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Apoptosis is a complex and highly self-regulating form of cell death, which is an important cause of the continuous decline in ventricular function and is widely involved in the occurrence and development of heart failure, myocardial infarction, and myocarditis. Endoplasmic reticulum stress plays a crucial role in apoptosis-inducing. Accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins causes cells to undergo a stress response called unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR initially has a cardioprotective effect. Nevertheless, prolonged and severe ER stress will lead up to apoptosis of stressed cells. Non-coding RNA is a type of RNA that does not code proteins. An ever-increasing number of studies have shown that non-coding RNAs are involved in regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cardiomyocyte injury and apoptosis. In this study, the effects of miRNA and LncRNA on endoplasmic reticulum stress in various heart diseases were mainly discussed to clarify their protective effects and potential therapeutic strategies for apoptosis.

Abstract The abundant genetic variation harbored by wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) has provided a reservoir of useful genes for rice breeding. However, the genome of wild rice has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Here, we report the haplotype-resolved gapless genome assembly and annotation of wild rice Y476. In addition, we develop two sets of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) using Y476 as the donor parent and cultivated rice as the recurrent parents. By analyzing the gapless reference genome and CSSL population, we identify 254 QTLs associated with agronomic traits, biotic and abiotic stresses. We clone a receptor-like kinase gene associated with rice blast resistance and confirm its wild rice allele improves rice blast resistance. Collectively, our study provides a haplotype-resolved gapless reference genome and demonstrates a highly efficient platform for gene identification from wild rice.

Deep shade dyeing of ramie fibre is challenging due to its high degree of polymerisation, orientation, and crystallinity. The present work involved pre-treating ramie fibre with a solution containing a mixture of NaOH and alcohol in order to improve its dyeing ability. Based on the first screening results, it has been shown that iso-propanol is the optimal alcohol solvent for modifying ramie fibres with a mixture of NaOH solution, resulting in greater levels of dye exhaustion (E%), dye fixation rate (F%), total dye fixation efficiency (T%), and K/S values. Subsequently, the orthogonal array experimental technique (L16) was utilised to optimise the treatment conditions, and it was determined at a temperature of 25 °C, using a NaOH solution with a concentration of 140 g/L, a liquid ratio of 1:2 for the volume ratio of NaOH solution to iso-propanol solvent, and a treating period of 3 min. The treated samples were subjected to a range of analytical techniques, including XRD, FTIR, TGA, and SEM; these analyses conclusively verified that the samples' properties were altered due to the optimal combination treatment. The combination solution-treated samples had significantly higher barium values compared to the other samples, suggesting an ideal mercerisation treatment. The colourfastness to washing values exhibited satisfactory results for the treated samples. Besides, a handle assessment of raw ramie fabric and treated ramie fabric was conducted to enhance the practical application feasibility.

Fluorescent brightening agent OB-1 (OB-1) is often used in plastic goods because of its non-toxic nature, chemical stability, remarkable heat resistance, and light stability. Raw OB-1 is challenging to use in textiles using the exhaustion method. This study used a novel method using raw OB-1 powder to whiten polyester fabric in water and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). The Taguchi approach investigated the interaction between whitening process parameters such as temperature, OB-1 mass, water: D5 ratio, and treatment time with four levels. The study shows that the temperature and water: D5 ratio during the whitening process significantly affect the whiteness of polyester fabric (P

Fluorescent whitening agent OB-1 (OB-1) has non-toxicity, chemical stability, exceptional heat resistance, and light stability, and it is widely used in plastic products. However, raw OB-1 is difficult to apply in textiles by exhaustion process. The present investigation employed raw OB-1 without adding an auxiliary to bestow a whitening effect on polyester fabric in a sustainable medium of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). The Taguchi methodology was employed to optimize the whitening parameters. An L16 orthogonal array was utilized to investigate the optimal conditions for whitening temperature, whitening time, and OB-1 mass, with four whiteness levels. The signal-to-noise ratio was optimized using a larger-is-better approach to enhance the parameter responses. The study analyzed the main effect and interaction plot of multiple factors. The findings indicate that the temperature of the whitening process significantly impacts the whiteness of the polyester fabric (P

Establishing a suitable closed-loop transfer function model for the grid-connected PMSG system is the key basis in performing inter-harmonic characteristics analysis. Multiple closed-loop transfer functions can be constructed when different components of the converter controller are taken into account. However, the effect of different components of the converter controller on inter-harmonic stability analysis is not clear. In this paper, the complete transfer function, considering different loops, is first given. Based on the complete closed-loop transfer function, the DC-link, PLL and voltage forward-feed are removed step by step to derive different closed-loop transfer functions. The inter-harmonic related poles of different closed-loop transfer functions are further calculated to analyze the effect of closed-loop transfer functions on inter-harmonic characteristics analysis. Finally, by performing time domain simulation, the correctness of the theoretical analysis results is verified. The results show that under the conditions of a weak AC system, each loop of the converter control system will reduce the stability of the inter-harmonic in the sub-synchronous frequency range and influence the inter-harmonic oscillation frequency. The transfer function needs to consider the influence of each loop to accurately calculate the inter-harmonic stability of the system.

