Traditional Chinese medicine Pien-Tze-Huang ameliorates LPS-induced sepsis through bile acid-mediated activation of TGR5-STAT3-A20 signalling

Pien Tze Huang(PZH),a class-1 nationally protected traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),has been used to treat liver diseases such as hepatitis;however,the effect of PZH on the progression of sepsis is unknown.Here,we reported that PZH attenuated lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced sepsis in mice and reduced LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages by inhibiting the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)signalling.Mechanistically,PZH stimulated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)phosphorylation to induce the expression of A20,which could inhibit the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling.Knockdown of the bile acid(BA)receptor G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1(TGR5)in macrophages abolished the effects of PZH on STAT3 phosphorylation and A20 induction,as well as the LPS-induced inflammatory response,suggesting that BAs in PZH may mediate its anti-inflammatory effects by activating TGR5.Consistently,deprivation of BAs in PZH by cholestyramine resin reduced the effects of PZH on the expression of phosphorylated-STAT3 and A20,the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling,and the production of proinflammatory cytokines,whereas the addition of BAs to cholestyramine resin-treated PZH partially restored the inhibitory effects on the production of proinflammatory cytokines.Overall,our study identifies BAs as the effective components in PZH that activate TGR5-STAT3-A20 signalling to ameliorate LPS-induced sepsis.

Deployment of Edge Computing Nodes in IoT:Effective Implementation of Simulated Annealing Method Based on User Location

Edge computing paradigm for 5G architecture has been considered as one of the most effective ways to realize low latency and highly reliable communication,which brings computing tasks and network resources to the edge of network.The deployment of edge computing nodes is a key factor affecting the service performance of edge computing systems.In this paper,we propose a method for deploying edge computing nodes based on user location.Through the combination of Simulation of Urban Mobility(SUMO)and Network Simulator-3(NS-3),a simulation platform is built to generate data of hotspot areas in Io T scenario.By effectively using the data generated by the communication between users in Io T scenario,the location area of the user terminal can be obtained.On this basis,the deployment problem is expressed as a mixed integer linear problem,which can be solved by Simulated Annealing(SA)method.The analysis of the results shows that,compared with the traditional method,the proposed method has faster convergence speed and better performance.

An organic visible-photocatalytic-adsorbence mechanism to high-efficient removal of heavy metal antimony ions

Purification of emerging heavy metal antimony contaminated water based on advanced ingenious strategies.An activated modified coconut shell charcoal(CSC)was synthesized and evaluated as a substrate-supported loaded organic photovoltaic material,PM6:PYIT:PM6-b-PYIT,to prepare a surprisingly highly efficient,stable,environmentally friendly,and recyclable organic photocatalyst(CSC–N–P.P.P),which showed excellent effects on the simultaneous removal of Sb(Ⅲ)and Sb(Ⅴ).The removal efficiency of CSC-N-P.P.P on Sb(Ⅲ)and Sb(Ⅴ)reached an amazing 99.9%in quite a short duration of 15 min.At the same time,under ppb level and indoor visible light(~1 W m^(2)),it can be treated to meet the drinking water standards set by the European Union and the U.S.National Environmental Protection Agency in 5 min,and even after 25 cycles of recycling,the efficiency is still maintained at about 80%,in addition to the removal of As(Ⅲ),Cd(Ⅱ),Cr(Ⅵ),and Pb(Ⅱ)can also be realized.The catalyst not only solves the problems of low reuse rate,difficult structure adjustment and high energy consumption of traditional photocatalysts but also has strong applicability and practical significance.The pioneering approach provides a much-needed solution strategy for removing highly toxic heavy metal antimony pollution from the environment.

Lateral circumflex femoral artery perforator flap for the reconstruction of head soft tissue defects:Cross-region venous anastomosis

Background:Owing to its unique characteristics,the lateral circumflex femoral artery perforator(LCFAP)flap is often preferred for repairing head wounds with exposed skulls.However,given the vascular distribution in the head,particularly the veins,can lead to postoperative complications such as venous congestion of the flap.The rates of vascular exploration and necrosis in these flaps are significantly higher than in other body regions.Therefore,it is crucial to identify a safe and effective method for venous anastomosis of free flaps in the head region.Methods:This retrospective case series study included 10 patients with large head soft tissue defects treated at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 2020 to December 2022.The head defects were reconstructed using LCFAP flaps,with flap veins anastomosed to the external jugular vein in the neck,either directly or via a bridging technique.Results:Among the 10 adult patients with massive head wound defects,7(70%)were men.The patients’mean age was 53.0 years(48–59 years).The wound defects were caused by trauma in 6(60%)patients and by tumors in 4(40%)patients.Postoperatively,no significant complications occurred,and all LCFAP flap survived without necrosis.Conclusion:The descending branch of the LCFAP flap effectively repairs massive head wound defects.The venous anastomosis method for this flap is associated with a low incidence of venous complications and a high patency rate,making it a clinically valuable reference.

