Search

In recent years, the temperature-adjusted asphalt pavement has been an extensive concern by scholars in various countries, and this pavement can reduce temperature-related diseases. In this study, the shaped composite phase change materials (CPCMs) were successfully synthesized by two processes, which are vacuum impregnation and epoxy curing. Firstly, the applicability of CPCMs in asphalt mixtures was evaluated by microscopic characterization, chemical compatibility, thermal properties, durability, and leakage stability. Secondly, CPCMs were applied to the asphalt mixture to evaluate its temperature-adjusted characteristics and pavement performance. Finally, the performance of the temperature-adjusted asphalt mixture was analyzed by integrating all factors. The research shows that the prepared CPCMs have excellent thermal properties and durability, the phase transition temperature is 48.93 °C, and the phase transition enthalpy is 106.5 J/g, which fully meets the requirements for use in pavement. The temperature-adjusted asphalt mixture could alleviate the occurrence of extreme temperature, which was 4.9 °C lower than the conventional mixture. The pavement performance of the temperature-adjusted asphalt mixture can meet the specified standards for humid areas. Considering the factors, the recommended amount of CPCMs is 1.5%. The research results provide a basis for the promotion of temperature-adjusted asphalt pavement and effectively support the development of pavement engineering technology.

Wall Climbing Robots (WCRs) represent the proliferation in the field of robotics. Research on wall-climbing robots has led to significant advancements in various capabilities, particularly in abilities such as navigation on curved surfaces and transitioning between different walls. This systematic review offers a detailed analysis of the current advancements in wall-climbing robots, highlighting their promising applications in real-life scenarios such as inspection and maintenance. We discussed and evaluated the different methods of adhesion and locomotion, considering their effectiveness across different scenarios and key factors impacting their performance. The control strategies employed in wall-climbing robots and their perception abilities were also examined in this review. Possible challenges ahead for wall-climbing robots include the optimization of their robustness and adaptability to complex environments, which are crucial for optimizing the robot's efficiency.

Abstract Background Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the predominant etiological agent of seafood-associated foodborne illnesses on a global scale. It is essential to elucidate the mechanisms by which this pathogen disseminates. Given the existing research predominantly concentrates on localized outbreaks, there is a pressing necessity for a comprehensive investigation to capture strains of V. parahaemolyticus cross borders. Results This study examined the frequency and genetic attributes of imported V. parahaemolyticus strains among travelers entering Shanghai Port, China, between 2017 and 2019.Through the collection of 21 strains from diverse countries and regions, Southeast Asia was pinpointed as a significant source for the emergence of V. parahaemolyticus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed clear delineation between strains originating from human and environmental sources, emphasizing that underlying genome data of foodborne pathogens is essential for environmental monitoring, food safety and early diagnosis of diseases. Furthermore, our study identified the presence of virulence genes (tdh and tlh) and approximately 120 antibiotic resistance-related genes in the majority of isolates, highlighting their crucial involvement in the pathogenesis of V. parahaemolyticus. Conclusions This research enhanced our comprehension of the worldwide transmission of V. parahaemolyticus and its antimicrobial resistance patterns. The findings have important implications for public health interventions and antimicrobial stewardship strategies, underscoring the necessity for epidemiological surveillance of pathogen at international travel hubs.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with high incidence and low survival rates. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play an important role in the progression of LUAD. In this study, a screening of 17 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor allosteric agents revealed that spinosad effectively suppressed the proliferation of LUAD cells. The experiments demonstrated that spinosad induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and stimulated apoptosis, thereby impeding the growth of LUAD and enhancing the responsiveness to gefitinib in vitro and vivo. Mechanistic insights obtained through transcriptome sequencing, Co-IP, and protein immunoblots indicated that spinosad disrupted the interaction between CHRNA5 and EGFR, thereby inhibiting the formation of downstream complexes and activation of the EGFR signaling pathway. The supplementation of exogenous acetylcholine showed to mitigate the inhibition of LUAD cell proliferation induced by spinosad. This study elucidates the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of spinosad in LUAD, and offers a theoretical and experimental foundation for novel LUAD treatments.

This paper proposes two accelerated gradient descent algorithms for systems with missing input data with the aim at achieving fast convergence rates. Based on the inverse auxiliary model, the missing data can be obtained; and then by using the gradient descent method, the unknown parameters can be estimated. To improve the estimation efficiency of the gradient descent method, two accelerated techniques: fractional gradient descent algorithm and stage Aitken gradient descent algorithm, are introduced, which can increase the convergence rates and do not require computing the step-size. Compared with the traditional methods, the proposed methods can: 1) have faster convergence rates; 2) have no limitation on the input data; and 3) are robust to the step-size. The simulation examples show effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

Abstract Objectives Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) exhibits a higher fatality rate among all cancer types worldwide, yet the precise mechanisms underlying its initiation and progression remain unknown. Mounting evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert significant regulatory roles in cancer development and progression. Nevertheless, the precise involvement of lncRNA CYP4A22-AS1 in LUAD remains incompletely comprehended. Methods Bioinformatics analyses evaluated the expression level of CYP4A22-AS1 in lung adenocarcinoma and paracancer. The LUAD cell line with a high expression of CYP4A22-AS1 was constructed to evaluate the role of CYP4A22-AS1 in the proliferation and metastasis of LUAD by CCK8, scratch healing, transwell assays, and animal experiments. We applied transcriptome and microRNA sequencing to examine the mechanism of CYP4A22-AS1 enhancing the proliferation and metastasis of LUAD. Luciferase reporter gene analyses, west-blotting, and qRT-PCR were carried out to reveal the interaction between CYP4A22-AS1, miR-205-5p/EREG, and miR-34c-5p/BCL-2 axes. Results CYP4A22-AS1 expression was significantly higher in LUAD tissues than in the adjacent tissues. Furthermore, we constructed a LUAD cell line with a high expression of CYP4A22-AS1 and noted that the high expression of CYP4A22-AS1 significantly enhanced the proliferation and metastasis of LUAD. We applied transcriptome and microRNA sequencing to examine the mechanism of CYP4A22-AS1 enhancing the proliferation and metastasis of LUAD. CYP4A22-AS1 increased the expression of EREG and BCL-2 by reducing the expression of miR-205-5p and miR-34-5p and activating the downstream signaling pathway of EGFR and the anti-apoptotic signaling pathway of BCL-2, thereby triggering the proliferation and metastasis of LUAD. The transfection of miR-205-5p and miR-34-5p mimics inhibited the role of CYP4A22-AS1 in enhancing tumor progression. Conclusion This study elucidates the molecular mechanism whereby CYP4A22-AS1 overexpression promotes LUAD progression through the miR-205-5p/EREG and miR-34c-5p/BCL-2 axes.