In recent years, TiO2-based catalysts have received extensive attention from researchers for their excellent oxidative desulfurization (ODS) performances. In this paper, a series of mesoporous TiO2/SiO2 catalysts with different TiO2 loadings are prepared, using an incipient wetness impregnation method with agricultural waste rice husk as both the silicon source and mesoporous template and tetrabutyl titanate as the titanium source. The effect of different TiO2 loadings on the ODS performance of the samples is investigated, and the appropriate TiO2 loading is 2.5%. Compared with pure TiO2, the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample exhibits high catalytic activity for oxidative desulfurization. This is, on the one hand, due to the high specific surface area and mesopore volume of the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample. On the other hand, it is due to the uniform dispersion of TiO2 grains with an average diameter of 6.1 nm on the surface of the mesoporous SiO2 carrier, which greatly increases the active sites of the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample, thus improving the catalytic activity of the sample. The recycling performances of the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample are further investigated. The results show that, after fifteen cycles, the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample still maintains high conversions of dibenzothiophene (99.8%) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (99.7%) without deactivation. In addition, the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample treated with TBHP aqueous solution is characterized by the technique of UV-Vis, and the Ti-peroxo (Ti-OOtBu) species, the active intermediate for the ODS of bulky organic sulfides, is successfully captured. Finally, a possible reaction mechanism for the ODS process over the 2.5%TiO2/SiO2 sample is proposed.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an inflammatory chronic liver disease with persistent and recurrent immune-mediated liver injury. The exact cause of AIH is still not fully understood, but it is believed to be primarily due to an abnormal activation of the immune system, leading to autoimmune injury caused by the breakdown of autoimmune tolerance. Although the pathogenesis of AIH remains unclear, recent studies have shown that abnormalities in amino acid metabolism play significant roles in its development. These abnormalities in amino acid metabolism can lead to remodeling of metabolic processes, activation of signaling pathways, and immune responses, which may present new opportunities for clinical intervention in AIH. In this paper, we first briefly outline the recent progress of clinically relevant research on AIH, focusing on the role of specific amino acid metabolism (including glutamine, cysteine, tryptophan, branched-chain amino acids, etc.) and their associated metabolites, as well as related pathways, in the development of AIH. Furthermore, we discuss the scientific issues that remain to be resolved regarding amino acid metabolism, AIH development and related clinical interventions, with the aim of contributing to the future development of amino acid metabolism-based as a new target for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of AIH.

Abstract: Interest in glutinous rice consumption has been expanding in East Asia. However, the extent of metabolite variation between common and glutinous rice has not been fully explored to identify metabolic targets for rice quality improvement. Thus, the objective of this study was to provide insights into the variation of metabolites and nutraceuticals between common and glutinous rice. Two black rice (common rice, BL-N, and glutinous rice, BL-G) and two white rice (common rice, WH-N, and glutinous rice, WH-G) types were analysed via LC-MS-based widely targeted metabolic profiling. We identified 441 and 343 types, including 160 key overlapping differentially accumulated metabolites between BL-N_vs_BL-G and WH-N_vs_WH-G, respectively. Glutinous rice showed a higher relative content of most categories of metabolites, except for quinones (in BL-N) and tannins (in WH-N). Seven vitamins, including B6, B3, B5, B13, isonicotinic acid, N-(beta-D-glucosyl)nicotinate, and 4-pyridoxic acid-O-glucoside, were significantly up-regulated in BL-G compared to BL-N. The biosynthesis of cofactors, zeatin biosynthesis, citrate cycle, amino acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism was the most differentially regulated pathway. Key differential metabolites in citrate cycle include citrate, isocitrate, fumarate, malate, succinate, and 2-oxoglutarate; in amino acid metabolism (L-serine, L-cysteine, L-lysine, L-glutamine, L-methionine, and L-tryptophan); and in glycolysis (UDP-glucose, D-glucose-1P, D-glucose-6P, and D-fructose-6P). The data resources in this study may contribute to a better understanding of the function and nutritional value of glutinous rice.

Abstract The typical textile dyeing process calls for a wide range of operational parameters, and it has always been difficult to pinpoint which of these qualities is the most important in dyeing performance. Consequently, this research used a combined design of experiments and machine learning prediction models’ method to offer a sustainable and beneficial reactive cotton fabric dyeing process. To be more precise, we built a least square support vector regression (LSSVR) model based on Taguchi's statistical orthogonal design (L27) to predict exhaustion percentage (E%), fixation rate (F%), and total fixation efficiency (T%) and color strength (K/S) in the reactive cotton dyeing process. The model's prediction accuracy was assessed using many measures, including root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and the coefficient of determination (R2). Principal component regression (PCR), partial least square regression (PLSR), and fuzzy modelling were some of the other types of regression models used to compare results. Our findings reveal that the LSSVR model greatly outperformed competing models in predicting the E%, F%, T%, and K/S. This is shown by the LSSVR model's much smaller RMSE and MAE values. Overall, it provided the highest possible R2 values, which reached 0.9819.

