Dear Editor,This letter studies the distributed Nash equilibrium seeking problem of aggregative game,in which the decision of each player obeys second-order dynamics and is constrained by nonidentical convex sets.To s...Dear Editor,This letter studies the distributed Nash equilibrium seeking problem of aggregative game,in which the decision of each player obeys second-order dynamics and is constrained by nonidentical convex sets.To seek the generalized Nash equilibrium(GNE),a projectionbased distributed algorithm via constant step-sizes is developed with linear convergence.In particular,a variable tracking technique is incorporated to estimate the aggregative function,and an event-triggered mechanism is designed to reduce the communication cost.Finally,a numerical example demonstrates the theoretical results.展开更多
In this paper,we investigate the distributed Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking problem for aggregative games with multiple uncertain Euler–Lagrange(EL)systems over jointly connected and weight-balanced switching networks.T...In this paper,we investigate the distributed Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking problem for aggregative games with multiple uncertain Euler–Lagrange(EL)systems over jointly connected and weight-balanced switching networks.The designed distributed controller consists of two parts:a dynamic average consensus part that asymptotically reproduces the unknown NE,and an adaptive reference-tracking module responsible for steering EL systems’positions to track a desired trajectory.The generalized Barbalat’s Lemma is used to overcome the discontinuity of the closed-loop system caused by the switching networks.The proposed algorithm is illustrated by a sensor network deployment problem.展开更多
Game theory-based models and design tools have gained substantial prominence for controlling and optimizing behavior within distributed engineering systems due to the inherent distribution of decisions among individua...Game theory-based models and design tools have gained substantial prominence for controlling and optimizing behavior within distributed engineering systems due to the inherent distribution of decisions among individuals.In non-cooperative settings,aggregative games serve as a mathematical framework model for the interdependent optimal decision-making problem among a group of non-cooperative players.In such scenarios,each player's decision is influenced by an aggregation of all players'decisions.Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking in aggregative games has emerged as a vibrant topic driven by applications that harness the aggregation property.This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the current research on aggregative games with a focus on communication topology.A systematic classification is conducted on distributed algorithm research based on communication topologies such as undirected networks,directed networks,and time-varying networks.Furthermore,it sorts out the challenges and compares the algorithms'convergence performance.It also delves into real-world applications of distributed optimization techniques grounded in aggregative games.Finally,it proposes several challenges that can guide future research directions.展开更多
To broaden the frequency width and increase the damping coefficient of a dynamic pressure damper, we designed an aggregative dynamic pressure damper (ADPD). Combined with the advantages of traditional dynamic pressure...To broaden the frequency width and increase the damping coefficient of a dynamic pressure damper, we designed an aggregative dynamic pressure damper (ADPD). Combined with the advantages of traditional dynamic pressure dampers (TDPD), ADPD can not only increase the damping coefficient in wide frequency range for valve control system, but also absorb partial pressure pulsations and impacts in the low and high frequency fields. Based on the theoretical research and the analysis compared with TDPD, we concluded that the ADPD was superior to the TDPD in the middle high frequency field, and the main parameters influencing the performance of the damper were the damping stiffness, orifice flow coefficient, pre-charge pressure, and the volume of the damper accumulator.展开更多
To analyze China’s fluctuating situation of the factor input and aggregative productivity is not only the main method to seek the source of the economic growth but also the main way to weigh the level of economic gro...To analyze China’s fluctuating situation of the factor input and aggregative productivity is not only the main method to seek the source of the economic growth but also the main way to weigh the level of economic growth quality.As to economic growth ofa country,the improvementofthe productivity is extremely important.The growth of the output can be realized through two kinds of ways: increasing the quantity of factor input of or improving the efficiency of the input and output.There fore, the level of economic growth quality does not mainly depend on the amount of invested factor,but the importance of improving the productivity since resources are rare. The relative improvement of efficiency in use of the invested factor marks the economic growing quality.So,in order to understand the economic growth quality of China to some extent, it must analyze Chinese factor input and aggregative productivity. This is the main topic that this text will be probed into.展开更多
BACKGROUND At the end of 2019,a new epidemic of viral pneumonia emerged in China and was determined to be caused by a novel coronavirus,which was named coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)by the World Health Organizatio...BACKGROUND At the end of 2019,a new epidemic of viral pneumonia emerged in China and was determined to be caused by a novel coronavirus,which was named coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)by the World Health Organization.The epidemic quickly spread,causing a worldwide pandemic.Scientists and clinicians across the globe have shifted their research efforts towards understanding the virus itself and its epidemiology.CASE SUMMARY In mid-January 2020,a Chinese family made a visit to a local city,and within the next 2 wk one after another fell ill with COVID-19.At the beginning of their first illness onset,the family had eaten in a restaurant,which led to the subsequent illness onset in another two families.All cases were diagnosed as COVID-19 by real-time fluorescent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.Epidemiological investigation showed that the transmission chain was complete.CONCLUSION This chain of social exposure highlights the danger of group aggregative behavior for spread of COVID-19.展开更多
