Search

Abstract While extensive research has focused on enhancing distribution networks through either maximizing Distributed Generation (DG) integration or network reconfiguration at specific times, there is a need for further investigation into concurrently optimal network reconfiguration and DG allocation. To reduce the cost of energy delivered, the cost of energy loss, and voltage deviation, this study gives a dynamic multi‐objective network reconfiguration together with siting and sizing of dispatchable and non‐dispatchable DGs. The widely used IEEE 33‐bus and a large‐scale 118‐bus radial test system are employed while considering the time sequence fluctuations in sunlight irradiation and load. To address the pointed‐out challenge of multiperiod optimal DG allocation and reconfiguration while simultaneously decreasing the cost of energy supplied, the cost of energy lost, and the voltage deviation, a novel Multi‐objective Bidirectional co‐evolutionary algorithm (BiCo) is implemented. For better exploration and exploitation, the proposed algorithm integrating the constraint domination principle evolves the population from the feasible and infeasible search space with the help of a novel angle‐based density section. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms previously published Multi‐objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) by discovering a vast collection of uniformly spaced non‐dominated solutions in a single simulation run. Further, a fuzzy set theory is applied to find the best compromise solution among obtained final non‐dominated solutions. The results establish that the Pareto solutions significantly improved the system's voltage profile, with savings of over 22% compared to the baseline case and an exceptional improvement of over 80% in voltage deviation and power loss.

Abstract This article proposes a unilateral Adaptive update strategy based Interval Prediction (AIP) model for short‐term load prediction, which is developed based on lower and upper bound estimation (LUBE) architecture. In traditional LUBE interval prediction model, the model training is usually trained by heuristic algorithms. In this article, the model training is formulated as a bi‐level optimization problem with the help of proposed unilateral adaptive update strategy and cost function. In lower‐level problem, a simplified biased convex cost function is developed to supervise the learning direction of basic prediction engines. The basic prediction engine utilizes Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to extract features and Full connected Neural Network (FNN) to generate interval boundary. In upper‐level problem, a unilateral adaptive update strategy with unilateral coverage rate is put forward. It iteratively tunes hyper‐parameters of cost function during training process. Comprehensive experiments based on residential load data are implemented and the proposed interval prediction model outperforms the tested state‐of‐the‐art algorithms, achieving a 15% reduction in prediction error and a 20% decrease in computational time.

Ag-In-Ga-S (AIGS) quantum dots (QDs) have recently attracted great interests due to the outstanding optical properties and eco-friendly components, which are considered as an alternative replacement for toxic Pb- and Cd-based QDs. However, enormous attention has been paid to how to narrow their broadband spectra, ignoring the application advantages of the broadband emission. In this work, the AIGS QDs with controllable broad green-red dual-emission are first reported, which is achieved through adjusting the size distribution of QDs by controlling the nucleation and growth of AIGS crystals. Resultantly, the AIGS QDs exhibit broad dual-emission at green- and red- band evidenced by photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and the PL relative intensity and peak position can be finely adjusted. Furthermore, the dual-emission is the intrinsic characteristics from the difference in confinement effect of large particles and tiny particles confirmed by temperature-dependent PL spectra. Accordingly, the AIGS QDs (the size consists of 17 nm and 3.7 nm) with 530 nm and 630 nm emission could successfully be synthesized at 220 °C. By combining the blue light-emitting diode (LED) chips and dual-emission AIGS QDs, the constructed white light-emitting devices (WLEDs) exhibit a continuous and broad spectrum like natural sunlight with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of (0.33, 0.31), a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 5425 K, color rendering index (CRI) of 90, and luminous efficacy of radiation (LER) of 129 lm/W, which indicates that the AIGS QDs have huge potential for lighting applications.

Abstract Senecavirus A (SVA), an emerging virus that causes blisters on the nose and hooves, reduces the production performance of pigs. RSAD2 is a radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme, and its expression can suppress various viruses due to its broad antiviral activity. However, the regulatory relationship between SVA and RSAD2 and the mechanism of action remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that SVA infection increased RSAD2 mRNA levels, whereas RSAD2 expression negatively regulated viral replication, as evidenced by decreased viral VP1 protein expression, viral titres, and infected cell numbers. Viral proteins that interact with RSAD2 were screened, and the interaction between the 2 C protein and RSAD2 was found to be stronger than that between other proteins. Additionally, amino acids (aa) 43–70 of RSAD2 were crucial for interacting with the 2 C protein and played an important role in its anti-SVA activity. RSAD2 was induced by type I interferon (IFN-I) via Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT), and had antiviral activity. Ruxolitinib, a JAK-STAT pathway inhibitor, and the knockdown of JAK1 expression substantially reduced RSAD2 expression levels and antiviral activity. Taken together, these results revealed that RSAD2 blocked SVA infection by interacting with the viral 2 C protein and provide a strategy for preventing and controlling SVA infection.

Scaling up clean hydrogen supply in the near future is critical to achieving China’s hydrogen development target. This study established an electrolytic hydrogen development mechanism considering the generation mix and operation optimization of power systems with access to hydrogen. Based on the incremental cost principle, we quantified the provincial and national clean hydrogen production cost performance levels in 2030. The results indicated that this mechanism could effectively reduce the production cost of clean hydrogen in most provinces, with a national average value of less than 2 USD·kg−1 at the 40-megaton hydrogen supply scale. Provincial cooperation via power transmission lines could further reduce the production cost to 1.72 USD·kg−1. However, performance is affected by the potential distribution of hydrogen demand. From the supply side, competitiveness of the mechanism is limited to clean hydrogen production, while from the demand side, it could help electrolytic hydrogen fulfil a more significant role. This study could provide a solution for the ambitious development of renewables and the hydrogen economy in China.

