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Process optimization using metaheuristic algorithms is rapidly gaining interest from engineering practitioners and researchers. This study uses the cuckoo search algorithm (CSA) to find the optimum parameters of a novel smart damper under seismic excitations. For this purpose, seismic responses of four-story and nine-story building configurations under seven pairs of ground motions have been considered. The smart damper is a shear polyurethane friction (SPF) passive control device, made up of shape memory alloy (SMA) plates, friction devices, and polyurethane springs. The damper was installed using braced frame shear links of Y-shaped inverted type, in the form of a vertical link beam placed in the eccentrically braced frames. Because the shear mode of failure is common in such a configuration, the SPF damper is expected to reduce the residual inter-story drifts of the building subjected to strong earthquake loading. Numerical optimization and time-domain simulations were carried out using the MATLAB and OpenSees software programs, respectively. The targeted optimization criteria include the peak values of inter-story drift, residual drift, and floor acceleration; and the design parameters consist of SMA cross-sectional area, friction force, and the polyurethane stiffness of the SPF-SMA system. The results of this study demonstrate the suitability of CSA for the determination of optimum parameters of the SPF-SMA system for the buildings and ground motions considered. Future studies will investigate the generalizability of the proposed method to other building configurations and ground motions.

Apocynaceae are one of the ten species-richest angiosperm families. However, the backbone phylogeny of the family is yet less well supported, and the evolution of plastid genome structure has not been thoroughly studied for the whole family. Herein, a total of 101 complete plastomes including 35 newly sequenced, 24 reassembled from public raw data and the rest from NCBI GenBank database, representing 26 of 27 tribes of Apocynaceae, were used for comparative plastome analysis. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using a combined plastid data matrix of 77 protein-coding genes from 162 taxa, encompassing all tribes and 41 of 49 subtribes of Apocynaceae. Plastid genome lengths ranged from 150,897 bp in Apocynum venetum to 178,616 bp in Hoya exilis. Six types of boundaries between the inverted repeat (IR) regions and single copy (SC) regions were identified. Different sizes of IR expansion were found in three lineages, including Alyxieae, Ceropegieae, and Marsdenieae, suggesting multiple expansion events of the IRs over the SC regions in Apocynaceae. The IR regions of Marsdenieae evolved in two ways: expansion towards the large single copy (LSC) region in Lygisma + Stephanotis + Ruehssia + Gymnema (Cosmopolitan Clade), and expansion towards both LSC and small single copy (SSC) region in Dischidia-Hoya alliance and Marsdenia (Asia-Pacific Clade). Six coding genes and five non-coding regions were identified as highly variable, including accD, ccsA-ndhD, clpP, matK, ndhF, ndhG-ndhI, trnG(GCC)-trnfM(CAU), trnH(GUG)-psbA, trnY(GUA)-trnE(UUC), ycf1, and ycf2. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses resulted in nearly identical tree topologies and produced well-resolved backbone relationships. Fifteen clades in the Apocynaceae backbone were identified. The subfamily Periplocoideae were embedded in the Apocynoid grade and were sister to the Echiteae-Odontadenieae-Mesechiteae clade with high support values. Three tribes (Melodineae, Vinceae, and Willughbeieae), the subtribe Amphineuriinae, and four genera (Beaumontia, Ceropegia, Hoya, and Stephanotis) were not resolved as monophyletic. Our work sheds light on the backbone phylogenetic relationships in the family Apocynaceae and offers insights into the evolution of Apocynaceae plastomes using the most densely sampled plastome dataset to date.

Plants have been used in various parts of the world to treat various diseases. The genus Zanthoxylum L. (Rutaceae) is the second largest genus of this family and comprises approximately 225-549 species distributed in the tropical and temperate regions of the world. Plants of this genus are trees and shrubs with various applications in folklore medicine for food, medicine, construction, and other uses.The goal of this review is to give an updated data on the ethnobotanical applications, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the Zanthoxylum species to investigate their medicinal potential and identify research gaps for future research studies.Data was obtained through a systematic search of published literature and online databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, and Sci-Finder. The botanical names were confirmed using the World Flora Online and chemical structures were drawn using the ChemBio Draw Ultra Version 14.0 Software.The Zanthoxylum species have a wide use in different parts of the continents as a remedy for various diseases such as digestive diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, venereal diseases, respiratory diseases, rheumatism, bacterial diseases, viral, and other diseases. Various parts of the plant comprising fruits, seeds, twigs, leaves, oils, and stems are administered singly or in the form of decoction, infusion, powder, paste, poultice, juice, or mixed with other medicinal plants to cure the disease. More than 400 secondary metabolites have been isolated and characterized in this genus with various biological activities, which comprise alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, lignans, alcohols, fatty acids, amides, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, and hydrocarbons. The crude extracts, fractions, and chemical compounds isolated from the genus have demonstrated a wide range of biological activities both in vivo and in vitro, including; anti-cancer, antimicrobial, anti-sickling, hepatoprotective, antipyretic, antitumor, and other pharmacological activities.This genus has demonstrated an array of phytoconstituents with therapeutic potential. The ethnobotanical uses of this genus have been confirmed in modern pharmacological research. This genus is a potential source for modern drug discovery and health care products. Further and extensive research is therefore required on the safety approval and therapeutic application of the species of this genus as well as clinical trials and pharmacokinetic studies.