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) strains cause the persistent diarrhea in infants and compromised hosts in developing countries. These strains are currently defined as E. coli that adheres to HEp-2 cells in...Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) strains cause the persistent diarrhea in infants and compromised hosts in developing countries. These strains are currently defined as E. coli that adheres to HEp-2 cells in an aggregative adherence (AA) pattern. In this study, we compared 4 different rapid methods for the detection of EAggEC using a PCR assay, clump formation test, glass slide adherence assay, and the HEp-2 cell adherence assay. Out of 683 E. coli strains isolated from diarrheal stool samples, we detected 17 aggR and/or clump-positive strains, and identified 2 aggR-positive, clump-negative strains and 2 aggR-negative, clump-positive strains. All the aggR positive and clump positive strains also showed positive results in glass slide adherence and HEp-2 cell adherence assays. From all these results, we suggest the following procedure for the rapid identification of EAggEC strains: first, screen E. coli strains with the clump formation test and subsequently perform the glass slide adherence assay to observe AA for confirmation.展开更多
Generally,energy trading in smart grid is realized by microgrids.Correspondingly,energy trading in energy internet relies on small-scale energy systems,named as Weenergies(WEs).Previous works on the distributed energy...Generally,energy trading in smart grid is realized by microgrids.Correspondingly,energy trading in energy internet relies on small-scale energy systems,named as Weenergies(WEs).Previous works on the distributed energy trading focused on the trading platform or trading mechanism based on distributed communication.However,most ignored the fact that there is no express delivery of energy trading,and the transmission of energy depends on a fixed physical topology.Energy transactions without considering the transmission distance will increase the difficulty of energy scheduling and the transmission cost of energy.Aiming at this problem,an aggregation game among WEs is proposed for two-way multi-energy trading,and a distributed algorithm is designed to solve the Nash equilibrium.Since each WE only needs to communicate with its neighbors to exchange information,this distributed process reduces communication burden and improves information security.Furthermore,a multi-energy transmission optimization model is established to determine the transmission path of the transmission energy,which can minimize the transmission cost.Subsequently,to reduce the influence of real-time fluctuations of renewable energy and load,a receding horizon control algorithm is designed to improve the reliability of the proposed game.Finally,the effectiveness in dealing with two-way multi-energy trading of the proposed strategy is verified through simulations on the five connected WEs.展开更多
Distributed Nash equilibrium seeking of aggregative games is investigated and a continuous-time algorithm is proposed.The algorithm is designed by virtue of projected gradient play dynamics and aggregation tracking dy...Distributed Nash equilibrium seeking of aggregative games is investigated and a continuous-time algorithm is proposed.The algorithm is designed by virtue of projected gradient play dynamics and aggregation tracking dynamics,and is applicable to games with constrained strategy sets and weight-balanced communication graphs.The key feature of our method is that the proposed projected dynamics achieves exponential convergence,whereas such convergence results are only obtained for non-projected dynamics in existing works on distributed optimization and equilibrium seeking.Numerical examples illustrate the effectiveness of our methods.展开更多
In this paper,we consider the Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking problem for aggregative games and design a distributed heavy-ball algorithm to solve it.This algorithm has faster convergence rate than the well-known distribu...In this paper,we consider the Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking problem for aggregative games and design a distributed heavy-ball algorithm to solve it.This algorithm has faster convergence rate than the well-known distributed first-order algorithms for aggregative games.In order to seek the NE,each player needs to exchange information with its neighbours as well as a cen-tral aggregation.For aggregative games,the aggregative term can be either linear or nonlinear in this paper.Furthermore,we consider the generalised Nash equilibrium seeking problem for aggregative games by taking into account the linear coupled constraints among players,and modify our initial algorithm to include game constraints.展开更多
Protein aggregates,mitochondrial import stress and neurodegenerative disorders:A salient hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases,including Parkinson’s disease,is the abundance of protein aggregates(Goiran et a...Protein aggregates,mitochondrial import stress and neurodegenerative disorders:A salient hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases,including Parkinson’s disease,is the abundance of protein aggregates(Goiran et al.,2022).This molecular event is believed to lead to activation of stress pathways ultimately resulting in cellular dysfunction(Eldeeb et al.,2022).Accordingly,many lines of research investigations focused on dampening the formation of protein aggregates or augmenting the clearance of protein aggregates as a potential therapeutic strategy to counteract the progression of neurodegenerative diseases,albeit with little success(Costa-Mattioli and Walter,2020).Cell stress cues such as the accumulation of protein aggregates lead to the activation of stress response pathways that aid cells in responding to the damage.Despite the notion that the transient activation of these pathways helps cells cope with stressors,persistent activation can induce unwanted apoptosis of cells and reduce overall tissue strength as well as lead to an accumulation of aggregation-prone proteins(Hetz and Papa,2018).Mutations in proteins involved in stress signaling termination can cause conditions like ataxia and early-onset dementia(Conroy et al.,2014).Therefore,it is crucial for stress response signaling to be turned off once conditions have improved.Nevertheless,the mechanisms by which cells silence these signals are still elusive.展开更多