Energy saving is an important measure to promote social green transformation. The traditional energy-saving ideas usually only focus on a specific loss, and seldom consider the possible relationship and influence among various losses. In relatively complex energy-using systems, there are often many kinds of losses, and each loss may have many influencing factors. There may be some relationship between these losses and the influencing factors. To solve this problem, this paper presents an analysis method of the variable association in multi-variable systems. First, the basic relationships between variables and the representation methods are discussed. The basic concept of a path between variables is given, and the analysis method of variable association based on path statistics is provided. This paper focuses on the analysis of the influencing factors and paths of the observed variables, as well as which observed variables will be affected by a control variable. Then, based on the correlation matrix, the quantitative analysis method of the influence between variables is given. Variable correlation analysis is innovatively applied in the field of energy saving to determine the correlation of losses through variable associations, guiding the preliminary screening of energy-saving measures and analyzing the collateral effects of these measures. Based on the correlations between energy losses, a scientific process for formulating energy-saving measures is proposed. The variable correlation analysis method proposed in this paper is a generalized method, which can judge the correlation between variables from the perspective of theoretical analysis and avoid the dependence on data. In addition to good applications in the field of energy conservation, it can also be widely used in construction, transportation, climate change, and other fields. The proposed energy-saving ideas take into account the intensity of influencing factors on loss and the correlation between loss, which improves the effectiveness of energy saving measures.

In response to the issues of low outdoor thermal comfort and poor ventilation environment in Beijing Hutong, this paper proposes a rapid intelligent optimization method combining Pix2Pix (Image-to-Image Translation with Conditional Adversarial Networks) with a genetic algorithm. Firstly, the architectural types of the research objects are highly refined and summarized into four traditional building types. Then, they are placed in the site with open spaces in a certain proportion, and a multi-objective optimization model for the UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index) and building area is constructed using a genetic algorithm, generating and iteratively optimizing the spatial layout of the building population. Finally, Pix2Pix is used to learn and train a large number of Hutong combination samples, rapidly generating the UTCI and ventilation results, which serve as the optimization objectives to obtain the optimal solution set for Hutong spatial forms. Compared with traditional empirical design methods, this method allows for a rapid and efficient traversal of vast solution spaces, intelligently generating Hutong renovation schemes that balance cultural heritage and healthy comfort. The research results demonstrate that this method can quickly find (26.4 times faster than traditional performance simulation methods) that the reasonable proportions of Siheyuan, Sanheyuan, Erheyuan, new buildings, and empty spaces in the Da Yuan Hutong in Beijing should be controlled at 11.8%, 16.9%, 23.8%, 33.8%, and 13.7%, respectively. Meanwhile, the building density should be maintained between 0.5 and 0.58, and the floor area ratio should be kept between 0.96 and 1.14. This significantly improves outdoor comfort, enhances the living environment of the Hutong, and promotes sustainable urban development.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a significant cause of foodborne illness, and its incidence worldwide is on the rise. It is thus imperative to develop a straightforward and efficient method for typing strains of this pathogen. In this study, we conducted a pangenome analysis of 75 complete genomes of V. parahaemolyticus and identified the core gene mtlA with the highest degree of variation, which distinguished 44 strains and outperformed traditional seven-gene-based MLST when combined with aer, another core gene with high degree of variation. The mtlA gene had higher resolution to type strains with a close relationship compared to the traditional MLST genes in the phylogenetic tree built by core genomes. Strong positive selection was also detected in the gene mtlA (ω > 1), representing adaptive and evolution in response to the environment. Therefore, the panel of gene mtlA and aer may serve as a tool for the typing of V. parahaemolyticus, potentially contributing to the prevention and control of this foodborne disease.

Commuting carbon emissions (CCE) constitute a significant portion of urban carbon emissions and exert a notable influence on urban land use policies and spatial planning strategies. Traditional methods for estimating CCEs have many disadvantages and are less accurate in terms of space and time. In this study, a typical weekday in the main urban area of Beijing is selected as the research object. First, taxi CCEs are estimated by an improved VSP model based on GPS trajectory data. Second, taxi CCEs are obtained by filtering the commuting trajectories based on POI data and taxi trajectories. Finally, the spatial distribution characteristics of taxi CCEs are analysed by spatial autocorrelation. The results show that (1) the morning peak commuting carbon emission in Beijing reaches 5338.04 kg/h, accounting for 26.13 % of the total carbon emission of cab trips; the evening peak commuting carbon emission reaches 3858.73 kg/h, accounting for 18.89 % of the total carbon emission of cab trips; (2) the spatial distribution of CCE in Beijing shows that the western part of the core area is higher, while the northeast and southwest of the central city are higher; (3) High-value commuting carbon emission areas are mainly concentrated in regions with a more developed financial industry; the carbon emissions from the city ring road and airport highway significantly surpass those of other areas. This research introduces an innovative approach to examine CCE and measure it within various functional zones of urban areas. The findings of this study can serve as valuable guidance for informing future urban spatial configurations and land use policies, leading to more effective and sustainable urban development.

ABSTRACTThis study compared the impact of sequence type 5 (ST5) and ST764, on the efficacy of vancomycin treatment in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. From July 2012 to June 2020, a prospective observational study was conducted in five hospitals in China, enrolling 90 patients with MRSA infections, including 44 patients with ST5-MRSA and 46 patients with ST764-MRSA infections. All strains were subjected to minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, biofilm expression, heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA) screening, and whole-genome sequencing. Vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring was conducted, and the 24-hour area under the curve (AUC0-24) and AUC0-24/MIC values were calculated. ST5-MRSA shows elevated hVISA/VISA presence, increased biofilm formation, and higher presence of virulence genes like tst, sec, and sel. ST764-MRSA expresses seb, aiding infection in elderly patients in the community. Additionally, patients with ST764 infections exhibit higher vancomycin AUC0-24/MIC values, and fewer tracheotomies compared to ST5. Clinical signs and symptoms improvement were observed in 27 (61.4%) and 33 (71.7%) patients in the ST5 and ST764 groups, respectively (P = 0.372). On the other hand, 28 (63.6%) and 39 (84.8%) patients had laboratory-confirmed bacterial eradication in two groups, respectively (P = 0.029). Multivariate analysis showed that the virulence genes, such as the tst gene, were a risk factor for bacterial persistence (adjusted odds ratio, 4.509; 95% confidence interval, 1.216 to 16.724; P = 0.024). Our study showed that vancomycin was less effective in treating ST5-MRSA infection compared to ST764-MRSA infection, in part because ST5-MRSA is healthcare-associated MRSA while ST764-MRSA carries genetic characteristics of community-associated MRSA.IMPORTANCEMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that is resistant to multiple drugs and can cause serious infections. In recent years, one of the most widespread strains of MRSA worldwide has been the clonal complex 5 (CC5) type. Sequence type 5 (ST5) and ST764 are two prevalent CC5 strains. Although ST5 and ST764 are genotypically identical, ST764 is classified as a hybrid variant of ST5 with characteristics of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). In contrast to ST5, ST764 lacks the tst and sec genes but carries the staphylococcal enterotoxin B (seb) gene. Vancomycin is commonly used as the first-line treatment for MRSA infections. However, it is currently unclear whether the genetic differences between the ST5 and ST764 strains have any impact on the efficacy of vancomycin in treating MRSA infections. We conducted a prospective observational study comparing the efficacy of vancomycin against ST5-MRSA and ST764-MRSA in five hospitals in China. There were significant differences in bacteriological efficacy between the two groups, with virulence genes, such as the tst gene, being a risk factor for bacterial persistence (adjusted odds ratio, 4.509; 95% confidence interval, 1.216 to 16.724; P = 0.024). In the future, it may be necessary to consider personalized vancomycin treatment strategies based on the genetic characteristics of MRSA isolates.

