[en] Highlights: • A disturbance rejection solution to the load frequency control issue is proposed. • Several power systems with wind energy conversation system have been tested. • A tuning algorithm of the controller parameters was proposed. • The performance of the proposed approach is better than traditional controllers. - Abstract: A new grid load frequency control approach is proposed for the doubly fed induction generator based wind power plants. The load frequency control issue in a power system is undergoing fundamental changes due to the rapidly growing amount of wind energy conversation system, and concentrating on maintaining generation-load balance and disturbance rejection. The prominent feature of the linear active disturbance rejection control approach is that the total disturbance can be estimated and then eliminated in real time. And thus, it is a feasible solution to deal with the load frequency control issue. In this paper, the application of the linear active disturbance rejection control approach in the load frequency control issue for a complex power system with wind energy conversation system based on doubly fed induction generator is investigated. The load frequency control issue is formulated as a decentralized multi-objective optimization control problem, the solution to which is solved by the hybrid particle swarm optimization technique. To show the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, the robust performance testing based on Monte-Carlo approach is carried out. The performance superiority of the system with the proposed linear active disturbance rejection control approach over that with the traditional proportional integral and fuzzy-proportional integral-based controllers is validated by the simulation results

[en] Nanoparticles can generate charge carrier trapping and reduce the velocity of streamer development in insulating oils ultimately leading to an enhancement of the breakdown voltage of insulating oils. Vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids with three sizes of monodispersed Fe_3O_4 nanoparticles were prepared and their trapping depths were measured by thermally stimulated method (TSC). It is found that the nanoparticle surfactant polarization can significantly influence the trapping depth of vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids. A nanoparticle polarization model considering surfactant polarization was proposed to calculate the trapping depth of the nanofluids at different nanoparticle sizes and surfactant thicknesses. The results show the calculated values of the model are in a fairly good agreement with the experimental values. - Highlights: • Three different sized Fe_3O_4 vegetable-oil based nanofluids was successfully prepared. • The trapping depth of the Fe_3O_4 nanofluids was investigated. • A new model considering surfactant polarization was proposed to calculate the trapping depth of the nanofluids.

[en] Air ingress incidents are major safety accidents in very-high-temperature reactors (VHTRs). Air containing a high volume fraction of oxygen may cause severe oxidation of core components at the VHTR, especially for the significantly thin alloy tube wall in the intermediate heat exchanger (IHE). The research objects of this study are Inconel 617 and Incoloy 800H, two candidate alloys for IHE in VHTR. The air ingress accident scenario is simulated with high-temperature air flow at 950 °C. A continuous oxide scale was formed on the surfaces of both the alloys after the experiment. Because the oxide scale of Inconel 617 has a loose structure, whereas that of Incoloy 800H is denser, Inconel 617 exhibited significantly more severe internal oxidation than Incoloy 800H. Further, Inconel 617 showed a significant decrease in ultimate tensile strength and plasticity after aging for 200 h, whereas Incoloy 800H maintained its tensile properties satisfactorily. Through control experiment under vacuum, we preliminarily concluded that serious internal oxidation is the primary reason for the decline in the tensile properties of Inconel 617

[en] 

Purpose

The fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene on chromosome 16q12.2 shows an intimate association with obesity and body mass index. Recently, research into the FTO gene and its expression product has attracted widespread interest due to the identification of FTO as an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase. FTO primarily regulates the m6A levels of downstream targets via their 3′ untranslated regions. FTO not only plays a critical role in obesity-related diseases but also is involved in the occurrence, development and prognosis of many types of cancer, such as acute myeloid leukaemia, glioblastoma and breast cancer. Currently, studies indicate that FTO is a crucial component of m6A modification, it regulates cancer stem cell function, and promotes the growth, self-renewal and metastasis of cancer cells. In this review, we summarized and analysed the data regarding the structural features and biological functions of FTO as well as its association with different cancers and possible molecular mechanisms.

Methods

We systematically reviewed the related literatures regarding FTO and its demethylation activity in many pathologic and physiological processes, especially in cancer-related diseases based on PubMed databases in this article.

