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Mutations in protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) are connected to intellectual disability and cancer. It has been hypothesized that these mutations might disrupt the autoinhibition and phosphorylation-induced activation of PP2A. Since they are located far from both the active and substrate binding sites, it is unclear how they exert their effect. We performed allosteric pathway analysis based on molecular dynamics simulations and combined it with biochemical experiments to investigate the autoinhibition of PP2A. In the wild type (WT), the C-arm of the regulatory subunit B56δ obstructs the active and substrate binding sites exerting a dual autoinhibition effect. We find that the disease mutant, E198K, severely weakens the allosteric pathways that stabilize the C-arm in the WT. Instead, the strongest allosteric pathways in E198K take a different route that promotes exposure of the substrate binding site. To facilitate the allosteric pathway analysis, we introduce a path clustering algorithm for lumping pathways into channels. We reveal remarkable similarities between the allosteric channels of E198K and those in phosphorylation-activated WT, suggesting that the autoinhibition can be alleviated through a conserved mechanism. In contrast, we find that another disease mutant, E200K, which is in spatial proximity of E198, does not repartition the allosteric pathways leading to the substrate binding site; however, it may still induce exposure of the active site. This finding agrees with our biochemical data, allowing us to predict the activity of PP2A with the phosphorylated B56δ and provide insight into how disease mutations in spatial proximity alter the enzymatic activity in surprisingly different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, anti‐unwinding sliding mode attitude maneuver control with predefined time is investigated for rigid spacecraft with input saturation. First, a nonsingular sliding function containing two equilibrium points is designed to ensure the predefined‐time convergence of system states and unwinding‐free performance of the closed‐loop system on the sliding phase. Then, an auxiliary system with a dynamic parameter is presented to compensate the impact of input saturation. With this parameter, the auxiliary system can handle input saturation that occurs. Based on the sliding function and the auxiliary system, an attitude maneuver controller is developed to guarantee the robustness of the closed‐loop system to bounded external disturbance. Under the designed controller, the states of the closed‐loop system are driven into a neighborhood of the sliding surface within a predefined time. Moreover, the unwinding phenomenon is also avoided on the reaching phase. Numerical simulation results illustrate the unwinding‐free performance and predefined‐time convergence of the closed‐loop system under the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the fault‐tolerant tracking control is addressed for uncertain strict‐feedback nonlinear systems with actuator faults. Neural networks are utilized to identify unknown dynamics in strict‐feedback nonlinear systems, and the adaptive technique is employed to estimate the parameter of actuator effectiveness. More importantly, a command filtered backstepping control method is improved by introducing a fixed‐time command filter and modifying virtual control laws with compensation mechanisms. By incorporating the adaptive neural networks into the command filtered backstepping design framework, a novel adaptive fault‐tolerant control law is constructed. Under the presented control law, the negative influence of the actuator fault and unknown dynamics is effectively compensated simultaneously. Besides, the "explosion of complexity" and "singularity" problems of backstepping is avoided. Moreover, the practical fixed‐time stability is guaranteed for the resulted closed‐loop system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a problem of data‐driven optimal control is studied for discrete‐time periodic systems with unknown system matrices and input matrices. For this problem, a value iteration‐based adaptive dynamic programming algorithm is proposed to obtain the suboptimal controller. The core of the algorithm proposed in this paper is to obtain an approximation of the unique positive definite solution of the algebraic Riccati equation and the optimal feedback gain matrix by using the collected real‐time data of the system states and control inputs. Without an initial stabilizing feedback gain, the proposed algorithm could be activated by an arbitrary bounded control input. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by two examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating controllable spin states into single‐molecule magnets (SMMs) enables precise manipulation of magnetic interactions at a molecular level, but remains a synthetic challenge. Herein, we developed a 3d–4f metallacrown (MC) magnet [DyNi5(quinha)5(Clsal)2(py)8](ClO4) ⋅ 4H2O (H2quinha=quinaldichydroxamic acid, HClsal=5‐chlorosalicylaldehyde) wherein a square planar NiII is stabilized by chemical stacking. Thioacetal modification was employed via post‐synthetic ligand substitutions and yielded [DyNi5(quinha)5(Clsaldt)2(py)8](ClO4) ⋅ 3H2O (HClsaldt=4‐chloro‐2‐(1,3‐dithiolan‐2‐yl)phenol). Thanks to the additional ligations of thioacetal onto the NiII site, coordination‐induced spin state switching (CISSS) took place with spin state altering from low‐spin S=0 to high‐spin S=1. The synergy of CISSS effect and magnetic interactions results in distinct energy splitting and magnetic dynamics. Magnetic studies indicate prominent enhancement of reversal barrier from 57 cm−1 to 423 cm−1, along with hysteresis opening and an over 200‐fold increment in coercive field at 2 K. Ab initio calculations provide deeper insights into the exchange models and rationalize the relaxation/tunnelling pathways. These results demonstrate here provide a fire‐new perspective