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A safe tracking control problem is investigated for a class of nonlinear systems with unknown initial tracking condition. The safe tracking control is independent of the initial tracking condition with the help of a novel output mapping. A secure boundary protection method (SBPM) based on prescribed finite-time control and a new prescribed finitetime performance function (PFTPF) is proposed. The SBPM can guarantee the safe operation of the system when the desired output violates the output constraint function. The method can ensure the system satisfies both the tracking control performance specified by the PFTPF and the actual output constraints. It can effectively handle the abrupt changes of actual output constraints. To solve the excessive control input jitter problem caused by the sudden changes of the output constraints, a bidirectional filtering smoothing mechanism (BFSM) is proposed. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified by simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the influence of water content on the rockburst phenomena in tunnels with horizontal joints, experiments were conducted on simulated rock specimens exhibiting five distinct levels of water absorption. Real-time monitoring of the entire blasting process was facilitated through a high-speed camera system, while the microscopic structure of the rockburst debris was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a particle size analyzer. The experimental findings revealed that under varying degrees of water absorption, the specimens experienced three stages: debris ejection; rockburst; and debris spalling. As water content increased gradually, the intensity of rockburst in the specimens was mitigated. This was substantiated by a decline in peak stress intensity, a decrease in elastic modulus, delayed manifestation of pre-peak stress drop, enhanced amplitude, diminished elastic potential energy, and augmented dissipation energy, resulting in an expanded angle of rockburst debris ejection. With increasing water content, the bond strength between micro-particles was attenuated, resulting in the disintegration of the bonding material. Deformation failure was defined by the expansion of minuscule pores, gradual propagation of micro-cracks, augmentation of fluffy fine particles, exacerbation of structural surface damage akin to a honeycomb structure, diminishment of particle diameter, and a notable increase in quantity. Furthermore, the augmentation of secondary cracks and shear cracks, coupled with the enlargement of spalling areas, signified the escalation of deformation failure. Simultaneously, the total mass of rockburst debris gradually diminished, accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the proportion of micro and fine particles within the debris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to the sudden change of the system actual output constraint, a novel safe tracking control strategy is investigated for a class of non-strict feedback nonlinear systems with unknown initial tracking condition in this paper. A secure boundary protection method (SBPM) based on prescribed performance and a new prescribed finite-time performance function (PFTPF) are proposed. The SBPM can automatically construct two adjustable secure boundaries, so that the system output meets both the control performance prescribed by the PFTPF and the secure boundary constraint. In order to solve the problem of the excessive control input jitter caused by the sudden change of output constraint, a bidirectional filtering smoothing mechanism (BFSM) is proposed. The proposed SBPM can effectively ensure the safe tracking control of the system with unknown initial tracking condition when the actual output constraint changes suddenly, and ensure that the system has the prescribed finite-time control performance given by the PFTPF. Differently from the existing works, the system output will be strictly constrained into the actual output constraint without the prediction for the system output value. Finally, the effectiveness of this proposed method is verified by simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thyristor converter is a core equipment for AC/DC hybrid power grids of high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) where overheating does harm to its reliability. In reality, overheating is closely related to the broken three‐phase symmetry when the AC side is disturbed. Particularly, when commutation failures occur, the valve forced to reconduct will suffer from severe short‐circuit current for a long period, risking the overheating damage. Therefore, the accurate measurement of valve current is fundamental to acquire valve temperature. This paper adopts a real‐time virtual measurement scheme, which is based on temporal features of the converter terminal current, to calculate valve current fundamental for the calculation of valve loss under the transient state. Then, an equivalent circuit model is built based on the actual heat‐flow path of the converter valve, considering the high thermal sensitivity of the heat source material layer. Next, a monitoring system for transient valve temperature is established. Finally, the proposed method is tested in CIGRE HVDC benchmark model. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method can reflect the actual valve state, and model the actual heat transfer process more accurately compared to the Foster network, which can support the basic configuration of the overheat protection. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of La3(1−x)Ga5MO14:xSm3+ (M = Si or Ge) orange-red phosphors with high color purity, low correlated color temperature, and good thermal stability were successfully synthesized via a high-temperature solid-phase technique. The phase structure and morphology of La3Ga5SiO14(LGSi):xSm3+ and La3Ga5GeO14(LGGe):xSm3+ were investigated. Sm3+-doped LGSi and LGGe phosphors emitted orange-red light under an excitation of 403 nm, and the optimal doping concentrations were 3 mol% and 2 mol% with excellent color purities of 98.46% and 98.25%, respectively. The concentration quenching mechanism of both the samples was dominated by dipole–dipole interaction, and the effect of Si4+ and Ge4+ on luminescence performance was discussed. The internal quantum efficiencies of LGSi:0.03Sm3+ and LGGe:0.02Sm3+ were calculated to be 27.14% and 56.07%, respectively. The CIE and CCT values indicated that the luminescence of the prepared phosphors was in the orange-red region. Additionally, a white light-emitting diode (w-LED) was fabricated with LGGe:0.02Sm3+ phosphors, which was capable of emitting bright and warm white light and exhibiting a high color rendering index (CRI) of 87.17 and an appropriate correlated color temperature (CCT) of 6108 K. These results indicated that the prepared phosphors with excellent luminescent performances have potential application in indoor illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive prescribed finite-time asymptotic tracking control problem is considered for the unknown nonlinear switched systems with unknown initial conditions and full-state constraints. A class of nonlinear mappings (NMs) and a new prescribed finite-time performance function (PFTPF) are introduced so that the control design is independent of initial conditions of the controlled states. Based on the neural network approximation approach, NMs, PFTPF and the Barbalat's lemma, an adaptive prescribed finite-time asymptotic tracking controller with full-state constraints is obtained. To avoid overlarge initial control input, the design method with zero initial control input is adopted, the definition of input tuning function (ITF) is expanded and its effectiveness is proved theoretically. As results, the full-state constraints and the boundedness of all the signals in the closed-loop system are guaranteed, and the tracking error of the system can converge to zero asymptotically. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed scheme are verified by the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cascade alkyl migration of 2-alkynylanilines via an aromaticity destruction and reconstruction process is reported. The first alkyl migration is triggered by generation of a dearomatized arenium species via oxidation and cyclization, and the second is driven by the force to restore the aromaticity of rearrangement products. The reaction gave rise to a range of multi-functionalized indoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both luteolin and magnoflorine have been reported to regulate the development of breast cancer, which makes them easier to co‐administrate. Luteolin was co‐administrated with magnoflorine to evaluate their potential interaction. The pharmacokinetic study was performed on male Sprague–Dawley rats randomly grouped as the single administration of luteolin and the co‐administration of luteolin and magnoflorine with six rats of each. CaCO‐2 cell transwell assay was employed for transport evaluation, and the metabolic stability of luteolin and CYP3A activity were assessed in rat liver microsomes. The effect of luteolin on MDA‐MB‐231 cells was assessed with CCK8 assay. Magnoflorine significantly changed the pharmacokinetic profile of luteolin with increased area under the curve (AUC), prolonged t1/2, and reduced clearance rate. Magnoflorine also suppressed the efflux ratio and improved the in vitro metabolic stability of luteolin. Magnoflorine also enhanced the inhibitory effect of luteolin on MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Magnoflorine significantly inhibited CYP3A activity with the IC50 of 18.99 μM. Magnoflorine prolonged the system exposure, enhanced the metabolic stability, and enhanced the anti‐tumor effect of luteolin through inactivating CYP3A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using coal pitch as the carbon source to synthesize carbon dots (CDs), one of the most promising photoluminescence (PL) materials, can play an important role in the global demand for carbon neutralization. However, the reported CDs derived from coal pitch are mainly limited blue emission. Here, a new route to synthesize yellow‐emissive CDs from coal pitch is developed by extracting the lightweight aromatic compounds from coal pitch and solvothermally treating the extracts in dichloromethane in the presence of a small amount of nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Notably, the obtained CDs exhibit excitation independent yellow emission, large Stokes shift and good photostability. The application of the CDs for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) is evaluated. It is found that the CDs can be well dispersed in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix and fabricated transparent LSCs. The synthesized LSC (4 × 4 × 0.2 cm3) with the optimal CDs concentration exhibits an optical conversion efficiency (ηopt) of 3.31% and power conversion efficiency (ηPCE) of 1.95% under simulated sun light illumination (100 mW cm−2). This research offers a new strategy to synthesize new kind of CDs with desired performance by exploiting the native chemistries of coal pitch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NAC transcription factors play a significant role in plant stress responses. In this study, an NAC transcription factor, with a CDS of 792 bp encoding 263 amino acids, was cloned from Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn. (F. tataricum), a minor cereal crop, which is rich in flavonoids and highly stress resistant. The transcription factor was named FtNAC10 (NCBI accession number: MK614506.1) and characterized as a member of the NAP subgroup of NAC transcriptions factors. The gene exhibited a highly conserved N-terminal, encoding about 150 amino acids, and a highly specific C-terminal. The resulting protein was revealed to be hydrophilic, with strong transcriptional activation activity. FtNAC10 expression occurred in various F. tataricum tissues, most noticeably in the root, and was regulated differently under various stress treatments. The over-expression of FtNAC10 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) seeds inhibited germination, and the presence of FtNAC10 enhanced root elongation under saline and drought stress. According to phylogenetic analysis and previous reports, our experiments indicate that FtNAC10 may regulate the stress response or development of F. tataricum through ABA-signaling pathway, although the mechanism is not yet known. This study provides a reference for further analysis of the regulatory function of FtNAC10 and the mechanism that underlies stress responses in Tartary buckwheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the value of single forceps endoscopic traction stapling suture technique (SFETSST) in closing wounds caused by endoscopic resection of gastrointestinal muscularis propria tumor (GMPT). Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent submucosal tumor excavation (ESE) and endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR) for GMPT in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College from January 2015 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected. They were divided into the SFETSST group and the standard group (patients who receive single forceps traction-free endoscopic suture technique). The healing effects were compared between the two groups. Results: Seventy-seven patients were included in our study with 50 patients included in SFETSST group. The baseline characteristics had no significant difference between the two groups. The technical success rate of wound suture in SFETSST cluster was significantly upper than that within standard cluster (100% vs. 88.89%, P = 0.04). The wound suture time in SFETSST cluster was significantly lower than that within standard cluster (33.19 ± 10.64 min, P < 0.001). Moreover, the incidence rates of intra-operative and postoperative complications in SFETSST cluster were lower than standard cluster (0 vs. 7.41%, P = 0.051 and 0 vs. 11.11%, P = 0.016). Interestingly, the SFETSST cluster had lower cost of consumables (2485.40 ± 591.78 vs. 4098.52 ± 1903.06 Yuan, P = 0.01) and shorter hospital stay (4.96 ± 0.90 vs. 7.19 ± 2.45, P < 0.001) than standard cluster. Conclusion: Our study showed that to fully closure the full-thickness defects of digestive tract, SFETSST was effective, safe, and economical, which was worth popularizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclopropylmethylidene has been developed as a versatile protecting group for carbohydrate synthesis. It can be formed by acid-catalyzed acetalization between cyclopropanecarboxaldehyde and 1,3-diols of sugar molecules. Selective reductive opening of the 4,6-O-cyclopropylmethylidene can be achieved to afford a C4 free hydroxyl group and a C6-cyclopropylmethyl (CPM) ether or vice versa. The cyclopropylmethylidene was found to be less stable than benzylidene under acidic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C14H12Cl2N2O, orthorhombic, P212121 (no. 19), a = 8.5344(8) Å, b = 12.0204(16) Å, c = 13.4504(13) Å, V = 1379.8(3) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0896, wRref(F2) = 0.2327, T = 293 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C16H15FN2O2, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 14.6825(16) Å, b = 11.7155(11) Å, c = 8.8285(7) Å, β = 102.753(10)°, V = 1481.2(2) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0670 wRref(F2) = 0.1669, T = 293 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of Internet technology, mankind has entered the era of big data. The Internet records all kinds of information, and the amount of information generated in the future is in a state of explosive growth. With the development of enterprises, the data of accounting information have grown, and its security has also been threatened. Once the accounting information is leaked, it will have a great impact on the company. Therefore, it is very necessary to protect accounting information data. This paper aims to study how to protect accounting information data based on big data and cloud computing. Based on this, this paper proposes an attribute-based encryption method based on big data and cloud computing and analyzes the ABE scheme of a single authority and multiple authorities. The multiauthority ABE scheme can effectively solve the problems of low computational efficiency, poor security performance, and high time overhead in the single-authority ABE scheme. The experimental results of this paper show that, under the single-authority ABE scheme in the information data protection of enterprise A, the confidentiality of data is 54% at the highest and 46% at the lowest, which is generally not very high. In the information data protection of the multiauthority ABE scheme in enterprise A, the highest data confidentiality is 86% and the lowest is 79%. The highest is 32% more than the single-authority ABE scheme. The lowest is also 33% more than that. Generally speaking, the confidentiality of its data is very high. In terms of reliability, integrity, and effectiveness, the single-authority ABE scheme is not as good as the multiauthority ABE scheme. It shows that the multiauthority ABE scheme proposed in this paper has a powerful information data security protection function and can be effectively applied to accounting information data protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, HZSM-5 was modified by green templates (cellulose, starch and glucose), the mesoporous structure was successfully introduced, and the prepared composite catalyst was used for the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass to prepare aromatics hydrocarbon. It was revealed that the additionally introduced mesopore pore size was closely related to the size of the template molecule. The formation of pore structures with larger pore sizes on the catalyst was facilitated by larger polysaccharide templates (starch and cellulose). The increase in mesopore pore size was promoted by the cellulose and starch templates, while the increase in the number of mesopores was promoted by the glucose template. The pore size of the catalyst has a great influence on selectivity of BTX. Selectivity of BTX with larger carbon numbers (xylene, trimethylbenzene) was improved by the mesoporous structure with larger pore size. Excellent catalytic performance is also shown on template modified catalysts. The maximum yield of BTX was 10.18 wt%, which was about 1.1times higher than HZSM-5. In addition, the