Amyloid protein aggregation plays a major role in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and is likely the primary driving force for the progression of most of these diseases.Multiple recent studies have highlighted that...Amyloid protein aggregation plays a major role in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and is likely the primary driving force for the progression of most of these diseases.Multiple recent studies have highlighted that the DNAJ homolog subfamily B member 6(DNAJB6)chaperone is particularly interesting,when it comes to preventing amyloidogenic proteins from aggregating.It has been shown that DNAJB6 can prevent the aggregation of polyglutamine-expanded proteins in models of Huntington’s disease.Likewise,it can suppress aggregation ofα-synuclein in models of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies.Finally,it has been shown that DNAJB6 can block aggregation of multiple additional amyloid proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies as well.We believe there is yet much to learn about the protective role of DNAJB6 in the brain,but this focused review summarizes,what we know so far of this chaperone.It describes the biological role of DNAJB6 in the brain and its interaction with Hsp70,with particular emphasis on the studies that show its ability to prevent amyloid protein aggregation in vitro and in vivo.Moreover,recent work on dysregulation of the expression of DNAJB6 in brain clinical tissue is discussed.Finally,we discuss potential therapeutic perspectives as we believe this protein is a promising druggable target.展开更多
Tire-derived aggregate(TDA)is an engineered construction material produced from recycled scrap tires and is often used as a compressible layer overlying buried structures to reduce overburden loads.The potential ampli...Tire-derived aggregate(TDA)is an engineered construction material produced from recycled scrap tires and is often used as a compressible layer overlying buried structures to reduce overburden loads.The potential amplification of ground motion in a tunnel site is well understood,but the effect of the tunnel-TDA layer system on ground surface acceleration remains unclear.In this study,both linear and nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed to evaluate the contributions of a TDA layer to the acceleration amplification at the ground surface.The numerical model was calibrated using recorded data from a shaking table test and validated against the literature results,followed by extensive parametric studies.The mechanical and geometrical parameters investigated for the TDA layer included damping ratio,density,Young’s modulus,width,thickness,and depth.The predominant frequency and intensity level of input motions were also investigated.This study showed that the presence of the TDA layer provided an additional acceleration amplification effect.The amplification was more pronounced in areas above the tunnel,particularly for the wider and shallower TDA layer subjected to high frequency and low intensity input motions.展开更多
We investigated the effects of fly ash(FA)content on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete(RAC)and its regeneration potential under freeze and thaw(F-T)cycles.The physical properties of second-gener...We investigated the effects of fly ash(FA)content on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete(RAC)and its regeneration potential under freeze and thaw(F-T)cycles.The physical properties of second-generation recycled concrete aggregates(RCA)were used to analyze the regeneration potential of RAC after F-T cycles.Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the interfacial transition zone microstructure of RAC after F-T cycles.Results showed that adding 20%FA to RAC significantly enhanced its mechanical properties and frost resistance.Before the F-T cycles,the compressive strength of RAC with 20%FA reached 48.3 MPa,exceeding research strength target of 40 MPa.A majority of second-generation RCA with FA had been verified to attain class Ⅲ,which enabled their practical application in non-structural projects such as backfill trenches and road pavement.However,the second-generation RCA with 20%FA can achieve class Ⅱ,making it ideal for 40 MPa structural concrete.展开更多
Crushing waste coral concrete into recycled aggregates to create recycled coral aggregate concrete(RCAC)contributes to sustainable construction development on offshore islands and reefs.To investigate the impact of re...Crushing waste coral concrete into recycled aggregates to create recycled coral aggregate concrete(RCAC)contributes to sustainable construction development on offshore islands and reefs.To investigate the impact of recycled coral aggregate on concrete properties,this study performed a comprehensive analysis of the physical properties of recycled coral aggregate and the basic mechanical properties and microstructure of RCAC.The test results indicate that,compared to coral debris,the crushing index of recycled coral aggregate was reduced by 9.4%,while porosity decreased by 33.5%.Furthermore,RCAC retained the early strength characteristics of coral concrete,with compressive strength and flexural strength exhibiting a notable increase as the water-cement ratio decreased.Under identical conditions,the compressive strength and flexural strength of RCAC were 12.7% and 2.5% higher than coral concrete's,respectively,with porosity correspondingly reduced from 3.13% to 5.11%.This enhancement could be attributed to the new mortar filling the recycled coral aggregate.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis revealed three distinct interface transition zones within RCAC,with the‘new mortar-old mortar’interface identified as the weakest.The above findings provided a reference for the sustainable use of coral concrete in constructing offshore islands.展开更多
