Search

Repetition-rate high-energy laser systems with high beam quality have been attracting growing attentions in various applications. However, the degradation of beam quality caused by thermal effects is nearly unavoidable in high-energy laser amplifiers operating at high repetition rates. One primary thermal effect is thermal-induced birefringence, which typically induces polarization changes at various spatial positions within the beam. This study explores the potential of leveraging the thermal-induced birefringence effect to manipulate the polarization distribution of the beam and, consequently, control the spatial intensity distribution of the beam by using an additional polarizer. This method demonstrates promise for beam pre-compensation, mitigating thermal-induced depolarization, and other laser applications in high-energy lasers with high repetition rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effects of ethanol on n-heptane catalytic cracking over HZSM-5 zeolites were explored at 550 °C for 6 h on stream. Particular attention was paid to the measurement of product distribution, especially alkene and aromatic products. Due to the unique structure, ethanol easily interacts with the acid sites over HZSM-5 zeolites. It favored the dehydration to ethene formation and prevented alkene secondary reaction to aromatic formation. Thus, ethanol addition promoted alkene selectivity while reducing aromatic selectivity in n-heptane catalytic cracking. However, ethanol addition accelerated the deactivation of HZSM-5 zeolites. XRD, 27Al MAS NMR, TG-DSC, N2 adsorption–desorption, and NH3-TPD were employed to characterize the fresh and spent HZSM-5 zeolites and elucidate the roles of ethanol in coke formation and HZSM-5 deactivation during n-heptane catalytic cracking. It was found that alkene promotion caused by ethanol addition enhanced coke formation and its migration from the micropores to the external surface of HZSM-5 zeolites. The formation and accumulation of external coke sharply blocked the pore openings and reduced the accessibility of the acidic site, accelerating HZSM-5 deactivation. Moreover, ethanol was more harmful to the framework of HZSM-5 zeolites compared to n-heptane. It accelerated the collapse of HZSM-5 crystallite, which was negative to the catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The punching severe deformation is a recently developed surface treatment that forms alloying by inducing a greater compressive equivalent stress field. Despite its proven utility, there has been little attention devoted to the accurate modeling of this process. In this work, a 3D-DEFORM finite element analysis was used to model the equivalent stress distribution induced by the punching process on a low-carbon steel surface. A majority of the controlling parameters of the process were taken into account. The effect of punching number, punching tip size, punching velocity and punching pressure on the equivalent stress distribution was evaluated. The results show that an equivalent stress distribution much higher than the conventional surface severe deformation can be obtained by optimizing the punching severe deformation process. The reported simulation results can successfully predict the punching severe deformation used to create an alloying layer on the surface of low-carbon steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A gradient microstructure is formed by ultrasonic impact on low-carbon steel. • The gradient microstructure can increase high-temperature wear properties. • The wear mechanism becomes different under different applied loads. Abstract The high-temperature wear properties of the gradient microstructure formed by ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) on the surface of low-carbon steel are investigated. The dominant wear mechanism of the sample is oxidation wear and adhesive wear as the temperature increased from 300 °C to 500 °C. The wear mechanism of the sample changed from abrasive wear to fatigue wear as the applied load increased from 15 N to 95 N. The improvement in the high-temperature wear properties is due to the gradient nanocrystallization, which is helpful for forming an oxide film during wearing. As well as due to presence of the grain boundary wetting phase transitions of cementite, which can effectively delay the crack initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the energy consumption of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is highly important for their wider application in wastewater treatment engineering. Of particular significance is reducing aeration in aerobic tanks to reduce the overall energy consumption. This study proposed an in situ ammonia-N-based feedback control strategy for aeration in aerobic tanks; this was tested via model simulation and through a large-scale (50,000 m 3 /d) engineering application. A full-scale MBR model was developed based on the activated sludge model (ASM) and was calibrated to the actual MBR. The aeration control strategy took the form of a two-step cascaded proportion-integration (PI) feedback algorithm. Algorithmic parameters were optimized via model simulation. The strategy achieved real-time adjustment of aeration amounts based on feedback from effluent quality (i.e., ammonia-N). The effectiveness of the strategy was evaluated through both the model platform and the full-scale engineering application. In the former, the aeration flow rate was reduced by 15–20%. In the engineering application, the aeration flow rate was reduced by 20%, and overall specific energy consumption