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BackgroundRNA features a highly negatively charged phosphate backbone that attracts a of cloud counter-ions that reduce the electrostatic repulsion in a concentration dependent manner. Ion concentrations thus have a large influence on folding and stability of RNA structures. Despite their well-documented effects, salt effects are not handled by currently available secondary stucture prediction algorithms. Combining Debye-Hückel potentials for line charges and Manning’s counter-ion condensation theory, Einertet al. [Biophys. J.100: 2745-2753 (2011)] modeled the energetic effects contributions monovalent cations on loops and helices.ResultsThe model of Einertet al. is adapted to match the structure of the dynamic programming recursion of RNA secondary structure prediction algorithms. An empirical term describing the dependence salt dependence of the duplex initiation energy is added to improve co-folding predictions for two or more RNA strands. The slightly modified model is implemented in theViennaRNApackage in such way that only the energy parameters but not the algorithmic structure is affected. A comparison with data from the literature show that predicted free energies and melting temperatures are in reasonable agreement with experiments.ConclusionThe new feature in theViennaRNApackage makes it possible to study effects of salt concentrations on RNA folding in a systematic manner. Strictly speaking, the model pertains only to mono-valent cations, and thus covers the most important parameter, i.e., the NaCl concentration. It remains a question for future research to what extent unspecific effects of bi- and tri-valent cations can be approximated in a similar manner.AvailabilityCorrections for the concentration of monovalent cations are available in theViennaRNApackage starting from version 2.6.0.

Objectives To compare the clinical outcomes between intravenous carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy plus bevacizumab versus intraperitoneal cisplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy without bevacizumab as the frontline treatment in women with advanced ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer. Methods All consecutive women with stage II~IV cancer treated with either frontline intraperitoneal cisplatin/paclitaxel without bevacizumab (IP group) or intravenous carboplatin/paclitaxel with bevacizumab (IVB group) at a tertiary referral center were reviewed. Results A total of 59 women (IP group, n=44; IVB group, n=15) were reviewed. There was no significant difference in the progression-free survival (median: 33.6 versus 14.8 months, p=0.13). However, overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in the IP group, compared with the IVB group (median: not reached versus 31.7 months, p=0.02; adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.10 to 1.07, p=0.065). Additional predictors for OS include cancer stage and the number of chemotherapy cycles. Besides, the standard dose of 100 mg/m2 cisplatin was a predictor for OS, compared with other intraperitoneal regimens (adjusted HR=0.14, 95% CI=0.02 to 0.87, p=0.03). Conclusions Intraperitoneal cisplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy without bevacizumab seems to be better in OS, compared to intravenous carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy with bevacizumab in the frontline treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer.

Prompt learning has been proven to be highly effective in improving pre-trained language model (PLM) adaptability, surpassing conventional fine-tuning paradigms, and showing exceptional promise in an ever-growing landscape of applications and APIs tailored for few-shot learning scenarios. Despite the growing prominence of prompt learning-based APIs, their security concerns remain underexplored. In this paper, we undertake a pioneering study on the Trojan susceptibility of prompt-learning PLM APIs. We identified several key challenges, including discrete-prompt, few-shot, and black-box settings, which limit the applicability of existing backdoor attacks. To address these challenges, we propose TrojPrompt, an automatic and black-box framework to effectively generate universal and stealthy triggers and insert Trojans into hard prompts. Specifically, we propose a universal API-driven trigger discovery algorithm for generating universal triggers for various inputs by querying victim PLM APIs using few-shot data samples. Furthermore, we introduce a novel progressive trojan poisoning algorithm designed to generate poisoned prompts that retain efficacy and transferability across a diverse range of models. Our experiments and results demonstrate TrojPrompt's capacity to effectively insert Trojans into text prompts in real-world black-box PLM APIs, while maintaining exceptional performance on clean test sets and significantly outperforming baseline models. Our work sheds light on the potential security risks in current models and offers a potential defensive approach., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables

Recent works demonstrate a remarkable ability to customize text-to-image diffusion models while only providing a few example images. What happens if you try to customize such models using multiple, fine-grained concepts in a sequential (i.e., continual) manner? In our work, we show that recent state-of-the-art customization of text-to-image models suffer from catastrophic forgetting when new concepts arrive sequentially. Specifically, when adding a new concept, the ability to generate high quality images of past, similar concepts degrade. To circumvent this forgetting, we propose a new method, C-LoRA, composed of a continually self-regularized low-rank adaptation in cross attention layers of the popular Stable Diffusion model. Furthermore, we use customization prompts which do not include the word of the customized object (i.e., "person" for a human face dataset) and are initialized as completely random embeddings. Importantly, our method induces only marginal additional parameter costs and requires no storage of user data for replay. We show that C-LoRA not only outperforms several baselines for our proposed setting of text-to-image continual customization, which we refer to as Continual Diffusion, but that we achieve a new state-of-the-art in the well-established rehearsal-free continual learning setting for image classification. The high achieving performance of C-LoRA in two separate domains positions it as a compelling solution for a wide range of applications, and we believe it has significant potential for practical impact., Comment: Project page: https://jamessealesmith.github.io/continual-diffusion/

Mathematical models for stream depletion with stream stage decline or drawdown are developed to overcome the deficiency in existing models that typically use the constant-head (Dirichlet) or general (Robin) boundary condition and source terms at the stream-aquifer interface. Existing approaches assume a fixed stream stage during pumping, implies that the stream is an infinite water source, with depletion defined as a decrease in stream discharge. We refer to this depletion without drawdown as the ``stream depletion paradox.'' It is a glaring model limitation, ignoring the most observable adverse effect of long-term groundwater abstraction near a stream, namely stage declines that eventually lead to dry streambeds. Field data are presented to demonstrate that stream stage responds to pumping near the stream, motivating the development of an alternative theory predicts transient stream drawdown based on the concepts of finite stream storage and mass continuity at the stream-aquifer interface. Based on this alternative theory, models are developed for the cases of a non- and a fully-penetrating stream. The proposed model reduces to the fixed-stage model in the limit as stream storage becomes infinitely large and to the limiting case of confined aquifer flow with a no-flow boundary at the streambed when the stream storage vanishes. The model is applied to field observations of both aquifer and stream drawdown from tests conducted in a confined aquifer over which a shallow stream flows. Model fits and parameter estimates are obtained both aquifer and stream drawdown data. Model predicted and observed transient drawdown behavior indicate that fixed-stage models (a) underestimate late-time aquifer drawdown and (b) overestimate the available recharge from streams to pumping wells. This has significant implications for the sustainable management of water resources in hydraulically connected stream-aquifer systems with heavy groundwater abstraction.

