•An optimal lighting control strategy is proposed for multi-group lighting sources.•The proposed controller is designed to minimize the light-energy consumption.•The FO ESC is designed to speed up ...the convergence rate without increasing the oscillation.•The minimal energy usage is guaranteed, while keeping the desired lighting level.•Experimental results shows the superiorities of the optimal lighting control strategy.
In recent years, the light-energy consumption accounts for quite a large proportion of total electricity consumption. In this paper, an optimal lighting control strategy is designed for a lighting system with multiple lighting sources, to decrease electric energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. In the proposed control strategy, a novel multi-variable fractional-order extremum seeking control (FO ESC) strategy is implemented in minimizing the light-energy consumption by separately regulating the brightness of multi-lighting sources, while a PID method is applied to guarantee the desired lighting level. The proposed scheme is presented to not only raise the convergence rate and enhance the control accuracy, but also to improve the search efficiency of the minimum light-energy consumption by manipulating the fractional-order. Experimental results including comparison with the corresponding integer-order (IO) ESC show that the light-energy consumption under the proposed strategy can approach a smaller neighborhood of the minimum lighting-energy point more quickly.
Hierarchically nanostructured coordination polymer Ce(1,3,5-BTC)(H2O)6 architectures with tunable morphologies have been successfully prepared on a large scale via a simple and rapid solution phase ...method at room temperature. The as-synthesized products are characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. A possible splitting formation mechanism for the interesting architectures has been proposed to interpret the growth process. By rationally adjusting the synthetic parameters such as concentration, reaction temperature, surfactant, solvent, static, and ultrasonic treatment, Ce(1,3,5-BTC)(H2O)6 with straw-sheaflike, flowerlike, wheatearlike, strawlike, bundlelike, and urchinlike architectures, and nanorods can be selectively obtained. This facile, rapid, mild, cost-effective, reproducible, and environment-friendly growth strategy has considerable potential, and could readily be extended to the growth of other nano/microscaled metal−organic materials with novel morphologies and unique properties.
Two novel cobalt(II)-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely, {Co3(TTHA)(bibp)2(H2O)} n (1) and {Co2(H2TTHA)(bidpe)2} n (2) (H6TTHA = 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine hexaacetic acid, bibp = ...4,4′-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl, bidpe = 4,4-bis(imidazoly)diphenyl ether), were hydrothermally prepared based on the mixed ligands strategy and fully characterized. Due to the rich coordination modes of the carboxylic acid ligand, 1 possesses a three-dimensional (3D) structure with two secondary building units (Co3N3(CO2)4(CO)4 and Co2N2(CO2)4), whereas 2 exhibits a tangled one-dimensional (1D) chain structure and further forms a 3D structure assembled by weak interactions. Interestingly, 1 can serve as an unusual turn-on sensor for the detection of trivalent metal ions (Al3+, Cr3+, and Fe3+) in an aqueous solution with a low detection limit, and 2 shows high-sensitivity fluorescence turn-off behavior toward polystyrene and styrene biomarker phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA). Significantly, 2 can effectively sense the PGA in complicated biological environments. The mechanism study indicated that the absorbance-caused enhancement mechanism is responsible for the fluorescence turn-on phenomena of 1 induced by trivalent metal ions, while the occurrence of the structural collapse of 2 leads to a turn-off effect toward PGA.
Bone tissue engineering scaffolds constructed from single-component organic materials have inherent limitations. Inspired by the hierarchical structure of physiological natural bone hard tissues, our ...research explores the construction of organic-inorganic composite scaffold for bone regeneration. In this study, we used a natural and readily obtainable extracellular matrix (ECM) material, i.e., decellularized small intestinal submucosa (SIS), to build the organic component of a phosphorylated hydroxyapatite nanocrystal-containing composite scaffold (nHA@SIS). Guided by polymer-induced liquid-precursor theory, we introduced a soluble inorganic mineralization solution to achieve an inorganic component of nHA@SIS. Using in situ mineralization, we successfully formed inorganic component within SIS and constructed nHA@SIS composite scaffold. We analyzed the physicochemical properties and the osteogenic role of nHA@SIS via a series of in vitro and in vivo studies. Compared with SIS scaffold, the nHA@SIS possessed suitable physicochemical properties, maintained the excellent cell activity of SIS and better guided reorganization of the cell skeleton, thereby achieving superior osteoconductivity and maintaining osteoinductivity at the protein and gene levels. Furthermore, the rat cranial defect area in the nHA@SIS scaffold group was mostly repaired after 12 weeks of implantation, with a larger amount of higher-density new bone tissue being visible at the edge and center than SIS and blank control group. This significantly improved in vivo osteogenic ability indicated the great potential of nHA@SIS for bone tissue engineering applications.
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Elaborate organic and inorganic components were designed to construct the nHA@SIS composite scaffold.Uniformly distributed nHA crystals in nHA@SIS formed a well-organized assembly with SIS.nHA@SIS displayed significantly improved mechanical and thermodynamic properties.Promising osteogenic potential was demonstrated by nHA@SIS both in vitro and in vivo.
BaYF5 nanocrystals with a mean size of about 24 nm have been prepared via a facile hydrothermal method without the assistance of any surfactant for the first time. The structure investigation reveals ...that the as-synthesized BaYF5 nanocrystals are cubic structures instead of the reported tetragonal structures found via a Rietveld refinement method with GSAS, a Rietveld refinement package. The XRD and SEM analyses demonstrate that the size and morphology of the products are insensitive to the variation of experimental conditions. The photoluminescence properties of the Eu3+, Ce3+, and Tb3+ single-doped as well as Ce3+-Tb3+ codoped BaYF5 nanocrystals were characterized. The results reveal that the existence of the Ce3+ ions can dramatically enhance the emission intensity of the Tb3+ ions, due to an efficient energy transfer from the Ce3+ to Tb3+ ions in the BaYF5:Ce3+,Tb3+ nanocrystals. The critical energy transfer distance between the Ce3+ and Tb3+ ions was calculated by methods of concentration quenching and spectral overlapping. Analysis and calculation reveal that the dipole−quadrupole interaction should be mainly responsible for the energy transfer and the accurate oscillator strength ratio of the electric quadrupole to dipole transitions for the Tb3+ ion is about 10−3.