correspondingly reduced by 4% to 0.45 kWh/m 3 -effluent, using the present practice of regulating the angle of guide vanes of fixed-frequency blowers. Potential energy savings are expected to be higher for MBRs with variable-frequency blowers. This study indicated that the ammonia-N-based aeration control strategy holds promise for application in full-scale MBRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative strengths of membrane bioreactors (MBR) versus conventional activated sludge (CAS) processes have long been debated, but never compared systematically at full scale. To this end, we monitored full-scale wastewater treatment performance and mixed-liquor characteristics (sludge biomass, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), supernatant with molecular weight and hydrophilic/hydrophobic distribution) for parallel MBR and CAS (via oxidation ditch—OD), for a year. Ammonia and suspended solids were better removed by MBR; temperature affected ammonia removal in OD. At low temperatures, sludge settlement declined in both processes, but solid–liquid separation via membrane filtration continued, although the membrane fouled. EPS characteristics were similar, and organic components in EPS and supernatant varied seasonally, in both processes. MBR had a lower production rate, but higher concentration, of supernatant organics and accumulated large molecular-weight polysaccharides. Ammonia removal was correlated with tightly bound proteinaceous EPS. Polysaccharides, in loosely bound EPS and supernatant, were responsible for effective settlement (OD), and membrane fouling (MBR). These results demonstrate how mixed liquor intermediates process and performance, and that performance depends on effective solid–liquid separation. MBRs excel when stringent requirements for pollutant-removal and extreme environmental conditions exist. The much cheaper OD remains competitive under less demanding conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal properties of XLPE during thermal aging are measured. • Specific heat of XLPE do not change during the aging lifetime. • Thermal conductivity of XLPE do not change during the aging lifetime. • XLPE is a stable insulation material for power cables. Thermal degradation of insulation layer is the most common failure mode of medium- and high-voltage cables. The deterioration in the thermal properties of the insulation material will increase the working temperature and accelerate thermal degradation of the insulation layer. Therefore, in order to predict the remaining lifetime of cables accurately, the thermal properties of the insulation layer during service need to be known. This paper reports the measurement results of density, specific heat, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), which is widely used as cable insulations, during thermal aging. The experimental results show that the above parameters of XLPE do not change significantly before reaching the aging lifetime. This indicates that the thermal properties of XLPE insulation layer are stable, which is critical for a stable working temperature of the insulation layer during the normal service life of the cable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study provides an insight into the effect of membrane pore morphology on microfiltration organic fouling, by comparing the fouling behaviors of a series of polytetrafluoroethylene/polyvinylidene fluoride (PTFE/PVDF) blend membranes with those of PVDF membranes at varied hydrophobicity and pore size levels. Unlike the PVDF membrane pore morphology which resembled particulate bed, the PTFE/PVDF blend membrane morphology was characterized as fibrous network with thread-like pore walls and interconnected pore channels of high structural complexity. Fouling evolution rate and irreversibility of these membranes were assessed using batch filtration tests, with a membrane bioreactor supernatant employed as the foulant. Fouling of the PVDF membranes deteriorated significantly with increasing hydrophobicity and decreasing pore size. By comparison, all the blend membranes showed moderate fouling, much less sensitive to hydrophobicity and pore size. It was demonstrated that hydrophobicity and pore size pertain to hydrophobic adsorption and size exclusion respectively, which are fundamental membrane–foulant interactions for promoting fouling. Pore morphology may affect fouling by influencing these interactions. For the case of the blend membranes, it was inferred that the thread-like pore walls with limited adsorption area discouraged hydrophobic adsorption, while the high structural complexity encouraged size exclusion on the other hand. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite the potentially important effect of temperature on membrane fouling, very few investigations have been conducted on full-scale membrane bioreactors (MBRs) regarding seasonal variation of fouling. In this study, fouling behavior in a full-scale MBR (capacity 60,000m3/d) in northern China was monitored for a whole year. As the mixed liquor temperature dropped from 27 to 13°C, the filtration resistance increased from 0.6×1013 to 2.6×1013 m−1, which was attributable to higher concentration of supernatant organics at lower temperatures. Humic substances were the predominant supernatant organics (10–25mg/L) in comparison with polysaccharides and proteins (both 5–15mg/L). The dependence of seasonal supernatant fouling potential on hydrophilic/hydrophobic composition and molecular weight distribution of the organics were analyzed based on statistical correlation. Humic