in modulating the magnetization relaxation via the incorporation of controllable spin states and magnetic interactions facilitated by the CISSS approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of alkyl glycoside and alcohol ether glycoside alone on the interfacial tension between n-alkanes and Liaohe crude oil and on the interfacial tension in a composite system were studied by using a rotary drop interfacial tensimeter with the addition of ethylene oxide group (EO). The effects of mass fraction of surfactant, concentration of univalent and bivalent ions and EO group on dynamic interfacial tension of the system were investigated. The results show that the two glycoside surfactants can produce strong synergistic effect with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, and the EO chain can adjust the hydrophilic and oleophilic balance of the surfactants, so that the surfactants are more closely arranged at the interface. The increase of salinity can compress the double electron layer, make the interfacial molecules closely arranged, and reduce the interfacial tension. Under proper salinity conditions, the mixed surfactant system can produce ultra-low interfacial tension with Liaohe viscous oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin crossover (SCO) materials with new architectures will expand and enrich the research in the SCO field. Here, we report two metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) containing tetradentate organic ligands and hexatopic linkers [Ag8X8(CN)6]6− (X=Br and I), which represents the first SCO MOF with clusters as building blocks. The silver halide cluster can be further removed after reacting with lithium tetracyanoquinodimethan (LiTCNQ). Such post‐synthetic modification (PSM) is realized via single‐crystal to single‐crystal (SCSC) transformation from urk to nbo topology. Accordingly, the spin state and fluorescence properties are greatly modified by cluster deconstruction. Therefore, these achievements will provide new ideas for the design of new SCO systems and the development of PSM methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin crossover (SCO) materials with new architectures will expand and enrich the research in the SCO field. Here, we report two metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) containing tetradentate organic ligands and hexatopic linkers [Ag8X8(CN)6]6− (X=Br and I), which represents the first SCO MOF with clusters as building blocks. The silver halide cluster can be further removed after reacting with lithium tetracyanoquinodimethan (LiTCNQ). Such post‐synthetic modification (PSM) is realized via single‐crystal to single‐crystal (SCSC) transformation from urk to nbo topology. Accordingly, the spin state and fluorescence properties are greatly modified by cluster deconstruction. Therefore, these achievements will provide new ideas for the design of new SCO systems and the development of PSM methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In major public health crises, online education can play an important role in guaranteeing the continuity of education. However, whether online education can promote educational equity has been questioned widely. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed severe challenges students face in online teaching. Based on Bourdieu's theory of cultural reproduction and 34 interviews with participants including students, parents, and teachers, this research adopted a case study approach to explore the digital divide among Chinese rural and urban secondary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that despite measures adopted by the Chinese government, a wider digital divide has been created between urban and rural secondary schools, and the online learning result was heavily influenced by the socioeconomic status of both the individuals and the schools they attended. More specifically, compared with urban students, rural students had less access to sui digital devices and environment, quality-parental guide and supervision, effective teachers' instruction, and worse habitus and less ability in independent online learning. Overall, this study calls on policymakers, leaders, educators, and parents to take collective actions to create a more effective online educational environment for students from the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of molecular magnetism, the lanthanide–radical (Ln–Rad) method has become one of the most appealing tactics for introducing strong magnetic interactions and has spurred on the booming development of heterospin single-molecule magnets (SMMs). The article is a timely retrospect on the research progress of Ln–Rad heterospin systems and special attention is invested on low dimensional Ln–Rad compounds with SMM behavior, primarily concerning with nitrogen-based radicals, semiquinone and nitroxide radicals. Rational design, molecular structures, magnetic behaviors and magneto-structural correlations are highlighted. Meanwhile, particular attention is focused on the influence of exchange couplings on the dynamic magnetic properties, with the purpose of helping to guide the design of prospective radical-based Ln–SMMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control laws can be constructed in systems design by introducing parameters to obtain good system performance or robustness. Cai et al., in their paper 'Design of LPV controller for morphing aircraft using inexact scheduling parameters', establish a linear parameter-varying model for a morphing aircraft by Jacobian linearization. With such a model, Cai et al. investigate the design problem of gain-scheduled output-feedback controllers by using inexact scheduling parameters for morphing aircraft during the wing transition process. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: In this paper, the problem of fixed‐time attitude consensus control is addressed for a group of rigid spacecraft in the presence of inertia uncertainties and external disturbances. By applying the adaptive technique and neural network approximation technique to handle the disturbances and uncertainties, an adaptive neural network‐based distributed protocol is proposed to achieve attitude consensus control for multiple rigid spacecraft. The proposed distributed attitude consensus protocol is composed of a group of distributed fixed‐time observers for followers to estimate the leader's information and an adaptive neural network‐based fixed‐time sliding mode control law to realize attitude tracking control. Rigorous proofs are provided to demonstrate that the estimation errors of the proposed observers are convergent in a fixed time. Further, it is also proven that attitude tracking errors reach some adjustable regions in a fixed time under the proposed attitude consensus protocol. Numerical simulations are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed distributed attitude consensus protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of attitude consensus control is addressed for multiple rigid spacecraft under a fixed interaction network where only a subset of followers can obtain the leader's state information. To estimate the attitude and angular velocity of the leader, a group of distributed finite‐time observers is constructed for each follower. Then fast non‐singular terminal sliding mode attitude controllers are proposed for followers based on the observed information. Rigorous proofs are presented to show the finite‐time attitude consensus performance of the closed‐loop multiple rigid spacecraft systems under the proposed consensus protocol including distributed observers and attitude controllers. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the performance of the proposed attitude consensus protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human brucellosis has become one of the major public health problems in China, and increases atypical manifestations, such as fever of unknown origin (FUO), and misdiagnosis rates has complicated the diagnosis of brucellosis. To date, no relevant study on the relationship between brucellosis and FUO has been conducted.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 35 patients with confirmed human brucellosis and prospectively recorded their outcomes by telephone interview. The patients were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 01, 2013 and October 31, 2019. Patient data were collected from hospital medical records.Results: The percentage of males was significantly higher than that of female in FUO (78.95% vs. 21.05%, P < 0.05), and 80% of the patients had a clear history of exposure to cattle and sheep. Moreover, 19 (54%) cases were hospitalized with FUO, among which the patients with epidemiological histories were significantly more than those without (P < 0.05). The incidence of toxic hepatitis in FUO patients was higher than that in non-FUO patients (89% vs. 50%, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the misdiagnosis rate was considerably higher in the FUO group than in the non-FUO group (100% vs. 63%; P < 0.05).Conclusion: Brucellosis is predominantly FUO admission in a non-endemic area of China, accompanied by irregular fever and toxic hepatitis. Careful examination of the epidemiological history and timely improvement of blood and bone marrow cultures can facilitate early diagnosis and prevent misdiagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the output tracking control is addressed for discrete‐time multi‐input‐multi‐output nonlinear systems subjected to external disturbance by a novel output‐based discrete‐time integral sliding mode predictive control scheme. First of all, a control law is proposed based on a new type of discrete‐time integral sliding mode surfaces. To further improve control accuracy, an integral sliding mode predictive control law is obtained in combination with the designed integral sliding mode control and model predictive control. Rigorous analysis is provided to demonstrate that the quasi‐sliding‐mode band width and ultimate bound of output tracking error under the designed discrete‐time integral sliding mode predictive control law are of higher accuracy than those under the designed integral sliding mode control law. Numerical simulations are performed to illustrate that the presented integral sliding mode predictive control law offers better performance than the proposed integral sliding mode control law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach of gravity strength centrality (GSC) model is proposed to identify the influential risk spreaders in Chinese financial networks. We also measure the systemic risk contribution of financial institutions via Δ CoVaR and detect the relationship between the risk spreading ability and the systemic risk contribution of financial institutions. Our findings show that (i) the novel GSC model has the best performance on identifying influential risk spreaders, (ii) financial institutions with larger risk spreading ability contribute more to the systemic risk, (iii) the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly enhanced the contribution of influential risk spreaders to the systemic risk. • Novel GSC model exceeds classic measures in identifying influential risk spreaders. • Larger risk-spreading financial institutions contribute more to the systemic risk. • COVID-19 pandemic enhanced the contribution of risk spreaders to the systemic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a predictor is developed for discrete‐time linear systems with delayed input and delay‐free input to attenuate external disturbances. This predictor is designed to estimate a quantity related to the future state and input. The ultimate bounds of the state of the closed‐loop system are derived when the predictor‐based state feedback control laws are utilized to this class of delayed systems. Based on the expressions of the ultimate bounds, the disturbance attenuation performance is analyzed for the proposed prediction scheme. Moreover, the robustness to model uncertainties is analyzed when the