Abstract This paper emphasizes the integration of wind and photovoltaic (PV) generation with battery energy storage systems (BESS) in distribution networks (DNs) to enhance grid sustainability, reliability, and flexibility. A novel multi‐objective optimization framework is introduced in this study to minimize energy supply costs, emissions, and energy losses while improving voltage deviation (VD) and voltage stability index (VSI). The proposed framework comprising normal boundary intersection (NBI) and decomposition‐based evolutionary algorithms (DBEA) determines the optimal siting and sizing of renewable‐based distributed resources, considering load demand variations and the intermittency of wind and solar outputs. The comparative analysis establishes that the proposed strategy performs better than many contemporary algorithms, specifically when all the objective functions are optimized simultaneously. The validation of the proposed framework was carried out on the standard IEEE‐33 bus test network, which demonstrates significant percentage savings in energy supply costs (49.6%), emission rate (62.2%), and energy loss (92.3%), along with enormous improvements in VSI (91.9%) and VD (99.8953%). The obtained results categorically underline the efficiency, reliability, and robustness of the proposed approach when employed on any complex distribution network comprising multiple renewable energy sources and battery storage systems.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection is causing devastating outbreaks globally; pig farming has suffered severe economic losses due to the ASFV. Currently, strict biosecurity control measures can mitigate the incidence of ASF. Rapid, cost-effective, and sensitive detection of ASFV can significantly reduce disease transmission and mortality. CRISPR/Cas-associated proteins can detect polymorphisms with high specificity and sensitivity, making them ideal for detecting pathogens. In this study, based on CRISPR/Cas12a integrated with enzymatic recombinase amplification (ERA) technology, a CRISPR/Cas12a detection system capable of identifying ASFV E183L, K205R, and C962R gene sequences has been developed. The ERA-CRISPR/Cas12a detection system detected ASFV precisely without cross-reactivity with other porcine pathogen templates and with a sensitivity detection limit of 10 copies per reaction; it takes 60 minutes to complete the detection process. In combination with this integrated ERA pre-amplification and Cas12a/crRNA cutting assay, it provides a rapid, straightforward, sensitive, and specific method for ASFV detection in the field.

Agricultural expansion and intensification pose significant threats to global biodiversity. However, the conservation of agricultural biodiversity is essential for harmonizing agricultural production with ecological sustainability. Agricultural diversification can mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture on ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Characteristics of the broader landscape may also play an important moderating role in diversified agricultural landscapes, but are not fully solved. To bridge this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies to compare bird abundance and species richness in diversified agricultural landscapes compared to those in simplified farmlands and natural landscapes. We also explored the moderating role of species functional groups and 11 metrics of landscape composition, configuration and heterogeneity. We found a generally positive effect of perimeter-to-area ratio of farmland patches, connectivity within farmland patches, and connectivity within patches of natural and semi-natural habitats on bird abundance and species richness. Responses to other landscape metrics were less consistent. For pollinators, the abundance was higher in diversified agricultural landscapes compared to control groups, and particularly when compared to natural landscapes. For natural enemies, the species richness was significantly lower in diversified agricultural landscapes than in natural landscapes, while their abundance was not. The overall abundance and species richness of granivores and frugivores in diversified agricultural landscapes were comparable to those in control landscapes. These results indicated landscape type of control groups, species functional groups, and their interactions had consistent impacts on the responses of bird diversity. We found a vital role of farmland patch shape and connectivity within farmland and habitat patches for bird conservation in diversified agricultural landscapes, which has been rarely reported in previous studies. These insights underscore the need for policymakers and managers to develop farmland management and planning strategies at multiple scales to fulfill growing human demands while achieving biodiversity conservation objectives.

Introduction and importanceIntracranial dermoid cysts are rare, constituting 0.04% to 0.6% of all intracranial tumors. They often arise from ectodermal cells trapped during neural tube formation. We report a case of spontaneous rupture of a large tentorial epithelioid cyst, which caused massive dissemination of liquid cholesterol into the subarachnoid cisterns and ventricles.Presentation of caseA 28-year-old male presented with a two-week history of headache and memory decline. CT and MRI revealed a 9x6 cm lesion in the left frontotemporal region with widespread dissemination of lipid droplets. Surgical resection was performed using a microscope combined with a neuroendoscope. Pathology confirmed a dermoid cyst.Clinical discussionRuptured dermoid cysts can cause significant symptoms due to the dissemination of cyst contents. Imaging is crucial for diagnosis and surgical planning. The combined microscopic and neuroendoscopic approach minimized blind spots and allowed thorough tumor exposure, facilitating complete resection with minimal residual complications. Postoperative outcomes were favorable, with imaging confirming substantial tumor removal and restored cerebrospinal fluid circulation.ConclusionPrompt diagnosis and comprehensive surgical intervention are essential for managing ruptured intracranial dermoid cysts. Combined microscopic and neuroendoscopic techniques are effective in achieving extensive resection and reducing complications.

Meteoroids entering the Earth's atmosphere lose most of their mass during atmospheric passage and considerably disturb the background ionosphere. To elucidate better the effects of meteoroids on the near-Earth space environment, it is important to simultaneously observe various meteoroids and their related phenomena in the Earth's atmosphere. This study briefly describes a newly developed Meteor and ionospheric Irregularity Observation System (MIOS), which consists of a phased-array radar, a bi-static all-sky radar, and a multi-station optical imaging and spectroscopy subsystem. The MIOS can capture the processes of ablation and evaporation of meteoroids, creating luminous and ionization trails, and measure the properties of both the meteor trail and its corresponding meteoroid within a large field of view. Based on the MIOS, some observational modes and data processing methods have been developed, where the physical and chemical properties of meteoroids (including their velocity, mass, composition, and source region), meteor plasma head and trail irregularity and their structural evolution, and the instantaneous neutral wind can be obtained. Using the MIOS measurements, a preliminary study of some of the characteristics of meteoroids, meteor plasma head, meteor plasma trail field–aligned and non-field–aligned irregularities, meteor flare and dust trail irregularity, and ionospheric irregularity is presented.

Industrial parks (IPs) play a crucial role in facilitating economic efficiency and comprehensive energy utilization in the industrial age. At the same time, multi-energy coupling and management of various types of energy in IP have become serious challenges. In this paper, combined heat and power unit (CHP) model considering operation mode switching characteristics is formulated by exploring its internal composition to improve output flexibility of the energy supply side. Then, heat and electricity integrated energy system (HE-IES) optimal dispatch and pricing model are established, taking electricity and heat demand response strategy and steam thermal inertia property into account. Based on the above models, a mixed-integer bilinear programming framework is designed to coordinate the day-ahead operation and pricing strategy of the HE-IES in the IP. The scenario study is carried out on a practical industrial park in Southern China. Numerical results indicate the proposed mechanism can effectively improve IP's energy utilization and economic efficiency.

Abstract Despite the enormous potential of millimeter-wave (mmWave) imaging, the high cost of large-scale antenna arrays or stringent prerequisites of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) principle impedes its widespread application. Here, we report a portable, affordable, and high-resolution 3D mmWave imaging system by overcoming the destructive motion error of handheld SAR imaging. This is achieved by revealing two important phenomenons: spatial asymmetry of motion errors in different directions, and local similarity of phase errors exhibited by different targets, based on which we formulate the challenging phase error estimation problem as a tractable point spread function optimization problem. Experiments demonstrate that our approach can recover high-fidelity 3D mmWave images from severely distorted signals and augment the aperture size by over 50 times. Since our system does not rely on costly massive antennas or bulky motion controllers, it can be applied for diverse applications including security inspection, autonomous driving, and medical monitoring.

