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Abstract Quorum sensing (QS) inhibition has emerged as a promising target for directed drug design, providing an appealing strategy for developing antimicrobials, particularly against infections caused by drug‐resistant pathogens. In this study, we designed and synthesized a total of 33 β‐nitrostyrene derivatives using 1‐nitro‐2‐phenylethane (NPe) as the lead compound, to target the facultative anaerobic bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens. The QS‐inhibitory effects of these compounds were evaluated using S. marcescens NJ01 and the reporter strain Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. Among the 33 new β‐nitrostyrene derivatives, (E)‐1‐methyl‐4‐(2‐nitrovinyl)benzene (m‐NPe, compound 28) was proven to be a potent inhibitor that reduced biofilm formation of S. marcescens NJ01 by 79%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results revealed that treatment with m‐NPe (50 μg/ml) not only enhanced the susceptibility of the formed biofilms but also disrupted the architecture of biofilms by 84%. m‐NPe (50 μg/ml) decreased virulence factors in S. marcescens NJ01, reducing the activity of protease, prodigiosin, and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) by 36%, 72%, and 52%, respectively. In S. marcescens 4547, the activities of hemolysin and EPS were reduced by 28% and 40%, respectively, outperforming the positive control, vanillic acid (VAN). The study also found that the expression levels of QS‐ and biofilm‐related genes (flhD, fimA, fimC, sodB, bsmB, pigA, pigC, and shlA) were downregulated by 1.21‐ to 2.32‐fold. Molecular dynamics analysis showed that m‐NPe could bind stably to SmaR, RhlI, RhlR, LasR, and CviR proteins in a 0.1 M sodium chloride solution. Importantly, a microscale thermophoresis (MST) test revealed that SmaR could be a target protein for the screening of a quorum sensing inhibitor (QSI) against S. marcescens. Overall, this study highlights the efficacy of m‐NPe in suppressing the virulence factors of S. marcescens, identifying it as a new potential QSI and antibiofilm agent capable of restoring or improving antimicrobial drug sensitivity.

Abstract Pathologic α-synuclein (α-syn) spreads from cell-to-cell, in part, through binding to the lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (Lag3). Here we report that amyloid β precursor-like protein 1 (Aplp1) interacts with Lag3 that facilitates the binding, internalization, transmission, and toxicity of pathologic α-syn. Deletion of both Aplp1 and Lag3 eliminates the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the accompanying behavioral deficits induced by α-syn preformed fibrils (PFF). Anti-Lag3 prevents the internalization of α-syn PFF by disrupting the interaction of Aplp1 and Lag3, and blocks the neurodegeneration induced by α-syn PFF in vivo. The identification of Aplp1 and the interplay with Lag3 for α-syn PFF induced pathology deepens our insight about molecular mechanisms of cell-to-cell transmission of pathologic α-syn and provides additional targets for therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease and related α-synucleinopathies.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to compare breast cancer patients with pulmonary oligometastases (POM) and primary lung cancer (PLC) and to assess whether there were differences in clinical features, CT features, and survival outcomes between the two groups. Methods From January 2010 to December 2021, the clinical records of 437 with malignant pulmonary nodules who had breast cancer patients were reviewed. POM was identified in 45 patients and PLC in 43 patients after the initial detection of pulmonary nodules. The clinicopathological characteristics, CT appearance of pulmonary nodules, and survival of the two groups were compared. Results Stage II to IV breast tumors (p

Abstract Transit operation efficiency and service quality can be enhanced through the implementation of signal and speed control. Previous studies prefer to change driving speed in priority to alleviate the adverse effects of signal timing adjustment on social vehicles. The driving safety and fuel consumption of transit are ignored. To this end, a cooperative control method consisting of three models is proposed. The cooperative control strategy model provides optimal schemes for allocating transit priority time. Based on this, the adjustment of phase time and the transit speed trajectory with the lower fuel consumption are calculated by signal control model and speed control model, respectively. Especially, the signal control model is established in the background of green wave coordinated control to further protect the travelling benefits of social vehicles. The simulation is performed in SUMO to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that the cooperative control method improves the crossing efficiency and enhances the fuel economy of transit under different arrival speeds and lengths of control area. Compared with the general signal control, the proposed method can minimize traffic interference, which is particularly obvious in a higher degree of saturation.

Operation of EAST tokamak with full metal wall without any wall conditioning are attempted in 2023 and 2024 experimental campaign to address the issues related to ITER tungsten wall operation. It is found that H-mode plasma could be sustained even with a substantial increase in metallic impurity content caused by strong plasma-wall interaction under uncoated metal wall. Boronization wall conditioning is therefore performed to improve the plasma performance with higher injected power. This study aims to quantitatively assess the impact of boronization wall conditioning on metallic impurity concentration and behavior in the EAST tokamak. It is then proved to be an effective wall conditioning approach for significantly controlling high-Z impurity content. In this work, the impurity spectra at extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range measured by sets of fast-time-response and space-resolved EUV spectrometers are widely used in the data analysis. The variation in the boron content in plasma after boronization are investigated by monitoring the 2nd order of B V line at 48.59 Å. It is found that the persistence time of boron in EAST device after a boronization with 10 g of carborane (C2B10H12) is about 2000 s (∼150 shots) of discharge duration. The impact of different wall conditions (uncoated metal wall and boron coated wall) on metallic impurity content are then quantitatively studied. After boronization, the concentration of tungsten (CW) and molybdenum (CMo) dropped by 85 %, e. g., from 2.0 × 10-4 to 4.1 × 10-5 and from 4.6 × 10-5 to 6.3 × 10-6, respectively. While the concentration of copper (CCu) and iron (CFe) decreased by approximately 50 % and 65 %, respectively, e. g., from 4.3 × 10-5 to 2.1 × 10-5 and from 2.0 × 10-4 to 6.9 × 10-5. A comparison of the line emission profiles from tungsten ions of W26+ − W32+ and W43+ before and after boronization reveals an overall reduction in the intensity while without obvious change in the profile shape, which suggests a reduction in metallic impurities source after boronization instead of altering impurity transport in core plasma significantly.