Neuroinflammation is a key process in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases,such as multiple sclerosis(MS),Alzheimer's disease,and traumatic brain injury.Even for disorders historically unrelated ...Neuroinflammation is a key process in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases,such as multiple sclerosis(MS),Alzheimer's disease,and traumatic brain injury.Even for disorders historically unrelated to neuroinflammation,such as Alzheimer's disease,it is now shown to precede pathological protein aggregations.展开更多
Autophagy is well-known for delivering cargo materials to lysosomes for proteolytic digestion.Recently,autophagy has emerged as a key mechanism in unconventional protein secretion(UPS).This perspective introduces unco...Autophagy is well-known for delivering cargo materials to lysosomes for proteolytic digestion.Recently,autophagy has emerged as a key mechanism in unconventional protein secretion(UPS).This perspective introduces unconventional secretion pathways,focusing on secretory autophagy and its role in secreting protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative disorders.We also explore additional neuronal functions of secretory autophagy beyond the release of protein aggregates.We propose autophagosomes as transport organelles that deliver cargo material directly from the endoplasmatic reticulum(ER)to the plasma membrane rather than solely to lysosomes.展开更多
This paper presents a comprehensive overview of distributed Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking algorithms in non-cooperative games for multiagent systems(MASs),with a distinct emphasis on the dynamic control perspective.It s...This paper presents a comprehensive overview of distributed Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking algorithms in non-cooperative games for multiagent systems(MASs),with a distinct emphasis on the dynamic control perspective.It specifically focuses on the research addressing distributed NE seeking problems in which agents are governed by heterogeneous dynamics.The paper begins by introducing fundamental concepts of general non-cooperative games and the NE,along with definitions of specific game structures such as aggregative games and multi-cluster games.It then systematically reviews existing studies on distributed NE seeking for various classes of MASs from the viewpoint of agent dynamics,including first-order,second-order,high-order,linear,and Euler-Lagrange(EL)systems.Furthermore,the paper highlights practical applications of these theoretical advances in cooperative control scenarios involving autonomous systems with complex dynamics,such as autonomous surface vessels,autonomous aerial vehicles,and other autonomous vehicles.Finally,the paper outlines several promising directions for future research.展开更多
Heat shock protein family B(small)member 8(HSPB8)is a 22 kDa ubiquitously expressed protein belonging to the family of small heat shock proteins.HSPB8 is involved in various cellular mechanisms mainly related to prote...Heat shock protein family B(small)member 8(HSPB8)is a 22 kDa ubiquitously expressed protein belonging to the family of small heat shock proteins.HSPB8 is involved in various cellular mechanisms mainly related to proteotoxic stress response and in other processes such as inflammation,cell division,and migration.HSPB8 binds misfolded clients to prevent their aggregation by assisting protein refolding or degradation through chaperone-assisted selective autophagy.In line with this function,the pro-degradative activity of HSPB8 has been found protective in several neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases characterized by protein misfolding and aggregation.In cancer,HSPB8 has a dual role being capable of exerting either a pro-or an anti-tumoral activity depending on the pathways and factors expressed by the model of cancer under investigation.Moreover,HSPB8 exerts a protective function in different diseases by modulating the inflammatory response,which characterizes not only neurodegenerative diseases,but also other chronic or acute conditions affecting the nervous system,such as multiple sclerosis and intracerebellar hemorrhage.Of note,HSPB8 modulation may represent a therapeutic approach in other neurological conditions that develop as a secondary consequence of other diseases.This is the case of cognitive impairment related to diabetes mellitus,in which HSPB8 exerts a protective activity by assuring mitochondrial homeostasis.This review aims to summarize the diverse and multiple functions of HSPB8 in different pathological conditions,focusing on the beneficial effects of its modulation.Drug-based and alternative therapeutic approaches targeting HSPB8 and its regulated pathways will be discussed,emphasizing how new strategies for cell and tissue-specific delivery represent an avenue to advance in disease treatments.展开更多
In this paper,a bilevel optimization model of an integrated energy operator(IEO)–load aggregator(LA)is constructed to address the coordinate optimization challenge of multiple stakeholder island integrated energy sys...In this paper,a bilevel optimization model of an integrated energy operator(IEO)–load aggregator(LA)is constructed to address the coordinate optimization challenge of multiple stakeholder island integrated energy system(IIES).The upper level represents the integrated energy operator,and the lower level is the electricity-heatgas load aggregator.Owing to the benefit conflict between the upper and lower levels of the IIES,a dynamic pricing mechanism for coordinating the interests of the upper and lower levels is proposed,combined with factors such as the carbon emissions of the IIES,as well as the lower load interruption power.The price of selling energy can be dynamically adjusted to the lower LA in the mechanism,according to the information on carbon emissions and load interruption power.Mutual benefits and win-win situations are achieved between the upper and lower multistakeholders.Finally,CPLEX is used to iteratively solve the bilevel optimization model.The optimal solution is selected according to the joint optimal discrimination mechanism.Thesimulation results indicate that the sourceload coordinate operation can reduce the upper and lower operation costs.Using the proposed pricingmechanism,the carbon emissions and load interruption power of IEO-LA are reduced by 9.78%and 70.19%,respectively,and the capture power of the carbon capture equipment is improved by 36.24%.The validity of the proposed model and method is verified.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62473048,61925303,62088101,62273195,U19B2029).