Results

Mounting evidence indicated that FTO plays a critical role in occurrence, progression and treatment of various cancers, even acting as a cancer oncogene in acute myeloid leukaemia, research on which is no longer restricted to metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

Conclusion

Considering FTO’s critical role in many diseases, FTO may become a new promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases in the near future, especially for specific types of cancers, such as acute myeloid leukaemia, glioblastoma and breast cancer.

[en] Highlights: • ZnO/CuO nanoparticle/dandelion heterostructures were fabricated for the first time. • ZnO/CuO nanoparticle/dandelion heterostructures show enhanced PEC activity. • ZnO nanoparticle loading contents have significant effect on PEC water splitting. • Interaction, charge transfer and enhanced mechanism of photocatalyst were proposed. • p-n junction drives the photoexcited charges efficient separation. - Abstract: Here we report an easy and large-scale synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) ZnO nanoparticle-loaded CuO dandelion (denoted as n-ZnO/p-CuO nanoparticle/dandelion) heterostructures and their photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under simulated solar light illumination. CuO dandelions were fabricated by a facile and cost-effective chemical strategy, in which the ribbon-like CuO nanoplates were first formed and then assembled into dandelion-like architectures. ZnO nanoparticle-loaded CuO dandelion heterostructures were fabricated by calcining Zn(Ac)_2-loaded CuO dandelions. High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) studies demonstrate that intimate p-n junction is built between p-CuO and n-ZnO interface. The n-ZnO/p-CuO nanoparticle/dandelion photoelectrodes exhibit significant improvement in PEC water splitting to CuO dandelion photoelectrodes. The correlation between photocurrents and different loading contents of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) is studied in which the n-ZnO/p-CuO nanoparticle/dandelion heterostructures with loading 4.6 wt% ZnO NPs show higher photocathodic current. The efficient separation of the photogenerated electrons and holes driven by the intimate p-n junction between p-type CuO and n-type ZnO interface is mainly contributed to the enhanced photoanode current. The achieved results in the present study offer a very useful strategy for designing p-n junction photoelectrodes for efficiency and low-cost PEC cells for clean solar hydrogen production.

[en] Highlights: • The Mg–Al–CO_3- and magnetic Fe_3O_4/Mg–Al–CO_3–LDH can efficiently remove Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. • The adsorption mechanisms of Cd(II) were discussed in detail. • The adsorption kinetic, isothermal and thermodynamic properties of Cd(II) were studied. • Magnetic Fe_3O_4/Mg–Al–CO_3–LDH can be quickly and easily separated using a magnet. - Abstract: Understanding the adsorption mechanisms of metal cations on the surfaces of solids is important for determining the fate of these metals in water and wastewater treatment. The adsorption kinetic, isothermal, thermodynamic and mechanistic properties of cadmium (Cd(II)) in an aqueous solution containing Mg–Al–CO_3- and magnetic Fe_3O_4/Mg–Al–CO_3-layered double hydroxide (LDH) were studied. The results demonstrated that the adsorption kinetic and isotherm data followed the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir equation, respectively. The adsorption process of Cd(II) was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic in nature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to explain the adsorption mechanisms. The characteristic XRD peaks and FTIR bands of CdCO_3 emerged in the LDH spectra after Cd(II) adsorption, which indicated that the adsorption of Cd(II) by LDHs occurred mainly via CdCO_3 precipitation, surface adsorption and surface complexation. Furthermore, the magnetic Fe_3O_4/Mg–Al–CO_3-LDH can be quickly and easily separated using a magnet before and after the adsorption process.