Increasing penetration of distributed energy resources in the distribution network (DN) is threatening safe operation of the DN, which necessitates setup of the ancillary service market in the DN. In the ancillary service market, distribution system operator (DSO) is responsible for safety of the DN by procuring available capacities of aggregators. Unlike existing studies, this paper proposes a novel market mechanism composed of two parts: choice rule and payment rule. The proposed choice rule simultaneously considers social welfare and fairness, encouraging risk-averse aggregators to participate in the ancillary service market. It is then formulated as a linear programming problem, and a distributed solution using the multi-cut Benders decomposition is presented. Moreover, successful implementation of the choice rule depends on each aggregator's truthful adoption of private parameters. Therefore, a payment rule is also designed, which is proved to possess two properties: incentive compatibility and individual rationality. Simulation results demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed choice rule on improving fairness and verify properties of the payment rule.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious coronavirus that infect pigs’ intestinal epithelial cells, causing high morbidity and mortality. Due to the rapid mutation of PEDV, vaccine efficacy is uncertain, prompting exploration of alternative treatments. Nanobodies, also known as variable heavy chain domains of heavy chain-only antibodies (VHHs), offer significant potential in biomedical applications due to their small size and high specificity. In this study, yeast two-hybrid technology was employed to screen for eight specific VHH sequences targeting the PEDV S protein from a synthetically constructed nanobody yeast library. The VHH genes were then cloned into expression plasmids for recombinant protein production, and the resulting VHHs (termed PEDV S-VHHs) were purified. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blotting analysis confirmed that these VHHs specifically bind to both PEDV and its S protein. Neutralization assays demonstrated that seven PEDV S-VHHs exhibited potent neutralizing activity against PEDV. Additionally, a combination of these seven antibodies showed enhanced antiviral effects. Preliminary predictions were also made regarding the binding sites between these VHHs and PEDV. The PEDV S-VHHs described in this study hold potential as candidates for the prevention and treatment of PEDV infection.

Purpose: To comprehensively understand the effects of intra-operative infusion of magnesium sulfate on patients who underwent orthognathic surgery, including remifentanil consumption, postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), inflammatory response, and serum magnesium levels. Methods: Seventy-five adult patients undergoing orthognathic surgery under general balanced anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups. One group (Group M) received 50 mg/kg of magnesium sulfate in 20 mL 0.9 % saline after intubation, followed by a continuous infusion at a rate of 15 mg/kg/h until 30 min before the anticipated end of surgery. The other group (Group C) received an equal volume of isotonic saline as a placebo. (Clinical trial registration number: chiCTR2100045981). Results: The primary outcome was remifentanil consumption. The secondary outcomes included the pain score assessed using the verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) and PONV assessed using a Likert scale. Remifentanil comsumption in Group M was lower than Group C (mean ± SD: 0.146 ± 0.04 μg/kg/min vs. 0.173 ± 0.04 μg/kg/min, P = 0.003). At 2 h after surgery, patients in Group C suffered more severe PONV than those in Group M (median [interquartile range, IQR]: 1 [3] vs. 1 [0], mean rank: 31.45 vs. 42.71, P = 0.040). At post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), postoperative pain in Group C was severe than Group M (3 [1] vs. 3 [0], mean rank: 31.45 vs. 42.71, P = 0.013). Changes in haemodynamics and surgical field scores did not differ between the groups (all P > 0.05). The levels of cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-a, and MIP-1β) were not significantly different between the groups after surgery (all P > 0.05). Postoperative serum magnesium levels in Group C were lower than those in Group M (0.74 ± 0.07 mmol/L vs. 0.91 ± 0.08 mmol/L, P = 0.000) and the preoperative level (0.74 ± 0.07 mmol/L vs. 0.83 ± 0.06 mmol/L, P = 0.219). Conclusions: In orthognathic surgery, magnesium sulfate administration can reduce remifentanil requirement and relieve PONV and postoperative pain in the early postoperative phase.

Abstract Background Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (LVR) could significantly improve pulmonary function and quality of life in patients with emphysema. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation (BTVA) on LVR in patients with emphysema at different stage. Methods A systematic search of database including PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library was conducted to determine all the studies about bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation published through Dec 1, 2022. Related searching terms were “lung volume reduction”, “bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation”, “bronchial thermal vapor ablation” “BTVA” and “emphysema”, “efficacy” and”safety”. We used standardized mean difference (SMD) to analyze the summary estimates for BTVA therapy. Results We retrieved 30 records through database search, and 4 trials were selected for meta-analysis, including 112 patients with emphysema. Meta-analysis of the pooled effect showed that levels of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), residual volume (RV), total lung capacity (TLC), 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were significantly improved in patients with emphysema following BTVA treatment between 6 months vs. baseline. Additionally, no significant changes in FEV1, RV, TLC and SGRQ occurred from 3 to 6 months of follow-up except for 6MWD. The magnitude of benefit was higher at 3 months compared to 6 months. The most common complications at 6 months were treatment-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations (RR: 12.49; 95% CI: 3.06 to 50.99; p

The porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) infection is an emerging disease associated with clinical signs of porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS)-like clinical signs. Currently, there is a lack of effective vaccines and therapeutics against this disease. Therefore, rapid, effective, sensitive, and specific detection methods are crucial for the timely identification, prevention, and control of PCV3. In this study, we developed one- and two-pot visual detection methods for PCV3 using a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas12a detection system combined with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). These two methods demonstrated no cross-reactivity with eight other swine viruses and exhibited minimum detection limits of five and two copies of viral DNA, respectively, revealing their high specificity and sensitivity. During a clinical sample detection within 30 min, the coincidence rates between the one- and two-pot detection methods and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were 100%. In conclusion, both one- and two-pot RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a detection methods have significant potential for the rapid, sensitive, and specific visual detection of PCV3.

In this paper, a multistage reliability-constrained stochastic planning model is established for the diamond distribution network, a new type of distribution system grid structure, with the goal of optimizing the total cost of investment and operation. The uncertainty of load growth is simulated by generating multiple load growth scenarios, and the power supply loss caused by the reliability of components in the system is also considered. The multistage stochastic dynamic decision process is modeled by The Markov decision process. In order to solve the “curse of dimensionality” problem in multi-stage stochastic planning model, the approximate dynamic programming algorithm is used to solve it. The case study is based on the typical structure of the diamond distribution network and realistic data of an actual district in Shanghai, China. The planning results verify the effectiveness of the model and the solution algorithm, and demonstrate the reliability and economy of the diamond distribution network are superior to the traditional double-ring network.

