Novel Static Security and Stability Control of Power Systems Based on Artificial Emotional Lazy Q-Learning

The stability problem of power grids has become increasingly serious in recent years as the size of novel power systems increases.In order to improve and ensure the stable operation of the novel power system,this study proposes an artificial emotional lazy Q-learning method,which combines artificial emotion,lazy learning,and reinforcement learning for static security and stability analysis of power systems.Moreover,this study compares the analysis results of the proposed method with those of the small disturbance method for a stand-alone power system and verifies that the proposed lazy Q-learning method is able to effectively screen useful data for learning,and improve the static security stability of the new type of power system more effectively than the traditional proportional-integral-differential control and Q-learning methods.

Overcoming chemoresistance in non-angiogenic colorectal cancer by metformin via inhibiting endothelial apoptosis and vascular immaturity

The development of chemoresistance which results in a poor prognosis often renders current treatments for colorectal cancer(CRC).In this study,we identified reduced microvessel density(MVD)and vascular immaturity resulting from endothelial apoptosis as therapeutic targets for overcoming chemoresistance.We focused on the effect of metformin on MVD,vascular maturity,and endothelial apoptosis of CRCs with a non-angiogenic phenotype,and further investigated its effect in overcoming chemoresistance.In situ transplanted cancer models were established to compare MVD,endothelial apoptosis and vascular maturity,and function in tumors from metformin-and vehicle-treated mice.An in vitro co-culture system was used to observe the effects of metformin on tumor cell-induced endothelial apoptosis.Transcriptome sequencing was performed for genetic screening.Non-angiogenic CRC developed independently of angiogenesis and was characterized by vascular leakage,immaturity,reduced MVD,and non-hypoxia.This phenomenon had also been observed in human CRC.Furthermore,non-angiogenic CRCs showed a worse response to chemotherapeutic drugs in vivo than in vitro.By suppressing endothelial apoptosis,metformin sensitized non-angiogenic CRCs to chemo-drugs via elevation of MVD and improvement of vascular maturity.Further results showed that endothelial apoptosis was induced by tumor cells via activation of caspase signaling,which was abrogated by metformin administration.These findings provide pre-clinical evidence for the involvement of endothelial apoptosis and subsequent vascular immaturity in the chemoresistance of non-angiogenic CRC.By suppressing endothelial apoptosis,metformin restores vascular maturity and function and sensitizes CRC to chemotherapeutic drugs via a vascular mechanism.

Effective extraction of fluoroquinolones from water using facile modified plant fibers

In this study,ecofriendly and economic carboxy-terminated plant fibers(PFs)were used as adsorbents for the effective in-syringe solid phase extraction(IS-SPE)of fluoroquinolone(FQ)residues from water.Based on the thermal esterification and etherification reaction of cellulose hydroxy with citric acid(CA)and sodium chloroacetate in aqueous solutions,carboxy groups grafted onto cotton,cattail,and corncob fibers were fabricated.Compared with carboxy-terminated corncob and cotton,CA-modified cattail with more carboxy groups showed excellent adsorption capacity for FQs.The modified cattail fibers were reproducible and reusable with relative standard deviations of 3.2%-4.2% within 10 cycles of adsorptiondesorption.A good extraction efficiency of 71.3%-80.9% was achieved after optimizing the extraction condition.Based on carboxylated cattail,IS-SPE coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector was conducted to analyze FQs in environmental water samples.High sensitivity with limit of detections of 0.08-0.25 mg/L and good accuracy with recoveries of 83.8%-111.7% were obtained.Overall,the simple and environment-friendly modified waste PFs have potential applications in the effective extraction and detection of FQs in natural waters.