Celebrity endorsement is a type of marketing campaign that involves a well-known celebrity such as movie stars, entertainers, and athletes to endorse the products which include physical products, services, and ideas. It is tough to capture a position in consumers’ mind, but celebrity endorsements give the companies an added dimension in keeping the attention of viewers. The presence of celebrities will improve a brand awareness and provide an enormous support needs by promoting the brand's intrinsic value. However, the power of celebrity endorsers in achieving positive attitudes and purchase intentions for the endorsed brand has been questioned by some studies. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between celebrity endorsement in online advertisement and consumer’s purchasing intension. This study examined the effect of attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise and product fit of celebrity endorsement towards the consumer purchase intention. The sample is obtained from a total of 200 respondents from all the states in Malaysia. The essential analysis involved are reliability analysis, descriptive statistics analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and hypothesis testing. All of the analysis were analyzed using the SPSS Version 25. The findings of this study depicted that attractiveness, trustworthiness and product fit play an important role in ensuring the effectiveness of a celebrity endorsement. Hence, those variables could be a powerful marketing tools for marketers when implementing celebrity endorsement as part of their marketing strategies.

Background To explore the diagnostic performance of 4-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (4D PC-MRI) in evaluating aortic dissection in different clinical scenarios. Methods The study group comprised 32 patients with a known aortic dissection who each underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA), and then 4D PC-MRI with a 1.5-T MR scanner. The 4D PC-MRI images were compared with the CTA images to evaluate the aortic size, branch identification, and iliac and femoral arterial access. Results The patients were divided into three groups: (I) patients diagnosed with Type B aortic dissection but did not undergo intervention (n=8); (II) patients with residual aortic dissection after open repair of Type A dissection (n=7); (III) patients who underwent endovascular aortic repair with or without open surgery (n=17). Without radiation or contrast media injection, 4D PC-MRI provided similar aortic images for patients in Group 1 and most of those in Group 2. In Group 3, stainless steel stents affected image quality in three patients. High-quality 4D PC-MRI images were obtained for the remaining 14 patients in Group 3, who had non-stainless steel stents, and provided major aortic information comparable to that provided by CTA with contrast media. The hemodynamic parameters of true and false lumens were evaluated between three patients with Type B aortic dissections and three patients who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair for their aortic dissection. The stroke volume was higher in the true lumen of the patients with stent-grafts than in the patients with Type B aortic dissection without intervention. The regurgitant fraction, an indicator of nonlaminar flow, was higher in the false lumens than in the true lumens. All 32 patients in this study tolerated 4D PC-MRI without adverse events. Conclusions 4D PC-MRI is radiation- and contrast media-free option for imaging aortic dissection. It not only provided images comparable in quality to those obtained with CTA but also provided information on hemodynamic parameters, including endoleak detection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair. 4D PC-MRI was safe and accurate in evaluating chronic Type B aortic dissection and residual aortic dissection after surgery for acute Type A aortic dissection. Therefore, it could be a potential tool in treating pathology in aortic dissection, especially for patients with malperfusion syndrome of visceral vessels and in young patients with renal function impairment. However, certain endograft materials, especially stainless steel, may prevent the further application of 4D PC-MRI and should be avoided.

ZrCoCe getter films with thickness of ~ 2.3 μm were deposited on Si(100) wafers by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering process. A 400-nm-thick Pd protection layer was then deposited on the as-deposited ZrCoCe film without exposure to atmosphere. Microstructure, surface morphology and surface chemical state of the films were analyzed. Moreover, hydrogen sorption properties were determined. The results show that the ZrCoCe film displays a cauliflower-like morphology and a porous columnar-like structure which is composed of nanocrystal grains. The Pd protection layer tightly adheres to the surface of the ZrCoCe film and efficiently prevents the oxidation of Zr under exposure to atmosphere. We find that the hydrogen sorption properties of the Pd-ZrCoCe film are significantly improved, in comparison with those of the as-deposited ZrCoCe film.

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of 12-week pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) using bio-assisted surface electromyography (EMG) feedback in women with complex pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD); to further differentiate the effect of exercise adherence from the biofeedback per se; and to assess and compare the severities of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and stage of prolapse with the women’s perception of symptom cure or improvement following the program. Study design This prospective observational study was conducted between December 2015 and November 2018 at a medical center in Taiwan. It included 83 women with PFD, manifesting solely as either OAB or SUI with (group 1) or without (group 2) concomitant stages I and II pelvic organ prolapse (POP). All women underwent a 12-week bio-assisted PFMT. The main outcome was the electromyographic activity of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs). The severities of OAB symptoms, SUI, and stage of POP were assessed both subjectively and objectively before and after the intervention. Results A notable improvement of PFM function was identified after 12 weeks of training in all women with PFD. The number of effective PFM contractions achieved during bio-assisted PFMT was positively correlated with the improvement of PFM function in both groups of women in different body positions, except in the standing position in group 2. Exercise adherence, however, had no significant impact on the efficacy of the training. There was a significant improvement over time and high consistency between subjective and objective improvements of OAB symptoms and SUI severity after the completion of PFMT. Nonetheless, only the Ba point of the POP-Quantification system in women with POP showed a significant improvement after the intervention. Conclusion PFMT using surface EMG biofeedback significantly improves PFM function in women with complex PFD, and thus, has a significant therapeutic effect on OAB, SUI, and bladder prolapse.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) yields intermittent hypoxia, hypercapnia, and sleep fragmentation. OSA is associated with chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and neurocognitive dysfunction. However, the risk of infertility in OSA remains unclear due to limited data and lack of long-term population-based studies. The study aims to assess the risk of infertility in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by means of a population-based cohort study. The data was utilized from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to conduct a population-based cohort study (1997–2013). Compared with the Non-OSA group, the male with OSA and surgery group has the OR (odds ratio) of infertility of 2.70 (95% CI, 1.46–4.98, p = 0.0015), but no significance exists in females with OSA. When the data was stratified according to age and gender, some associations in the specific subgroups were significant. Respectively, males aged 20–35 years old and aged 35–50 years old with a history of OSA and surgery both had a positive association with infertility. (aOR: 3.19; 95% CI, 1.18–8.66, p = 0.0227; aOR: 2.57; 95% CI, 1.18–5.62 p = 0.0176). Male patients with OSA suffer from reduced fertility, but no significant difference was noted in females with OSA. The identification of OSA as a risk factor for male infertility will aid clinicians to optimize long-term medical care. Furthermore, more studies will be encouraged to clarify the effect of OSA on female fertility.