Selenium (Se), as a vital stress ameliorant, possesses a beneficial effect on mediating detrimental effects of environmental threats. However, the mechanisms of Se in mitigating the deleterious effects of drought are still poorly understood. Gentiana macrophylla Pall. is a well-known Chinese medicinal herb, and its root, as the main medicinal site, has significant therapeutic effects. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the functions of Se on the seedling growth and physiobiochemical characteristics in G. macrophylla subjected to drought stress. The changes in microstructure and chloroplast ultrastructure of G. macrophylla leaves under drought exposure were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning electron microscopes and energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscope (SEM-EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Results revealed that drought stress induced a notable increase in oxidative toxicity in G. macrophylla, as evidenced by elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation (MDA), enhanced antioxidative response, decreased plant photosynthetic function, and inhibited plant growth. Chloroplasts integrity with damaged membranes and excess osmiophilic granule were observed in the drought-stressed plants. Se supplementation notably recovered the stomatal morphology, anatomical structure damage, and chloroplast ultrastructure of G. macrophylla leaves caused by drought exposure. Exogenous Se application markedly enhanced SPAD, photosynthetic stomatal exchange parameters, and photosystem II activity. Se supplementation significantly promoted the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT), while reducing levels of MDA, superoxide anion (O2–.) and H2O2, and improving membrane integrity. Furthermore, the ameliorative effects of Se were also suggested by increased contents of osmotic substances (soluble sugar and proline), boosted content of gentiopicroside and loganinic acid in roots, and alleviated the inhibition in plant growth and biomass. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of Se-treated G. macrophylla roots under drought stress demonstrated that Se-stimulated metabolites including O-H, C-H, N-H, C-N, and CO functional groups, were involved in resisting drought stress. Correlation analysis indicated an obvious negative correlation between growth parameters and MDA, O2–. and H2O2 content, while a positive correlation with photosynthetic gas exchange parameters. Principal component analysis (PCA) results explained the total variance into two principal components contributing the maximum (93.50 %) among the drought exposure with or without Se due to the various experiment indexes. In conclusion, Se exerts beneficial properties on drought-induced detrimental effects in G. macrophylla by relieving oxidative stress, improving photosynthesis indexes, PSII activity, regulating anatomical changes, altering levels of gentiopicroside and loganinic acid, and promoting growth of drought-stressed G. macrophylla.

The realization of high-parameter, long-pulse operation of a tokamak inevitably faces a number of safety and operational constraints, which need to be achieved through comprehensive in-situ monitoring and control of the wall materials. Laser speckle interferometry (LSI) has been proposed to diagnose changes in the surface topography of wall materials. An LSI-based experimental system has been established and a quantitative evaluation process has made for it. The accuracy, range, and uncertainty of measurement are determined by measuring the topography change resulting from laser ablation and pulsed laser deposition. The calculation of measurement uncertainty considers various sources of error such as measurement noise, residual flatness, measurement errors, and measurement repeatability. This evaluation provides an overview of the measurement performance and reliability of the experimental system and helps to clarify the advantages and limitations of LSI for wall surfaces diagnosis. The evaluation can also serve as a useful reference for optimizing the LSI-based measurement system for better adaption to the EAST diagnostic conditions.

Abstract A total of 40 fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) confined spontaneous combustion gangue coarse-aggregate concrete (SAC) specimens were subjected to axial compression tests and theoretical studies. The main analysis focused on the impact of the replacement rate of spontaneous combustion gangue (SCG), the type of CFRP confinement, and the number of CFRP layers on the axial compression performance of CFRP–PVC confined SAC (CFRP–PVC–SAC). The results show that CFRP–PVC confinement can effectively enhance the axial compressive capacity, axial deformation, and lateral deformation of the components. The increase in strength ranges from 1.68 to 3.48 times, while the increase in strain ranges from 5.21 to 11.98 times. The crack patterns and expansive behavior of the coal gangue concrete under confinement exhibit significant differences compared to ordinary concrete. In addition, based on the framework of the existing FRP-confined plain concrete model, a modified model is established to facilitate prediction of stress–strain relationships for short columns of CFRP–PVC–SAC, with the calculated results in good agreement with experimental values.

This paper delves into the impact of the damage accumulation effect, which leads to the degradation of material strength and stiffness, on the seismic resistance of transmission towers. Building upon the elastic–plastic finite element theory, a mixed hardening constitutive model is derived for circular steel tubes, standard elements in transmission towers, incorporating the damage accumulation effect. A user material subroutine, UMAT, is created within the LS–DYNA framework. The program’s validity and reliability are established through axial constant–amplitude loading tests on single steel tubes. The subroutine is employed to conduct the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) of an individual transmission tower and to contrast it with the structure utilizing the Plastic Kinematic material model, assessing the discrepancies in tower top displacements and segment damage indices (SDIs) at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. The results shows that the Plastic Kinematic model inflates the seismic performance of the transmission tower. When considering the damage accumulation effect in structural failure, the damage index of the members increases, leading to a reduction in both the structural strength and stiffness. The dynamic response in the plastic phase becomes more pronounced, and the onset of structural failure is accelerated. Consequently, structural analysis under seismic conditions should account for the damage accumulation process. Through the delineation of member and segment damage, the extent of damage to transmission tower segments can be quantitatively assessed. Subsequently, the ultimate load–bearing capacity and the most vulnerable location of the transmission tower can be ascertained. Finally, this paper provides a detailed analysis of the transmission tower collapse process under seismic action and summarizes the mechanism of collapse for the structure.

A novel machine learning method, named CatBoost-DF (CatBoost deep forest), is proposed to solve this existing problem of low accuracy and lack of practicality in thermal sensation prediction. In the CatBoost-DF, a cascading strategy is introduced to strengthen the association between each layer of CatBoost. To verify the accuracy and robustness of CatBoost-DF, experiments collected physiological and environmental data from hundreds of subjects with the help of sensor devices and questionnaires. Compared with existing state-of-the-art machine learning methods, CatBoost-DF shows significant superiority, with a prediction accuracy of 90%, which is 4%-39% higher than other models. Moreover, the study explored the effects of seasonal and gender factors on thermal sensation. Result shown that different seasons have different thermal sensation for males and females. Finally, CatBoost-DF is applied to predict occupants’ thermal sensation, and the “comfort range” of the important parameters HR, WS, and CTR that affect the thermal sensation is calculated experimentally.

Abstract Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) was built to demonstrate high-power, long-pulse operations under fusion-relevant conditions, with major radius R = 1.9 m, minor radius a = 0.5 m, and design pulse length up to 1000s. It has an ITER-like D-shaped cross-section with two symmetric divertors at the top and bottom, accommodating both single null and double null divertor configurations. EAST construction was started in 2000, and its first plasma was successfully obtained in 2006. In the past 15 years, plasma-facing components, plasma heating, diagnostics, and other systems have been upgraded step by step to meet its mission on exploring of the scientific and technological bases for fusion reactors and studying the physics and engineering technology issues with long pulse steady-state operation. An advanced steady-state plasma operation scenario has been developed, and plasma parameters were greatly improved. Meanwhile, front physics on the magnetic confinement plasmas have been systemically investigated and lots of fruitful results were realized, covering transport and confinement, MHD stabilities, pedestal physics, divertor and scrap-off layer (SOL) physics, and energetic particle physics. This brief review of EAST on engineering upgrading, stand-steady operation scenario development, and plasma physics investigation would be useful for the reference on construction and operation of a superconducting tokamak, such as ITER and future fusion reactor.

