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The investigation of condensation-induced water hammer (CIWH) under ocean conditions is crucial to the system safety of the offshore floating nuclear plants (OFNPs). This paper establishes a CIWH numerical model under rolling conditions based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code combined with user-defined functions (UDF). First, the numerical model is verified by published experimental data. Then, the transient behaviors of CIWH events under various rolling parameters are numerically investigated. The results show that the rolling motion causes a significant steam slug and enhances the steam-subcooled water contact area, which promotes the average condensation rate. The average condensation rate increases with an increase in rolling angle, decreases with an increase in rolling period. Due to the larger average condensation rate and reverse flow caused by rolling motion, the pressure peak generated by the CIWH significantly increases compared to static conditions. Similarly, the pressure peak increases as rolling angle increases, decreases as rolling period increase. Moreover, the pressure peak is proportional to steam inlet velocity, and the location of the pressure peak gradually moves back to the outlet direction as the steam velocity increases. These qualitative conclusions are useful to understand the effects of rolling motion on the CIWH and provide a reference for the CIWH simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bow of an icebreaker plays a critical role in the continuous icebreaking process. However, there are few existing studies on the influence of the bow shape on the icebreaking performance of an icebreaker. Therefore, this study establishes three numerical models of different icebreakers with the same key parameters. Subsequently, the continuous icebreaking processes of different icebreakers are simulated to analyze the influence of the bow type on the icebreaking performance. According to the results, the ice resistances of different icebreakers with the same key parameters are found to be similar. The ratio of the ice resistances among the icebreakers with the straight bow, White bow, and spoon bow is 0.87:0.83:1. The breaking resistance of the spoon bow icebreaker is the lowest, whereas, its submersion resistance is the highest owing to its poor ice discharging performance. By contrast, the White bow has better ice discharging performance. Based on the analysis of the ice resistance, this study recommends that the characteristics of the White bow and the spoon bow be combined for the effective design of an icebreaker. In summary, the results are of practical significance for the design of the icebreaker. • Three dimensional modeling methods for icebreakers of different bow types with same key parameters were proposed. • Numerical models of different icebreakers with same key parameters running ahead in level ice based on ALE were proposed. • The ice resistance and icebreaking phenomenon of different icebreakers with same key parameters were compared and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oil microcapsules with viscous cores were formulated by encapsulating oil droplets with intermediate non-crosslinked polymer shells and crosslinked polymer outer shells, followed by dissolution of the intermediate shells with essential oil to form viscous cores. The study found that when the core/shell ratios of the intermediate shell = 3:2, the rotational speed = 500 rpm, the concentration of the protective colloid = 1.0 wt%, the concentration of the crosslinking agent = 20 wt% and the core/shell ratio of the outer shell = 10:1 by using three times' addition method, caprylic/capric triglyceride (GTCC) microcapsules with viscous cores were obtained. The release profile, mechanical strength and adsorption performance of GTCC microcapsules were evaluated in comparison with melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules. It was found that the viscous cores microcapsules had better heat resistance, extreme long-lasting release property, viscoelasticity and been more adhesive to cotton fabrics, which were more consumer-friendly compared with that of melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules. [Display omitted] • Construction of essential oil (GTCC) microcapsule with the viscous core structure. • Polystyrene (PS) was used as wall material, which is safe and consumer-friendly. • MF (Melamine-formaldehyde)-GTCC and PS-GTCC microcapsules were compared. • The release, viscoelasticity and adsorption property of microcapsule was enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The push-pull osmotic pump tablet is a promising drug delivery approach, offering advantages over traditional dosage forms in achieving consistent and predictable drug release rates. In the current study, the drug release process of push-pull osmotic pump tablets is modelled for the first time using the discrete element method (DEM) incorporated with a microscopic diffusion-induced swelling model. The effects of dosage and formulation design, such as delivery orifice size, drug-to-polymer ratio, tablet surface curvature, friction between particles and cohesion of polymer particles, on the drug release performance are systematically analysed. Numerical results reveal that an enlarged delivery orifice significantly increases both the total drug release and the drug release rate. Moreover, the larger the swellable particle component in the tablet, the higher the drug