文摘Dear Editor,This letter studies the distributed Nash equilibrium seeking problem of aggregative game,in which the decision of each player obeys second-order dynamics and is constrained by nonidentical convex sets.To seek the generalized Nash equilibrium(GNE),a projectionbased distributed algorithm via constant step-sizes is developed with linear convergence.In particular,a variable tracking technique is incorporated to estimate the aggregative function,and an event-triggered mechanism is designed to reduce the communication cost.Finally,a numerical example demonstrates the theoretical results.
基金supported by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region under the Grant No.14201621。
文摘In this paper,we investigate the distributed Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking problem for aggregative games with multiple uncertain Euler–Lagrange(EL)systems over jointly connected and weight-balanced switching networks.The designed distributed controller consists of two parts:a dynamic average consensus part that asymptotically reproduces the unknown NE,and an adaptive reference-tracking module responsible for steering EL systems’positions to track a desired trajectory.The generalized Barbalat’s Lemma is used to overcome the discontinuity of the closed-loop system caused by the switching networks.The proposed algorithm is illustrated by a sensor network deployment problem.
基金supported in part by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(SWU-XDJH202312)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62173278)the Chongqing Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(2024NSCQJQX0103).
文摘Game theory-based models and design tools have gained substantial prominence for controlling and optimizing behavior within distributed engineering systems due to the inherent distribution of decisions among individuals.In non-cooperative settings,aggregative games serve as a mathematical framework model for the interdependent optimal decision-making problem among a group of non-cooperative players.In such scenarios,each player's decision is influenced by an aggregation of all players'decisions.Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking in aggregative games has emerged as a vibrant topic driven by applications that harness the aggregation property.This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the current research on aggregative games with a focus on communication topology.A systematic classification is conducted on distributed algorithm research based on communication topologies such as undirected networks,directed networks,and time-varying networks.Furthermore,it sorts out the challenges and compares the algorithms'convergence performance.It also delves into real-world applications of distributed optimization techniques grounded in aggregative games.Finally,it proposes several challenges that can guide future research directions.
文摘To broaden the frequency width and increase the damping coefficient of a dynamic pressure damper, we designed an aggregative dynamic pressure damper (ADPD). Combined with the advantages of traditional dynamic pressure dampers (TDPD), ADPD can not only increase the damping coefficient in wide frequency range for valve control system, but also absorb partial pressure pulsations and impacts in the low and high frequency fields. Based on the theoretical research and the analysis compared with TDPD, we concluded that the ADPD was superior to the TDPD in the middle high frequency field, and the main parameters influencing the performance of the damper were the damping stiffness, orifice flow coefficient, pre-charge pressure, and the volume of the damper accumulator.
文摘To analyze China’s fluctuating situation of the factor input and aggregative productivity is not only the main method to seek the source of the economic growth but also the main way to weigh the level of economic growth quality.As to economic growth ofa country,the improvementofthe productivity is extremely important.The growth of the output can be realized through two kinds of ways: increasing the quantity of factor input of or improving the efficiency of the input and output.There fore, the level of economic growth quality does not mainly depend on the amount of invested factor,but the importance of improving the productivity since resources are rare. The relative improvement of efficiency in use of the invested factor marks the economic growing quality.So,in order to understand the economic growth quality of China to some extent, it must analyze Chinese factor input and aggregative productivity. This is the main topic that this text will be probed into.
基金The Guangzhou Science and Technology Program Key Projects,No.201704030132.
文摘BACKGROUND At the end of 2019,a new epidemic of viral pneumonia emerged in China and was determined to be caused by a novel coronavirus,which was named coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)by the World Health Organization.The epidemic quickly spread,causing a worldwide pandemic.Scientists and clinicians across the globe have shifted their research efforts towards understanding the virus itself and its epidemiology.CASE SUMMARY In mid-January 2020,a Chinese family made a visit to a local city,and within the next 2 wk one after another fell ill with COVID-19.At the beginning of their first illness onset,the family had eaten in a restaurant,which led to the subsequent illness onset in another two families.All cases were diagnosed as COVID-19 by real-time fluorescent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.Epidemiological investigation showed that the transmission chain was complete.CONCLUSION This chain of social exposure highlights the danger of group aggregative behavior for spread of COVID-19.
文摘Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) strains cause the persistent diarrhea in infants and compromised hosts in developing countries. These strains are currently defined as E. coli that adheres to HEp-2 cells in an aggregative adherence (AA) pattern. In this study, we compared 4 different rapid methods for the detection of EAggEC using a PCR assay, clump formation test, glass slide adherence assay, and the HEp-2 cell adherence assay. Out of 683 E. coli strains isolated from diarrheal stool samples, we detected 17 aggR and/or clump-positive strains, and identified 2 aggR-positive, clump-negative strains and 2 aggR-negative, clump-positive strains. All the aggR positive and clump positive strains also showed positive results in glass slide adherence and HEp-2 cell adherence assays. From all these results, we suggest the following procedure for the rapid identification of EAggEC strains: first, screen E. coli strains with the clump formation test and subsequently perform the glass slide adherence assay to observe AA for confirmation.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFA0702200)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62073065).