Factorizing a large matrix into small matrices is a popular strategy for model compression. Singular value decomposition (SVD) plays a vital role in this compression strategy, approximating a learned matrix with fewer parameters. However, SVD minimizes the squared error toward reconstructing the original matrix without gauging the importance of the parameters, potentially giving a larger reconstruction error for those who affect the task accuracy more. In other words, the optimization objective of SVD is not aligned with the trained model's task accuracy. We analyze this previously unexplored problem, make observations, and address it by introducing Fisher information to weigh the importance of parameters affecting the model prediction. This idea leads to our method: Fisher-Weighted SVD (FWSVD). Although the factorized matrices from our approach do not result in smaller reconstruction errors, we find that our resulting task accuracy is much closer to the original model's performance. We perform analysis with the transformer-based language models, showing our weighted SVD largely alleviates the mismatched optimization objectives and can maintain model performance with a higher compression rate. Our method can directly compress a task-specific model while achieving better performance than other compact model strategies requiring expensive model pre-training. Moreover, the evaluation of compressing an already compact model shows our method can further reduce 9% to 30% parameters with an insignificant impact on task accuracy., Comment: ICLR 2022

Background Large skin defects severely disrupt the overall skin structure and can irreversibly damage sweat glands (SG), thus impairing the skin’s physiological function. This study aims to develop a stepwise reprogramming strategy to convert fibroblasts into SG lineages, which may provide a promising method to obtain desirable cell types for the functional repair and regeneration of damaged skin. Methods The expression of the SG markers cytokeratin 5 (CK5), cytokeratin 10 (CK10), cytokeratin 18 (CK18), carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), aquaporin 5 (AQP5) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was assessed with quantitative PCR (qPCR), immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Calcium activity analysis was conducted to test the function of induced SG-like cells (iSGCs). Mouse xenograft models were also used to evaluate the in vivo regeneration of iSGCs. BALB/c nude mice were randomly divided into a normal group, SGM treatment group and iSGC transplantation group. Immunocytochemical analyses and starch-iodine sweat tests were used to confirm the in vivo regeneration of iSGCs. Results EDA overexpression drove HDF conversion into iSGCs in SG culture medium (SGM). qPCR indicated significantly increased mRNA levels of the SG markers CK5, CK18 and CEA in iSGCs, and flow cytometry data demonstrated (4.18 ± 0.04)% of iSGCs were CK5 positive and (4.36 ± 0.25)% of iSGCs were CK18 positive. The addition of chemical cocktails greatly accelerated the SG fate program. qPCR results revealed significantly increased mRNA expression of CK5, CK18 and CEA in iSGCs, as well as activation of the duct marker CK10 and luminal functional marker AQP5. Flow cytometry indicated, after the treatment of chemical cocktails, (23.05 ± 2.49)% of iSGCs expressed CK5+ and (55.79 ± 3.18)% of iSGCs expressed CK18+, respectively. Calcium activity analysis indicated that the reactivity of iSGCs to acetylcholine was close to that of primary SG cells [(60.79 ± 7.71)% vs. (70.59 ± 0.34)%, ns]. In vivo transplantation experiments showed approximately (5.2 ± 1.1)% of the mice were sweat test positive, and the histological analysis results indicated that regenerated SG structures were present in iSGCs-treated mice. Conclusion We developed a SG reprogramming strategy to generate functional iSGCs from HDFs by using the single factor EDA in combination with SGM and small molecules. The generation of iSGCs has important implications for future in situ skin regeneration with SG restoration.

Study Objective To identify factors predictive of persistent ectopic pregnancy (PEP) in women who have undergone laparoscopic salpingostomy or salpingotomy for tubal pregnancy. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Ninety-nine women who underwent laparoscopic tubal preservation surgery for ectopic pregnancy. Interventions Seventy women underwent laparoscopic salpingostomy, and the remaining 29 women underwent laparoscopic salpingotomy. Measurements and Main Results Factors predicting PEP were evaluated. The change in serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels from baseline observed between postoperative days 5 and 10 (ChCGD5-10) was a predictor of PEP (odds ratio [OR], 0.80; p = .01). Based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, a cutoff value of 93.1% was determined, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.95 (sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 100%). Nonetheless, when considering perioperative variables only, body mass index (BMI) was identified as a predictor of PEP (OR, 0.71; p = .03). Based on the ROC analysis, a BMI cutoff value of ≤22 kg/m 2 was determined, with an ROC area of 0.73 (sensitivity, 43.2%; specificity, 100%). In addition, a higher baseline β-hCG level (hazard ratio [HR], 1.0002; p = .009) and left tubal pregnancy (HR, 6.46; p = .03) were predictive of recurrent ectopic pregnancy. There were no differences in the perioperative outcomes, PEP rates, or subsequent intrauterine pregnancy rates between the salpingostomy and salpingotomy groups. In addition, surgical method was not a predictor of recurrent ectopic pregnancy. Conclusions ChCGD5-10 was identified as a predictor for PEP, suggesting that it might be more clinically useful for the follow-up of PEP. When considering perioperative variables only, BMI was a predictor for PEP. In addition, there was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the salpingostomy and salpingotomy groups.