decomposition of macromolecular substances in the pyrolysis gas was promoted by the mesoporous structure of the template-modified catalyst, and the formation of coke on the catalyst was prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Structural variations are common in plant genomes, affecting meiotic recombination and distorted segregation in wheat. And presence/absence variations can significantly affect drought tolerance in wheat. Drought is a major abiotic stress limiting wheat production. Common wheat has a complex genome with three sub-genomes, which host large numbers of structural variations (SVs). SVs play critical roles in understanding the genetic contributions of plant domestication and phenotypic plasticity, but little is known about their genomic characteristics and their effects on drought tolerance. In the present study, high-resolution karyotypes of 180 doubled haploids (DHs) were developed. Signal polymorphisms between the parents involved with 8 presence-absence variations (PAVs) of tandem repeats (TR) distributed on the 7 (2A, 4A, 5A, 7A, 3B, 7B, and 2D) of 21 chromosomes. Among them, PAV on chromosome 2D showed distorted segregation, others transmit normal conforming to a 1:1 segregation ration in the population; and a PAVs recombination occurred on chromosome 2A. Association analysis of PAV and phenotypic traits under different water regimes, we found PAVs on chromosomes 4A, 5A, and 7B showed negative effect on grain length (GL) and grain width (GW); PAV.7A had opposite effect on grain thickness (GT) and spike length (SL), with the effect on traits differing under different water regimes. PAVs on linkage group 2A, 4A, 7A, 2D, and 7B associated with the drought tolerance coefficients (DTCs), and significant negative effect on drought resistance values (D values) were detected in PAV.7B. Additionally, quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with phenotypic traits using the 90 K SNP array showed QTL for DTCs and grain-related traits in chromosomes 4A, and 5A, 3B were co-localized in differential regions of PAVs. These PAVs can cause the differentiation of the target region of SNP and could be used for genetic improvement of agronomic traits under drought stress via marker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of calcination temperature on the chemical composition, porous structure of cathode materials of spent lithium batteries (lithium iron phosphate, LFP; lithium nickel-cobalt manganate, NCM), and the production of high value-added products in the catalytic pyrolysis of rape straw with active cathode materials and HZSM-5 as the tandem catalysts were studied. The X-ray difraction and N 2 adsorption-desorption analysis revealed that Fe 2 O 3 and Co 1.29 Ni 1.71 O 4 were mainly included in the LFP and NCM cathode materials calcined at 600 °C (LFP600 and NCM600), and the BET surface area of LFP600 and NCM600 reached the highest of 11.41 m2/g and 24.10 m2/g. In terms of catalytic performance, both LFP600 and NCM600 cathode materials showed best bond-breaking effect. Comparing these two cathode materials, LFP600 exhibited the better bond-breaking effect, while NCM600 presented a good deoxygenation effect. Finally, the synergistic effect of active cathode material and HZSM-5 was studied, and the quantitative yield of benzene, toluene and xylene reached 11.41 wt% and 10.96 wt% with the optimized calcined cathode material and HZSM-5 mass ratio of 1:5. In this study, it provides a new way to make high-valued utilization of solid wastes like agricultural and forest residues and spent lithium battery to produce clean and renewable energy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators in the biological development of breast cancer. In this study, we aimed to determine the roles and mechanisms of the lncRNA COX10 divergent transcript (COX10-DT) in breast cancer progression. The relative expression level of COX10-DT was calculated in matched breast cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues using quantitative real-time PCR. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches further revealed the functions and mechanisms of COX10-DT in breast cancer cells. Clinically, we found that the lncRNA COX10-DT was commonly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues compared to paired peritumoural tissues. Functionally, the lncRNA COX10-DT might promote the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, the lncRNA COX10-DT did not play a role by regulating the expression of its divergent gene COX10 but acted as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by directly sponging miR-206, which further regulated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Taken together, our results proved that the lncRNA COX10-DT could function via the COX10-DT /miR-206/ BDNF axis, thereby promoting the development of breast cancer. These findings indicated that the lncRNA COX10-DT might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer. • This article firstly studied the role and mechanisms of COX10-DT in breast cancer. • COX10-DT might promote the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. • COX10-DT might not play a role by targeting its divergent gene COX10. • COX10-DT promotes the progression of breast cancer via the COX10-DT /miR-206/ BDNF axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New amphiphilic near-infrared fluorescent probes (λem = 710 nm) are reported for monitoring viscosity of cell membranes. The probes were found to be selective and sensitive to viscosity, and to quickly (within 2 minutes) and stably anchor onto the cell membrane. Moreover, the applicability of the probe MYN-BS (a superior representative) was demonstrated, revealing a reversible viscosity change with temperature change and an increase in viscosity during cell foaming. The proposed probes may serve as a reliable tool for studying viscosity-related processes of cell membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of converters is key to the stable operation of AC/DC hybrid power grids after AC faults. Thyristor valve current is a direct manifestation of the converter observability, but there are no measuring elements inside the converter, so the thyristor valve current can be reflected only indirectly through external electrical quantities. This paper proposes a virtual measurement scheme based on the temporal features of the converter terminal current. First, under the action of the trigger pulse, the polarity characteristics of the AC current and temporal features between the valves are utilized to predictive estimate the valve state. Then, when commutation failures occur and the bypass paths form, the conduction state of valve is constructed based on the relationship between AC and DC current. Last, when the valve is to be shut-off in the bypass path, the blocking state of the valve is corrected based on the unidirectional conductance characteristics of the valve. According to the above analysis, combined with the topological current equation of the converter, the valve current can be calculated in the whole process. Through the simulation of the different valve states and bypass paths and analysis of the field record data, the results show that the valve current can still be accurately calculated based on the virtual measurement scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Genetic architecture controlling grain lutein content of common wheat was investigated through an integration of genome-wide association study (GWAS) and linkage analysis. Putative candidate genes involved in carotenoid metabolism and regulation were identified, which provide a basis for gene cloning and development of nutrient-enriched wheat varieties through molecular breeding. Lutein, known as 'the eye vitamin', is an important component of wheat nutritional and end-use quality. However, the genetic manipulation of grain lutein content (LUC) in common wheat has not previously been well studied. Here, quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with the LUC measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were first identified by integrating a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and linkage mapping. A Chinese wheat mini-core collection (MCC) of 262 accessions and a doubled haploid (DH) population derived from Jinchun 7 and L1219 were genotyped using the 90K SNP array. A total of 124 significant marker-trait associations (MTAs) on all 21 wheat chromosomes except for 1A, 4D, and 5B that formed 58 QTL were detected. Among them, six stable QTL were identified on chromosomes 2AL, 2DS, 3BL, 3DL, 7AL, and 7BS. Meanwhile, three of the ten QTL identified in the DH population, QLuc.5A.1 and QLuc.5A.2 on chromosome 5AL and QLuc.6A.2 on 6AS, were stable and independently explained 5.58–10.86% of the phenotypic variation. The QLuc.6A.2 region colocalized with two MTAs identified by GWAS. Moreover, 71 carotenoid metabolism-related candidate genes were identified, and the allelic effects were analyzed in the MCC panel based on the 90K array. Results revealed that the genes CYP97A3 (Chr. 6B) and CCD1 (Chr. 5A) were significantly associated with LUC. Additionally, the gene PSY3 (QLuc.5A.1) and several candidate genes involved in the methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathways colocalized with stable QTL regions. The present study provides potential targets for future functional gene exploration and molecular breeding in common wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serine beta-lactamase-like protein (LACTB) is the only mammalian mitochondrial homolog evolved from penicillin-binding proteins and β-lactamases (PBP-βLs) in bacteria. LACTB, an active-site serine protease, polymerizes into stable filaments, which are localized to the intermembrane space (IMS) of mitochondrion and involved in the submitochondrial organization, modulating mitochondrial lipid metabolism. Cancer pathogenesis and progression are relevant to the alterations in mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic reprogramming contributes to cancer cell behavior. This article (1) evidences the clinical implications of LACTB on neoplastic cell proliferation and migration and tumor growth and metastasis as well as LACTB's involvement in chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic responses; (2) sketches the structural basis for LACTB activity and function; and (3) highlights the relevant regulatory mechanisms to LACTB. The abnormal expression of LACTB has been associated with clinicopathological features of cancer tissues and outcomes of anticancer therapies. With the current pioneer researches on the tumor-suppressed function, structural basis, and regulatory mechanism of LACTB, the perspective hints at a great appeal of enzymic property, polymerization, mutation, and epigenetic and post-translational modifications in investigating LACTB's role in cancer pathogenesis. This perspective provides novel insights for LACTB as a metabolic regulator with potential to develop targeted cancer therapies or neoadjuvant therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the wide application of artificial intelligence and big data technology in the medical field, the problems of high cost and low efficiency of traditional pharmacy management were becoming more and more obvious. Therefore, this paper proposed to use data mining technology to design and develop the dispensing process and equipment of intelligent pharmacy. Firstly, it summarized the existing data mining technology and association rule methods and expounded its application value in the related fields. Secondly, the data standard and integration platform of dispensing in intelligent pharmacy were established. Web service technology was used to design the interactive interface and call it to the intelligent device of pharmacy. Finally, an intelligent pharmacy management system based on association rule mining was constructed through the data mining of intelligent pharmacy equipment, in order to improve the intelligence and informatization of modern pharmacy management. For the emergency dispensing process of intelligent equipment failure, data mining was used to optimize the intelligent pharmacy equipment and dispensing process and change the pharmacy management from traditional prescription to patient drug treatment, so as to improve the dispensing efficiency of intelligent pharmacy equipment. Through the systematic test and analysis, the results showed that through the real-time risk prevention and control, the formula accuracy and operation speed of the intelligent dispensing machine were improved and the dispensing time was shortened. Through intelligent drug delivery, the unreasonable drug use of patients was reduced, the safety and effectiveness of clinical drug use were ensured, and the contradiction between doctors and patients was reduced. This study can not only optimize the medical experience of patients and provide patients with more high-quality and humanized pharmaceutical technical services but also provide some support for the intelligent management of modern hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A method is developed for the regulation of secondary unstable dendrites during ice crystal growth. • The flexible polyimide (PI) aerogels possesses a micro/nano multi-scale porous skeleton. • The PI aerogels are characterized by ultra-low density and exceptional thermal insulation. The freeze-casting is widely utilized as a tool for regulating micro-scale pore structures in the fabrication of flexible polyimide (PI) aerogels for applications in adsorption, filtration, and fire-retardant. Herein, a confinement-controlled freeze-casting method is developed to fabricate PI aerogels with excellent thermal insulation properties by designing multi-scale structural adaptability. In a confinement-controlled system, the enhanced solid/solid and solid/liquid interface interactions in the solution dispersion system induce dendritic evolution of ice crystals. Under the directional freezing, grown dendritic ice crystals squeeze the loaded particles to form polyamic acid salt (PAAs) cryogels. Followed by template removal and thermal imidization, PI aerogels with a micro/nano-scale slit-like porous structure were obtained. The PI aerogels are characterized by ultra-low density (as low as 9.82 mg/cm3) and exceptional thermal insulation performance (25.0 mW/(m·K) at 25 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ice-template freeze-casting strategy combining the static sol–gel and subsequent freeze-drying process is developed for the synthesis of aerogel fibers. In this process, the three-dimentional (3D) monolithic hydrogel assembled by 0D primary particles is disintegrate into 1D fibrous geometries with a precise nanostructure regulation (0D) by ice templates. [Display omitted] • A ice-template freeze-casting method is developed for the facile fabrication of aerogel fibers. • The synthesis enable a precise regulation of fibrous geometries with mesoporous structure. • The aerogel fibers have a good thermal insulation and noise reduction performance. Aerogel fibers inherit the merits of aerogel and fibrous materials, such as ultralow density, large specific surface area and high flexibility, demonstrating great potential as the next generation functional fibers. Herein, an ice-template freeze-casting strategy is developed to prepare polysilsesquioxane aerogel long fibers (PALFs) similar to natural fibers in structure. During the freeze-casting, the strong mutual interaction between solid and liquid phases in the hydrogel induces uniform nucleation and continuous growth of ice crystals in confined spaces. The three-dimensional monolithic hydrogel is gradually deconstructed into one-dimensional fibrous geometries by the growing columnar ice crystals. The obtained PALFs exhibit the polygonal cross-section with a uniform mesoporous structure. After simple physical assembly, the monolithic PALFs exhibit good thermal insulation performance (as low as 25.0 mW/(m·K) at 25 °C) and high-efficiency absorption of broadband sound waves (with a noise reduction coefficient up to 0.58). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new steel brace design that leverages the web buckling of low-yield I-section steel sections to achieve early energy dissipation under small story drift angles. The design incorporates a pair of U-channel steel components to restrain complex deformations in the low-yield I-section steel cores during seismic events. The study first introduces the design concept and presents the analytical formulations for the I-section steel optimized for enhanced seismic performance. Energy dissipation is achieved through the flexural yielding of the low-yield I-section steel's web during inelastic cyclic deformation. Finite element analysis of the designed brace reveals its potential for early energy dissipation and a stable load-carrying capacity. The model exhibits well-defined hysteretic behavior starting at low drift levels, with a slight decrease in strength observed under various loading sequences. The experimental test confirms the effectiveness of the designed brace, as evidenced by its stable and consistent hysteretic behavior and resilience. A parametric analysis further investigates the impact of key geometrical factors of the wide-flange steel on the seismic performance of the steel brace, focusing on the parameters including yielding length, length of I-section steel, clear height, and the number of cores. The results indicate that a brace with more I-section steel elements significantly enhances energy dissipation. Notably, the parametric study also highlights the critical role of the length of I-section steel in optimizing energy dissipation, with a longer length of I-section steel leading to reduced tensile forces, which affects the load-carrying capacity of the brace. • Innovative design of steel brace uses low-yield I-section steel and high-strength U-channel steel. • Early energy dissipation is achieved through flexural yielding of web in low-yield I-section steel. • Finite element analysis demonstrates potential for early energy dissipation and stable load-carrying capacity. • Experimental test confirms the effectiveness, stability, and resilience of the designed steel brace. • Parametric analysis explores the impact of key geometrical factors of the wide-flange steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Metabolomics were applied for reveals the antibacterial mechanisms of honey. • CH showed superior ability compared to seven monofloral honey and artificial honey. • The critical metabolites and targets for the antibacterial effects of CH were found. • CH enhanced the oxidative stress to GAS by inhibiting antioxidant enzymes. Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) is one of the most virulent and infectious bacteria, severely threatening health and lives of people worldwide. Honey has been proven to have effective capability against GAS, but the underlying metabolites and mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, the Castanopsis honey (CH) showed significant antibacterial ability compared to other seven kinds of honey and artificial honey. Furthermore, the antibacterial metabolites and their targets in CH were screened by combined method of metabolomics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. The results suggested that the activities of two antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase and tyrosyl tRNA synthetase identified as the primary targets, were significantly inhibited by CH, which significantly increased the level of oxidative stress in GAS. The results revealed a possibly novel mechanism regulating the oxidative stress and inhibits the growth in bacteria, providing strong experimental evidence to support the further development of CH as a novel antibacterial agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective hydration of cement at low temperatures is a critical factor affecting the sealing stability of the cement sheath. Effective hydration of cement slurry is typically accompanied by significant exotherm, and can cause the decomposition of natural gas hydrates, ultimately leading to gas migration and affecting cementing quality. To ensure effective hydration with low exothermic cement slurry, hydrated calcium silicate (C-S-H) shell phase change microcapsules (TDCSH) were prepared by oil-in-water emulsification with chemical precipitation. Compared with traditional phase change microcapsule with polymer shell, the rough C-S-H shell with large surface area improves the thermal conductive area of the microcapsules and their compatibility with the cement composition. Results showed that the TDCSH has a high phase change enthalpy of 169.9 J/g and 65.25% encapsulate efficiency compared to other inorganic shell materials. Furthermore, the addition of 3% TDCSH can reduce the hydration temperature of cement by 3.9°C and increase the compressive strength by 19.0% under the curing condition of 20°C. The mechanism of action of microcapsules in cement was analyzed. The results showed that the incorporation of TDCSH reduced the heat of hydration of cement while promoting the generation of more hydration products and increased the compressive strength of cement. [Display omitted] • Microencapsulated thermal control material containing hydrated calcium silicate was designed and synthesized. • Hydrated calcium silicate promotes effective hydration of cement slurry at low temperatures. • Rough surface of microcapsules improves interfacial bonding with cement components. • The cement's early compressive strength is increased and its heat of hydration is concurrently lowered by the microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of society promotes the rapid improvement of science and technology. On this basis, the development of nanotechnology has also made great achievements and has been applied to all walks of life. Among them, nanotitanium oxide provides favorable conditions for the medical treatment of various joint injuries. And sports rehabilitation training also plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of joint injury, promoting the rapid recovery of joint injury. Boxing is a sport in which boxing gloves are worn for fighting. It has both amateur and professional competitions. The purpose of this paper is to study the therapeutic effect of nanotitanium oxide combined with sports rehabilitation training on the wrist joint injury of boxers. According to the therapeutic effect of the research, it can provide useful treatment basis for clinical treatment and help boxers recover wrist joint injury, so as to carry out boxing training later. The method adopted in this paper is as follows: first, the subjects were randomly divided into nanotitanium oxide combined with sports rehabilitation training group, nanotitanium oxide treatment group, sports rehabilitation training treatment group, and control group. Then, the subjects were tested with the score table, and the score data were recorded. Finally, chi-square test was used to test the experimental results. In conclusion, through the research and comparison, it is found that nanotitanium oxide combined with sports rehabilitation training can reduce the pain of boxers' wrist joint injury; after the treatment of wrist joint injury of boxers by nanotitanium oxide combined with sports rehabilitation training, the pain score decreased, and the daily function was improved; the PT score before the experiment was 15%, and the peak torque score after the experiment was 26%. The Pt/BW score was 22% before the experiment and 37% after the experiment. This reflects the strength of wrist muscle contraction, judging that the stability of wrist joint is enhanced after the experiment; nanotitanium oxide combined with exercise rehabilitation training can increase the sensitivity of wrist joint after the treatment of boxer wrist joint injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the decentralized adaptive prescribed performance finite-time tracking control problem is investigated for a class of interconnected non-affine nonlinear systems with unmodeled dynamics, unknown control direction and unknown dead zone. A novel tracking control strategy combining Nussbaum-gain technique with finite-time control is presented. The designed controller can guarantee that tracking error of each subsystem is constrained by finite-time performance function and converges to the given neighborhood of the equilibrium point within a given arbitrarily settling time. Meanwhile, all the signals in the closed-loop interconnected system are bounded. In addition, the problem that the prescribed performance control method is difficult to realize decentralized control is solved by means of a special mathematical transformation. Specifically, the settling time is a design parameter which is independent of the system initial states in this method. The simulation results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and superiority of the proposed control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of double half-Heusler (DHH) alloy Cr 2 FeCoZ 2 (Z = As, Ge, S, P) are investigated by using the non-equilibrium Green's function in combination with the first-principles calculations. The calculations on magnetism reveal that these Cr-based DHH alloys are ferrimagnets due to the antiparallel magnetic coupling between Cr and Fe (Co). The electronic structure calculations of the Cr-based DHH alloys reveal half-metallicity, and Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 possesses the largest spin-down gap of 1.181 eV. Within the c/a ranges from 1.60 to 2.52, Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 maintains its 100 % spin-polarization, and the changes in total and spin-resovled atomic magnetic moment are negligible, showing a stable half metallicity and magnetism against the tetragonal distortion. Futhermore, the transport properties are investigated by constructing the Cr 2 FeCoZ 2 /GaAs/Cr 2 FeCoZ 2 magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) model. By changing the magnetic arrangement of the left and right electrodes into antiparallel configuration, the capability of transportation in both spin channels is significantly limited. Conversely, by modulating the magnetic arrangement of the left and right electrodes into parallel configuration, the transportation of electrons in spin-up channel is exceptionally strong while that of the spin-down channel is severely impeded. The Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 /GaAs/Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 MTJ owns the highest tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of ∼7.42 × 108 %, indicating that Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 is the most promising candidate for high performance spintronic devices. • A series of Cr-based double half-Heusler alloy is confirmed to possess stable half-metallicity. • The calculated TMR ratio of the Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 /GaAs/Cr 2 FeCoAs 2 MTJ is up to ∼7.42 × 108 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of electrolytes with low cost and wide temperature range is important for the practical application of Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs). Low concentration electrolytes have significant advantages in terms of cost and viscosity, however, the ease of water electrolyte solidification at low temperatures and poor cycling stability hinder its application. Here, we developed a hybrid electrolyte with a reduced concentration to inhibit freezing of water at low temperatures using a polar small molecule cosolvent, and which can promote uniform deposition of Zn-ion and inhibit side reactions at the same time due to its strong interaction with Zn-ion. Based on the results, ZHSCs