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The presence of cracks in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) can have a significant impact on the flow of two phases within Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). This study focuses on investigating the transport process of two-phases flow in a GDL sample using both experimental and numerical methods. The porous structure of a hydrophobic carbon paper, serving as the macro-porous substrate (MPS) of the GDL, is examined using synchrotron radiation X-ray phase contrast Computed Tomography (CT). A 3-D model with various crack geometries is then created, and a Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) simulation is employed to analyze the flow behavior within the GDL model. The findings reveal that the water intrusion mode in the MPS primarily depends on its hydrophobic nature, but the width and depth of the cracks also significantly influence both the rate and path of water intrusion. Increasing the crack width from 7 μm to 28 μm results in a 30% increment in water intrusion rate, while the intrusion path remains unchanged. However, when the crack width reaches 42 μm, the crack itself becomes the primary path for water intrusion, doubling the intrusion rate. Furthermore, an increase in crack depth leads to a higher invasion rate of the liquid phase, consequently increasing the liquid storage volume within the GDL. This research provides a novel approach for analyzing cracked GDLs and demonstrates the potential to optimize the water management process of PEMFCs through GDL microstructure design. • A 3D model of gas diffusion layer (GDL) in PEMFC is obtained via Synchrotron X-ray phase contrast CT. • Lattice Boltzmann Method is applied to investigate GDL cracking phenomenon. • The two-phase transport process in the cracked GDL is analyzed. • The effect of the crack geometric features on the GDL performance is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 6RUS parallel manipulator is a highly versatile and widely used robotic mechanism with six degrees of freedom. Its intricate kinematic structure and its capability to perform complex motion tasks have garnered significant research interest in recent years. The kinematic analysis of the 6RUS mechanism plays a crucial role in understanding its operational characteristics and optimizing its performance for various applications. In this paper, we present a state-of-the-art kinematic algorithm for the 6RUS parallel manipulator. Our algorithm is aimed at addressing the challenges associated with accurately determining the pose and motion of the end-effector relative to the base, considering the complexity of the mechanism's architecture. By leveraging advanced mathematical modeling techniques and utilizing efficient computational algorithms, our proposed algorithm offers improved accuracy, efficiency, and robustness in determining the kinematic parameters of the 6RUS mechanism. The key contributions of this work include the development of a comprehensive forward and inverse kinematic model for the 6RUS parallel manipulator, incorporating the effects of joint constraints, singularities, and workspace limitations. We also present a detailed analysis of the algorithm's performance in comparison to existing approaches, demonstrating its superiority in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy. The proposed kinematic algorithm holds significant potential for enhancing the design, control, and trajectory planning of 6RUS parallel manipulators. It provides a solid foundation for advanced applications such as robotic surgery, industrial automation, and virtual reality systems. The results presented in this paper contribute to the growing body of knowledge in parallel manipulator research and pave the way for future developments in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sintering behavior, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of Al 2 O 3 ceramics co-doped with 3000ppmCuO 2 +6000ppmTiO 2 +500ppmMgO (Cu/Ti/Mg) have been investigated. The results show that 1 wt% Cu/Ti/Mg can reduce the sintering temperature of Al 2 O 3 ceramics effectively. Samples with relative densities of ≥97% and uniform microstructure can be obtained when sintered at 1150 °C. Higher temperature can further increase the density of the sample, but it inevitably leads to abnormal grain growth. Meanwhile, the investigation results show that the low-firing Al 2 O 3 ceramics have good microwave dielectric properties especially high Q × f value. A high Q × f value of 109616 GHz is able to be obtained for the 1150 °C sintered sample. The reason for the low temperature densification, abnormal grain growth behavior and the changing trend of the microwave dielectric properties are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The joining of dissimilar materials has been attracted more and more attention and widely used in the manufacturing of complex structural components. Due to the difference of thermophysical parameters of materials, the formed weld tends to show the asymmetry characteristics including geometric morphology and alloy compositions during the process of dissimilar materials laser welding. Therefore, a 3D multiphase flow model is proposed in this paper to investigate the asymmetry characteristics of weld formed in the dissimilar materials laser keyhole welding. The results obtained from the molten pool behaviors calculation under different welding conditions are compared and the effects of welding conditions on the molten pool behaviors induced by keyhole generation are