release rate. Furthermore, the tablet surface curvature is found to affect the drug release profile, i.e. the final drug release percentage increases with the increasing tablet surface curvature. It is also found that the drug release rate could be controlled by adjusting the inter-particle friction and the cohesion of polymer particles in the formulation. This DEM study offers valuable insights into the mechanisms governing drug release in push-pull osmotic pump tablets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-low heterojunctions derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have promising applications in photocatalytic wastewater treatment because of their high photo-redox ability and boosted charge separation efficiency. Herein, Bi-MOF derived porous hierarchical Bi 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 nanoflower-like heterojunctions were prepared by the calcination-hydrothermal method. The optimized Bi 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 -2 composite showed a higher degradation rate of Cr (VI) (99.79 % in 30 min) than the pure substance. Moreover, comprehensive studies were conducted on the kinetics, stability and recycling of Bi 2 O 3 /Bi 2 S 3 , as well as optical characteristics. The active species trapping experiments confirmed that e- plays a dominant role in the elimination of Cr (VI). These findings provided novel strategies for construction of porous hierarchical heterojunctions with advanced visible-light-induced degradation performance. The enhanced photo-degradation efficiency of the optimal nanocomposite was assigned to the higher visible-light absorbance, separation of photogenerated carriers, reduced recombination of photo-induced carriers, and enhanced redox capability owing to the construction of porous hierarchical heterojunctions amongst the components. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes/calcium zirconium phosphate composite (MWCNTs/CZP) ceramics were successfully synthesized by co-precipitation to improve the mechanical strength of CZP ceramics sintered at 1100 ℃ under an argon atmosphere. The impact of the different weight percentages of MWCNTs (ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 wt%) on the structure, morphological, and mechanical strength of CZP was investigated. Microstructural analysis revealed the grain size was reduced and the surface morphology and densification were improved by the addition of MWCNTs compared to pure CZP ceramics. The flexural strength and modulus of 0.5 MWCNTs/CZP composite were measured at 91.76 MPa and 21.98 GPa, respectively, further revealing that MWCNTs had significant effects on densification and mechanical strength of CZP ceramics. • Investigated the enhance mechanical strength mechanism of CZP ceramics by MWCNTs. • An excellent flexural strength and dense structure CZP ceramics are obtained with lower MWCNTs addition. • The strengthening mechanism are due to the synergistic effect of pull-out, bridging, and grain refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among various types of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs), the tension leg platform (TLP) floating wind turbines have relatively small motions due to stiff tendons. Similar to TLP applications in the offshore industry, tendon failure may lead to deteriorated stability and large transient responses, which should be considered as part of accidental limit state (ALS) checks at the design stage of the TLP FOWTs. This paper takes the WindStar TLP system as a representative and investigates the transient effects of one-tendon failure on the system responses. A coupled numerical model is first established using the aero-hydro-servo-elastic simulation tool FAST. Subsequent numerical simulations of tendon failure are carried out to consider different tendon breakage and turbine shutdown scenarios in both operational and parked conditions. Response statistics of key design parameters including platform motion, nacelle acceleration, and tendon tension are analyzed. The results indicate that several transient responses of the FOWT under operational conditions may be even higher than the extreme values under 50-year conditions. Our analyses also reveal that the shutdown strategies, if not applied appropriately, may have limited effects in reducing the responses of the FOWT, thus in certain scenarios threaten the safety of the tendon closest to the broken tendon if no other actions are taken. For the considered TLP FOWT, the ALS design requirements dominate over the ultimate limit state requirements. These findings can be relevant to the ALS design of TLP FOWTs. • A comprehensive study of the transient response of a TLP FOWT under one-tendon failure in different environmental conditions. • Several responses of the FOWT under operational conditions are higher than those under 50-year extreme condition. • Turbine shutdown could threaten the safety of the tendon closest to the broken tendon in certain scenarios. • For the considered FOWT, the accidental limit state requirements dominate over the ultimate limit state requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TQD, a novel heterocyclic quaternary ammonium salt dimer was synthesized. • TQD has excellent effectiveness at inhibiting corrosion for N80 steel in lactic acid solution. • TQD shows much better inhibition efficiency than its analogue compound BQD in lactic acid solution. • Surface analyses by SEM, EDX, AFM and contact angle revealed the formation of protective film on the