Purpose Few empirical studies have investigated hematological parameters among people with a heroin use disorder. This study explores the prevalence of macrocytosis and associated factors among patients with heroin use disorder who were entering methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in Taiwan. Patients and methods In this cross-sectional study, hematological parameters were measured and the prevalence of macrocytosis was assessed in a sample of 958 patients with a heroin use disorder entering the MMT program at Tsaotun Psychiatric Center in Taiwan. The demographic characteristics, heroin-related issues, other substance use history, and other clinical variables were analyzed. Univariate analysis was used to assess the association of all variables. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the relationship between the significant factors and macrocytosis. Results The study found that nearly one-fifth (19.5%) of the participants had macrocytosis. Older age, longer duration of heroin use, and more days of alcohol use within the previous month were associated with macrocytosis. Conclusion We found that concurrent use of alcohol was an important factor related to macrocytosis among people with a heroin use disorder. The prevalence of macrocytosis indicated that alcohol use is common among this population. It is suggested that policies and practices regarding alcohol use should be addressed within methadone maintenance programs.

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is now the most attractive topology for medium and high voltage power conversion applications with several advantages over the traditional voltage source converter (VSC). However, due to a large number of sub-modules (SMs) in the MMC, system reliability is a big challenge in its practical application, where each SM may be considered as a potential point of failure. In this paper, a reliability evaluation based on the Markov model is proposed for the MMC. The failure rates of the power electronic devices and SMs are firstly analyzed. Then, the Markov model and the state transition equation of the system are built in detail. A general reliability evaluation function is established, in which the mean time to failure and reliability evaluation of the MMC with redundant SMs are also discussed. Finally, a practical direct current (DC) distribution example for reliability evaluation is analyzed, and the results verify that the reliability evaluation based on the Markov model could provide a useful reference for project design.

α-Fe2O3 nano-powders with different morphologies are synthesized by two facile, economical and environment-friendly methods. When evaluated as anode material for Li ion battery, the acicular nano-α-Fe2O3 electrode delivers a high reversible capacity of 937 mA h g−1 with the Coulombic efficiency more than 93%.

Fe3O4@C composite was designed and synthesized by a facile one-step solvothermal route as an anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The carbon shell can effectively prevent the aggregation and buffer the volume expansion during charge/discharge process. The electrochemical performance displays that the Fe3O4@C composite exhibits high reversible capacity and good cycling performance. In particular, it displays excellent cycling stability at 2 C rate (640.5/642.2 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles). The results indicate a simple and useful route to prepare Fe3O4@C composite as a promising LIBs anode material.

Caudal nasal septal deviation is an important condition altering nasal obstruction and cosmetic appearance and many surgical techniques have been published on how to correct caudal septal deviation, as successful management of caudal septal deviation is challenging. The goal of our study was to explore the effect of endonasal septoplasty using a septal cartilaginous batten graft for managing caudal septal deviation. We tested 26 participants with caudal septal deviation who received endonasal septoplasty using a septal cartilaginous batten graft from 1 April 2019 to 29 June 2022, and followed up for at least 6 months. Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) Scale and visual analog scale (VAS) were recorded at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months after surgery. Valid samples were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and paired sample t-test. Average participant age was 36.15 ± 11.02 years old. The preoperative, 1-month postoperative, and 6-month postoperative NOSE scale decreased significantly (75.38 ± 15.62, 13.85 ± 7.79, and 14.04 ± 9.90; p < 0.001), while preoperative, 1-month postoperative, and 6-month postoperative VAS (convex/concave side) also improved (7.50 ± 0.81/3.38 ± 0.94, 2.27 ± 0.53/1.54 ± 0.58, and 2.31 ± 0.55/1.58 ± 0.58; p < 0.001). Our results showed that endonasal septoplasty using a septal cartilaginous batten graft had good surgical outcomes without an open scar or severe complications.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of robotic/laparoscopic repair of cesarean scar defects or cesarean scar pregnancies with a uterine sound. Materials and methods All consecutive women with cesarean scar defects or cesarean scar pregnancies who underwent robotic/laparoscopic repair with a bent uterine sound guidance were reviewed. Subjective changes in symptoms and objective changes in the depth and width of cesarean scar defects after surgery were reviewed. Results A total of 20 women underwent robotic (n = 3) or conventional laparoscopic (n = 17) repair of cesarean scar defects, which included postmenstrual vaginal bleeding associated with cesarean scar defects (n = 15), cesarean scar pregnancies (n = 3), accumulated pus in the cesarean scar defect (n = 1) and an incomplete abortion incarcerated in the cesarean scar defect (n = 1). Bladder perforation occurred in one woman during robotic adhesiolysis. All women with cesarean scar defects (n = 15) reported an improvement in postmenstrual vaginal bleeding after surgery. Follow-up sonography showed a decrease in the depth and width of the cesarean scar defect and an increase in the residual myometrial thickness. Conclusion Robotic or laparoscopic repair with a uterine sound guidance seems to be a feasible and effective method in the treatment of cesarean scar defect or cesarean scar pregnancy.

RNA design addresses the need to build novel RNAs, e.g., for biotechnological applications in synthetic biology, equipped with desired functional properties. This chapter describes how to use the software RNARedPrint for the de novo rational design of RNA sequences adopting one or several desired secondary structures. Depending on the application, these structures could represent alternate configurations or kinetic pathways. The software makes such design convenient and sufficiently fast for practical routine, where it even overcomes notorious problems in the application of RNA design, e.g., it maintains realistic GC content.

Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) with integrated Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has attracted amount of interest in recent years. However, compared with the common MMC, the SM capacitor voltage fluctuation in MMC-BESS become worse because of the integration of batteries, requiring larger SM capacitor to ensure the operation. This paper analyzes the influence of the integration of battery units on capacitor voltage ripples. Then a novel configuration for integration of BESS into MMC is presented. By using an isolated three-port converter as the battery interface converter, this configuration allows the batteries to connect both upper and lower arms and alleviates the SM voltage ripples problem. After that, the corresponding control strategy is presented. The simulation and experiment results are given to validate the effectiveness of the proposed configuration and control strategy.