Abstract Under the creep action of composite steel and concrete beams reinforced by carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheet, the face of the CFRP sheet, steel beam, and concrete slab beam produce relative slip. This slip affects the interface interaction, reduces the bearing capacity and stiffness of the members, and increases the deformation. In this paper, elastic and energy methods are used to analyze the interface forces between steel beams and concrete slabs reinforced by CFRP sheeting under the action of concrete creep. The calculation formulas for interface slip, axial force, and incremental deformation are established. The influence of design parameters on the mechanical properties of the interface is analyzed. Results show that the increments in interface slip, axial force, and deformation are zero on the 28th day. With increasing age, the increments in interface slip, axial force, and deformation gradually increase, and the increase is large in the first 100 days; it basically remains unchanged during the time interval from 100 to 1028 days. When the load increases by 5 N/mm (5 kN), the slip increments increase by approximately 0.004 mm, 0.002 mm, and 0.002 mm. The increments in axial force are approximately 19.4 kN, 15.9 kN, and 16.1 kN. The deformation increments increase by approximately 1.7 mm, 1.1 mm, and 0.6 mm.

Acquired peripheral hearing loss in midlife is considered the primary modifiable risk factor for dementia, while the underlying pathological mechanism remains poorly understood. Excessive noise exposure is the most common cause of acquired peripheral hearing loss in modern society. This study was designed to investigate the impact of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) on cognition, with a focus on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain region that is involved in both auditory and cognitive processes and is highly affected in patients with cognitive impairment. Adult C57BL/6 J mice were randomly assigned to a control group and seven noise groups: 0HPN, 12HPN, 1DPN, 3DPN, 7DPN, 14DPN, and 28DPN, which were exposed to broadband noise at a 123 dB sound pressure level (SPL) for 2 h and sacrificed immediately (0 h), 12 h, or 1, 3, 7, 14, or 28 days post-noise exposure (HPN, DPN), respectively. Hearing assessment, behavioral tests, and neuromorphological studies in the mPFC were performed in control and 28DPN mice. All experimental animals were included in the time-course analysis of serum corticosterone (CORT) levels and mPFC microglial morphology. The results illustrated that noise exposure induced early-onset transient serum CORT elevation and permanent moderate-to-severe hearing loss in mice. 28DPN mice, in which permanent NIHL has been verified, exhibited impaired performance in temporal order object recognition tasks concomitant with reduced structural complexity of mPFC pyramidal neurons. The time-course immunohistochemical analysis in the mPFC revealed significantly higher morphological microglial activation at 14 and 28 DPN, preceded by a remarkably higher amount of microglial engulfed postsynaptic marker PSD95 at 7 DPN. Additionally, lipid accumulation in microglia was observed in 7DPN, 14DPN and 28DPN mice, suggesting a driving role of lipid handling deficits following excessive phagocytosis of synaptic elements in delayed and sustained microglial abnormalities. These findings provide fundamentally novel information concerning mPFC-related cognitive impairment in mice with NIHL and empirical evidence suggesting the involvement of microglial malfunction in the mPFC neurodegenerative consequences of NIHL.

Recent experimental results from the EAST superconducting tokamak with a full metal wall (without Li-coating) provide strong support for the ITER startup scheme with electron cyclotron wave (ECW) assistance. Detailed investigations were performed on the impact of different magnetic field geometries, including quadrupolar field configuration (QFC), wide null field configuration (NFC), and trapped particle configuration (TPC). All three configurations enabled the breakdown of neutral gas with ECW pre-ionization. However, in most discharges with QFC, the absence of closed flux surfaces after the breakdown was associated with unsuccessful plasma startups. Conversely, both NFC and TPC achieved successful plasma startups under normal conditions, with TPC demonstrating higher robustness against high impurity levels compared to NFC. Experiments found that the minimum ECW power required for a successful TPC startup is approximately 0.48 MW. Plasma startup failed if the prefill gas pressure exceeded optimal levels for a given ECW power ( $ \unicode{x2A7E} {\text{0}}{\text{.48}}$ MW), with the critical gas pressure linearly dependent on the ECW power. Additionally, higher ECW power was required with increased impurity levels. With ECW assistance, the toroidal electric field at $R = 1.85{\text{ m}}$ in EAST routine operations ( ${{ < }}0.15{\text{ V}}\,{{\text{m}}^{ - 1}}$ ) is significantly lower than ITER’s maximum value (0.3 V m ^−1 ), suggesting the possibility of reducing flux consumption and lowering demands on coils and power supplies for ITER.

Operation in the quiescent regime with abundant trapped energetic electrons (EEs) has been achieved during the current flattop in EAST low-density Ohmic plasmas. This was facilitated by increasing the electron density to a specified level and subsequently reducing it slowly, resulting in the accumulation of a sufficient number of trapped EEs within the energy range of 150–250 keV. During the phase of decreasing electron density, toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) were observed to be excited by these EEs, with frequencies falling within the range of about 100–300 kHz. The experimental parameters were carefully set to satisfy the resonance conditions for TAE excitation by EEs, aligning well with predictions from ideal MHD theory. Statistical analysis indicated different density dependencies between the frequencies of TAEs and the Alfvén frequencies, due to their different radial excitation positions. The radial positions of the TAEs were found to be influenced by the energy distribution and the evolution of trapped EEs, which in turn were affected by the decay rate of electron density and loop voltage. Measurements of Hard x-rays confirmed an energy distribution characterized by a ‘bump-on-tail’ shape, with the TAEs observed near the energy bump. Theoretical considerations also demonstrate the possibility that the e-TAE can be driven unstable under this experiment condition even if the mode does not rotate in the electron-diamagnetic drift direction.

Since the last IAEA-FEC in 2021, significant progress on the development of long pulse steady state scenario and its related key physics and technologies have been achieved, including the reproducible 403 s long-pulse steady-state H-mode plasma with pure radio frequency (RF) power heating. A thousand-second time scale (∼1056 s) fully non-inductive plasma with high injected energy up to 1.73 GJ has also been achieved. The EAST operational regime of high β _P has been significantly extended ( H _98y2 > 1.3, β _P ∼ 4.0, β _N ∼ 2.4 and n _e / n _GW ∼ 1.0) using RF and neutral beam injection (NBI). The full edge localized mode suppression using the n = 4 resonant magnetic perturbations has been achieved in ITER-like standard type-I ELMy H-mode plasmas with q _95 ≈ 3.1 on EAST, extrapolating favorably to the ITER baseline scenario. The sustained large ELM control and stable partial detachment have been achieved with Ne seeding. The underlying physics of plasma-beta effect for error field penetration, where toroidal effect dominates, is disclosed by comparing the results in cylindrical theory and MARS-Q simulation in EAST. Breakdown and plasma initiation at low toroidal electric fields (