Phellinus spp. have historically been used as traditional medicines to treat various diseases owing to their antioxidant, antitumor, and antidiabetic activities. Polysaccharides exhibit antidiabetic activity. In the present study, the polysaccharide contents of four Phellinus strains were compared. Phellinus igniarius QB72 possessed higher polysaccharide production, stronger 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and α-amylase inhibitory activity. The three polysaccharides were sequentially extracted and partially purified from the fermentation mycelia using hot water, 1 % (NH4)2C2O4, and 1.25 M NaOH. Hot water extract polysaccharides exhibited higher DPPH radical scavenging and strong inhibitory activity against α-amylase with an IC50 value of 6.84 ± 0.37 mg/mL. The carbohydrate content of A1 (approximately 17457 Da) was approximately 88.28 %. The α-amylase inhibitory activity IC50 was decreased (3.178 ± 0.187 mg/mL) after DEAE water elution. P. igniarius QB72 hot-water extracts of partially purified polysaccharides have great potential as α-amylase inhibitors in food and medication-assisted additives.

The continuously evolving PRRSV has been plaguing pig farms worldwide for over 30 years, with conventional vaccines suffering from insufficient protection and biosecurity risks. To address these challenges, we identified 10 PRRSV-specific CTL epitopes through enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) and constructed a multi-epitope peptide (PTE) by linking them in tandem. This PTE was then fused with a modified porcine Fc molecule to create the recombinant protein pFc-PTE. Our findings indicate that pFc-PTE effectively stimulates PRRSV-infected specific splenic lymphocytes to secrete high levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and is predicted to be non-toxic and non-allergenic. Compared to PTE alone, pFc-PTE not only induced a comparable cellular immune response in mice but also extended the duration of the immune response to at least 10 weeks post-immunization. Additionally, pFc-PTE predominantly induced a Th1 immune response, suggesting its potential advantage in enhancing cellular immunity. Consequently, pFc-PTE holds promise as a novel, safe, and potent candidate vaccine for PRRSV and may also provide new perspectives for vaccine design against other viral diseases.

Duck Tembusu Virus (DTMUV) is a pathogen of the Flaviviridae family that causes infections in poultry, leading to significant economic losses in the duck farming industry in recent years. Ducks infected with this virus exhibit clinical symptoms such as decreased egg production and neurological disorders, along with serious consequences such as ovarian hemorrhage, organ enlargement, and necrosis. Variations in morbidity and mortality rates exist across different age groups of ducks. It is worth noting that DTMUV is not limited to ducks alone; it can also spread to other poultry such as chickens and geese, and antibodies related to DTMUV have even been found in duck farm workers, suggesting a potential risk of zoonotic transmission. This article provides a detailed overview of DTMUV research, delving into its genomic characteristics, vaccines, and the interplay with host immune responses. These in-depth research findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the virus’s transmission mechanism and pathogenic process, offering crucial scientific support for epidemic prevention and control.

A simple and highly-sensitive method was established and validated for analyzing mefenpyr‑diethyl enantiomers in cereals and soil samples with HPLC-MS/MS. The baseline enantioseparation (resolution value=6.73) of mefenpyr‑diethyl was achieved within 10.5 min using cellulose-tris [4-methylbenzoate] (OJ-RH column) as chiral station phase. The influence of different mobile phase composition, flow rates and the column temperature on the chiral resolution of mefenpyr‑diethyl were investigated. The five selected sample matrices (four type of cereal crops and soil) were firstly extracted with acetonitrile and then purified with the dSPE sorbents. Satisfactory linearity was afforded for both two enantiomers of the target chiral compound over a range of concentrations (1–500 µg/L) in solvent and in the five matrices (r>0.9994). The mean recoveries of two enantiomers of mefenpyr‑diethyl from five matrices were ranged from 85% to 104%, with all relative standard deviations (RSDs) values below 10.6%. The limits of quantification (LOQ) were 5 µg/kg for mefenpyr‑diethyl enantiomers in all studied matrices, and the limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.03 to 0.13 µg/L. Hence, the new method provides a reference for further research on enantioselective environmental behaviors of mefenpyr‑diethyl in cereal plants and soil.

The flower industry in nine mainland cities of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA)has a long history and profound cultural heritage, with certain competitive advantages in the world. By retrieving the Chinese enterprise database and intellectual property database, and consulting the relevant yearbooks of flower industry in China, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, Foshan City, Huizhou City and other areas, the development of flower industry in the nine mainland cities of GBA were deeply studied and analyzed. The results showed that the flower planting area in Guangdong is on the rise, but the proportion of flower planting area in Guangdong is on the decline compared with the growth rate of flower planting area in the whole country. The development of flower industry in the nine mainland cities of GBA concentrated most of the flower industry operators in Guangdong Province. The development bottleneck of flower planting is prominent, and the flower planting area in Guangzhou, Foshan and Huizhou shows a downward trend. The trend of flower industry upgrading and industrial transfer is obvious, and the proportion of flower planting enterprises in the nine mainland cities of GBA is declining.The proportion of flower wholesale and flower retail enterprises shows an increasing trend. There are rich flower industry platforms in the nine mainland cities of GBA. Currently, the main problems are as follows: the development of flower industry in different cities is unbalanced, the planning of flower industry is absent, the attribute of flower planting land is prominent, and the industrial scientific and technological innovation capacity needs to be further strengthened. According to the analysis of the current development situation and existing problems, in the future, it is suggested to rely on industry associations and industrial alliances to formulate relevant plans, take into account the adherence to the red line of cultivated land and the deep excavation of land resources, do a good job in the upgrading, expansion and transfer of the flower industry, establish a flower market circulation system that participates in the domestic market cycle, improve the technological content and added value of the flower industry through the reform and innovation of scientific and technological systems, and actively prepare for various flower cultural activities.

Micro-phasor measurement units (µPMUs) with a micro-second resolution and milli-degree accuracy capability are expected to play an important role in improving the state estimation accuracy in the distribution network with increasing penetration of distributed generations. Therefore, this paper investigates the problem of how to place a limited number of µPMUs to improve the state estimation accuracy. Combined with pseudo-measurements and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) measurements, an optimal µPMU placement model is proposed based on a two-step state estimation method. The E-optimal experimental criterion is utilized to measure the state estimation accuracy. The nonlinear optimization problem is transformed into a mixed-integer semidefinite programming (MISDP) problem, whose optimal solution can be obtained by using the improved Benders decomposition method. Simulations on several systems are carried out to evaluate the effective performance of the proposed model.