Polysaccharide isolated from wax apple suppresses ethyl carbamate-induced oxidative damage in human hepatocytes

Wax apple(Syzygium samarangense)has received growing research interest for its high nutritional and medicinal value due to its constituents such as polysaccharide,organic acids,flavonoids,minerals,and other substances.In this study,wax apple polysaccharide(WAP)was isolated from this plant and its protective effect against ethyl carbamate(EC)-induced oxidative damage was evaluated in human hepatocytes(L02 cells).Firstly,a series of analyses such as high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),high-performance gel permeation chromatography(HPGPC),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS),and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)were conducted to identify the structure of,in vitro cell experiments were performed to verify the protective effects of WAP against EC-induced cytotoxicity,genotoxicity,and oxidative damage in L02 cells.Our results revealed that WAP is composed of mannose,rhamnose,glucuronic acid,galacturonic acid,glucose,galactose,arabinose,and fucose in a molar ratio of 2.20:3.94:4.45:8.56:8.86:30.82:39.78:1.48.Using a combination of methylation and NMR spectroscopic analysis,the primary structure of WAP was identified as Araf-(1→,Glcp-(1→,→2)-Araf-(1→,→3)-Galp-(1→,→3)-Araf-(1→,and→6)-Galp-(1→.Cell experiments indicated that WAP exhibited significant protective effects on EC-treated L02 cells via suppressing cytotoxicity and genotoxicity,reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS)and O2?-formation,as well as improving mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)and glutathione(GSH).In a nutshell,WAP has the potential as an important therapeutic agent or supplement for hepatic oxidative damage.Meanwhile,further studies are needed to prove the above effects in vivo at the biological and clinical levels.

Antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of tartary buckwheat rice flavonoids after in vitro digestion

Oxidative stress and diabetes have a tendency to alter protein, lipid, and DNA moieties. One of the strategic methods used to reduce diabetes-associated oxidative stress is to inhibit the carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, thereby decreasing gastrointestinal glucose production. Plant-derived natural antioxidant molecules are considered a therapeutic tool in the treatment of oxidative stress and diabetes. The objective of this study was to identify tartary buckwheat rice flavonoids and evaluate the effect of in vitro digestion on their antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. High performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） analysis indicated the presence of rutin as a major component and quercitrin as a minor component of both digested and non-digested flavonoids. Both extracts showed a significant antioxidant capacity, but digested flavonoids showed reduced activity compared to non-digested. There were some decreases of the antioxidant activities（2,2＇-azino-bis-（3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid） diammonium salt（ABTS）, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy（DPPH） radical, and ferric reducing antioxidant power（FRAP）） of digested tartary buckwheat rice flavonoids compared with non-digested. Flavonoids from both groups significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species（ROS） production and α-glucosidase activity. Both digested and non-digested flavonoids markedly increased glucose consumption and glycogen content in Hep G2 cells. Tartary buckwheat rice flavonoids showed appreciable antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, even after digestion. Tartary buckwheat rice appears to be a promising functional food with potent antioxidant and antidiabetic properties.

Research advances in bioactive components and health benefits of jujube(Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)fruit

Jujube(Ziziphus jujuba Mill.),a highly nutritious and functional fruit,is reported to have various health benefits and has been extensively planted worldwide,especially in China.Many studies have shown that bioactive components derived from jujube fruit have significant nutritional and potential biological effects.In this paper,the latest progress in research on major bioactive compounds obtained from jujube is reviewed,and the potential biological functions of jujube fruit resources are discussed.As a dietary supplement,jujube fruit is well recognized as a healthy food which contains a variety of bioactive substances,such as polysaccharides,polyphenols,amino acids,nucleotides,fatty acids,dietary fiber,alkaloids,and other nutrients.These nutrients and non-nutritive phytochemicals obtained from jujube fruit have physiological functions including anticancer,antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-hyperlipidemic,anti-hyperglycemic,immunoregulatory,neuroprotective,sedative,and antiviral functions.Of note is that new constituents,including alkaloids,dietary fiber,and other bioactive substances,as well as the antiviral,hypoglycemic,lipid-lowering,and neuroprotective effects of jujube fruit,are systematically reviewed here for the first time.Meanwhile,problems affecting the exploitation of jujube fruit resources are discussed and further research directions proposed.Therefore,this review provides a useful bibliography for the future development of jujube-based products and the utilization of jujube nutritional components in functional foods.