This investigation reported a mixture of natural dyes by employing the D5 solvent as a green penetration dyeing system for wool fiber. The ideal dyeing conditions were determined by conducting an in-depth analysis of the following variables: AEO-3 concentration, aqueous pick-up rate, solution pH, dyeing time, temperature, dye mass, and dye fixation percentage. Tensile strength and elongation were measured to learn more about the mechanical characteristics of the wool yarn after it was dyed in D5 solvent and water. The suggested dyeing parameters for wool yarn are 2% of AEO-3, 400% of the wool aqueous pick-up rate at pH 3, 90 °C temperature, and 90-min duration. This was determined by calculating the K/S value and the dye fixing rate. A washfastness of 4–5 on the fading scale and a stainfastness of 5 across the board were acquired. MR and GB dyes obtained a high dye fixation rate within 90–100%; however, GY dye achieved about 50% dye fixation rate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) verified that the original and dyed wool fiber showed no change in interplanar distance in crystallinity and stable thermal tendency due to the dyeing process. The morphology of the wool's surface was not altered throughout the dyeing process, and the colors were spread uniformly over the fiber in SEM pictures and cross-sections. Finally, natural dyes in a D5 solvent media may be used to produce a ternary color, laying the groundwork for natural dyes to be further industrialized.

In recent years, subsynchronous control interaction (SSCI) has frequently taken place in renewable-connected power systems. To counter this issue, utilities have been seeking tools for fast and accurate identification of SSCI events. The main challenges of SSCI monitoring are the time-varying nature and uncertain modes of SSCI events. Accordingly, this paper presents a simple but effective method that takes advantage of intrinsic time-scale decomposition (ITD). The main purpose is to improve the accuracy and robustness of ITD by incorporating the least-squares method. Results show that the proposed method strikes a good balance between dynamic performance and estimation accuracy. More importantly, the method does not require any prior information, and its performance is therefore not affected by the frequency constitution of the SSCI. Comprehensive comparative studies are conducted to demonstrate the usefulness of the method through synthetic signals, electromagnetic temporary program (EMTP) simulations, and field-recorded SSCI data. Finally, real-time simulation tests are conducted to show the feasibility of the method for real-time monitoring.

Abstract Meningothelial cells (MECs) are fundamental cells of the sheaths covering the brain and optic nerve, where they build a brain/optic nerve-cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) barrier that prevents the free flow of CSF from the subarachnoid space, but their exact roles and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our attempt here was to investigate the influence elicited by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on functional changes of MECs. Our study showed that cell viability of MECs was inhibited after cells were exposed to oxidative agents. Cells subjected to H2O2 at the concentration of 150 µM for 24 h and 48 h exhibited an elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity, decrease of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) compared with control cells. 95 protein spots with more than twofold difference were detected in two dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) gels through proteomics assay following H2O2 exposure for 48 h, 10 proteins were identified through TOF/MS analysis. Among the proteomic changes explored, 8 proteins related to energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, structural regulation, and cell cycle control were downregulated. Our study provides key insights that enhance our understanding of the role of MECs in the pathology of brain and optic nerve disorders.

Microencapsulation methods in product development may result in innovative products with improved stability, functionality, and active chemical release (s). Microcapsules may be made out of biopolymers instead of synthetic polymers because of their biodegradability, lower production costs, and greater accessibility. The potential of biopolymers-based microencapsulation technology in sustainable textiles is substantial despite this field only getting started. This short review explores the role of biopolymers such as chitosan, gelatin, alginate, and cellulose in microencapsulation-mediated sustainable textile technology. The long-term effects of using microencapsulation made from biopolymers are also discussed, with an eye toward sustainability.

Abstract Background Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is an etiologically heterogeneous disorder. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of the underlying disease are of great significance. Herein, we present a rare case of MVP caused by anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA). Case presentation A 22-year-old female presented with a 16-year history of anterior mitral leaflet prolapse. However, she had never experienced any discomfort before. At a routine follow-up, a transthoracic echocardiogram showed anterior mitral leaflet prolapse (A2) with moderate mitral regurgitation, and a retrograde blood flow from an extremely dilated left coronary artery (LCA). Further coronary angiography and coronary computed tomography angiography confirmed the diagnosis of ALCAPA. She subsequently underwent successful LCA reimplantation and concomitant mitral valve replacement. Intraoperatively, her mitral annulus was mildly dilated, anterior mitral valve leaflet appeared markedly thickened with rolled edges, and a chordae tendineae connecting the anterior leaflet (A2) was ruptured and markedly shortened. Conclusions ALCAPA is a rare and potentially life-threatening congenital coronary artery anomaly that may cause mitral valve prolapse. Echocardiogram is an important screening tool for this disorder.

Ischemic retinal damage, a common condition associated with retinal vascular occlusion, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye diseases, threatens the vision of millions of people worldwide. It triggers excessive inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and vascular dysfunction, leading to the loss and death of retinal ganglion cells. Unfortunately, minority drugs are available for treating retinal ischemic injury diseases, and their safety are limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop more effective treatments for ischemic retinal damage. Natural compounds have been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties that can be used to treat ischemic retinal damage. In addition, many natural compounds have been shown to exhibit biological functions and pharmacological properties relevant to the treatment of cellular and tissue damage. This article reviews the neuroprotective mechanisms of natural compounds involve treating ischemic retinal injury. These natural compounds may serve as treatments for ischemia-induced retinal diseases.