discussed in detail. The weld geometries and alloy compositions distribution under different welding process conditions are obtained. Simultaneously, the effects of keyhole dynamic behaviors on the geometrical morphology of weld and asymmetry distribution of alloy compositions are analyzed. The good agreement between the calculated and experimental results is found, which approves that the developed model can be used to improve the weld geometric morphology and alloy compositions. Hence, the proposed method is efficient for welding process improvement to obtain the desired welded joints in practical dissimilar materials laser keyhole welding. • A 3D numerical simulation model for analyzing asymmetry characteristics is proposed. • The dynamic behaviors of keyhole and molten pool are discussed. • The effect of keyhole dynamic behaviors on asymmetry characteristics is obtained. • The simulation results show good agreement with experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of a peptide antigen in the context of MHC molecules initiates positive and negative cascades that regulate T cell activation, proliferation and differentiation, and culminate in the acquisition of effector T cell functions. These processes are a prerequisite for the induction of specific T cell-mediated adaptive immune responses. A key event in the activation of TCR-coupled signaling pathways is the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues within the cytoplasmic tails of the CD3 subunits, predominantly CD3ζ. These transiently formed phosphotyrosyl epitopes serve as docking sites for SH2-domain containing effector molecules, predominantly the ZAP70 protein tyrosine kinase, which is critical for signal propagation. We found that CrkI and CrkII adaptor proteins also interact with CD3ζ in TCR activated-, but not in resting-, T cells. Crk binding to CD3ζ was independent of ZAP70 and also occurred in ZAP70-deficient T cells. Binding was mediated by Crk-SH2 domain interaction with phosphotyrosine-containing motifs on CD3ζ, via a direct physical interaction, as demonstrated by Far-Western blot. CrkII binding to CD3ζ could also be demonstrated in a heterologous system, where coexpression of a catalytically active Lck was used to phosphorylate the CD3ζ chain. TCR activation-induced Crk binding to CD3ζ resulted in increased and prolonged phosphorylation of CD3ζ, as well as ZAP70 and LAT, suggesting a positive role for CrkI/II binding to CD3ζ in regulation of TCR-coupled signaling pathways. Furthermore, Crk-dependent increased phosphorylation of CD3ζ coincided with inhibition of TCR downmodulation, supporting a positive role for Crk adaptor proteins in TCR-mediated signal amplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell antigen receptor (TCR) binding of a peptide antigen presented by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the context of surface MHC molecules initiates signaling events that regulate T cell activation, proliferation and differentiation. A key event in the activation process is the phosphorylation of the conserved tyrosine residues within the CD3 chain immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs), which operate as docking sites for SH2 domain-containing effector proteins. Phosphorylation of the CD3ζ ITAMs renders the CD3 chain capable of binding the ζ-chain associated protein 70 kDa (ZAP70), a protein tyrosine kinase that is essential for T cell activation. We found that TCR/CD3 crosslinking in Jurkat T cells promotes the association of Crk adaptor proteins with the transiently phosphorylated CD3ζ chain. Pull down assays using bead-immobilized GST fusion proteins revealed that the Crk-SH2 domain mediates binding of phospho-CD3ζ. Phospho-CD3ζ binding is selective and is mediated by the three types of Crk, including CrkI, CrkII, and CrkL, but not by other SH2 domain-containing adaptor proteins, such as Grb2, GRAP and Nck. Crk interaction with phospho-CD3ζ is rapid and transient, peaking 1 min post TCR/CD3 crosslinking. The results suggest the involvement of Crk adaptor proteins in the early stages of T cell activation in which Crk might help recruiting effector proteins to the vicinity of the phospho-CD3ζ and contribute to the fine-tuning of the TCR/CD3-coupled signal transduction pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel intra-cycle waste heat recovery (ICWHR) methodology, applied to an internal combustion engine is presented in this study. Through a split type thermodynamic cycle design, quasi-isothermal compression of the charge air and isobaric combustion of the air/fuel mixture can be performed separately in two chambers. Within such a design, the exhaust heat can be recovered to the intake air flow between the compression chamber and combustion chamber. Consequently, the recovered energy can be re-utilized in the combustor directly, and an intra-cycle waste heat recovery process can be achieved. To investigate the fundamental aspects of this new methodology, a comparative study between the conventional Rankine based WHR and the new ICWHR was undertaken. Both theoretical and numerical analysis were applied to evaluate the performance characteristics of these two technologies. The ICWHR cycle differs from the Rankine cycle in that an energy conversion subsystem is not necessary since the recovered energy is sent back to the combustion chamber directly, and then the system efficiency is improved significantly. Furthermore, the theoretical results indicate that the full cycle efficiency of ICWHR system is determined by the regeneration effectiveness, the compression ratio and