An Overview of Sequential Approximation in Topology Optimization of Continuum Structure

This paper offers an extensive overview of the utilization of sequential approximate optimization approaches in the context of numerically simulated large-scale continuum structures.These structures,commonly encountered in engineering applications,often involve complex objective and constraint functions that cannot be readily expressed as explicit functions of the design variables.As a result,sequential approximation techniques have emerged as the preferred strategy for addressing a wide array of topology optimization challenges.Over the past several decades,topology optimization methods have been advanced remarkably and successfully applied to solve engineering problems incorporating diverse physical backgrounds.In comparison to the large-scale equation solution,sensitivity analysis,graphics post-processing,etc.,the progress of the sequential approximation functions and their corresponding optimizersmake sluggish progress.Researchers,particularly novices,pay special attention to their difficulties with a particular problem.Thus,this paper provides an overview of sequential approximation functions,related literature on topology optimization methods,and their applications.Starting from optimality criteria and sequential linear programming,the other sequential approximate optimizations are introduced by employing Taylor expansion and intervening variables.In addition,recent advancements have led to the emergence of approaches such as Augmented Lagrange,sequential approximate integer,and non-gradient approximation are also introduced.By highlighting real-world applications and case studies,the paper not only demonstrates the practical relevance of these methods but also underscores the need for continued exploration in this area.Furthermore,to provide a comprehensive overview,this paper offers several novel developments that aim to illuminate potential directions for future research.

Prediction of lime utilization ratio of dephosphorization in BOF steelmaking based on online sequential extreme learning machine with forgetting mechanism

The machine learning models of multiple linear regression(MLR),support vector regression(SVR),and extreme learning ma-chine(ELM)and the proposed ELM models of online sequential ELM(OS-ELM)and OS-ELM with forgetting mechanism(FOS-ELM)are applied in the prediction of the lime utilization ratio of dephosphorization in the basic oxygen furnace steelmaking process.The ELM model exhibites the best performance compared with the models of MLR and SVR.OS-ELM and FOS-ELM are applied for sequential learning and model updating.The optimal number of samples in validity term of the FOS-ELM model is determined to be 1500,with the smallest population mean absolute relative error(MARE)value of 0.058226 for the population.The variable importance analysis reveals lime weight,initial P content,and hot metal weight as the most important variables for the lime utilization ratio.The lime utilization ratio increases with the decrease in lime weight and the increases in the initial P content and hot metal weight.A prediction system based on FOS-ELM is applied in actual industrial production for one month.The hit ratios of the predicted lime utilization ratio in the error ranges of±1%,±3%,and±5%are 61.16%,90.63%,and 94.11%,respectively.The coefficient of determination,MARE,and root mean square error are 0.8670,0.06823,and 1.4265,respectively.The system exhibits desirable performance for applications in actual industrial pro-duction.

Optimized sequential therapy vs 10- and 14-d concomitant therapy for eradicating Helicobacter pylori: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND A cure for Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)remains a problem of global concern.The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance is widely rising and becoming a challenging issue worldwide.Optimizing sequential therapy seems to be one of the most attractive strategies in terms of efficacy,tolerability and cost.The most common sequential therapy consists of a dual therapy[proton-pump inhibitors(PPIs)and amoxicillin]for the first period(5 to 7 d),followed by a triple therapy for the second period(PPI,clarithromycin and metronidazole).PPIs play a key role in maintaining a gastric pH at a level that allows an optimal efficacy of antibiotics,hence the idea of using new generation molecules.This open-label prospective study randomized 328 patients with confirmed H.pylori infection into three groups(1:1:1):The first group received quadruple therapy consisting of twice-daily(bid)omeprazole 20 mg,amoxicillin 1 g,clarith-romycin 500 mg and metronidazole 500 mg for 10 d(QT-10),the second group received a 14 d quadruple therapy following the same regimen(QT-14),and the third group received an optimized sequential therapy consisting of bid rabe-prazole 20 mg plus amoxicillin 1 g for 7 d,followed by bid rabeprazole 20 mg,clarithromycin 500 mg and metronidazole 500 mg for the next 7 d(OST-14).AEs were recorded throughout the study,and the H.pylori eradication rate was determined 4 to 6 wk after the end of treatment,using the 13C urea breath test.RESULTS In the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis,the eradication rate was higher in the OST-14 group compared to the QT-10 group:(93.5%,85.5%P=0.04)and(96.2%,89.5%P=0.03)respectively.However,there was no statist-ically significant difference in eradication rates between the OST-14 and QT-14 groups:(93.5%,91.8%P=0.34)and(96.2%,94.4%P=0.35),respectively.The overall incidence of AEs was significantly lower in the OST-14 group(P=0.01).Furthermore,OST-14 was the most cost-effective among the three groups.CONCLUSION The optimized 14-d sequential therapy is a safe and effective alternative.Its eradication rate is comparable to that of the 14-d concomitant therapy while causing fewer AEs and allowing a gain in terms of cost.