surface of mild steel. • Theoretical calculations and MD simulations explain the different performance between TQD and BQD. In an effort to develop an effective corrosion inhibitor which is applicable to the chelating acidizing fluids in petroleum production, a novel heterocyclic quaternary ammonium salt dimer (TQD) was synthesized through the reaction of quinoline with 4-chloromethylthiazole hydrochloride. An analogue compound, benzyl quinolinium chloride dimer (BQD), was also prepared for comparison. Their anti-corrosion performances in 15% lactic acid solution were investigated through weight-loss experiments, electrochemical tests, surface morphology observation and simulation calculations. The outcomes demonstrate that inhibition efficiency of 99.38% has been achieved with 0.1% TQD at 363 K, which is much higher than that of BQD at the same condition. Both inhibitors were consistent with the Langmuir model, and both were hybrid adsorption, including physical and chemical adsorptions. According to the results of surface analysis (SEM, AFM, XPS, contact angle) and theoretical calculation (DFT and MD), TQD can effectively slow down the metal corrosion in lactic acid and thus is a promising inhibitor for oil and gas well acidizing purpose. The stronger adsorption capacity of TQD may come out of the contribution of thiazole rings in the molecules. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The switch between the surface and near-surface modes is critical to the hydrodynamic performance of the submarines. In this study, based on tank experiments, an improved delayed detached-eddy simulation (IDDES) method based on the shear stress transport (SST) K-Omega was tested for its ability to predict the hydrodynamic coefficients of submarines with satisfactory results. By expanding the simulation range, the changes in the hydrodynamic performance of the submarine on and near the water surface were analyzed with respect to force coefficient, flow field, maximum wave height, and maximum ray angle. The change in the drag coefficient of the hull has a water surface mode and near-water surface mode, which leads to a peak value of the drag coefficient at different submerged depths. When a "hump" phenomenon occurs at high Froude number(Fr = 0.5), the flow separation at the stern shoulder of the hull weakens, resulting in an increase in wake velocity and ray angle. The numerical simulation results showed that the Rabaud and Moisy model has better applicability, but when Fr > 0.8 and H d > 1.5, the theory underestimates the maximum ray angle. • The IDDES proved to be effective in predicting the hydrodynamic performance of submarines at and near the surface. • Different modes of submarine navigation lead to different patterns of submarine drag coefficient changes. • The change in the position of the transverse wave during the mode transition leads to a sudden change in the moment. • Delayed boundary layer separation at the stern shoulder of the submarine at Fr=0.5 leads to an increase in wake angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and sensitive fluorometric assay based on nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) was developed for the determination of thrombin (TB) activity in human serum samples and living cells. The novel N-CDs were prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method using 1,2-ethylenediamine and levodopa as precursors. Such N-CDs exhibited green fluorescence with excitation/emission peaks at 390/520 nm and a high fluorescence quantum yield of approximately 39.2%. H-D-Phenylalanyl-L-pipecolyl-Larginine-p-nitroaniline-dihydrochloride (S-2238) was hydrolyzed by TB to produce p-nitroaniline which was capable of quenching the fluorescence of N-CDs due to an inner filter effect. This assay was used to detect TB activity with a low detection limit of 11.3 fM. The proposed sensing method was then expanded to the TB inhibitor screening and exhibited excellent applicability. As a typical TB inhibitor, argatroban was determined in a concentration as low as 1.43 nM. The method has also been successfully employed for the determination of TB activity in living HeLa cells. This work showed significant potential for TB activity assay in clinical and biomedicine applications. [Display omitted] • Novel nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) were prepared with high fluorescence quantum yield. • The developed method based N-CDs displayed excellent sensitivity and selectivity, outperforming other reported methods. • The method can be applied for screening of thrombin inhibitors. • This fluorescent sensor was used for visual detection of thrombin in living HeLa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The interaction between microplastics (MPs) and bovine hemoglobin (BHb) have been revealed for the first time from the molecular level through multi-spectroscopic study. • The effects of MPs with different particle sizes (≤2 µm) on BHb have been studied and compared by spectroscopic methods for the first time. • BHb molecules can be bound to the surface of MPs by the electrostatic force interaction and the binding has clearly changed the secondary structures of BHb. • The binding affinity decreases with the increase of the particle size of MPs. • This study provides some useful information for further human toxicology investigation associated with MPs. In this paper, the interaction between polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC MPs) and bovine hemoglobin (BHb), a carrier of oxygen in the