the fuel equivalence ratio, then the limitations of Rankine cycle, such as working fluid selection and system parameter calibration can be avoided mechanically. Finally, through a one dimensional system model, analysis of optimal operation range, system efficiency and the heat transfer behaviours of ICWHR system are discussed in this paper and comparisons made with a Rankine cycle WHR system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The split cycle engine is a new reciprocating internal combustion engine with a potential of a radical efficiency improvement. In this engine, the compression and combustion–expansion processes occur in different cylinders. In the compression cylinder, the charge air is compressed through a quasi-isothermal process by direct cooling of the air. The high pressure air is then heated in a recuperator using the waste heat of exhaust gas before induction to the combustion cylinder. The combustion process occurs during the expansion stroke, in a quasi-isobaric process. In this paper, a fundamental theoretical cycle analysis and one-dimensional engine simulation of the split cycle engine was undertaken. The results show that the thermal efficiency (η) is mainly decided by the CR (compression ratio) and ER (expansion ratio), the regeneration effectiveness (σ), and the temperature rising ratio (N). Based on the above analysis, a system optimization of the engine was conducted. The results showed that by increasing CR from 23 to 25, the combustion and recuperation processes could be improved. By increasing the expansion ratio to 26, the heat losses during the gas exchange stroke were further reduced. Furthermore, the coolant temperatures of the compression and expansion chambers can be controlled separately to reduce the wall heat transfer losses. Compared to a conventional engine, a 21% total efficiency improvement was achieved when the split cycle was applied. It was concluded that through the system optimization, a total thermal efficiency of 53% can be achieved on split cycle engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an approach to replace pressure transducers, ion current sensing is a promising candidate for overcoming the difficult task of controlling the start of combustion in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines which require feedback from previous cycles. In this study, cyclic variations and prior-cycle effects of ion current signals are analyzed by comparing against pressure transducer signals using time-series methods in an HCCI engine. Additionally, the effects of various calibrated ion signal intensities are tested by adding cesium acetate (CsOAc) to the base fuel. Nonlinear characteristics of ion current signals are identified to cause strong cyclic variations through a single-zone model analysis with different equivalence ratios. By analyzing the time series, return maps, and coefficient of variations (CoV), the study finds that the stability of the ion signals can be largely improved by adding CsOAc due to the low ionization energy. After reconstructing a complex, nonlinear dynamical system model with symbol-sequence statistics, the measured cycle-resolved data of the ion current signal is analyzed to determine the pattern structures within prior cycles of fixed length, which is optimized by a modified Shannon entropy calculation. The results suggest that long, consecutive symbols of the ion current signal can be reliably predicted through the application of designed deterministic patterns especially when a small amount of CsOAc is added, although the ion current signal is normally considered a localized information provider and affected by many dynamical factors. Consequently, ion current signals are very promising for model-based control systems in HCCI engines with tolerable amounts of signal enhancing additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the Crk family of adaptor proteins are key players in signal transduction from a variety of cell surface receptors. CrkI and CrkII are two alternative-spliced forms of a single gene which possess an N-terminal SH2 domain and an SH3 domain that mediate interaction with other proteins. CrkII possesses an additional C-terminal linker region plus an extra SH3 domain, which does not interact with other proteins, but operates as regulatory moiety. Utilizing human Jurkat T cells, we demonstrate that CrkII-SH3N binding of C3G is inhibited by cyclosporin A (CsA) plus FK506 that inhibit the cyclophilin A (CypA) and FK506 binding protein (FKBP) peptidyl-prolyl cis -trans isomerases (PPIases; also termed immunophilins), respectively. Jurkat T cells were found to express ∼5-fold lower levels of CrkI protein compared to CrkII, but the efficiency of C3G binding by CrkI was ∼5-fold higher than that of CrkII, suggesting that the majority of cellular CrkII proteins adopt a conformation that is inaccessible for C3G. Treatment of Jurkat T cells with CsA plus FK506 led to a time-dependent conformational change in overexpressed human CrkII 1-236 protein-containing FRET-based biosensor, supporting the accumulation of cis conformers of human CrkII 1-236 in the presence of PPIase inhibitors. Our data suggest that the Gly 219 -Pro-Tyr motif in the human CrkII linker region serves as the recognition and isomerization site of PPIases, and raise the possibility that CsA and FK506 might interfere with selected effector T cell functions via a CrkII-, but not CrkI-dependent mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve a step improvement in engine efficiency, a novel split cycle engine concept is proposed. The