Novel mansonone F derivative MSN54 (9-bromo-2,3-diethylbenzo[de]chromene-7,8-dione) exhibited significant cytotoxicity against twelve human tumor cell lines in vitro, with particularly strong potency against HL-60/MX2 cell line resistant to Topo II poisons. MSN54 was found to have IC50 of 0.69 and 1.43 µM against HL-60 and HL-60/MX2 cells, respectively. The resistance index is 10 times lower than that of the positive control VP-16 (etoposide). Various biological assays confirmed that MSN54 acted as a Topo IIα specific non-intercalative catalytic inhibitor. Furthermore, MSN54 exhibited good antitumor efficacy and low toxicity at a dose of 5 mg/kg in A549 tumor xenograft models. Thus, compound MSN54 is a promising candidate for the development of novel antitumor agents.

To optimize the formulation and preparation process of icaritin-coix seed oil microemulsion(IC-MEs) based on quality by design(QbD) concept. IC-MEs were prepared by water titration. Firstly, the risk factors that may affect the quality of IC-MEs were evaluated. Then Plackett-Burman design was used to screen out prescription factors and process parameters that had a significant effect on the indicators. Finally, Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the prescription ratio of IC-MEs. Through the risk assessment and Plackett-Burman design, three formulation factors [drug loading efficiency, the ratio of mixed-oil(coix seed oil-Glycerol tributyrate) to mixed-surfactant(HS15-RH40) and water addition] were determined as the key factors affecting IC-MEs. The regression model established by Box-Behnken design had a good predictability. The optimal formula was as following: the drug loading efficiency of 0.92%, the ratio of mixed-oil(coix seed oil-glycerol tributyrate) to mixed-surfactant(HS15-RH40) of 4∶6, and the water addition of 5.7 mL. According to this prescription, IC-MEs were prepared, and its encapsulation efficiency after 1 week was 92.45%±1.00%. Therefore, the stability of IC-MEs could be improved by optimizing prescription and process parameters of IC-MEs based on the QbD concept, which can provide certain reference value for the future development of IC-MEs.

Background: to elucidate the predictors of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in high-risk endometrial cancer patients. Methods: the medical records of all consecutivewomen with high-risk endometrial cancer were reviewed. Results: among 92 high-risk endometrial cancer patients, 30 women experienced recurrence, and 21 women died. The 5-year PFS and OS probabilities were 65.3% and 75.9%, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression revealed that body mass index (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.11), paraaortic lymph node metastasis (HR = 11.11), lymphovascular space invasion (HR = 5.61), and sandwich chemoradiotherapy (HR = 0.15) were independently predictors of PFS. Body mass index (HR = 1.31), paraaortic lymph node metastasis (HR = 32.74), non-endometrioid cell type (HR = 11.31), and sandwich chemoradiotherapy (HR = 0.07) were independently predictors of OS. Among 51 women who underwent sandwich (n = 35) or concurrent (n = 16) chemoradiotherapy, the use of sandwich chemoradiotherapy were associated with better PFS (adjusted HR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.08&ndash, 0.87, p = 0.03) and OS (adjusted HR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02&ndash, 0.71, p = 0.02) compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Conclusion: compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, sandwich chemoradiotherapy was associated with better PFS and OS in high-risk endometrial cancer patients. In addition, high body mass index, paraaortic lymph node metastasis, and non-endometrioid cell type were also predictors of poor OS in high-risk endometrial cancer patients.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) causes hypoxic stress and can trigger uric acid (UA) overproduction. We comprehensively investigated whether SDB, interacting with components of metabolic syndrome, hepatic and renal dysfunctions, low physical fitness, sedentary lifestyle, disrupted sleep, and chronic systemic inflammation (CSI), is directly associated with hyperuricaemia. In 528 community-based males (mean [SD] age 46.2 [7.4] years), we cross-sectionally analysed measures of anthropometry; self-reported lifestyle habits; overnight sleep polysomnography data; cardiopulmonary exercise tests; and biomarkers of cardiometabolic, hepatic, and renal functions; and CSI, using structural equation modelling. Objective disrupted sleep, C-reactive protein, low physical fitness, and sedentary lifestyle were not related to UA levels in univariate analysis and were excluded. The latent variables (with corresponding manifest variables) obesity (body mass index, waist-hip ratio), hypertension (post-sleep systolic, diastolic blood pressure), dyslipidaemia (total cholesterol, triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), hepatic dysfunction (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase), and renal dysfunction (blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine) were positively; and hyperglycaemia (fasting glucose, glycated haemoglobin) was negatively associated with hyperuricaemia (serum UA), except for SDB (Apnea-Hypopnea Index, percentage of oxygen saturation

Thrombin activates protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) through binding to exosite I and the active site to promote tumor growth. We have developed a new class of anti-cancer glyco-peptides to target exosite I selectively without affecting the active-site-mediated coagulation activity and showed the importance of glycans for the stability and anti-cancer activity of the glyco-peptides.

The Taipei Basin is located in the northwestern part of Taiwan. In the past, it faced the problem of ground subsidence due to the over-pumping of the groundwater layer. Later, due to the implementation of control policies, the situation of groundwater over-pumping has greatly improved, but now it is exposed to the risk of soil liquefaction due to the high groundwater level.This research mainly trying to do two things. The first one is to establish the MODFLOW model by objective methods. Because the MODFLOW model was often established based on subjective conditions in the past it results that everyone has a different model in the same research area. This study tries to establish a more objective model. The second thing is to use the established model to develop an optimal pumping strategy, hoping to establish a pumping strategy that can minimize the risk of formation subsidence and soil liquefaction. This study includes an economical loss to assist in quantifying risk. The other constraints are well capacity, nonnegative constraint, soil liquefaction groundwater level upper limit and land subsidence water level lower limit. Evaluating the optimal groundwater control strategy by minimizing economical loss through MODFLOW parameterization using Monte-Carlo simulation.