blood circulation system, has been investigated by multi-spectroscopic techniques. The UV-vis absorption and steady state fluorescence spectroscopy prove that BHb molecules can be bound to the surface of PVC MPs by their electrostatic force interaction, and the up-conversion fluorescence measurements confirm that the lifetimes of BHb remain unperturbed in this process. Circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy further demonstrate that the BHb-PVC MPs binding has clearly changed the secondary structures of BHb. Moreover, the interactions between PVC MPs with different sizes (0.5, 1 and 2 µm) and BHb have been studied and compared, indicating that the binding affinity decreased with the increasement of particle size of PVC MPs. Those results have implied that microplastics could enter the human blood circulatory system and organs, and might be potentially toxic to the human body. SYNOPSIS TOC Schematic diagram of the interaction between PVC MPs and BHb. BHb molecules can be bound to the surface of PVC MPs by their electrostatic force interaction resulting the flourescence quenching of BHb. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the residual formaldehyde content in melamine-formaldehyde (MF) microcapsules, glutaraldehyde was introduced to replace a portion of formaldehyde to prepare melamine-glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde (MGF) fragrance oil microcapsules via in-situ polymerization. MGF-lily oil microcapsules were obtained when the concentration of aldehyde groups provided by glutaraldehyde in the total aldehyde groups Cg a ∕C a ≤ 33.3 mol%. When Cg a ∕C a ≤ 9.5 mol%, the addition of glutaraldehyde reduced the residual formaldehyde content (235.05 ± 13.14 ppm to 21.79 ± 6.82 ppm) effectively without sacrificing the mechanical properties of microcapsules; it also improved the elasticity of microcapsules, in which Young's modulus of MF shell was approximately 1.5 times to that of MGF shell. The approach was extended to encapsulate 2-hydroxy-3-(octanoyloxy)propyl decanoate (ODO), hexyl salicylate and lavender oil. All three fragrance oils were encapsulated successfully with low content of formaldehyde; however, the mechanical properties varied due to the difference on the hydrophobicity and viscosity of fragrance oil. This work provided an efficient and universal formaldehyde reduction method to encapsulate hydrophobic fragrance oil, which can not only reduce formaldehyde content but also maintain the mechanical properties and improve the elasticity of microcapsules, which has a potential application in consumer-friendly additives. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The offshore floating wind turbine system is a key piece of equipment for harvesting wind energy from the ocean field. However, the structural safety analysis and design of such equipment largely require a suitable platform to accurately obtain the dynamic characteristics. In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate the dynamic responses of the proposed 5-MW WindStar multi-column tension-leg-platform (TLP) system under different ocean environment conditions. Typical motion responses of the WindStar system, including the surge and pitch, and a series of measurements obtained from wave basin tests, such as nacelle acceleration and tendon tension, were compared with those of simulated results from the FAST code under four hydrodynamic load conditions. Additionally, the second-order wave load was incorporated with the first-order wave load, so as to allow for accurate evaluation of the high-frequency response of the floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT). Further, the effect of high-order wave loads on the high-frequency responses of the TLP FOWT was elucidated. The second-order frequency wave load was found to be a significant factor in determining the motion responses of the WindStar TLP system, and the results from FAST were found to agree well with those of the experiment. The coupled method of experiments and numerical analysis can be effectively used to understand the high-frequency dynamic responses of TLP FOWT systems, such as the WindStar TLP. • WindStar TLP is a 5 MW multi-column TLP offshore wind turbine system. • The first and second hydrodynamic loads are considered. • Dynamic response of WindStar is investigated by experiment and FAST code. • The results of experiment and numerical analyses agree well with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Thiazole orange (TO), an asymmetric cyanine dye, has been widely used in biomolecular detection and imaging of DNA/ RNA in gels, due to its unique fluorogenic behavior: fluorescence of free dye in aqueous solution is very weak, but emission can be significantly enhanced in nucleic-acid-bound dye. Herein we describe the ultrafast excited-state dynamics of free TO in aqueous solution by exploiting both a femtosecond upconversion spectrophotofluorometer and a picosecond time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) apparatus. For the first time, the fluorescence lifetime of TO monomer in water was found to be ∼1 ps, mixed with concurrent solvent relaxation (which was confirmed by the experimental results of TO in DMSO). Even at moderate TO concentration, this lifetime has an amplitude (a measure of molecular fraction) that significantly dominates other lifetimes, and this is the origin of weak steady state fluorescence of free TO in water. We also found a novel slower decay component around 34 ps. Interestingly and in addition, the