engine has separate compression and combustion cylinders and waste heat is recovered between the two. Quasi-isothermal compression of the charge air is realised in the compression cylinder while isobaric combustion of the air/fuel mixture is achieved in the combustion cylinder. Exhaust heat recovery between the compression and combustion chamber enables highly efficient recovery of waste heat within the cycle. Based on cycle analysis and a one-dimensional engine model, the fundamentals and the performance of the split thermodynamic cycle is estimated. Compared to conventional engines, the compression work can be significantly reduced through the injection of a controlled quantity of water in the compression cylinder, lowering the gas temperature during compression. Thermal energy can then be effectively recovered from the engine exhaust in a recuperator between the cooled compressor cylinder discharge air and the exhaust gas. The resulting hot high pressure air is then injected into a combustor cylinder and mixed with fuel, where near isobaric combustion leads to a low combustion temperature and reduced heat transferred from the cylinder wall. Detailed cycle simulation indicates a 32% efficiency improvement can be expected compared to the conventional diesel engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, ion current sensing has been widely recognized as a promising approach to the engine knock/super knock detection. However, ion current formating mechanism under engine knocking conditions is yet to be revealed, which substantially hinder the further development of ion current based knock detecting technology. In this paper, the ion current signals detected under engine knocking conditions are investigated both experimentally and numerically. In a spark ignition engine, the ion current signal and combustion pressure are analyzed in both time and frequency domain. Besides, a multi-physics CFD model, which incorporates compressible fluid dynamics, neutral/charged species reaction kinetics and flame plasma hydrodynamics, is constructed in this work. Then the combustion process, the flame - pressure wave interaction and the motion of the charged species are analyzed, and the key features of the ion current signal under knocking conditions are studied. The multi-physics model indicates that the in-cylinder distribution of positive and negative charged species is almost the same due to the ambipolar diffusion of the electrons, and then the ion current can be analyzed via observing the positive ion flux solely. By combining the experimental and numerical results, it is revealed that the ion concentration is correlative to the temperature in a non-linear way, and the ion current mainly responds to the low frequency pressure oscillation mode. Correspondingly, the relation between the ion current oscillating amplitude and the knock intensity is non-linear. For knocking at high load conditions, both the amplitude of ion current signal and the ion concentration can respond to the oscillation of local pressure and knocking intensity. In particular, the signal oscillation becomes insignificant when knocking intensity KI < 0.85. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Free ion formation and recombination mechanism was investigated. [•] A multi-zone ion current predicting model was designed. [•] The predicted phase varying tendency of ion current is same with combustion phase. [•] The phase of ion current signals and heat release curves are not always the same. [•] The ion current phase will be retarded eve later when fuel concentration decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P. gingivalis is a prominent periodontal pathogen that has potent effects on host cells. In this study we challenged gingival epithelial cells with P. gingivalis with the aim of assessing how mRNA levels of key target genes were modulated by P. gingivalis via the transcription factors FOXO1 and FOXO3. Primary mono- and multi-layer cultures of gingival epithelial cells were challenged and barrier function was examined by fluorescent dextran and apoptosis was measured by cytoplasmic histone associated DNA. Gene expression levels were measured by real-time PCR with and without FOXO1 and FOXO3 siRNA compared to scrambled siRNA. P. gingivalis induced a loss of barrier function and stimulated gingival epithelial cell apoptosis in multilayer cultures that was in part gingipain dependent. P. gingivalis stimulated an increase in FOXO1 and FOXO3 mRNA, enhanced mRNA levels of genes associated with differentiated keratinocyte function (keratin-1, -10, -14, and involucrin), increased mRNA levels of apoptotic genes (BID and TRADD), reduced mRNA levels of genes that regulate inflammation (TLR-2 and -4) and reduced those associated with barrier function (integrin beta-1, -3 and -6). The ability of P. gingivalis to modulate these genes was predominantly FOXO1 and FOXO3 dependent. The results indicate that P. gingivalis has pronounced effects on gingival keratinocytes and modulates mRNA levels of genes that affect host response, differentiation, apoptosis and barrier function. Moreover, this modulation is dependent upon the transcription factors FOXO1 or FOXO3. In addition, a new function for FOXO1 was identified, that of suppressing TLR-2 and TLR-4 and maintaining integrin beta -1, beta -3 and beta -6 basal mRNA levels in keratinocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-physics model for flames plasmas coupling electric field is constructed. • A statistical physics model for describing electron transport behaviors is applied. • The