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Searching for large magnetocaloric material is the key of applicable magnetic refrigeration. We have systematically investigated the crystal structure, first-order magnetostructural transition, magnetic properties, magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and exchange bias (EB) effect for the Ni45−xBixMn44Sn11 (x = 0, 1, 3 and 5) alloys. The result of X-ray diffraction measured indicates that all compounds have L21 cubic structure at room temperature. The martensitic transformation (MT) temperature decreases with the increase in the Bi concentration and magnetic field. A large positive magnetic entropy change ( Δ S M ) and refrigerant capacity (RC) of all samples were found across MT. The maximum Δ S M and effective RC are 44.21 J kg−1 K−1 and 125.46 J kg−1 under the magnetic field of 5 T across MT for x = 3, respectively. All the samples exhibit EB effect below the blocking temperature of 60 K, indicating the existence of the magnetic coupled at antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interfaces. Under the field-cooled condition of 2 kOe, the maximum EB field (HE) is 793 Oe at 2 K for x = 3. Our findings demonstrate Ni–Bi–Mn–Sn alloys as one of the promising candidates of MCE material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cavitation effect is an important geochemical phenomenon, which generally exists under strong hydrodynamic conditions. Therefore, developing an economical and effective sonocatalyst becomes a vital method in capitalizing on the cavitation effect for energy generation. In this study, we first report a novel Fe3O4 sonocatalyst that can be easily separated using a magnetic field and does not require any additional cocatalysts for H2 production from H2O. When subjected to ultrasonic vibration, this catalyst achieves an impressive H2 production rate of up to 175 μmol/h/USD (where USD stands for dollars), surpassing most previously reported mechanical catalytic materials. Furthermore, the ease and efficiency of separating this catalyst using an external magnetic field, coupled with its effortless recovery, highlight its significant potential for practical applications. By addressing the key limitations of conventional sonocatalysts, our study not only demonstrates the feasibility of using Fe3O4 as a highly efficient sonocatalyst but also showcases the exciting possibility of using a new class of magnetically separable sonocatalysts to productively transform mechanical energy into chemical energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation of water waves can be manipulated via artificial structures. However, such structures usually need to possess a large volume ratio in water, and it may not be easy to build and move them in practical ocean engineering. Here, we theoretically propose and experimentally demonstrate a fixed, shallow-draft cylinder array that can refract and focus water waves within a wide range of wavelengths. When impinging upon the cylinder array from a region of water without structures, water waves can be slightly reflected at the surface of the array and speeded up in the array. As a result, favorable focusing performances such as a short focal length and high intensity at the focal point are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish a mouse model of breast cancer lung metastasis with miR-155 knockout (miR155-/-) mice, and to compare the difference of peripheral blood immune cell typing between miR155-/- mice and C57BL/6J wide-type (WT) mice. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was used to explore the expression level of miR-155 in breast cancer tissues and peripheral serum, and its relationship with prognosis. Mouse model of lung metastasis of breast cancer was established by tail vein injection; peripheral blood was collected for flow cytometry, and the immune cell typing was analyzed; the lung tissues were collected for immunohisto-chemical detection to observe the tumor metastasis. Results: Percentage of T lymphocytes and monocytes in peripheral blood of miR155-/- mice was significantly decreased compared with WT mice (P<0.05), percentage of myeloid inhibitory cells (MDSCs) was increased significantly (P<0.05), in which the proportion of monocyte subsets (M-MDSC) was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the proportion of granulocyte subsets (G-MDSC) was significantly increased (P<0.05). In lung metastasis model of breast cancer, percentage of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of miR155-/- mice was significantly higher compared with WT mice, while percentage of NK cells was decreased significantly (P<0.05), percentage of neutrophil was significantly decreased (P<0.001), proportion of Th cells in T lymphocytes was significantly decreased (P<0.05), proportion of M-MDSCs was significantly decreased (P< 0.01), while proportion of G-MDSCs was significantly increased (P<0.01). Conclusion: Deletion of miR-155 gene leads to significant differences in peripheral immune cell typing, making mice more susceptible to lung metastasis of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying reverse time migration (RTM) to seismic data often results in wavefield propagation fraught with migration artifacts. To overcome this, we introduce least-squares RTM (LSRTM), which is applied to the migrated section via the Born approximation and the conjugate gradient algorithm. LSRTM extrapolates the reconstructed wavefield using a wave equation that has been transformed into the Riemannian domain. This approach addresses the oversampling effect of seismic signals by ensuring even sampling and allows for the recovery of greater amplitude in the final migrated image. For each point in the Cartesian coordinate system, there is a corresponding vertical time point. Consequently, we can interpolate the reconstructed source wavefield in the new ray coordinates by drawing a Cartesian–Riemannian mapping function. The specific finite difference (FD) scheme and boundary conditions notwithstanding, the Riemannian wavefield extrapolator operates via two formulas depending on the type of wave equation used. In vertical transversely isotropic (VTI) media, velocity tends to decrease with depth, significantly distorting the migration results. This issue can be resolved by applying the LSRTM in either the Cartesian or pseudodepth domain, supported by a proper wavefield extrapolator. The finite-difference Riemannian wavefield extrapolator, when applied to the Born modeled seismic data, produces results strikingly similar to the classical LSRTM, albeit with some amplitude differences owing to various implementation issues and the oversampling effect. Our results strongly indicate that the domain transformation strategy effectively reduces computational time without compromising the accuracy of the Cartesian-mesh-typed LSRTM results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Different bile duct stent applications lead to various long-term survivals of mouse orthotopic liver transplantation (MOLT). • Both donor and recipient strains influence the long-term survival of MOLT. • The rational donor-recipient-stent combination made an ideal long-term survival of MOLT. Although mouse orthotopic liver transplantation (MOLT) is considered the gold standard in basic liver transplantation research, only a handful of transplantation research centers can establish the MOLT model reliably and reproducibly. Besides techniques and instruments, some nontechnical factors determine the outcomes of MOLT. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different bile duct stents and mouse strains on the long-term survival rate of MOLT. Varying donor-recipient-bile duct stent combinations were applied to groups 1-6 (G1, B6J-B6J-PP tube; G2, B6J-C3H-PP tube; G3, B6J-B6J-1.5XPE10 tube; G4, B6N-C3H-1.5XPE10 tube; G5, B10-C3H-1.5XPE10 tube; G6, B6N-C3H-1.25XPE10 tube) to value their effect on the long-term survival of MOLT. Liver transplantation was performed based on these experimental designs. The survival state was monitored for 3 months. The 1-month survival rate of G1 and G2 was 14.3% and 70%, respectively. The 1-month survival rate of G3 was 80%, which had no significant difference compared with G2. Both G4 and G5 had a favorable 1-month survival rate of 100%. The 3-month survival rate of G3, G4, and G5 was 0%, 25%, and 80%, respectively. G6 had the same 1-month and 3-month survival rates as G5, which were 100% and 80%. This study suggests that C3H mice were better recipient selections than B6J mice. Donor strains and stent materials are also important factors for the long-term survival of MOLT. An ideal long-term survival of MOLT could be achieved by a rational donor-recipient-stent combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic water splitting using a semiconductor is one of the most effective ways to obtain clean energy. However, a pure semiconductor exhibits a poor photocatalytic performance because of its harsh charge carrier recombination, limited light harvesting ability and deficiency of surface reactive sites. Herein, the hydrothermal method is employed to synthesize a new UiO-66-NH2/CdIn2S4 (NU66/CIS) heterojunction nanocomposite, constructed via a coordination bond between NU66 and CIS. Benefitting from the great specific surface area, the UiO-66-NH2 provides abundant reactive sites on its surface to boost the water reduction. Moreover, the amino groups in the UiO-66-NH2 are supplied as coordination sites to establish strong interactions between NU66 and CIS, thus forming the heterojunction with intimate connections. Therefore, the electrons produced by photoexcitation of CIS can be more effectively promoted to transfer to NU66, and then react with H+ in water to produce H2. Accordingly, the optimized 8% NU66/CIS heterojunction exhibits a considerable photocatalytic efficiency for water splitting, in which the H2 production rate is 7.8 times higher than that of bare CIS, and 3.5 times as high as that of the two materials combined by simple physical mixing. This research offers a creative and innovative idea for the construction of active MOF-based photocatalysts for H2 evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: It is the first attempt to combine covalent organic frameworks with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) to construct efficient metal-free photocatalyst. The composite displays superior photocatalytic hydrogen production performance in metal-free systems. The integrated porous h-BN can suppress electron backflow to optimize the composite photocatalytic activity. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as a kind of rising star materials in photocatalysis. However, their photocatalytic activities are restricted by the high photogenerated electron–hole pairs recombination rate. Herein, a novel metal-free 2D/2D van der Waals heterojunction, composed of a two-dimensional (2D) COF with ketoenamine linkage (TpPa-1-COF) and 2D defective hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), is successfully constructed through in situ solvothermal method. Benefitting from the presence of VDW heterojunction, larger contact area and intimate electronic coupling can be formed between the interface of TpPa-1-COF and defective h-BN, which make contributions to promoting charge carriers separation. The introduced defects can also endow the h-BN with porous structure, thus providing more reactive sites. Moreover, the TpPa-1-COF will undergo a structural transformation after being integrated with defective h-BN, which can enlarge the gap between the conduction band position of the h-BN and TpPa-1-COF, and suppress electron backflow, corroborated by experimental and density functional theory calculations results. Accordingly, the resulting porous h-BN/TpPa-1-COF metal-free VDW heterojunction displays outstanding solar energy catalytic activity for water splitting without co-catalysts, and the H2 evolution rate can reach up to 3.15 mmol g−1 h−1, which is about 67 times greater than that of pristine TpPa-1-COF, also surpassing that of state-of-the-art metal-free-based photocatalysts reported to date. In particular, it is the first work for constructing COFs-based heterojunctions with the help of h-BN, which may provide new avenue for designing highly efficient metal-free-based photocatalysts for H2 evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid amplification is a sensitive and powerful tool for allergen detection. However, it is limited due to the relatively cumbersome methods required to extract nucleic acids from single plant seed allergen (e.g. peanut and soybean). In view of this, an approach of extracting nucleic acid with untreated glass-fiber paper (paper-based microfluidics) was applied for nucleic acid capture and purification from plant seed allergen and commercial products. After cut by hollow cylindrical cutter, a certain size the paper chip it used to absorb DNA. And this paper-based microfluidics with DNA was directly applied for amplification by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). To evaluate the adsorption performance of paper chip to DNA, CTAB and SDS method were used as comparisons. From amplification results, the established technique has good specificity, high repeatability (C.V. values are 4.41% and 6.17% for peanut and soybean) and favorable sensitivity (7.39 ng/μL or peanut and 6.6 ng/μL for soybean), and successfully used for commercial products (2 kinds of candy and 2 kinds of cakes containing peanut, and 2 kinds of drinks, candy and 2 kinds of biscuits containing soybean). This speed and flexible detection method makes it suit for applications in point-of-care (POC) detection at different scenario, such as custom house and import port. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a complex clinical syndrome, and patients often have high short-term mortality. It occurs with intense systemic inflammation, often accompanied by a proinflammatory event (such as infection or alcoholic hepatitis), and is closely related to single or multiple organ failure. Liver inflammation begins when innate immune cells (such as Kupffer cells (KCs)) are activated by binding of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) from pathogenic microorganisms or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) of host origin to their pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Activated KCs can secrete inflammatory factors as well as chemokines and recruit bone marrow-derived cells such as neutrophils and monocytes to the liver to enhance the inflammatory process. Bacterial translocation may contribute to ACLF when there are no obvious precipitating events. Immunometabolism plays an important role in the process (including mitochondrial dysfunction, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism). The late stage of ACLF is mainly characterized by immunosuppression. In this process, the dysfunction of monocyte and macrophage is reflected in the downregulation of HLA-DR and upregulation of MER tyrosine kinase (MERTK), which weakens the antigen presentation function and reduces the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. We also describe the specific function of bacterial translocation and the gut-liver axis in the process of ACLF. Finally, we also describe the transcriptomics in HBV-ACLF and the recent progress of single-cell RNA sequencing as well as its potential application in the study of ACLF in the future, in order to gain a deeper understanding of ACLF in terms of single-cell gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an improved method for the position signal evaluation of a switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives. It can perform accurate position signal reconstruction based on the inductance, and greatly increase the fault tolerance of SRM in complex environments. It includes the position signal fault diagnosis (PSFD), position signal estimation, and fault-tolerant control (FTC). First, the installation and principle of the position sensor is introduced to show the function of the position signal in SRM drive system. Then, to overcome the limitation of application range of the conventional diagnosis method, a new PSFD method based on grey prediction model is proposed. Besides, a position estimation method based on the inflection point of the inductance is proposed. According to the estimated position, FTCs are carried out when position sensors are faulty. Finally, experiments are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed position signal fault-tolerant control method based on a 12/10 six phase SRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finite-control-set model predictive current control (FCS-MPCC) always has large steady-state fluctuation and computational burden. In this paper, a novel FCS-MPCC without a modulator to drive permanent magnet synchronous hub motors (PMSHMs), which combines virtual vectors expansion scheme and duty cycle control was proposed. The lack of a modulator reduces the complexity of the control system. The virtual vectors are synthesized by using active vectors, which improve the accuracy of voltage selection, and further improve PMSHM's steady-state performance and reduce current harmonics. The duty cycle control uses a zero vector to obtain better steady-state performance. However, the duty cycle of the virtual vectors is limited by the synthesis method, and further analysis is needed. A new calculation process is proposed to reduce the amount of calculation. The deadbeat principle is used to get reference voltage which determines sectors. Then, the best voltage vector in the selected sector is determined by the predetermined cost function. The traditional