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype, which has poor prognosis due to the lack of effective targeted drugs. KPT‐330, an inhibitor of the nuclear export protein CRM‐1, has been widely used in clinical medicine. Y219, a novel proteasome inhibitor designed by our group, shows superior efficacy, reduced toxicity, and reduced off‐target effects as compared to the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. In this study, we investigated the synergistic effect of KPT‐330 and Y219 against TNBC cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms. We report that combination treatment with KPT‐330 and Y219 synergistically inhibited the viability of TNBC cells in vitro and in vivo. Further analysis revealed that the combined use of KPT‐330 and Y219 induced G2‐M phase arrest and apoptosis in TNBC cells, and attenuated nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) signaling by facilitating nuclear localization of IκB‐α. Collectively, these results suggest that the combined use of KPT‐330 and Y219 may be an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of TNBC.

In order to significantly improve the viscoelasticity and durability of asphalt materials, Spray polyurea (SPUA) resin modified materials with different particle sizes were obtained by low-temperature fine grinding process in this study, and the corresponding SPUA modified asphalt was prepared. The basic properties of resin modified asphalt were compared and analyzed. The influence of SPUA resin modification materials on the apparent viscosity of asphalt was analyzed. Through dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR) test, the effect of SPUA resin material on rheological properties of asphalt was systematically investigated. Furthermore, the modifier and asphalt binder were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Results show that decreasing the particle size or increasing the dosage of the SPUA modifier could improve the softening point and apparent viscosity and reduce the ductility, which indicate SPUA modifier could improve the high temperature shear resistance and elastic recovery performance of asphalt binder. The SPUA modifier with smaller particle size has better high temperature rheological modification effect and less negative effect on low temperature performance deterioration. Although part of the functional spherical structure was damaged, the 0.075 mm SPUA modifier could closely interact with the base asphalt perfectly. This study would provide the scientific references for the application of Spray polyurea resin materials in the field of asphalt pavement materials.

Mitochondria have been shown to play a variety of roles in tumorigenesis and progression, and thus present an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Herein, we developed multifunctional celastrol (cela) nanoparticles with mitochondrial alkaline drug release and feature a positive core and a negative outer layer. First, the mitochondria-targeting material, triphenyl phosphonium-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPP-TPGS, TT), was synthesised, and TT/PLGA@cela nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared. Then, the positive charge on the surface was neutralised using tumor-targeting, pH-sensitive chondroitin sulfate-folic acid (CS-FA) to generate CS-FA/TT/PLGA@cela NPs. Characterisation revealed these NPs to be globular particles with smooth surfaces and an average diameter of 100 nm - characteristics that could enhance their uptake by 4T1 murine breast cancer cells. After CS-FA/TT/PLGA@cela NPs entered 4T1 cells, CS-FA was degraded and the positively charged TT/PLGA@cela NPs were exposed and able to target the mitochondria after performing lysosomal escape. Celastrol is released upon exposure of TT/PLGA@cela NPs to the alkaline mitochondrial environment, and assessment of mitochondrial respiration and membrane potential revealed celastrol to induce mitochondrial injury and damage. Exposure of 4T1 cells to these nanoparticles significantly upregulated proapoptotic protein expression in vitro, and generated robust anticancer effects in vivo. Together, these results indicate that CS-FA/TT/PLGA@cela NPs with mitochondrial alkaline drug release represent a promising advancement in breast cancer treatment.

Objective To compare the effects of repairing and not repairing the lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL) when surgically treating elbow varus posteromedial rotatory instability (PMRI). Methods In this retrospective study spanning June 2014 to February 2019, 24 patients with elbow PMRI who were treated surgically were assigned to group RL (Repair LUCL) or group NL (Non‐repair LUCL) depending on whether the LUCL was repaired. Hospitalization time, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and related complications were reviewed. The elbow range of motion (ROM), the visual analog scale (VAS), the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS), and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score were used for functional assessment. Results Among the 24 patients with PMRI, 15 were assigned to group RL and nine were assigned to group NL. The mean blood loss (184.66 ± 20.3 vs 207.33 ± 19.447, P

For clarifying the applying feasibility of hindered amine light stabilizers in asphalt binder, two types of hindered amine light stabilizers were chosen as a UV ageing resistance modifier and the modified asphalt was prepared with a selected UV ageing resistance modifier. The ultraviolet aging testing method of asphalt materials was proposed for UV ageing behavior characterization. Under the condition of different frequencies, the impact of UV ageing resistance modifier on asphalt was investigated through using the frequency sweep test of DSR. Under the effect of ultraviolet aging, the variation of thermal properties of UV ageing resistance-modified asphalt was deeply analyzed by means of a temperature scanning test of DSR following the increase of temperature. The change law of the surface morphology of light stabilizer-modified asphalt was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) dynamically with the UV aging time extension. The research results showed that the hindered amine light stabilizer could improve the high temperature performance of asphalt and achieve the UV aging behavior of asphalt materials effectively. Meanwhile, the corresponding reaction mechanism was explored at the microscopic level.