systems are controlled by the traditional predictor‐based and the proposed predictor‐based control laws. Finally, three numerical examples are employed to show the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern technology constantly requires smaller, more efficient lithium–oxygen batteries (LOBs). To meet this need, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is used to create an innovative cathode design with both a hierarchical porous nanostructure and a 3D flexible macroscopical morphology. This method employs architectural optimization to further improve cathodic ORR and OER performance via heteroatom doping, surface‐sprouted carbon nanofibers (CNFs) grafting, and boundary exposing. The cathode consists of a 3D hierarchical porous graphene foam (PGF), along with RuO2 nanoparticles impregnated and nitrogen doped CNFs (RuO2@NCNFs), where the PGF serves as a structural support and cathodic current collector, and the RuO2@NCNFs work as a superior bi‐functional catalyst. The cathode delivers an outstanding discharge capacity of 8440 mAh gcathode−1 while maintaining a recharge plateau at ≈4.0 V, and can cycle for over 700 rounds without obvious degeneration under a fixed capacity. Notably, this free‐standing cathode can be directly used in LOBs without the need for additional substrates or current collectors. Therefore, the current densities and capacities herein are calculated based on the total weight of the cathodes. These results demonstrate the RuO2@NCNFs‐PGF cathode's remarkable potential for LOB applications, and this rational cathodic structure may be extended to other highly efficient catalyst applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an iterative algorithm is established to solve discrete Lyapunov matrix equations. In this algorithm, a tuning parameter is introduced such that the iterative solution can be updated by using a combination of the information in the last step and the previous step. Some conditions for the convergence of the proposed algorithm are given. In addition, an approach is also developed to choose the optimal tuning parameter such that the algorithm achieves its fastest convergence rate. A numerical example is employed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total rice category of infection rate was conducted based on 528 varieties, including different rice types of I indica i , I japonica i , hybrid I indica i , hybrid I japonica i , restorer line, sterile line and maintainer line that were infected by SRBSDV, RBSDV and RGDV, respectively (Supplementary Fig. (B) The infection rate of 528 rice varieties upon RBSDV and RGDV infection under natural conditions. (A) The infection rate of hybrid rice, indica type and japonica type upon SRBSDV infection under greenhouse and natural conditions. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates gradient-based neural networks (GNNs) for solving coupled Lyapunov matrix equations arising in the stability analysis of continuous-time Markovian jump linear systems. First, based on the gradient descent principle, a general framework of GNNs is presented to solve the considered equations by following the ideas in some existing results, which are used to solve the standard Lyapunov matrix equation. Subsequently, a new GNN solver is developed for finding the online solution of the coupled Lyapunov equations. Compared with the general GNN solver, a main advantage of the proposed GNN solver is that its convergence can be directly proven through theoretical analysis. To be specific, according to Lyapunov theory, it is shown that the state of the presented GNN solver with appropriately activation functions can globally converge to the unique positive definite solution of the coupled Lyapunov equations. In addition, to accelerate its convergence rate, an improved version of the proposed GNN is established. Simulation results are given to substantiate the effectiveness of the theoretical results and the superior of the developed GNN solvers compared with the originally obtained general GNN solvers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymers, [FeII(L)2{PdII(SCN)4}] (L1 = 3-(9-anthracenyl)-pyridine (1) and L2 = 4-(9-anthracenyl)-pyridine (2)), were constructed by employing square-planar [Pd(SCN)4]2− building blocks. Compound 1 exhibits a complete spin-crossover (SCO) behaviour under normal atmospheric pressure, and represents the first SCO example in a 2D system containing [Pd(SCN)4]2− units. In contrast, compound 2 only shows paramagnetic behaviour at measured temperatures. It is clear that the fine-tuning of the monodentate ligand can modulate the ligand field and packing fashions, which sheds light on developing new SCO materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this article, two predictors are developed to estimate the future state of a discrete‐time linear system with input delay and external disturbance. The ultimate bounds of the state of the closed‐loop system are given when the predictor‐based state feedback control laws are used via the proposed predictors. Based on these expressions, the disturbance attenuation performance is analyzed for the proposed prediction schemes. For constant disturbance, the error between the estimated state and the further state can be eliminated by the controller based on these two predictors. A numerical example is employed to show the effectiveness of the proposed prediction schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-metallic organic frameworks (MOFs) have been rarely reported to be functioned as non-platinum (Pt) electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this work, here we synthesize a carbon-based bimetallic Ag-Fe-N-C electrocatalyst for the ORR by jointly introducing Ag and Fe ions into the internal structure of MOFs derived from zinc acetate and 2-methylimidazole (2-MIM). The Ag-Fe-N-C catalyst possesses a porous carbon network structure with an specific surface area of 961.3 m2g−1, which is woven by carbon nanotubes/layers-encapsulated Fe 3 C or Ag nanoparticles. This