Macrophages, an important component of inflammatory microenvironment and tumor microenvironment, are closely related to tumor development and progression. Our previous studies showed that apple ...polysaccharide (AP) could prevent from colitis associated colorectal carcinogenesis. Herein, we further our study to observe the effect of AP on the polarization of macrophages in Raw 264.7 cells and a colitis associated colorectal cancer mouse model, and to investigate the possible mechanisms. Forty male ICR mice were administered with azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Twenty mice were given no further treatment as model mice, the rest twenty were fed basal diet mixed with 5% of AP. Raw 264.7 cells were treated with 0.5 mg/mL AP. AP could protect ICR mice against AOM/DSS-induced carcinogenesis, keep the colon of AOM/DSS-treated mice in a moderative inflammatory state, and shift macrophage polarization toward M1 phenotype. In vitro study showed that AP could upregulate TLR-4 signaling mildly and trigger M1 macrophage transition. Moreover, AP-induced transition of macrophage phenotype was suppressed by a TLR-4 antagonist, TAK-242. These data may provide a novel molecular basis for understanding how apples act to prevent colorectal cancer (CRC) and indicate that AP has a potential to prevent and treat CRC.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have an essential role in progression and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In-depth study of specific regulatory mechanisms is of great value in ...providing potential therapeutic targets. The present study aimed to explore the regulatory functions and mechanisms of lncRNA TINCR in HCC progression and oxaliplatin response.
The expression of TINCR in HCC tissues and cell lines was detected by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and chemosensitivity were evaluated by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8), colony formation, transwell, and apoptosis assays. Luciferase reporter assays and RNA pulldown were used to identify the interaction between TINCR and ST6 beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1) via miR-195-3p. The corresponding functions were verified in the complementation test and in vivo animal experiment.
TINCR was upregulated in HCC and associated with poor patient prognosis. Silencing TINCR inhibited HCC proliferation, migration, invasion, and oxaliplatin resistance while overexpressing TINCR showed opposite above-mentioned functions. Mechanistically, TINCR acted as a competing endogenous (ceRNA) to sponge miR-195-3p, relieving its repression on ST6GAL1, and activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. The mouse xenograft experiment further verified that knockdown TINCR attenuated tumor progression and oxaliplatin resistance in vivo.
Our finding indicated that there existed a TINCR/miR-195-3p/ST6GAL1/NF-κB signaling regulatory axis that regulated tumor progression and oxaliplatin resistance, which might be exploited for anticancer therapy in HCC.
N,S-co-doped carbon dots (N,S-CDs) were synthesized via a single-step solvothermal process by using sodium lignosulfonate and p-phenylenediamine as carbon/nitrogen/sulfur sources. The N,S-CDs have an ...average diameter of 2.02 ± 1 nm and display green fluorescence, with excitation/emission peak wavelengths at 380/540 nm for optimal fluorescence. Fluorescence is excitation wavelength-dependent and stable in aqueous salt solutions. The fluorescence of the N,S-CDs is selectively quenched by Fe(III) and Ag(I) ions. These ions can be quantified by fluorometry with a limit of detection of 1.7 μM for Fe(III) ions and 11.6 μM for Ag(I) ions. The N,S-CDs also undergo solvatochromism in that emission is green in water solution but blue in polar organic solvents such as ethanol or N,N-dimethylformamide. The color of fluorescence gradually shifts from green to blue when continuously increasing the fraction of organic solvent in water.
Graphical abstract
N,S-co-doped carbon dots (N,S-CDs) are synthesized by using sodium lignosulfonate and p-phenylenediamine as C/N/S sources. The N,S-CDs can sensitively detect Fe(III) and Ag(I) ions based on fluorometry, and can be used as a solvatochromic probe.
Microbial communities are of great importance in the development of saline soil fertility in coastal mudflats. However, the effects of sewage sludge use on the microbiome in saline soils of mudflats ...are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the response profile of bacterial communities in mudflat saline soil to sewage sludge amendment (SSA). Mudflat soil was treated once at the rates of 0, 30, 75, and 150 ton sewage sludge per hectare. Ryegrass, Sesbania, and Maize were successively planted and tilled. Approximately 3 years after the initial amendment, the Illumina Miseq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to study bacterial community of mudflat soil. The results indicated that SSA significantly changed the mudflat saline soil bacterial community. A total of 37 phyla were found, dominated by Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Firmicutes. The SSA resulted in an increase in the comparable richness of Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes and Firmicutes, as well as a decrease in Proteobacteria. The canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the bacterial community structure was negatively affected by alkalinity or salinity, while positively affected by soil organic matter, and the N and P concentration in the saline soil. The bacterial community composition in the saline soil was altered by SSA. Lower salinity and alkalinity, and higher organic matter and nutrients favored microhabitats more suitable for bacteria.
•Sewage sludge amendment improved bacterial community structure of mudflat soil.•SSA increased relative richness of Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes and Firmicutes.•SSA decreased relative richness of Proteobacteria phylum.•Bacterial community was negatively affected by soil salinity and alkalinity.•Bacterial community was positively affected by soil OM, and N and P concentration.
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