Sequential neoadjuvant chemotherapy using pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by taxanes with complete trastuzumab and pertuzumab treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer: A phase Ⅱ single-arm study

Objective: Despite cardiotoxicity overlap, the trastuzumab/pertuzumab and anthracycline combination remains crucial due to significant benefits. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin(PLD), a less cardiotoxic anthracycline, was evaluated for efficacy and cardiac safety when combined with cyclophosphamide and followed by taxanes with trastuzumab/pertuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2)-positive early breast cancer(BC).Methods: In this multicenter, phase II study, patients with confirmed HER2-positive early BC received four cycles of PLD(30-35 mg/m^(2)) and cyclophosphamide(600 mg/m^(2)), followed by four cycles of taxanes(docetaxel,90-100 mg/m^(2) or nab-paclitaxel, 260 mg/m^(2)), concomitant with eight cycles of trastuzumab(8 mg/kg loading dose,then 6 mg/kg) and pertuzumab(840 mg loading dose, then 420 mg) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was total pathological complete response(tp CR, yp T0/is yp N0). Secondary endpoints included breast p CR(bp CR),objective response rate(ORR), disease control rate, rate of breast-conserving surgery(BCS), and safety(with a focus on cardiotoxicity).Results: Between May 27, 2020 and May 11, 2022, 78 patients were treated with surgery, 42(53.8%) of whom had BCS. After neoadjuvant therapy, 47 [60.3%, 95% confidence interval(95% CI), 48.5%-71.2%] patients achieved tp CR, and 49(62.8%) achieved bp CR. ORRs were 76.9%(95% CI, 66.0%-85.7%) and 93.6%(95% CI,85.7%-97.9%) after 4-cycle and 8-cycle neoadjuvant therapy, respectively. Nine(11.5%) patients experienced asymptomatic left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) reductions of ≥10% from baseline, all with a minimum value of >55%. No treatment-related abnormal cardiac function changes were observed in mean N-terminal pro-BNP(NT-pro BNP), troponin I, or high-sensitivity troponin.Conclusions: This dual HER2-blockade with sequential polychemotherapy showed promising activity with rapid tumor regression in HER2-positive BC. Importantly, this regimen showed an acceptable safety profile,especially a low risk of cardiac events, suggesting it as an attractive treatment approach with a favorable risk-benefit balance.

Exploring Sequential Feature Selection in Deep Bi-LSTM Models for Speech Emotion Recognition

