IoT service composition based on improved Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm.

In the complex Internet of Things (IoT) environment, a plethora of IoT services with akin functions but varying qualities of service exist. To meet diverse customer needs and drive widespread application, service composition optimization becomes crucial. In the current era of rapid development in artificial intelligence, intelligent algorithms play a significant role in optimizing service composition.

Enhanced Photothermal Effect Assisted by Resonance Energy Transfer in Carbon/Covellite Core-Shell Nanoparticles toward a High-Performance Interfacial Water Evaporation Process.

Carbon and semiconductor nanoparticles are promising photothermal materials for various solar-driven applications. Inevitable recombination of photoinduced charge carriers in a single constituent, however, hinders the realization of a greater photothermal effect. Core-shell heterostructures utilizing the donor-acceptor pair concept with high-quality interfaces can inhibit energy loss from the radiation relaxation of excited species, thereby enhancing the photothermal effect.

Tuning Surface Molecular Design of Porous Carbon for Blue Energy Harvesting.

Capacitive mixing is a promising blue energy technology due to its membrane-free electricity generation and long electrode life cycle. However, because of limited performance, existing systems do not lend themselves to practical implementation. Although it is a crucial factor directly influencing electrode behavior, surface chemistry has largely been overlooked in capacitive mixing.

Protection of toll-like receptor 9 against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and oxidative stress of pulmonary epithelial cells via MyD88-mediated pathways.

Acute lung injury (ALI) caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a common, severe clinical syndrome. Injury caused by inflammation and oxidative stress in vascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells is a vital process in the pathogenesis of ALI. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) is highly expressed in LPS-induced ALI rats.

Moxifloxacin Derivatives with Potential Antibacterial Activity against Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

Background: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has already tormented humanity and the environment for a long time and is responsible for many difficult-to-treat infections. Unfortunately, there are limited therapeutic options, and MRSA isolates with complete resistance to vancomycin, the first-line drug for the treatment of MRSA infections, have already emerged in recent years.

Discovery of LY3325656: A GPR142 agonist suitable for clinical testing in human.

The discovery and optimization of a novel series of GPR142 agonists are described. These led to the identification of compound 21 (LY3325656), which demonstrated anti-diabetic benefits in pre-clinical studies and ADME/PK properties suitable for human dosing. Compound 21 is the first GPR142 agonist molecule advancing to phase 1 clinic trials for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Ciprofloxacin-1,2,3-triazole-isatin hybrids tethered via amide: Design, synthesis, and in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to prepare various novel amide tethered ciprofloxacin-1,2,3-triazole-isatin hybrids 7a-l, and evaluate their in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity as well as cytotoxicity in VERO cells. The synthesized hybrids showed considerable in vitro activity against both MTB HRv and MDR-MTB with MIC of 0.12 to 32 μg/mL, and acceptable cytotoxicity in VERO cells (CC: 8.

Harvesting energy from low-frequency excitations through alternate contacts between water and two dielectric materials.

Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of water-dielectric interfaces in electrostatic energy harvesting. Most efforts have been focused on extracting the kinetic energy from the motions of water drops on hydrophobic surfaces, and thus, the resulting schemes inherently prefer cases where the water drops move at a high speed, or vibrate at a high frequency. Here we report a method for directly harvesting ambient mechanical energy as electric potential energy through water droplets by making alternate contacts with CYTOP and PTFE thin films.

Epidemiology of varicella in Haidian district, Beijing, China-2007-2015.

Background: 1-Dose varicella vaccination was recommended for children in Beijing before November 2012. To further control school-based outbreaks and decrease incidence, a 2-dose vaccination was implemented in 2013. We described the varicella epidemiology and assessed impact of the 2-dose vaccination in Haidian district, Beijing, 2007-2015.

GPR142 Controls Tryptophan-Induced Insulin and Incretin Hormone Secretion to Improve Glucose Metabolism.

GPR142, a putative amino acid receptor, is expressed in pancreatic islets and the gastrointestinal tract, but the ligand affinity and physiological role of this receptor remain obscure. In this study, we show that in addition to L-Tryptophan, GPR142 signaling is also activated by L-Phenylalanine but not by other naturally occurring amino acids. Furthermore, we show that Tryptophan and a synthetic GPR142 agonist increase insulin and incretin hormones and improve glucose disposal in mice in a GPR142-dependent manner.

Roles of the Excitation in Harvesting Energy from Vibrations.

The study investigated the role of excitation in energy harvesting applications. While the energy ultimately comes from the excitation, it was shown that the excitation may not always behave as a source. When the device characteristics do not perfectly match the excitation, the excitation alternately behaves as a source and a sink.

Outbreak of varicella in a highly vaccinated preschool population.

Background: Varicella vaccine is available for private purchase in Beijing, with single dose recommended for children aged ≥12 months before 2013. Despite the success achieved in reducing varicella incidence, varicella outbreaks continued to occur, including in schools and kindergartens among highly vaccinated children. We investigated a varicella outbreak in a preschool with high varicella vaccination coverage in Haidian district, Beijing.

[Investigation on measles cases of new genotype D8 in Beijing, 2013].

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of measles cases of new genotype D8 in Beijing from January to June, 2013.

Methods: Epidemiological survey and descriptive analysis was conducted.

Results: 661 suspected measles were reported from January to June, 2013.

Synthesis and in vitro anti-HCV activity of beta-D- and 1-2'-deoxy-2'-fluororibonucleosides.

Based on the discovery of beta-D-2'-deoxy-2'-fluorocytidine as a potent anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) agent, a series of beta-D- and L-2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroibonucleosides with modifications at 5 and/or 4 positions were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro activity against HCV and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). The introduction of the 2'-fluoro group was achieved by either fluorination of 2,2'-anhydronucleosides with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine or potassium fluoride, or a fluorination of arabinonucleosides with DAST. Among the 27 analogues synthesized, only the 5-fluoro compounds, namely beta-D-2'-deoxy-2',5-difluorocytidine (5), had anti-HCV activity in the subgenomic HCV replicon cell line, and inhibitory activity against ribosomal RNA.

Synthesis and anti-viral activity of a series of d- and l-2'-deoxy-2'-fluororibonucleosides in the subgenomic HCV replicon system.

Based on the discovery of (2'R)-d-2'-deoxy-2'-fluorocytidine as a potent anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) agent, a series of d- and l-2'-deoxy-2'-fluororibonucleosides with modifications at 5- and/or 4-positions were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro activity against HCV and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). The key step in the synthesis, the introduction of 2'-fluoro group, was achieved by either fluorination of 2,2'-anhydronucleosides with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine or potassium fluoride, or a fluorination of arabinonucleosides with DAST. Among the 27 analogues synthesized, only the 5-fluoro compound, namely (2'R)-d-2'-deoxy-2',5-difluorocytidine (13), demonstrated potent anti-HCV activity and toxicity to ribosomal RNA.