lifetime component on the 30–40 ps timescale was also found in TO-γ-Cyclodextrin (CD) complexes. The fraction of this component increased with the addition of γ-CD. Cyclodextrin has been reported to promote the aggregation of TO. Thus, although a very coincidental match of this time constant by one for a torsional process within the cavity can not be ruled out, we ascribe the shared 30–40 ps component to the lifetime of a highly quenched TO dimer experiencing intra-and inter-molecular rearrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A method to prepare porous polymer microspheres via foaming-transfer was developed. • Foaming-transfer enabled a continuous production of porous polymer microspheres. • Introducing EtOH and acetone enabled versatility on porous polymer microspheres. A solvent evaporation self-motivated synthetic methodology based on foaming-transfer has been developed to fabricate porous polymer microspheres. The novel method is a technical improvement for the traditional solvent evaporation method, in which solvent evaporation enables foam formation and foaming-transfer. Foaming-transfer helps deliver oil droplets from the aqueous phase to the receiving vessel, while phase separation takes place in oil droplets between polymer and porogen to produce porous polymer microspheres. Because of foaming-transfer, the novel method enables a continuous production of polymer microspheres via continuous feeding. Additionally, high efficiency has been observed since solvent evaporation in foams is much quicker than that in the aqueous phase. The methodology was further developed to prepare versatile porous polymer microspheres by introducing extra organic solvents, including ethanol (EtOH), acetone and ethyl acetate. Solvents like EtOH and acetone that have relatively poor compatibilities with oil phase were able to control structure, surface morphology and particle size of polymer microspheres when varying the concentration of solvents; while introducing solvents like ethyl acetate having good miscibility with oil phase hardly changed these properties. It was mainly because the difference on the compatibilities led to different distributions of solvent molecules in the system, which altered the evaporation process of solvent and the surface tension of the system, leading to the variation on structure, particle size and surface roughness. This work is meaningful since it developed an efficient, continuous and versatile method for the production of porous polymer microspheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper implements minimal non-working distance in intra- and inter-fields. • The moist fields constrained harvesters′ type in mathematical model. • A hybrid algorithm composed of ALNS and tabu search are employed. • The results indicate the methods are effective to reduce non-working distance. Reducing the non-working distance for agricultural vehicles is beneficial for reducing the total operational costs for farmers. In this study, we optimize the non-working distance in intra- and inter-fields simultaneously for harvesters while harvesting rice. A mixed integer programming is presented for optimizing the rice harvesting problem, where a similar working time for all harvesters are considered based on a real case. Besides, in this model, two kinds of fields, namely moist and non-moist fields are considered, where the first can only be harvested by crawler harvesters while the second can be harvested by any type of harvester. This model aims to find an optimal schedule for the harvesters. A hybrid algorithm using both adaptive large neighborhood search and tabu search techniques is implemented to optimize the problem. A case study is considered to verify the performance of the hybrid algorithm. The results indicate that the hybrid algorithm is an effective method for solving the rice harvesting problem because the total non-working distance could be improved significantly by 15.3%. The proportion of moist fields is analyzed because it influences the schedule significantly. When compared to the traditional method for optimizing the non-working distance for harvesters, the total non-working distance in this method could be reduced by 6.2%. This paper provides farmers with a general framework for reducing the non-working distance in intra- and inter-field logistics, which results in a more efficient performance of the harvesters in the fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases worldwide, mediated by a multispecies biofilm that consists of high levels of acidogenic bacteria which ferment sugar to acid and cause teeth demineralization. Current treatment practice remains insufficient in addressing 1) rapid clearance of therapeutic agents from the oral environment 2) destroying bacteria that contribute to the healthy oral microbiome. In addition, increasing concerns over antibiotic resistance calls for innovative alternatives. In this study, we developed a pH responsive nano-carrier for delivery of polycationic silver nanoparticles. Branched-PEI capped silver nanoparticles (BPEI-AgNPs) were encapsulated in a tannic acid - Fe (III) complex-modified poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particle (Fe(III)-TA/PLGA@BPEI-AgNPs) to enhance binding to the plaque biofilm and demonstrate "intelligence" by releasing BPEI-AgNPs under acidic conditions that promote dental caries The constructed Fe(III)-TA/PLGA@BPEI-AgNPs (intelligent particles - IPs) exhibited significant binding to an axenic S. mutans biofilm grown on