The increased deployment of electricity-based hydrogen production strengthens the coupling of power distribution system (PDS) and hydrogen energy system (HES). Considering that power to hydrogen (PtH) has great potential to facilitate the usage of renewable energy sources (RESs), the coordination of PDS and HES is important for planning purposes under high RES penetration. To this end, this paper proposes a multi-stage co-planning model for the PDS and HES. For the PDS, investment decisions on network assets and RES are optimized to supply the growing electric load and PtHs. For the HES, capacities of PtHs and hydrogen storages (HSs) are optimally determined to satisfy hydrogen load considering the hydrogen production, tube trailer transportation, and storage constraints. The overall planning problem is formulated as a multistage stochastic optimization model, in which the investment decisions are sequentially made as the uncertainties of electric and hydrogen load growth states are revealed gradually over periods. Case studies validate that the proposed co-planning model can reduce the total planning cost, promote RES consumption, and obtain more flexible decisions under long-term load growth uncertainties.

Abstract Main goal of the JUNO experiment is to determine the neutrino mass ordering using a 20 kt liquid-scintillator detector. Its key feature is an excellent energy resolution of at least 3% at 1 MeV, for which its instruments need to meet a certain quality and thus have to be fully characterized. More than 20,000 20-inch PMTs have been received and assessed by JUNO after a detailed testing program which began in 2017 and elapsed for about four years. Based on this mass characterization and a set of specific requirements, a good quality of all accepted PMTs could be ascertained. This paper presents the performed testing procedure with the designed testing systems as well as the statistical characteristics of all 20-inch PMTs intended to be used in the JUNO experiment, covering more than fifteen performance parameters including the photocathode uniformity. This constitutes the largest sample of 20-inch PMTs ever produced and studied in detail to date, i.e. 15,000 of the newly developed 20-inch MCP-PMTs from Northern Night Vision Technology Co. (NNVT) and 5000 of dynode PMTs from Hamamatsu Photonics K. K.(HPK).

The African swine fever virus is a virulent and communicable viral disease that can be transmitted by infected swine, contaminated pork products, or soft tick vectors. Nonstructural proteins encoded by ASFV regulate viral replication, transcription, and evasion. However, the mechanisms underlying the host response to ASFV infection remain incompletely understood. In order to enhance comprehension of the biology and molecular mechanisms at distinct time intervals (6, 12, 24 h) post infection, transcriptome analyses were executed to discern differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ASFV and mock-infected PAMs. The transcriptomic analysis unveiled a total of 1,677, 2,122, and 2,945 upregulated DEGs and 933, 1,148, and 1,422 downregulated DEGs in ASFV- and mock-infected groups at 6, 12, and 24 h.p.i.. The results of the transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that the infection of ASFV significantly stimulated host metabolism pathways while concurrently inhibiting the expression of various immune responses and cell death pathways. Our study offers crucial mechanistic insights into the comprehension of ASFV viral pathogenesis and the multifaceted host immune responses. The genes that were dysregulated may serve as potential candidates for further exploration of anti-ASFV strategies.

The construction and management of large-scale projects have the characteristics of complexity, dynamic and offline, and how to evaluate it is a research problem accurately. This study addresses this question through multidisciplinary cross-applied research. The research analyses and optimizes the environmental impact of the construction stage of superlarge bridges by establishing a theoretical model system of environmental impact resilience. The analysis shows that industrialized construction can save 56.31% of materials compared with traditional construction but increase the consumption of machinery and personnel by 11.18%. Ultimately, environmental pollution can be significantly reduced. This study breaks through the difficulty of accurately evaluating discrete dynamic factors. It has realized the application of multidisciplinary research to solve management optimization and design problems in the elastic and dynamic changes of super-large bridges during construction. This research provides rich theoretical models and advanced analytics experience data for environmental resilience impacts and project resilience management models, laying a solid scientific foundation for dynamic control and sustainable development assessment of statically indeterminate structures in the future.

The physics potential of detecting ^8 B solar neutrinos will be exploited at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), in a model-independent manner by using three distinct channels of the charged current (CC), neutral current (NC), and elastic scattering (ES) interactions. Due to the largest-ever mass of ^13 C nuclei in the liquid scintillator detectors and the expected low background level, ^8 B solar neutrinos are observable in the CC and NC interactions on ^13 C for the first time. By virtue of optimized event selections and muon veto strategies, backgrounds from the accidental coincidence, muon-induced isotopes, and external backgrounds can be greatly suppressed. Excellent signal-to-background ratios can be achieved in the CC, NC, and ES channels to guarantee the observation of the ^8 B solar neutrinos. From the sensitivity studies performed in this work, we show that JUNO, with 10 yr of data, can reach the 1 σ precision levels of 5%, 8%, and 20% for the ^8 B neutrino flux, ${\sin }^{2}{\theta }_{12}$ , and ${\rm{\Delta }}{m}_{21}^{2}$ , respectively. Probing the details of both solar physics and neutrino physics would be unique and helpful. In addition, when combined with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory measurement, the world's best precision of 3% is expected for the measurement of the ^8 B neutrino flux.

Abstract We study damping signatures at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a medium-baseline reactor neutrino oscillation experiment. These damping signatures are motivated by various new physics models, including quantum decoherence, ν 3 decay, neutrino absorption, and wave packet decoherence. The phenomenological effects of these models can be characterized by exponential damping factors at the probability level. We assess how well JUNO can constrain these damping parameters and how to disentangle these different damping signatures at JUNO. Compared to current experimental limits, JUNO can significantly improve the limits on τ 3/m 3 in the ν 3 decay model, the width of the neutrino wave packet σ x , and the intrinsic relative dispersion of neutrino momentum σ rel.