effect of gas composition on the in-flame electron–ion diffusion is studied. • The mechanism how the gas composition affects ion current signal is investigated. • Ion current features in the excess air/ EGR diluted methane flames are analyzed. The real-time detection of the key combustion status such as combustion timing, misfire and knocking will be crucial for the future internal combustion engines. Ion sensing technology can be potentially applied to develop the ion current based combustion detecting sensor on mass-produced engines. However, the low signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the ion current signal still be a major obstacle for the large-scale application of this technology, especially when the lean mixtures or exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is applied on the engines. In order to improve the SNR, a fundamental study on the ion current formatting process in air/EGR diluted methane flames in studied in this paper. A kinetics analysis of the electron transport behaviors in the electric field is conducted. By solving the Boltzmann's equation, the electron transporting parameters can be predicted. The in-flame electron motion predicted through this method is more accurate than through the model based on thermal equilibrium assumption, especially when an external electric field is applied. Besides, a multi-physics CFD model of the methane flame coupling electrohydrodynamic of the flame plasma is established. Combined the numerical results and the experimental results achieved in a constant volume combustion chamber, the electron–ion diffusion process and their distributions with different diluting conditions is investigated. Consequently, the characteristics of the ion current signals in the excess air/ EGR diluted methane flames can be well predicted. A further improvement of the ion sensing technology could be achieved based on the above analyzing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In this study, nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N -CDs) were facilely fabricated by one-pot hydrothermal method with levulinic acid and triethanolamine. A fluorescent sensor array was established for identifying azo compounds including Sudan Orange G (SOG), p-diaminoazobenzene, p-aminoazobenzene, azobenzene and quantitative detection of SOG. Experimental results revealed that azo compounds could quench the fluorescent intensity of N -CDs. Owing to various azo compounds showing different affinities to N -CDs, the sensor array exhibited different fluorescence quenching changes, which were further analyzed with principal component analysis to discriminate azo compounds. The sensor array was able to differentiate and recognize diverse concentrations of azo compounds from 0.25 to 2 mg/L. Simultaneously, a variety of factors affecting the detection of SOG were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the sensor showed excellent stability and sensitivity. The sensor possessed marvelous linearity in the range of 0.1–1 mg/L and 1–4 mg/L and the detection limit was 27.82 μg/L. Spiked recoveries of 90.8–98.2 % were attained at spiked levels of 0.2 mg/L and 1 mg/L, demonstrating that the constructed fluorescence sensor was dependable and feasible for sensing SOG in environmental water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion sensing technology has the potential to be an in-cylinder combustion diagnostic solution. However, the large-scale application of this technology still be difficult in the last decades due to the absence of fundamental level research on the ion current formatting mechanism. In this study, a multi-physics analysis of the ion formatting process in a premixed methane flame is conducted, and the effect of electron diffusion process on the ion current signal is explicitly studied. Through the incorporation of the flame plasma physics, ionization reaction mechanisms and ion-electric field interactions, a numerical flame ionization model is constructed. By comparing the flame schlieren imaging data and the modelling results, the ion current signal formatting mechanism is elaborated, and the effect of electron/ion motions is studied. The results show that the ion current signal amplitude is in good agreement with the flux of the charged species. More importantly, the model reveals that the ambipolar diffusion of the electrons play a dominate role in the ion current formatting process, and it will significantly affect the ion current waveform. Due to this diffusion process, electrons cannot transport outside of the flame front zone, and its distribution will be decided by the heavy ions in the flame. Consequently, a serial of experimental results about the ion current signal can be analyzed based on the constructed multi-physics model, and the findings in this work could be crucial for the development of the future ion sensing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mild rhodium-catalyzed annulation of Boc-protected benzamides with diazo compounds via C−C/C−O bond formation has been explored. In the presence of [Cp*RhCl2]2, AgSbF6 and Cs2CO3, Boc-protected benzamides can be effectively annulated to yield isocoumarins in 0.5–2 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A macro-micro coupling model of microstructure dynamic evolution is proposed. • The evolution process and morphologies of the microstructure are obtained. • The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results. • The proposed model can be used to predict the microstructure of weld. A macro-micro coupling model of microstructure dynamic