MPCC and the duty cycle MPCC (DCMPCC) are used as a comparison item to compare with the proposed method to illustrate its effectiveness. Results confirm that improved MPCC has good steady-state performance while maintaining a fast dynamic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to using solar energy to promote catalytic reactions, photocatalysis technology is the first choice. However, sunlight can not only be directly converted into chemical energy through a photocatalytic process, it can also be converted through different energy‐transfer pathways. Using sunlight as the energy source, photocatalytic reactions can proceed independently, and can also be coupled with other catalytic technologies to enhance the overall catalytic efficiency. Therefore, sunlight‐driven catalytic reactions are diverse, and need to be given a specific definition. We propose a timely perspective for catalytic reactions driven by sunlight and give them a specific definition, namely "solar energy catalysis". The concept of different types of solar energy catalysis, such as photocatalysis, photothermal catalysis, solar cell powered electrocatalysis, and pyroelectric catalysis, are highlighted. Finally, their limitations and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to using solar energy to promote catalytic reactions, photocatalysis technology is the first choice. However, sunlight can not only be directly converted into chemical energy through a photocatalytic process, it can also be converted through different energy‐transfer pathways. Using sunlight as the energy source, photocatalytic reactions can proceed independently, and can also be coupled with other catalytic technologies to enhance the overall catalytic efficiency. Therefore, sunlight‐driven catalytic reactions are diverse, and need to be given a specific definition. We propose a timely perspective for catalytic reactions driven by sunlight and give them a specific definition, namely "solar energy catalysis". The concept of different types of solar energy catalysis, such as photocatalysis, photothermal catalysis, solar cell powered electrocatalysis, and pyroelectric catalysis, are highlighted. Finally, their limitations and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Using a digital model, evaluate the changes in the soft tissue following rapid restoration of anterior teeth and analyze the factors impacting implant absorption. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed on 84 patients who received immediate implant restoration for a single anterior tooth in the department of Stomatology of our hospital from April 2020 to August 2021. According to different surgical methods, they were divided into the study group (n = 42) and control group (n = 42). Immediate implant repair was given to the research group, while delayed implant restoration was given to the control group. The influence of the two surgical techniques on the alterations of soft tissues around implants was studied using a 3Shape oral scan and a digital model before and 1, 3, and 5 months after the operation, respectively. Patients in the study group were divided into the excellent group (n = 26) and poor group (n = 16) according to the test results of implant bone absorption, and the risk factors of poor implant absorption after immediate restoration of anterior teeth were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results. The levels of 1 mm and 3 mm below the gum mucosa margin in the two groups increased gradually with the time, and the gingival level and soft tissue thickness at the lip of the baseline implant also increased gradually. However, the changes of soft tissue in the study group were better than those in the control group at 3 and 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05). The PES score was significantly improved in both groups after treatment, and the aesthetic score was higher in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Univariate and binary logistic multifactor regression showed that smoking and poor implant health were the related factors affecting implant absorption (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Immediate anterior tooth implantation and pharyngeal implant restoration can better restore the soft tissue and aesthetic degree of patients, but immediate implant restoration can more effectively restore the soft tissue, and controlling smoking and keeping clean around the implant after surgery is conducive to implant absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal manures positively affect soil microbial activity and inorganic phosphorus (Pi) accumulation. However, how different types of manures affect microbial-driven Pi transformation at the aggregate scale is largely unclear. Here, we conducted a field experiment focused on maize cultivation in a reclamation site. Five fertilization treatments included no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer (CF), chicken manure (CHM), pig manure (PM), and cow manure (CM). We examined microbial biomass, soil extracellular enzyme activities associated with carbon and phosphorus cycling, and Pi fractions (Labile-P, Moderately labile-P, and Stable-P) in three aggregate sizes (> 2 mm large macro-aggregates, 0.25–2 mm small macro-aggregates, and < 0.25 mm micro-aggregates), as well as grain yield. The results showed that manures addition significantly increased the proportion of large macro-aggregates and aggregate stability compared to chemical fertilizer. Stable-P constituted the largest proportion among the Pi fractions, accounting for 63 %–72 %. However, manures reduced Stable-P (5.4 %–10.7 %) and increased Labile-P (111 %–190 %) in Pi, especially in micro-aggregates. Both chemical fertilizer and manures increased microbial biomass and enzyme activities in aggregates, with manures causing a greater enhancement of soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and C-cycling enzymes, especially under pig manure, and improving soil microbial biomass phosphorus (SMBP) and P-cycling enzymes, especially under chicken manure. Phytase, phosphatase and SMBP accounted for 81.4 %, 81.2 % and 87 % of the differences in large macro-aggregates, small macro-aggregates, and micro-aggregates, respectively. The structural equation model (SEM) demonstrated that manures facilitated the transformation of Stable-P to Labile-P by regulating aggregates and microbial activity, which consequently increased yield. In summary, manures addition, particularly chicken manure, can enhance inorganic phosphate (Pi) accumulation and transformation, thereby mitigating phosphorus (P) limitation in calcareous reclamation soils. • Manures (especially chicken manure) promoted Pi accumulation and transformation. • Phytase, phosphatase, and soil microbial biomass phosphorus were the main factors causing the differences in Pi. • Manures promote Stable-P to Labile-P via interactions with aggregates and microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the extensive application of active magnetic bearings (AMBs), the robust multiobjective optimization of the structure seems to be a priority. However, it is a challenge due to the high dimension and huge computational cost of finite-element analysis. In this article, a robust multi-objective optimization method is proposed to pursue good performance for a three-pole AMB. To increase the efficiency of the optimization process, the Kendall correlation coefficient is applied to assist in determining the sensitivity. The parameters are divided into three layers, and a three-level multiobjective optimization structure is established. Meanwhile, Kriging model is employed to improve the optimization efficiency. The selection of the final solution in Pareto curves is always an issue. The proposed optimization structure can only ensure the performance of the AMB, rather than robustness. Thus, a robust solution selection method is proposed based on the climbing algorithm. The robustness can be easily shown in the Pareto curve obtained through the optimization structure. The final solution is selected with good robustness in terms of suspension force and force ripple. The experimental results based on a prototype are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed optimization method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an optimal direct torque control (DTC) strategy with variable flux for a switched reluctance motor using the improved linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) plus the hybrid optimization algorithm (HOA). First, the constant flux amplitude is substituted by the variable flux DTC (VF-DTC) to reduce the torque ripple. Then, the LADRC with the improved extended state observer applied in speed controller is utilized instead of the conventional PI control to improve the speed of the observer, antidisturbance ability, and robustness. Moreover, the