Abstract This paper proposes a novel type of piecewise and modular energy storage topology. Compared to the modular multilevel converter (MMC), the proposed topology is not only different in structure but also in concept. Firstly, the capacitors within the submodules of MMC are all replaced by lithium batteries, which can avoid the voltage imbalance among capacitors and provide a deep connection between MMC and energy storage. What's more, the micro‐unit concept is adopted to break the whole batteries within MMC into parts for each submodule by increasing the number of submodules to an extremely high level, which turns it into a novel microelement‐based energy storage device. Due to the characteristics of the proposed topology, dual carrier cross‐phase shift sinusoidal pulse width modulation (DCCPS‐SPWM) is also proposed. With the help of DCCPS‐SPWM, the proposed topology has the advantages of simple structure, easy to control, fewer total modules with the same output level, high fault tolerance, easy to detect and locate faults. The operating modes with four energy storage units per bridge arm are well analysed and extended to the case of N units. The double‐Fourier analysis is performed on the output voltage waveform, so that the harmonics of the output voltage with DCCPS‐SPWM can be clearly understood. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed topology and its control are verified by both simulation and experimental results.

Abstract Background To investigate the value of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) combined with rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) in diagnosing peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). Methods Between January 1st 2019 to September 1st 2021, EBUS and VBN examination were performed in expected consecutive patients with PPLs who were admitted to Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University (Fujian, China). Finally, based on the calculation of expected diagnostic yield of R-EBUS biopsy and drop out, 198 eligible patients were randomly divided into ROSE group (100 cases) and non-ROSE group (98 cases). The diagnostic yield of brushing and biopsy, the complications, the procedure time, the diagnosis time and expense during diagnosis were analyzed. Results In the ROSE group, the positive rate of EBUS brushing and biopsy were 68%, 84%, respectively. The average procedure time and diagnosis time were 18.6 ± 6.8 min, 3.84 ± 4.28 days, respectively, and the average expense was 643.44 ± 706.56 US.$ (4093.15 ± 4494.67 yuan ¥). In the controls, the positive rate of brushing and biopsy were 44%, 74%, respectively. The average procedure time and diagnosis time were 15.4 ± 5.7 min, 6.46 ± 3.66 days, respectively. And the average expense during diagnosis was 1009.27 ± 713.89 US.$ (6420.28 ± 4541.33 yuan ¥). There was significant difference in the positive rate of EBUS brushing and biopsy, diagnosis time and expense during diagnosis between both groups. And no significant difference was observed in the complications and the procedure time. Additionally, the impact of ROSE on diagnostic yield in right upper lobe and the size of lesion ≤ 2 cm in diameter was significant. Conclusion In combination with ROSE, EBUS could significantly improve the positive rate of diagnosing PPLs, shorten diagnosis time and reduce expense during diagnosis. ROSE will be of great importance in the diagnosis of PPLs and medical resource.

The aging of lines has a strong impact on the economy and safety of the distribution network. This paper proposes a novel approach to conduct line aging assessment in the distribution network based on topology verification and parameter estimation. In topology verification, the set of alternative topologies is firstly generated based on the switching lines. The best-matched topology is determined by comparing the difference between the actual measurement data and calculated voltage magnitude curves among the alternative topologies. Then, a novel parameter estimation approach is proposed to estimate the actual line parameters based on the measured active power, reactive power, and voltage magnitude data. It includes two stages, i.e., the fixed-step aging parameter (FSAP) iteration, and specialized Newton-Raphson (SNR) iteration. The theoretical line parameters of the best-matched topology are taken as a warm start of FSAP, and the fitted result of FSAP is further renewed by the SNR. Based on the deviation between the renewed and theoretical line parameters, the aging severity risk level of each line is finally quantified through the risk assessment technology. Numerous experiments on the modified IEEE 33-bus and 123-bus systems demonstrate that the proposed approach can effectively conduct line aging assessment in the distribution network.

Today’s power system is facing various challenges brought by large-scale renewable energy (RE) integration, which brings higher demand for flexibility. With the energy network gradually showing its distributed structural characteristics, multi-energy microgrids (MEMG) become an important component to effectively utilize distributed energy sources and supplement the flexibility of power distribution system (PDS). To effectively harness the operational flexibility of distributed MEMGs, we propose in this paper an evaluation method to quantify the flexibility capability of MEMG. A virtually established MG flexibility bus (MG-FB) is endowed with MG flexibility parameters (MG-FPs), which can reflect the flexibility characteristics of MEMG. To consider the impact of operational uncertainty on MG-FPs, a two-stage adaptive robust optimization (ARO) model is proposed, which can be solved by the C&CG algorithm. The results of a typical test system show the influence of system configuration, operator’s risk preference, and other factors on the values of MG-FPs. Besides, we illustrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed framework in modeling and quantifying the operational flexibility of MEMG to support the operation of the upstream network.

Abstract Numerous studies have confirmed the great application potentials of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in biological medical field, especially in tissue repair and regeneration. However, the production capability of sEVs by noncancerous cells is very limited, while their dosage requirements in disease treatments are usually very high. Meanwhile, as cell aging, the sEV production capability of cells decreases and the biological function of sEVs changes accordingly. In addition, for special applications, sEVs carrying desired bioactive substances should be designed to perform their expected biological function. Therefore, improving the production of sEVs and precisely regulating their biological function are of great significance for promoting the clinical applications of sEVs. In this review, some of the current classic strategies in affecting the cellular behaviors of donor cells and subsequently regulating the production and biological function of their sEVs are summarized, including gene engineering methods, stress-inducing conditions, chemical regulators, physical methods, and biomaterial stimulations. Through applying these strategies, increased yield of sEVs with required biological function can be obtained for disease treatment and tissue repair, such as bone regeneration, wound healing, nerve function recovery and cancer treatment, which could not only reduce the harvest cost of sEV but promote the practical applications of sEVs in clinic. Graphical Abstract

Abstract The OSIRIS detector is a subsystem of the liquid scintillator filling chain of the JUNO reactor neutrino experiment. Its purpose is to validate the radiopurity of the scintillator to assure that all components of the JUNO scintillator system work to specifications and only neutrino-grade scintillator is filled into the JUNO Central Detector. The aspired sensitivity level of $$10^{-16}\hbox { g/g}$$ 10 - 16 g/g of $$^{238}\hbox {U}$$ 238 U and $$^{232}\hbox {Th}$$ 232 Th requires a large ( $$\sim 20\,\hbox {m}^3$$ ∼ 20 m 3 ) detection volume and ultralow background levels. The present paper reports on the design and major components of the OSIRIS detector, the detector simulation as well as the measuring strategies foreseen and the sensitivity levels to U/Th that can be reached in this setup.