catalyst has demonstrated a distinguished ORR catalytic activity with a half-wave potential of 0.883 V (vs. RHE) and an outstanding stability in an alkaline electrolyte. In addition, it gained a higher peak power density of 211 mWcm−2 and specific energy density of 875 Whkg−1 Zn , a narrower charge-discharge potential gap of 77 mV and a better catalytic durability compared to the corresponding Pt/C-based zinc-air batteries. Our results may provide a facile strategy for activity enhancement of carbon-based ORR electrocatalysts via the controllable doping of bi-metallic ions. • The doping of Ag and Fe forms a bimetallic MOF structure. • Many microporous Ag-Fe-N-C catalys have Fe-Nx and Ag-N active site structure. • the Ag-Fe-N-C catalyst shows an admirable ORR activity with a E1/2 of 0.883 V. • The catalyst assembled zinc-air battery manifested a higher power density and the excellent stability under high charge potential during repeated charge/discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease and the most frequent type of arthritis. This study aimed to identify the key miRNAs and genes associated with OA progression. Methods: The GSE105027 (microRNA [miRNA/miR] expression profile; 12 OA samples and 12 normal samples) and GSE48556 (messenger RNA [mRNA] expression profile; 106 OA samples and 33 normal samples) datasets were selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and miRNAs (DEMs) were analyzed using the limma and ROCR packages in R, respectively. The target genes that negatively correlated with the DEMs were predicted, followed by functional enrichment analysis and construction of the miRNA-gene and miRNA-transcription factor (TF)-gene regulatory networks. Additionally, key miRNAs and genes were screened, and their expression levels were verified by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: A total of 1696 DEGs (739 upregulated and 957 downregulated) and 108 DEMs (56 upregulated and 52 downregulated) were identified in the OA samples. Furthermore, 56 target genes that negatively correlated with the DEMs were predicted and found to be enriched in three functional terms (e.g., positive regulation of intracellular protein transport) and three pathways (e.g., human cytomegalovirus infection). In addition, three key miRNAs (miR-98-5p, miR-7-5p, and miR-182-5p) and six key genes (murine double minute 2, MDM2; glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta, GSK3B; transmembrane P24-trafficking protein 10, TMED10; DDB1 and CUL4-associated factor 12, DCAF12; caspase 3, CASP3; and ring finger protein 44, RNF44) were screened, among which the miR-7-5p → TMED10/DCAF12, miR-98-5p → CASP3/RNF44, and miR-182-5p → GSK3B pairs were observed in the regulatory network. Moreover, the expression levels of TMED10, miR-7-5p, CASP3, miR-98-5p, GSK3B, and miR-182-5p showed a negative correlation with qRT-PCR verification. Conclusion: MiR-98-5p, miR-7-5p, miR-182-5p, MDM2, GSK3B, TMED10, DCAF12, CASP3, and RNF44 may play critical roles in OA progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing mixed ligands, a new trinuclear dysprosium complex [Dy3(dbm)3(L)4](ClO4)2·CH2Cl2·2MeOH (1, Hdbm = dibenzoylmethane; HL = 2-methoxy-6-((quinolin-8-ylimino)methyl)phenol) was synthesized by a one-pot reaction. According to structural characterization, all the 8-coordinated Dy(III) sites are well arranged with slightly distorted square antiprism (D4d) geometries. Magnetic measurements reveal that 1 exhibits typical single-molecule magnetic behavior at zero magnetic field and shows rarely open hysteresis loops up to 3 K among open-ring {Dy3} SMMs, where the relaxation time remains very stable under the protection from the Dy–Dy magnetic coupling in the open-ring arrangement of Ising spins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel implicit iterative algorithm with some tuning parameters is developed to solve the coupled algebraic Riccati matrix equation arising in the continuous-time Markovian jump linear systems. By introducing some tuning parameters in the proposed iterative algorithm, the current estimation for unknown variables is updated by using the information not only in the last step but also in the current iterative step and previous iterative steps. These tuning parameters can be appropriately chosen such that the proposed algorithm has faster convergence performance than some previous algorithms. It is shown that the proposed algorithm with zero initial conditions can monotonically converge to the unique positive semidefinite solution of the coupled Riccati matrix equation if the corresponding Markovian jump system is stabilisable. Finally, an example is provided to show the effectiveness of the developed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal sulfides have been intensively investigated for efficient sodium‐ion storage due to their high capacity. However, the mechanisms behind the reaction pathways and phase transformation are still unclear. Moreover, the effects of designed nanostructure on the electrochemical behaviors are rarely reported. Herein, a hydrangea‐like CuS microsphere is prepared via a facile synthetic method and displays significantly enhanced rate and cycle performance. Unlike the traditional intercalation and conversion reactions, an irreversible amorphization process is evidenced and elucidated with the help of in situ high‐resolution synchrotron radiation diffraction analyses, and transmission electron microscopy. The oriented (006) crystal plane growth of the primary CuS nanosheets provide more channels and adsorption sites for Na ions intercalation and the resultant low overpotential is beneficial for the amorphous Cu‐S cluster, which is consistent with the density functional theory calculation. This study can offer new insights into the correlation between the atomic‐scale phase transformation and macro‐scale nanostructure design and open a new principle for the electrode materials' design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first spin-crossover (SCO) complex with an organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite structure (PPN)[Fe{Au(CN)2}3] (1) is reported, which displays three-step SCO behaviour. The light-induced excited spin-state trapping measurement gives T0 = 134 K for a three-dimensional FeL3-type (L = bis-monodentate ligand) SCO complex. Moreover, spin-state dependent fluorescence is observed in 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) with higher nuclearity provide opportunity for understanding the inherent nature of magnetic dynamics that are not limited to mononuclear SMMs. Herein, centrosymmetric [Dy2(L)2(9-AC)4(MeOH)2]·2CH2Cl2·2H2O (1, where 9-AC = anthracene-9-carboxylate) and equilateral triangular [Dy3(OH)(OMe)(L)3(dbm)3](OH)·3CH2Cl2·7H2O (2, where dbm = dibenzoylmethane anion) were isolated using the Schiff-base ligand 4-(anthracen-9-yl)-2-((quinolin-8-ylimino)methyl)phenol (HL). Static and dynamic magnetic measurements reveal that 1 and 2 display slow magnetic relaxation under zero and applied dc field, respectively. The magnetization relaxation for 1 is dominated by a Raman process due to its non-negligible transverse anisotropy. Complex 2 exhibits field-induced SMM behavior with a reversal barrier of 56 cm−1. By means of ab initio calculations and magnetic measurements, the multiple relaxation regime in 2 was investigated. We suggest that Orbach and Raman mechanisms dominate in the high/low temperature domains, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many clinical trials have demonstrated that statins convey protective effects against atherosclerosis independent of cholesterol-lowering capacities. Other evidence indicates that pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is likely involved in atherosclerosis, but the effects and mechanisms of statins on pyroptosis must be further revealed. Here, we explored the effects and mechanisms of atorvastatin on pyroptosis in human vascular endothelial cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Atorvastatin upregulated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NEXN-AS1 and the expression of NEXN at both the mRNA and protein levels in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Atorvastatin inhibited pyroptosis by decreasing the expression levels of the canonical inflammasome pathway biomarkers NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 at both the mRNA and protein levels. The promotion effects of atorvastatin on NEXN-AS1 and NEXN expression could be significantly abolished by knockdown of lncRNA NEXN-AS1 or NEXN , and its inhibitory effects on pyroptosis were also markedly offset by knock-down of lncRNA NEXN-AS1 or interference of NEXN. These results demonstrated that atorvastatin regulated pyroptosis via the lncRNA NEXN-AS1-NEXN pathway, which provides a new insight into the mechanism of how atorvastatin promotes non-lipid-lower effects against the development of atherosclerosis and gives new directions on how to reverse atherosclerosis. Image 1 • Atorvastatin upregulates lncRNA NEXN-AS1 and NEXN in EC. • Atorvastatin inhibits the canonical inflammasome pathway biomarkers of pyroptosis. • Both the above effects can be abolished by knockdown of lncRNA NEXN-AS1 or NEXN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two multi‐parametric iterative algorithms are developed to solve the forward discrete periodic Lyapunov matrix equation associated with discrete‐time linear periodic systems. An important feature of one of the proposed algorithms is that the information in the current and the last steps is used to update the iterative sequence. Necessary and sufficient conditions for these two algorithms to be convergent are provided in terms of the roots of a set of polynomial equations. Based on these conditions, a two‐dimensional section method is established to search suboptimal tuning parameters for these two algorithms. In addition, convergence properties are also analysed for some special cases of the obtained algorithms. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. It can be found that the presented algorithms have better convergence performance than some existing iterative algorithms by choosing proper tuning parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A real representation of complex polynomial matrices in the framework of conjugate product is first proposed, and some interesting properties of the proposed real representation are given. With the real representations as tools, alternative proofs for some properties of conjugate product are given. In addition, the concept of real determinant is proposed for complex polynomial matrices in the framework of conjugate product, and based on the real determinant the invertibility in the framework of conjugate product is investigated. These results imply that the proposed real representation has potential applications in the further investigation of conjugate product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two iterative algorithms are constructed to obtain the positive definite solutions of the discrete periodic algebraic Riccati matrix equations. In these two algorithms, the estimation of the unknown matrices are updated by using the available estimation information at the current iteration step. The convergence properties of the proposed algorithms are also given. Finally, numerical examples are employed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the concept of fundamental matrices is generalized to discrete-time systems with state delays, and the commutativity-like property is derived. With the aid of fundamental matrices, an explicit expression of state responses is obtained for discrete-time systems with state delays. Then, a prediction scheme is constructed to predict the future states of discrete-time linear systems with delays in both states and inputs. Further, a predictor-based feedback law is presented to stabilize the considered delayed systems. It is revealed that the characteristic equation of the closed-loop system under the presented predictor-based feedback control law is the same as that of the closed-loop system of the corresponding system without input delays under the delayed state feedback. Two numerical examples show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. In this paper, it is illustrated that the proposed fundamental matrices of discrete-time systems with state delays are the basis of a prediction scheme for solving the problem in the presence of delays in both states and inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human brucellosis and fever of unknown origin. Zhi-guo Wu, Zhi-ying Song and Wei-xin Wang are co-first authors B Correction: BMC Infectious Diseases (2022) 22:868 b https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07872-8 Following publication of the original article [[1]], the authors identified an error in Table 1. [Extracted from the article]