evolution for circular shaped oscillating laser welding of Inconel 718 superalloy is developed in this paper to investigate the evolution process of columnar crystals under the effect of oscillating laser beam. The macroscale heat transfer model is established to obtain the characteristics of temperature distribution in molten pool and the microscale phase field model is utilized to explore the microstructure evolution during the oscillating laser welding. The transient solidification conditions model based on the temperature field of the circular shaped oscillating laser welding is used for calculating the dynamic solidification conditions which consist of the temperature gradient and the solidification rate. The microstructure evolution process and morphologies in circular shaped oscillating laser welding of Inconel 718 superalloy are obtained by the macro-micro coupling model and the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The characteristics of the microstructure under the action of the circular shaped oscillating laser beam are analyzed. The proposed model can be used to predict the microstructure of weld formed in the oscillating laser welding and provide the optimal process conditions for improving the welded joint quality in practical manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Acritical Intelligent (AI) methodologies such as Long and Short-term Memory (LSTM) have been widely considered promising tools for engine performance calibration, especially for engine emission performance prediction and optimization, and Transformer is also gradually applied to sequence prediction. To carry out high-precision engine control and calibration, predicting long time step emission sequences is required. However, LSTM has the problem of gradient disappearance on too long input and output sequences, and Transformer cannot reflect the dynamic features of historic emission information which derives from cycle-by-cycle engine combustion events, which leads to low accuracy and weak algorithm adaptability due to the inherent limitations of the encoder-decoder structure. In this paper, considering the highly nonlinear relation between the multi-dimensional engine operating parameters the engine emission data outputs, an Embedding-Graph-Neural-Network (EGNN) model was developed combined with self-attention mechanism for the adaptive graph generation part of the GNN to capture the relationship between the sequences, improve the ability of predicting long time step sequences, and reduce the number of parameters to simplify network structure. Then, a sensor embedding method was adopted to make the model adapt to the data characteristics of different sensors, so as to reduce the impact of experimental hardware on prediction accuracy. The experimental results show that under the condition of long-time step forecasting, the prediction error of our model decreased by 31.04% on average compared with five other baseline models, which demonstrates the EGNN model can potentially be used in future engine calibration procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metal organic framework functionalized magnetic MXene nanocomposites were fabricated. • The synthesized material exhibits good adsorption capacity for phthalates. • The adsorption of PAEs abided by pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Redlich-Peterson isotherm model. • The proposed method provided high sensitivity for PAEs. Phthalates (PAEs) are typical plasticizers, and widely used in various products. Because of their toxic effects such as carcinogenicity and endocrine disruption, they have become one of the most important public health hazards. It is vital to establish reliable methods for sensitively measuring PAEs at trace levels in the environment. In present study, a new magnetic metal organic framework functionalized MXene composite was designed (CoFe 2 O 4 @Ti 3 C 2 @MIL101(Cr)), in which NH 2 -MIL101(Cr) was successfully modified onto the surface of aldehyde-functionalized magnetic titanium carbide by Schiff base reaction. The prepared magnetic composite was used as the adsorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) in combination with gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for high-performance enrichment and sensitive measurement of seventeen PAEs. CoFe 2 O 4 @Ti 3 C 2 @MIL101(Cr) had favorable adsorption ability for PAEs, the adsorption of PAEs was multilayered and non-uniform, and followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Redlich-Peterson isotherm model. Moreover, the results revealed that the lower temperature was more beneficial for the extraction of PAEs. The factors influencing the enrichment efficiencies of PAEs were investigated. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the constructed method exhibited prominent linearity over concentration range of 0.01–40 μg L−1, and the limits of detection (LODs) were very low over range of 0.003–0.018 μg L−1. The extraction efficiencies of seventeen PAEs were ranged from 44.2 % to 104 %. The established method was validated for determining PAEs in the different beverages, and DIBP (0.19 μg L−1) and DBP (0.44 μg L−1) were successfully detected in tea drinks, and the spiked recoveries of seventeen PAEs in real samples were in the range of 86.9 −100.2 %, with standard deviations less than 5.8 %. The enrichment factors were between 71 and 166. In short, the proposed method earned prominent sensitivity and high feasibility, and could be a credible, and valuable alternative for monitoring PAEs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a