Abstract JUNO is a massive liquid scintillator detector with a primary scientific goal of determining the neutrino mass ordering by studying the oscillated anti-neutrino flux coming from two nuclear power plants at 53 km distance. The expected signal anti-neutrino interaction rate is only 60 counts per day (cpd), therefore a careful control of the background sources due to radioactivity is critical. In particular, natural radioactivity present in all materials and in the environment represents a serious issue that could impair the sensitivity of the experiment if appropriate countermeasures were not foreseen. In this paper we discuss the background reduction strategies undertaken by the JUNO collaboration to reduce at minimum the impact of natural radioactivity. We describe our efforts for an optimized experimental design, a careful material screening and accurate detector production handling, and a constant control of the expected results through a meticulous Monte Carlo simulation program. We show that all these actions should allow us to keep the background count rate safely below the target value of 10 Hz (i.e. ∼1 cpd accidental background) in the default fiducial volume, above an energy threshold of 0.7 MeV.

Abstract Atmospheric neutrinos are one of the most relevant natural neutrino sources that can be exploited to infer properties about cosmic rays and neutrino oscillations. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment, a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector with excellent energy resolution is currently under construction in China. JUNO will be able to detect several atmospheric neutrinos per day given the large volume. A study on the JUNO detection and reconstruction capabilities of atmospheric $$\nu _e$$ ν e and $$\nu _\mu $$ ν μ fluxes is presented in this paper. In this study, a sample of atmospheric neutrino Monte Carlo events has been generated, starting from theoretical models, and then processed by the detector simulation. The excellent timing resolution of the 3” PMT light detection system of JUNO detector and the much higher light yield for scintillation over Cherenkov allow to measure the time structure of the scintillation light with very high precision. Since $$\nu _e$$ ν e and $$\nu _\mu $$ ν μ interactions produce a slightly different light pattern, the different time evolution of light allows to discriminate the flavor of primary neutrinos. A probabilistic unfolding method has been used, in order to infer the primary neutrino energy spectrum from the detector experimental observables. The simulated spectrum has been reconstructed between 100 MeV and 10 GeV, showing a great potential of the detector in the atmospheric low energy region.

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most severe diseases caused by the ASF virus (ASFV), causing massive economic losses to the global pig industry. Serological tests are important in ASF epidemiological surveillance, and more antigen targets are needed to meet market demand for ASFV antibody detection. In the present study, ASFV p15 protein was fusion-expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) with elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), and the ELP-p15 protein was purified using a simple inverse transition cycling (ITC) process. The ELP tag was cleaved off using tobacco etch virus protease (TEVp), resulting in a tag-free p15 protein. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the p15 protein reacted strongly with ASFV-positive serum. The p15 protein was used as a coating antigen in an indirect ELISA (iELISA) for detecting ASFV antibodies. The p15-iELISA method demonstrated high specificity to ASFV-positive sera, with a maximum detection dilution of 1:1600. Moreover, the method exhibited good reproducibility, with less intra-assay and inter-assay CV values than 10%. Therefore, p15-iELISA offers a novel approach for accurately detecting ASFV antibodies with significant clinical application potential.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly lethal cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Unlike apoptosis, necroptosis (NCPS) triggers an immune response by releasing damage-related molecular factors. However, the clinical prognostic features of necroptosis-associated genes in HCC are still not fully explored.Methods: We analyzed the single-cell datasets GSE125449 and GSE151530 from the GEO database and performed weighted co-expression network analysis on the TCGA data to identify the necroptosis genes. A prognostic model was built using COX and Lasso regression. In addition, we performed an analysis of survival, immunity microenvironment, and mutation. Furthermore, the hub genes and pathways associated with HCC were localized within the single-cell atlas.Results: Patients with HCC in the TCGA and ICGC cohorts were classified using a necroptosis-related model with significant differences in survival times between high- and low-NCPS groups (p < 0.05). High-NCPS patients expressed more immune checkpoint-related genes, suggesting immunotherapy and some chemotherapies might prove beneficial to them. In addition, a single-cell sequencing approach was conducted to investigate the expression of hub genes and associated signaling pathways in different cell types.Conclusion: Through the analysis of single-cell and bulk multi-omics sequencing data, we constructed a prognostic model related to necroptosis and explored the relationship between high- and low-NCPS groups and immune cell infiltration in HCC. This provides a new reference for further understanding the role of necroptosis in HCC.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. A recent study reported that both ASF virus (ASFV) genotypes I and II have invaded farm-raised pigs in China, causing chronic infection and morbidity. To develop a duplex fluorescent quantitative PCR method to distinguish the ASFV genotypes I and II in Chinese epidemic strains, the probes and primers were designed based on the B646L sequences of genotypes I and II listed in the GenBank database. After optimizing the system, a duplex fluorescent quantitative PCR method for simultaneous detection of ASFV genotypes I and II B646L genes was successfully established. This method had no cross-reaction with Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), Pseudorabies virus (PRV), or Porcine Parvovirus (PPV), indicating that it has strong specificity. The sensitivity results indicated that the minimum detection limit of ASFV genotypes I and II B646L was 10 copies/Rxn. The inter- and intra-group coefficients of variation were both

Abstract We present the calibration strategy for the 20 kton liquid scintillator central detector of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). By utilizing a comprehensive multiple-source and multiple-positional calibration program, in combination with a novel dual calorimetry technique exploiting two independent photosensors and readout systems, we demonstrate that the JUNO central detector can achieve a better than 1% energy linearity and a 3% effective energy resolution, required by the neutrino mass ordering determination.

Recently, exosomes have been extensively applied in tissue regeneration. However, their practical applications are severely restricted by the limited exosome secretion capability of cells. Therefore, developing strategies to enhance the production of exosomes and improve their biological function attracts great interest. Studies have shown that biomaterials can significantly enhance the paracrine effects of cells and exosomes are the main signal carriers of intercellular paracrine communication, thus biomaterials are considered to affect the exosome secretion of cells and their biological function. In this study, a widely recognized biomaterial, 45S5 Bioglass® (BG), is used to create a mild and cell-friendly microenvironment for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with its ion products. Results showed that BG ion products can significantly improve exosome production of MSCs by upregulating the expression of neutral sphingomyelinase-2 (nSMase2) and Rab27a which enhanced the nSMases and Rab GTPases pathways, respectively. Besides, microRNA analysis indicates that BG ion products can modulate the cargoes of MSCs-derived exosomes by decreasing microRNA-342-5p level while increasing microRNA-1290 level. Subsequently, the function of exosomes is modified as their capabilities of promoting the vascularization of endothelial cells and facilitating the intradermal angiogenesis are enhanced. Taken together, BG ion products are confirmed to enhance exosome production and simultaneously improve exosome function, suggesting a feasible approach to improve the practical application of exosomes in regenerative medicine.