HOA is employed to search for the optimal control parameters and acquire satisfactory dynamic performances. Finally, the optimal VF-DTC system is implemented on a 12/8 SRM. Simulation and experimental results are carried out to compare the performances of the conventional DTC, the VF-DTC with LADRC, the VF-DTC with PI using HOA, and the proposed optimal VF-DTC using HOA. The results show that the proposed control method has a faster speed response, superior antidisturbance ability, and lower torque ripples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new position sensorless method for switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive control based on a sliding mode observer using nonlinear Fourier flux linkage model. First, to obtain an accurate mathematical model of SRM for establishment of sliding mode position observer (SMPO), an analytical method based on Fourier polynomial function is introduced to regress the nonlinear relationship between flux linkage, position and current. Then, a new SMPO is designed in detail to estimate the rotor position, including the establishment of SRM model of sliding mode observer, and analysis of estimation error and convergence conditions of SMPO. Finally, position sensorless control of SRM drive based on SMPO is carried out in terms of accuracy and robustness in simulation. Experiments are also given on a dynamic testing platform to verify the effectiveness of the proposed position sensorless scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new sensorless control strategy with the fault-tolerant ability for switched reluctance motors (SRMs). Nowadays, many rotor position detection methods are utilized, but most of them increase the system cost due to the additional hardware or complex calculations. To address this problem, various methods of using phase inductance to estimate the rotor position and speed have been proposed. However, the traditional inductance detection method will cause signal distortion due to the presence of interference signals and the unbalanced phase inductance. In particular, the turn-ON angle is advanced. To further improve the stability of the control system, the interference signals are eliminated via establishing the reference time of the inductance characteristic point and the error band in this work. When the position signal disappears, the inductance characteristic points of adjacent phases will be adopted for signal compensation to realize fault-tolerant control. Finally, an SRM drive system is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct torque control has been widely used to control surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motors (SPMSMs). To reduce the torque ripple and improve the flux tracking accuracy of SPMSM drives, sliding mode direct torque control (SMDTC) was developed. However, its optimal performance is hardly obtained by trial and error tuning of the control parameters. Hence, a hybrid wolf optimization algorithm (HWOA) is proposed to automatically adjust the controller's parameters of SMDTC for SPMSMs in this article. This algorithm combines the grey wolf optimization algorithm and coyote optimization algorithm. A conversion probability is designed to use them simultaneously. The proposed HWOA holds the advantages of the two algorithms. It converges very fast and can avoid local optimums effectively. Furthermore, a special fitness index with penalty terms is designed to enhance flux tracking accuracy and reduce the torque ripple of SPMSM drives. The superiority of the proposed control method is verified by an experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman spectroscopy (RS) has been used in clinical diagnostics, tissue engineering, and toxicology experiments owing to its label‐free, low‐destructive, high sensitivity, and strong specificity. Nonetheless, their application has been limited because of the integrated analysis of biological experimental methods and RS. In this study, it was challenged that applied RS in combination with biological experiments to distinguish colorectal cancer (CC) cells from which treated with artesunate (ART), which has obvious antitumor effects. Heavy water (D2O) was used to detect changes in colorectal cancer cell metabolism. The Raman spectral intensity of the C–D band at 2100–2300 cm−1 was significantly weakened in CC (SW480, SW620, and HCT116) treated with ART. According to the CCK‐8, wound healing, and Transwell assays, the activity of SW480 and SW620 cells was significantly inhibited by ART. Through literature tracking and transcriptome sequencing, multiple signal pathways of SW480 and SW620 cells have changed significantly after treatment with ART, such as "apoptotic signaling pathway," "cell cycle phase transition," "mitochondrial part," and "mRNA metabolic process." The Raman peak area significantly decreased at 490 cm−1, 746 cm−1, 1126 cm−1, 1311 cm−1, 1337 cm−1, and 1582 cm−1 in SW480 and SW620 cells treated with ART. It showed that these Raman bands are associated with ART‐induced apoptosis‐related signaling pathways. In addition, we found that application of the RS in cell type identification will be prosperous. By integrating RS with biological mechanisms, its application in the biomedical field is increasing, and its significance in biological sample detection has become more prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective: Tacrolimus (Tac) is an immunosuppressant that is widely used to prevent allograft rejection in patients after liver transplantation. Its metabolism mainly depends on the cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5), which has genetic polymorphisms. Recently, a Chinese herbal medicine known as Wuzhi Capsule (WZC) was shown to increase Tac blood concentrations by inhibiting the activity of CYP3A in animal studies in rats. To date, it remains unexplored whether WZC can be efficiently used to enhance the blood concentration of Tac in liver transplant patients with different donor‐recipient CYP3A5 genotypes. Methods: A total of 185 liver transplant patients were enrolled and two‐way ANOVA was carried out, then they were divided into four groups according to the combinations of donor‐recipient CYP3A5 phenotypes. WZC was given to patients when the dose of Tac was ≥4 mg, and the dose‐adjusted C0 (C0/D) of Tac measured twice in succession was ≤1 ng/ml/mg. The blood trough concentration of Tac (C0), C0/D, and dose‐ and body weight‐adjusted C0 (C0/D/W) was analysed on days 7 and 14 after liver transplantation. Results: The genotypes of donor and recipient or WZC had significant effects on C0, C0/D and C0/D/W. There were significant differences in the Tac blood concentrations between the groups. The recipient expression (*1)/donor expression (*1) (R+/D+) group had the lowest C0, C0/D and C0/D/W among the four groups. Furthermore, a larger proportion of patients in the CYP3A5 expression groups required Tac dose adjustment to achieve a therapeutic effect and were given Tac with WZC. Notably, the use of WZC significantly increased the blood concentrations of Tac in the CYP3A5 expression groups and greater increases in the C0/D and C0/D/W were significantly associated with higher doses of WZC in the CYP3A5 expression groups. What is more, WZC reduced the hospitalization cost of patients to a certain extent. What is new and conclusion: WZC significantly increased the C0, C0/D and C0/D/W in the CYP3A5 expression groups and reduced the hospitalization expenses of patients to a certain extent. What is more, greater increases in the C0/D and C0/D/W were significantly associated with higher doses of WZC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) arises from the epithelial lining of the oral cavity, hypopharynx, oropharynx, and larynx. There are several potential risk factors that cause the generation of HNSCC, including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, betel quid chewing, inadequate nutrition, poor oral hygiene, HPV and Epstein–Barr virus, and Candida albicans infections. HNSCC has causative links to both environmental factors and genetic mutations, with the latter playing a more critical role in cancer progression. These molecular changes to epithelial cells include the inactivation of cancer suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes overexpression, resulting in tumour cell proliferation and distant metastasis. HNSCC patients have impaired dendritic cell (DC) and natural killer (NK) cell functions, increased production of higher immune-suppressive molecules, loss of regulatory T cells and co-stimulatory molecules and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ι molecules, lower number of lymphocyte subsets, and a poor response to antigen-presenting cells. At present, the standard treatment modalities for HNSCC patients include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and combinatorial