文摘Generally,energy trading in smart grid is realized by microgrids.Correspondingly,energy trading in energy internet relies on small-scale energy systems,named as Weenergies(WEs).Previous works on the distributed energy trading focused on the trading platform or trading mechanism based on distributed communication.However,most ignored the fact that there is no express delivery of energy trading,and the transmission of energy depends on a fixed physical topology.Energy transactions without considering the transmission distance will increase the difficulty of energy scheduling and the transmission cost of energy.Aiming at this problem,an aggregation game among WEs is proposed for two-way multi-energy trading,and a distributed algorithm is designed to solve the Nash equilibrium.Since each WE only needs to communicate with its neighbors to exchange information,this distributed process reduces communication burden and improves information security.Furthermore,a multi-energy transmission optimization model is established to determine the transmission path of the transmission energy,which can minimize the transmission cost.Subsequently,to reduce the influence of real-time fluctuations of renewable energy and load,a receding horizon control algorithm is designed to improve the reliability of the proposed game.Finally,the effectiveness in dealing with two-way multi-energy trading of the proposed strategy is verified through simulations on the five connected WEs.
基金This work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 61903027,72171171,62003239Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project under Grant 2021SHZDZX0100Shanghai Sailing Program under Grant 20YF1453000.
文摘Distributed Nash equilibrium seeking of aggregative games is investigated and a continuous-time algorithm is proposed.The algorithm is designed by virtue of projected gradient play dynamics and aggregation tracking dynamics,and is applicable to games with constrained strategy sets and weight-balanced communication graphs.The key feature of our method is that the proposed projected dynamics achieves exponential convergence,whereas such convergence results are only obtained for non-projected dynamics in existing works on distributed optimization and equilibrium seeking.Numerical examples illustrate the effectiveness of our methods.
基金supported by NSFC[grant numbers 61663026,61963028,62066026,61866023]Jiangxi NSF[grant number 20192BAB207025].
文摘In this paper,we consider the Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking problem for aggregative games and design a distributed heavy-ball algorithm to solve it.This algorithm has faster convergence rate than the well-known distributed first-order algorithms for aggregative games.In order to seek the NE,each player needs to exchange information with its neighbours as well as a cen-tral aggregation.For aggregative games,the aggregative term can be either linear or nonlinear in this paper.Furthermore,we consider the generalised Nash equilibrium seeking problem for aggregative games by taking into account the linear coupled constraints among players,and modify our initial algorithm to include game constraints.
文摘Protein aggregates,mitochondrial import stress and neurodegenerative disorders:A salient hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases,including Parkinson’s disease,is the abundance of protein aggregates(Goiran et al.,2022).This molecular event is believed to lead to activation of stress pathways ultimately resulting in cellular dysfunction(Eldeeb et al.,2022).Accordingly,many lines of research investigations focused on dampening the formation of protein aggregates or augmenting the clearance of protein aggregates as a potential therapeutic strategy to counteract the progression of neurodegenerative diseases,albeit with little success(Costa-Mattioli and Walter,2020).Cell stress cues such as the accumulation of protein aggregates lead to the activation of stress response pathways that aid cells in responding to the damage.Despite the notion that the transient activation of these pathways helps cells cope with stressors,persistent activation can induce unwanted apoptosis of cells and reduce overall tissue strength as well as lead to an accumulation of aggregation-prone proteins(Hetz and Papa,2018).Mutations in proteins involved in stress signaling termination can cause conditions like ataxia and early-onset dementia(Conroy et al.,2014).Therefore,it is crucial for stress response signaling to be turned off once conditions have improved.Nevertheless,the mechanisms by which cells silence these signals are still elusive.
文摘Amyloid protein aggregation plays a major role in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and is likely the primary driving force for the progression of most of these diseases.Multiple recent studies have highlighted that the DNAJ homolog subfamily B member 6(DNAJB6)chaperone is particularly interesting,when it comes to preventing amyloidogenic proteins from aggregating.It has been shown that DNAJB6 can prevent the aggregation of polyglutamine-expanded proteins in models of Huntington’s disease.Likewise,it can suppress aggregation ofα-synuclein in models of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies.Finally,it has been shown that DNAJB6 can block aggregation of multiple additional amyloid proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies as well.We believe there is yet much to learn about the protective role of DNAJB6 in the brain,but this focused review summarizes,what we know so far of this chaperone.It describes the biological role of DNAJB6 in the brain and its interaction with Hsp70,with particular emphasis on the studies that show its ability to prevent amyloid protein aggregation in vitro and in vivo.Moreover,recent work on dysregulation of the expression of DNAJB6 in brain clinical tissue is discussed.Finally,we discuss potential therapeutic perspectives as we believe this protein is a promising druggable target.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province under Grant No.E2025201025,the Science Research Project of Hebei Education Department under Grant No.BJK2024121the Open Fund of Hebei Cangzhou Groundwater and Land Subsidence National Observation and Research Station under Grant No.CGLOS-2025-04+1 种基金the HBU Innovation Team for Multi-Disaster Prevention in Transportation Geotechnics under Grant No.IT2023C04the Research Fund for Talented Scholars of HBU under Grant No.521100221063。
文摘Tire-derived aggregate(TDA)is an engineered construction material produced from recycled scrap tires and is often used as a compressible layer overlying buried structures to reduce overburden loads.The potential amplification of ground motion in a tunnel site is well understood,but the effect of the tunnel-TDA layer system on ground surface acceleration remains unclear.In this study,both linear and nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed to evaluate the contributions of a TDA layer to the acceleration amplification at the ground surface.The numerical model was calibrated using recorded data from a shaking table test and validated against the literature results,followed by extensive parametric studies.The mechanical and geometrical parameters investigated for the TDA layer included damping ratio,density,Young’s modulus,width,thickness,and depth.The predominant frequency and intensity level of input motions were also investigated.This study showed that the presence of the TDA layer provided an additional acceleration amplification effect.The amplification was more pronounced in areas above the tunnel,particularly for the wider and shallower TDA layer subjected to high frequency and low intensity input motions.