sensitive fluorescent sensor toward p-nitrophenol (4-NP) integrating magnetic molecularly imprinted materials and carbon dots (CDs) was proposed. Magnetic material and CDs derived from K 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ] and glucose were simultaneously obtained through simple one-step hydrothermal process. Introducing of molecularly imprinted materials based magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) endowed the constructed fluorescent sensor with higher sensitivity and selectivity. The significant factors affecting the sensitivity of the sensor toward 4-NP were optimized. Good linearity was obtained between fluorescent intensity of CDs and different concentration of 4-NP from 0.08 to 62.5 μg L−1. The sensitivity of constructed sensor was very low with detection limit of 0.02 μg L−1. Reliable applicability was also proved by the well-pleasing recoveries of 94.2–97.8% with different spiked concentrations of 4-NP in real environmental waters. [Display omitted] • MMIPs based MSPE was integrated with CDs for constructing FL sensor toward 4-NP. • CDs and magnetic core were simultaneously prepared via one step hydrothermal process. • The constructed sensor exhibited good sensitivity and reliability for detecting 4-NP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wounded tissue offers opportunity to microflora to adhere, colonize, invade and infect surrounding healthy tissue. The bacteria of the oral cavity have the potential to alter the wound healing process by interacting with keratinocytes. The aim of this study was to investigate mechanisms through which oral bacteria may influence re-epithelialization by interacting with gingival keratinocytes. By an in vitro scratch assay we demonstrate that primary gingival keratinocytes have impaired closure when exposed to two well characterized oral bacteria, P. gingivalis, and to a lesser extent, F. nucleatum. P. gingivalis reduced wound closure by ∼40%, which was partially dependent on proteolytic activity, and bacteria was still present within infected cells 9 days later despite exposure to bacteria for only 24 h. Both oral bacteria caused keratinocyte apoptosis at the wound site with cell death being greatest at the wound edge. P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum adversely affected cell proliferation and the effect also had a spatial component being most striking at the edge. The impact of the bacteria was long lasting even when exposure was brief. Cell migration was compromised in bacteria challenged keratinocytes with P. gingivalis having more severe effect (p<0.05) than F. nucleatum. Quantitative real time PCR of bacteria challenged cells showed that P. gingivalis and to a lesser extent F. nucleatum significantly downregulated cell cycle genes cyclin1, CDK1, and CDK4 (p<0.05) that are critical for GI/S transition. Further, genes associated with cell migration such as integrin beta-3 and -6 were significantly downregulated by P. gingivalis (p<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present work reported a novel nanozyme g-C 3 N 4 @Cu, N-CDs with excellent peroxidase-like activity obtained by loading Cu and N co-doped carbon dots on g-C 3 N 4 (graphitic carbon nitride). g-C 3 N 4 @Cu, N-CDs can catalyze H 2 O 2 to generate hydroxyl radical •OH, which oxidizes o -phenylenediamine to 2,3-diaminophenazine, which emits orange fluorescence under ultraviolet light irradiation. The experimental results confirmed that 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT) could inhibit the peroxidase-like activity of g-C 3 N 4 @Cu, N-CDs. Based the principle above, a colorimetric-fluorescence dual-mode sensor for rapidly sensing of BDT was creatively constructed with assisting of a smartphone. The sensor showed excellent linearity over ranges of 0.75–132 μM and 0.33–60.0 μM with detection limits of 0.32 μM and 0.25 μM for colorimetric and fluorescence detection, respectively. Moreover, a smartphone-assisted colorimetric array sensor was constructed to distinguish six sulfur-containing compounds according to the difference in the degree of inhibition of nanozyme activity by different sulfur-containing compounds. The array sensor could distinguish sulfur-containing compounds at low concentration as low as 0.4 μM. The results validated that the designed sensor was a convenient and fast platform, which could be utilized as a reliably portable tool for the efficient and accurate detection of BDT and the discrimination of multiple sulfur compounds in real water samples. [Display omitted] • g-C 3 N 4 @ Cu, N-CDs were prepared by facile and economic method. • g-C 3 N 4 @ Cu, N-CDs exhibited strong peroxidase-like activity. • Smartphone-assisted sensor for sensitive detection of benzenedithiol was established. • Designed smartphone-assisted array sensor discriminated sulfur-containing compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes impairs fracture healing. We tested the hypothesis that diabetes affects chondrocytes to impair fracture healing through a mechanism that involves the transcription factor FOXO1. Type 1 diabetes was induced by streptozotocin in mice with FOXO1 deletion in chondrocytes (Col2α1Cre+FOXO1L/L) or littermate controls (Col2α1Cre-FOXO1L/L) and closed femoral fractures induced. Diabetic mice had 77% less cartilage and 30% less bone than normoglycemics evaluated histologically and by micro-computed tomography. Both were reversed with lineage-specific FOXO1 ablation. Diabetic mice had a threefold increase in osteoclasts and a two- to threefold increase in RANKL mRNA or RANKL-expressing