR) model. Therefore, this paper proposes a framework for assessing the risk of area-level frequency nadir/vertex (FN/FV) for operational planning in a practical and effective manner. Firstly, a multi-point sensitivity (MPS) is proposed based on the classical SFR model to evaluate the system FN/FV, where the impact of different Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) on system FN/FV are considered. The method can be extended for regional frequency evaluation, but the influence of generator frequency oscillation cannot be effectively considered, which might impact assessment accuracy. To address this issue, a multi-interval sensitivity (MIS) method is further proposed to calculate the probabilistic distribution of the area-level FN/FV. The probabilistic results are evaluated by the FN/FV RAM, i.e., Risk Assessment Matrix, to provide a two-dimensional analysis for system operational planners. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed MPS and MIS methods are critically validated via scenario-based simulation (SBS) in a modified IEEE 16-machine 68-bus benchmark system.

This study focused on the epigenetic alterations of DNA methylation and miRNAs for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) diagnosis and treatment using bioinformatics analyses. DNA methylation data and mRNA and miRNA expression microarray data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The differentially methylated genes (DMGs), differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and differentially expressed miRNAs were analyzed by using the limma package. The DAVID database performed GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. Using STRING and Cytoscape, we constructed the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and achieved visualization. The online analysis tool CMap was used to identify potential small-molecule drugs for LUAD. In LUAD, 607 high miRNA-targeting downregulated genes and 925 low miRNA-targeting upregulated genes, as well as 284 hypermethylated low-expression genes and 315 hypomethylated high-expression genes, were obtained. They were mainly enriched in terms of pathways in cancer, neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, cAMP signaling pathway, and cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway. In addition, 40 upregulated and 84 downregulated genes were regulated by both aberrant alternations of DNA methylation and miRNAs. Five small-molecule drugs were identified as a potential treatment for LUAD, and five hub genes (SLC2A1, PAX6, LEP, KLF4, and FGF10) were found in PPI, and two of them (SLC2A1 and KLF4) may be related to the prognosis of LUAD. In summary, our study identified a series of differentially expressed genes associated with epigenetic alterations of DNA methylation and miRNA in LUAD. Five small-molecule drugs and five hub genes may be promising drugs and targets for LUAD treatment.

The anammox process is considered as a revolutionary new denitrification technology. In this study, the anammox process was started in a single-stage moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and the mechanism of excess removal of ammonia nitrogen was studied. At stage I (day 0–51), anammox bacteria (AnAOB) was enriched by feeding synthetic sewage without adding organic carbon. The removal rate of ammonia nitrogen was maintained at about 54% and the removal rate of total inorganic nitrogen was maintained at about 62%. At stage II (day 52–91), internal circulation was added into the MBBR. After adding internal circulation, the ammonium removal efficiency reached about 96% (at day 56) and the total nitrogen removal efficiency reached about 86%. At day 90, the biofilm sample was drowned out for high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the relative abundance of AnAOB was 23.23%. The dominant anammox genus was Candidatus Brocadia. The relative abundance of Nitrosomonas (ammonia oxidizing bacteria, AOB) was 0.63%. The excess ammonia nitrogen was removed by AOB and AnAOB through the partial nitrification and anammox (PNA) process.

Background and objective Bronchopulmonary carcinoid (BPC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor, the clinical studies on treatment and prognostic factors of BPC are somewhat controversial. Our purpose was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of surgery on BPC, and to analyze the prognostic factors affecting the survival of BPC. Methods We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients with BPC admitted to the Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2000 and December 2017. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate of patients and to map the survival curve. Then the effects of different factors like pathological classification, gender, age, on prognosis were compared by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis was made by Cox proportional hazard model. Results A total of 98 patients had a diagnosis of BPC were included in the study. There were 41 patients with typical carcinoid (TC) and 57 patients with atypical carcinoid (AC). The 1-yr, 5-yr, and 10-yr overall survival rates of BPC were 96.9%, 80.0% and 73.6%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed age (P=0.000,1), smoking history (P=0.005), pathological subtype (P

Background: Detailed catalog of lung cancer-associated gene mutations provides valuable information for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. In China, there has never been a wide-ranging study cataloging lung cancer-associated gene mutations. This study aims to reveal a comprehensive catalog of lung cancer gene mutations in china, focusing on EGFR, ALK, KRAS, HER2, PIK3CA, MET, BRAF, HRAS, and CTNNB1 as major targets. Additionally, we also aim to correlate smoking history, gender, and age distribution and pathological types with various types of gene mutations.Patients and Methods: A retrospective data acquisition was conducted spanning 6 years (2013–2018) among all patients who underwent lung cancer surgeries not bronchial or percutaneous lung biopsy at three major tertiary hospitals. Finally, we identified 1,729 patients who matched our inclusion criteria.Results: 1081 patients (62.49%) harbored EGFR mutation. ALK (n = 42, 2.43%), KRAS (n = 201, 11.62%), CTNNB1 (n = 28, 1.62%), BRAF (n = 31, 1.79%), PIK3CA (n = 51, 2.95%), MET (n = 14, 0.81%), HER2 (n = 47, 2.72%), HRAS (n = 3, 0.17%), and other genes(n = 232, 13.4%). Females expressed 55.38% vs. males 44.62% mutations. Among subjects with known smoking histories, 32.82% smokers, 67.15% non-smokers were observed. Generally, 51.80% patients were above 60 years vs. 48.20% in younger patients. Pathological types found includes LUADs 71.11%, SQCCs 1.68%, ASC 0.75%, LCC 0.58%, SCC 0.35%, ACC 0.17%, and SC 0.06%, unclear 25.19%.Conclusion: We offer a detailed catalog of the distribution of lung cancer mutations. Showing how gender, smoking history, age, and pathological types are significantly related to the prevalence of lung cancer in China.