基金Funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20220626)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52078068)+2 种基金Science and Technology Innovation Foundation of NIT(No.KCTD006)Jiangsu Marine Structure Service Performance Improvement Engineering Research CenterKey Laboratory of Jiangsu"Marine Floating Wind Power Technology and Equipment"。
文摘We investigated the effects of fly ash(FA)content on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete(RAC)and its regeneration potential under freeze and thaw(F-T)cycles.The physical properties of second-generation recycled concrete aggregates(RCA)were used to analyze the regeneration potential of RAC after F-T cycles.Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the interfacial transition zone microstructure of RAC after F-T cycles.Results showed that adding 20%FA to RAC significantly enhanced its mechanical properties and frost resistance.Before the F-T cycles,the compressive strength of RAC with 20%FA reached 48.3 MPa,exceeding research strength target of 40 MPa.A majority of second-generation RCA with FA had been verified to attain class Ⅲ,which enabled their practical application in non-structural projects such as backfill trenches and road pavement.However,the second-generation RCA with 20%FA can achieve class Ⅱ,making it ideal for 40 MPa structural concrete.
基金Funded by Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi(No.2025GXNSFBA069565)Guangxi Science and Technology Program(No.AD25069101)Guangxi Bagui Scholars Fund。
文摘Crushing waste coral concrete into recycled aggregates to create recycled coral aggregate concrete(RCAC)contributes to sustainable construction development on offshore islands and reefs.To investigate the impact of recycled coral aggregate on concrete properties,this study performed a comprehensive analysis of the physical properties of recycled coral aggregate and the basic mechanical properties and microstructure of RCAC.The test results indicate that,compared to coral debris,the crushing index of recycled coral aggregate was reduced by 9.4%,while porosity decreased by 33.5%.Furthermore,RCAC retained the early strength characteristics of coral concrete,with compressive strength and flexural strength exhibiting a notable increase as the water-cement ratio decreased.Under identical conditions,the compressive strength and flexural strength of RCAC were 12.7% and 2.5% higher than coral concrete's,respectively,with porosity correspondingly reduced from 3.13% to 5.11%.This enhancement could be attributed to the new mortar filling the recycled coral aggregate.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis revealed three distinct interface transition zones within RCAC,with the‘new mortar-old mortar’interface identified as the weakest.The above findings provided a reference for the sustainable use of coral concrete in constructing offshore islands.
基金supported by FWO(Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek),grant number G07562NFWO(to BB)。
文摘Neuroinflammation is a key process in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases,such as multiple sclerosis(MS),Alzheimer's disease,and traumatic brain injury.Even for disorders historically unrelated to neuroinflammation,such as Alzheimer's disease,it is now shown to precede pathological protein aggregations.
基金supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG,German Research Foundation)grant LU 2347/3-1(to PL).
文摘Autophagy is well-known for delivering cargo materials to lysosomes for proteolytic digestion.Recently,autophagy has emerged as a key mechanism in unconventional protein secretion(UPS).This perspective introduces unconventional secretion pathways,focusing on secretory autophagy and its role in secreting protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative disorders.We also explore additional neuronal functions of secretory autophagy beyond the release of protein aggregates.We propose autophagosomes as transport organelles that deliver cargo material directly from the endoplasmatic reticulum(ER)to the plasma membrane rather than solely to lysosomes.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(62325304).
文摘This paper presents a comprehensive overview of distributed Nash equilibrium(NE)seeking algorithms in non-cooperative games for multiagent systems(MASs),with a distinct emphasis on the dynamic control perspective.It specifically focuses on the research addressing distributed NE seeking problems in which agents are governed by heterogeneous dynamics.The paper begins by introducing fundamental concepts of general non-cooperative games and the NE,along with definitions of specific game structures such as aggregative games and multi-cluster games.It then systematically reviews existing studies on distributed NE seeking for various classes of MASs from the viewpoint of agent dynamics,including first-order,second-order,high-order,linear,and Euler-Lagrange(EL)systems.Furthermore,the paper highlights practical applications of these theoretical advances in cooperative control scenarios involving autonomous systems with complex dynamics,such as autonomous surface vessels,autonomous aerial vehicles,and other autonomous vehicles.Finally,the paper outlines several promising directions for future research.
