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Abstract: As the current calculation method of voltage/var sensitivity (VVS) could not reflect the temporal variations of power sources and load, the paper proposes a novel VVS calculation method to partition the distribution network containing renewable energy. Firstly, the defects of the existing VVS calculation methods are analyzed, and a novel VVS calculation method is proposed by adding reactive power output perturbation to the reactive power source. Secondly, the VVS matrix is fuzzified to obtain the membership matrix between each node. Based on the membership relationship between the reactive power source nodes, the nodes with a strong coupling relationship are merged to determine the initial number of partitioning. Then, the final partitioning result is determined according to the affiliation between each load node and each reactive power source. Finally, the partitioning result is evaluated based on the partitioning membership indexes. The proposed approach is tested on the IEEE 33-node distribution test system, and numerical simulations verify the high efficiency of partitioning. The simulation results show that the proposed method can reflect the temporal variations of power sources and load, and ensure the reasonable distribution of voltage and reactive power in each zone. Background: The voltage/var control of the power system is an important means to ensure the safe and economically stable operation of the system. Objective: The paper proposes a novel VVS calculation method to partition the distribution network containing renewable energy. Method: Firstly, the existing problems of electrical distance index are analyzed. A novel VVS matrix calculation method is proposed, which calculates the VVS of each reactive power source to the remaining nodes by adding voltage/var output perturbation to the reactive power source. Secondly, the VVS matrix is fuzzified to obtain the membership matrix between each node. Based on the membership relationship between the reactive power source nodes, the power supply nodes with strong coupling relationship are merged to determine the initial number of the partitioning. Then, the final partitioning result is determined according to the affiliation between each load node and each reactive power source. Finally, the partitioning result is evaluated based on the sensitivity index of membership degree. Results: The proposed approach is tested on the IEEE 33-node distribution test system and numerical simulations verify high efficiency of the partitioning. The simulation results show that the proposed method can reflect the temporal variations of power sources and load, and ensure the reasonable distribution of voltage and reactive power in each zone. Conclusion: The proposed method can reflect the temporal variations of power sources and load, and ensure the reasonable distribution of voltage and reactive power in each zone. This paper proposed a fuzzy clustering partitioning based on a novel calculation method of VVS, which is suitable for the problem of variable voltage /var running state of the system under high-proportion DG access.

Although epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is known to be a major contributor to the pathogenesis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to compare the proteomic profiles of EAT from HFpEF patients and patients without HF (non-HF) and to explore candidate molecules characteristic of EAT in HFpEF.EAT samples were collected from patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Proteins were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, and protein-protein interaction network analysis were conducted. The gene expression of one significant differentially expressed protein was examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.A total of 2416 proteins were detected by LC-MS/MS experiments, and expression levels were quantified for 2349 proteins. Among them, 96 proteins (including 71 upregulated proteins and 25 downregulated proteins) were significantly differentially expressed between the HFpEF (n = 5) and non-HF groups (n = 5). GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that these differentially expressed proteins were predominantly involved in HFpEF-related processes, including lipid metabolic disorder, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction.The results of this comprehensive analysis of the EAT proteome in HFpEF patients offer new insights into the pathogenesis of HFpEF and potential molecular targets in EAT.

The advent of the epidemic has brought great changes to the education methods. The hybrid teaching mode of online and offline integration has become the new normal of college English education. College English is an important professional course, and its teaching goal is to cultivate students' English application ability and comprehensive language quality training. However, there are still some problems in the mixed teaching model in practice. This paper analyzes the implementation of college English mixed teaching mode at this stage, and summarizes the existing problems and the current situation of English professional development trend and the new information technology, and puts forward new ideas and methods of college English teaching to improve the existing teaching mode, so as to lay a solid foundation for the development of future mixed teaching mode, and to promote the development of Chinese English education in the new period.

In the process of the rapid development of clinical medicine, the education and training of students also need to adopt more diversified methods based on the actual clinical needs, to provide a certain degree of support for students' theoretical knowledge learning, professional practical ability improvement, and the cultivation of clinical thinking. There is no denying that at the present stage for the requirements of students 'clinical thinking ability is in improving, in addition to the conventional teaching method is to cultivate students' thinking, so in the process of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular internal medicine teaching, its essence needs to pay special attention to cultivate students' thinking ability, based on this, more to correctly realize the common problems and further adopt multiple teaching method for related teaching effect optimization.