Background Chronic pain patients often complain of their poor memory. The mechanisms underlying chronic pain–related memory impairment remain elusive, and there are few clinical therapeutic strategies available for this condition. Methods In a neuropathic pain model induced by chronic constrictive injury of the sciatic nerve in male mice, we used circuit-specific electrophysiological recording, combined with chemogenetic, molecular, and pharmacologic methods, to examine the circuit and molecular mechanisms underlying chronic pain–related memory impairment. Results Our current results show that chronic neuropathic pain impaired the acquisition of spatial memory and, meanwhile, reduced adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Experimentally reducing dentate gyrus neurogenesis mimicked this pain-induced effect on spatial memory formation in naive mice. Furthermore, pain-associated impairments of both hippocampal neurogenesis and memory formation were rescued or mimicked by chemogenetic activation or deactivation, respectively, of the ventral tegmental area dopaminergic projection, through which ventral tegmental area–released brain-derived neurotrophic factor was required. Importantly, we found that chronic, but not acute, systematic administration of subanesthetic doses of ketamine, while without relieving pain, ameliorated chronic pain–related impairment of spatial memory formation, potentially by rescuing brain-derived neurotrophic factor–mediated dentate gyrus neurogenesis. Conclusions These findings provide a novel, circuit-based mechanistic link between chronic pain and memory formation deficit, and potential new therapeutic options for chronic pain–related learning deficit and memory impairment.

As the design methodology of the corrugated steel shear wall (CSSW) has not yet been included in the design standards, this paper presents a step-by-step design procedure based on the corrugated panel-frame interaction (CPFI). To ensure that the plastic hinges occur at the beam ends and not within the beam span or in the columns, a reduced beam section (RBS) connection was used in steel plate shear walls (SPSWs). In this paper, the corrugated steel shear wall with a reduced boundary beam section (RBS-CSSW) is presented as a promising type of lateral-load‐resisting system. Analytical equations were proposed to estimate the strength of RBS-CSSW based on the frame plastic hinge development considering the interactive shear buckling stress in the corrugated panel. The equations of strength estimation for RBS-CSSW were also evaluated by comparing their results with the numerical results of the two models. The comparison showed that the strength based on the proposed analytical equations were accurate (with more than 95% accuracy) compared to the strength from the FE pushover analyses for the two models.

Ethnopharmacological relevance The Genus Calanthe (family Orchidaceae) consists of more than 207 species distributed in both tropical and subtropical regions. In traditional medicine, Calanthe species provide remedies against various conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism, traumatic injuries, snake-bites, abdominal discomfort, nose bleeding, common colds, ulcers, chronic coughs, and others. Some species are also used as aphrodisiacs, tonics, and as pain relievers on joints and toothaches. Aim of the review: This review provides comprehensive information on the herbal uses, chemical components, pharmacological activities, and conservation of Calanthe, which might be useful in the future development of potent herbal medicines and facilitate the enactment of better conservation strategies. Materials and methods Relevant information was obtained from online databases including SCI-Finder, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, Springer, IOP Science, and other web sources such as PubChem, The Plant List, and World Flora Online. Books, Ph.D. and MSc dissertations were used for unpublished literature. Information from Chinese literature was obtained from the CNKI database. Results In total, 19 species of the genus Calanthe have been reported to be used in traditional medicine in different countries of Asia. A total of 265 chemical compounds from different chemical classes including, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds and phenolic derivatives, phenanthrenes, and others, have been identified from Calanthe species. Calanquinone A isolated from C. arisanensis has been reported to exhibit antitumor activity against six malignant cell lines. Other bioactive compounds from Calanthe with pharmacological activity include phenanthrenes, phenanthrenequinones, 6′-O-β-D-apiofuranosylindican, 4H-Pyran-4one, 2, 3-dihydro-3,5 dihydroxy-6-methyl, and calanthoside. These compounds exhibit valuable biological properties such as hair restoration, anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic activity, antidiabetic and hepatoprotective potency, antiplatelet aggregation action, and antibacterial and antifungal activities. Some Calanthe species, including C. ecallosa and C. yuana, are endangered in the IUCN red list. The high risk of extinction is attributed to illegal trade and unsustainable harvesting and utilization. Conclusions This review summarizes the herbal uses, chemical components, biological activity, and conservation of Calanthe. The pharmacological studies on this genus are limited; thus, extensive research on the toxicology, pharmaceutical standardization, and mechanism of action of the isolated bioactive compounds are needed. Since some species of Calanthe are listed as endangered, stringent guidelines on trade, collection, and sustainable utilization of medicinal orchids should be set up to facilitate the conservation of these species.