Abstract Background The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a public health emergency of major international concern. Real-time RT-PCR assays are recommended for diagnosis of COVID-19. Here we report a rare case of COVID-19 with multiple negative results for PCR assays outside Wuhan, China. Case presentation A 32-year old male was admitted to our hospital because of 6 days of unexplained fever on January 29, 2020. He had come from Wuhan city 10 days before admission. Five days before admission, no abnormality was noted in laboratory test, chest radiography, and nasopharyngeal swab test for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid. The patient was treated with ibuprofen for alleviating fever. On admission, chest computed tomography showed multiple ground-glass opacities in right lower lung field. COVID-19 was suspected. Three times of nasopharyngeal swab specimens were collected after admission. However, none of the specimens were positive. The patient was confirmed with COVID-19 after fifth SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test. He was treated with lopinavir/ritonavir, recombinant human interferon alfa-2b inhalation, methylprednisolone. After 18 days of treatment, he was discharged with improved symptoms, lung lesions and negative results of nasopharyngeal swab. Conclusion This case reminds clinician that a patient with high clinical suspicion of COVID-19 but multiple negative RT-PCR result should not be taken out of isolation. A combination of patient’s exposure history, clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, and typical imaging findings plays a vital role in making preliminary diagnosis and guide early isolation and treatment. Repeat swab tests are helpful in diagnosis for this kind of patients.

This paper presents a novel flexible multistage AC/DC distribution system expansion planning model, where the flexible investment strategy is taken into account to address the long-term development uncertainty of load demand and DG. Uncertainty is modeled through a multistage scenario tree to capture the possible system states across the planning horizon. As uncertain information revealed gradually over the planning horizon, the planning decisions at each stage are made sequentially within limited disposable reservation funds (RFs). The overall problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming model that guarantees the convergence to optimality by using commercially available software. We compare the total costs of the optimal planning solutions within different proportions of RFs and analyze the flexibility value of RFs for long-term planning problems. In addition, the impact of RFs on the adjustment ability of the plans and the investment risks under uncertainty are evaluated. Case studies are carried out on an AC/DC hybrid system to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model to constitute flexible options when facing long-term uncertainty. The obtained results show the importance of reserving a suitable proportion of RFs in the planning stage, which has a significant influence on the adaptability of the planning solution to uncertain factors.

Cyber-attacks that tamper with measurement information threaten the security of state estimation for the current distribution system. This paper proposes a cyber-attack detection strategy based on distribution system state estimation (DSSE). The uncertainty of the distribution network is represented by the interval of each state variable. A three-phase interval DSSE model is proposed to construct the interval of each state variable. An improved iterative algorithm (IIA) is developed to solve the interval DSSE model and to obtain the lower and upper bounds of the interval. A cyber-attack is detected when the value of the state variable estimated by the traditional DSSE is out of the corresponding interval determined by the interval DSSE. To validate the proposed cyber-attack detection strategy, the basic principle of the cyber-attack is studied, and its general model is formulated. The proposed cyber-attack model and detection strategy are conducted on the IEEE 33-bus and 123-bus systems. Comparative experiments of the proposed IIA, Monte Carlo simulation algorithm, and interval Gauss elimination algorithm prove the validation of the proposed method.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to play a critical role in future transportation systems. A number of countries have published roadmaps aiming to facilitate the adoption of EVs on the road. It is estimated that existing charging facilities will not be able to satisfy the tremendous charging demands of a dramatically increasing number of EVs. Following the rapid development of artificial intelligence and mobile communication technology, certain charging pricing mechanism is expected to influence the charging behavior of EV drivers. In order to maximize the working efficiency of highway charging facilities and the consumption of the renewable energy near charging facilities, this paper proposes a pricing methodology taking into account the charging facility service ratio, traffic flow and renewable energy generation. To support the adoption of the proposed pricing methodology, forecasts of hour-by-hour traffic flow and renewable generation as well as calculation of the shortest paths to different charging stations (CSs) are investigated. A road network testbed based on the Dublin traffic network is established to evaluate the proposed pricing methodology. It is discovered that for certain wind-rich CSs, the proposed pricing methodology can increase the consumption rate of wind energy by up to 82.97%, with an average improvement of 30.73%; for certain solar-rich CSs, it can improve the level of solar energy consumption by up to 59.50% and an average increase of 29.28% is achieved. The proposed pricing methodology can also reduce traffic jams to some extent at both peak and off-peak times.

Functionalization and bestowing high values upon bioactive tea polysaccharides have been focused recently. For this purpose, the immune activation effect on RAW264.7 macrophages promoted by Lu’an Guapian polysaccharide (LGP-1, 2.35 × 105 Da) was investigated firstly. LGP-1 was obtained and characterized via DEAE 52 ion exchange column, high performance liquid chromatography and atomic force microscope. Immunological assay manifested a remarkable promotion effect on macrophages. LGP-1 could significantly stimulate the phagocytosis of macrophages, promote NO generation and trigger TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β release dose-dependently. Fluorescence labeling tests confirmed the production level of reactive oxygen species increased obviously. Western blot results demonstrated that the treated macrophages were able to increase PI3K expression and p65 nuclear translocation, indicated that LGP-1 enhanced macrophage immunity via PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways. Moreover, TLR4 was involved in the process. These results made clear that LGP-1 could be explored as a bioactive substance applied in functional foods.

The physical properties of meteoroids producing meteor plasma non-field-aligned irregularities (NFAI) in the Earth’s atmosphere are poorly known. Here we report a complete picture of a fireball and mesospheric NFAI that it produced for the first time. Simultaneous radar and optical observations were made by the recently completed facility, Meteor and ionospheric Irregularity Observation System. The observations show that the mesospheric NFAI were clustered into three patches where the optical meteor flares took place, instead of being generated continuously along the whole meteor path. It is very likely that nanometer-or-larger-sized dust particles could be directly generated via meteoroid fragmentation at the flaring points and thus promote the generation of NFAI patches. The properties of the parent meteoroid show a chondrite type and a Jupiter family comet orbit, with Na/Mg and Fe/Mg intensity ratios of 1.5 and 1, respectively, photometric mass of about 4 g, and fragmentation strengths of around 10–74 kPa. The results suggest that the direct generation of dust particles, which was previously observed in the atmospheric disintegration of a kiloton-scale meteoroid, could be extended to the much smaller gram-scale meteoroids. Since meteoroids having such characteristics or more fragile material are not unusual, further studies leading to a better understanding of meteor mass deposition in the upper atmosphere, which consider the dust particles directly generated via gram-scale meteoroid fragmentation, are extremely important.