High-Z impurity accumulation suppression and mitigation in core plasma is frequently observed in EAST edge localized mode mitigation experiments by using resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP) coils. To study the individual effects of the RMP field on impurity transport, based on high-performance extreme ultraviolet impurity spectroscopic diagnostics, the effect of the n = 1 ( n is the toroidal mode number) RMP field on the behavior of intrinsic impurity ions at the plasma edge, e.g. He ^+ , Li ^2+ , C ^2+ –C ^5+ , O ^5+ , Fe ^8+ , Fe ^15+ , Fe ^17+ , Fe ^22+ , Cu ^17+ , Mo ^12+ , Mo ^13+ and W ^27+ , is analyzed for the first time in L-mode discharges. Based on the evaluation of the location of these impurity ions, it is found that with the increase in RMP current ( I _RMP ), an impurity screening layer inside the last closed flux surface is formed, e.g. at ρ = 0.74–0.96, which is also the region that the RMP field affects. Outside this screening layer, the impurity ion flux of He ^+ , Li ^2+ , C ^2+ , C ^3+ , O ^5+ , Fe ^8+ , Mo ^12+ and Mo ^13+ ions increases gradually, while inside this screening layer, the impurity ion flux of C ^4+ , C ^5+ , Cu ^17+ , W ^27+ , Fe ^15+ , Fe ^17+ and Fe ^22+ ions decreases gradually. When I _RMP is higher than a threshold value, RMP field penetration occurs, accompanied with m / n = 2/1 mode locking, and the position of this screening layer moves to the plasma core region, i.e. ρ = 0.66–0.76, close to the q = 2 surface, and the opposite behavior of the impurity ion flux at two sides of the screening layer is strengthened dramatically. As a result, significant decontamination effects in the plasma core region, indicated by the factor of (( Γ _Imp ^Z+ ) _w/o –( Γ _Imp ^Z+ ))/( Γ _Imp ^Z+ ) _w/o (where ( Γ _Imp ^Z+ )/( Γ _Imp ^Z+ ) _w/o denotes the impurity ion flux ratio with and without RMP), is observed, i.e. 30%–60% for heavy impurity (Fe, Cu, Mo, W), and ∼27% for light impurity of C. In addition, the analysis of the decontamination effects of C and Fe impurities under four different RMP phase configurations shows that it may be related to the strength of the response of the plasma to RMP. These results enhance the understanding of impurity accumulation suppression by the n = 1 RMP field and demonstrate a candidate approach using RMP coils for W control in magnetic confinement devices.

The high-Z impurity accumulation in the plasma core could degrade the plasma performance and may affect sawtooth crash and trigger tearing modes (TMs) in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST). Triggering of m/n = 3/2 TM (m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively) and m/n = 2/1 TM by a large sawtooth crash is observed and studied under the condition of high-Z impurity accumulation in core plasma in EAST tokamak. This work mainly focuses on the relationship among impurity, sawtooth crashes, and TMs. When there is a certain amount of impurity in the plasma core, sawtooth crash leads to impurity transport, resulting the changes in impurity concentration, and by inducing the density perturbation near the rational surface, TMs become destabilized. The experimental analyses indicate that the outward impurity transport after a sawtooth crash plays an important role in the destabilization of TMs.

Obesity has become one of the major threats to human health across the globe. The rhizomes of Polygonatum sibiricum have shown promising anti-obesity effect. However, the metabolic and genetic basis mediating this beneficial effect are not fully resolved. It is well known that older rhizomes of P. sibiricum exert stronger pharmacological effects. Here, we performed high-resolution metabolome profiling of P. sibiricum rhizomes at different growth stages, and identified that three candidate anti-obesity metabolites, namely phloretin, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, accumulated more in adult rhizomes. To elucidate the genetic basis controlling the accumulation of these metabolites, we performed transcriptome profiling of rhizomes from juvenile and adult P. sibiricum. Through third-generation long-read sequencing, we built a high-quality transcript pool of P. sibiricum, and resolved the genetic pathways involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of phloretin, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed altered expression of the genetic pathways in adult rhizomes, which likely lead to higher accumulation of these candidate metabolites. Overall, we identified several metabolic and genetic signatures related to the anti-obesity effect of P. sibiricum. The metabolic and transcriptional datasets generated in this work could also facilitate future research on other beneficial effects of this medicinal plant.

In this study, the multifaceted asymmetric radiation from the edge (MARFE) was observed in high-density discharges or during impurity gas injection on the EAST tokamak. The MARFE onset indicated by spectral and radiation signals can also be detected by the POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) diagnostic, which measures the horizontal line-integrated density and the Faraday rotation. The fluctuation amplitude of the density signal resulting from the MARFE oscillation increases with the edge safety factor, which is consistent with the thermal instability theory. By combining density and the Faraday rotation, the local current shrinkage in the MARFE region is observed during the MARFE movement. The density and the current profile calculated by the POINT become more peak during the MARFE, which may lead to a strong magnetohydrodynamic instability that can result in disruption.

Cotton gauze is widely used as haemostatic material for bleeding control, but its high blood absorption capacity can to cause extra blood loss. Here, the authors develop a cotton gauze whose surface is modified with a catechol compound featuring a flexible long hydrophobic alkyl chain which demonstrates excellent haemostatic performance.

Tissue adhesive with on-demand detachment feature is critically important since it can minimize hurt to patient when it is stripped away. Herein, a water-driven noninvasively detachable wet tissue adhesive hydrogel (w-TAgel) was produced by UV-initiated radical copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), acrylamide (AAm), gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), and urushiol. As a w-TAgel, its robust and tough mechanical property makes it suitable for dynamic wound tissue. The polyurushiol segments of it are crucial to the formation of tough adhesion interface with various wet tissues, while polyNIPAM units play an indispensable role in on-demand detachment via thermo-responsive swelling behavior because the hydrophobic aggregation among isopropyl groups is destroyed upon water treatment with temperature of 25 ​°C or less. Additionally, it exhibits multiple merits including good hemocompatibility, cytocompatibility as well as pro-coagulant activity and hemostasis. Therefore, our w-TAgel with strong adhesion and facile detachment is an advanced prospective dressing for wound closure and rapid hemostasis. The wet tissue adhesion and water-driven detachable mechanism may shed new light on the development of on-demand noninvasively detachable wet tissue adhesives.