The rapid development of information technology has not only changed people's way of life, but also pointed out the direction and provided support for educational reform. The integration of information technology and teaching has become an inevitable trend of educational development. English is a language subject, which requires students to not only to absorb, consolidate and apply knowledge in class, but also to independently find and solve problems in study, practice and life. In the teaching process, the connection between college English major and new media has become more and more strong, and the application of new media has promoted the pace of modern curriculum reform. Based on the background of new media, this paper briefly introduces the definition and characteristics of new media, analyzes the application value of new media in the field of education, and puts forward the corresponding suggestions for innovating the university English language education model for reference.

in the process of rapid development of medical education, ideological education needs more main and professional subjects to a certain extent, to achieve better results, especially course education in the process of concrete elements, to pay special attention to digestive medicine teaching in colleges and universities, thorough analysis of digestive medicine teaching, around the quality training and ideological education, its elements with the corresponding teaching content. In order to ensure the smooth development, accurate and precise progress of the follow-up teaching activities, special attention should be paid to the combination of the integration of the corresponding elements and the gastroenterology teaching at the present stage, and further integration and development around the characteristics of colleges and universities and the corresponding teaching characteristics.

Ketones serve as one of the most critical building blocks in organic synthesis, involving numerous functional group transformations. Herein, we report an unprecedented photoredox–nickel metallaphot...

Using education survey data from 153, 317 Grade 4 students and 150, 040 Grade 8 students in China, this study examined the relationship between time on homework and academic achievement and learning anxiety with hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and classification and regression tree (CART) approaches. With a classification of time spent on homework into four related variables, this study found that, firstly, time spent on in-school homework during weekdays had positive effects on students’ achievement for both grades, and the positive effect was stronger for Grade 8 students than Grade 4 students. Moreover, a maximum of 1 h was recommended for Grade 4 students. Secondly, time spent on out-of-school homework on weekdays was negatively correlated with students’ academic achievement and positively with learning anxieties. It had greater detrimental effect on Grade 8 than Grade 4. Thirdly, Grade 8 students were encouraged to have more out-of-school homework on weekend with more than 2.8 h on average recommended. It was expected to complement extant studies and provide the practical findings for teachers, practitioners and school policy makers in making any homework assignment planning or conducting interventions.

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There is a strong correlation between myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), but the detailed mechanisms underlying this correlation are largely unknown. Using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis in a bilateral tumor model, we found that immunosuppressive myeloid cells with characteristics of fatty acid oxidative metabolism dominate the immune-cell landscape in ICB-resistant subjects. In addition, we uncovered a previously underappreciated role of a serine/threonine kinase, PIM1, in regulating lipid oxidative metabolism via PPARγ-mediated activities. Enforced PPARγ expression sufficiently rescued metabolic and functional defects of Pim1−/− MDSCs. Consistent with this, pharmacologic inhibition of PIM kinase by AZD1208 treatment significantly disrupted the myeloid cell–mediated immunosuppressive microenvironment and unleashed CD8+ T-cell–mediated antitumor immunity, which enhanced PD-L1 blockade in preclinical cancer models. PIM kinase inhibition also sensitized nonresponders to PD-L1 blockade by selectively targeting suppressive myeloid cells. Overall, we have identified PIM1 as a metabolic modulator in MDSCs that is associated with ICB resistance and can be therapeutically targeted to overcome ICB resistance.

Supplementary Table 1

As one of three staple crops, nutritional traits in maize are important for human and animal nutrition. Grain quality-related traits are closely related to grain commercial value. Understanding the genetic basis of quality-related traits in maize would be helpful for breeding high-quality maize varieties. In this study, two association panels (AM122 and AM180) were subjected to genome-wide association analysis of grain quality-related traits, including protein content, oil content, starch content and fibre content. In total, 98 SNPs (P