hydroxyapatite. Ag + ions were released faster from the IPs at pH 4.0 (cariogenic pH) compared to pH 7.4. The antibiofilm results indicated that IPs can significantly reduce S. mutans biofilm volume and viability under acidic conditions. Cytotoxicity on differentiated Caco-2 cells and human gingival fibroblasts indicated that IPs were not cytotoxic. These findings demonstrate great potential of IPs in the treatment of dental caries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Extending covalent organic frameworks (COFs) into crystalline carbon-free covalent backbones is an important strategy to endow these materials with more exotic functions. Integrating metal-free inorganic and organic components into one covalent framework is an effective way to address the issue of poor thermal/solvent stability in the field of nonlinear optics (NLO). However, constructing such structures is very challenging. Here, we linked 3-connected nods (BO3) and 2-connected organic building blocks (Te(Ph)2) together to produce colorless single crystals (size up to 400 µm) of a three-dimensional (3D) chiral covalent framework (CityU-22). The single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis reveals that CityU-22 has a non-carbon Te-O-B-O bond-based network with the srs topology. The chiral CityU-22 displays good stability under the treatment of different common solvents or heat (the decomposition temperature above 300 °C). Due to its non-π-conjugated backbone (-Te-O-B-O-), CityU-22 shows an ultraviolet NLO behavior with a second-harmonic generation (SHG) response similar to KH2PO4 (KDP)., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Porous copper (Cu), with varying porosities, has been made using carbamide as a space holder through the powder metallurgy route. Two shapes of carbamide particles were used, (i) needlelike and (ii) spherical, in order to investigate the effect of the space holder shape on the pore structure and mechanical properties of porous Cu. The compressive deformation behavior of porous Cu was studied under a compression test. The pores' structural characteristics and mechanical properties of the porous Cu varied significantly with the shape of the space holder. Although the effect of the space holder shape on the porosity was not regular, the effect on the mechanical properties was regular. The stress increased monotonically with the increase in the strain, and strain hardening occurred at the plastic yield stage. The elastic modulus and yield strength followed the power law, with the relative density irrespective of the space holder shape. The empirical constants associated with different empirically developed power law relations were different, according to the shape of space holder. A quantitative relationship between the elastic modulus and yield strength and the spacer content was obtained to control the mechanical properties of the present porous Cu or other porous metals and metal foams using the well-known space holder method.

Objectives: The preoperative classification of pleomorphic adenomas (PMA) and Warthin tumors (WT) in the parotid gland plays an essential role in determining therapeutic strategies. This study aims to develop and validate an ultrasound-based ensemble machine learning (USEML) model, employing nonradiative and noninvasive features to differentiate PMA from WT., Methods: A total of 203 patients with histologically confirmed PMA or WT who underwent parotidectomy from two centers were enrolled. Clinical factors, ultrasound (US) features, and radiomic features were extracted to develop three types of machine learning model: clinical models, US models, and USEML models. The diagnostic performance of the USEML model, as well as that of physicians based on experience, was evaluated and validated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in internal and external validation cohorts. DeLong's test was used for comparisons of AUCs. SHAP values were also utilized to explain the classification model., Results: The USEML model achieved the highest AUC of 0.891 (95% CI, 0.774-0.961), surpassing the AUCs of both the US (0.847; 95% CI, 0.720-0.932) and clinical (0.814; 95% CI, 0.682-0.908) models. The USEML model also outperformed physicians in both internal and external validation datasets (both p < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of the USEML model and physician experience were 89.3%/75.0%, 87.5%/54.2%, 87.5%/65.6%, and 89.3%/65.0%, respectively., Conclusions: The USEML model, incorporating clinical factors, ultrasound factors, and radiomic features, demonstrated efficient performance in distinguishing PMA from WT in the parotid gland., Clinical Relevance Statement: This study developed a machine learning model for preoperative diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin tumor in the parotid gland based on clinical, ultrasound, and radiomic features. Furthermore, it outperformed physicians in an external validation dataset, indicating its potential for clinical application., Key Points: • Differentiating pleomorphic adenoma (PMA) and Warthin tumor (WT) affects management decisions and is currently done by invasive biopsy. • Integration of US-radiomic, clinical, and ultrasound findings in a machine learning model results in improved diagnostic accuracy. • The ultrasound-based ensemble machine learning (USEML) model consistently outperforms physicians, suggesting its potential applicability in clinical settings., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Society of Radiology.)