substances in all hydrophobicity and molecular weight ranges correlated closely with the fouling potential. Hydrophilic polysaccharides and large-molecular-weight proteins were also found to contribute to the fouling potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new [4]carceplex (2·guest) is reported. It is composed of two cavitands linked by four disulfide bonds. It forms twistomers, which interconvert on a millisecond timescale. The energy barrier for interconversion of twistomers is guest-dependent. Formation of [4]carceplex 2·guest is template dependent. The selectivity in templates is flat relative to most previous related template work. Larger kin [5]carceplex 1·guests were reinvestigated. A crystal structure confirms the twist between the hemispherical cavitands. Use of a redox buffer allowed dynamic combinatorial chemistry to be performed between pairs of templates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The high temperature wear behavior of carbon steel with gradient microstructure is analyzed under different loads. • The gradient microstructure can improve high temperature wear resistance. • The wear mechanisms change from oxidation wear to adhesive wear, and finally to severe delamination. The present research investigated the effect of loads on high-temperature wear behavior of carbon steel with gradient microstructure. The results demonstrated that the gradient grain refinement was obtained, with grain size ranging from 0.1 to 3 μm. An increase in the coefficient of friction and wear volume was observed with the load increased. The wear mechanism of the sample changed from oxidation wear to delamination wear, with the load increased from 15 N to 75 N. Moreover, under low loads, it was found that a continuous oxide film was formed on the gradient surface, which retained the favorable high temperature wear properties. However, under high loads, the gradient layer was completely penetrated, and the low binding strength between the oxide film and the matrix resulted in the initiation and propagation of cracks, thereby exhibiting a poor wear performance of the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates a laser diode double-ended pumped Yb: YAG rod regenerative amplifier (RA) with an average power of 37 W, which substantially exceeds the performance of previously reported bulk Yb: YAG medium RAs. Compared to other bulk Yb: YAG medium RAs, we have introduced several enhancements in thermal management, such as employing a double-ended pump to reduce the temperature gradient inside the crystal, and the cooling efficiency is significantly enhanced by designed heat sink. As a result, the thermal effect is effectively suppressed. The system attains high average output power and power stability (RMS = 0.56%) at a pulse repetition rate of 400 kHz. In addition, the output beam maintains excellent quality even under varying high pump powers, demonstrating an M 2 consistently below 1.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Standard blocking law is extended to explore membrane fouling due to pore adsorption. • The 1st-kind is similar to classical standard blocking assuming fast adsorption. • The 2nd-kind is newly derived for slow adsorption and is experimentally verified. • The filtration-law index (exponent N) is around 1.5/2.5 for the 1st-/2nd-kind law. • The 2nd-kind may be especially suitable to evaluate fouling of hydrophilic membrane. Abstract Membrane internal fouling due to foulant adsorption onto the pore walls is a critical aspect of fouling. The classical "standard blocking law" for internal fouling simplistically assumes instantaneous adsorption such that the adsorbed amount grows linearly with the filtered liquid volume, which is inadequate to describe realistic internal fouling with varied adsorption rates. In this study, an extended standard blocking law for scenarios involving time dependent adsorption is proposed and yields an expression of the form d R /d V ∼ RN (where R is filtration resistance and V is filtrate volume). Two ultimate scenarios of the law, i.e. the 1st-kind for sufficiently fast adsorption with the characteristic exponent N ≈ 1.5 (similar to the classical standard blocking) and the 2nd-kind for sufficiently slow adsorption with N ≈ 2.5 are experimentally verified via microfiltration of model polysaccharide (alginate) solutions using hydrophobic and hydrophilic membranes. Transition between the 1st-kind and 2nd-kind laws is related to the rates of adsorption versus filtrational mass transfer. The extended law provides an improved tool to evaluate internal fouling, particularly that associated with adsorption of hydrophilic matter (such as polysaccharides) into hydrophilic membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep loss and its associated conditions (e.g. cognitive deficits) represent a large societal burden, but the underlying mechanisms of these cognitive deficits remain unknown. This study assessed the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on cognitive decline induced by sleep loss. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to chronic sleep restriction (CSR) for 20 h (5 pm–1 pm the next day) daily for 7 days, and cognitive tests were subsequently carried out. The neuromolecular and cellular changes that occurred in the presence and absence of DEX (100 μg kg−1, i.v., at 1 pm and 3 pm every day) were also investigated. CSR mice displayed a decline in learning and memory by 12% (P <0.05) in the Y-maze and by 18% (P <0.01) in the novel object recognition test; these changes were associated with increases in microglial activation, CD68+ microglial phagosome counts, astrocyte-derived complement C3 secretion, and microglial C3a receptor expression (all P <0.05). Synapse elimination, as indicated by a 66% decrease in synaptophysin expression (P =0.0004) and a 45% decrease in postsynaptic density protein-95 expression (P =0.0003), was associated with the occurrence of cognitive deficits. DEX activated astrocytic α 2A adrenoceptors and inhibited astrocytic complement C3 release to attenuate synapse elimination through microglial phagocytosis. DEX restored synaptic connections and reversed cognitive deficits induced by CSR. The results demonstrate that complement pathway activation associated with synapse elimination contributes to sleep loss-related cognitive deficits and that dexmedetomidine protects against sleep deprivation-induced complement activation. Dexmedetomidine holds potential for preventing cognitive deficits associated with sleep loss, which warrants further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulse duration of a burst-mode 100 W Nd-doped picosecond amplifier is nonlinearly compressed in a multi-pass cell device. The spectral broadening and pulse compression are investigated theoretically. The spectral bandwidth is broadened from 0.13 to 3.28 nm experimentally, corresponding to a broadening factor of 25.2. The pulse duration is compressed from 14.2 to 0.99 ps, corresponding to a compression factor of 14.3. The compressed pulse duration of four successive pulses are theoretically estimated to be 0.98 ps, 1.47 ps, 1.86 ps, and 3.07 ps, respectively. The laser power after the grating pair compressor is 72 W. Therefore, the total efficiency of our system reaches 72%. The beam quality after the MPC unit is almost preserved with a M2 value of 1.38 × 1.40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For lack of relevant investigation in the context of large-scale membrane bioreactors (MBRs), evaluation of the oxygen mass transfer parameters is important for the optimized design of the aeration system in an MBR process. In this study, we sampled the actual sludge from several large-scale MBRs (>10,000 m 3 /d) for the oxygen transfer tests. It was found that specific surface area of bubbles, aeration intensity, and diffuser submerged depth had positive effect on the oxygen transfer coefficient ( k L a ), while some mixed liquor characteristics such as the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration and apparent viscosity exerted negative function on it. We further proposed quantitative expressions to predict the alpha-factor ( α -factor) under typical aeration conditions. The α -factor was found to be above 0.6 when MLSS was roughly less than 12 g/L, which was generally higher than the α -factor predicted in the previous literature, such that overestimation of aeration demand in large-scale MBRs might be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometry property would affect the hydrodynamics of membrane bioreactor (MBR), which was directly related to membrane fouling rate. The simulation of a bench-scale MBR by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) showed that the shear stress on membrane surface could be elevated by 74% if the membrane was sandwiched between two baffles (baffled MBR), compared with that without baffles (unbaffled MBR). The effects of horizontal geometry characteristics of a bench-scale membrane tank were discussed (riser length index L r , downcomer length index L d , tank width index W t ). Simulation results indicated that the average cross flow of the riser was negatively correlated to the ratio of riser and downcomer cross-sectional area. A relatively small tank width would also be preferable in promoting shear stress on membrane surface. The optimized MBR had a shear elevation of 21.3–91.4% compared with unbaffled MBR under same aeration intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is accumulating evidence that many invertebrates including insects can acquire enhanced immune protection against subsequently pathogens infection through immune priming. However, whether the toxin protein from pathogenic bacteria can induce such priming response remains unclear. Here we cloned, expressed and purified the toxin Photorhabdus insect-related proteins A 2 B 2 (PirA 2 B 2 ) from Photorhabdus luminescens TT01. We primed Galleria mellonella with sublethal dose of PirA 2 B 2 and then challenged the larvae with viable P. luminescens TT01 at 48 h after priming. We found no evidence for immune priming in G. mellonella larvae exposed to PirA 2 B 2 . Priming the larvae with PirA 2 B 2 did not improve their resistance in a subsequent challenge with P. luminescens TT01. Whereas a robust priming response was observed when the larvae exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted from P. luminescens TT01. Because the larvae primed with LPS showed significant higher resistance against P. luminescens TT01 infection than those of the PBS and BSA controls. Furthermore, we investigated the changes of the cellular immune parameters, such as hemocyte counts, phagocytic activity and encapsulation ability of the hemocytes, after priming. We found that the toxin PirA 2 B 2 significantly decreased the cellular immunity of the larvae, whereas the LPS significantly increased them. These results indicated that the degree of priming response in G. mellonella correlated positively to the levels of cellular immune parameters, and the underlying mechanism in regulating the immune priming of invertebrates was not homologous to that of the immunological memory of vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep deprivation (SD) has been associated with several adverse effects, including cognitive deficit. Emerging evidence suggests microglia-associated neuroinflammation is a potential trigger of cognitive deficit after SD. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) constitutes an important factor in host immune response to pathogenic organisms and is found in multiple cells, including microglia. STING is involved in neuroinflammation during neuronal degeneration, although how STING signaling affects SD-induced neuroinflammation remains unexplored. In the present study, the chronic sleep restriction (CSR) model was applied to examine the effects of STING signaling on cognition. The results revealed that cGAMP, a high-affinity and selective STING agonist, significantly improved cognitive deficit, alleviated neural injury, and relieved neuroinflammation in CSR mice by activating the STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway. Moreover, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) was upregulated in CSR mice treated with cGAMP, and this effect was abolished by STING knockout. TREM2 upregulation induced by cGAMP regulated the microglia from pro-inflammatory state to anti-inflammatory state, thereby relieving neuroinflammation in CSR mice. These findings indicate cGAMP-induced STING signaling activation alleviates SD-associated neuroinflammation and cognitive deficit by upregulating TREM2, providing a novel approach for the treatment of SD-related nerve injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory response seems to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of cholestasis-induced hepatic and renal injury. The activation of NFkB signaling pathway leads to severe increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines and tissue injury at different stages of cholestasis. Sulfasalazine as a robust inhibitor of NFkB signaling effectively blunts cholestasis-induced hepatic and renal injury. [Display omitted] • Cholestasis is a severe clinical complication. • There is no precise cellular and molecular mechanism for cholestasis-related organ injury. • Several studies mentioned the role of inflammation in cholestasis-induced organ injury. • We found that NFkB signaling played a significant role in organ injury related to cholestasis. • NFkB inhibition significantly alleviated organ injury in cholestasis. The cholestatic liver injury could occur in response to a variety of diseases or xenobiotics. Although cholestasis primarily affects liver function, it has been well-known that other organs such as the kidney could be influenced in cholestatic patients. Severe cholestasis could lead to tissue fibrosis and organ failure. Unfortunately, there is no specific therapeutic option against cholestasis-induced organ injury. Hence, finding the mechanism of organ injury during cholestasis could lead to therapeutic options against this complication. The accumulation of potentially cytotoxic compounds such as hydrophobic bile acids is the most suspected mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of cholestasis-induced organ injury. A plethora of evidence indicates a role for the inflammatory response in the pathogenesis of several human diseases. Here, the role of nuclear factor-kB (NFkB)-mediated inflammatory response is investigated in an animal model of cholestasis. Bile duct ligated (BDL) animals were treated with sulfasalazine (SSLZ, 10 and 100 mg/kg, i.p) as a potent inhibitor of NFkB signaling. The NFkB proteins family activity in the liver and kidney, serum and tissue levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tissue biomarkers of oxidative stress, serum markers of organ injury, and the liver and kidney histopathological alterations and fibrotic changes. The oxidative stress-mediated inflammatory-related indices were monitored in the kidney and liver at scheduled time intervals (3, 7, and 14 days after BDL operation). Significant increase in serum and urine markers of organ injury, besides changes in biomarkers of oxidative stress and tissue histopathology, were evident in the liver and kidney of BDL animals. The activity of NFkB proteins (p65, p50, p52, c-Rel, and RelB) was significantly increased in the liver and kidney of cholestatic animals. Serum and tissue levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, IL-23, TNF-α, and INF-γ) were also higher than sham-operated animals. Moreover, TGF- β, α-SMA, and tissue fibrosis (Trichrome stain) were evident in cholestatic animals' liver and kidneys. It was found that SSLZ (10 and 100 mg/kg/day, i.p) alleviated cholestasis-induced hepatic and renal injury. The effect of SSLZ on NFkB signaling and suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines could play a significant role in its protective role in cholestasis. Based on these data, NFkB signaling could receive special attention to develop therapeutic options to blunt cholestasis-induced organ injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long periods of sleep deprivation (SD) have serious effects on health. While the α 2 adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine (DEX) can improve sleep quality for patients who have insomnia, the effect of DEX on cognition and mechanisms after SD remains elusive. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 20 h SD daily for seven days. DEX (100 μg/kg) was administered intravenously twice daily (at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.) during seven days of SD. We found that systemic administration of DEX attenuated cognitive deficits by performing the Y maze and novel object recognition tests and increased DCX+, SOX2+, Ki67+, and BrdU+NeuN+/NeuN+ cell numbers in the dentate gyrus (DG) region of SD mice by using immunofluorescence, western blotting, and BrdU staining. DEX did not reverse the decrease in DCX+, SOX2+, or Ki67+ cell numbers in SD mice after administration of the α 2A -adrenoceptor antagonist BRL-44408. Furthermore, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression was upregulated in SD+DEX mice compared with SD mice. Luminex analysis showed that the neurogenic effects of DEX were possibly related to the inhibition of neuroinflammation, including IL-1α, IL-2, CCL5, and CXCL1. Our results suggested that DEX alleviated the impaired learning and memory of SD mice potentially by inducing hippocampal neurogenesis via the VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling pathway and by suppressing neuroinflammation, and α 2A adrenoceptors are required for the neurogenic effects of DEX after SD. This novel mechanism may add to our knowledge of DEX in the clinical treatment of impaired memory caused by SD. [Display omitted] • Dexmedetomidine ameliorates memory impairment induced by sleep deprivation. • Dexmedetomidine promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis via the VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling pathway. • Dexmedetomidine inhibits hippocampal neuroinflammation in sleep-deprived mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-023-08032-9. B Correction to: Applied Physics B (2023) 129:86 b https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-023-08032-9 The funding information has been incorrectly published in the original publication. [Extracted from the article]

Electrically conductive membrane possesses a remarkable performance in antifouling with the assistance of applied external electric fields. However, its widespread application is hampered due to the poor properties of existing conductive membranes, such as low conductivity and inadequate strength. The present study demonstrates a novel in-situ combination approach for the fabrication of a highly conductive carbon nanotube (CNT)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. During membrane fabrication, the casting solution film was pre-mantled with a CNT layer before the occurrence of polymer precipitation, thereby ensuring a natural and tight in-situ mergence between the CNT layer and supporting PVDF. The obtained CNT/PVDF membrane was characterized in terms of physicochemical properties and filtration performance. An electrically-enhanced cross-flow filtration system was devised to evaluate the antifouling performance of the pristine PVDF and CNT/PVDF membranes. Compared with the pristine PVDF membrane, the CNT/PVDF membrane possesses a greater electrical conductivity and a higher permeability. The incorporation of the CNT layer led to a completely different surface composition in terms of elemental components and functional groups. Being used as a cathode, the CNT/PVDF membrane exhibited a remarkable antifouling performance in the presence of external electric fields, and performed better in a 0 V/2 V-pulsed mode as compared with a 2 V-constant mode. This in-situ combination method provides a simple and practical approach for the fabrication of composite conductive membranes, suggesting promising applications in various membrane-fabrication areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is well known to contribute to the development of both neurological and psychiatric diseases. In the central nervous system, a role for STING (stimulator of interferon genes) in modulating immunological responses has been widely suggested, and this protein possesses both neurotoxic and neuroprotective properties. However, the potential role of the STING signalling pathway and the underlying regulatory mechanism in chronic stress have not been well established. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were subjected to intermittent restraint stress for 14 days (6 h/day), and sucrose preference, elevated plus maze, and tail suspension tests were performed by mice subjected to chronic restraint stress (RST). Here, we showed that RST mice displayed depression-like behaviours, accompanied by increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the brain. We also observed remarkably decreased levels of the pathway components STING, p-TBK1 (phospho-TANK-binding kinase-1), and p-IRF3 (phospho-interferon regulatory factor-3) in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of RST mice. Significant reductions in STING fluorescence intensity were also observed in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of RST mice. Next, fluorescently labelled latex beads, flow cytometry, and CD68-positive cell counts were utilized to evaluate the phagocytic abilities of microglia in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, our results first indicated that activation of the STING pathway by administration of the STING agonist 2′3-cGAMP enhanced microglial phagocytosis and suppressed the release of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the brains of RST mice, which further led to antidepressant effects. Based on the results of our study, the amelioration of stress-driven depression-like behaviours by activation of the STING pathway is associated with the suppression of neuroinflammation and enhanced phagocytosis. [Display omitted] • Chronic restraint stress induces depression-like behaviours and neuroinflammation. • The number of