The suitable band structure is vital for perovskite solar cells, which greatly affect the high photoelectric conversion efficiency. Cation substitution is an effective approach to tune the electric ...structure, carrier concentration, and optical absorption of hybrid lead iodine perovskites. In this work, the electronic structures and optical properties of cation (Bi, Sn, and TI) doped tetragonal formamidinium lead iodine CH(NH
)
PbI
(FAPbI
) are studied by first-principles calculations. For comparison, the cation-doped tetragonal methylammonium lead iodine CH
NH
PbI
(MAPbI
) are also considered. The calculated formation energies reveal that the Sn atom is easier to dope in the tetragonal MAPbI
/FAPbI
structure due to the small formation energy of about 0.3 eV. Besides, the band gap of Sn-doped MAPbI
/FAPbI
is 1.30/1.40 eV, which is considerably smaller than the un-doped tetragonal MAPbI
/FAPbI
. More importantly, compare with the un-doped tetragonal MAPbI
/FAPbI
, the Sn-doped MAPbI
and FAPbI
have the larger optical absorption coefficient and theoretical maximum efficiency, especially for Sn-doped FAPbI
. The lower formation energy, suitable band gap and outstanding optical absorption of the Sn-doped FAPbI
make it promising candidates for high-efficient perovskite cells.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with systemic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the serum BDNF levels in Chinese patients with type ...2 diabetes (T2DM). From the outpatient clinic at the endocrinology department of our hospital, all patients with long-standing T2DM were recruited for this study between August 2014 and December 2014. Serum levels of BDNF were assayed with solid-phase sandwich ELISA, and the demographical and clinical data were evaluated on admission. Median serum BDNF levels were significantly lower in patients with T2DM compared to control subjects (15.9 ng/mL (interquartile range (IQR), 12.6–19.8) VS. 24.6 ng/mL (IQR, 17.2–27.8);
P
< 0.0001). Serum BDNF levels were inversely correlated with fasting glucose (
r
= −0.394,
P
< 0.0001) and duration of illness (
r
= −0.272,
P
< 0.0001) in T2DM patients. Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cutoff value of serum BDNF levels as an indicator for diagnosis of T2DM was projected to be 23.0 ng/mL, which yielded a sensitivity of 89.0 % and a specificity of 60.9 %, with the area under the curve at 0.794 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.747–0.841;
P
< 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for other significant factors, BDNF can be seen as an indicator of independent diabetes complications with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.84 (95 % CI, 0.75–0.89; P < 0.001) and obesity with an OR of 0.88 (95 % CI, 0.80–0.92;
P
< 0.001). Our study suggested that low levels of BDNF accompany impaired glucose metabolism. Importantly, we found that decreased BDNF were correlated with obesity and diabetes complications.
This study contributes to construct the mathematical model of hybrid dynamic economic emission dispatch (HDEED) considering renewable energy generation and propose a novel solving approach based on ...enhanced moth-flame optimization algorithm. Renewable energy power generation technology has an important impact on reducing pollutant emissions and promoting sustainable development. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the HDEED problem in consideration of renewable energy generation and improve the economic and environmental benefits of the power system. First, a moth-flame optimization algorithm based on position disturbance updating strategy (MFO_PDU) was proposed aiming at the non-convex, non-linear and high-dimensional characteristics of HDEED problem. Second, the mathematical model of HDEED on the basis of Wind-Solar-Thermal integrated energy was constructed, while taking into account the valve point effect, equality constraints and inequality constraints. Finally, three cases including test systems of different scales were formulated and employed to verify the proposed approach, and the compromise solution was determined through membership function. The results revealed that the fuel cost obtained by the MFO_PDU algorithm was 11.31%, 4.01% and 5.27% smaller than those of HHO, TSA and MFO algorithms for small-scale test system. Accordingly, the research outcomes contribute in reducing the fuel cost and pollutant emissions of power generation system, and further improving the utilization and penetration rate of renewable energy.
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•A hybrid dynamic economic emission dispatch model is formulated.•A novel MFO_PDU-based optimization strategy is proposed to solve HDEED problem.•The MFO_PDU-based approach can solve the HDEED problem efficiently.•The environmental and economic benefits of the power system are improved.