[en] In this study, a tumor-targeting poly(D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) loaded “off-on” fluorescent probe nanoparticle (PFN) delivery system was developed to evaluate the region of tumor by off-on fluorescence. The biodegradability of the nanosize PFN delivery system readily released the probe under tumor acidic conditions. The probe with good biocompatibility was used to monitor the intracellular glutathione (GSH) of cancer cells and selectively localize to mitochondria for tumor imaging. The incorporated tumor-targeting probe was based on the molecular photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism preventing fluorescence (“off” state) and could be easily released under tumor acidic conditions. However, the released tumor-targeting fluorescence probe molecule was selective towards GSH with high selectivity and an ultra-sensitivity for the mitochondria of cancer cells and tissues significantly increasing the probe molecule fluorescence signal (“on” state). The tumor-targeting fluorescence probe showed sensitivity to GSH avoiding interference from cysteine and homocysteine. The PFNs could enable fluorescence-guided cancer imaging during cancer therapy. This work may expand the biological applications of PFNs as a diagnostic reagent, which will be beneficial for fundamental research in tumor imaging.

[en] Objective: To discuss the optimal nursing strategy for the patients receiving basilar artery angioplasty. Methods: During the period from October 2011 to October 2013 at authors, hospital, a total of 34 patients received basilar artery angioplasty. According to the hospital nursing core regulations, hanging of nursing warning tags, monitoring of blood pressure of both upper limbs, measurement of average blood pressure of both upper limbs after admission, and 72 hours ECG monitoring of blood pressure after operation as well as maintaining the patient's blood pressure at a stable level around 110-120/70-80 mmHg, etc. were strictly carried out. Results: Before operation no falling on the ground occurred in all the patients. After the operation, no severe complications such as hemorrhage occurred. All patients were in satisfactory condition at the time of discharge. Conclusion: Strictly carrying out nursing core regulations, rigorously performing the nursing measures and monitoring the blood pressure before, after and during basilar artery angioplasty are helpful in reducing the incidence of perioperative complications. (authors)

[en] A new highly sensitive, stable, and accurate fluorometric method for the determination of indium(III) has been established in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTMAB) microemulsion media. The excellent color-forming reagent 2,6,7-trihydroxy-9-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)fluorone (DBH-PP) reacts with indium(III) to form a purple complex with a 3 : 1 (ligand to metal) ratio in HAc-NaAc buffer solution at pH 4.94. The emission peak occurs at 556 nm with excitation at 525 nm. Indium(III) can be determined in the linear range of 0.005-0.30 μg ml^-1 with a detection limit of 0.0029 μg ml^-1. Foreign ions are eliminated by preconcentration and separation with sulfhydryl dextran (SDG). The proposed method has been satisfactorily examined for the determination of indium(III) in ore and sludge samples. The relative standard deviations are in all instances less than 3.0%, and the recoveries are between 94.7% and 99.5%

[en] Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of imaging-guided mechanical endovascular recanalization therapy in treating patients with over-time-window acute ischemic stroke. Methods: A total of 91 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stoke, who were admitted to authors' hospital during the period from March 2013 to October 2014 to receive mechanical endovascular recanalization therapy, were collected, among them over-time-window acute ischemic stroke and ischemic penumbra demonstrated on imaging examination were seen in 11 patients, including 9 males and 2 females with a median age of 59 years. Before endovascular recanalization therapy and 30 days after the treatment, NIHSS score changes were determined, and the clinical outcome was evaluated with modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days after the treatment. Results: In the 11 patients, mechanical endovascular recanalization was carried out for 4 middle cerebral arteries, 3 internal carotid arteries and 4 vertebral basilar arteries, the therapeutic methods included stent angioplasty (n = 10) and mechanical thromboectomy combined with stent angioplasty (n = 1). The recanalization rate was 90.9% (10/11). Re-occlusion rate within 30 days after management was 9.1% (1/11). The median NIHSS score determined at 90 days after management was 4 points (0-12 points), which was significantly (P < 0.05) better than preoperative 11 points (4-35 points). Before treatment the number of patients with mRS 0-2 points was zero, and the number of patients with mRS 0-2 points increased to 7 (63.6%, 7/11) at 90 days after the treatment. Conclusion: For the treatment of over-time-window acute ischemic stroke, imaging-guided mechanical endovascular recanalization therapy is safe and effective. (authors)