Wild chrysanthemum has a high medicinal value. Its mechanized harvest can improve harvesting efficiency, reduce labor costs and improve planting benefits, which is an important way to promote artificial planting. However, one of the difficulties in mechanized harvesting is the large diameter and hardness of the stem, leading to high cutting resistance and power consumption. In order to reduce cutting resistance and power consumption, a bionic cutting blade is designed in this paper by employing the bionics principle and the contour of the cricket’s upper jaw incisor lobe instead of the sharp triangular teeth of the standard harvester blade. Using the finite element method, the cutting-edge angle, cutting angle, and reciprocating speed were taken as test factors. The maximum shear force and power consumption were taken as evaluation indexes. At the same time, the center combination simulation test was carried out to optimize the cutting body and to determine the optimal cutting speed. When the cutting-edge angle was 21°, the cutting angle was 66°, the reciprocating speed was 1.29 m/s, and the maximum shear force and power consumption were minimal. The results showed that the maximum shear force of the bionic cutter was reduced by 18% and the power consumption by 15.8%. The bench test showed that the maximum shear force and power consumption of the bionic cutter were reduced by 10.5% and 10.8%, respectively, when the entire wild chrysanthemum stem was cut. The results can provide a reference for the mechanical harvesting of wild chrysanthemum stems.

To better understand the latest developments in global science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research, this study collected STEM education research materials to sort out the development of STEM education as a whole, so as to get a clearer path and trend of STEM education development. This study conducted a visualization and quantitative analysis of the literature on STEM education research in Science Citation Index Extended (SCI-E) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) using the CiteSpace (5.8.R3) tool. First, the basic information of STEM education was analyzed in terms of annual publication volume, authors, countries, and research institutions. Secondly, the main fields, basic contents and research hotspots of this research were analyzed by keyword co-occurrence and keyword time zone mapping. Finally, the research frontiers and development trends are presented through co-citation clustering and high-frequency keyword bursts. The research hotspots are focused on engineering education, teachers’ professional development, and gender differences. The research frontiers are mainly related to teacher professional development, 21st century skills, early childhood creativity, and gender differences. This study systematically analyzes the latest developments in global STEM education research, which is beneficial for readers to understand the full picture of STEM education research so that researchers can conduct more in-depth studies and promote better development of STEM education. The number of analyzed literature is limited. We only analyzed articles from SSCI and SCI-E databases, and the articles were written in English. In addition, we only analyzed the literature and lacked empirical studies on the findings of the literature.

Endothelial senescence due to increased age or oxidative stress can cause endothelial dysfunction, which is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) senescence model. Cell senescence and cell proliferation were assessed by SA-β-gal staining and PCNA staining. Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected by DAF-2 DA and DCFH-DA. Inflammatory indicators were quantified by qPCR. Meanwhile, western blot was used to examine the ARG2 protein. Finally, an aging mice model induced by H2O2 was established to confirm the role of OIP5-AS1/miR-4500/ARG2 in endothelial dysfunction in vivo. ARG2 was upregulated and miR-4500 was reduced in H2O2-induced HUVECs. MiR-4500 negatively regulates ARG2 expression, meanwhile ameliorating H2O2-induced ECs senescence and dysfunction. Targeted interactions among OIP5-AS1, miR-4500, and ARG2 were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assays. OIP5-AS1 as miR4500 sponge negatively mediates miR-4500 expression, and is upregulated upon H2O2 stimulation in HUVECs. OIP5-AS1 depletion shows the protective effects on H2O2-induced ECs senescence, dysfunction, and SASP. In vivo, a higher expression of OIP5-AS1 and ARG2 in the aortas of aged mice. We disclosed a regulatory mechanism for OIP5-AS1/miR-4500/ARG2 in the regulation of oxidative stress-related ECs senescence and vascular aging.

Default auctions at central counterparties (or ‘CCPs’) are critically important to financial stability. However, due to their unique features and challenges, standard auction theory results do not immediately apply. This paper presents a model for CCP default auctions that incorporates the CCP’s non-standard objective of maximizing success above a threshold rather than revenue, the key question of who participates in the auction and the potential for information leakage affecting private portfolio valuations. We show that an entry fee, by appropriately inducingmembers to participate or not, can maximize the probability the auction succeeds. The result is novel, both in auction theory and as a mechanism for CCP auction design.

The gold-catalyzed ring-opening rearrangement of cyclopropenes affords an efficient route to either polysubstituted naphthols or aryl-substituted furans. Owing to the unique dichotomy of gold-carbenes, this protocol provides a switchable reaction selectivity between naphthols and furans enabled by the use of TFP-Au(MeCN)SbF

Learning path and learning progression have received extensive attention from broad disciplines. The existing research In the field of learning path is rarely applied in curriculum learning and tea...

Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) are crucial for the maintenance of host–microbiota homeostasis in gastrointestinal mucosal tissues. The mechanisms that maintain lineage identity of intestinal ILC3s and ILC3-mediated orchestration of microbiota and mucosal T cell immunity are elusive. Here, we identified BATF as a gatekeeper of ILC3 homeostasis in the gut. Depletion of BATF in ILC3s resulted in excessive interferon-γ production, dysbiosis, aberrant T cell immune responses, and spontaneous inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which was considerably ameliorated by the removal of adaptive immunity, interferon-γ blockade, or antibiotic treatment. Mechanistically, BATF directly binds to the cis-regulatory elements of type 1 effector genes, restrains their chromatin accessibility, and inhibits their expression. Conversely, BATF promotes chromatin accessibility of genes involved in MHCII antigen processing and presentation pathways, which in turn directly promotes the transition of precursor ILC3s to MHCII+ ILC3s. Collectively, our findings reveal that BATF is a key transcription factor for maintaining ILC3 stability and coordinating ILC3-mediated control of intestinal homeostasis.

Ability of data analysis, as one of the essential core qualities of modern citizens, has received widespread attention from the international education community. How to evaluate students’ data analysis ability and obtain the detailed diagnosis information is one of the key issues for schools to improve education quality. With an employment of cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) as the basic theoretical framework, this study constructed the cognitive model of data analysis ability for 503 Grade 9 students in China. The follow-up analyses including the learning path, learning progression and corresponding personalized assessment were also provided. The result indicated that first, almost all the students had the data awareness. Furthermore, the probability of mastering the attribute Interpretation and inference of data was relatively low with only 60% or so. Also, the probabilities of mastering the rest of attributes were about 70% on average. It was expected that this study would provide a new cognitive diagnostic perspective on the assessment of students’ essential data analysis abilities.

Deuterated chemicals are becoming irreplaceable in pharmaceutical engineering, material science and synthetic chemistry. Many excellent reviews have discussed acid/base-dependent or metal-catalyzed deuteration reactions, but radical deuterations have been discussed less. With the development of radical chemistry, there has been a rapid growth in radical deuterium-labelling technology. Diverse mild, cheap and efficient strategies for deuterium atom installation have been reported, and this review summarizes the recent achievements of radical deuteration classified by the reaction types.

We report a thioacylation transfer reaction based on nickel-catalyzed C-C bond cleavage of thioesters with sp

Data analysis knowledge is an indispensable aspect of teachers’ data literacy, which not only has a profound impact on the cultivation of students’ data analysis ability, but also is related to reasonable decision-makings in education. Based on the analyses of teachers’ data literacy and data analysis ability, this study constructed a cognitive model of teachers’ data analysis knowledge and developed an instrument for measuring teachers’ data analysis knowledge. Meanwhile, from a data-driven approach, G-DINA package in software R was used to select a well-fitted GDM Model from a series of cognitive diagnostic models such as DINA, DINO, RRUM, ACDM, LLM, G-DINA and Mixed Model for parameter assessment of cognitive diagnosis, and the reliability and model fit of the instrument were analyzed afterwards. By analyzing the pre-service dataset of 531 Chinese teachers, it made the conclusion that teachers with the same attributes have differences in attribute mastery and knowledge status, and teachers show a main learning path of A8 → A4 → A1 → A3 → A7 → A5 → A2 → A6 in terms of data analysis knowledge. It provided a systematic case study for the assessment of pre-service teachers’ knowledge of data analysis, and also provides a new perspective in assessing other knowledges and abilities.

Delamination damages limit the application potential of Fiber metal laminates, hence improving the interlaminar mechanical properties has always been a research focus and challenge in this field. The toughening effect of two fillers, i.e., nano-aramid fibers (ANFs) and short-aramid fibers (ASFs), which are used at the interface of glass fiber-aluminum laminates, have been investigated. Chemical pretreatments of aluminum alloy surface were conducted to ensure the better adherence between the fiber composites and metal sheets. Results revealed that Mode-I and Mode-II fracture toughness of the laminates could be simultaneously improved when using the two fillers at the interface of glass fiber-aluminum laminates. Attributed to the better dispersion of ANFs in epoxy matrix, the toughening performance of ANFs is better than that of ASFs in this case. The mechanism of interlaminar toughening was revealed with electron microscopic observation of fracture morphology. Meanwhile, the finite element analysis based on bilinear cohesive zone model was adopted to predict the increased interlaminar tensile and shear strength.