Photovoltaic power generation is greatly affected by weather conditions while the photovoltaic power has a certain negative impact on the power grid. The power sector takes certain measures to ...abandon photovoltaic power generation, thus limiting the development of clean energy power generation. This study is to propose an accurate short-term photovoltaic power prediction method. A new short-term photovoltaic power output prediction model is proposed Based on extreme learning machine and intelligent optimizer. Firstly, the input of the model is determined by correlation coefficient method. Then the chicken swarm optimizer is improved to strengthen the convergence. Secondly, the improved chicken swarm optimizer is used to optimize the weights and the extreme learning machine thresholds to improve the prediction effect. Finally, the improved chicken swarm optimizer extreme learning machine model is used to predict the photovoltaic power under different weather conditions. The testing results show that the average mean absolute percentage error and root mean square error of improved chicken swarm optimizer - extreme learning machine model are 5.54% and 3.08%. The proposed method is of great significance for the economic dispatch of power systems and the development of clean energy.
•The ICSO-ELM model is firstly proposed to predict the short-term photovoltaic power.•The proposed model is used to predict photovoltaic power under weather conditions.•ICSO optimizer’s convergence ability is strengthened.•The PV power curtailment rate is reduced and the development of clean energy can be promoted.
This paper evaluated the excretion masses and environmental occurrence of 11 classes of 50 antibiotics in six typical swine and dairy cattle farms in southern China. Animal feeds, wastewater and ...solid manure samples as well as environmental samples (soil, stream and well water) were collected in December 2010 from these farms. Twenty eight antibiotics, including tetracyclines, bacitracin, lincomycin, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, ceftiofur, trimethoprim, macrolides, and florfenicol, were detected in the feeds, animal wastes and receiving environments. The normalized daily excretion masses per swine and cattle were estimated to be 18.2mg/day/swine and 4.24mg/day/cattle. Chlortetracycline (11.6mg/day/swine), bacitracin (3.81mg/day/swine), lincomycin (1.19mg/day/swine) and tetracycline (1.04mg/day/swine) were the main contributors to the normalized daily excretion masses of antibiotics per swine, while chlortetracycline (3.66mg/day/cattle) contributed 86% of the normalized daily excretion masses of antibiotics per cattle. Based on the survey of feeds and animal wastes from the swine farms and interview with the farmers, antibiotics excreted by swine were mainly originated from the feeds, while antibiotics excreted by dairy cattle were mainly from the injection route. If we assume that the swine and cattle in China excrete the same masses of antibiotics as the selected livestock farms, the total excretion mass by swine and cattle per annum in China could reach 3,080,000kg/year and 164,000kg/year. Various antibiotics such as sulfonamides, tetracyclines, fluroquinolones, macrolides, trimethoprim, lincomycin and florfenicol were detected in well water, stream and field soil, suggesting that livestock farms could be an important pollution source of various antibiotics to the receiving environments.
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► Twenty six antibiotics were quantified in six swine and dairy farms. ► The normalized excretion mass of antibiotics per swine was more than per cattle. ► Growth promoters contributed above 80% of the excretion mass in swine farms. ► Total excretion mass by swine and cattle in China could reach 3080 and 164t/a. ► Significant concentrations of antibiotics were found in the receiving environment.
Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ‐binding motif (TAZ), a Hippo pathway downstream effector, promotes tumor progression by serving as a transcriptional coactivator with TEAD. Here, we introduced a ...new construct which can express the TEAD‐binding domain of TAZ protein (TAZBD), and determined its antitumor effect in malignant glioma both in vitro and in vivo. We first observed that TAZ was upregulated in glioma tissues and related to malignant clinicopathologic characteristic, indicating the crucial role of TAZ during glioma progression. In U87 and U251 cells, TAZBD expression increased the proportion of apoptotic cells, and suppressed the colony formation and tumorigenicity. Further, TAZBD also decreased cell metastasis through the repression of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. The mechanistic study showed that TAZBD suppression of glioma cells was predominantly through blocking the TAZ‐TEAD complex formation by competing with endogenous TAZ. Thus, the gene therapy of malignant glioma through blocking TAZ‐TEAD complex by TAZBD may provide a new way for the targeted therapy of glioma.
Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ‐binding motif (TAZ) is upregulated in glioma tissues and its positive expression is related to malignant clinicopathologic characteristics. The construct TAZBD, which contains TEAD‐binding domain of TAZ, can effectively block TAZ‐TEAD complex formation in glioma cells, and further reduces proliferation and migration of glioma cells, suggesting gene therapy of malignant glioma through blocking TAZ‐TEAD complex is worthy of further investigation.