Abstract In this work, various backbone binders were used in wax-based binder system to formulate zirconia parts by ceramic injection molding (CIM). The effect of different backbone binders on the molding, debinding, and sintering behaviors was investigated. After blending process, the feedstock using multi-polymer components exhibited more homogeneous structure compared with that using the mono-polymer ones due to the synergistic effect of multi-polymers. During solvent debinding, some defects such as “slumping” and “peeling” appeared in the parts containing ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), but they were not found in the parts with other thermal polymers. Also, as for the parts after sintering, the one using low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) as backbone binders presented a more uniform microstructure with finer zirconia grains among all the investigated compositions, and thus obtained the highest flexural strength (~949 MPa) and relative density (~98.9%).

The high rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) issue incurred by the integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) into a modern power system significantly threatens the grid security, and thus needs to be carefully examined in the operational planning. However, severe fluctuation of regional frequency responses concerned by system operators could be concealed by the conventional assessment based on aggregated system frequency response. Moreover, the occurrence probability of a high RoCoF issue is actually a very vital factor during the system planner’s decision-making. Therefore, a fast-algorithmic evaluation method is proposed to determine the probabilistic distribution of regional RoCoF for the operational planning of a RES penetrated power system. First, an analytical sensitivity (AS) that quantifies the relationship between the regional RoCoF and the stochastic output of the RES is derived based on the generator and network information. Then a linear sensitivity-based analytical method (LSM) is established to calculate the regional RoCoF and the corresponding probabilistic distribution, which takes much less computational time when comparing with the scenario-based simulation (SBS) and involves much less complicated calculation procedure when comparing with the cumulant-based method (CBM). The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method are verified in a modified 16-machine 5-area IEEE benchmark system by numerical SBS and analytical CBM.

Background and objective Localization of pulmonary ground glass small nodule is the technical difficulty of minimally invasive operation resection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the value of intraoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided localization using a hook-wire system for small ground glass opacity (GGO) in minimally invasive resection, as well as to discuss the necessity and feasibility of surgical resection of small GGOs (

Unfortunately all articles of Vol. 5, Issue 4 were originally published online non-open access. This has since been corrected. The publisher would like to apologize to the Journal of Advanced Ceramics, the authors of the articles, and the readers.

The application of large scale energy storage makes wind farms more dispatchable, which lowers operating risks to the grid from interconnected large scale wind farms. In order to make full use of the flexibility and controllability of energy storage to improve the schedulability of wind farms, this paper presents a rolling and dispatching control strategy with a battery energy storage system (BESS) based on model predictive control (MPC). The proposed control scheme firstly plans expected output, i.e., dispatching order, of a wind/battery energy storage hybrid system based on the predicted output of the wind farm, then calculates the order in the predictive horizon with the receding horizon optimization and the limitations of energy storage such as state of charge and depth of charge/discharge to maintain the combination of active output of the wind farm and the BESS to track dispatching order at the extreme. The paper shows and analyses the effectiveness of the proposed strategy with different sizes of capacity of the BESS based on the actual output of a certain actual wind farm in the northeast of China. The results show that the proposed strategy that controls the BESS could improve the schedulability of the wind farm and maintain smooth output of wind/battery energy storage hybrid system while tracking the dispatching orders. When the capacity of the BESS is 20% or the rated capacity of the wind farm, the mean dispatching error is only 0.153% of the rated capacity of the wind farm.

Leptin protein was thought to be unique to leptin receptor (LepR), but the phenotypes of mice with mutation in LepR [db/db (diabetes)] and leptin [ob/ob (obese)] are not identical, and the cause remains unclear. Here, we show that db/db, but not ob/ob, mice had defect in tenotomy-induced heterotopic ossification (HO), implicating alternative ligand(s) for LepR might be involved. Ligand screening revealed that ANGPTL4 (angiopoietin-like protein 4), a stress and fasting-induced factor, was elicited from brown adipose tissue after tenotomy, bound to LepR on PRRX1+ mesenchymal cells at the HO site, thus promotes chondrogenesis and HO development. Disruption of LepR in PRRX1+ cells, or lineage ablation of LepR+ cells, or deletion of ANGPTL4 impeded chondrogenesis and HO in mice. Together, these findings identify ANGPTL4 as a ligand for LepR to regulate the formation of acquired HO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]