ABSTRACT Emerging hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (hv-CRKP) is a severe public health problem worldwide. To assess the cooccurrence of CRKP and hv-CRKP, a total of 1,181 CRKP isolates were collected from 2009 to 2018, covering their initial occurrence to outbreaks. Overall, two major capsular serotypes, namely, wzi209-CRKP and K14.K64-CRKP, were identified as being prevalent in pediatric and adult patients, respectively. Most isolates carried blaKPC, and the blaKPC-carrying hybrid plasmid IncFII-IncR, which was stable and transferable, was identified. The conjugation region (traN/traC) of IncFII-IncR was found to be variable, and the genes were used as markers to identify the transmission of strains among patient groups in this study. Notably, hv-CRKP was characterized by screening for four virulence genes (rmpA, iroN, terW, and rmpA2) in all 977 blaKPC-carrying K14.K64-CRKP and wzi209-CRKP strains. Two virulence types, namely, rmpA/iroN/terW/rmpA2 positive and terW/rmpA2 positive, were found. The corresponding virulence plasmids Vir1, i.e., nonconjugative IncFIB(k)-IncHI1B, and Vir2, i.e., conjugative antibiotic-resistant IncFIB-IncHI1B, were further characterized. Both Vir1 and Vir2 were stable, and the transferability of Vir2 was significantly higher than that of IncFII-IncR. However, none of the Vir1- or Vir2-carrying strains exhibited the hypervirulent phenotype. Meanwhile, hv-CRKP (terW/rmpA2 positive) was found in late 2018 among wzi209-CRKP strains. The corresponding Vir2-related fragment was characterized as chromosomally integrated, which dramatically enhanced the virulence of wzi209-CRKP. Transmission of hv-CRKP among patient groups was also confirmed according to virulence elements. Taken together, CRKP and hv-CRKP occurred on a large scale. Plasmids and their derivatives played an important role on this process. Surveillance and intervention of hv-CRKP are urgently needed. IMPORTANCE Currently, an increasing number of hv-CRKP strains have been reported and pose a substantial threat to public health worldwide, because these strains are considered to be simultaneously hypervirulent, carbapenem resistant, and transmissible. In this study, we provided a complete transition process of CRKP and hv-CRKP from their early emergence to outbreak in 10 years. We identified two epidemic groups, K14.K64 (wzi64)-CRKP and wzi209-CRKP, in adult and pediatric patients, respectively. K14.K64 (wzi64)-CRKP was widely present, while wzi209-CRKP was rarely reported as an epidemic type. We discovered a large scale of hv-CRKP transmission from CRKP and determined the importance of antibiotic resistance and virulence plasmids and their derivatives for the transition of CRKP and hv-CRKP. Two virulence plasmids coexist in out hospital, but neither of them enhanced virulence. Notably, we found a newly emerged type of CRKP, hypervirulent wzi209-CRKP, which had dramatically enhanced virulence, making it a great threat to human health.

As a necessary part of all electronic devices, equipment and systems, electronic components play a vital role in the global economy. Since the corrosion of a single electronic component may directly affect the normal operation of the entire electronic system, the failure of electronic components has now become the most important cause of electrical system failure and has become a major obstacle to China’s transformation into a scientific and technological power. Therefore, it is urgent to study the corrosion failure process of electronic components and the means of effective protection. In this paper, starting from the corrosion types and influencing factors of electronic components, especially chips, we introduce the influence of humidity, temperature, salt spray, and environmental particles, as well as the device’s own surface roughness, material adhesion, semiconductor materials, metal coupling system, and lead-free solder system on corrosion performance in the environment. Subsequently, this paper summarizes how to protect electronic components during processing, and sums up the types of electronic component protections, and the specific corrosion protection process for the three commonly used types of chips, namely, the indium antimonide InSb chip, the IC chip, and the Sn–Zn solder chip, for reference. Finally, future development trends in the corrosion protection of electronic components are anticipated and summarized.

Studying the urban heat island effect and actively exploring effective measures for its mitigation and alleviation can provide important parameters for urban ecological environment monitoring and propose rational strategies to address environmental degradation. This article, with the background of urban renewal projects in Beijing, focuses on the central area of Beijing as the research object. Landsat ETM+/OLI_ TIRS data from 2000 to 2020 are used as the main remote sensing imagery source, combined with functional information data and spatial attribute data of open spaces in the central area. Based on the mono-window (MW) algorithm, this study first quantitatively retrieves and categorizes the summer land surface temperature in Beijing’s central area and analyzes its spatiotemporal characteristics using the direction distribution method, revealing regular patterns in the temporal and spatial dimensions. The results show a gradual decrease in the size of the persistent high-temperature concentration area over time. Subsequently, the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model is employed to predict the changing trends of the urban heat island and the occurrence time of the strongest and weakest heat islands. Higher land surface temperature (LST) years are projected for 2025 and 2035, with the lowest year being 2030. Lastly, the correlation coefficient and Moran’s index are used to analyze the correlation between the urban heat island and its corresponding influencing factors in different years. The results indicate that population density, nighttime light, and gross domestic product (GDP) have significant positive effects on the heat island intensity from a temporal perspective. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) shows a significant negative relationship with the heat island intensity when analyzed over time. The research findings provide important reference for rational urban planning, layout, and construction, and hold significance for advancing urban renewal efforts.

A quantitative evaluation was conducted on the energy consumption and carbon emissions during the asphalt pavement regeneration process, and the energy consumption and emission ratios during the construction and raw material production stages of the cold and hot regeneration process were obtained. This study applies the theory of life cycle assessment to propose an evaluation framework and calculation method suitable for quantitatively evaluating the environmental impact of the asphalt pavement regeneration process. Firstly, based on the life cycle evaluation theory, the evaluation framework and calculation method applicable to the quantitative study of the environmental impact of asphalt pavement regeneration processes are discussed, and the calculation formulae for the comprehensive energy consumption and comprehensive carbon emission of asphalt pavement regeneration are derived. It is found that the energy consumption and emission in the hot regeneration process account for 50~70% of the total process in the construction stage, and 50~65% of the total process in the cold regeneration process in the raw material production stage. Compared with the milling and resurfacing process, the energy consumption and carbon emission of the asphalt pavement regeneration process are reduced by about 16~66%, and the carbon emission is reduced by about 14~53%, so the energy saving and emission reduction benefits are more significant. The amount of RAP mixing, transportation distance of raw materials and pavement regeneration depth have a great influence on the energy consumption and emission of pavement regeneration. It can provide scientific guidance for the quantitative evaluation of the environmental impact of asphalt pavement regeneration, with a view to providing energy-saving and emission reduction level data support for technology improvement and engineering decisions.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neural disorder. However, the therapeutic agents for AD are limited. Eucommia ulmoides Olive (EUO) is widely used as a traditional Chinese herb to treat various neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, we investigated whether the extracts of EUO male flower (EUMF) have therapeutic effects against AD. We focused on the flavonoids of EUMF and identified the composition using a targeted HPLC-MS analysis. As a result, 125 flavonoids and flavanols, 32 flavanones, 22 isoflavonoids, 11 chalcones and dihydrochalcones, and 17 anthocyanins were identified. Then, the anti-AD effects of the EUMF were tested by using zebrafish AD model. The behavioral changes were detected by automated video-tracking system. Aβ deposition was assayed by thioflavin S staining. Ache activity and cell apoptosis in zebrafish were tested by, Acetylcholine Assay Kit and TUNEL assay, respectively. The results showed that EUMF significantly rescued the dyskinesia of zebrafish and inhibited Aβ deposition, Ache activity, and occurrence of cell apoptosis in the head of zebrafish induced by AlCl3. We also investigated the mechanism underlying anti-AD effects of EUMF by RT-qPCR and found that EUMF ameliorated AD-like symptoms possibly through inhibiting excessive autophagy and the abnormal expressions of ache and slc6a3 genes. In summary, our findings suggested EUMF can be a therapeutic candidate for AD treatment.