Objective: Hypertension is linked to gut dysbiosis. Here, the impact of the angiotensin receptor antagonist irbesartan on the gut microbiota of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were investigated. In addition, we assessed their contribution to its antihypertensive effect., Methods: Eight-week-old Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and SHR were administered irbesartan for 8 weeks. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed from SHR treated with irbesartan or untreated SHR to recipient untreated SHR. The preventive effect of Lactobacillus on hypertension in SHR was evaluated. Blood pressure (BP) was calculated using a tail-sleeve sphygmomanometer. To better assess the composition of the gut microbiota, the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified while short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces were tested by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)., Results: Irbesartan restored gut dysbiosis, increased the abundance of Lactobacillus , and improved anti-inflammatory ability, antioxidative ability, intestinal integrity, and intestinal inflammation in SHR. The microbiota in SHR-treated irbesartan could reduce BP and improve antioxidative ability and gut integrity in SHR. Lactobacillus johnsonii ( L. johnsonii ) and Lactobacillus reuteri ( L. reuteri ) reduced BP, restored gut dysbiosis and improved anti-inflammatory ability, antioxidative ability, intestinal integrity in SHR. Most notably, irbesartan, L. johnsonii , and L. reuteri can significantly increase SCFA content in SHR feces., Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that irbesartan treatment ameliorated gut dysbiosis in SHR. Irbesartan induced alterations in gut microbiota, with increased prevalence of Lactobacillus ., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study describes a method for real-time examination of the microvascular system based on the three-dimensional photoacoustic imaging system to prevent arterial complications, especially vascular embolism, during hyaluronic acid (HA) injections. Chicken embryos were used to simulate the superficial blood vessels of human skin, and then the target area was imaged by the photoacoustic imaging system for three-dimensional vascular imaging, and then the syringe and blood vessels were monitored, and the syringe angle and penetration depth were adjusted in time using an injection device to avoid puncturing the arterial vasculature and clogging the blood vessels. HA was then injected into smaller vessels on the dorsum of the tongue in mice and into thicker vessels on the dorsal portion of the tongue in rats to mimic embolization, and the post-operative recovery was reflected by the changes in the pixel dots of the extracted part of the blocked blood vessels, and it was observed that the blood flow in the area of the fine vessels was restored in about 3 days, whereas blood flow in the area of the large vessels was restored in only about 1 h. The method presented in this paper allows precise guidance of injectable filler HA, which has good application prospects in improving the safety of injection micro-plastic surgery and reducing the experience requirements for medical personnel., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Aiming at the problem of large measurement error and phase shift in resistance voltage dividers under high-frequency conditions in the field of power measurement, such as power harmonics, an error correction method is proposed for an alternating current (AC) resistance voltage divider based on the equivalence principle. Firstly, the frequency error model of the AC resistance voltage divider precision is established, and the angle difference of the continuous spectrum ratio difference from 50 Hz to 100 kHz is corrected by determining the shielding structure and the resistance parameters and fine-tuning the shielding potential correction method to reduce the capacities error of the AC resistance voltage divider design precision. At the same time, the performance parameters such as the direction and magnitude of the shielding potential compensation capacitive error are investigated. Finally, the precision voltage divider (the maximum voltage applied is 480 V) calibration experiments verify that the important characteristic judgment factor of the voltage divider is independent of the frequency and the equivalent capacitance value, which effectively solves the phase correction problem of harmonic power measurement.

Dental caries is a common and costly multifactorial biofilm disease caused by cariogenic bacteria that ferment carbohydrates to lactic acid, demineralizing the inorganic component of teeth. Therefore, low pH (pH 4.5) is a characteristic signal of the localised carious environment, compared to a healthy oral pH range (6.8 to 7.4). The development of pH-responsive delivery systems that release antibacterial agents in response to low pH has gained attention as a targeted therapy for dental caries. Release is triggered by high levels of acidogenic species and their reduction may select for the establishment of health-associated biofilm communities. Moreover, drug efficacy can be amplified by the modification of the delivery system to target adhesion to the plaque biofilm to extend the retention time of antimicrobial agents in the oral cavity. In this review, recent developments of different pH-responsive nanocarriers and their biofilm targeting mechanisms are discussed. This review critically discusses the current state of the art and innovations in the development and use of smart delivery materials for dental caries treatment. The authors' views for the future of the field are also presented.