Machine Learning(ML)algorithms play a pivotal role in Speech Emotion Recognition(SER),although they encounter a formidable obstacle in accurately discerning a speaker’s emotional state.The examination of the emotional states of speakers holds significant importance in a range of real-time applications,including but not limited to virtual reality,human-robot interaction,emergency centers,and human behavior assessment.Accurately identifying emotions in the SER process relies on extracting relevant information from audio inputs.Previous studies on SER have predominantly utilized short-time characteristics such as Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients(MFCCs)due to their ability to capture the periodic nature of audio signals effectively.Although these traits may improve their ability to perceive and interpret emotional depictions appropriately,MFCCS has some limitations.So this study aims to tackle the aforementioned issue by systematically picking multiple audio cues,enhancing the classifier model’s efficacy in accurately discerning human emotions.The utilized dataset is taken from the EMO-DB database,preprocessing input speech is done using a 2D Convolution Neural Network(CNN)involves applying convolutional operations to spectrograms as they afford a visual representation of the way the audio signal frequency content changes over time.The next step is the spectrogram data normalization which is crucial for Neural Network(NN)training as it aids in faster convergence.Then the five auditory features MFCCs,Chroma,Mel-Spectrogram,Contrast,and Tonnetz are extracted from the spectrogram sequentially.The attitude of feature selection is to retain only dominant features by excluding the irrelevant ones.In this paper,the Sequential Forward Selection(SFS)and Sequential Backward Selection(SBS)techniques were employed for multiple audio cues features selection.Finally,the feature sets composed from the hybrid feature extraction methods are fed into the deep Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory(Bi-LSTM)network to discern emotions.Since the deep Bi-LSTM can hierarchically learn complex features and increases model capacity by achieving more robust temporal modeling,it is more effective than a shallow Bi-LSTM in capturing the intricate tones of emotional content existent in speech signals.The effectiveness and resilience of the proposed SER model were evaluated by experiments,comparing it to state-of-the-art SER techniques.The results indicated that the model achieved accuracy rates of 90.92%,93%,and 92%over the Ryerson Audio-Visual Database of Emotional Speech and Song(RAVDESS),Berlin Database of Emotional Speech(EMO-DB),and The Interactive Emotional Dyadic Motion Capture(IEMOCAP)datasets,respectively.These findings signify a prominent enhancement in the ability to emotional depictions identification in speech,showcasing the potential of the proposed model in advancing the SER field.

Proposal for sequential Stern-Gerlach experiment with programmable quantum processors

The historical significance of the Stern–Gerlach(SG)experiment lies in its provision of the initial evidence for space quantization.Over time,its sequential form has evolved into an elegant paradigm that effectively illustrates the fundamental principles of quantum theory.To date,the practical implementation of the sequential SG experiment has not been fully achieved.In this study,we demonstrate the capability of programmable quantum processors to simulate the sequential SG experiment.The specific parametric shallow quantum circuits,which are suitable for the limitations of current noisy quantum hardware,are given to replicate the functionality of SG devices with the ability to perform measurements in different directions.Surprisingly,it has been demonstrated that Wigner’s SG interferometer can be readily implemented in our sequential quantum circuit.With the utilization of the identical circuits,it is also feasible to implement Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiment.We propose the utilization of cross-shaped programmable quantum processors to showcase sequential experiments,and the simulation results demonstrate a strong alignment with theoretical predictions.With the rapid advancement of cloud-based quantum computing,such as BAQIS Quafu,it is our belief that the proposed solution is well-suited for deployment on the cloud,allowing for public accessibility.Our findings not only expand the potential applications of quantum computers,but also contribute to a deeper comprehension of the fundamental principles underlying quantum theory.

Embryo Transfer Strategies for Women with Recurrent Implantation Failure During the Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles:Sequential Embryo Transfer or Double-blastocyst Transfer?

Objective Both sequential embryo transfer(SeET)and double-blastocyst transfer(DBT)can serve as embryo transfer strategies for women with recurrent implantation failure(RIF).This study aims to compare the effects of SeET and DBT on pregnancy outcomes.Methods Totally,261 frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles of 243 RIF women were included in this multicenter retrospective analysis.According to different embryo quality and transfer strategies,they were divided into four groups:group A,good-quality SeET(GQ-SeET,n=38 cycles);group B,poor-quality or mixed-quality SeET(PQ/MQ-SeET,n=31 cycles);group C,good-quality DBT(GQ-DBT,n=121 cycles);and group D,poor-quality or mixed-quality DBT(PQ/MQ-DBT,n=71 cycles).The main outcome,clinical pregnancy rate,was compared,and the generalized estimating equation(GEE)model was used to correct potential confounders that might impact pregnancy outcomes.Results GQ-DBT achieved a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate(aOR 2.588,95%CI 1.267–5.284,P=0.009)and live birth rate(aOR 3.082,95%CI 1.482–6.412,P=0.003)than PQ/MQ-DBT.Similarly,the clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in GQ-SeET than in PQ/MQ-SeET(aOR 4.047,95%CI 1.218–13.450,P=0.023).The pregnancy outcomes of GQ-SeET were not significantly different from those of GQ-DBT,and the same results were found between PQ/MQ-SeET and PQ/MQ-DBT.Conclusion SeET relative to DBT did not seem to improve pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients if the embryo quality was comparable between the two groups.Better clinical pregnancy outcomes could be obtained by transferring good-quality embryos,no matter whether in SeET or DBT.Embryo quality plays a more important role in pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients.