In this article, by using distributed consensus algorithm, the power compensation problem of network losses in a microgrid is considered with battery energy storage systems (BESSs). At first, the battery storage unit (BSU) is assembled at each node to maintain the power supply demand balance of the microgrid, then the power constraint is considered, which demands each BSU must run between its upper and lower bounds, otherwise, the upper or lower bounds will be used to replace the real power of the BSU. In order to keep the power balance of microgrid when network losses exist, a novel distributed consensus algorithm is proposed to compensate the missing power through the discharging process of BSUs, and the state of charge (SOC) of BESS is also considered. Besides, the case of battery faults is also considered, where the minimum layout point constraint is presented to ensure the completely compensation of the whole transmission losses. Finally, the test results of IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 57-bus microgrid systems are provided to verify the effectiveness and validity of the proposed method, respectively.

The emergence of artificial intelligence has made adaptive learning possible, but building an adaptive system requires a comprehensive understanding of students’ cognition. The cognitive model provides a crucial theoretical framework to explore students’ cognitive attributes, making it vital for learning assessment and adaptive learning. This study investigates 52 experts, including primary and secondary school teachers, mathematics education experts, and graduate students, based on the 16 cognitive attributes in the TIMSS 2015 assessment framework. Through an analysis of their attribute questionnaires, the Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) method is used to construct a five-level mathematical cognitive model. The model is then revised through oral reports and expert interviews, resulting in a final cognitive model ranging from “memorize” to “justify”. The cognitive model describes the relationship between different attributes in detail, enabling the development of adaptive systems and aiding in the diagnosis of students’ cognitive development and learning paths in mathematics.

There is a strong correlation between myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), but the detailed mechanisms underlying this correlation are largely unknown. Using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis in a bilateral tumor model, we found that immunosuppressive myeloid cells with characteristics of fatty acid oxidative metabolism dominate the immune-cell landscape in ICB-resistant subjects. In addition, we uncovered a previously underappreciated role of a serine/threonine kinase, PIM1, in regulating lipid oxidative metabolism via PPARγ-mediated activities. Enforced PPARγ expression sufficiently rescued metabolic and functional defects of Pim1−/− MDSCs. Consistent with this, pharmacologic inhibition of PIM kinase by AZD1208 treatment significantly disrupted the myeloid cell–mediated immunosuppressive microenvironment and unleashed CD8+ T-cell–mediated antitumor immunity, which enhanced PD-L1 blockade in preclinical cancer models. PIM kinase inhibition also sensitized nonresponders to PD-L1 blockade by selectively targeting suppressive myeloid cells. Overall, we have identified PIM1 as a metabolic modulator in MDSCs that is associated with ICB resistance and can be therapeutically targeted to overcome ICB resistance.

Initiated by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Mathematical Key Competencies (MKCs), which integrate into the process of solving situational problems, becomes a typical example of Mathematical Key Competencies assessment. Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment, as a new generation of measurement theory, integrates the measurement objectives into the cognitive process model via cognitive analysis, and helps increase understanding of students’ mastery over fine-grained knowledge points. This paper analyzed 12 PISA test items and calibrated their attributes, thus forming a cognitive model based on six PISA’s MKCs, which were namely Mathematical Abstraction, Logical Reasoning, Intuitive Imagination, Mathematical Modeling, Mathematical Operation and Data Analysis. Through the comparison of models fit for DINA, DINO, RRUM, ACDM, GDM, LCDM, LLM, G-DINA and Mixed Model, the LCDM with a good model fit was selected to analyze the data of 19, 454 students in eight countries, and comparisons of the six MKCs among these countries were obtained. Through analyzing the knowledge states, combing the prerequisite relationships between the attributes, and exploring the learning trajectories of students’ MKCs in different countries, we found that the students’ performance in China was the best among all countries for each of the six MKCs. In all other countries, the students’ performance in Logical Reasoning and Intuitive Imagination were weaker than the other attributes. An analysis of learning trajectories found that Russia, Singapore, Australia and Finland had very similar main learning trajectories (highlighted in red), and the main learning trajectories of Russia and Singapore are the same; however, there exist distinct differences in learning trajectories between China and the United States, where the learning trajectories in China is complicated with varied branches, while the ones in the United States is relatively simple with fewer branches.