Mobile Edge Computing Servers Deployment with Improved Genetic Algorithm in Cellular Internet of Things

Mobile edge computing(MEC)provides services to devices and reduces latency in cellular internet of things(IoT)networks.However,the challenging problem is how to deploy MEC servers economically and efficiently.This paper investigates the deployment problem of MEC servers of the real-world road network by employing an improved genetic algorithm(GA)scheme.We first use the threshold-based K-means algorithm to form vehicle clusters according to their locations.We then select base stations(BSs)based on clustering center coordinates as the deployment locations set for potential MEC servers.We further select BSs using a combined simulated annealing(SA)algorithm and GA to minimize the deployment cost.The simulation results show that the improved GA deploys MEC servers effectively.In addition,the proposed algorithm outperforms GA and SA algorithms in terms of convergence speed and solution quality.

Intelligent reflecting surface-assisted federated learning in multi-platoon collaborative networks

Inspired by mobile edge computing(MEC),edge learning has gained a momentum by directly performing model training at network edge without sending massive data to a centralized data center.However,the quality of model training will be affected by the limited communication and computing resources of network edge.In this paper,how to improve the training performance of a federated learning system aided by intelligent reflecting surface(IRS)over vehicle platooning networks is studied,where multiple platoons train a shared federated learning model.Multi-platoon cooperation can alleviate the pressure of data processing caused by the limited computing resources of single platoon.Meanwhile,IRS can enhance the inter-platoon communication in a cost-effective and energy-efficient manner.Firstly,the federated learning optimization problem of maximizing the learning accuracy is formulated by jointing platoon scheduling,bandwidth allocation and phase shifts at the IRS to maximize the number of scheduled platoon.Specif-ically,in the proposed learning architecture each platoon updates the learning model with its own data and uploads it to the global model through IRS-based wireless networks.Then,a method based on sequential optimization algorithm(SOA)and a group-based optimization method are analyzed for single IRS aided and large-scale IRS aided commu-nication,respectively.Finally,a platoon scheduling scheme is designed based on the communication reliability and computing reliability of platoons.Simulation results demonstrate that large-scale IRS assisted communication can effectively improve the reliability of multi-user communication networks.The scheduling scheme based on learning reliability balances the communication performance and computing performance of platoons.

An In-Situ Formed Tunneling Layer Enriches the Options of Anode for Efficient and Stable Regular Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)are taking steps to commercialization.However,the halogen-reactive anode with high cost becomes a stumbling block.Here,the halogen migration in PSCs is utilized to in situ generate a uniform tunneling layer between the hole transport materials and anodes,which enriches the options of anodes by breaking the Schottky barrier,enabling the regular PSCs with both high efficiency and stability.Specifically,the regular PSC that uses silver iodide as the tunneling layer and copper as the anode obtains a champion power conversion efficiency of 23.24%(certified 22.74%)with an aperture area of 1.04 cm^(2).The devices are stable,maintaining 98.6%of the initial effi-ciency after 500 h of operation at the maximum power point with continuous 1 sun illumination.PSCs with different tunneling layers and anodes are fabricated,which confirm the generality of the strategy.

Prospects for key technologies of new-type urban integrated energy system

In recent years,primary energy consumption in China’s urban areas has increased rapidly,facing the problems of extensive use of energy,high energy consumption and insufficient intensified use of energy resources.Improving multienergy supply,increasing the proportion of clean energy and integrated energy efficiency are the main goals of urban development.The integrated energy system with multi-functional synergy and open trading will become one of the new directions for the development of new urban energy systems.This paper summarizes the main problems faced by the current towns and the characteristics of the new urban energy system,analyzes the development of new urban energy system from three aspects including energy interconnection hub infrastructure construction,energy management platform construction and energy value sharing,and forecasts the future development direction of new urban energy systems.