One of the major responsibilities for forest police is forest fire prevention and forecasting; therefore, accurate and timely fire detection is of great importance and significance. We compared several deep learning networks based on the You Only Look Once (YOLO) framework to detect forest flames with the help of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. We used the open datasets of the Fire Luminosity Airborne-based Machine Learning Evaluation (FLAME) to train the YOLOv5 and its sub-versions, together with YOLOv3 and YOLOv4, under equal conditions. The results show that the YOLOv5n model can achieve a detection speed of 1.4 ms per frame, which is higher than that of all the other models. Furthermore, the algorithm achieves an average accuracy of 91.4%. Although this value is slightly lower than that of YOLOv5s, it achieves a trade-off between high accuracy and real-time. YOLOv5n achieved a good flame detection effect in the different forest scenes we set. It can detect small target flames on the ground, it can detect fires obscured by trees or disturbed by the environment (such as smoke), and it can also accurately distinguish targets that are similar to flames. Our future work will focus on improving the YOLOv5n model so that it can be deployed directly on UAV for truly real-time and high-precision forest flame detection. Our study provides a new solution to the early prevention of forest fires at small scales, helping forest police make timely and correct decisions.

Abstract In a new application scenario where the millimetre‐wave radar is installed above the road for detecting traffic flow in downward looking direction, the original data of the radar includes all kinds of background noises and false targets. In order to acquire effective vehicle trajectories, a two‐step abnormal data processing method for millimetre‐wave radar in traffic flow detection application is proposed. In the first step, the rational range of distance, angle and speed are studied, and proper thresholds are presented for reducing the samples of which the single parameter is with the obvious abnormality. Moreover, the nearest neighbour analysis method is used to further extract vehicle trajectories based on the similarity and slope characteristics of each sample to its neighbours. Taking actual detected data as samples, the weighting coefficients, similarity threshold, average slope threshold and standard deviation threshold are calibrated for the proposed nearest neighbour analysis method. The two‐step processing method presents a higher performance in extracting effective trajectory samples, and the ratio of noise points is reduced to 4.1%, compared with 239.9% in the original data sample. The proposed method can provide an effective reference for further applications, such as driving behaviour analysis and traffic flow parameter identification.

Shear thickening fluid (STF) is a dense colloidal suspension of nanoparticles in a carrier fluid in which the viscosity increases dramatically with a rise in shear rate. Due to the excellent energy absorption and energy dissipation of STF, there is a desire to employ STFs in a variety of impact applications. In this study, a comprehensive review on STFs’ applications is presented. First, several common shear thickening mechanisms are discussed in this paper. The applications of different STF impregnated fabric composites and the STF’s contributions on improving the impact, ballistic and stab resistance performance have also been presented. Moreover, recent developments of STF’s applications, including dampers and shock absorbers, are included in this review. In addition, some novel applications (acoustic structure, STF-TENG and electrospun nonwoven mats) based on STF are summarized, to suggest the challenges of future research and propose some more deterministic research directions, e.g., potential trends for applications of STF.

After a vacuum failure in a tokamak, plasma runaway or plasma disruptions frequently occur during plasma recovery, causing difficulties in rebuilding a well-confined collisional plasma. In this work, the impurity behavior during plasma recovery after a vacuum failure in the 2019 spring campaign of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) was studied by analyzing the spectra recorded by fast-time-response extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometers with 5 ms/frame. During the plasma current ramp-up in recovery discharges, a high content of the low-Z impurities of oxygen and carbon was found, i.e., dozens of times higher than that of normal discharges, which may have caused the subsequent runaway discharges. The electron temperature in the recovery discharge may have dropped to less than 75 eV when the collisional plasma quenched to the runaway status, based on the observable impurity ions in the two cases. Therefore, the lifetime of collisional plasma in the recovery discharge, τc, was deduced from the lifetime of H- and He-like oxygen and carbon ions identified from EUV spectra. It was found that, after several discharges with real-time lithium granule injection, the runaway electron flux and O+ influx reduced to 45% and 20%, respectively. Meanwhile, the lifetime of confined plasma was extended from 113 ms to 588 ms, indicating the effective suppression of impurities and runaway electrons and improvement in plasma performance by real-time lithium granule injection. The results in this work provide valuable references for the achievement of first plasma in future superconducting fusion devices such as ITER and CFETR.

Against the background of increasing installed capacity of wind power in the power generation system, high-precision ultra-short-term wind power prediction is significant for safe and reliable operation of the power generation system. We present a method for ultra-short-term wind power prediction based on a copula function, bivariate empirical mode decomposition (BEMD) algorithm and gated recurrent unit (GRU) neural network. First we use the copula function to analyze the nonlinear correlation between wind power and external factors to extract the key factors influencing wind power generation. Then the joint data composed of the key factors and wind power are decomposed into a series of stationary subsequence data by a BEMD algorithm which can decompose the bivariate data jointly. Finally, the prediction model based on a GRU network uses the decomposed data as the input to predict the power output in the next four hours. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of ultra-short-term wind power prediction.

In order to solve the problem of harmonic waves caused by battery energy storage (BES) and distributed generation (DG) inverters in an active distribution network, an intelligent optimal dispatching method based on a modified flower pollination algorithm (MFPA) is proposed. Firstly, the active distribution network dispatching model considering the power quality (PQ) problem caused by BES and DG is proposed. In this model, the objective function considers the additional network loss caused by a harmonic wave, as well as the constraints of the harmonic wave and voltage unbalance. Then, the MFPA is an improvement of a flower pollination algorithm (FPA). Because the MFPA has the characteristics of higher solution accuracy and better convergence than the FPA and it is not easy to fall into local optimal, the MFPA is used to solve the proposed model. Finally, simulation experiments are carried out on IEEE 37 bus and IEEE 123 bus systems, respectively. The experimental results show that this method can achieve satisfactory power quality while optimizing the total active power loss of the branch. The comparative experimental results show that the developed algorithm has better convergence than the FPA.

Based on the theory of sway frame column, the equation of the effective length factor was derived in this paper. Combined with the characteristics of semi-rigid joints, the linear stiffness correction factor of horizontal bar was introduced, and the equation of effective length correction factor was obtained. By using MATLAB programming method, the three-dimensional relationship between the effective length correction factor and the influencing factors was obtained, and the entire process of the stability bearing capacity of the disc-buckle type high support system was described in detail, which improves the stability calculation theory of the high support system. The influence of setting parameters, joint bending stiffness, geometrical size, and material properties on the effective length correction factor is studied. Simultaneously, the joint bending stiffness of semi-rigid joints is determined. The area of the effective length correction factor is analyzed to optimize the design of the setting scheme using horizontal bars and vertical poles of different sizes. The results show that the lift height significantly affects the effective length correction factor during the load bearing process; the factor decreases with increasing lift height. Large transverse and longitudinal distances influence this rule during the initial load bearing. When the joint bending stiffness is less than 100 (kN·m)/rad, the effective length correction factor decreases rapidly with an increase in joint bending stiffness. When the joint bending stiffness is greater than 100 (kN·m)/rad, the effective length correction factor is unaffected by the joint bending stiffness. When the joint bending stiffness is large at initiation of loading, the effective length correction factor decreases with an increase in the outer diameter of the horizontal bar. When the joint bending stiffness is small, the effective length correction factor increases with an increase in the section size of the vertical pole. Therefore, the outer diameter of the horizontal bar significantly affects the effective length correction factor, and a larger diameter is more conducive to the overall stability. Furthermore, the elastic modulus effects the effective length correction factor for the unstable support system.

