Cloud Model Bat Algorithm

Bat algorithm (BA) is a novel stochastic global optimization algorithm. Cloud model is an effective tool in transforming between qualitative concepts and their quantitative representation. Based on the bat echolocation mechanism and excellent characteristics of cloud model on uncertainty knowledge representation, a new cloud model bat algorithm (CBA) is proposed. This paper focuses on remodeling echolocation model based on living and preying characteristics of bats, utilizing the transformation theory of cloud model to depict the qualitative concept: “bats approach their prey.” Furthermore, Lévy flight mode and population information communication mechanism of bats are introduced to balance the advantage between exploration and exploitation. The simulation results show that the cloud model bat algorithm has good performance on functions optimization

Characterization and density functional theory study of the antioxidant activity of quercetin and its sugar-containing analogues

Inhibition of free radicals using quercetin, hyperin and rutin is examined to determine their antioxidant effects and the structure-activity relationships of flavonoids. Two species of the free radicals are used, including hydroxyl radical (.OH) and superoxide anion radical (O-2(-)). Density functional theory calculations under the level of B3LYP/6-311G (d) have been utilized to explore the structure, molecular properties and antioxidant abilities of the three flavonoids. Bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) and frontier molecular orbital energy gap are investigated. They are compared with the experiment results assayed by the spectrophotometric. All of the flavonoids show a high activity on inhibiting OH and O-2(-) radicals. Scavenging activity determined by half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of the three flavonoids decreases in the order: quercetin > hyperin > rutin. The calculations show that quercetin owns the lowest BDE values, which agree well with the experimental results of antioxidant activity determined by IC50 values

On Mixed-Mode Fracture

Abstract This paper reports the authors' recent work on mixed-mode fracture in fiber-reinforced laminated composite beams and plates. The work considers the so-called one-dimensional fracture which propagates in one-dimension and consists of only mode I and mode II fracture modes. Fracture interfaces are assumed to be either rigidly or cohesively bonded. Analytical theories are developed within the contexts of both classical and first-order shear deformable laminated composite theories. When a rigid interface is assumed for brittle fracture, there are two sets of orthogonal pure modes in classical theory, and there is only one set of orthogonal pure modes in shear-deformable theory. A mixed-mode fracture is partitioned by using these orthogonal pure modes. The classical and shear deformable partitions can be regarded as either lower or upper bound partitions for 2D elasticity, and hence approximate 2D elasticity partition theories are developed by 'averaging' the classical and shear deformable partitions. When cohesively bonded interfaces are assumed for adhesively joined interfaces, the classical and shear deformable theories give the same pure modes. Approximate partition theories are also developed for 2D elasticity. Numerical investigations demonstrate excellent agreement with the corresponding analytical theories. Experimental data considered shows that the failure locus is strongly linear

Facilitating effects of the reductive soil disinfestation process combined with Paenibacillus sp. amendment on soil health and physiological properties of Momordica charantia

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an anaerobic and facultative anaerobic microbial-mediated soil management process. The extent of improvement of diseased soil properties by RSD relative to comparable healthy soil is, however, not well characterized. Importantly, how to promote the colonization efficiency of these facultative anaerobic functional species to ensure soil and plant health remain unknown. Here, Fusarium wilt-diseased soil of Momordica charantia grown under a plastic-shed field (PS-CK) was used to conduct molasses-RSD (MO-RSD) along with Paenibacillus sp. (a model of facultative anaerobic species) (MOPA-RSD) treatment, and the soil from a nearby open-air paddy field was considered comparable healthy soil (OA-CK). Both RSD treatments significantly improved the properties of PS-CK soil, and the extent of improvement of soil pH, Fusarium oxysporum reduction efficiency (98.36%~99.56%), and microbial community and functional composition were higher than that achieved for OA-CK soil, which indicated that RSD-regulated most soil properties outperformed those of the comparable healthy soil. The disease incidence and ascorbic acid content of M. charantia in MO-RSD- and MOPA-RSD-treated soils were considerably decreased, while the weight and soluble protein contents were correspondingly increased, as compared to those of M. charantia in PS-CK soil. Specifically, the changes in these physiological properties of M. charantia in MOPA-RSD soil performed well than that in MO-RSD soil. The relative abundances of Cohnella, Effusibacillus, Rummeliibacillus, Oxobacter, Thermicanus, and Penicillium enriched in both RSD-treated soils were positively correlated with Paenibacillus and negatively correlated with F. oxysporum population and disease incidence (P < 0.05). Notably, the relative abundances of these potential probiotics were considerably higher in MOPA-RSD-treated soil than in MO-RSD alone-treated soil. These results show that the RSD process with inoculation of Paenibacillus sp. could promote the colonization of this species and simultaneously stimulate the proliferation of other probiotic consortia to further enhance soil health and plant disease resistance

Discrete Bat Algorithm for Optimal Problem of Permutation Flow Shop Scheduling

A discrete bat algorithm (DBA) is proposed for optimal permutation flow shop scheduling problem (PFSP). Firstly, the discrete bat algorithm is constructed based on the idea of basic bat algorithm, which divide whole scheduling problem into many subscheduling problems and then NEH heuristic be introduced to solve subscheduling problem. Secondly, some subsequences are operated with certain probability in the pulse emission and loudness phases. An intensive virtual population neighborhood search is integrated into the discrete bat algorithm to further improve the performance. Finally, the experimental results show the suitability and efficiency of the present discrete bat algorithm for optimal permutation flow shop scheduling problem