Abstract Carfilzomib, a second-generation proteasome inhibitor, has significantly improved the survival rate of multiple myeloma (MM) patients, but its clinical application is still restricted by drug resistance and cardiotoxicity. Here, we identified a novel proteasome inhibitor, D395, and assessed its efficacy in treating MM as well as its cardiotoxicity at the preclinical level. The activities of purified and intracellular proteasomes were measured to determine the effect of D395 on the proteasome. CCK-8 and flow cytometry experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of D395 on cell growth and apoptosis. The effects of D395 and carfilzomib on serum enzyme activity, echocardiography features, cardiomyocyte morphology, and hERG channels were also compared. In our study, D395 was highly cytotoxic to MM cell lines and primary MM cells but not normal cells, and it was well tolerated in vivo. Similar to carfilzomib, D395 inhibited osteoclast differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, D395 exhibited lower cardiotoxicity than carfilzomib in all experiments. In conclusion, D395 is a novel irreversible proteasome inhibitor that has remarkable anti-MM activity and mild cardiotoxicity in vitro and in vivo.

In order to investigate the effect of nano polymer materials on the UV aged performance of asphalt binder, a nano PA modifying agent was selected to prepare modified asphalt. Under the effect of UV radiation, the modifying effect of nano PA on the rheological properties of asphalt was studied. With the extension of UV ageing time, the microstructure variation of PA modified asphalt was characterized by using a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM). The thermophysical properties of PA modified asphalt were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Furthermore, the functional group compositions of PA modified asphalt were investigated by dynamic FTIR. The results showed that with the extension of UV ageing time, the PA modifier could mitigate the ageing effect of UV radiation on the asphalt binder. PA modifier could achieve an increasing effect on the viscoelasticity of asphalt during the UV ageing process. PA modifier suppressed the generation of microcracks in the surface microzone of UV aged asphalt samples. PA modifier could promote the thermal stability improvement of asphalt binder when subjected to UV radiation. The generation of carbonyl and sulfoxide groups in asphalt was inhibited during the UV ageing period, which indicated that the UV induced reaction of asphalt could be postponed by the PA modifying agent.

Summary: Microbiota-host interaction plays an important role in cancer predisposing, initiation, progression, and response to therapy. Here, we explored the composition of lung tissue microbiota in 143 Chinese patients through conducting 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while TP53 mutation in tumor cells was assessed simultaneously. We found PAH-degrading microbes were more abundant in lung tumor microbiota from smokers. Furthermore, TP53 mutation was more prevalent in smokers, and TP53-mutated tumor harbored more Massilia, as well as Acidovorax that was also capable of degrading PAH. Further analysis showed DNA recombination and repair pathway was enriched in microbiota of smokers, which was convergent to the alteration occurred in tumor cells. Meanwhile, the microbiota of TP53-mutated tumor also exhibited dysregulation of p53 signaling pathway. Our results provided insights into the association of lung commensal microbes with tobacco exposure and host gene mutation, suggesting microbiota and tumor cells might undergo convergent alteration and mutually benefit each other.

The purpose of this study was to characterize and evaluate the effects of UV radiation on the rheological and physicochemical properties of ASA polymer-modified asphalt. The conventional properties (penetration, softening point, ductility, and Brookfield viscosity) of ASA polymer-modified asphalt were tested. Based on rheology, the effect of different UV irradiation times on the high-temperature performance of ASA polymer-modified asphalt was systematically characterized, the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) was used to analyze thermogravimetric properties of ASA polymer-modified asphalt, and the micromorphological characteristics of ASA-modified asphalt under different UV irradiation times were characterized by scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM). The results show that the ASA polymer has a significant effect on the basic properties of asphalt. Compared with the base asphalt, the high-temperature stability of the modified asphalt was decreased, and the low-temperature ductility performance was improved. ASA polymer can effectively reduce the aging effect of ultraviolet radiation on the base asphalt and inhibit the generation of microcracks. ASA polymers improve the thermal stability of asphalt binders. During the aging process, the formation of carbonyl and sulfoxide groups was inhibited, indicating that ASA polymer can effectively delay the UV aging of asphalt.

Conventional metamaterial design mainly relies on manual trial‐and‐error design and optimization to achieve target electromagnetic responses. When faced with high‐degree‐of‐freedom application design, it is impossible to achieve an efficient overall design of massive metamaterial structural units. Herein, a new approach for using ensemble learning for objective‐driven easy‐to‐process metamaterial design. From the perspective of data and learners, reduce the complexity of data preprocessing and achieve accurate closed‐loop design by improving the overall performance of the learning model. The proposed framework overcomes some core problems, which have limited the previous design solutions based on a single model/network: adaptive design of different metamaterial objects, input/output vector‐dimensional mismatch, precise prediction of amplitude value at the resonance frequency, lower data acquisition cost, and difficult to process. In the future, researchers can use the proposed method, integrating cutting‐edge machine learning models and algorithms, to design a variety of metamaterial devices.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most common and serious complications of herpes zoster. PHN of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve is painful and difficult to treat, as no definitive effective treatment is available. The aim of this retrospective study was to observe the efficacy and safety of treatment of PHN of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve with high-voltage pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the supraorbital nerve.Methods: Fifty-two patients diagnosed with the PHN of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve at the Department of Pain Management, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, between April 2017 and October 2020 were selected. The PRF treatment of the supraorbital nerve was used. The patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment received: group C, conventional PRF group; and group H, high-voltage PRF group. The basic conditions, pain scores, and SF-36 scores of patients before treatment were recorded. Also, intraoperative and postoperative adverse events, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months of follow-up were recorded. Furthermore, treatment efficiency was followed up at 6 months after treatment.Results: The VAS scores of patients in both groups were significantly lower at all time points after treatment compared with presurgery. VAS scores in group H were lower than those in group C 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. SF36 scores of patients in group H were better than those in group C 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The treatment efficiency at 6 months after treatment was higher in group H than in group C. No serious adverse events occurred in both groups.Conclusion: The efficacy of the high-voltage PRF of the supraorbital nerve in treating the PHN of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve was superior to that of conventional PRF. It was a safe and effective treatment method.

Carbon-based metamaterials are expected to lead to biological and chemical sensing because of their fast electron transfer rate, good biocompatibility, and high absorption ratios. In this work, we integrate carbon nanotubes metasurface (CM) and microfluidic channel (MC) for a composite terahertz (THz) metasurface (CMMC). The absorption properties and sensing performance of the proposed composite metasurface have been studied. It is observed that the absorption is nearly 71.8% at 0.96 THz and 92.4% at 1.65 THz, respectively. The variation of response with refractive index of the analytes for the proposed CMMC is investigated and it is found that the frequency and intensity of the resonance absorption peak at 0.96 THz f1 decrease obviously with the increase of the refractive index of the analytes. Owing to the coupling of the CM and MC in the microfluidic channel, the interaction between the incident THz wave and analytes has been enhanced, and the frequency and intensity sensitivities has achieved 254 GHz/RIU and 314/RIU, respectively. In addition, the influence of the structural parameters of the proposed CMMC on the absorption characteristics is also studied in detail. The results shown that the absorption properties of the CMMC can be adjusted by changing the structural parameters, which will provide a guideline for design. The proposed CMMC will facilitate the realization of carbon nanotube metamaterials sensing applications, and, when combined with microfluidic channel, will lead to large-area THz biological and chemical sensing.