This study investigated the effects of exercise training on cardiac inflammatory and cardiac fibrotic pathways in female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which were divided into a sham-operated sedentary hypertensive group (SHR-S), a sedentary hypertensive ovariectomized group (SHR-O), or a hypertensive ovariectomized group with treadmill exercise training (SHR-OT; 60 min/day, 5 days/wk) for 8 wk. Normotensive female Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) served as controls. SOD and catalase (CAT) activities were significantly increased in the SHR-OT group, when compared with the SHR-S or SHR-O groups. The protein levels of estrogen receptor (ER)-α and ER-β became decreased in the SHR-O group, when compared with the WKY or SHR-S groups, but were not changed in the SHR-OT group. The protein level of the angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R) was increased in the SHR-S group but did not further change in the SHR-O group, whereas it was decreased in the SHR-OT group. The inflammatory-related protein levels of TNF-α, p-NF-κB, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and IL-6, as well as the fibrotic-related protein levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), p-Smad2/3, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and collagen I were increased in the SHR-S group and increased further in the SHR-O group, whereas they were decreased in the SHR-OT group. The coexistence of hypertension and ovariectomy additively increased cardiac inflammatory and fibrotic pathways partially through hypertension-enhanced AT1R and ovariectomy-depressed estrogen receptors. Exercise training appeared to suppress hypertensive ovariectomized heart-induced inflammatory and fibrotic pathways possibly through decreasing AT1R but not through estrogen receptors.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The coexistence of hypertension and ovariectomy appeared to increase cardiac inflammatory and fibrotic pathways likely through hypertension-enhanced angiotensin II type I receptor and ovariectomy-depressed estrogen receptors. Exercise training on a treadmill could prevent hypertensive ovariectomized heart-induced cardiac inflammation and fibrosis via an inflammatory pathway [TNF-α, p-IKK-α/β, p-NF-κB, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), iNOS, and IL-6] and fibrotic pathway [transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), p-Smad2/3, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and collagen I] possibly through decreasing angiotensin II type I receptor but not through estrogen receptors.

Background: Knowledge of the clinical outcome of women with non-gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is important for preoperative and postoperative consultation, especially for gynecologic oncologist. The aim of this study is to elucidate the factors affecting the clinical outcome of women with non-gastric GISTs.Methods: Between January 2000 and October 2019, all consecutive women with non-gastric GIST who underwent surgeries in a tertiary referral center were reviewed.Results: Among 26 women with non-gastric GISTs, eight (31%) women had recurrence or metastasis. Common clinical presentations included abdominal pain/fullness (n=12, 46%) and tarry/bloody stool (n=7, 27%). The primary locations of the tumors included the intestines (n=24) and an undetermined origin (n=2). Five (19%) women were initially admitted to the gynecologic department. Twenty-four (92%) patients underwent laparotomic tumor resection, and 2 (8%) patients underwent laparoscopic tumor resection. The probabilities of recurrence-free survival (RFS) at 60 and 120 months were 65.2% and 55.9%, respectively. Death occurred in seven (26.9%) women. The probabilities of overall survival (OS) at 60 and 120 months were 71.1% and 63.9%, respectively. Cancer stage was the only independent predictor for RFS (hazard ratio=6.00, p=0.007) and OS (hazard ratio=3.88, p=0.04). However, excluding cancer stage, metastasis (hazard ratio=8.74 for RFS, 6.03 for OS) and tumor size (hazard ratio=1.20 for OS) were independent predictors. Tumor size ≥ 13.9 cm was the optimum cut-off value to predict death and had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.75 (95% confidence interval=0.53 to 0.98).Conclusions: Non-gastric GIST may mimic gynecologic adnexal tumors. In addition to cancer stage, metastasis and tumor size (especially ≥ 13.9 cm for OS) remain independent predictors for RFS and OS in women with non-gastric GIST. The above findings may be used for consultation.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04256226

Background: The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the predictors for cancer recurrence in women with clinically uterine-confined endometrial cancer in the era of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping. Methods: All consecutive women with clinically determined uterine-confined endometrial cancer who had lymph node assessment by either SLN mapping or traditional pelvic lymphadenectomy were reviewed. Results: Women in the SLN mapping group had lower total dissected pelvic nodes, lower incidence of para-aortic lymph node dissection, less intraoperative blood loss and lower complication rates, but a longer operation time compared to the traditional lymphadenectomy group. Para-aortic lymph node metastasis (hazard ratio = 7.60, p = 0.03) was the sole independent predictor for recurrence-free survival. In addition, the utilization of cytokeratin immunohistochemistry stain detected more lymph node metastases (adjusted odds ratio = 3.04, p = 0.03). Recurrence-free survival did not differ between SLN mapping and traditional lymphadenectomy groups (p = 0.24). Conclusions: Para-aortic lymph node metastasis is an important predictor of cancer recurrence. Women with negative hematoxylin and eosin stain should undergo cytokeratin immunohistochemistry stain to increase the detection rate of positive lymph node metastasis. Besides, the probabilities of recurrence seem to be similar between SLN mapping and traditional lymphadenectomy groups in women with clinically uterine-confined endometrial cancer.

People faced decision making in choosing a suitable path for their own preferences. Usually, more than one criterion is involved in order to match with the preferences of the decision makers. The main objective of this paper was to identify the best path selection based on multiple criteria instead of a single criterion. Dijkstra’s Algorithm is a shortest path algorithm that considers a single criterion only. Weighted Sum Method (WSM) is one of the weighting methods to solve the multi criteria decision making problems (MCDM). In order to achieve the objective, Weighted Sum-Dijkstra’s Algorithm (WSDA), a combination method between WSM and Dijkstra’s Algorithm is applied to solve multiple criteria network problems. In this paper, Dijkstra’s Algorithm and WSM are reviewed and compared as to the WSDA. In addition, two examples with equal criteria values to evaluate the performances of the approach are presented. Results show that WSDA performed better in terms of the criteria concerned as it was compared to the Dijkstra’s algorithm. Moreover, the results could be directly found without considering all the alternative paths of the problem. WSDA can be user friendly to users from non-mathematical background. It is not only applicable to urban road problems, but other network problems such as pipelines and bandwidth network problems. When come to large scale data problems, Maple software is used to solve it with ease.