Recently, various technologies for targeted gene release in cancer treatment have emerged. However, most of these strategies are facing the challenge of untraceable distribution and poor antitumour treatment effects. In this study, we constructed a gene delivery system that integrated a series of components to assemble multifunctional NPs, providing a promising theranostic nanoplatform for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy. Cationized amylose (CA), superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles (NPs), and tetraphenylethylene (TPE) were self-assembled to form nanospheres (CSP/TPE). The prepared NPs was modified with SP94 pepide through amidation reaction, and then survivin small interfering RNA (siRNA) were loaded into the NPs to form CSP/TPE@siRNA-SP94 NPs. Our results showed that the prepared NPs had good size distribution, high RNA condensation and transfection ability. CSP/TPE@siRNA-SP94 NPs exhibited excellent fluorescence and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging properties in vitro and in vivo. The prepared targeted NPs improved Huh-7 cellular uptake in vitro, and the biodistribution of CSP/TPE@siRNA-SP94 in vivo was observed through in/ex vivo fluorescence imaging system and MRI. As survivin siRNA effectively retained in tumour cells, CSP/TPE@siRNA-SP94 NPs considerably inhibited tumour growth in vivo. In addition, H&E staining results showed that all the prepared CSP-based NPs had good biocompatibilities, as few histological changes or tumour metastasis were observed in major organs of the mice in the treatment group. Therefore, we envisage that the prepared CSP/TPE@siRNA-SP94 NPs can represent a promising strategy for HCC diagnosis and treatment.

Ion temperature ( T _i ) profiles are commonly observed to increase in peaking, leading to higher central T _i , after impurity seeding in the EAST H-mode plasma. Argon can be more efficient at raising T _i than neon. Toroidal rotation can also be enhanced in scenarios with NBI heating. A more significant increase in toroidal rotation is brought about by seeding argon than seeding neon. Turbulence is experimentally observed to be suppressed. Extensive modeling using the quasilinear gyrokinetic code QuaLiKiz is performed to explain the above observations. It is found that the enhanced T _i can always be explained by the turbulence stabilization. However, the mechanism of turbulence stabilization is related to heating methods and the seeding impurity species. In the pure RF (ECRH + LHW) heating scenarios, where only the trapped electron mode (TEM) exists, argon can stabilize the TEM more significantly than neon due to its higher charge and heavier mass. In scenarios with increasing NBI power, the ion heat flux can be dominated by the ion temperature gradient (ITG), thus the enhanced T _i is mainly attributed to ITG stabilization. In these cases, except argon’s ability to more efficiently stabilize TEM, more evident increased toroidal rotation brought about by argon seeding can also be beneficial to stabilize turbulence.

Recently, stationary plasma with a world-record pulse length of 1056 s was achieved on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). In this work, the core magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) events as well as mode coupling processes have been investigated in EAST long pulse operation with electron heating dominant and pure radio frequency wave heating low collisionality, by using several diagnostics and the nonlinear numerical code M3D together. A saturated m / n = 1/1 kink mode was observed in the core region, where a stable internal transport barrier was found in the electron temperature channel. The frequencies and 2D structures of these modes were studied by a combination of soft X-ray (SXR) imaging and electron cyclotron emission diagnostics. The frequency of the m / n = 1/1 mode exhibited a feature of chirping down with time, and this chirping rate corresponds to the rate of electron diamagnetic drift frequency change. A twisted pattern (‘Taichi structure in shape’) was reconstructed by SXR tomography of the m / n = 1/1 mode. The perturbations of electron temperature and density caused by m / n = 1/1 are different in size, the latter one being much smaller. The destabilization of m / n = 1/1 was due to the strong central heating combined with electron cyclotron resonance heating and lower hybrid current drive. In the presence of the m / n = 1/1 mode, a negative current was generated on the magnetic axis, which anomalously broadened the core current profile. A m / n = 3/2 tearing mode triggered by m / n = 1/1 mode was also observed. The m / n = 3/2 mode has a smaller frequency than the m / n = 1/1 mode, and carries an m / n = 3/2 island with detectable size. A novel 3D MHD model that separately evolves the plasma density and temperature is applied to the m / n = 3/2 triggered by m / n = 1/1. It is found that a toroidal current density at the q = 1.5 surface, caused by non-axisymmetric density perturbation during the m / n = 1/1 nonlinear growth phase, was generated and hence the destabilization of the m / n = 3/2 tearing mode. Both the modeled electron temperature and density perturbations agree well with experimental observations. In the last section of this paper, the interaction between the m / n = 1/1 mode and fast electrons as well as the active control of this mode are also presented.

Concerning roadside traffic detection applications, and to address the millimeter-wave radar’s missing data problem caused by target occlusion or the absence of features in low-speed conditions, this paper proposes a trajectory compensation method regarding car-following behavior. Referring to the installation scheme of the detector, a coordinate transformation method is presented to unify the radar spatial coordinates with the road coordinates. Considering the driver’s car-following behavior, the optimal velocity model (OV), full velocity difference model (FVD), and the full velocity difference and acceleration (FVDA) model are applied for tracking the vehicle’s trajectory related to the movement of the vehicle ahead. Finally, a data compensation scheme is presented. Taking actual trajectory data as samples, the proposed methods are verifiably useful for compensating for missing data and reconstructing target trajectories. Statistical results of different missing data trajectories demonstrate the rationality of the application of car-following models for the missing data compensation, and the FVDA model performs well compared with the OV and FVD models.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most prevalent forms of acquired hearing loss, and it is associated with aberrant microglial status and reduced hippocampal neurogenesis; however, the nature of these associations is far from being elucidated. Beyond its direct effects on the auditory system, exposure to intense noise has previously been shown to acutely activate the stress response, which has increasingly been linked to both microglial activity and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in recent years. Given the pervasiveness of noise pollution in modern society and the important implications of either microglial activity or hippocampal neurogenesis for cognitive and emotional function, this study was designed to investigate how microglial status and hippocampal neurogenesis change over time following acoustic exposure and to analyze the possible roles of the noise exposure-induced stress response and hearing loss in these changes. To accomplish this, adult male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to either a control or noise exposure (NE) group. Auditory function was assessed by measuring ABR thresholds at 20 days post noise exposure. The time-course profile of serum corticosterone levels, microglial status, and hippocampal neurogenesis during the 28 days following noise exposure were quantified by ELISA or immunofluorescence staining. Our results illustrated a permanent moderate-to-severe degree of hearing loss, an early but transient increase in serum corticosterone levels, and time-dependent dynamic alterations in microglial activation status and hippocampal neurogenesis, which both present an early but transient change and a late but enduring change. These findings provide evidence that both the stress response and hearing loss contribute to the dynamic alterations of microglia and hippocampal neurogenesis following noise exposure; moreover, noise-induced permanent hearing loss rather than noise-induced transient stress is more likely to be responsible for perpetuating the neurodegenerative process associated with many neurological diseases.