with relatively low concentration hybrid electrolyte have good cycle stability with more than 500 h of cycling and high specific capacities of 44 mAh g−1 at −20 °C, while maintaining the low-cost advantage of water electrolyte. This work provides a reasonable method for designing relatively low concentration electrolytes and is expected to realize the practical application of Zn-based energy storage equipment. The low viscosity of the 1 M ZnSO 4 /H 2 O/DMF at low temperature is conducive to the rapid migration of Zn-ion, and the participation of DMF in the solvation structure of Zn-ion significantly stabilizes the electrode/electrolyte interface. [Display omitted] • A relatively low concentration hybrid electrolyte formula was developed. • The freezing point of 1 M ZnSO 4 /H 2 O/DMF electrolyte is reduced to −20 °C. • The electrolyte formula can maintain ionic conductivity of 8.33 ms cm−1 at −20 °C. • The hybrid supercapacitor delivers exceeds 5000 cycles at −20 °C. • The action mechanism of DMF on Zn-ion and water molecules is revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of intelligent human-machine interaction, the expansive potential of robust flexible wearable electronic devices emerges prominently. However, the practicality of such flexible electronic devices is often constrained within scenarios involving substantial mechanical strains, such as high-intensity (>100 MPa) and high tensile (>1000%) deformation, particularly in articulation-rich joint regions. Specifically, the substrates of flexible sensors confront challenges in reconciling elongation rates and tensile strengths, for which a cogent strategy is currently lacking to address the aforementioned mechanical parameter requisites. To address this quandary, the present study employs a paradigm of microscale materials that synergistically integrate rigid-flexible coupling enhancements, coupled with a biomimetic progressively asymptotic stretch optimization approach at the macroscale structural level. Through an inside-out methodology, we have ingeniously devised a biomimetic flexible sensory electronic device that seamlessly integrates sensing media and load-bearing capabilities, uniquely poised for simultaneous deployment within high-intensity and high-stretchability scenarios. By employing a judicious combination of rigidly supporting styrene monomers and the polymerized three-dimensional scaffold, formed through the coupling of elastomeric sustaining ethylene-butadiene monomers, with the high-strength, highly conductive discrete medium of graphene, we have achieved the successful synthesis of a substrate boasting a mechanical strength of 121.4 MPa alongside an impressive 1109% elongation capacity. This substrate exhibits a remarkable electrical conductivity up to 106 S*m−1. Furthermore, drawing inspiration from the serpentine architecture of the Albuca namaquensis, a two-tiered gradient stretching approach has been harnessed, resulting in an approximate 2.8-fold enhancement in stretchability. Leveraging the ingeniously designed GSBS sensor, an online testing platform for human-machine interaction capable of accommodating substantial deformations at joint interfaces is established. Through this innovation, we have effectively orchestrated the synchronization and emulation of extensive tensile movements between mechanical prosthetics and human articulations. • A flexible strain sensor based on GE/SEBS with bio-inspired serpentine structure is proposed. • The bio-inspired strain sensor exhibits highly stretchable, good durability and high mechanical strength. • This study employs a paradigm of microscale materials that synergistically integrate rigid-flexible coupling enhancements. • The sensor coupled with a biomimetic progressively asymptotic stretch optimization approach at the macroscale. • The sensor can be highly integrated into various detecting systems for human-machine interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • In-situ catalytic reforming of hydrogen from carbon reducing cathode materials. • The cobalt in LiCoO 2 batteries has a catalytic effect on the reforming reaction. • Highest hydrogen yields obtained using catalysts prepared by reduction at 800 °C. • Increasing the specific surface area of carbon will improve the reduction effect. • The highest hydrogen yield of 28.3 mmol/g was achieved at a mass ratio of 10:3. Biomass pyrolysis and in-line steam reforming for hydrogen production is one of the effective ways to promote the sustainable development of global energy. In this study, Co was recovered from the cathode material of LiCoO 2 batteries using the carbon thermal reduction method, and used for biomass pyrolysis and in-line steam reforming for hydrogen production. First, the cathode material was reduced using coconut shell carbon (CC), and it was revealed that cobalt presented in the catalyst prepared at the reduction temperature of 800 °C, giving the hydrogen yield of 24.9 mmol/g. Other carbon source like graphite carbon (GIC) and straw pyrolytic carbon (SC) were then investigated and it was found that a much higher temperature (>800 °C) was required for the reduction of the cathode material with GIC and the catalyst prepared by SC reduction was less effective than that using CC reduction. Considering the great influence of the pore structure of the carbon material on the reduction, activated carbon (AC) was obtained from SC using KOH activation. With a better distribution of cobalt on the carrier prepared by AC reduction, the highest hydrogen yield of 28.3 mmol/g was achieved with the mass ratio of cathode material and AC of 10:3. This study provides a viable avenue for the application of spent lithium-ion battery cathode materials in the production of hydrogen from biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 0‐order natural frequency resonance is the main cause of electromagnetic vibration noise in integer slot multi‐pole pair permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) for electric vehicles. To study this phenomenon, this study proposes a finite element (FE) model of the stator system based on a 48‐slot 8‐pole permanent magnet synchronous motor for electric vehicles. Based on this model, the effects of winding, frame end cover and temperature on the natural frequencies of a stator system are analysed by using the equivalent stiffness method (ESM). The simulation results show that the 0‐order natural frequency of the stator core system decreases after considering the winding varnished, and the 0‐order natural frequency is almost unaffected after considering the frame and end cover. However, the other natural frequencies increase in different degrees. In addition, the natural frequencies of the stator core decrease with the increase of temperature. The accuracy of the finite element model is verified by the modal experiment of the hammer method (HM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were reported to be related to microvascular dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy (DR), but the potential mechanism remains unknown. This study was designed to elucidate the effects of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG16) in proliferative DR progression. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the levels of SNHG16 and miR-20a-5p from peripheral blood samples of different participants. Pearson's correlation analysis was applied to the plasma data to detect correlations between SNHG16 and miR-20a-5p. Finally, the interactions of miR-20a-5p and SNHG16 or E2F1 were assessed by luciferase reporter assays. SNHG16 and E2F1 were increased and miR-20a-5p was decreased in proliferative DR both in vivo and in vitro when compared with control or non-proliferative DR. E2F1 was identified as the target of miR-20a-5p. The miR-20a-5p interacted with SNHG16 and E2F1 and was controlled by SNHG16. The regulation of SNHG16 on E2F1 was mediated by miR-20a-5p. Cells transfected with SNHG16 overexpression plasmid markedly increased cell apoptosis and vessel-like formation, whereas the miR-20a-5p mimic partially reversed these effects. Transfection with gene silencing E2F1 plasmid rescued SNHG16 overexpression-aggravated proliferative DR. This study indicated that SNHG16 regulated E2F1 expression by sponging miR-20a-5p and aggravating proliferative DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major advantage of the passive multiple-target tracking is that the sonars do not emit signals and thus they can remain covert, which will reduce the risk of being attacked. However, the nonlinearity of the passive Doppler and bearing measurements, the range unobservability problem, and the measurement to target data association uncertainty make the passive multiple-target tracking problem challenging. To deal with the target to measurement data association uncertainty problem from multiple sensors, this paper proposed a batch recursive extended Rauch-Tung-Striebel smoother- (RTSS-) based probabilistic multiple hypothesis tracker (PMHT) algorithm, which can effectively handle a large number of passive measurements including clutters. The recursive extended RTSS which consists of a forward filter and a backward smoothing is used to deal with the nonlinear Doppler and bearing measurements. The target range unobservability problem is avoided due to using multiple passive sensors. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm works well in a passive multiple-target tracking system under dense clutter environment, and its computing cost is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nitroreductase (NTR)-activated NIR-II fluorescence probe for tumor imaging is reported. The probe can emit fluorescence in the range of 900–1300 nm, and target hypoxic tumors with NTR overexpression, thus allowing for accurate delineation of tumor margins through deep penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interchain transfer is an important side reaction in radical polymerization of acrylates and has significant effects on both reaction kinetics and the resulting polymer microstructures. In this study, an effective method for direct determination of the interchain transfer constant (Ctr) is established via the combination of RAFT polymerization of a monomer in the presence of another prepared polymer and subsequent separation using polymer chromatography. The Ctr of benzyl acrylate (BzA) to poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) is determined with benzyl N‐carbazole dithiocarbamate (BCBD) as the RAFT agent and the effects of polymerization recipe, such as BzA/BCBD mole ratios, BzA/PEA mass ratios, and solvent amounts on Ctr determination investigated. The results indicate that interchain transfer reactions show clear short chain radical effects in early stage of RAFT polymerization and the experimental recipes have little influence on the determination. The Ctr values are in the range of 1–2 × 10−4 at 90–120 °C and the activation energy of Ctr at 47.8 kJ mol−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the decentralised connectively practical finite-time control problem is studied for a class of p-normal form large-scale systems with expanding construction. First, the decentralised connectively practical finite-time controllers are designed for the p-normal form large-scale systems without expanding construction by combining adding a power integrator technique, the backstepping method, the Lyapunov theory with the neural adaptive technology. The designed controllers can guarantee that all the signals of the closed-loop system are practically finite-time stable and the large-scale system is connectively stable. Then, the expansion of the system is considered. A new subsystem is added to the original system online. It is needed that the decentralised control laws and the adaptive laws of the original system are kept to be unchanged, and only the control laws and the adaptive laws for the newly added subsystem need to be designed. Under the premise, the control laws and the adaptive laws of the new subsystem are designed, which can guarantee that both newly added subsystem and resultant expanded closed-loop large-scale system are connectively practically finite-time stable. The singularity problem arising in the design process for practical finite-time control is solved. Here, the adding a power integrator technique is applied to handle the control design problem for p-normal form systems. And the control laws and the adaptive laws are simplified by neural networks. The two numerical examples including an actual double-inverted pendulum system connected by a spring are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special type of breast cancer that lacks effective therapeutic targets. There is a significant need to clarify its pathogenesis, so as to bring new targeted approaches for TNBC management. Here, we identified a long-non coding RNA (lncRNA) ASMTL-AS1 that linked to TNBC development and progression. Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays were used to test gene and protein levels, respectively. The regulatory axis of miR-1228-3p/SOX17/β-catenin was determined by luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays. In vivo assay was conducted by using the nude mice model via subcutaneous transplantation of tumor cells. Results: ASMTL-AS1 was significantly downregulated in TNBC tissues compared to normal tissues, which was closely associated with aggressive clinical features and unfavorable prognosis. Lentivirus-mediated ASMTL-AS1 overexpression evidently reduced the ability of TNBC cell colony formation, activity and invasion by more than 2.5 times. RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-1228-3p directly bound to ASMTL-AS1, ASMTL-AS1 increased SOX17 expression via sponging and repressing miR-1228-3p. Subsequently, the upregulated SOX17 trans-suppressed β-catenin expression, resulting in the inactivation of carcinogenic Wnt/β-catenin signaling, thereby restraining TNBC cell growth and dissemination. Importantly, the xenograft tumor model showed that the ASMTL-AS1 overexpression significantly retarded tumor growth, and negatively regulated Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conclusions: Our data characterize a novel tumor suppressor in TNBC, restoration of ASMTL-AS1 may be a candidate therapeutic intervention for TNBC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptive neural finite-time stabilisation problem is studied for a class of p-normal form nonlinear systems in this paper. An adaptive neural finite-time controller is designed by combining the adding a power integrator technique with Lyapunov finite-time stability theory. And the stability of the closed-loop system is analysed. The designed controller can guarantee that all the states in the closed-loop system are finite-time asymptotic stable. In the design, a new assumption for unknown nonlinear terms is proposed, which is looser than the existed works. A combination vector method is adopted to avoid the effect of the approximation errors of neural networks. The maximal value of norms of the combination vectors is taken as an adaptive parameter, so that the complexity of the design method is reduced. And the settling-time can be adjusted by changing a design parameter. Finally, three simulation examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a time-varying model-based method for estimating earthquake-induced displacement responses of building structures using limited acceleration data. First, a time-varying model which considers the variability of stiffness by a time-variant story local stiffness reduction factor and the variability of damping by formulating the Rayleigh damping model with a time-variant mass coefficient was developed. Then, a displacement estimation algorithm was derived on the basis of the state space representation of the time-varying model and the unscented Kalman filter. The effectiveness of the proposed method is numerically verified through nonlinear responses of a ten-story building model where the hysteretic restoring force is simulated by the Bouc–Wen model. In addition, numerical results indicated that a few sensors with low noise are more desirable for the measurement strategy. Finally, the applicability to realistic seismic monitoring of buildings was investigated through a 1∶3-scale 18-story steel frame test at the E-Defense shaking table facility, which tested collapse behavior and realistic damage of high-rise steel buildings constructed in the 1990s in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective MicroRNAs serve important roles in the regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs). This study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA-320 (miR-320) in the development of ERs and the inflammatory response in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Materials and Methods The adipose tissue expression levels of miR-320 and ERs markers (GRP78, GRP94, Derlin-1 and CHOP) and the serum concentration of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, NF-κB and IL-6) in obese patients were evaluated using quantitative real-time RT-PCR or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation of miR-320 with genes involved in ERs and inflammation was analyzed. The effects of miR-320 on ERs and inflammation were explored using mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which were pretreated with palmitic acid (PA). Results ERs markers and inflammatory cytokines were all upregulated in obese patients. Adipose tissue miR-320 expression was also increased in obese patients, and had positive correlations with the levels of ERs markers and inflammatory cytokines. After PA treatment, the levels of ERs markers and inflammatory cytokines were elevated significantly in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, miR-320 expression was increased in the cells under ERs status. The upregulation of miR-320 could enhance the expression of ERs markers and inflammatory cytokines, but the downregulation of miR-320 resulted in the opposite results. Conclusion The data of this study indicate that miR-320 expression is upregulated in ERs status, and the downregulation of miR-320 ameliorates ERs and the inflammatory response in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We consider that the approaches to decrease miR-320 expression may be novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Machine learning were used to predict activation biomass-derived N-doped porous carbon. • Physicochemical properties of porous carbon were well predicted