To investigate whether ginsenoside-Rb1 (Gs-Rb1) improves the CoCl-induced autophagy of cardiomyocytes via upregulation of adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Ventricles from 1- to 3-day-old Wistar rats were sequentially digested, separated and incubated in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum for 3 days followed by synchronization. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into 7 groups: control group (normal level oxygen), hypoxia group (500 μmol/L CoCl2), Gs-Rb1 group (200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl2), Ara A group (500 μmol/L Ara A + 500 μmol/L CoCl2), Ara A+ Gs-Rb1 group (500 μmol/L Ara A + 200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl2), AICAR group [1 mmol/L 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) + 500 μmol/L CoCl2], and AICAR+Gs-Rb1 group (1 mmol/L AICAR + 200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl2). Cells were treated for 12 h and cell viability was determined by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AMPK activity was assessed by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) ELISA assay. The protein expressions of Atg4B, Atg5, Atg6, Atg7, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), P62, and active-cathepsin B were measured by Western blot. Gs-Rb1 significantly improved the cell viability of hypoxia cardiomyocytes (P 0.05). Gs-Rb1 significantly down-regulated P62 levels of hypoxic cardiomyocytes (P

A two-stage moromi fermentation method was employed to the soy sauce making in order to shorten the overall fermentation time. At the first stage, the koji was mixed with 10% brine solution and incubated at 40 °C for 5 days. The second fermentation stage was conducted under three different treatments, including reduced temperature from 40 °C to 30 °C, outdoor without temperature control, and indoor ambience temperature up to 3 months with the brine content increased from 10% to 18%. The increases of total nitrogen (TN) and amino nitrogen (AN) contents were mainly occurred at the first stage while maintain constant during the second stage. Both TN and AN values satisfied the requirement of first-grade soy sauce of Taiwan. Unlike TN and AN, the reducing sugar and total acid contents still increased with fermentation time during the second stages. Since most of the changes of these biochemical properties occurred within 5 days’ moromi fermentation, the use of high temperature and low salt fermentation condition in the first stage was very important to rapid fermentation process of soy sauce.

Ischemic injury in the heart is associated with death of cardiomyocytes and even after decades of research there is no appropriate therapeutic intervention to treat ischemic injury. The microRNA miR-34a is known to be induced in cardiomyocytes following ischemic injury. Another hallmark of ischemic injury is impaired glycolysis. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of short- and long-term exposure to hypoxia on miR-34a expression on apoptosis and regulation of key glycolysis metabolic enzymes. Both repeated short-term (30 min) burst of hypoxia with intermittent reoxygenation (30 min) as well as long-term (4 h) exposure to hypoxia followed by 6 h of reoxygenation robustly induced miR-34a levels. Hypoxia induced changes in cardiac permeability and localization of the channel protein connexin 34 as well as induced apoptosis as evident by levels of cleaved-caspase 3/7 and impaired cell proliferation. Hypoxia was also associated with decreased expression of key glycolytic enzymes hexokinase-1, hexokinase-2, glucose-6-phosphate-isomerase, and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1. Attenuation of hypoxia-induced miR-34a by anti-miR-34a antagomir, but not a control antagomir, decreased miR-34a levels to those observed under normoxia and also inhibited apoptosis, potentially by rescuing expression of the key glycolytic enzymes. Cumulatively, our results establish that therapeutic targeting of miR-34a via antagomir might be a potent therapeutic mechanism to treat ischemic injury in the heart.

In order to further study the relationship between sorption properties of ZrCoCe thin films and magnetron sputtering process parameters, ZrCoCe getter films were deposited on the Si(100) substrate by DC magnetron sputtering. In this paper, background vacuum, sputtering pressure and sputtering power as experimental variables were discussed in detail. The surface and cross section microstructure and phase of the film were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and H2 sorption measurement of films was carried out by a dynamic sorption method. It is demonstrated that porous columnar structure film can be achieved under the conditions of the background degree less than 5.0×10-4 Pa, sputtering pressure is 4 Pa and sputtering power is 120 W. As a result of the optimization of the porous columnar structure, the sorption properties of the films are also improved.

The Shared Mobility Problems (SMP) with the rideshare concept based on sharing a vehicle are fast becoming a trend in many urban cities around the world. Examples of these problems are like ridesharing, carpooling, taxisharing, buspooling, vanpooling, and multi-modal ridesharing. This is the new way to access transportation services by those who are propelling the sharing economy, where access rather than ownership is the new norm. This paper provides a systematic review of SMP using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) method. A total of 110 papers from the last decade are selected from 12 abstracts and citation databases to be reviewed and classified. This is done based on the problem types, variants, characteristics, and solution approaches. The current trends and analysis of the survey findings are also summarised. From this systematic review, it is observed that both the time window and multi-objective problems are popular among the researchers, while the minimisation of the total cost is the main concern in the literature of the SMP. Both static and dynamic cases of the SMP are the most researched where heuristic and metaheuristic approaches are widely adopted by the researchers in the literature. Finally, challenges and suggestions for future work are discussed and highlighted.

The fabrication of electret air filter with robust charge stability towards moisture and oily molecules is becoming increasingly essential due to the severe haze pollution, which is featured with high relative humidity (80–90%) and contains oily components (30–40%); however, this remains an ongoing challenge. Herein, a nanofibrous electret membrane able to enduringly capture PM 2.5 with high efficiency and low air resistance under the surroundings containing moisture and oily components is successfully designed via electrospinning. Benefiting from the high electrical resistivity of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and high dielectric constant of silicon nitride nanoparticles (Si 3 N 4 NPs), PVB/Si 3 N 4 nanofibrous membranes are endowed with improved stable surface potentials from 1610 to 2010 V when the content of charge enhancer (Si 3 N 4 ) increases from 0 to 1 wt%. More importantly, the charge dissipating mechanism under water and oil condition is revealed. Moreover, by further introducing hydro-oleophobic fluorinated polyurethane (FPU), the stable surface potentials of PVB/Si 3 N 4 - FPU membranes are elevated by 62.8% under high relative humidity (85%) and 48.4% towards oily components, compared with PVB/Si 3 N 4 membranes. The resultant membranes achieve a high filtration efficiency of 99.950%, low air resistance of 55.0 Pa, and robust durability, providing a guidance for the design of electret air filtration materials used in haze environment.