Dendrobium devonianum has been used as herbal medicines and nutraceutical products since ancient time in China. However, its chemical composition and pharmacological mechanisms are not fully known. In present studies, by chemical purification and characteristic identification, we discovered a novel polysaccharide from D. devonianum , which was designated as DvP-1 with molecular weights of 9.52 × 104 Da. DvP-1 is a homogeneous heteropolysaccharide consisting of D-mannose and d -glucose in the molar ration of 10.11: 1. The main glycosidic linkages were β-1, 4-Man p , which were substituted with acetyl groups at the O-2, O-3 and/or O-6 positions. DvP-1 was found to directly stimulate the activation of macrophages in vitro , as evidenced by inducing morphologic change, thereby promoting the production of cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and NO, and enhancing the pinocytic activity of macrophages. By establishing a zebrafish model, we also found that DvP-1 could alleviate vinorelbine-induced decrease of macrophages in vivo. Further findings indicated that DvP-1 activated macrophages through several toll-like receptors (TLRs), but mainly through TLR4. DvP-1 served as a TLR4 agonist and induced ERK, JNK, p38, and IκB-α phosphorylation, suggesting the activation of MAPK and NFκB signaling pathways downstream of TLR4. These findings could help us further understand the immunomodulating effects of D. devonianum in Chinese medicines or health foods for immunocompromised persons. They also show the medicinal value of DvP-1 for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases caused by TLR4 dysfunction. • A novel homogeneous polysaccharide (DvP-1) was isolated from D. devonianum. • DvP-1 stimulated the activation of macrophages in vitro and in zebrafish. • DvP-1 activated TLR4 and its downstream MAPK and NFκB signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with convergence characterisation of an iterative algorithm for a class of reverse discrete periodic Lyapunov matrix equation associated with discrete-time linear periodic systems. Firstly, a simple necessary condition is given for this algorithm to be convergent. Then, a necessary and sufficient condition is presented for the convergence of the algorithm in terms of the roots of polynomial equations. In addition, with the aid of the necessary condition explicit expressions of the optimal parameter such that the algorithm has the fastest convergence rate are provided for two special cases. The advantage of the proposed approaches is illustrated by numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aims: Nonadherence is one of the leading challenges to treatment of the major depressive disorder (MDD). Few studies have systematically analyzed the relationship between clinical characteristics, especially symptoms of depressive patients and their therapeutic nonadherence over a relatively large sample. This study aimed to investigate factors of nonadherence in a nationwide survey in China. Methods: Participants with MDD who met the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) (DSM‐IV) were recruited from 32 sites throughout China. Patients were all over 16 years old. A doctor‐rating questionnaire with 64 symptoms based on DSM‐IV was constructed to evaluate depression‐related feeling and behavior. Single‐factor logistic regression was utilized to screen variables, and multifactor logistic regressive analysis was used to identify which factors were risk or protective for nonadherence. We included 882 patients of poor adherence and 857 patients of good adherence. Results: Recurrence, untreated first episode, tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)‐treated first episode, antidepressant‐only‐treated current episode, decrease or loss of interest, more somatic symptoms, and "atypical" symptoms were risk factors for nonadherence, whereas selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)‐treated first episode was a protecting factor. Conclusion: Clinical characteristics may play an important role in predicting nonadherence. Doctors may have to pay much attention on patients with these factors and should keep on discussing them with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the problem of stability and stabilisation for continuous-time Itô stochastic Markovian jump linear systems with time-varying transition rates. The time-varying property of the transition rates is considered to be finite piecewise homogeneous. Firstly, the stability conditions of the piecewise homogeneous Itô stochastic Markovian jump linear systems are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Especially, a novel stability criterion is developed for the considered systems by the existence of the unique positive-definite solution of the corresponding coupled Lyapunov matrix equations. Secondly, two state-feedback controllers are designed via LMIs to stabilise the systems. Finally, a practical example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the presented theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, two iterative algorithms are proposed to solve stochastic algebraic Riccati matrix equations arising in the linear quadratic optimal