Sequential Inverse Optimal Control of Discrete-Time Systems

This paper presents a novel sequential inverse optimal control(SIOC)method for discrete-time systems,which calculates the unknown weight vectors of the cost function in real time using the input and output of an optimally controlled discrete-time system.The proposed method overcomes the limitations of previous approaches by eliminating the need for the invertible Jacobian assumption.It calculates the possible-solution spaces and their intersections sequentially until the dimension of the intersection space decreases to one.The remaining one-dimensional vector of the possible-solution space’s intersection represents the SIOC solution.The paper presents clear conditions for convergence and addresses the issue of noisy data by clarifying the conditions for the singular values of the matrices that relate to the possible-solution space.The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulation results.

Sequential experimental observation on the curative effect of Yingbupu decoction of Zhuang medicine on stage I and II acute kidney injury

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of the Zhuang medicine Yingbupu decoction on stage I and II acute kidney injury through sequential test.Methods:The open one-way qualitative response sequential design of experiments was adopted,and the patients with AKI in phase I and II who met the inclusion criteria were divided into the treatment group and the control group according to the order of hospitalization by random number table.On the basis of basic treatment,the treatment group was treated with Zhuang medicine Yingbupu decoction,and the control group was treated with Jinshuibao tablet.The clinical efficacy,TCM syndrome score,24 h urine volume,serum creatinine(Scr),microalbumin in urine(mAlb),neutrophil Gelatinase related lipid delivery albumin(NGAL)of the two groups were compared,and the adverse reactions and complications of the two groups were observed.Results:After 14 d of treatment,when the treatment group reached the 10th case,the experimental line contacted the upper bound U-line and reached the experimental standard to terminate the experiment.The effective hypothesis was accepted,and it was believed that the Zhuang medicine Yingbupu decoction had a therapeutic effect on stage I and II AKI.The conclusion was drawn that the treatment group received the Zhuang medicine Yingbupu.The clinical effective rate and improvement days were similar between the two groups,and there was no significant difference(P>0.05).However,the integral value of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05),After treatment,the Scr,mAlb,and NGAL levels of patients in both groups were lower than before treatment(P<0.05).After treatment,the Scr,mAlb,and NGAL values in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).After treatment,the 24-hour urine volume in both groups was higher than that before treatment,and the values in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).During the treatment period,there were no significant adverse reactions or complications in either group.Conclusion:The Zhuang medicine Yingbupu decoction is effective in treating stage I and II AKI,and the Zhuang medicine Yingbupu can significantly improve the symptoms and quality of life of patients with stage I and II AKI.Its improvement of renal function is better than that of Jinshuibao tablets,and its safety is good.

Attribute Reduction Method Based on Sequential Three-Branch Decision Model

Attribute reduction is a research hotspot in rough set theory. Traditional heuristic attribute reduction methods add the most important attribute to the decision attribute set each time, resulting in multiple redundant attribute calculations, high time consumption, and low reduction efficiency. In this paper, based on the idea of sequential three-branch decision classification domain, attributes are treated as objects of three-branch division, and attributes are divided into core attributes, relatively necessary attributes, and unnecessary attributes using attribute importance and thresholds. Core attributes are added to the decision attribute set, unnecessary attributes are rejected from being added, and relatively necessary attributes are repeatedly divided until the reduction result is obtained. Experiments were conducted on 8 groups of UCI datasets, and the results show that, compared to traditional reduction methods, the method proposed in this paper can effectively reduce time consumption while ensuring classification performance.