therapy. Despite advances in the development of novel treatment modalities over the last few decades, survival rates of HNSCC patients have not increased. To establish effective immunotherapies, a greater understanding of interactions between the immune system and HNSCC is required, and there is a particular need to develop novel therapeutic options. A therapeutic cancer vaccine has been proposed as a promising method to improve outcome by inducing a powerful adaptive immune response that leads to cancer cell elimination. Compared with other vaccines, peptide cancer vaccines are more robust and specific. In the past few years, there have been remarkable achievements in peptide-based vaccines for HNSCC patients. Here, we summarize the latest molecular alterations in HNSCC, explore the immune response to HNSCC, and discuss the latest developments in peptide-based cancer vaccine strategies. This review highlights areas for valuable future research focusing on peptide-based cancer vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switched reluctance motors are a potential competitor to permanent magnet motors and induction motors for various industrial applications. The switched reluctance motors without permanent magnets have gained increased interest due to their simple structure, low cost, robustness, and high fault tolerance. However, the nonlinear characteristics caused by the double salient structure limit its wide applications. Advanced control techniques have been developed to suppress torque ripple, enhance anti-disturbance ability, reduce the switching frequency, expand speed range, and improve efficiency. The control strategies such as direct torque control and control algorithms like sliding mode control are two main approaches considered. Previous work only focuses on one side of control techniques. Thus, based on various control techniques proposed in recent years, this review classifies and summarizes their benefits and shortcomings. In addition, some essential trends in control development are presented and highlighted as future perspectives. [Display omitted] • The fundamentals including the SRM model and power converter are investigated and summarized. • Advanced control strategies of SRM are comprehensively illustrated and discussed. • The control algorithms including state-of-the-art control approaches with multiple control techniques are classified and analyzed. • Future perspectives of this emerging area have been pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A numerical model considering both the misalignment and inclination is originally proposed to evaluate the static stability of NFAL systems. • The excellent agreement between the numerical and experimental results attests to the reliability and accuracy of the numerical approach. • This study underscores the critical trade-off between the stability of NFAL systems and operational safety. • The numerical results provide a guidance about the running ranges of the radiator vibration amplitude and the reflector weight. The near-field acoustic levitation (NFAL) technique is attracting increasing attention because of its compact design and environmental friendliness. An intriguing aspect of NFAL is the restoring performance when the levitated object is misaligned with the radiator. While numerous studies have proposed models to predict this performance, they typically consider only the misalignment of the levitated object and disregard its inclination. Consequently, this paper presents a numerical model that accounts for both misalignment and inclination to investigate the stability of NFAL systems. First, the Reynolds equation, which describes the variation in pressure distribution, is introduced. Due to the misalignment, a hypothetical reflector with a groove is applied to conveniently express the film thickness. The Reynolds equation is then solved using the eight-point discrete method in conjunction with the boundary equations, and spline interpolation is used to determine the inclination angle. This approach yields the relationship between the restoring force and the eccentricity, which is validated experimentally. Furthermore, parametric studies reveal that increasing the radiator vibration amplitude or the reflector weight enhances the stability. It is also observed that air provides higher stability compared to hydrogen, and a flexible radiator exhibits higher stability compared to a rigid radiator. With decreasing film thickness (e.g., by reducing the vibration amplitude or increasing the weight of the reflector), the stability in the inclination direction is improved at the cost of increased probability of levitation failure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The unit-cell volume expands by 4% during martensitic transformation, which implies a large lattice distortion. • The substitution of Bi for Co atoms in MnCoGe alloy can result in magnetostructural transition.. • Considerable magnetic entropy change and refrigeration capacity were obtained.. • The illustrating structural and magnetic phase diagram of MnCo 1- x Bi x Ge was established. In this work, the substitution of Bi for Co atoms in MnCo 1- x Bi x Ge (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1) alloys was prepared. The crystal structure, magnetic properties, and magnetocaloric effect have been analyzed. By tuning the Bi-content in MnCoGe alloys, the reduction of martensitic transformation (MT) temperature and the presence of a first-order magnetostructural transition (MST) were observed. Magnetic field-induced MT indicates that the magnetic field is much harder to drive MT compared to the temperature. With the Bi-content for 0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.06, orthorhombic-type phase and hexagonal-type phase coexist. Furthermore, we observed an increase in the fraction of the hexagonal-type phase and a corresponding decrease in the fraction of the orthorhombic-type phase. It is beneficial to the refrigeration capacity for the isothermal magnetization curves M(H) on magnetization and demagnetization procedures with small magnetic hysteresis loss. With a magnetic field of 5 T, magnetocaloric effect (MCE) can be observed involving magnetic entropy change (- Δ S M) of 26.42 J kg−1 K−1 for x = 0.06 and refrigeration capacity (RC) of 259.78 J kg−1 for x = 0.01. Thus, this material is considered a fabulous candidate for magnetic refrigeration cooling applications at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new system-level sequential Taguchi method (SLSTM) is proposed to achieve the optimal solution with high robustness for switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive systems. An SRM drive system consisting of a segmented-rotor SRM and the angle position controller is investigated as a case study. In the implementation, the optimization function contains torque, loss, and torque ripple. The control factors of the system are selected according to the sensitivity analysis results. Manufacturing tolerances are considered to guarantee that the optimal solution features low sensitiveness to uncertainties. The process of defining the design levels of all the control factors and noise factor is illustrated and the orthogonal array is established. The optimization of the SLSTM is carried out sequentially until the certain convergence condition is satisfied. Finally, the component-level sequential Taguchi method (CLSTM) is carried out for comparison. It appears that the proposed SLSTM is efficient in searching for the robust optimal solution for the SRM drive system. Besides, it can achieve better output performance, such as higher average torque and lower torque ripple, and a higher level of robustness compared with the initial design and CLSTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switched reluctance motors (SRMs) have attracted much attention in industry due to the advantages of low cost, robust structure, high fault tolerance and high torque density. However, several disadvantages like high torque ripples and coil temperatures hinder their industrialization for some applications requiring high dynamic performance, like electric vehicles (EVs). In this paper, a multiobjective and multiphysics design optimization method considering both thermal and electromagnetic performance is presented for a 12/10 SRM. First, the topology of the SRM is introduced and the optimal parameters are defined. Then, the electromagnetic finite element model (FEM) is introduced and the 3D transient lumped-parameter thermal model (TLPTM), considering both axial and radial heat transfer for the SRM, is proposed. Second, the objectives and constraints of the optimization are determined. To improve the optimization efficiency, the sequential subspace optimization strategy is employed to find the optimal solution of this high-dimensional design optimization