microglia is increased and cells are activated towards a proinflammatory phenotype during chronic stress. • STING activation enhances microglial phagocytosis through STING-dependent IFN-β signalling and inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines in the brain. • Activation of the STING signalling pathway ameliorates depression-like behaviours during chronic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-voltage electro-membrane bioreactor (e-MBR) for fouling alleviation was designed using stainless steel anodes and a membrane module containing titanium cathodes (Fe-MBR). The electric field was applied intermittently once the suction pump was stopped. Compared with another e-MBR with titanium anodes (Ti-MBR) and with one MBR without an electric field, the Fe-MBR had lower transmembrane pressure (TMP), less irreversible fouling and higher pollutant removals under an intermittent voltage of 2.72 V and current of 0.1 A. Coagulation was not obvious because no significant changes were observed in either particle size or zeta potential. The electric field induced backwash was confirmed, by the Ti-MBR, to be effective to suppress fouling. The electric field force might prevent the tight precipitation of foulant on the membrane’s surface and make the fouling layers looser and easier to be removed by aeration. Besides, a strong positive correlation was obtained between fouling indexes and total organic carbon of soluble microbial products (SMPs), suggesting that the reduction of SMPs in the Fe-MBR could have resulted in the fouling depression, and was related to the release of iron. Thus, the joint effects of the electric field force and the release of iron deducted foulant and irreversible fouling, and ultimately lessened the overall fouling. The energy consumption estimation showed 10% more electricity was consumed to make TMP reduce by 30%, indicating the Fe-MBR would be promising in application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an essential metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate using NADH/NAD+ as a co-substrate. Many cancer cells exhibit a glycolytic phenotype known as the Warburg effect, in which elevated LDH levels enhance the conversion of glucose to lactate, making LDH an attractive therapeutic target for oncology. Two known inhibitors of the human muscle LDH isoform, LDHA, designated 1 and 2, were selected, and their IC50 values were determined to be 14.4 ± 3.77 and 2.20 ± 0.15 µ M, respectively. The X-ray crystal structures of LDHA in complex with each inhibitor were determined; both inhibitors bind to a site overlapping with the NADH-binding site. Further, an apo LDHA crystal structure solved in a new space group is reported, as well as a complex with both NADH and the substrate analogue oxalate bound in seven of the eight molecules and an oxalate only bound in the eighth molecule in the asymmetric unit. In this latter structure, a kanamycin molecule is located in the inhibitor-binding site, thereby blocking NADH binding. These structures provide insights into LDHA enzyme mechanism and inhibition and a framework for structure-assisted drug design that may contribute to new cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study systematically investigates the organic fouling behavior of a superhydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membrane functionalized via post-fabrication tethering of surface-tailored silica nanoparticles to poly(methacrylic acid)-grafted PVDF membrane surface. Sodium alginate (SA), Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as model organic foulants to investigate the antifouling behavior of the superhydrophilic membrane with combined-fouling (mixture of foulants) and individual-fouling (single foulant) tests. A membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant supernatant was also used to verify the organic antifouling property of the superhydrophilic membrane under realistic conditions. Foulant size distributions and foulant–membrane interfacial forces were measured to interpret the observed membrane fouling behavior. Molecular weight cutoff measurements confirmed that membrane functionalization did not adversely affect the intrinsic membrane selectivity. Both filtration tests with the synthetic foulant-mixture solution (containing SA, SRNOM, and BSA) and MBR plant supernatant demonstrated the reliability and durability of the antifouling property of the superhydrophilic membrane. The conspicuous reduction in foulant–membrane interfacial forces for the functionalized membrane further verified the antifouling properties of the superhydrophilic membrane, suggesting great potential for applications in wastewater treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A newclass of highly potent NS5A inhibitors with an unsymmetricbenzimidazole-difluorofluorene-imidazole core and distal [2.2.1]azabicyclicring system was discovered. Optimization of antiviral potency andpharmacokinetics led to the identification of 39(ledipasvir,GS-5885). Compound 39(GT1a replicon EC50=31 pM) has an extended plasma half-life of 37–45 h in healthyvolunteers and produces a rapid >3 log viral load reduction inmonotherapyat oral doses of 3 mg or greater with once-daily dosing in genotype1a HCV-infected patients. 