Effect of Sequential Early Enteral Nutrition on Postoperative Rehabilitation and Complications in Gastric Cancer Patients

Objective:To analyze the effect of sequential early enteral nutrition in patients with gastric cancer after surgery.Methods:A total of 139 gastric cancer patients,treated between October 2021 and October 2023,were randomly selected and divided into two groups:Group A(68 cases,receiving early enteral nutrition)and Group B(71 cases,receiving sequential early enteral nutrition),using computer randomization.The effects of the interventions on both groups were compared.Results:Seven days post-operation,the levels of nutritional indicators in Group B were significantly higher than those in Group A(P<0.05).Group B showed significantly better levels of inflammatory factors and immune factors compared to Group A seven days post-operation(P<0.05).The postoperative complication rate in Group B was 4.23%,2 significantly lower than that in Group A,which was 16.18%(χ=5.477,P=0.019).Conclusion:The utilization of sequential early enteral nutrition in gastric cancer patients after surgery demonstrated notable improvements in nutritional status and inflammation markers,along with enhanced immunity,effectively reducing postoperative complications.

An Adaptive Sequential Replacement Method for Variable Selection in Linear Regression Analysis

With the rapid development of DNA technologies, high throughput genomic data have become a powerful leverage to locate desirable genetic loci associated with traits of importance in various crop species. However, current genetic association mapping analyses are focused on identifying individual QTLs. This study aimed to identify a set of QTLs or genetic markers, which can capture genetic variability for marker-assisted selection. Selecting a set with k loci that can maximize genetic variation out of high throughput genomic data is a challenging issue. In this study, we proposed an adaptive sequential replacement (ASR) method, which is considered a variant of the sequential replacement (SR) method. Through Monte Carlo simulation and comparing with four other selection methods: exhaustive, SR method, forward, and backward methods we found that the ASR method sustains consistent and repeatable results comparable to the exhaustive method with much reduced computational intensity.

Effects of sequential decay on collective flows and nuclear stopping power in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies

In this study, the rapidity distribution, collective flows, and nuclear stopping power in ^(197)Au+^(197)Au collisions at intermediate energies were investigated using the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics(UrQMD) model with GEMINI++ code. The UrQMD model was adopted to simulate the dynamic evolution of heavy-ion collisions, whereas the GEMINI++ code was used to simulate the decay of primary fragments produced by UrQMD. The calculated results were compared with the INDRA and FOPI experimental data. It was found that the rapidity distribution, collective flows, and nuclear stopping power were affected to a certain extent by the decay of primary fragments, especially at lower beam energies. Furthermore, the experimental data of the collective flows and nuclear stopping power at the investigated beam energies were better reproduced when the sequential decay effect was included.

Sequential quadratic programming-based non-cooperative target distributed hybrid processing optimization method

The distributed hybrid processing optimization problem of non-cooperative targets is an important research direction for future networked air-defense and anti-missile firepower systems. In this paper, the air-defense anti-missile targets defense problem is abstracted as a nonconvex constrained combinatorial optimization problem with the optimization objective of maximizing the degree of contribution of the processing scheme to non-cooperative targets, and the constraints mainly consider geographical conditions and anti-missile equipment resources. The grid discretization concept is used to partition the defense area into network nodes, and the overall defense strategy scheme is described as a nonlinear programming problem to solve the minimum defense cost within the maximum defense capability of the defense system network. In the solution of the minimum defense cost problem, the processing scheme, equipment coverage capability, constraints and node cost requirements are characterized, then a nonlinear mathematical model of the non-cooperative target distributed hybrid processing optimization problem is established, and a local optimal solution based on the sequential quadratic programming algorithm is constructed, and the optimal firepower processing scheme is given by using the sequential quadratic programming method containing non-convex quadratic equations and inequality constraints. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation examples.