control problem of linear stochastic systems with state-dependent noise. In the first algorithm, a standard Riccati matrix equation needs to be solved at each iteration step, and in the second algorithm a standard Lyapunov matrix equation needs to be solved at each iteration step. In the proposed algorithms, a weighted average of the estimates in the last and the previous steps is used to update the estimate of the unknown variable at each iteration step. Some properties of the sequences generated by these algorithms under appropriate initial conditions are presented, and the convergence properties of the proposed algorithms are analyzed. Finally, two numerical examples are employed to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ni-rich LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 cathode materials have been considered as one of the promising candidates for high energy density lithium-ion battery, but they still suffer from capacity fading and safety caused by structural degradation, insufficient thermal stability and poor storage properties. In the current work, homogeneously Al3+ doped Ni rich cathode with high stable cycling performance and storage stability was constructed via scalable continuous precipitation. With the more homogeneous distribution of Al3+ in the secondary agglomerates, the Ni rich cathode synthesized from Al3+ doped hydroxide precursor showed more perfect sphere, decreased ratio of Ni2+/Ni3+ and Li+/Ni2+ disorder in the internal of agglomerates. The homogeneously Al3+ doped Ni rich LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.09 Al 0.01 O 2 cathode exhibited much improved cycling performance, with a capacity retention of 78.92% at 1 C rate after 200 cycles, and a capacity retention of 70.0% at 10 C rate after 1000 cycles. Additionally, the homogeneous substitution of Al could significantly prevent the reaction with H 2 O and CO 2 during storage process and improve storage stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A novel implicit iterative algorithm is presented via successive over relaxation (SOR) iterations in this paper for solving the coupled Lyapunov matrix equation related to continuous-time Markovian jump linear systems. This algorithm contains a relaxation parameter, which can be appropriately chosen to improve the convergence performance of the algorithm. It has been shown that the sequence generated by the proposed algorithm with zero initial conditions monotonically converges to the unique positive definite solution of the considered equation. Moreover, some convergence results of the presented SOR implicit iterative algorithm with arbitrary initial conditions are established, and a method to choose the optimal relaxation parameter for this algorithm is given. Finally, two examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the effects of RNA interference‐mediated silencing of TLR4 gene on expressions of adipocytokines in obstructive sleep apnea hyponea syndrome (OSAS) with hypertension in a rat model. Systolic blood pressure of caudal artery and physiological changes were observed when establishing rat models of OSAS with hypertension. Mature rat adipocytes were induced from separated and cultured primary rat adipocytes. To transfect rat mature adipocytes, TLR4 siRNA group and negative control (NC) siRNA group were established. Expressions of TLR4 mRNA of adipocytes were examined after silenced by siRNA by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). By enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), expressions of inflammatory cytokines, and adipocytokines of adipocytes were detected. Blood pressure in rat caudal artery was higher in the intermittent hypoxia group than that of the blank control group by 29.87 mmHg, and cardiocytes in the former group showed physiological changes, which indicated successful establishment of rat models of OSAS with hypertension. Red particles could be seen in mature rat adipocytes when stained with Oil Red O. Transfection of TLR4 mRNA was significantly suppressed in the TLR4 siRNA group, which didn't happen in the untransfected control group. Rats in the TLR4 siRNA group had significantly reduced expressions of such inflammatory cytokines as interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and such adipocytokines as visfatin, adiponectin (ADN), and leptin than those in the untransfected control group. RNA interference‐mediated silencing of TLR4 gene could regulate occurrence and development of OSAS with hypertension in rats by downregulating expressions of adipocytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New 1-aryl-4-[(aziridine-1-yl)diarylmethyl]-5-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole derivatives 7a–i were synthesized by a one-pot reaction of diaryl-(1-aryl-5-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methanols 6a–i derived from 1-aryl-5-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acids 4a–c. Structures of compounds 7a–i were confirmed by analysis of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR), mass spectrometry (MS) and infrared (IR) data. The structure of compound 7f was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. The anticancer activities of compounds 7a–i against human leukemia HL-60 cells and human hepatoma G2 cells were evaluated. Some of the compounds are highly active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an implicit iterative algorithm is proposed for solving a class of Lyapunov matrix equations arising in Itô stochastic linear systems. A tuning parameter is introduced in this algorithm, and thus the convergence rate of the algorithm can be changed. Some conditions are presented such that the developed algorithm is convergent. In addition, an explicit expression is also derived for the optimal tuning parameter, which guarantees that the obtained algorithm achieves its fastest convergence rate. Finally, numerical examples are employed to illustrate the effectiveness of the given algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]