problem. Finally, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, both simulation and experimental results are given and discussed. Compared with the initial design, the optimal solution exhibits lower temperature, higher torque, lower torque ripple and less loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the core mechanism of active suspension, the control strategy of linear motor actuator is the key factor to affect ride comfort. This paper presents a model predictive thrust force control (MPTFC) method with switching frequency term in the evaluation function for linear motor applied in the vehicle active suspension system. MPTFC selects seven voltage vectors that the inverter produces into the motor predictive model. The motor operating status parameters of the control cycle are obtained with the effect of different voltage vectors. Based on the evaluation function to select the optimal voltage vector, the optimal vector is used for motor in the next control period. The sky-hook controller of active suspension system and the model predictive thrust controller of linear motor are consisted of the control system of the active suspension. A two-degree-of-freedom quarter-car model with active suspension system was established. The MPTFC and the direct thrust force control (DTFC) for linear motor are experimentally tested by dSPACE. The whole active suspension performance is simulated. Results prove that the suspension using linear motor with MPTFC has faster dynamic response of speed, less thrust force and stator flux linkage ripple, which produces the desired electromagnetic force according to the vibration of the bodywork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Taguchi optimization method is an efficient method for motor design optimization. However, it is hard to handle the multiobjective motor optimization problem with big design space for the parameters. To deal with this problem, in this article, a fuzzy method and sequential Taguchi method to optimize an inter permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) is employed. The fuzzy inference system is introduced to convert the multiple objectives to a single-objective optimization problem. The sequential Taguchi method is used to optimize the structural parameters at multiple levels to improve the accuracy of optimization. After the optimal selection analysis, the best combination of motor structure factors is obtained. By comparing the optimization result of the proposed method with that of the conventional Taguchi optimization method, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an improved direct instantaneous torque control (DITC) based on adaptive terminal sliding mode control (ATSMC) is proposed to suppress torque ripple and enhance the anti-interference ability for switched reluctance motors (SRMs). The proposed speed controller used in the outer loop of DITC is based on the rate of change in load torque. The state of the system converges quickly to the equilibrium point and realizes fast output of the given torque without known disturbance upper bound. Moreover, a novel reaching law is proposed to reduce torque ripple and startup time. The stability of the adaptive terminal sliding mode motion is verified by using the Lyapunov function. The improved DITC system is implemented on a 16/10 segmented-rotor SRM. Compared with sliding mode control and terminal sliding mode control, the proposed ATSMC in the DITC system behave with better performances in aspects of the speed and torque response, antiinterference ability, robustness, and torque ripple suppression. Simulation and experimental results are given to verify the effectiveness of the improved DITC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti‐seizures have been frequently used for a long time. Most of these antiepileptic drugs, which are used on a daily basis, are central nervous system depressants, and their excessive use damages the respiratory system. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired therapeutic goals, avoiding side effects and drug interactions, it is very important to use targeted medications. Among the metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), ZIF nanoparticles have several advantages such as smooth capillary flow and the slow release of drugs, circulating and preventing increased drug concentrations in plasma. Gabapentin, levetiracetam, phenytoin, and valproate are effective drugs in the treatment of epilepsy. In this investigation, the zeolitic imidazolate frameworks ZIF‐67, ZIF‐90, and ZIF‐8 are used as carriers for the above drugs, and their loading processes are evaluated. Among these MOFs, the highest loading values are attained in the case of ZIF‐8. Therefore, the latter MOF is synthesized via a new simple method and characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Also, the release of these drugs was measured from the pores of ZIF‐8, and the slow release of these drugs indicated that the framework could be used as a suitable carrier for a wide range of antiepileptic drugs. Finally, the in vitro cytotoxicity of gabapentin‐ZIF‐8 against Hep‐G2 liver cancer cells was investigated by MTT assay. This study confirmed a significant decrease in the MTT signal compared with the untreated cells, so the drug‐loaded ZIF‐8 could reduce the metabolic activity of cancer cells. Therefore, this nanoparticle can be used as a carrier for the delivery of the studied drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second most common vision-threatening retinal vascular disease. Intravitreal dexamethasone implant has been applied to treat macular edema secondary to RVO (RVO-ME). However, the alteration of morphologic features detected with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has not been fully studied in RVO-ME patients before and after the treatment. Objective. This study is aimed at identifying potential therapeutic targets in RVO with integrative bioinformatic analysis and compares the OCTA characteristics alterations in patients with RVO-ME receiving injection of dexamethasone intravitreal implant. Methods. Bioinformatic analysis was analyzed in GSE101398 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Multiple functional enrichment analyses were performed, and protein-protein interaction network was constructed to visualize the key node genes. Eleven eyes with RVO-ME were examined with OCTA before and after intravitreal dexamethasone implant. The OCTA parameters, including macular thickness, vessel density, foveal avascular zone parameters, the number of hyperreflective foci (HRF), area of cystoid edema, and subretinal fluid (SRF), were compared. The correlation was analyzed between best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and OCTA parameters. Results. A total of 79 differentially expressed genes were identified. Functional enrichment analyses revealed the enriched inflammatory events in RVO. In RVO-ME, Pearson correlation revealed that baseline BCVA was positively correlated with the area of SRF and central macular thickness, while no correlation was detected between baseline BCVA and HRF number or the area of cystoid edema. The visual acuity improved, and the central macular thickness was decreased after intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection. Besides, the number of HRF, the area of cystoid edema, and SRF were significantly alleviated after dexamethasone intravitreal injection. Conclusion. Retinal inflammation plays a crucial role in RVO pathogenesis. The imaging biomarkers of RVO including Müller glial intracellular edema, and retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction, could be assessed in OCTA and attenuated by intravitreal dexamethasone implant effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Roasted peanut is widely loved as a kind of food with rich taste. However, peanut allergy is one of the major threats to human health, which affects about 5% of children and 1.4–2% of adults in the world. RESULTS: To evaluate the sensitization mechanism of peanut allergen Ara h 3, Caco‐2 cells as the model, which has the similar structure and function to differentiated small intestinal epithelial cells. Compared with Ara h 3‐raw (purified from raw peanut) group, more significant results such as the inhibited Caco‐2 cell viability and proliferation, the increased secretion of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the decreased transepithelial electrical resistance were obtained in Ara h 3‐roasted (purified from roasted peanut) group. Accordingly, oxidative stress and NF‐κB signaling pathway were more imbalanced, which lead to the increased of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin 6 (IL‐6), IL‐8 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP‐1). Then, the gene expression of tight junction proteins ZO‐1, occludin and JAM‐1 were reduced, which proved that the integrity of the Caco‐2 monolayer barrier is severely damaged. CONCLUSION: These finding identify the mechanisms of the allergenicity of roasted peanut allergy proteins are probably associated with intestinal uptake and cytokine dependent allergies. The aggravated allergic reaction might be caused by the increment of TSLP, IL‐6, IL‐8 and MCP‐1 due to the activated NF‐κB signaling pathway, and the enhanced transport of Ara h 3‐roasted protein by Caco‐2 monolayer. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial application of the switched reluctance motor (SRM) is limited by its high torque ripples caused by the doubly salient structure. In this article, an improved direct torque control (DTC) with sliding mode controller and observer is developed to reduce the torque ripples of a four-phase SRM. First, a sliding mode controller based on a new reaching law is developed for designing a sliding mode speed controller (SMSC) for the DTC system. An antidisturbance sliding mode observer (ADSMO) is then proposed and combined with the SMSC to build a composite antidisturbance speed control strategy. Moreover, detailed simulation validations are carried out to reveal the effectiveness of the new reaching law, SMSC and ADSMO. Finally, experiments are conducted to verify the performance of the proposed SMSC–ADSMO in a DTC system with a four-phase SRM prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent magnet synchronous hub motors (PMSHMs) have been gradually introduced into the applications of electric vehicles. On this basis, the six-phase motor has the characteristics of high reliability, high power density and low torque ripple. And its fault tolerance is a large advantage compared with the three-phase motor. The multi-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor is redundant due to the number of phases. When the motor fails, it does not have to stop running, merely adjust its control mode and enter the fault-tolerant compensation control algorithm to resume the operation of the system. The FCS-MPC algorithm can replace the cascade structure in the traditional control and eliminate the modulation module. This makes it have good steady-state performance. The speed response is also improved. It can be combined with multiple control objectives with strong flexibility by simply changing the objective function. The prediction model is compensated. Finally, the experimental results show the effectiveness of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The belt-driven starter/generator (BSG), as a cost-effective solution, has been widely employed in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to improve the stability and reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicles. It can provide more than 10% reduction in CO2. Electrical machine is the heart of the BSG system, which is functioned both as motor and generator. In order to optimize both aspects of motor and generator simultaneously, this paper presents a new multimode optimization method for the switched reluctance machines. First, the general multimode concept and optimization method are presented. The switched reluctance motor and the switched reluctance generator are the two operation modes. The optimization models are established based on motor and generator functions. Sensitivity analysis, surrogate models and genetic algorithms are employed to improve the efficiency of the multimode optimization. Then, a design example of a segmented-rotor switched reluctance machine (SSRM) is investigated. Seven design variables and four driving modes are considered in the multiobjective optimization model. The Kriging model is employed to approximate the finite element model (FEM) in the optimization. Finally, the optimization results are depicted, and an optimal solution is selected. The comparison between the initial and optimal designs shows that the proposed method can improve the foremost performance of the SSRM under all driving modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focus on a state feedback controller (SFC)-based optimal control scheme for surface-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous motor (SPMSM) with auto-tuning of controller built on seeker optimization algorithm (SOA). First, based on the nonlinear state-space model of SPMSM, voltage feedforward compensation is used to design a linear SFC. Then in order to guarantee the steady performance in speed and current, integral models considering the errors of rotor speed and current response in d-axis are added in the state space model of SPMSM. Furthermore, by statically decoupling the load torque in the state equation, feedforward compensation is implemented on the load torque to improve the dynamic performance of the controller. The load torque is estimated by using disturbance observer with reasonable parameter selection. Then, with the consideration of the search capacity of seeker optimization algorithm (SOA), it is adopted to acquire matrix coefficient of the presented controller. Furthermore, in order to suppress the speed overshoot, a penalty term is introduced to the fitness index. The performance of the proposed method has been validated experimentally and compared with the conventional method under different conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model predictive current control (MPCC) is a high-performance control strategy for permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives, with the features of quick response and simple computation. However, the conventional MPCC results in high torque and current ripples. This article proposes an improved MPCC scheme for PMSM drives. In the proposed scheme, the back electromotive force is estimated from the previous stator voltage and current, and it is used to predict the stator current for the next period. To further improve the steady state and dynamic performance, the proposed MPCC selects the optimal voltage vector based on a current track circle instead of a cost function. Compared with the calculation of cost function, the prediction of the current track circle is simple and quick. The proposed MPCC is compared with conventional MPCC and a duty-circle based MPCC by simulation and experiment in the aspect of converter output voltage and sensitivity analysis. Results prove the superiority of the proposed MPCC and its effectiveness in reducing the torque and current ripples of PMSM drives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Despite advances in cervical cancer therapy, tumor recurrence and metastasis remain the leading causes of mortality. High expression of BMI1 is significantly associated with poor tumor differentiation, high clinical grade, and poor prognosis of cervical cancer, and is an independent prognostic factor in cervical carcinoma. Alantolactone (AL), a sesquiterpene lactone, exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. In this paper, we investigated the mechanism of AL in reducing the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cells as well as its promotion of mitochondrial damage and autophagy. BMI1 silencing decreased epithelial-mesenchymal transformation-associated proteins and increased autophagy-associated proteins in HeLa cells. These effects were reversed by overexpression of BMI1 in HeLa cells. Thus, BMI1 expression is positively correlated with invasion and negatively correlated with autophagy in HeLa cells. Importantly, AL decreased the weight, volume, and BMI1 expression in HeLa xenograft tumors. Furthermore, the structure of BMI1 and target interaction of AL were virtually screened using the molecular docking program Autodock Vina; AL decreased the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, and P62 and increased the expression of LC3B and Beclin-1 in xenograft tumors. Finally, expression of BMI1 increased the phosphorylation of STAT3, which is important for cell proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion. Therefore, we suggest that AL plays a pivotal role in inhibiting BMI1 in the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer and is a potential therapeutic agent for cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg conbercept in patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathological myopia (pmCNV). Methods: The 177 pmCNV patients were randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to receive conbercept or sham injection, respectively. The conbercept group receive conbercept intravitreal injections administered on a pro re nata (PRN) basis after 3 monthly loading doses. The sham group received three consecutive monthly sham injections and then one conbercept injection followed by PRN conbercept intravitreal injections. Results: At month 3, the mean BCVA for the two groups were improved by 12.0 letters (conbercept group, from 54.05 letters to 66.05 letters) and 0.6 letters (sham