Systematic sequential therapy for ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(pCCA)is a highly malignant tumor arising from the biliary tree.Radical surgery is the only treatment offering a chance of long-term survival.However,limited by the tumor’s anatomic location and peri-vascular invasion,most patients lose the chance for curative treatment.Therefore,more methods to increase the resectability of tumors as well as to improve outcomes are needed.CASE SUMMARY A 68-year-old female patient had a hepatic hilar mass without obvious symptoms.Laboratory results showed hepatitis B positivity.Magnetic resonance imaging indicated that the mass(maximum diameter:41 mm)invaded the left and right branches of the main portal vein,as well as the middle,left and right hepatic veins;enlarged lymph nodes were also detected in the hilum.The patient was diagnosed with pCCA,and the clinical stage was determined to be T4N1M0(stage IIIC).Considering the tumor’s anatomic location and vascular invasion,systematic conversion therapy followed by ex vivo liver resection and autotrans-plantation(ELRA)was determined as personalized treatment for this patient.Our original systemic sequential therapeutic strategy(lenvatinib and tislelizumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin)was successfully adopted as conversion therapy because she achieved partial response after three cycles of treatment,without severe toxicity.ELRA,anastomotic reconstruction of the middle hepatic vein,right hepatic vein,root of portal vein,inferior vena cava and right hepatic artery,and lymph node dissection were performed at one month after systemic therapy.Pathological and immunohistochemical examination confirmed the diagnosis of pCCA with lymph node metastasis.Although the middle hepatic vein was partially obstructed four months later,hepatic vein stent implantation successfully addressed this problem.The patient has survived for 22 mo after the diagnosis,with no evidence of recurrence or metastasis.CONCLUSION An effective therapeutic strategy for conversion therapy greatly increases the feasibility and efficiency of ELRA.

Sequential expression of miR-221-3p and miR-338-3p in Schwann cells as a therapeutic strategy to promote nerve regeneration and functional recovery

The functional properties of endogenous Schwann cells(SCs)during nerve repair are dynamic.Optimizing the functional properties of SCs at different stages of nerve repair may have therapeutic benefit in improving the repair of damaged nerves.Previous studies showed that miR-221-3p promotes the proliferation and migration of SCs,and miR-338-3p promotes the myelination of SCs.In this study,we established rat models of sciatic nerve injury by bridging the transected sciatic nerve with a silicone tube.We injected a miR-221 lentiviral vector system together with a doxycycline-inducible Tet-On miR-338 lentiviral vector system into the cavity of nerve conduits of nerve stumps to sequentially regulate the biological function of endogenous SCs at different stages of nerve regeneration.We found that the biological function of SCs was sequentially regulated,the diameter and density of myelinated axons were increased,the expression levels of NF200 and myelin basic protein were increased,and the function of injured peripheral nerve was improved using this system.miRNA Target Prediction Database prediction,Nanopore whole transcriptome sequencing,quantitative PCR,and dual luciferase reporter gene assay results predicted and verified Cdkn1b and Nrp1 as target genes of miR-221-3p and miR-338-3p,respectively,and their regulatory effects on SCs were confirmed in vitro.In conclusion,here we established a new method to enhance nerve regeneration through sequential regulation of biological functions of endogenous SCs,which establishes a new concept and model for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury.The findings from this study will provide direct guiding significance for clinical treatment of sciatic nerve injury.

Application of sequential extraction for analyzing source and sink of uranium in Huanghe River sediments,China

Geochemical behaviors of heavy metals are closely related to their chemical state that can be divided by sequential extraction into exchangeable(F1),bound to carbonates(F2),bound to Fe-Mn oxides(F3),bound to organic matter or sulfide(F4),and residual(F5).Uranium in sediment of the Huanghe(Yellow)River,China,in different chemical states was extracted using the five-step procedure of Tessier and the source and sink were analyzed.Results show that more than 70%of the total uranium was immobile residual F5 in abundance,followed in order of F4>F3>F2>F1,indicating that the main source of uranium in the sediments was from weathered rock in the drainage basin.In addition,the uranium in the sediments presents potential exogenous input in the Lanzhou,Baotou,and Tongguan reach.Fe-Mn oxides are main carriers of unstable uranium,especially those of F1 and F3.Calcite and illite are secondary adsorption minerals of unstable uranium in sediments under natural conditions.Human activities can also produce an obvious impact on uranium speciation.This study provides a reference for the application of sequential extraction in analyzing the source and sink of uranium in river sediments.