Non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) patients with normal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion require a non-invasive tool to detect LV risk areas. This study utilized non-invasive LV pressure–strain loops to evaluate territorial myocardial work efficiency (WE) for identifying obstructive coronary artery stenosis, in patients with non-obstructive or obstructive coronary artery stenosis NSTE-ACS, the latter with or without occlusion. Global and territorial longitudinal strain (LS) analyses were performed via speckle-tracking imaging before coronary angiography. LV pressure–strain loops estimated global and territorial myocardial work index (MWI), constructive work (CW), wasted work (WW), and WE. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff value of independent parameters to detect obstructive coronary artery stenosis. Compared with non-obstructive, obstructive coronary artery stenosis showed significantly lower global and territorial LS, MWI, CW, and WE, and higher WW. Territorial LS, MWI, CW, and WE were significantly worse in territories of coronary occlusion. Territorial WE was the best parameter for predicting obstructive coronary artery stenosis (AUC 0.80, cutoff

Iron metabolism is involved in numerous physiological processes such as erythropoiesis, oxidative metabolism. However, the in vivo physiological functions of the iron metabolism-related gene Hfe in immune response during viral infection remain poorly understood. Here, we identified 5 iron metabolism-associated genes specifically affected during RNA virus infection by a high-throughput assay and further found that HFE was a key negative regulator of RIG-I-like receptors (RLR)-mediated type I interferons (IFNs) signaling. RNA virus infection inhibited the binding of HFE to MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein) and blocked MAVS degradation via selective autophagy. HFE mediated MAVS autophagic degradation by binding to SQSTM1/p62. Depletion of Hfe abrogated the autophagic degradation of MAVS, leading to the stronger antiviral immune response. These findings established a novel regulatory role of selective autophagy in innate antiviral immune response by the iron metabolism-related gene Hfe. These data further provided insights into the crosstalk among iron metabolism, autophagy, and innate immune response. Abbreviations: ATG: autophagy-related; BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; BMDMs: bone marrow-derived macrophages; CGAS: cyclic GMP-AMP synthase; CQ: chloroquine; Dpi: days post-infection; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; GFP: green fluorescent protein; HAMP: hepcidin antimicrobial peptide; Hpi: hours post-infection; HJV: hemojuvelin BMP co-receptor; IFNs: interferons; IL6: interleukin 6; IRF3: interferon regulatory factor 3; ISRE: interferon-stimulated response element; Lipo: clodronate liposomes; MAP1LC3B/LC3B: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MAVS: mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein; MEFs: mouse embryonic fibroblasts; SLC40A1/FPN1: solute carrier family 40 (iron-regulated transporter), member 1; flatiron; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; STAT1: signal transducer and activator of transcription 1; STING1/STING: stimulator of interferon response cGAMP interactor 1; TBK1: TANK-binding kinase 1; TFRC/TfR1: transferrin receptor; TNF/TNFα: tumor necrosis factor; WT: wild type.

Background Right ventricular (RV) function is a prognostic marker of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). We used two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) to evaluate the therapeutic effects of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in CTEPH patients. Methods A total of 46 CTEPH patients who underwent 2D STE before and after BPA were enrolled in this retrospective study. The following RV functional parameters were measured: tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), RV index of myocardial performance (RIMP), and free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS). Satisfactory BPA was defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) 10 mm Hg after BPA. Patients were divided into two groups according to mPAP values: group I had satisfactory BPA outcomes; group Ⅱ had unsatisfactory BPA outcomes. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal cutoff values and the ability of RVFWLS to predict successful BPA outcomes. Results After BPA, SPAP measured by echocardiography (SPAPecho ) and RIMP decreased, but TAPSE, RVFAC, and RVFWLS increased. Before BPA, group Ⅰ had significantly better RV function than group Ⅱ. Multifactor logistic regression analysis identified RVFWLS as an independent factor associated with satisfactory BPA outcomes. The optimal cutoff value for RVFWLS in predicting satisfactory BPA outcomes was -12.2%. Conclusions Balloon pulmonary angioplasty improves RV function in CTEPH patients. RVFWLS is a valuable noninvasive tool with which to assess the treatment effects of BPA. CTEPH patients with lower RVFWLS may have limited benefit from BPA.