In recent years, environmental problems caused by natural disasters due to global warming have seriously affected human production and life. Fortunately, with the rapid rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the decreasing power consumption of microelectronic devices, it is possible to set up a multi-node environmental monitoring system. However, regular replacement of conventional chemical batteries for the huge number of microelectronic devices still faces great challenges, especially in remote areas. In this study, we developed a rotating hybrid nanogenerator for wind energy harvesting. Using the output characteristics of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with low frequency and high voltage and electromagnetic generator (EMG) with high frequency and high current, we are able to effectively broaden the output voltage range while shortening the capacitor voltage rising time, thus obtaining energy harvesting at wide frequency wind speed. The TENG adopts the flexible contact method of arch-shaped film to solve the problem of insufficient flexible contact and the short service life of the rotating triboelectric generator. After 80,000 cycles of TENG operation, the maximum output voltage drops by 7.9%, which can maintain a good and stable output. Through experimental tests, the maximum output power of this triboelectric nanogenerator is 0.55 mW at 400 rpm (wind speed of about 8.3 m/s) and TENG part at an external load of 5 MΩ. The maximum output power of the EMG part is 15.5 mW at an external load of 360 Ω. The hybrid nanogenerator can continuously supply power to the anemometer after running for 9 s and 35 s under the simulated wind speed of 8.3 m/s and natural wind speed of 5.6 m/s, respectively. It provides a reference value for solving the power supply problem of low-power environmental monitoring equipment.

Abstract Background Ensifer alkalisoli YIC4027, a recently characterized nitrogen-fixing bacterium of the genus Ensifer, has been isolated from root nodules of the host plant Sesbania cannabina. This plant is widely used as green manure and for soil remediation. E. alkalisoli YIC4027 can grow in saline-alkaline soils and is a narrow-host-range strain that establishes a symbiotic relationship with S. cannabina. The complete genome of this strain was sequenced to better understand the genetic basis of host specificity and adaptation to saline-alkaline soils. Results E. alkalisoli YIC4027 was found to possess a 6.1-Mb genome consisting of three circular replicons: one chromosome (3.7 Mb), a chromid (1.9 Mb) and a plasmid (0.46 Mb). Genome comparisons showed that strain YIC4027 is phylogenetically related to broad-host-range Ensifer fredii strains. Synteny analysis revealed a strong collinearity between chromosomes of E. alkalisoli YIC4027 and those of the E. fredii NGR234 (3.9 Mb), HH103 (4.3 Mb) and USDA257 (6.48 Mb) strains. Notable differences were found for genes required for biosynthesis of nodulation factors and protein secretion systems, suggesting a role of these genes in host-specific nodulation. In addition, the genome analysis led to the identification of YIC4027 genes that are presumably related to adaptation to saline-alkaline soils, rhizosphere colonization and nodulation competitiveness. Analysis of chemotaxis cluster genes and nodulation tests with constructed che gene mutants indicated a role of chemotaxis and flagella-mediated motility in the symbiotic association between YIC4027 and S. cannabina. Conclusions This study provides a basis for a better understanding of host specific nodulation and of adaptation to a saline-alkaline rhizosphere. This information offers the perspective to prepare optimal E. alkalisoli inocula for agriculture use and soil remediation.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains one of the major reasons for inefficiency of many chemotherapeutic agents in cancer therapy. In this study, a D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) and polylysine-deoxycholic acid copolymer (PLL-DA) co-modified cationic liposome coating with hyaluronic acid (HA) was constructed for co-delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) and chemosensitizing agent, sorafenib (SOR) to treat the MDR cancer. The multifunctional liposome (HA-TPD-CL-PTX/SOR) presented good stability against rat plasma and was capable of reversing surface zeta potential under acidic conditions in the presence of HAase. Additionally, experimental result confirmed that the PLL-DA copolymer would facilitate the endo-lysosomal escape of the liposome. In vitro study demonstrated that HA-TPD-CL-PTX/SOR could significantly enhance drug accumulation in resistant MCF-7/MDR cells by inhibiting the P-gp efflux, and effectively inhibited growth of tumor cells. Furthermore, the liposome showed an enhanced anticancer activity in vivo, with a tumor growth inhibition rate of 78.52%. In summary, HA-TPD-CL-PTX/SOR exhibited a great potential for effective therapy of resistant cancers by combining with chemotherapeutic agents and could be a promising nano-carrier for reversing MDR and improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

In nature, birds can freely observe and rest on the surface of objects such as tree branches, mainly due to their flexible claws, thus this paper is inspired by bird perching and shows two imitation bird claw perching grasping mechanisms in the shape of “three in front and one at the back”. One is articulated, the other is resilient, the difference being that the former has a pin-articulated claw structure and uses a double fishing line to perform the grasping and resetting action, while the latter uses a resilient linking piece, a single fishing line and resilient linking piece to perform the grasping and resetting action. To verify the grasping effect, experiments were designed to grasp objects of different shapes and maximum grasping weight load. The results show that the two types of perching grasping mechanism can reach a large degree of toe bending, have good passive bending deformation ability, can grasp different types of objects, including the articulated type has a stronger deformation ability, and can grasp branches with a diameter in the range of 12.5–55.8 mm. The elastic reset type is smoother than the articulated type toe bending curve, and the maximum graspable object weight is about three times the overall weight of the grasping mechanism. The maximum gripping weight is about three times the overall weight of the gripping mechanism and the load capacity is about two times that of the articulated type.

A multiaxle wheeled robot is difficult to be controlled due to its long body and a large number of axles, especially for obstacle avoidance and steering in narrow space. To solve this problem, a multisteering mode control strategy based on front and rear virtual wheels is proposed, and the driving trajectory prediction of the multiaxle wheeled robot is analyzed. On this basis, an obstacle avoidance control strategy based on trajectory prediction is proposed. By calculating the relationship between the lidar points of the obstacle and the trajectory coverage area, the iterative calculation of the obstacle avoidance scheme for the proposed steering is carried out, and the feasible obstacle avoidance scheme is obtained. The mechanical structure, hardware, and software control system of a five-axle wheeled robot are designed. Finally, to verify the effectiveness of the obstacle avoidance strategy, a Z-shaped obstacle avoidance experiment was carried out. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

The traditional single electromechanical conversion energy harvester can collect energy only in a single vibration direction. Moreover, it requires high environmental vibration frequency, and its output power is low. To solve these problems, a cross-shaped magnetically coupled piezoelectric–electromagnetic hybrid harvester is proposed. The harvester comprised a ring-shaped support frame, a piezoelectric generation structure, and an electromagnetic generation structure. The harvester could simultaneously generate energy piezoelectrically and electrically, in addition, it could generate electricity efficiently at a lower environmental vibration, and it can collect the energy in two vibration directions simultaneously. To verify the effectiveness of the device, we set up a vibration experiment system and conducted comparative experiments about non-magnetically coupled piezoelectric, magnetically coupled piezoelectric, and magnetically coupled piezoelectric–electromagnetic hybrid energy harvesters. The experimental results showed that the output power of the magnetically coupled piezoelectric–electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester was 2.13 mW for the piezoelectric structure and 1.76 mW for the electromagnetic structure under the vibration of single-direction resonant frequency. The total hybrid output power was 3.89 mW. The hybrid harvester could collect vibration energy parallel to the ring in any direction. Furthermore, compared with the non-magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvester and the magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvester, the output power was increased by 141.6% and 55.6%, respectively.