Spatial distribution characteristics of splashing rainfall caused by nappe flow impingement on a plunge pool

Splashing is the main atomization source for a jet impinging on a liquid layer. Increased understanding of splashing rainfall characteristics can help to reduce the hazard of flood discharge atomization in hydraulic engineering. In this study, the spatial distribution of splashing rainfall caused by a nappe flow impinging on a downstream water cushion was experimentally investigated. Effects of the main hydraulic factors of impingement velocity, unit discharge, and water-cushion depth on splashing were investigated. The shape of splashing rainfall contours was approximately elliptical in horizontal planes. Maximum rainfall intensity was in the surrounding impingement region, and rainfall intensity decreased with an increase in the distance between the impingement center point and measurement points. Splashing rainfall intensity increased with increases in impingement velocity and unit discharge, whereas the opposite was observed with an increase in plunge pool depth. A gamma distribution described rainfall intensity distribution in the longitudinal and vertical direction, whereas a Gaussian distribution described intensity in the transverse direction. A series of empirical relations were proposed

The unique immune ecosystems in pediatric brain tumors: integrating single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing

BackgroundThe significant progress of immune therapy in non-central nervous system tumors has sparked interest in employing the same strategy for adult brain tumors. However, the advancement of immunotherapy in pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors is not yet on par. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive comparative studies investigating the immune ecosystem in pediatric and adult CNS tumors at a high-resolution single-cell level.MethodsIn this study, we comprehensively analyzed over 0.3 million cells from 171 samples, encompassing adult gliomas (IDH wild type and IDH mutation) as well as four major types of pediatric brain tumors (medulloblastoma (MB), ependymoma (EPN), H3K27M-mutation (DIPG), and pediatric IDH-mutation glioma (P-IDH-M)). Our approach involved integrating publicly available and newly generated single-cell datasets. We compared the immune landscapes in different brain tumors, as well as the detailed functional phenotypes of T-cell and myeloid subpopulations. Through single-cell analysis, we identified gene sets associated with major cell types in the tumor microenvironment (gene features from single-cell data, scFes) and compared them with existing gene sets such as GSEA and xCell. The CBTTC and external GEO cohort was used to analyze and validate the immune-stromal-tumor patterns in pediatric brain tumors which might potentially respond to the immunotherapy.ResultsFrom the perspective of single-cell analysis, it was observed that major pediatric brain tumors (MB, EPN, P-IDH-M, DIPG) exhibited lower immune contents compared with adult gliomas. Additionally, these pediatric brain tumors displayed diverse immunophenotypes, particularly in regard to myeloid cells. Notably, the presence of HLA-enriched myeloid cells in MB was found to be independently associated with prognosis. Moreover, the scFes, when compared with commonly used gene features, demonstrated superior performance in independent single-cell datasets across various tumor types. Furthermore, our study revealed the existence of heterogeneous immune ecosystems at the bulk-RNA sequencing level among different brain tumor types. In addition, we identified several immune-stromal-tumor patterns that could potentially exhibit significant responses to conventional immune checkpoint inhibitors.ConclusionThe single-cell technique provides a rational path to deeply understand the unique immune ecosystem of pediatric brain tumors. In spite of the traditional attitudes of “cold” tumor towards pediatric brain tumor, the immune-stroma-tumor patterns identified in this study suggest the feasibility of immune checkpoint inhibitors and pave the way for the upcoming tide of immunotherapy in pediatric brain tumors

Nitroxoline suppresses metastasis in bladder cancer via EGR1/circNDRG1/miR-520h/smad7/EMT signaling pathway

Bladder cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancer worldwide. Current chemotherapy has shown limited efficacy in improving outcomes for patients. Nitroxoline, an old and widely used oral antibiotic, which was known to treat for urinary tract infection for decades. Recent studies suggested that nitroxoline suppressed the tumor progression and metastasis, especially in bladder cancer. However, the underlying mechanism for anti-tumor activity of nitroxoline remains unclear. Methods: CircRNA microarray was used to explore the nitroxoline-mediated circRNA expression profile of bladder cancer lines. Transwell and wound-healing assay were applied to evaluate the capacity of metastasis. ChIP assay was chosen to prove the binding of promotor and transcription factor. RNA-pulldown assay was performed to explore the sponge of circRNA and microRNA. Results: We first identified the circNDRG1 (has_circ_0085656) as a novel candidate circRNA. Transwell and wound-healing assay demonstrated that circNDRG1 inhibited the metastasis of bladder cancer. ChIP assay showed that circNDRG1 was regulated by the transcription factor EGR1 by binding the promotor of host gene NDRG1. RNA-pulldown assay proved that circNDRG1 sponged miR-520h leading to the overexpression of smad7, which was a negative regulatory protein of EMT. Conclusions: Our research revealed that nitroxoline may suppress metastasis in bladder cancer via EGR1/circNDRG1/miR-520h/smad7/EMT signaling pathway