Lycium barbarum flavone is the main effective component of Chinese medicinal material Lycium barbarum, and it is also the main evaluation index of its quality. This paper investigated the effects of ethanol reflux extraction, high-speed shear-assisted ethanol extraction, high-speed shear-assisted DESs extraction, and ultrasound-assisted DESs extraction on the extraction amount of Lycium barbarum flavonoids. The best extraction method was selected, and the best extraction conditions were obtained by single factor experiments and orthogonal experiment. Based on the best extraction method, SIMCA 14.1 was used. The software analyzed the correlation between the ecological factors in different producing areas and the content of Lycium barbarum flavonoids. The results showed that the extraction efficiency of Lycium barbarum flavonoids with high-speed shearing assisted DESs was the best, the optimal extraction process was as follows: Speed 14000 r/min, material-to-liquid ratio 1:20 g/mL, extraction time 5 min, the average flavonoid extraction volume was 7.11 mg/g. The flavonoid content of Lycium barbarum from different origins in descending order was: Ningxia Yinchuan>Ningxia Zhongwei>Gansu Guazhou>Ningxia Guyuan>Xinjiang Jinghe>Ningxia Zhongning>Gansu Baiyin>Gansu Wuwei>Gansu Yumen>Xinjiang Altai>Xinjiang Yining>Qinghai Dulan>Qinghai Golmud>South Korea b>South Korea a. SIMCA 14.1 Software analysis showed that the positive regression coefficient value of Lycium barbarum flavonoids content and temperature and frost-free period was the largest, and the absolute value of negative regression coefficient with altitude was the largest. The most important ecological factors affecting the content of Lycium barbarum flavonoids were temperature and frost-free period.

Seed density per silique (SD) is an important agricultural trait and plays an important role in the yield performance of Brassica napus L. (B. napus). In this study, a genetic linkage map was constructed using a double haploid (DH) population with 213 lines derived from a cross between a low SD line No. 935 and a high SD line No. 3641, and a total of 1,098,259 SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) markers and 2,102 bins were mapped to 19 linkage groups. Twenty-eight QTLs for SD were detected on chromosomes A02, A04, A05, A09, C02, C03, C06, and C09 of B. napus, of which eight QTLs were on chromosome A09 and explained 5.89%-13.24% of the phenotypic variation. Furthermore, a consistent QTL for SD on chromosome A09, cqSD-A9a, was identified in four environments by QTL meta-analysis, explaining 10.68% of the phenotypic variation. In addition, four pairs of epistatic interactions were detected in the DH population via QTL epistasis analysis, indicating that SD is controlled not only by additive effects but also by epistatic effects that play an important role in spring B. napus., but with little environmental effect. Moreover, 18 closely linked SSR markers for cqSD-A9a were developed, as a result, it was mapped to a 1.86Mb (7.80-9.66 Mb) region on chromosome A09. A total of 13 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in the candidate interval by RNA-seq analysis, which were differentially expressed in buds, leaves and siliques both between and siliques both between two parents and two pools of extremely high-SD and low-SD lines in the DH population. Three of 13 DEGs were possible candidate genes that might control SD: BnaA09g14070D, which encodes a callose synthase that plays an important role in development and stress responses; BnaA09g14800D, a plant synaptic protein that encodes a membrane component; and BnaA09g18250D, which is responsible for DNA binding, transcriptional regulation, and sequence-specific DNA binding and is involved in the response to growth hormone stimulation. Overall, these results lay a foundation for fine mapping and gene cloning for SD in B. napus.

Given the carcinogenic properties of formaldehyde-based chemicals, an alternative method for resin-finishing cotton textiles is urgently needed. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to introduce a sustainable resin-finishing process for cotton fabric via an industrial procedure. For this purpose, Bluesign® approved a formaldehyde-free Knittex RCT® resin was used, and the process parameters were designed and optimized according to the Taguchi L27 method. XRD analysis confirmed the crosslinking formation between resin and neighboring molecules of cotton fabric, as no change in the cellulose crystallization phase. Several machine learning models were built in a sequence to predict the crease recovery angle (CRA), tearing strength (TE) and whiteness index (WI). Assessment of modelling was evaluated through the use of various metrics such as root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and the coefficient of determination (R2). Results were compared to those from other regression models, such as principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares regression (PLSR), and fuzzy modelling. Based on the results of our research, the LSSVR model predicted the CRA, TE, and WI with substantially more accuracy than other models, as shown by the fact that its RMSE and MAE values were significantly lower. In addition, it offered the greatest possible R2 values, reaching up to 0.9627.

Follicular helper T (TFH) cells provide specialized help for B cells to ensure optimal humoral immunity. The histone methyltransferase EZH2, as a chromatin repressor, secures the TFH differentiation by promoting TFH lineage associated gene expression during acute viral infection, including Tcf7 and Bcl6. By using conditional deletion murine system, we observed that EZH2 ablation in CD4+ T cells was accompanied by aberrant accumulation of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) DNMT1 and DNMT3B in TFH cells. And the loss of EZH2 promoted aggravation of DNA methylation status at Tcf7 locus. Therefore, our findings suggested that EZH2 plays an important role in maintenance of hypomethylation at Tcf7 locus thus affecting TFH differentiation during acute viral infection.