CRISPR-LbuCas13a has emerged as a revolutionary tool for in vitro diagnosis. Similar to other Cas effectors, LbuCas13a requires Mg
to maintain its nuclease activity. However, the effect of other ...divalent metal ions on its trans-cleavage activity remains less explored. Herein, we addressed this issue by combining experimental and molecular dynamics simulation analysis. In vitro studies showed that both Mn
and Ca
could replace Mg
as cofactors of LbuCas13a. In contrast, Ni
, Zn
, Cu
, or Fe
inhibits the cis- and trans-cleavage activity, while Pb
does not affect it. Importantly, molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that calcium, magnesium, and manganese hydrated ions have a strong affinity to nucleotide bases, thus stabilizing the conformation of crRNA repeat region and enhancing the trans-cleavage activity. Finally, we showed that combination of Mg
and Mn
can further enhance the trans-cleavage activity to allow amplified RNA detection, revealing its potential advantage for in vitro diagnosis.
•The enhanced crow search algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art variants.•The proposed algorithm optimizes the parameters of extreme learning machine.•The proposed wind power forecast model ...outperforms comparison models.•Accurate wind power prediction reduces the operating cost of the power system.
The strong volatility and randomness of wind power impact the grid and reduce the voltage quality of the grid when wind power is connected to the grid in large scale. The power sector takes the wind abandonment measures to ensure the grid voltage stability. The enhanced crow search algorithm optimization-extreme learning machine (ENCSA-ELM) model is proposed to accurately forecast short-term wind power to improve the utilization efficiency of clean energy. (1) The enhanced crow search algorithm (ENCSA) is proposed and applied to short-term wind power forecast. The convergence performance test revealed that the local development and global exploration capabilities of the ENCSA were enhanced, and the test result of the proposed ENCSA algorithm outperformed other well-known nature inspired algorithms and state-of-the-art CSA variants; (2) The output and input of the forecasting models were determined by analysis of the wind power impact factors and the wind power samples in autumn, winter and spring were forecasted by the ENCSA-ELM model; and (3) The forecast results were analyzed by multiple evaluation indexes. The simulation experiments revealed that the error interval and evaluation indexes of the ENCSA-ELM model outperformed the state-of-the-art wind power forecast methods, traditional machine learning models and ELM optimized by other algorithms. The RMSE value and MAPE value of the proposed model were controlled below 20% and 4%. Accurate wind power prediction maintains the voltage stability of power grid and increases the utilization efficiency of clean energy.
Background
Thyroid carcinoma (TC) has been a global issue for its rapid increasing incidence worldwide. Although most TC was not so aggressive with a good prognosis, treatment against anaplastic TC ...was relatively limited and the mechanisms are not well elucidated yet.
Methods
TC cell lines (IHH4 and TPC‐1) were used. Flow cytometry was used to identify the surface marker of M2‐like tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) from cell culture. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, western blot analysis, immunostaining, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of Wnt1, Wnt3a, components of Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, and proliferation/epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related proteins. Alkaline phosphatase activity assay, colony formation assay, and transwell assay were used to examine the roles of Wnt1, Wnt3a, and β‐catenin pathway in cell dedifferentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion of TC cells, respectively. Subcutaneous tumor growth was monitored in nude mice.
Results
Coculture with M2‐like TAMs facilitated dedifferentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion in TC cells. EMT and proliferation‐related proteins were also promoted in cocultured TC cells. The level of Wnt1 and Wnt3a was increased in the coculture system. Block of Wnt1 or Wnt3a suppressed malignant behaviors in cocultured tumor cells. Furthermore, Wnt1 or Wnt3a knockdown inhibited Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway, and suppressed EMT and proliferation‐related signals in cocultured tumor cells. Knockdown of Wnt1 or Wnt3a inhibited tumor growth in xenograft model.
Conclusion
M2‐like TAMs promoted dedifferentiation, proliferation, and metastasis of TC by Wnt1 and Wnt3a secretion and ensuing β‐catenin activation.
Angiogenesis after ischemic brain injury contributes to the restoration of blood supply in the ischemic zone. Strategies to improve angiogenesis may facilitate the function recovery after stroke. ...Recent researches have demonstrated that dysfunction of long non-coding RNAs are associated with angiogenesis. We have previously reported that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in ischemic stroke. However, little is known about long non-coding RNAs and theirs role in angiogenesis after stroke. In this study, we identified a rat lncRNAs, Meg3, and found that Meg3 was significantly decreased after ischemic stroke. Overexpression of Meg3 suppressed functional recovery and decreased capillary density after ischemic stroke. Downregulation of Meg3 ameliorated brain lesion and increased angiogenesis after ischemic stroke. Silencing of Meg3 resulted in a proangiogenic effect evidenced by increased endothelial cell migration, proliferation, sprouting, and tube formation. Mechanistically, we showed that Meg3 negatively regulated notch pathway both in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of notch signaling in endothelial cells reversed the proangiogenic effect induced by Meg3 downregulation. This study revealed the function of Meg3 in ischemic stroke and elucidated its mechanism in angiogenesis after ischemic stroke.
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