Terahertz metamaterial plays a significant role in the development of imaging, sensing, and communications. The function of conventional terahertz metamaterials was fixed after fabrication. They can only achieve a single function and do not have adjustable characteristics, which greatly limits the scalability and practical application of metamaterial. Here, we propose a vanadium dioxide-based terahertz metamaterial device, which is switchable between being a transmitter and an absorber. The transmission and absorption characteristics and temperature tunable properties of phase change metamaterials in the terahertz band were investigated. As the temperature of vanadium dioxide is varied between 20 °C and 80 °C, the device can switch between transmission and quad-band resonance absorption at the terahertz frequency range, with a high transmission rate of over 80% and a peak absorbance of 98.3%, respectively. In addition, when the device acts as an absorber, the proposed metamaterial device is tunable, and the modulation amplitude can reach 94.3%; while the device is used as a transmissive device, the modulation amplitude of the transmission peak at 81%. The results indicate that the proposed metamaterial device can promote the applications of terahertz devices, such as switching, modulation, and sensing.

Background: Real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) has been the most effective and widely implemented diagnostic technology since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, fuzzy rRT-PCR readouts with high Ct values are frequently encountered, resulting in uncertainty in diagnosis. Methods: A Specific Enhancer for PCR-amplified Nucleic Acid (SENA) was developed based on the Cas12a trans-cleavage activity, which is specifically triggered by the rRT-PCR amplicons of the SARS-CoV-2 Orf1ab (O) and N fragments. SENA was first characterized to determine its sensitivity and specificity, using a systematic titration experiment with pure SARS-CoV-2 RNA standards, and was then verified in several hospitals, employing a couple of commercial rRT-PCR kits and testing various clinical specimens under different scenarios. Findings: The ratio (10 min/5 min) of fluorescence change (FC) with mixed SENA reaction (mix-FCratio) was defined for quantitative analysis of target O and N genes, and the Limit of Detection (LoD) of mix-FCratio with 95% confidence interval was 1.2≤1.6≤2.1. Totally, 295 clinical specimens were analyzed, among which 21 uncertain rRT-PCR cases as well as 4 false negative and 2 false positive samples were characterized by SENA and further verified by next-generation sequencing (NGS). The cut-off values for mix-FCratio were determined as 1.145 for positive and 1.068 for negative. Interpretation: SENA increases both the sensitivity and the specificity of rRT-PCR, solving the uncertainty problem in COVID-19 diagnosis and thus providing a simple and low-cost companion diagnosis for combating the pandemic. Funding: Detailed funding information is available at the end of the manuscript.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-host cell interaction during infection disturbs cellular homeostasis and culminates in pathological consequences. The processes could be first embodied in gene expression of HCV-infected cells. Here, we investigated transcriptome and miRNA expression (miRNome) alterations in HCV-infected Huh7 cells at 12, 36, and 60 h after infection to systematically explore host responses. The number of deregulated genes in the HCV-infected cells increased with infection duration. The altered biological processes at 36 h were mainly associated with stress and inflammatory response, whereas the most enriched processes at 60 h were predominantly linked to lipid metabolism. Notably, the key genes that participated in lipogenesis were downregulated, and conversely, the genes implicated in fatty acid beta-oxidation were upregulated. Reduced expression of the key genes involved in lipoprotein assembly and secretion pointed to a decreased requirement for and export of lipids, leading to lipid accumulation in HCV-infected hepatocytes. Fluctuation in the expression of host factors, innate immunity genes and transcription factors provided insight into host-directed mechanisms to control viral replication. Furthermore, miRNome presented a comprehensive expression profile of miRNAs in HCV-infected Huh7 cells. The integrated analysis of transcriptome and miRNome suggested that deregulated miR-483, miR-1303, miR-1260a, miR-27a∗, and miR-21∗ directly regulated lipid metabolical genes at 60 h. The decreased miR-122 at 60 h was indirectly involved in lipid metabolism and is expected to attenuate rampant replication of HCV and potentially contribute to viral persistence. Our results will help to gain a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms implicated in HCV-induced pathogenesis.

Vitamins are essential nutrients and key cofactors of enzymes that regulate cellular metabolism, and also activate the immune system. Recent studies have shown that vitamin B1 (VB1) and vitamin C (Vc) can inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth, but the precise mechanism is still not well understood. In the present study, we have used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to analyze the transcriptional, metabolic and methylation profiles of Mycobacterium bovis BCG when treated with VB1 and Vc. Our results show that, after vitamin treatment, variant metabolites were mainly clustered in pathways related to amino acid metabolism. Treatment with both vitamins significantly up-regulated the gene encoding cysteine synthase A. Additionally, only BCG that was treated with VC showed m4c modifications. Genes harboring this methylation were up-regulated, suggesting that m4c methylation can promote gene transcription to some extent. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the effects of VB1 and VC, and suggests that these vitamins constitute potential anti-tuberculosis drugs.

In this work, we numerically demonstrated a single narrow band THz absorber based on cylindrically shaped periodical p-type doped silicon with excellent attributes, including polarization insensitivity and optical tunability. Good absorption characteristics were demonstrated at 0.57 THz with an absorption of nearly 99.75% and a quality factor of 11.278. Furthermore, its absorbance could be flexibly tuned from above 99% to less than 35% by changing the pump beam fluence from 0 µJ/cm2 to 3000 µJ/cm2. The demonstrated tunability may find potential applications in dynamic functional THz devices.

BackgroundCystic echinococcosis is a life-threatening disease caused by the larval stages of the dog tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Protoscoleces (PSCs) of this worm have the ability of bi-directional development to either larval cysts or strobilar adult worms. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this development process are unknown.ResultsRNA and small RNAs sequencing was employed to characterize the gene and miRNA expression at 0–24 h and 7–14 days in the bi-directional development of PSCs. A total of 963 genes and 31 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the early development of PSCs to adult worms whereas 972 genes and 27 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the early development of PSCs to cysts. Pairwise comparison between the two developmental patterns showed that 172 genes and 15 miRNAs were differentially expressed at three time-points. Most of these genes were temporally changed at 24 h or 7 days. GO enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes in early adult worm development are associated with nervous system development and carbohydrate metabolic process; whereas, the differentially expressed genes in early cystic development are associated with transmembrane transporter activity and nucleoside triphosphatase activity. In addition, miR-71 and miR-219 regulated genes are likely involved in oxidation reduction in adult worm development.ConclusionThe early stages of bi-directional development in E. granulosus PSCs are controlled by miRNAs and genes likely associated with nervous system development and carbohydrate metabolic process. ATP-dependent transporter genes are associated with cystic development. These results may be important for exploring the mechanisms underlying early development in E. granulosus providing novel information that can be used to discover new therapeutics for controlling cystic echinococcosis.