39has been shown to be safeand efficacious, with SVR12 rates up to 100% when used in combinationwith direct-acting antivirals having complementary mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Inhibition of intestinal brush border DMT1 offers a novel therapeutic approach to the prevention and treatment of disorders of iron overload. Several series of diaryl and tricyclic benzylisothiourea compounds as novel and potent DMT1 inhibitors were discovered from the original hit compound 1. These compounds demonstrated in vitro potency against DMT1, desirable cell permeability properties and a dose-dependent inhibition of iron uptake in an acute rat model of iron hyperabsorption. Tricyclic compounds increased the in vitro potency by up to 16-fold versus the original hit. Diaryl compounds 6b and 14a demonstrated significant iron absorption inhibition in vivo with both 25 and 50mg/kg doses. The diaryl and tricyclic compounds described in this report represent promising structural templates for further optimization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Starting from the oxindole 2a identified through a high-throughput screening campaign, a series of NaV1.7 blockers were developed. Following the elimination of undesirable structural features, preliminary optimization of the oxindole C-3 and N-1 substituents afforded the simplified analogue 9b, which demonstrated a 10-fold increase in target potency versus the original HTS hit. A scaffold rigidification strategy then led to the discovery of XEN907, a novel spirooxindole NaV1.7 blocker. This lead compound, which in turn showed a further 10-fold increase in potency, represents a promising structure for further optimization efforts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While the membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology has been broadly applied to treat wastewater, a rational assessment of its techno-economy is required for its sustainable development. In this study, we performed cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) of 35 large-scale MBRs (each with a treatment capacity of ≥10,000 m3/d). Based on the investment and operation data, we evaluated the marginal cost and environmental benefit (as a function of the shadow prices of pollutants) and hence obtained the net profit (averagely ∼35 CNY/m3 or ∼4.9 USD/m3). According to the non-radial directional distance function (NDDF) approach in the DEA framework, the average cost efficiency and energy efficiency of the MBRs were 0.77 and 0.66, respectively. The distributions of the net profit and cost/energy efficiencies significantly varied according to the geographical location, effluent standard, and operating year of the MBRs as indicated by the results of nonparametric tests. Economic panel modeling showed that the cost/energy efficiencies were also affected by external factors such as regional economic level and population density. The techno-economy of MBRs is prominent on occasions of strict effluent standards and underground locations, and could be improved by further technological advancements and policy incentives. [Display omitted] • Techno-economy of full-scale MBRs was assessed via economic CBA and DEA approaches. • The net profit (= total costs − environmental benefits) was averagely ∼35 CNY/m3. • The average cost efficiency and energy efficiency were 0.77 and 0.66, respectively. • Internal factors such as effluent standards affected the net profit and efficiency. • External factors such as regional economy affected the cost or energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Therapeutic antibody development is one of the fastest growing areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Generating high-quality monoclonal antibodies against a given therapeutic target is crucial for successful drug development. However, due to immune tolerance, making it difficult to generate antibodies using conventional approaches. Methodology/Findings:Mixed four human gastric cancer (GC) cell lines were used as the immunogen in A/J mice; sixteen highly positive hybridoma colonies were selected via fluorescence-activated cell sorting-high throughput screening (FACS-HTS) using a total of 20,000 colonies in sixty-seven 96-well plates against live cells (mixed human GC cells versus human PBMC controls). MS17-57 and control commercial Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) mAbs were used to confirm the target antigens (Ags), which were identified as ALPs expressed on the GC cell surface through a combination of western blot, immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry (MS). MS identified the Ags recognized by MS17-57 to be two variants of a secreted ALP, PALP and IALP (Placental and intestinal ALP). These proteins belong to a hydrolase enzyme family responsible for removing phosphate groups from many types of molecules. Immunofluorescence staining using MS17-57 demonstrated higher staining of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer tissues compared to normal GI tissues (P<0.03), and confirmed binding of MS17-57 to be restricted to a functional epitope expressed on the cancer cell surface. Proliferation assays using the PALP/IALP-expressing GC cell lines demonstrated that MS17-57 inhibited cell growth by 32±8%. Transwell cell migration assays documented that MS17-57 can inhibit PALP/IALP-expressing GI cancer cell migration by 25±5%. MS17-57 mAb inhibited tumor growth in nude mice. Conclusions:Our findings indicate that PALP and IALP can be ectopically expressed on extracellular matrix of GI cancers, and that MS17-57 directed against PALP/IALP can inhibit GI cancer cells growth and migration invitro and invivo. This investigation provides an example of identification of cancer biomarkers representing promising therapeutic targets using mAb generated through a novel HTS technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]