The retroreflectors in EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) are important optical components of Polarimeter-Interferometer (POINT) system, working as the first mirrors to reflect the incident far-infrared laser. The surface morphology changing of the retroreflector has a direct impact on the optical reflection accuracy and it will generate a significant influence on EAST plasma density measurement and plasma current distribution diagnosis. Therefore, it is essential to research the surface morphology changing of the retroreflector systematically. Laser speckle interferometry technique is considered as a most promising method for real-time monitoring the PFMs surface morphology changing at plasma discharge intervals in the near future and its measurement accuracy and reliability have been adequately verified in the laboratory. One retroreflector served in 2019–2020 EAST Campaign is selected as a representative, compared with a brand-new retroreflector, to demonstrate that microscale surface morphology changing occurred on the internal reflection planes after bearing a whole EAST campaign plasma interaction. Meanwhile, the surface morphology of each internal reflection plane appears severely different features. Further research and analysis of the surface morphology are more contributed to evaluating the damage states of the retroreflector and providing more suggestions for the improvement and protection of the retroreflector. The surface morphology reconstruction results are given through a 3D visual exhibition and laser speckle interferometry technique is proposing a new research perspective for PWI research.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (NRF2, also known as NFE2L2), are two of the most complicated transcription regulators, which participate in a variety of physiological processes. Numerous studies have shown that they are overactivated in multiple types of tumors. Interestingly, STAT3 and NRF2 can also interact with each other to regulate tumor progression. Hence, these two important transcription factors are considered key targets for developing a new class of antitumor drugs. This review summarizes the pivotal roles of the two transcription regulators and their interactions in the tumor microenvironment to identify potential antitumor drug targets and, ultimately, improve patients’ health and survival.

Rape pollen has always been considered as a research hotspot in health foods and pharmaceuticals due to its abundance of natural active ingredients. In this work, a compound with antioxidant activity was directly isolated from the methanol extract of rape pollen using a two-step procedure, under the supervision of online HPLC−1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (HPLC-DPPH) detection. Firstly, online HPLC−DPPH detection was used to identify the active peaks in the methanol extract of rape pollen, and then the methanol extract was pretreated via medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) to obtain the target fraction 3 (Fr3). Fr3 was further purified using HPLC to finally obtain the target fraction 3-1, which was identified as kaempferol 3,4′-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside through NMR and mass spectrometry. To further explore the free radical scavenging activity of this compound, its DPPH scavenging ability was determined, and two proteins related to the antioxidant pathway were used for molecular docking. The results revealed that the chromatographic strategy used in this study was efficient and reliable in separating high−purity antioxidants from rape pollen. A strategy such as this, meanwhile, also holds promise for qualitatively identifying and specifically isolating active compounds from other natural products.

In order to study the axial compression property of a GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced polymer) tube-confined coal gangue steel fiber short concrete column, a test was carried out. The whole process of deformation and failure of the specimen under axial compression load was observed, and the whole process of the stress–strain curve of the specimen was obtained. The results show that the thickness of the GFRP tube has the most significant effect on the mechanical properties. The thickness of the 7 mm tube is 4.3 times the axial ultimate stress and 21.5 times the ultimate strain of the unconstrained short column. Under a certain volume fraction, the ultimate axial strain of the wave fiber is 10.1% higher than that of the hook fiber short column, and the ductility coefficient is 9.6% higher. The fiber volume fraction significantly increases the strain of the short column, and the 3% fiber content is 50.1% higher than that of the non-fiber short column. Finally, three classical strength models of confined concrete were selected for comparative calculation, and a new stress correction model was proposed.

To evaluate the performance of wheel coupler formwork support components, the bearing capacity of the horizontal bar, the shear capacity of the wheel, the shear capacity of the sleeve, and the stability bearing capacity of the single- and double-layer vertical poles were investigated through systematic full-scale tests. The feasibility and correctness of the experiment were verified by comparing the results with those of a finite element analysis. The results demonstrated that the weak point of the horizontal bar was the bearing capacity of the weld at the connection between the socket and the horizontal bar. Preventing buckling failure of the weld at the connection between the horizontal bar and the socket was critical to ensure the bearing capacity of the horizontal bar. Under the action of a shearing force, the wheel underwent buckling failure of the welding seam at the connection between the wheel and the vertical pole. With a decreasing number of connecting horizontal bars on the wheel, the shear capacity of the wheel decreased significantly. The shear failure mode of the sleeve was buckling failure. The connection weld did not undergo buckling failure during the load-bearing process, which was basically meeting the serviceability state. The failure of a single-layer vertical pole was typical with lateral displacement buckling, while the double-layer vertical pole did not undergo buckling with lateral displacement.

To replace conventional concrete with coal gangue concrete in the construction industry, lateral cyclic loading tests were applied to three shear walls with different coal gangue replacement rates in this study, in which the replacement rate of coal gangue was 0%, 50%, and 100%. The load-displacement hysteretic curves and backbone curves of the shear walls obtained from tests were analyzed to compare the failure process and seismic performance of each shear wall. The results indicate that the stress performance and failure morphology of coal gangue concrete shear walls and conventional concrete shear walls are extremely similar, and the characteristics of the hysteretic and backbone curves are approximately the same. With the increase in the coal gangue replacement rate, the bearing capacity and ductility of the three shear walls gradually decrease, the strength degradation gradually becomes significant, and the energy dissipation capacity becomes worse, but the difference is not obvious, and all of them can meet the requirements of seismic performance. In addition, with the increase in the coal gangue replacement rate, the stiffness degradation gradually slows, so it is feasible to construct a shear wall using coal gangue concrete instead of conventional concrete.

Existing preparation methods for microdroplets usually require offline measurements to characterize single microdroplets. Here, we report an optical method used to facilitate the controllable formation and real-time characterization of single microdroplets. The optical tweezer technique was used to capture and form a microdroplet at the center of the trap. The controllable growth and real-time characterization of the microdroplet was realized, respectively, by adjusting experimental parameters and by resolving the Raman spectra by fitting Mie scattering to the spike positions of the spectra during the controllable growth of microdroplets. The proposed method can be potentially applied in optical microlenses and virus detection.

