Identification of Host Cellular Protein Substrates of SARS-COV-2 Main Protease

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) being associated with severe pneumonia. Like with other viruses, the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with host cell proteins is necessary for successful replication, and cleavage of cellular targets by the viral protease also may contribute to the pathogenesis, but knowledge about the human proteins that are processed by the main protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is still limited. We tested the prediction potentials of two different in silico methods for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro cleavage sites in human proteins. Short stretches of homologous host-pathogen protein sequences (SSHHPS) that are present in SARS-CoV-2 polyprotein and human proteins were identified using BLAST analysis, and the NetCorona 1.0 webserver was used to successfully predict cleavage sites, although this method was primarily developed for SARS-CoV. Human C-terminal-binding protein 1 (CTBP1) was found to be cleaved in vitro by SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, the existence of the cleavage site was proved experimentally by using a His₆-MBP-mEYFP recombinant substrate containing the predicted target sequence. Our results highlight both potentials and limitations of the tested algorithms. The identification of candidate host substrates of 3CLpro may help better develop an understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the replication and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2.     

Design structure matrix (DSM) method application to issue of modeling and analyzing the fault tree of a wind energy asset

The perpetual energy production of a wind farm could be accomplished (under proper weather conditions) if no failures occurred. But even the best possible design, manufacturing, and maintenance of a system cannot eliminate the failure possibility. In order to understand and minimize the system failures, the most crucial components of the wind turbines, which are prone to failures, should be identified. Moreover, it is essential to determine and classify the criticality of the system failures according to the impact of these failure events on wind turbine safety. The present study is processing the failure data from a wind farm and uses the Fault Tree Analysis as a baseline for applying the Design Structure Matrix technique to reveal the failure and risk interactions between wind turbine subsystems. Based on the analysis performed and by introducing new importance measures, the “readiness to fail” of a subsystem in conjunction with the “failure riskiness” can determine the “failure criticality.” The value of the failure criticality can define the frame within which interventions could be done. The arising interventions could be applied either to the whole system or could be focused in specified pairs of wind turbine subsystems. In conclusion, the method analyzed in the present research can be effectively applied by the wind turbine manufacturers and the wind farm operators as an operation framework, which can lead to a limited (as possible) design‐out maintenance cost, failures' minimization, and safety maximization for the whole wind turbine system.     

Application of the novel Droplet digital PCR technology for identification of meat species

The authenticity and traceability of meat products are issues of primary importance to ensure food safety. Unfortunately, food adulteration (e.g. the addition of inexpensive cuts to minced meat products) and mislabelling (e.g. the inclusion of meat from species other than those declared) happens frequently worldwide. The aim of this study was to apply a droplet digital PCR assay for the detection and quantification (copies μL⁻¹) of the beef, pork, horse, sheep, chicken and turkey in meat products. The analysis conducted on commercial meat showed the presence of traces of DNA from other animal species than those declared. We show that the method is highly sensitive, specific and accurate (accuracy = 100%). This method could be adopted by competent food safety authorities to verify compliance with the labelling of meat products and to ensure quality and safety throughout the meat supply chain, from primary production to consumption.     

Stacking behavior of the close-packed Ta-atom planes and its effects on formation of “hybrid grains” in TaC0.66-0.7 ceramics

In previous works, it was found hard to synthesize “phase pure” ζ-Ta₄C_3-z at relatively low temperatures even by prolonged heating, though ζ-Ta₄C_3-z was believed stable till decomposition at ~2130°C. When the samples were subjected to TEM, vast richness of locally disordered structures in close relation with stacking of the close-pacted Ta-atom planes was observed. Although kinetic factors including diffusion of C atoms/vacancies and re-stacking of the Ta-atom planes explain the densely disordered structures, the richness of local disorders is a scenario that shows cohabitant of the cubic, rhombohedral, and hexagonal structures in a single grain, i.e. formation of a “hybrid grain” consisted of the three symmetries, indicating a transitional or intermediate stage before complete formation of the final phase of rhombohedral ζ-Ta₄C_3-z. This time tantalum carbide ceramics TaC_x with C:Ta atomic ratios x = 0.66 and 0.7 were prepared by reaction hot pressing of TaC and Ta powder mixtures. 5–30 mol% Cu/Ag additives and heat treatments were used to reproduce “hybrid grains” to facilitate further TEM and HRTEM observations on the disordered hybrid grains to argue for the transitional/intermediate stage. The cohabitant cubic, rhombohedral, and hexagonal structures in single grains may also help explain the difficulty in identification of the various phases by XRD in the transitional/intermediate stage of ζ-Ta₄C_3-z reaction. Microstructural evolution and fracture toughness of the composites were also investigated.     