A highly selective catalyst of Co/La_(4)Ga_(2)O_(9) for CO_(2) hydrogenation to ethanol

A new catalyst of Co/La_(4)Ga_(2)O_(9) for CO_(2) hydrogenation to produce ethanol was prepared by reducing LaCo^(0).5 Ga0.5 O3,which showed excellent selectivity to ethanol(%35 C-mol%)at mild reaction conditions(270°C,3.5 MPa,3000 m L g-1 h-1).The catalysts were characterized by N_(2) adsorption/desorption,XRD,XAFS,CO and CO_(2)-TPD,H2 chemisorption,XPS and TEM techniques.The interaction between Co nanoparticles(NPs)and La2+4 Ga_(2)O_(9) oxide resulted in Co^(0)-Coon the surface of Co NPs.It was proposed that La_(4)Ga_(2)O_(9) could catalyze reverse water gas shift reaction(r-WGS),which converted CO_(2) to CO.Then,the CO migrated to Co^(0)-Co^(2+)on Co NPs,where it was hydrogenated to form ethanol like higher alcohols synthesis from syngas.The results suggest that by controlling the oxidation state of cobalt,and combined with a kind of active site for activating CO_(2) to form CO,a catalyst with excellent selectivity to ethanol could be obtained for CO_(2) hydrogenation,which means that the complex reaction may be proceed with high selectivity using only one active metal component.

Realization of high-performance tri-layer graphene saturable absorber mirror fabricated via a one-step transfer process

Graphene,as a saturable absorber(SA),has attracted much attention for its application in ultrashort pulse fiber lasers due to its ultrafast interband carrier relaxation and ultra-broadband wavelength operation.Nevertheless,during the stacking process of monolayer graphene layer,the induced nonuniform contact at the interface of graphene layers deteriorate the device performance.Herein,we report the fabrication of graphene saturable absorber mirrors(SAMs)via a one-step transfer process and the realization of the much enlarged modulation depth and the much reduced nonsaturable loss with tri-layer graphene(TLG)than single-layer graphene(SLG)due to the improved uniform contact at the interface.Moreover,the operation of 1550 nm mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser with the TLG SAM exhibits excellent output characteristics of the maximum output power of 9.9 mW,a slope efficiency of 2.4%and a pulse width of 714 fs.Our findings are expected to pave the way toward high-performance ultrashort pulse fiber lasers based on graphene SAs.

Quantum cascade superluminescent light emitters with high power and compact structure

Quantum cascade(QC)superluminescent light emitters(SLEs)have emerged as desirable broadband mid-infrared(MIR)light sources for growing number of applications in areas like medical imaging,gas sensing and national defense.However,it is challenging to obtain a practical high-power device due to the very low efficiency of spontaneous emission in the intersubband transitions in QC structures.Herein a design of^5μm SLEs is demonstrated with a two-phonon resonancebased QC active structure coupled with a compact combinatorial waveguide structure which comprises a short straight part adjacent to a tilted stripe and to a J-shaped waveguide.The as-fabricated SLEs achieve a high output power of 1.8 mW,exhibiting the potential to be integrated into array devices without taking up too much chip space.These results may facilitate the realization of SLE arrays to attain larger output power and pave the pathway towards the practical applications of broadband MIR light sources.

Combined Dictionary Learning in Facial Expression Recognition

Dictionary learning has been applied to face recognition and gets good results. However few works applied dictionary learning in facial expression recognition. This paper investigates the application of K-SVD in facial expression recognition. Since K-SVD focuses on reconstruction and lacks discriminant capability. It has similar classification performance with image pixel values. To address this problem, this paper proposes a Combined Dictionary Scheme, which uses combination of separate dictionaries. This yields better performance than the original single dictionary scheme in terms of both recognition rate and computation complexity.

Tailoring therapeutics via a systematic beneficial elements comparison between photosynthetic bacteria-derived OMVs and extruded nanovesicles