In this study, structural functional thermal energy storage concrete (TESC) containing Tetradecane which is a low-temperature phase change material (PCM) has been developed. The PCM was incorporated in the concrete using a porous lightweight aggregate (LWA). PCM–LWAs were fabricated using vacuum impregnation technique, and a dual–layer coating having high thermal conductivity. The epoxy of high thermal conductivity was applied on the surface of PCM impregnated LWAs to prevent leakage of PCM. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis were used to evaluate the thermal performance of encapsulated PCM–LWA. The DSC results demonstrated that PCM–LWA had melting and freezing temperature 4.18 °C and 0.33 °C and corresponding enthalpies 18 J/g and 15 J/g, respectively. Thermal energy storing concrete was developed by replacing normal-weight aggregates with the PCM–LWAs in proportions of 50% and 100% by volume. The compression test results revealed that the strength of PCM–LWA concrete decreased significantly compared to normal concrete. The strength loss in the PCM–LWA concrete with replacement ratios of 50% and 100% were 29% and 39%, respectively. Due to porous nature and relatively low stiffness of LWAs, significant strength loss has been observed. To overcome the strength degradation, silica fume (SF) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were added to the concrete mixture. The addition of SF/MWCNTs reduced the strength loss by 15% and 20%, respectively. The SEM results revealed that the SF/MWCNT addition in concrete resulted in denser microstructure. The XRD results confirmed that SF reacted with Ca(OH)2 to increase the growth of C-S-H. Therefore, the mechanical performance of TESC containing PCM–LWAs can be improved by adding SF/MWCNTs to the concrete mixture.

Evaluation and modeling of structures behavior over their service life are crucial parameters for construction safety. This research investigates the use of output-only structural health monitoring (SHM) to evaluate the reliability and safety of highway steel plate girders of WonHyo bridge. Displacement, strain and acceleration measurements were used to assess the bridge behavior under the designed static, semi-static and dynamic truck loads effects. A novel integration method with combined probability, Autoregressive and Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) identification model was developed to design PARIMA approach, which is introduced and used for analyzing the semi-static and dynamic reliability of the bridge girders. The PARIMA experimentally evaluated structure’s reliability and damage based on the output only SHM system. The results showed the effectiveness of PARIMA for detecting structures damages and analyzing structure’s reliability in semi-static and dynamic domains. The evaluation of WonHyo bridges showed its performances in time and frequency domains are safe, and the bridge reliability is high.

Giant senecios (Dendrosenecio, Asteraceae), endemic to the tropical mountains of Eastern Africa, are one of the most conspicuous alpine plant groups in the world. Although the group has received substantial attention from researchers, its infrageneric relationships are contentious, and the speciation history remains poorly understood. In this study, whole chloroplast genome sequences of 46 individuals were used to reconstruct the phylogeny of giant senecios using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods. The divergence times of this emblematic group were estimated using fossil-based calibrations. Additionally, the ancestral areas were inferred, and ecological niche modeling was used to predict their suitable habitats. Phylogenetic analyses yielded two robustly supported clades. One clade included taxa sampled from Tanzania, while the other clade included species from other regions. Giant senecios likely originated from the North of Tanzania approximately 2.3 million years ago (highest posterior density 95%; 0.77–4.40), then rapidly radiated into the Kenyan and Ugandan mountains within the last one million years. The potential routes of dispersal have been proposed based on the inferred ancestral areas, estimated time, and predicted past suitable niches. Plio-Pleistocene climate oscillations and orogeny instigated early divergence of the genus. Whereas in situ radiation of giant senecios was chiefly driven by multiple long-distance dispersal events followed by episodes of vicariance, and allopatric speciation (geographic and/or altitudinal).

Accurate photovoltaic (PV) power prediction is necessary for future development of the micro-grids projects and the economic dispatch sector. This study investigates the potential of using a novel hybrid approach of adaptive swarm intelligence techniques and adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in estimating the PV power of a solar system at different time horizons, from 0 to 24 h. The developed approach is an integration of ANFIS and particle swarm optimization (PSO) with adaptive and time-varying acceleration coefficients, i.e., ANFIS-APSO (ANFIS-PSO with adaptive acceleration coefficients) and ANFIS-IPSO (ANFIS-PSO with time-varying acceleration coefficients), were developed. The performance of the proposed models was compared with other hybrid ANFIS models, namely ANFIS-PSO (ANFIS coupled with PSO), ANFIS-BBO (ANFIS coupled with biogeography-based optimization), ANFIS-GA (ANFIS coupled with genetic algorithm), and ANFIS-GWO (ANFIS coupled with grey wolf optimization). For this purpose, the climatic variables and historical PV power data of a 960 kWP grid-connected PV system in the south of Italy were used to design and evaluate the models. Several statistical analyses were implemented to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed models and assess the impact of variables that affects the PV power values. The experimental results show that the proposed ANFIS-APSO attained the most accurate prediction of the PV power with R2 = 0.835 and 0.657, RMSE = 0.088 kW and 0.081 kW, and MAE = 0.077 kW and 0.079 kW in the testing phase at time horizons 12 h and 24 h, respectively. Based on the obtained results, the newly constructed ANFIS-APSO outperformed the standard ANFIS-PSO model including other hybrid models, and hence very potential to be a new alternative to assist engineers for predicting the PV power of solar systems at short- and long-time horizons.