Low-salinity tolerance and growth are crucial economic traits of shrimp in areas with low-salinity water. In the current study, an F1 full-sib family of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) was obtained by the “semidirectional cross” method, and 2 parents and 146 progenies were genotyped using double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing technology (ddRAD-Seq). A total of 3335 high-quality markers were identified and used to construct a genetic linkage map. This genetic map comprised 48 linkage groups (LGs), and the total map length spanned 3954.462 centimorgan (cM) with an average marker interval of 1.186 cM. Three quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for low-salinity tolerance and 3 QTLs for growth (body weight) were detected under the condition of restricted logarithmic odds (LOD) score ≥ 2.50. With the assistance of the genome of L. vannamei and relevant annotations, 3 potential growth-related genes (sob, TJP1 and ZBTB24) and 3 low-salinity response candidate genes (Rnf168, CNOT2 and RPB3) were identified from the genomic scaffolds. Moreover, the qPCR results showed that the expression levels of the 3 candidate genes were significantly affected by low-salinity stress, indicating that they possibly play an important role in low-salinity stress. Here, we present the first report of mapping of low-salinity tolerance QTLs in the genetic mapping of L. vannamei, which will be beneficial for the selection of shrimp breeding markers and might help promote the study of the L. vannamei genome.

Activated group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) accumulate and promote inflammatory resolution and tissue repair in host defense against acute respiratory viral infections. However, the heterogeneity of ILC2s in the lung and the mechanisms by which ILC2 cells contribute to tissue repair remain elusive. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), we identify a transcriptionally distinct ILC2 subset that showed enrichment for wound healing signature genes and the transcription factor BATF. Notably, BATF promotes the proliferation and function of ILC2s and restricts their plasticity during infection with influenza virus. In the absence of BATF, ILC2s lose their immune protective properties and acquire pathogenic ILC3-like functions, leading to persistent neutrophil infiltration, tissue damage, and respiratory failure. Mechanistically, BATF directly binds to the cis-regulatory elements of wound healing genes, maintains their chromatin accessibility, and promotes their expression. Lastly, BATF plays an important role in an IL-33-ST2 feed-forward loop that supports ILC2 cell identity and function. Collectively, our findings shed light on a BATF-dependent ILC2 program, thereby providing a potential therapeutic target for terminating detrimental inflammation during acute viral infection.

The consensus algorithm is widely used in the microgrid, but it is affected by the communication of distributed generators. If the communication delay is serious, it can affect the system’s performance and cause the system’s instability. To ensure the stability of the microgrid under communication constraints, aiming at the extensive penetration of the flexible loads in the microgrid, the transmission delay of the communication network is considered, this paper proposes a microgrid distributed economic dispatch method based on the consensus algorithm under communication constraints. By coordinating the information exchanges between the generator and the total load demand, the flexible load and output of the generator are optimized in the system. Compared with the traditional consensus control strategy, this strategy can ensure that the system has higher stability and convergence speed under the same delay. Finally, the IEEE-14 node system is used to verify the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed algorithm.

A crushed-rock embankment (CRE) with a high porous crushed-rock layer (CRL) can effectively cool the underlying permafrost through natural ventilation within the layer. However, in addition to the ambient conditions, the ventilation efficiency of the CRL and its cooling effect are significantly affected by the pavement width. In this study, the local wind flow around an embankment section was first analyzed based on field monitoring data. Then, considering climate warming, a 2-D coupled model of heat and mass transfer was established to investigate the wind characteristics and the cooling effects of the CRE with different pavement widths. The results showed that the pavement width exerted considerable impacts on the wind characteristics and cooling effects of the CRE. These impacts were evaluated via variations in the wind speed, the permafrost table, and the soil temperatures. An increase in pavement width can lower the wind speed within the CRL, which is adverse to the long-term thermal regimes of the embankment and the underlying permafrost. In addition, due to differential wind flows around the embankments, an asymmetric distribution of the soil temperatures beneath the windward and leeward sides of the embankments existed. Overall, it is hoped that the results of this study can provide informative references for the Qinghai–Tibet expressway that is constructed in permafrost regions.