Metabolites play critical roles in macrophage polarization and in their function in response to infection and inflammation. α-aminobutyric acid (AABA), a non-proteinogenic amino acid which can be generated from methionine, threonine, serine, and glycine, has not been studied extensively in relation to macrophage polarization and function. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory function of AABA in regulating M1 macrophage polarization and function in vitro and in vivo. We stimulated bone-marrow-derived macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to generate M1 macrophages. Subsequently, we induced sepsis and colitis in mice, followed by treatment with AABA. We then analyzed the samples using ELISA, real-time PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and histopathological analysis to evaluate cytokine secretion, inflammatory gene expression, macrophage activation, disease progression, and inflammation severity. Additionally, metabolomic and chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR were conducted to investigate the function of AABA on metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modifications of M1 macrophages. Our results revealed that AABA inhibited M1 macrophage polarization and function, which led to prolonged survival in septic mice and reduced disease severity in colitis mice. Mechanically, AABA promoted oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glutamine and arginine metabolism while inhibiting glycolysis. Moreover, AABA could increase the occupancy of trimethylation of histone H3K27 at the promoter regions of M1 macrophage-associated inflammatory genes, which contributed to the inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization. These findings suggest that AABA may have therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases by regulating macrophage polarization and function through metabolic and epigenetic pathways.

This paper presents a numerical simulation analysis of the flow and combustion characteristics of a fuel-rich LOX (liquid oxygen)/kerosene gas generator in an ATR (air turbo rocket) engine, examining the effects of local parameters on the combustion flow field and performance. The analysis considers variations in unit injector mixing ratios and unit mass flow rates. The results indicate that as the mixing ratio in the inner-ring injectors increases (while the mixing ratio in the middle-ring injectors decreases), the oxygen concentration area near the axis zone and the 50% radius zone of the gas generator expands. Conversely, the kerosene concentration area near the axis zone decreases while gradually increasing near the 50% radius zone. In the flow direction section, there is an inverse relationship between the variation trend of local temperature and the oxygen concentration in the local area. As the oxygen concentration increases, the temperature decreases. The temperature distribution across the cross-section of the gas generator exhibits a circular pattern. When the mixing ratio (or mass flow rates) of the unit injector are perfectly balanced, the temperature distribution becomes highly uniform. A larger disparity in flow rate between the inner ring injector and the middle ring injector leads to a lower combustion efficiency. This effect differs from the effect of the mixing ratio difference between the two injector rings. Increasing the mixing ratio in the inner-ring injectors (or decreasing the mixing ratio in the middle-ring injectors) initially leads to a rise in combustion efficiency, followed by a subsequent decline. The maximum combustion efficiency of 89.10% is achieved when the mixing ratio is set to Km-1 = 0.7 and Km-2 = 2.79, respectively. Increasing the flow rate in the inner-ring injectors (or decreasing the flow rate in the middle-ring injectors) initially leads to an improvement in combustion efficiency, followed by a subsequent reduction. The maximum combustion efficiency of 86.13% is achieved when the mass flow rate is set to m-1 = m-2 = 0.1 kg/s.

Abstract The interaction between the voltage source converter (VSC) and weak grid causes a negatively damped or diverging oscillation (DVO). The diverging oscillation generally evolves into a sustained oscillation (STO) when governed by the nonlinearities in the VSC's control system, such as the saturation of pulse width modulation (PWM). The conventional small‐signal impedance/admittance modelling (SSIM/SSAM) and stability analysis methods are not suitable for the characteristic analysis of STO. This paper presents a large‐signal impedance/admittance model (LSIM/LSAM)‐based quantitative analysis method to better understand the mechanism, characteristics, and occurrence conditions of STO. The LSAM extends the SSAM by incorporating the nonlinearity of PWM saturation using the describing function method. First, a unique time‐varying characteristic of the oscillation associated with nonlinearity is investigated. Then, two LSIM/LSAM‐based occurrence criteria for STO are established based on an equivalent RLC circuit model of the system. Three critical pieces of information, including the occurrence condition, frequency, and magnitude, associated with STO are revealed by the criteria. Finally, the LSAM‐based analysis method is applied to investigate the time‐varying admittance of the VSC and to assess the magnitude and frequency of STO. Both the criteria and LSAM‐based analysis results have been verified through time‐domain simulations on a typical grid‐connected VSC.

The small molecule AI-2 acts as a quorum sensing signal, mediating communication within and between many bacterial species. Here, the authors identify a new type of AI-2 receptor, consisting of a dCACHE domain that is present in many bacterial and archaeal proteins.

Glycerol-induced resistance to various pathogens has been reported in different plants. Glycerol kinase (GK), a vital rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes glycerol conversion to glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), participates in responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. However, its physiological importance in rice defenses against pathogens remains unclear. In this research, quantification analysis revealed that GK levels were significantly induced in rice leaves infected by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) strain PXO99. A typical GK-encoding gene OsNHO1 was cloned in rice. The transcriptional levels of OsNHO1 were significantly induced by salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and Xoo-PXO99. Ectopic expression of OsNHO1 partially rescued the resistance to P. s. pv. phaseolicola in the Arabidopsis nho1 mutant. In the overexpressing transgenic rice lines (OsNHO1-OE), the content of GK and the transcriptional level of OsNHO1 were increased and the resistance to bacterial blight and blast was improved, while reduced OsNHO1 expression impaired the resistance in OsNHO1-RNAi lines. The wax contents and expression of the wax synthesis regulatory genes were significantly increased in the overexpression lines but decreased in the OsNHO1-RNAi lines. We then confirmed the interaction partner of OsNHO1 using yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. The transcription of the interaction partner-encoding genes OsSRC2 and OsPRs in OsNHO1-RNAi lines was downregulated but upregulated in OsNHO1-OE lines. Thus, we concluded that OsNHO1 provided disease resistance by affecting the wax content and modulating the transcription levels of PR genes.