chondrocytes compared with normoglycemics. Both parameters were rescued by FOXO1 ablation in chondrocytes. Conditions present in diabetes, high glucose (HG), and increased advanced glycation end products (AGEs) stimulated FOXO1 association with the RANKL promoter in vitro, and overexpression of FOXO1 increased RANKL promoter activity in luciferase reporter assays. HG and AGE stimulated FOXO1 nuclear localization, which was reversed by insulin and inhibitors of TLR4, histone deacetylase, nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen species. The results indicate that chondrocytes play a prominent role in diabetes-impaired fracture healing and that high levels of glucose, AGEs, and tumor necrosis factor-α, which are elevated by diabetes, alter RANKL expression in chondrocytes via FOXO1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turbocharged diesel engine is a typical multi-input multioutput system with strong couplings, actuator constraints, and fast dynamics. This paper addresses the exhaust emission regulation in turbocharged diesel engines using an explicit model predictive control (EMPC) approach, which allows tracking of the time-varying setpoint values generated by the supervisory level controller while satisfying the actuator constraints. The proposed EMPC framework consists of calibration, engine model identification, controller formulation, and state observer design. The proposed EMPC approach has a low computation requirement and is suitable for implementation in the engine control unit on board. The experimental results on a turbocharged Cat C6.6 diesel engine demonstrate that the EMPC controller significantly improves the tracking performance of the exhaust emission variables in comparison with the decoupled single-input single-output control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

PICOT was originally discovered as a protein kinase C (PKC) binding protein in human Jurkat T-lymphocytes in which it was found to modulate PKCθ-dependent functions. In addition, RT-PCR analysis suggested the expression of PICOT in a wide range of organs and cell types, including cells that are devoid of PKCθ. We aimed at analyzing the expression of the PICOT protein in mouse lymphoid organs, and to compare them with those of Jurkat T-lymphocytes and other cell lines. We also analyzed whether PICOT expression in T-lymphocytes is dependent on the presence of PKCθ, and whether it correlates with cell growth rate. Western blot analyses demonstrated PICOT expression in all lymphoid organs and cell lines tested. In addition, similar expression levels were observed in lymphoid organs of wild-type and PKCθ-null mice, suggesting that PICOT expression in T-lymphocytes is independent of PKCθ. However, PICOT expression levels were higher in Jurkat T-lymphocytes and other lymphoma cell lines compared to freshly isolated lymphocytes, while T-lymphocyte mitogens, such as concanavalin A, increased PICOT expression concomitantly with the induction of a faster T-lymphocyte growth rate. Finally, immunohistochemistry of freshly-isolated lymph nodes from Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients revealed significantly higher levels of PICOT in Hodgkin’s cells, compared to the normal surrounding lymphocytes. The present results show a direct correlation between PICOT expression levels and increased cell growth, both in vitro and in vivo, and suggest that immunostaining of PICOT might be useful for in situ identification of transformed cells, such as those of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a kind of chronic inflammatory skin disorder, while the long-term use of conventional therapies for this disease are limited by severe adverse effects. Novel small molecules associated with new therapeutic mechanisms are greatly needed. It is known that phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) plays a central role in regulating inflammatory responses through hydrolyzing intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), making PDE4 to be an important target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases (e.g. psoriasis). In our previous work, we identified a series of novel PDE4 inhibitors with a tetrahydroisoquinoline scaffold through structure-based drug design, among which compound 1 showed moderate inhibition activity against PDE4. In this study, a series of novel tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives were developed based on the crystal structure of PDE4D in complex with compound 1. Anti-inflammatory effects of these compounds were evaluated, and compound 36, with high safety, permeability and selectivity, exhibited significant inhibitory potency against the enzymatic activity of PDE4D and the TNF-α release from the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 and hPBMCs. Moreover, an in vivo study demonstrated that a topical administration of 36 achieved more significant efficacy than calcipotriol to improve the features of psoriasis-like skin inflammation. Overall, our study provides a basis for further development of tetrahydroisoquinoline-based PDE4 inhibitors against psoriasis. Image 1 • 51 tetrahydroisoquinolines derivatives as novel PDE4 inhibitors were designed, synthesized and evaluated. • The optimum compound 36 exhibited high safety, potency, permeability and selectivity in vitro. • The crystal structure of PDE4D in complex with compound 36 was solved. • Compound 36 exhibited superior therapeutic efficacy than calcipotriol against the IMQ-induced murine psoriasis-like skin inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]