Air filters have attracted increasing attention due to the lethal danger of haze pollution worldwide. However, it remains challenging to fabricate air filtration materials that can remove particles efficiently and especially allow air flowing easily under the high relative humidity (RH) of haze environment. Here we designed an air filter exhibiting low and stable resistance towards moisture by taking advantage of the resonance effect between far infrared ray (FIR) and water molecules. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers were endowed with high FIR emissivity via optimizing the content of far infrared nanoparticles (FIPs) and the typical multi-level rough structure of fibrous membranes. Significantly, benefitting from the improved FIR emissivity, the rising rate of pressure drop declined from 20 to 8.9% under high RH of 85%. The stabilization mechanism of pressure drop was revealed by means of low field nuclear magnetic resonance. Furthermore, a high filtration efficiency of 99.998%, low pressure drop of 79.5 Pa, and particularly low rising rate of pressure drop (6%) were achieved simultaneously by obtaining the balance of pore size (2.1 μm) and FIR emissivity (87%). The resultant membranes exhibited a rapid PM2.5 removal rate (~15 min) after 10 h, and a robust stability of low pressure drop (increased by 8.7% after 25 h) in the field test in Shanghai. The fabrication of such a promising material may provide a new insight to design air filtration materials with durable high performance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a novel pusher device for performing extracorporeal knot tying. Each of the 3 laparoscopists randomly performed 10 device-assisted double sheet bends (the device group), ten 4s modified Roeder sliding knots (the sliding group), and 10 laparoscopic traditional extracorporeal static surgeon's knots (the static group). All knots and 5 unknotted threads were measured for strength. The device group had higher knot strength, lower knotting failure rate, and shorter knotting time compared with the sliding group. The knot strengths of the successful knots in the device group were consistent with those obtained in the static group, and higher than the sliding group. Our laparoscopic novel pusher device should be an effective device in assisting knot tying with the advantages of steady and strong knot strength, lower failure rate, and shorter knotting time.

Objective Previous studies evaluating the situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) have been shown to increase effective nurse–physician communication and collaboration. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the SBAR technique on safety attitudes in the obstetrics department. Materials and Methods This study implemented the SBAR Collaborative Communication Education course and was conducted in a medical center from February 2012 to March 2015, which included an educational session on fetal heart rate monitoring, a case-based discussion, and a video demonstration on traditional and SBAR communication. The nurses in the obstetrics department were requested to report their clinical findings and recommendations using a novel SBAR list when abnormal fetal heart beat tracings occurred. All obstetric nurses were requested to complete the Chinese-version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire before and after the SBAR educational course. The primary outcome was to evaluate the effect of the SBAR technique on the safety attitudes of the obstetrics department. The secondary outcome was to evaluate the effect of the SBAR technique on the 5-minute Apgar score for neonates. Results Most values, including teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, and working conditions, significantly improved at both postintervention surveys compared with the preintervention survey. There were no significant differences in the number of the neonates with less than seven 5-minute Apgar scores between the pre- and postintervention periods. Conclusion The SBAR technique, which uses a novel structured handover list, is a feasible tool for nurse–obstetrician communication, and it may improve most dimensions of safety attitudes in the obstetrics department.

The fatal danger of pollution due to particulate matter (PM) calls for both high-efficiency and low-resistance air purification materials, which also provide healthcare. This is however still a challenge. Herein, a low-resistance air filter capable of releasing negative ions (NIs) and efficiently capturing PM2.5 was prepared by electrospinning polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers doped with negative ions powder (NIPs). The air-resistance of fibrous membranes decreased from 9.5 to 6 Pa (decrease of 36%) on decreasing the average fiber diameter from 1.16 to 0.41 μm. Moreover, the lower rising rate of air-resistance with reduction in pore size, for fibrous membranes with thinner fiber diameter was verified. In addition, a single PVDF/NIPs fiber was provided with strong surface potentials, due to high fluorine electronegativity, and tested using atomic force microscopy. This strong surface potential resulted in higher releasing amounts of NIs (RANIs). Interestingly, reduction of fiber diameter favored the alleviation of the shielding effects on electric field around fibers and promoted the RANIs from 798 to 1711 ions cc-1. Moreover, by regulating the doping contents of NIPs, the RANIs increased from 1711 to 2818 ions cc-1. The resultant fibrous membranes showed low air resistance of 40.5 Pa. Field-tests conducted in Shanghai showed stable PM2.5 purification efficiency of 99.99% at high RANIs, in the event of haze.

—This paper presents a new modelling and control fuzzy-based framework validated with real-time experiments on human participants experiencing stress via mental arithmetic cognitive tasks identified through psycho-physiological markers. The ultimate aim of the modelling/control framework is to prevent performance breakdown in human-computer interactive systems with a special focus on human performance. Two designed modelling/control experiments which consist of carrying-out arithmetic operations of varying difficulty levels were performed by 10 participants (operators) in the study. With this new technique, modelling is achieved through a new adaptive, self-organizing and interpretable modelling framework based on General Type-2 Fuzzy sets. This framework is able to learn in real-time through the implementation of a re-structured performance-learning algorithm that identifies important features in the data without the need for prior training. The information learnt by the model is later exploited via an Energy Model Based Controller that infers adequate control actions by changing the difficulty level of the arithmetic operations in the human-computer-interaction system; these actions being based on the most current psycho-physiological state of the subject under study. The real-time implementation of the proposed modelling and control configurations for the human-machine-interaction under study shows superior performance as compared to other forms of modelling and control, with minimal intervention in terms of model re-training or parameter re-tuning to deal with uncertainties, disturbances and inter/intra-subject parameter variability.