Sustainable Generation of Sulfate Radicals and Decontamination of Micropollutants via Sequential Electrochemistry

The removal of emerging micropollutants in the aquatic environment remains a global challenge.Conventional routes are often chemically,energetically,and operationally intensive,which decreases their sustainability during applications.Herein,we develop an advanced chemical-free strategy for micropollutants decontamination that is solely based on sequential electrochemistry involving ubiquitous sulfate anions in natural and engineered waters.This can be achieved via a chain reaction initiated by electrocatalytic anodic sulfate(SO_(4)^(2-))oxidation to produce persulfate(S_(2)O_(8)^(2-))and followed by a cathodic persulfate reduction to produce sulfate radicals(SO_(4)^(·-)).These SO_(4)^(·-)are powerful reactive species that enable the unselective degradation of micropollutants and yield SO_(4)^(2-)again in the treated water.The proposed flow-through electrochemical system achieves the efficient degradation(100.0%)and total organic carbon removal(65.0%)of aniline under optimized conditions with a single-pass mode.We also reveal the effectiveness of the proposed system for the degradation of a wide array of emerging micropollutants over a broad pH range and in complex matrices.This work provides the first proof-ofconcept demonstration using ubiquitous sulfate for micropollutants decontamination,making water purification more sustainable and more economical.

A SUPERLINEARLY CONVERGENT SPLITTING FEASIBLE SEQUENTIAL QUADRATIC OPTIMIZATION METHOD FOR TWO-BLOCK LARGE-SCALE SMOOTH OPTIMIZATION

This paper discusses the two-block large-scale nonconvex optimization problem with general linear constraints.Based on the ideas of splitting and sequential quadratic optimization(SQO),a new feasible descent method for the discussed problem is proposed.First,we consider the problem of quadratic optimal(QO)approximation associated with the current feasible iteration point,and we split the QO into two small-scale QOs which can be solved in parallel.Second,a feasible descent direction for the problem is obtained and a new SQO-type method is proposed,namely,splitting feasible SQO(SF-SQO)method.Moreover,under suitable conditions,we analyse the global convergence,strong convergence and rate of superlinear convergence of the SF-SQO method.Finally,preliminary numerical experiments regarding the economic dispatch of a power system are carried out,and these show that the SF-SQO method is promising.

Sequential extraction of RNA,DNA and protein from cultured cells of the same group

BACKGROUND Efficient extraction of nucleic acids and proteins(ENAP)from cells is a prerequisite for precise annotation of gene function,and has become laboratory routine for revealing the mysteries of life.However,cell samples are often from different culture dishes,resulting in inevitable experimental errors and sometimes poor repeatability.AIM To explore a method to improve the efficiency of ENAP,minimizing errors in ENAP processes,enhancing the reliability and repeatability of subsequent experimental results.METHODS A protocol for the sequential isolation of RNA,DNA,and proteins from the same cultured HepG2 cells using RNAzol reagent is presented here.The first step involves culturing HepG2 cells to the exponential phase,followed by the sequential isolation of RNA,DNA,and proteins from the same cultured cells in the second step.The yield of nucleic acids and proteins is detected in the third step,and their purity and integrity are verified in the last step.RESULTS The procedure takes as few as 3-4 d from the start to quality verification and is highly efficient.In contrast to the existing kits and reagents,which are primarily based on independent isolation,this RNAzol reagent-based method is characterized by the sequential isolation of RNA,DNA,and proteins from the same cells,and therefore saves time,and has low cost and high efficiency.CONCLUSION The RNA,DNA,and proteins isolated using this method can be used for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,polymerase chain reaction,and western blotting,respectively.