基金supported by:Fondazione Telethon-Italy(No.GGP19128 to AP)Fondazione Cariplo-Italy(No.2021-1544 to RC)+14 种基金Fondazione Italiana di Ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica(AriSLA)-Italy(No.MLOpathy to APTarget-RAN to AP)Association Française contre les Myopathies-France(AFM Telethon No.23236 to AP)Kennedy’s Disease Association-USA(2018 grant to RC2020 grant to MG)Ministero dell’Universitàe della Ricerca(MIUR)-Italy(PRIN-Progetti di ricerca di interesse nazionale(No.2017F2A2C5 to APNo.2022EFLFL8 to APNo.2020PBS5MJ to VCNo.2022KSJZF5 to VC)PRIN-Progetti di ricerca di interesse nazionale-bando 2022,PNRR finanziato dall’Unione europea-Next Generation EU,componente M4C2,investimento 1.1(No.P2022B5J32 to RC and No.P20225R4Y5 to VC)CN3:RNA-Codice Proposta:CN_00000041Tematica Sviluppo di terapia genica e farmaci con tecnologia a RNA(Centro Nazionale di Ricerca-CN3 National Center for Gene Therapy and Drugs based on RNA Technology to AP)Progetto Dipartimenti di Eccellenza(to DiSFeB)Ministero della Salute,Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco(AIFA)-Italy(Co_ALS to AP)Universitàdegli Studi di Milano(piano di sviluppo della ricerca(PSR)UNIMI-linea B(to RC and BT).
文摘Heat shock protein family B(small)member 8(HSPB8)is a 22 kDa ubiquitously expressed protein belonging to the family of small heat shock proteins.HSPB8 is involved in various cellular mechanisms mainly related to proteotoxic stress response and in other processes such as inflammation,cell division,and migration.HSPB8 binds misfolded clients to prevent their aggregation by assisting protein refolding or degradation through chaperone-assisted selective autophagy.In line with this function,the pro-degradative activity of HSPB8 has been found protective in several neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases characterized by protein misfolding and aggregation.In cancer,HSPB8 has a dual role being capable of exerting either a pro-or an anti-tumoral activity depending on the pathways and factors expressed by the model of cancer under investigation.Moreover,HSPB8 exerts a protective function in different diseases by modulating the inflammatory response,which characterizes not only neurodegenerative diseases,but also other chronic or acute conditions affecting the nervous system,such as multiple sclerosis and intracerebellar hemorrhage.Of note,HSPB8 modulation may represent a therapeutic approach in other neurological conditions that develop as a secondary consequence of other diseases.This is the case of cognitive impairment related to diabetes mellitus,in which HSPB8 exerts a protective activity by assuring mitochondrial homeostasis.This review aims to summarize the diverse and multiple functions of HSPB8 in different pathological conditions,focusing on the beneficial effects of its modulation.Drug-based and alternative therapeutic approaches targeting HSPB8 and its regulated pathways will be discussed,emphasizing how new strategies for cell and tissue-specific delivery represent an avenue to advance in disease treatments.
基金supported by the Central Government Guides Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project(2023ZY0020)Key R&D and Achievement Transformation Project in InnerMongolia Autonomous Region(2022YFHH0019)+3 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for Inner Mongolia University of Science&Technology(2022053)Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia(2022LHQN05002)National Natural Science Foundation of China(52067018)Metallurgical Engineering First-Class Discipline Construction Project in Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology,Control Science and Engineering Quality Improvement and Cultivation Discipline Project in Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology。
文摘In this paper,a bilevel optimization model of an integrated energy operator(IEO)–load aggregator(LA)is constructed to address the coordinate optimization challenge of multiple stakeholder island integrated energy system(IIES).The upper level represents the integrated energy operator,and the lower level is the electricity-heatgas load aggregator.Owing to the benefit conflict between the upper and lower levels of the IIES,a dynamic pricing mechanism for coordinating the interests of the upper and lower levels is proposed,combined with factors such as the carbon emissions of the IIES,as well as the lower load interruption power.The price of selling energy can be dynamically adjusted to the lower LA in the mechanism,according to the information on carbon emissions and load interruption power.Mutual benefits and win-win situations are achieved between the upper and lower multistakeholders.Finally,CPLEX is used to iteratively solve the bilevel optimization model.The optimal solution is selected according to the joint optimal discrimination mechanism.Thesimulation results indicate that the sourceload coordinate operation can reduce the upper and lower operation costs.Using the proposed pricingmechanism,the carbon emissions and load interruption power of IEO-LA are reduced by 9.78%and 70.19%,respectively,and the capture power of the carbon capture equipment is improved by 36.24%.The validity of the proposed model and method is verified.