group, from 49.77 letters to 50.33 letters), respectively (p < 0.001). The mean central retinal thickness (CRT) at month 3 in the two groups decreased 62.0 μm (conbercept group, from 348.90 μm to 286.18 μm) and 4.4 μm (sham group, from 347.86 μm to 343.47 μm) (p < 0.001). At month 9, the mean BCVA improved by 13.3 letters in the conbercept group and 11.3 letters in the sham group. The mean CRT decreased 73.6 μm in the conbercept group and 55.9 μm in the sham group (p < 0.001). The most common ocular adverse events were associated with intravitreal injections, such as conjunctival haemorrhage and increased intraocular pressure. Conclusion: Intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg conbercept provided improvement in visual and anatomical outcomes in pmCNV patients with low rates of ocular and nonocular safety events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel system-level robust design optimization method is presented to improve the performance of switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive systems under multiple operating conditions. Based on typical driving cycles of electric vehicles (EVs), five typical driving modes of the SRM are determined. The optimization objectives in each driving mode are established. The significant parameters of the motor and controller of each driving mode are selected as the optimization variables by using the sensitivity analysis. In order to simplify the optimization process, correlation analysis is performed to determine the coherence of the objective functions of all driving modes. Then, a sequential Taguchi method is applied to find an optimal design which is less sensitive to the noise factors. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, an SRM drive system applied in EVs with a 12/10 SRM and angle position control method is investigated. It is found that the proposed method can significantly reduce the torque ripple and improve the comprehensive performance. Finally, a 12/10 SRM is prototyped and tested to validate the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an optimal scheme for an interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) in electric vehicle drive system using novel model predictive torque control (MPTC) algorithm. A single optimal voltage space vector (VSV) is applied with a two-level voltage source inverter in the conventional MPTC. An improved MPTC is presented to reduce the drawbacks with satisfied torque reaction performance without adding the sampling time. First, set switching table to alleviate the calculated complexity which decreasing the selection of the appropriate VSVs. Second, optimize the duty cycle to restrain the torque ripple. Finally, the conventional MPTC and the proposed MPTC are compared in the aspects of torque and flux ripples, current harmonics, and computational level in the experiment using dSPACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) magnetic bearings have been widely investigated and designed for various applications. However, a new design magnetic bearing cannot be directly used without optimization due to the not relatively excellent performance. Besides, there may be a lack of consideration of the interaction of parameters in the design process. Hence, in this article, a three-degree-of-freedom hybrid magnetic bearing (THMB) is optimized as an example. First, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis is carried out to show the relationship between the parameters and optimization objectives in detail. Second, a cross-factor variance analysis is considered due to the possibility of parameter interaction. And then, a hierarchical multi-objective optimization structure is used with the Kriging model and the non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA II). The simulation results verify the validity of the proposed method, and the prototype is under manufacture for further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiobjective optimization design of interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSMs) is a challenge due to the high dimension and huge computation cost of finite element analysis. This article presents a new multilevel optimization strategy for efficient multiobjective optimization of an IPMSM. To determine the multilevel optimization strategy, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis and cross-factor variance analysis techniques are employed to evaluate the correlations of design parameters and optimization objectives. A three-level optimization structure is obtained for the investigated IPMSM based on the analysis results, and different optimization parameters and objectives are assigned to different levels. To improve the optimization efficiency, the Kriging model is employed to approximate the finite element analysis for the multiobjective optimization in each level. It is found that the proposed method can provide optimal design schemes with a better performance, such as smaller torque ripple and lower power loss for the investigated IPMSM, while the needed computation cost is reduced significantly. Finally, experimental results based on a prototype are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed optimization method. The proposed method can be applied for the efficient multiobjective optimization of other electrical machines with high dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a novel multiobjective system level optimization method to achieve the best performance of switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive systems. First, the multiobjective optimization problem for the SRM drive systems is defined. Then, all parameters of the drive systems, including the motor level and control level, are divided into three subspaces according to their influences on the objectives. Finally, the optimization of each subspace is performed sequentially until a convergence criterion is met. Then, the optimal solution can be chosen from the Pareto solutions according to a selection criterion. Meanwhile, the sensitivity analysis, the approximate models, and the genetic algorithm are employed to reduce the computation cost. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, an SRM drive system with a segmented-rotor SRM (SSRM) and the angle position control method is investigated. This is a high-dimensional system level optimization problem with ten parameters. The finite-element model (FEM) results are verified by the experiment results. The optimal solution has been listed and verified by the FEM. From the discussion, it can be found that the proposed optimization method is efficient and optimized SSRM drive system has high efficiency and low torque ripple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an optimal control strategy for a bearingless permanent magnet synchronous machine (BPMSM) drive is proposed. The state feedback control (SFC) based on the grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm is applied. As for the BPMSM system, coupling and nonlinearity exist, which hinders the SFC. Hence, the linearization of the BPMSM mathematical model is implemented first. Second, the discretized state model with the augmented integrals of the displacement error and the angular speed error is obtained. Then, the weighting matrices Kd are obtained by employing the GWO algorithm. Finally, simulations and experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Comparisons between the controllers with and without the penalty term are conducted. Meanwhile, the proportional-integral (PI) controllers based on the genetic algorithm and the proposed one are compared as well. The results show the superiority of the proposed method reflecting in faster response and no overshoot compared with the PI controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the efficient robust design optimization of a five-phase permanent magnet (PM) hub motor for electric vehicles. Besides the requirement of high-performance, like high torque density, low torque ripple and efficiency, fault-tolerant operation capability are also considered in the design optimization. To ensure that the motor performance is not sensitive to the variations of manufacturing tolerances, robust design optimization is employed to the investigated motor. To improve the fault tolerant capability of the motor, the motor performances under fault operation are also considered in the optimization. A Fuzzy-based sequential Taguchi robust optimization method is proposed to improve the comprehensive performance and save computing time. The proposed method is efficient because it holds the advantages of Taguchi method, fuzzy theory, and sequential optimization strategy. The motor performance is improved significantly by using the proposed method. Experimental results verify the accuracy of the model used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]