In this paper, a synchronous vibration control method was proposed to avoid the high-cycle fatigue fracture of aeroengine rotor blade. Firstly. The harmonic force, causing synchronous vibration, was derived by Fourier series expansion by the mean of simplifying the aerodynamic exciting forces into the periodic rectangular pulse wave forces. It was found that the synchronous vibration can be controlled by adjusting the primary excitation forces parameters. Based on this, the additional secondary excitation forces were introduced to control the synchronous vibration caused by primary excitation forces. Secondly, the influences of the number, position, direction, duration of additional secondary excitation forces and the phase difference between additional secondary excitation forces and primary excitation forces on the synchronous vibration control were obtained through theoretical analysis, which was simulated and verified by a single-degree-of-freedom model. Thirdly, a high-speed straight blade test bench was established, and the feasibility of the method in controlling synchronous vibration of rotor blade was proved by adding additional magnet excitation forces on the basis of fixed magnet excitation forces. Finally, the suppression strategy of synchronous vibration of rotor blade by introducing additional secondary excitation forces was given. It can provide theoretical and technical support for effectively controlling the synchronous vibration amplitude and avoiding the high-cycle fatigue fracture of rotor blade in engineering practice.

The real-time simulation of modular multilevel converter (MMC) is essential to the evaluation and validation of its control and protection systems. Moreover, the dynamics at both sub-module level and system level are expected from the real-time simulations of MMCs. To achieve this objective, this paper proposes the shifted phasor modeling (SPM) of the MMC by representing each sub-module with a Thevenin equivalent circuit that is derived using shifted phasors with improved accuracy. The efficiency of the SPM is guaranteed by modeling each arm as a switch-dependent Thevenin equivalent circuit. The computational burden remains almost unchanged even when the number of sub-modules increases considerably. The proposed model is materialized using field programmable gate array. And, thus the real-time simulation of MMC-based DC grids can be realized to capture the dynamics at the system level as well as the sub-module level. The effectiveness of this paper has been validated in terms of both accuracy and efficiency on a two-terminal MMC-based low-voltage direct current system.

Angelica sinensis, a perennial herb that produces ferulic acid and phthalides for the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, prefers growing at an altitude of 1800–3000 m. Geographical models have predicted that high altitude, cool temperature and sunshade play determining roles in geo-authentic formation. Although the roles of altitude and light in yield and quality have been investigated, the role of temperature in regulating growth, metabolites biosynthesis and gene expression is still unclear. In this study, growth characteristics, metabolites contents and related genes expression were investigated by exposing A. sinensis to cooler (15 °C) and normal temperatures (22 °C). The results showed that plant biomass, the contents of ferulic acid and flavonoids and the expression levels of genes related to the biosynthesis of ferulic acid (PAL1, 4CLL4, 4CLL9, C3H, HCT, CCOAMT and CCR) and flavonoids (CHS and CHI) were enhanced at 15 °C compared to 22 °C. The contents of ligustilide and volatile oils exhibited slight increases, while polysaccharide contents decreased in response to cooler temperature. Based on gene expression levels, ferulic acid biosynthesis probably depends on the CCOAMT pathway and not the COMT pathway. It can be concluded that cool temperature enhances plant growth, ferulic acid and flavonoid accumulation but inhibits polysaccharide biosynthesis in A. sinensis. These findings authenticate that cool temperature plays a determining role in the formation of geo-authentic and also provide a strong foundation for regulating metabolites production of A. sinensis.

Recently, emerging sub-/super-synchronous oscillation (SSO) issues occurred in large-scale wind power systems, which are caused by the interactions between the power electronic converter based wind turbine generators (WTGs) and the ac/dc grids. In previous studies, the practical system is usually simplified to equivalent system models, which consist of a (several) large-capacity WTGs connected to a radial equivalent line. However, such equivalent models can hardly represent the dynamics of the practical large-scale wind systems. Besides, the impacts on SSO characteristics from such important factors as network topology, steam turbine generators, and high-voltage direct currents have not been clarified yet. To deal with these challenges, this paper proposes a systematic impedance network modeling and quantitative stability analysis method. All system components of the large-scale wind systems are represented with impedance models (IMs) in a unified reference frame, and then, they are interconnected based on the system topology to form the impedance network model (INM) of the whole system. With the INM reduced to an aggregated IM, a stability criterion is developed to assess SSO stability just by analyzing the frequency characteristics of the determinant of the aggregated IM, and a quantitative analysis method is proposed to quantify the damping, frequency, and sensitivity of the SSO mode. The electromagnetic transient simulations on a practical wind system, which suffered actual SSO issues, have validated the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. This paper also conducts comparative analysis on four types of popular stability analysis methods to show the advantages of the proposed method.