Bilingualism has been reported to significantly delay the onset of dementia and plays an important role in the management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a condition inducing impairment in the brain network and cognitive decline. Cognitive reserve is associated with the adaptive maintenance of neural functions by protecting against neuropathology. Bilingualism acts as a beneficial environmental factor contributing to cognitive reserve, although some potential confounding variables still need further elucidation. In this article, the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive reserve is discussed, interpreting the advantage of bilingualism in protecting against cognitive decline. In addition, the possible brain and biochemical mechanisms, supporting the advantageous effects of bilingualism in delaying the onset of dementia, involved in bilingualism are reviewed. Effectively, bilingualism can be considered as a pharmacological intervention with no side effects. However, the investigation of the pharmacological parameters of bilingualism is still at an early stage.

The real-time traffic status estimation in urban signalized intersections is highly valuable for modern traffic control and management. This paper presents a real-time queue length estimation method based on probe vehicles' data in the connected vehicle (CV) environment. The probe data are used to identify the stopping states of CVs. Based on this, a queue length time series referring to the stopping time and the positions of CVs is built for describing the queuing process at an intersection. Considering the statistical average traffic rate, queue length time series in historical cycles, and the stopping states for real-time CV arrival features in the current cycle, the critical queuing time is forecasted based on the linear fitting method and the real-time queue length is estimated based on the Markov model. The overall scheme is thoroughly tested and demonstrated in a realistic scenario at different penetration rates. Under different conditions, the stationarity of the queue length series is tested by the augmented Dickey-Fuller. Two Markov models based on the transition matrices of the current cycle and both the current and historical cycles are verified, respectively. The results demonstrate the high accuracy in the real-time queue length estimation, and the proposed method shows good performance in handling the randomness, especially when the CV penetration rate is low.

Real-time transit signal priority (TSP) controls is affected by coordination phase and deprive non-transit traffic benefits. In this paper, fully considering the migration states of coordinated phases and queuing states of non-transit vehicles, a transit signal priority controlling method is proposed for the single-ring sequential phasing under the connected vehicle (CV) environment. The queue length of the non-transit phase is estimated using real-time parking position of the probe vehicles in CV environment, and then the compression capability of phase can be confirmed. Under the premise of not destroying the green waveband of the intersection group, three models are proposed, including the green time extension, red time truncation, and phase insertion models. In the proposed model, the maximum priority effect and the minimum time deviations for the non-transit phase are taken as the optimization object. The maximum/minimum green time, total cycle length, and the backward/forward migration time of coordinated phases are taken as the constraints. Through the analysis of experimental results with examples, the transit priority control model proposed in this paper effectively improves the transit priority efficiency, and minimizes the impact on the non-transit traffic benefits while considering the coordinated phase state and not destroying the coordination effect.

In order to realize peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions between electric vehicles (EVs) in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) networks, we propose an EV power trading model based on blockchain and smart contract. Firstly, based on the blockchain and smart contract technology, a decentralized power trading model is proposed to realize the information equivalence and transparent openness of power trading. Then, considering the randomness and uncertainty of EV charging and discharging, the EV trading parties use the reverse auction mechanism based on dynamic pricing strategy to complete the transaction matching, which can not only improve the profit of the less competitive power seller, but also it can reduce the cost of the electricity purchaser. Finally, in order to verify the feasibility of our proposed scheme, V2G's EV power trading smart contract was designed, and the smart contract was released to Ethereum and simulated experiments were carried out. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is verified by simulation experiments and comparison with traditional power trading schemes.

This study intends to access the influence of the capillary action on electrical property of the concrete containing the coal gangue ceramsite. For this purpose, four kinds of concrete samples were prepared; the coal gangue ceramsite was adopted at four volume ratios of 0%, 30%, 60%, and 100%, respectively. The resistivity of the samples was explored using the two-electrode method during the capillary action. The effects of the coal gangue ceramsite contents on capillary water absorption capacity and resistivity of the matrix were verified. The variation of the resistivity of the matrix under the influence of capillary water transmission was analyzed. The results demonstrated that, for the unsaturated concrete, the resistivity of the matrix increased with the increment of the coal gangue ceramsite dosage. The electrical properties of the concrete were affected noticeably by the capillary water absorption of the matrix; the resistivity of the matrix dropped significantly under the capillary suction, which may be attributed to the formation of the new conductive channels caused by the absorbed water. The variation of the resistivity of the concrete under the capillary suction sustained the two-stage reduction curve. The ability of the capillary water absorption of concrete was enhanced with the addition of coal gangue ceramsite, compared to the traditional aggregates concrete, the initial sorptivity, and secondary sorptivity of the matrix increased by 47% and 16% with the 100% content of coal gangue ceramsite. However, during the process of the capillary suction, the resistivity of the coal gangue ceramic concrete was always greater than that of the concrete with traditional crushed aggregates.

The orphan receptor APJ and its endogenous ligand apelin, which are expressed in the brain, are the major components of the apelin/APJ system. Growing evidence shows that the apelin/APJ system plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemic injury. Targeting the apelin/APJ system may have protective effects on cerebral ischemic injury. In this review, we sum up the latest research progress relating to the actions and therapeutic potential of the apelin/APJ system in ischemic stroke. An in-depth knowledge of the pathophysiological effects of the apelin/APJ system and the underlying mechanisms will help to develop novel therapeutic interventions for ischemic stroke.

Neutral beam injection (NBI) system has been proved to affect sawtooth activities through both producing energetic particles and supplying torque applied to the plasma. The impact of NBI on sawtooth crashes has been studied in the EAST tokamak, which is equipped with co- and counter NBIs. Statistical analysis shows that both strong co- and counter-NBI yield stronger sawtooth activities than cases when heating power is weak. A minimum sawtooth period is observed at a counter-NBI power of 0.2 MW. This is linked to zero-plasma rotation and a non-rotating precursor mode of the sawtooth instability. This indicates that the sawtooth instability is stabilized by plasma rotation as previously suggested. The fast-ion content differs between co- and counter-NBI, so energetic particles might additionally contribute to the sawtooth activities.

Accurate evaluation and analysis of expressway pavement performance is a prerequisite for determining the pavement design scheme and maintenance scheme. Due to the fuzziness and randomness of many factors affecting the pavement performance, this paper relies on the reconstruction and expansion project of Xinglin section of the Taihang mountain expressway, a method of highway pavement performance evaluation based on fuzzy mathematics is proposed. The results show the following: ① the study uses the factor domain, the comment level domain, the fuzzy relationship matrix, the evaluation factor full vector, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation result vector five-step method. The method can be effectively combined with the multi-index comprehensive detection index used in the specification. ② Based on the multi-index comprehensive test and evaluation adopted in the specification, the performance grade of the old road surface was quantitatively evaluated by the iterative calculation of fuzzy mathematics that broke through the evaluation mode which was based on the traditional detection methods. The research results provide innovative theoretical methods for the accurate evaluation and analysis of highway pavement performance in the semiarid climate region and also play a technical supporting role for the pavement design scheme and maintenance scheme decision-making in the semiarid climate region.