Photosynthetic bacteria(PSB)has shown significant potential as a drug or drug delivery system owing to their photothermal capabilities and antioxidant properties.Nevertheless,the actualization of their potential is impeded by inherent constraints,including their considerable size,heightened immunogenicity and compromised biosafety.Conquering these obstacles and pursuing more effective solutions remains a top priority.Similar to extracellular vesicles,bacterial outer membrane vesicles(OMVs)have demonstrated a great potential in biomedical applications.OMVs from PSB encapsulate a rich array of bioactive constituents,including proteins,nucleic acids,and lipids inherited from their parent cells.Consequently,they emerge as a promising and practical alternative.Unfortunately,OMVs have suffered from low yield and inconsistent particle sizes.In response,bacteria-derived nanovesicles(BNVs),created through controlled extrusion,adeptly overcome the challenges associated with OMVs.However,the differences,both in composition and subsequent biological effects,between OMVs and BNVs remain enigmatic.In a groundbreaking endeavor,our study meticulously cultivates PSB-derived OMVs and BNVs,dissecting their nuances.Despite minimal differences in morphology and size between PSB-derived OMVs and BNVs,the latter contains a higher concentration of active ingredients and metabolites.Particularly noteworthy is the elevated levels of lysophosphatidylcholine(LPC)found in BNVs,known for its ability to enhance cell proliferation and initiate downstream signaling pathways that promote angiogenesis and epithelialization.Importantly,our results indicate that BNVs can accelerate wound closure more effectively by orchestrating a harmonious balance of cell proliferation and migration within NIH-3T3 cells,while also activating the EGFR/AKT/PI3K pathway.In contrast,OMVs have a pronounced aptitude in anti-cancer efforts,driving macrophages toward the M1 phenotype and promoting the release of inflammatory cytokines.Thus,our findings not only provide a promising methodological framework but also establish a definitive criterion for discerning the optimal application of OMVs and BNVs in addressing a wide range of medical conditions.

Probabilistic Fatigue Life Framework of Notched Specimens Based on the Weibull Distribution Under Multiaxial Loading

In engineering applications,the notch effect and size effect significantly influence the evaluation of fatigue performance in components,necessitating special attention in life prediction.This study proposes a new probabilistic model,based on the theory of critical distance(TCD),to predict fatigue life,with the aim of quantitatively assessing the impact of notch effect and size effect.The stress distribution on the critical plane is first characterized using a sixth-order multinomial function,and the relative stress gradient function is utilized to calculate the value of the critical distance.Furthermore,the effect of the ratio of shear strain to normal strain on fatigue life under multiaxial loading is considered.Additionally,the integration of the Weibull distribution into the TCD is employed for conducting probabilistic modeling of fatigue life.Finally,fatigue experiments are conducted on notched specimens of Q355D steel,demonstrating that the life prediction results under 50%survival probability are superior to the traditional TCD method.

超越现代性:西方现代民族国家理论批判

民族国家是现代世界体系中国际交往的组织形态和基本主体,民族国家建构的现代性困境始终是西方学界争论不休的热点问题。伴随着民族建构原生性的削弱与政治性的加强,民族国家理论的现代性趋向促进了民族意识与民族认同的生成觉醒。特别在当前多元文化的背景下,国家认同与族群发展的内在张力成为西方民族国家建构亟须解决的核心问题,民族国家在建构进程中需要将民族认同有效转化为国家认同,就必须明确民族认同与国家认同的演变历程,协调处理文化多元化与民族一体化的辩证关系。西方民族国家的现代性特质揭示了人类文明新形态的历史性出场,人类文明新形态实现了对现代西方民族国家资本主义文明形态的多维超越,从认知、路径、价值三个维度对西方现代民族国家理论进行批判反思,为消除民族国家不同族群文化的对立冲突打开了新空间,为调和族群与国家的认同张力提供了历史启示,为人类文明进步提供了新的范式和解决全球治理难题的新思路。

缺口件多轴疲劳寿命预估新方法

局部应力应变法(LSSM)以危险点处的局部应力应变历程进行寿命评价,忽略了非比例附加强化及缺口附近应力梯度对疲劳损伤的影响.论文通过分析裂纹萌生面(临界面)上剪应力和正应力分布状态,提出一种计算缺口件多轴疲劳损伤影响区的数学计算方法,建立考虑法向正/剪应力梯度与非比例附加强化效应的寿命预估模型.首先,基于能量法和临界面理论,借助坐标变换原理将应变能密度最大的材料平面定义为临界面,建立确定裂纹萌生方向的计算方法.其次,以临界面上特定路径为积分方向,将缺口件三维问题转化为线性问题,简化计算过程.综合考虑峰值应力和等效应力场强对多轴疲劳寿命的贡献度,建立表征缺口件多轴疲劳损伤演化过程的损伤参量.最后,通过TC4合金和Q345钢多轴疲劳试验验证论文模型的可行性和精确度,并与LSSM法、FS模型、SWT模型进行对比分析.