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is common in Latino Americans. Here, the authors conduct a genome-wide association study in a Californian cohort containing children of Latino heritage, and identify loci on 17q12 and 8q24 which may affect hematopoietic and growth-regulation pathways.

With the widespread application of insecticides, parasitoid wasps may also be under risk when exposed to insecticides directly at their free-living stages. The endoparasitoid wasp Meteorus pulchricornis is the predominant natural enemy of many lepidopteran pests, such as Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa armigera. The cytochrome P450 monooxygenases constitute a ubiquitous and complex superfamily of hydrophobic, haem-containing enzymes. P450s are involved in the detoxification of many xenobiotics. However, their exact roles in the tolerance mechanism in parasitoids toward insecticides has received less attention. Here, 28 P450 genes in M. pulchricornis were identified from a previously constructed transcriptome dataset. These P450 genes belonged to CYP2, -3, and -4, and mitochondrial clans. Subsequently, eight candidate MpulCYPs were selected from four CYP clans to validate their expression patterns under phoxim, cypermethrin, and chlorfenapyr exposure by qRT-PCR. The results showed that all three insecticides had significant effects on the expression of MpulCYPs. To further study the function of P450s, CYP369B3 was silenced, and its expression levels of CYP369B3 were significantly decreased. Survival analysis indicated that after dsRNA injection, the mortality rate of wasps was significantly increased when M. pulchricornis females were exposed to insecticides compared to control groups. Our findings provide a theoretical base for elucidating the mechanism of insecticide tolerance and promote functional research on P450 genes in parasitoid wasps.

Abstract This paper proposes a novel hybrid multilevel converter with DC fault-blocking capability, i.e., the neutral-point clamped hybrid multilevel converter (NHMC). By employing two types of unipolar full-bridge submodules along with director switches, which are composed of series-connected insulated-gate bipolar transistors, the NHMC combines the features and advantages of the neutral-point clamped converter and the modular multilevel converter. The basic topology, operating principles, modulation scheme, and energy-balancing scheme of the NHMC are presented. The DC fault-blocking capability of the NHMC is investigated. The number of power electronic devices used by the NHMC is calculated and compared with other multilevel converters, showing that the proposed NHMC can be an economical and feasible option for medium-voltage DC transmission with overhead lines. Simulation results demonstrate the features and operating scheme of the proposed NHMC.

To address the planning issue of offshore oilfield power systems, an integrated generation-transmission expansion planning model is proposed. The outage cost is considered and the genetic Tabu hybrid algorithm (GTHA) is developed to find the optimal solution. With the proposed integrated model, the planning of generators and transmission lines can be worked out simultaneously, which outweighs the disadvantages of separate planning, for instance, unable to consider the influence of power grid during the planning of generation, or insufficient to plan the transmission system without enough information of generation. The integrated planning model takes into account both the outage cost and the shipping cost, which makes the model more practical for offshore oilfield power systems. The planning problem formulated based on the proposed model is a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem of very high computational complexity, which is difficult to solve by regular mathematical methods. A comprehensive optimization method based on GTHA is also developed to search the best solution efficiently. Finally, a case study on the planning of a 50-bus offshore oilfield power system is conducted, and the obtained results fully demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented model and method.

Recently, the emerging subsynchronous oscillation (SSO) issue caused by interactions between power electronic converters and weak grids has provoked serious stability concerns. Impedance modelling based method has been widely used to analyse the emerging SSO phenomenon. In this paper, a frequency coupled impedance model (FCIM) is proposed to analyse this interaction. The FCIMs at multiple frequencies are measured and then the transfer function model is identified. The modelling method is then applied to type-4 wind turbine based farms connected to a weak AC grid. The aggregated impedance of the whole system is obtained by combining the FCIMs of all components in the power system. The system stability is then investigated by varying the online number of wind turbines. Time-domain simulations using PSCAD/EMTDC are carried out to verify the proposed methods of impedance modelling and stability analysis.

Objective MicroRNA (miR)-421 plays a key role in cancer progression. It has been reported that circulating miR-421may be a potential tumor marker for the diagnosis of several cancers. However, the role of miR-421 in plasma as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of precancerous gastric lesions (Pre) and early-stage gastric cancer (GC) remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated miR-421 in plasma as a novel potential biomarker for the detection of precancerous gastric lesions and early-stage (GC). Materials & Methods The miRNA content was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). MiR-421 content in all subjects was normalized by endogenous miRNA (miR-16). The diagnostic value of miR-421 for Pre and GC was assessed by comparing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with traditional tumor markers, including CEA, CA125, CA153, CA211 and CA50. The correlation between the expression of miR-421 and the pathological characteristics of Pre and GC was analyzed. Results Elevated expression of miR-421 in plasma can robustly distinguish the normal population from Pre and GC cases, especially in the early stages of gastric cancer cases (all p

In recent years, large-capacity high-voltage direct currents (HVDCs) have been employed to transfer electricity from the west to the east of China. However, the frequent frequency drops due to HVDC blockings seriously threaten the short-term frequency stability of receiving-end power systems. The existing emergency frequency control strategy is not adaptive to the varying operation conditions and may cause excessive or deficient actions, which could result in inefficient control or high risk of frequency instability. Therefore, a real-time coordinated control strategy is proposed in this study based on the online-updated frequency response model. The model is designed to incorporate multiple types of generators and to reflect the dynamic frequency response of loads. The new control strategy combines multiple control resources, including the emergency demand response and HVDC power modulation, to improve the short-term frequency stability after HVDC failures. By online data preparation and cubic fitting, the nadir of the frequency is expressed as an analytic function of the control variables. A real-time optimisation of emergency controls is achieved to improve the short-term frequency dynamics. Case studies show that the proposed scheme is robust to the varying operation conditions and has lower control cost than the existing control strategy.