Recent advances in screening active components from natural products based on bioaffinity techniques

Natural products have provided numerous lead compounds for drug discovery.However,the traditional analytical methods cannot detect most of these active components,especially at their usual low concentrations,from complex natural products.Herein,we reviewed the recent technological advances(2015-2019)related to the separation and screening bioactive components from natural resources,especially the emerging screening methods based on the bioaffinity techniques,including biological chromatography,affinity electrophoresis,affinity mass spectroscopy,and the latest magnetic and optical methods.These screening methods are uniquely advanced compared to other traditional methods,and they can fish out the active components from complex natural products because of the affinity between target and components,without tedious separation works.Therefore,these new tools can reduce the time and cost of the drug discovery process and accelerate the development of more effective and better-targeted therapeutic agents.

One-pot synthesis of MoSe2 hetero-dimensional hybrid self-assembled by nanodots and nanosheets for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and photothermal therapy

We designed and prepared a hetero-dimensional hybrid （HDH） based on molybdenum selenide （MoSe2） nanodots （NDs） anchored in few-layer MoSe2 nanosheets （NSs） （MoSe2 HDH） via a one-pot hydrothermal process. The MoSe2 HDH exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction （HER）. This is because, on the one hand, the edge-abundant features of MoSe2 NDs and the unique defect-rich structure at the interface of MoSe2 NSs/NDs could bring in more active sites for HER; on the other hand, the random stacking of the flake-like MoSe2 NSs on the surface of the supporting electrode may achieve efficient charge transport. Additionally, the MoSe2 HDH shows good water stability, desirable biocompatibility, and high near infrared （NIR） photothermal conversion efficiency. Therefore, the MoSe2 HDH is investigated as a nanomedicine in NIR photothermal therapy （PTT） for cancer. Specifically, the MoSe2 HDH can be applied as a dual-modal probe for computed tomography （CT） and photoacoustic tomography （PA） imaging owing to its strong X-ray attenuation ability and NIR absorption. Therefore, the MoSe2 HDH, combining PTT with CT/PA imaging into one system, holds great potential for imaging-guided cancer theranostics. This work may provide an ingenious strategy to prepare other hetero-dimensional layered transition metal dichalcogenides.

Phenolic profile of jujube fruit subjected to gut microbiota fermentation and its antioxidant potential against ethyl carbamateinduced oxidative damage

Objective:To evaluate the composition of bioactive substances and the antioxidant effects of jujube fruit under gut microbiota fermentation(GMF),and the inhibitory effect on cytotoxicity caused by ethyl carbamate(EC).Methods:Changes in the contents of flavonoids,polyphenols,total sugars,and reducing sugars of jujube fruit after GMF(0,2,6,12,24,and 48 h)were determined.The oxidation resistance of fermented jujube fruits(from 0 to 48 h fermentation)was evaluated using in vitro 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate)(ABTS)and ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP)assays.Inhibitory effects of 48 h-fermented jujube fruit at various concentrations(0.25,0.50,1.00,and 2.00 mg/mL)on EC-treated toxicity and DNA damage of Caco-2 cells were estimated using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide(MTT)and nuclear staining assays,respectively.Effects of different concentrations of jujube fruit on EC-treated Caco-2 cells’intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS),glutathione(GSH)levels,and mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)were also evaluated.Results:Jujube fruit has rich bioactive components after GMF and shows strong antioxidant capacity.Fermented jujube fruit can inhibit the cytotoxicity and DNA damage of Caco-2 cells caused by EC and reduce intracellular ROS generation,as well as restoring GSH and MMP.Conclusions:Fermented jujube fruit extracts produced by GMF still contain biologically active substances which retain biological activity and antioxidation capabilities.