Scheduling distributed flowshops with flexible assembly and set-up time to minimise makespan

The scheduling problems under distributed production or flexible assembly settings have achieved increasing attention in recent years. This paper considers scheduling the integration of these two environments and proposes an original distributed flowshop scheduling problem with flexible assembly and set-up time. Distributed production stage is deployed several homogeneous flowshop factories that process the jobs to be assembled into final products in the flexible assembly stage. The objective is to find a schedule, including a production subschedule for jobs and an assembly subschedule for products, to minimise the makespan. Such a scheduling problem involves four successive decisions: assigning jobs to production factories, sequencing jobs at every factory, designating an assembly machine for each product and sequencing products on each assembly machine. The computational model is first established, and then a constructive heuristic (TPHS) and two hybrid metaheuristics (HVNS and HPSO) are proposed. Numerical experiments have been carried out and results validate the algorithmic feasibility and effectiveness. TPHS can obtain reasonable solutions in a shorter time, while metaheuristics can report better solutions using more yet acceptable time. HPSO is statistically comparable yet less robust compared with HVNS for small-scale instances. For the large-scale case, HPSO outperforms HVNS on both effectiveness and robustness.     

风速时间序列混沌判定方法比较研究

混沌识别是对非线性时间序列进行混沌预测的前提。针对时间序列风速确定性与随机性相结合的复杂非线性特征,研究了不同的混沌识别方法,并对风速时间序列进行混沌特征识别。应用随机噪声、周期运动及经典混沌系统的时间序列对所选方法进行可靠性验证。对美国国家风能研究中心M2测风塔实测时间序列风速数据进行非线性混沌特征识别。结果表明:风速时间序列具有明显的混沌特征;各风速时间序列表现出不同程度的混沌特征;各混沌识别方法对风速时间序列混沌特征的表达形式不同,互为补充,相互验证。     

An up to date review of continuously variable speed wind turbines with mechatronic variable transmissions

As a promising and potential alternative to conventional fixed or variable speed wind turbines, continuously variable speed wind turbines (CVSWTs) with variable transmissions offer improved power efficiency and enhanced power control capabilities. The CVSWTs can be generally achieved by adapting mechatronic variable transmissions in the turbine drive train for continuously variable speed operations for wind turbines. Therefore, this paper serves to provide an up to date and exhaustive review of the CVSWTs with mechatronic variable transmissions such as mechanical variable transmission, electrical variable transmission, and power splitting transmission. In this paper, the analysis of CVSWTs with different mechatronic transmission topologies is performed regarding basic configurations, dynamic characteristics, control principles, and experimental or simulation results. Review results indicate the feasibility of applying CVSWTs with such mechatronic transmissions and highlight superiorities of the CVSWTs with power splitting transmission. The CVSWT with power splitting transmission will be particularly suitable for megawatt‐scale turbine systems and will hence increase the economic competitiveness of these turbines due to its large power capacity and high reliability. The directions or challenges for future investigations of CVSWTs with such mechatronic transmissions are also presented to foster in‐depth understanding of such CVSWTs and their control strategies.     

机电控制无级变速器执行机构动态响应特性仿真研究

为研究夹紧力可调的机电控制无级变速器（EMCVT）电控电动执行机构的可靠性，及其速比和从动带轮夹紧力动态响应的影响因素，采用MATLAB/Simulink构建了EMCVT执行机构的动力学模型，设计了针对EMCVT电控电动执行机构的速比和夹紧力闭环控制器。对EMCVT输入转矩突变和目标速比突变两种工况进行了仿真分析，仿真结果表明：速比和从动带轮夹紧力动态响应的超调量和调节时间满足CVT的使用要求，从动带轮夹紧力响应时间小于1s，速比变化率可以达到2；EMCVT速比和从动带轮夹紧力动态响应的主要影响因素是执行电动机的负载和转动方向。     

船体结构冰载荷反演方法及试验验证

冰载荷是影响船舶冰区航行期间结构安全的重要环境载荷。船舶的冰压监测通常采用应变传感器，合理地布放传感器是识别冰载荷的基础。通过对比船体外板结构试验中的冲击载荷和不同测试方案下的应变信号，确定了最佳应变传感器布放方案；采用Green核函数方法建立了船体外板结构应变冲击载荷间的响应关系，并对采集信号在噪声影响下反演的不适定性进行了分析；采用Tikhonov正则化方法克服了载荷反演过程中出现的数值不稳定问题；最后将试验中的响应用到载荷识别分析中，反演的载荷可以较为准确地反映冲击载荷的时域特征并且载荷识别精度良好。     

双馈风机风电场联络线出口故障方向判别

由于双馈风机风电场故障特性与传统同步机存在较大差别,因此传统方向元件应用于双馈风机风电场时存在适应性问题。针对双馈风机风电场存在的频率偏移、等值内阻抗不稳定和弱馈等特点,提出一种基于时域波形相似度的故障方向元件。根据推算的联络线对侧电压与保护安装处记忆电压波形的余弦相似度判断故障方向,能够有效解决双馈风机风电场出口故障方向判别存在的问题。在PSCAD/EMTDC中搭建典型的双馈风机接入系统,仿真结果表明,所提故障方向元件针对不同的故障类型均能有效判断故障方向。