Owing to the fast control response and distinct characteristics of the voltage source converter (VSC), various types of oscillation incidents related to the VSC-HVDC systems have been observed around the world. However, the causes of such oscillations are complex due to the interactions among the components of the transmission system and the various control methods of the converter station, and yet not systematically comprehended and summarised. Therefore, this study reviews several typical VSC-HVDC oscillation incidents and focuses on the root causes of the oscillation phenomenon. The analysis indicates that the oscillations in the VSC-HVDC system can occur either in subsynchronous frequency or in high-frequency range, up to 1.2 kHz. The modelling methods, including the conventional detailed model, equivalent detailed model, and average equivalent model, are also affecting the accuracy of describing the oscillations. The control methods, including adding active control scheme, passive filter at oscillation frequency, and temporary power plant disconnections, are also discussed. The advantages and drawbacks of these modelling methods, analysis methods, and control methods are summarised based on the various system conditions. In the end, the future research perspectives and key challenges are provided for further research references.

Various challenges are acknowledged in practical cases with high wind power penetration. Fault ride-through (FRT) capability has become the most dominant grid integration requirements for the wind energy conversion system worldwide. The high voltage ride-through (HVRT) and low voltage ride-through (LVRT) performance play a vital role in the grid-friendly integration into the system. In this paper, a coordinated HVRT and LVRT control strategy is proposed to enhance the FRT capability of the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)-based wind turbine generators (WTG). A dual-mode chopper protection is developed to avoid DC-link overvoltage, and a deadband protection is proposed to prevent oscillations under edge voltage conditions. The proposed strategy can ride through different levels of voltage sags or swells and provide auxiliary dynamic reactive power support simultaneously. The performance of the proposed control scheme is validated through various comparison case tests in PSCAD/EMTDC.

Identification of genes involved in mangrove species' adaptation to salt stress can provide valuable information for developing salt-tolerant crops and understanding the molecular evolution of salt tolerance in halophiles. Ceriops tagal is a salt-tolerant mangrove tree growing in mudflats and marshes in tropical and subtropical areas, without any prior genome information. In this study, we assessed the biochemical and transcriptional responses of C. tagal to high salt treatment (500 mmol/L NaCl) by hydroponic experiments and RNA-seq. In C. tagal root tissues under salt stress, proline accumulated strongly from 3 to 12 h of treatment; meanwhile, malondialdehyde content progressively increased from 0 to 9 h, then dropped to lower than control levels by 24 h. These implied that C. tagal plants could survive salt stress through biochemical modification. Using the Illumina sequencing platform, approximately 27.39 million RNA-seq reads were obtained from three salt-treated and control (untreated) root samples. These reads were assembled into 47,111 transcripts with an average length of 514 bp and an N50 of 632 bp. Approximately 78% of the transcripts were annotated, and a total of 437 genes were putative transcription factors. Digital gene expression analysis was conducted by comparing transcripts from the untreated control to the three salt treated samples, and 7,330 differentially expressed transcripts were identified. Using k-means clustering, these transcripts were divided into six clusters that differed in their expression patterns across four treatment time points. The genes identified as being up- or downregulated are involved in salt stress responses, signal transduction, and DNA repair. Our study shows the main adaptive pathway of C. tagal in saline environments, under short-term and long-term treatments of salt stress. This provides vital clues as to which genes may be candidates for breeding salt-tolerant crops and clarifying molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance in C. tagal. The expression levels of 20 candidate genes measured by RNA-Seq were validated via qRT-PCR. Eighteen genes showed consistent expression patterns in RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR results, suggesting that the RNA-seq dataset was dependable for gene expression pattern analysis.

BACKGROUND: Meningothelial cells (MECs) are the cellular components of the meninges enveloping the brain. Although MECs are not fully understood, several functions of these cells have been described. The presence of desmosomes and tight junctions between MECs hints towards a barrier function protecting the brain. In addition, MECs perform endocytosis and, by the secretion of cytokines, are involved in immunological processes in the brain. However, little is known about the influence of pathological conditions on MEC function; e.g., during diseases associated with elevated intracranial pressure, hypoxia or increased oxidative stress. METHODS: We studied the effect of elevated pressure, hypoxia, and oxidative stress on immortalized human as well as primary porcine MECs. We used MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) bioreduction assays to assess the proliferation of MECs in response to treatment and compared to untreated control cells. To assess endocytotic activity, the uptake of fluorescently labeled latex beads was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: We found that exposure of MECs to elevated pressure caused significant cellular proliferation and a dramatic decrease in endocytotic activity. In addition, mild oxidative stress severely inhibited endocytosis. CONCLUSION: Elevated pressure and oxidative stress impact MEC physiology and might therefore influence the microenvironment of the subarachnoid space and thus the cerebrospinal fluid within this compartment with potential negative impact on neuronal function.