直接还原钒渣制备铁钒合金热力学分析及性能

围绕钒渣的资源化利用的研究热点,以钒渣和高铁赤泥为原料,采用高温碳热还原熔炼的方法成功地制备了铁钒合金。热力学分析表明铁和钒的氧化物在高温下均可被还原为金属单质,且二者在固液相中均能无限互溶,证明以此种方法制备铁钒合金可行。实验研究了原料配比对金属回收率的影响,以及Na_(2)CO_(3)和焦炭添加量对合金组织及性能的影响,结果表明,高铁赤泥的加入可以提高炉料碱度,Na_(2)CO_(3)的加入改善了Fe_(2)SiO_(4)和FeAl_(2)O_(4)的还原条件,有利于提高反应体系的还原效率;Na_(2)CO_(3)和焦炭的最佳添加量分别为8wt%和30wt%,此时原料中Fe和V的回收率最大。V在合金凝固过程中促进了珠光体转变,提高了合金的力学性能。

Terahertz polarization sensing,chirality enhancement,and specific binding based on metasurface sensors for biochemical detection:a review[Invited]

Specific and highly-sensitive biochemical detection technology is particularly important in global epidemics and has critical applications in life science,medical diagnosis,and pharmaceutics.As a newly developed technology,the THz metamaterialbased sensing method is a promising technique for extremely sensitive biomolecular detection.However,due to the significant resonant peaks generated by THz metamaterials,the characteristic absorption peaks of the analyte are usually masked,making it difficult to distinguish enantiomers and specifically identify target biomolecules.Recently,new ways to overcome this limitation have become possible thanks to the emergence of chiral metasurfaces and the polarization sensing method.Additionally,functionalized metasurfaces modified by antibodies or other nanomaterials are also expected to achieve specific sensing with high sensitivity.In this review,we summarize the main advances in THz metamaterials-based sensing from a historical perspective as well as application in chiral recognition and specific detection.Specifically,we introduce the basic theory and key technology of THz polarization spectrum and chiral sensing for biochemical detection,and immune sensing based on biomolecular interaction is also discussed.We mainly focus on chiral recognition and specific sensing using THz metasurface sensors to cover the most recent advances in the topic,which is expected to break through the limitations of traditional THz absorption spectroscopy and chiral spectroscopy in the visible-infrared band and develop into an irreplaceable method for the characterization of biochemical substances.

Anomalous refinement and uniformization of grains in metallic thin films

When a laser beam writes on a metallic film,it usually coarsens and deuniformizes grains because of Ostwald ripening,similar to the case of annealing.Here we show an anomalous refinement effect of metal grains:A metallic silver film with large grains melts and breaks into uniform,close-packed,and ultrafine(~10 nm)grains by laser direct writing with a nanoscale laser spot size and nanosecond pulse that causes localized heating and adaptive shock-cooling.This method exhibits high controllability in both grain size and uniformity,which lies in a linear relationship between the film thickness(h)and grain size(D),D∝h.The linear relationship is significantly different from the classical spinodal dewetting theory obeying a nonlinear relationship(D∝h5/3)in common laser heating.We also demonstrate the application of such a silver film with a grain size of~10.9 nm as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering chip,exhibiting superhigh spatial-uniformity and low detection limit down to 10-15 M.This anomalous refinement effect is general and can be extended to many other metallic films.

基于复炸油的微藻采收方法及其作用机理研究

随着现代能源发展,使用清洁、可再生的新能源逐渐成为解决环境和能源问题的主要思路。在众多新能源中,生物质能不仅可以降低温室气体排放,还具有良好的可再生特性,小球藻作为一种理想的制备生物质能,不仅生长速度快,且油脂含量高。但因其密度与水接近而导致采收困难,这也成为制约微藻产业发展的主要原因之一。以浮珠浮选法为基础,提出一种以复炸油乳化液为浮珠的浮选法用于采收小球藻,即将复炸油与纯水按照一定比例在乳化剂作用下充分乳化,并结合响应面法,筛选出影响采收率的显著因素为p H、搅拌速率和原藻体积占比;影响富集比的显著因素为pH、浮选时间和原藻体积占比;同时结合多目标优化结果得出最佳采收率和富集比分别为92.79%和2.07%。以小球藻为研究对象,获得复炸油采收微藻机理:微藻与浮珠在铝盐的作用下,通过吸附电中和及桥接作用形成聚合体;微藻与浮珠首先在搅拌提供的动能作用下相互靠近,之后在范德华力作用下发生黏附,在14.73 nm时引力作用达到临界值。在最佳采收条件下,处理成本仅为4.38元/吨,降低采收成本和能耗的同时也为复炸油再利用提供了一种新方法。