The current flapping wing adopts T-shaped or cross-shaped tail fin to adjust its flight posture. However, how the tail fin will affect the hover control is not very clear. So, the effects of the two types of tail on flight will be analyzed and compared by actual flight tests in this paper. Firstly, we proposed a new X-wing single-bar biplane flapping-wing mechanism with two pairs of wings. Thereafter, the overall structure, gearbox structure, tail, frame, and control system of the flapping wing were designed and analyzed. Secondly, the control mechanism of hover is analyzed to describe the effect of two-tail fin on posture control. Thirdly, the Beetle was used as the control unit to achieve a controllable flight of flapping wing. The MPU6050 electronic gyroscope was used to monitor the drone’s posture in real time, and the Bluetooth BLE4.0 wireless communication module was used to receive remote control instructions. At last, to verify the flight effect, two actual flapping wings were fabricated and flight experiments were conducted. The experiments show that the cross-shaped tail fin has a better controllable performance than the T-shaped tail fin. The flapping wing has a high lift-to-mass ratio and good maneuverability. The designed control system can achieve the controllable flight of the flapping wing.

Lipids are key factors in nutrition, structural function, metabolic features, and other biological functions. In this study, the lipids from the heads of four species of shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis (FC), Penaeus japonicus (PJ), Penaeus vannamei (PV), and Procambarus clarkia (PCC)) were compared and characterized based on UPLC–Q–Exactive Orbitrap/MS. We compared the differences in lipid composition of four kinds of shrimp head using multivariate analysis. In addition, a zebrafish model was used to evaluate pro-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and cardioprotective activities of the shrimp head lipids. The lipids from the four kinds of shrimp head had different degrees of pro-angiogenic activities, and the activities of PCC and PJ shrimp lipids were more significant than those of the other two species. Four lipid groups displayed strong anti-inflammatory activities. For antithrombotic activity, only PCC (25 μg/mL) and PV (100 μg/mL) groups showed obvious activity. In terms of cardioprotective activity, the four kinds of lipid groups significantly increased the zebrafish heart rhythms. The heart distances were shortened, except for those of the FC (100 μg/mL) and PJ (25 μg/mL) groups. Our comprehensive lipidomics analysis and bioactivity study of lipids from different sources could provide a basis for the better utilization of shrimp.

There are four basic operational modes for the hybrid AC/DC microgrid, including AC grid-connected while interconnecting, both off-grid while interconnecting, AC gridconnected without connection, and both off-grid without connection. How to achieve a seamless operational mode transition is an urgent technical need to overcome. First, this paper describes the typical structure of the hybrid microgrid, and places a detailed focus on the power balance and transition strategy. Secondly, it takes the master-slave control structure as an example, and designs the transition logic for different operational modes, and then a method for selecting the slack bus and transition time-sequence is proposed. Based on the different roles that the interlinking converter (IC) plays in the process of modes transition, a voltage-power (U-P) control method for a hybrid AC/DC microgrid is proposed, and the exchanged power is calculated based on the voltage deviation between the rating value and measured value. Finally, a control flowchart for the transition between the four operational modes in transition is designed. Using the PSCAD/EMTDC platform, this paper takes a typical seven-point microgrid structure as an example, the proposed transition strategy is carried out, and the results show that the transition method and time sequence can achieve smooth transition between different operational modes.

Ocean energy, considered as clean energy, is one kind of marine resources of great importance. Its development and utilization have become an indispensable part of national development strategy in China. Testing fields are required when conducting tests of ocean energy generation devices in real sea, which is the key step conducted before engineering prototypes transformed into scale industrialization applications. This paper introduces the construction and operation conditions of large-scale testing fields for wave energy and tidal current energy generation devices and presents a brief comparative analysis. Developing status and related technologies on testing fields for ocean energy power generation in China are also discussed. Furthermore, this paper investigates the necessity of grid-connected test for ocean energy generation and points out that the construction of ocean energy testing fields is helpful to ensure the efficient utilization of ocean energy resources.

There are many types of tidal current power generation devices, and it is necessary to make comprehensive evaluation of tidal current power generation devices in order to provide valuable reference for the improvement of their performance indexes. On the basis of the analysis of the tidal current power generation device performance indexes, the hierarchical model for comprehensive evaluation of device performance is given in this paper. By normalizing the membership matrix elements based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model, all the values of the matrix elements are restrained in the range of 0.0 to 1.0, hence the complexity of the calculations is reduced. Vector similarity is used to determine the expert weights which reflect the knowledge and experience of the experts. This paper presents an improved method for rank correlation analysis, and calculates the comprehensive weight value and the final evaluation results of tidal current power generation devices. The presented method improves the credibility of the evaluation. In the end, measured data of two units of tidal current power generation devices are evaluated in the paper, and the effectiveness of the presented method is verified.

The storage stability concern, caused by phase separation for the density difference between polymers and asphalt fractions, has limited the widespread application of polymer modified asphalt (PMA). Therefore, this study aims to improve the storage concern of PMA by incorporating nano-montmorillonite. To this end, different nano-montmorillonites were incorporated to three PMAs modified with three typical asphalt modifiers, i.e., crumb rubber (CRM), styrene–butadiene-rubber (SBR) and styrene–butadiene-styrene (SBS). A series of laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the storage stability and rheological properties of PMA binders with nano-montmorillonite. As a consequence, the incorporation of nano-montmorillonite exhibited a remarkable effect on enhancing the storage stability of the CRM modified binder, but limited positive effects for the SBR and SBS modified binders. The layered nano-montmorillonite transformed to intercalated or exfoliated structures after interaction with asphalt fractions, providing superior storage stability. Among selected nano-montmorillonites, the pure montmorillonite with Hydroxyl organic ammonium performed the best on enhancing storage stability of PMA. This paper suggests that nano-montmorillonite is a promising modifier to alleviate the storage stability concern for asphalt with polymer modifiers.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are flexible demand-side response resources in a power distribution system. Reasonable and orderly control of charging/discharging processes of aggregated EVs can improve their coordination and interaction with the distribution system and ensure its efficient and stable operation. Aiming at the problem that the fluctuation of wind power output may affect the stable operation of distribution system, a real-time control strategy for aggregated EVs to smooth the fluctuation of wind power is proposed. Firstly, considering the dispatchability of EVs, the charging/discharging energy boundary model is established to determine the charging/discharging margin of an EV at each moment. Then, first-order low-pass filtering is used to determine the total dispatching power of aggregated EVs. Finally, the total charging power of aggregated EVs is determined and power allocation is carried out. Simulation results show that the proposed strategy can achieve real-time smoothing for the fluctuation of wind power output while meeting the charging requirements of EVs, and the proposed strategy can not only reduce the fluctuation rate of total load, but also realize peak shaving and valley filling for the distribution system.