by GBDT model. • The combination with all the features of describing biomass feedstock performed best. • Impregnation ratio and activation temperature were critical to pore structure of porous carbon. • The nitrogen content is related to the active substance exposed by the activator etching. In the study, machine learning models for prediction specific surface area (SSA), total pore volume (TPV), microporosity (MP) and nitrogen content (NC) were developed based on three tree-based models by collecting published experimental data on the agricultural wastes for the preparation of nitrogen-doped porous carbon, in which the physicochemical properties of raw materials and activation conditions were considered and compared as input features. By randomly combining different groups of input features in the three models, gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT) with the combination of all features presented the highest test R2 of 0.939, 0.835, 0.861 and 0.906 for the four prediction targets with high accuracy and good generalization ability. The visual analysis of the model showed that the activation temperature and impregnation ratio were the most critical factors for the targets, while the NC was additionally influenced by the nitrogen-doping ratio. The SSA, TPV and MP peaked around the activation temperature of 800 °C and the impregnation ratio of 3, while NC also increased with the amount of nitrogen doping and reached saturation of nitrogen fixation at the nitrogen-doped ratio of 3. This data-driven scientific tool effectively guided the synthesis of porous carbon and broadened the utilization of biomass energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The combination of PAN, TPU and PTHP gives the nanofiber good mechanical properties. • The self-cleaning effect of PPE better protects individual and public health safety. • Encapsulation of PTHP by nanofibers ensures sustained self-cleaning effect. • The durability of PPE reduces the pollution caused by its frequent replacement. Infectious diseases caused by bacterial and viral transmission have brought a significant burden on public health security. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital in impeding their spread and protecting our safety. However, the existing PPE can only play a certain filtering role and cannot clean itself. Long-term wearing will lead to the accumulation of bacteria and viruses, there is a certain risk, and frequent replacement has caused a lot of white pollution. Here, we prepared a biocompatible polyacrylonitrile/thermoplastic polyurethane-polytetrahydropyrimidine (PAN/TPU-PTHP, PT-P) nanofiber membrane with a three-dimensional network structure by electrospinning, which has good air permeability and filtration performance. In addition, the excellent encapsulation effect of nanofibers ensures the sustained release of antibacterial and antiviral PTHP, and the good mechanical properties ensure its long-term use without damage. When the nanofiber membrane is used as the intermediate filter layer of mask, good air permeability, filtration efficiency, mechanical properties, and sustained drug release give it a service life of more than 5 days (an ordinary mask is only 4–7 h), which dramatically reduces environmental pollution. This is of great significance in the research and application of the next generation of durable and self-cleaning personal protective equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Macrophages have recently been discovered to assume a significant role in the progression of cryptococcosis. However, the potential involvement of macrophage-derived exosomes in the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the changes of microRNAs in macrophage exosomes (exo -miRNAs) in cryptococcal infections and the role of markedly altered exo -miRNAs in the modulation of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) permeability and ROS accumulation and pyroptosis in Human Bronchial Epithelioid Cells (BEAS-2B). Techniques such as microarray analysis and real-time quantitative PCR were used to detect different exo -miRNAs and to screen for the most highly expressed exo -miRNAs. Then its mimics were transfected into HUVEC to study its effect on the monolayer permeability of HUVEC. Finally, the relationship between this exo -miRNAs and the ROS accumulation and pyroptosis was verified by bioinformatics analysis. The results showed that five exo -miRNAs were overexpressed and two exo -miRNAs were reduced, among which, exo -miR-4449 was expressed at the highest level. Exo-miR-4449 could be internalized by HUVEC and enhanced its monolayer permeability. Moreover, exo -miR-4449 was found to promote ROS accumulation and pyroptosis in BEAS-2B through HIC1 pathway. Thus, exo -miR-4449 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis and holds promise as a significant biomarker for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method of evaluating seismic damage of column bases in steel moment-resisting frames based on fishbone model and hierarchical Bayesian updating method. In this study, a fishbone model considering the flexibility of column bases was presented instead of the traditional fishbone model with rigid column bases and shear building model with unobtainable stiffness of beam ends and column bases. The fishbone model could be used to update the rotational and shear stiffness of column bases, and also to update the stiffness of the beam ends. First, the eigenvalue problem of the fishbone model considering the flexibility of column bases was formulated. Then, the method of identifying the shear and rotational stiffness of column bases in steel frames was proposed based on the hierarchical Bayesian model updating algorithm using incomplete modal data. The seismic damage of column bases was evaluated by comparing the identified stiffness before and after earthquakes. The effectiveness of the proposed method was numerically investigated with a 5-story building model. The influences of the selection of parameters in algorithm, structural modal data and degrees of freedom on the identified results were studied. Finally, the applicability of the method to realistic damage evaluation of column bases was also examined by a serial of shaking table tests on a 3-story 2-bay large-scaled steel frame specimen. • Proposed fishbone model considering the flexibility of column bases could obtain stiffness of column bases and beam ends. • Proposed method accurately identified stiffness and evaluated seismic damage of the fishbone model with limited modal data. • Influence of equation errors and initial parameters on accuracy of the proposed method was assessed. • Experimental studies confirmed the effectiveness of the method in evaluating seismic damage in real structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, iron was used to modify pyrolytic activated carbon (AC) to synthesize a bifunctional catalyst (Fe/AC). It was applied to the catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignin with polypropylene (PP) for the preparation of jet fuel range hydrocarbons. Relationships between iron loading, reaction temperature, catalyst/feedstock ratio, and lignin/PP ratio were investigated in connection to the yield, component distribution, carbon number distribution, and chain structure of pyrolysis products. The results indicated that the hydrocarbons with carbon numbers in the jet fuel range dominated the products obtained from the catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignin and polypropylene. Owing to the oxytropism of Fe3 + , the selectivity of oxygenated chemicals in pyrolysis oil decreased as the Fe loading rose. Consequently, the production of hydrocarbons in the jet fuel range was increased. Furthermore, the deoxygenation and alkylation reactions of phenols to high-carbon aromatics were facilitated by Fe3 +. The cyclization and dehydrogenation reactions were promoted with the reaction temperature increased, thus enhancing the selectivity of cyclic hydrocarbons (cycloalkanes and aromatics) in the jet fuel range. However, secondary reactions were boosted with the excessive temperature, reducing the yield of hydrocarbons and the percentage of high-carbon hydrocarbons in the jet fuel range. The reduction of the proportion of oxygenated compounds was facilitated by the use of catalysts. Thus, the selectivity of hydrocarbons in the jet fuel range was improved, but the yield of high-carbon hydrocarbons would be reduced. In addition, the cleavage of PP-derived chain hydrocarbons was promoted by the hydrogen abstraction reaction of lignin-derived oxygenates during co-pyrolysis. The hydrogen transfer reaction between hydrocarbons and phenols was enhanced, it was pushed for phenols to convert to aromatics. Thus, the yield of hydrocarbons in the range of jet fuel was improved. A new approach to the efficient application of lignin with PP might be offered by the current work. • Porosity and acidity of AC were altered by iron nitrate modification. • Co-pyrolysis products primarily hydrocarbons in the jet fuel range. • The selectivity of jet fuel range hydrocarbons was improved by AC modification. • Jet fuel range hydrocarbons were obtained with a carbon molar yield of 35.39%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]