The abuse of sulfameter (SME) in animal husbandry can cause drug resistance and toxic or allergic reactions in humans. Therefore, it is very important to establish a simple, inexpensive, and efficient method for detecting SME in food. In this work, we propose a single fluorescent aptamer/graphene oxide (GO)-based biosensor to detect SME residues in milk. Aptamers that specifically bind to SME were screened using capture-SELEX and a ssDNA library immobilized on magnetic beads. The 68 active candidate aptamers were chemically synthesized for specificity and affinity characterization. Among the aptamers, the aptamer sulf-1 revealed the highest affinity (K d  = 77 ± 15 nM) to SME and was selected to construct a GO-based fluorescent biosensor for real milk sample detection. Under optimal conditions, the single fluorescent aptasensor had a wide linear range (R 2 was 0.997) from 7 to 336 ng/ml and a low detection limit of 3.35 ng/ml that was calculated with a 3SD/slope. The single fluorescent method was also validated using SME-fortified milk samples, showing average recoveries ranging from 99.01% to 104.60% with a relative standard deviation of less than 3.88%. These results demonstrate that this novel aptamer sensor provides an opportunity for sensitive, convenient, and accurate detection of SME residues in milk., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Optical diffraction tomography (ODT) has gradually become a popular label-free imaging technique that offers diffraction-limited resolution by mapping an object's three-dimensional (3D) refractive index (RI) distribution. However, there is a lack of comprehensive quantitative image assessment metrics in ODT for studying how various experimental conditions influence image quality, and subsequently optimizing the experimental conditions. In this Letter, we propose to standardize the image assessment in ODT by proposing a set of metrics, including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and structural distinguishability (SD). To test the feasibility of the metrics, we performed experiments on angle-scanning ODT by varying the number of illumination angles, RI contrast of samples, sample feature sizes, and sample types (e.g., standard polystyrene beads and 3D printed structures) and evaluated the RI tomograms with SNR, CNR, and SD. We further quantitatively studied how image quality can be improved, and tested the image assessment metrics on subcellular structures of living cells. We envision the proposed image assessment metrics may greatly benefit end-users for assessing the RI tomograms, as well as experimentalists for optimizing ODT instruments.

Micromanipulation is a powerful technique to measure the mechanical properties of microparticles including microcapsules. For microparticles with a homogenous structure, their apparent Young's modulus can be determined from the force versus displacement data fitted by the classical Hertz model. Microcapsules can consist of a liquid core surrounded by a solid shell. Two Young's modulus values can be defined, i.e., the one is that determined using the Hertz model and another is the intrinsic Young's modulus of the shell material, which can be calculated from finite element analysis (FEA). In this study, the two Young's modulus values of microplastic-free plant-based microcapsules with a core of perfume oil (hexyl salicylate) were calculated using the aforementioned approaches. The apparent Young's modulus value of the whole microcapsules determined by the classical Hertz model was found to be E A = 0.095 ± 0.014 GPa by treating each individual microcapsule as a homogeneous solid spherical particle. The previously obtained simulation results from FEA were utilised to fit the micromanipulation data of individual core-shell microcapsules, enabling to determine their unique shell thickness to radius ratio ( h/r ) FEA = 0.132 ± 0.009 and the intrinsic Young's modulus of their shell ( E FEA = 1.02 ± 0.13 GPa). Moreover, a novel theoretical relationship between the two Young's modulus values has been derived. It is found that the ratio of the two Young's module values ( E A / E FEA ) is only a function on the ratio of the shell thickness to radius ( h/r ) of the individual microcapsule, which can be fitted by a third-degree polynomial function of h/r . Such relationship has proven applicable to a broad spectrum of microcapsules (i.e., non-synthetic, synthetic, and double coated shells) regardless of their shell chemistry.

Single-frame off-axis holographic reconstruction is promising for quantitative phase imaging. However, reconstruction accuracy and contrast are degraded by noise, frequency spectrum overlap of the interferogram, severe phase distortion, etc. In this work, we propose an iterative single-frame complex wave retrieval based on an explicit model of object and reference waves. We also develop a phase restoration algorithm that does not resort to phase unwrapping. Both simulation and real experiments demonstrate higher accuracy and robustness compared to state-of-the-art methods, for both complex wave estimation and phase reconstruction. Importantly, the allowed bandwidth for the object wave is significantly improved in realistic experimental conditions (similar amplitudes for object and reference waves), which makes it attractive for large field-of-view and high-resolution imaging applications.

Objective: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a common chronic liver disease that is harmful to human health. Moreover, there is currently no FDA-approved first-line drug for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or NAFLD. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used to ameliorate liver diseases, such as the traditional ancient recipe called Three Flower Tea (TFT), which consists of double rose ( Rosa rugosa ), white chrysanthemum ( Chrysanthemum morifolium ), and Daidaihua ( Citrus aurantium ). However, the mechanisms of the action of TFT are not clear. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of TFT against NAFLD in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced rats., Methods: This study utilized bioinformatics and network pharmacology to establish the active and potential ingredient-target networks of TFT. Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and enrichment analysis was performed to determine the key targets of TFT against NAFLD. Furthermore, an animal experiment was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effect and confirm the key targets of TFT against NAFLD., Results: A total of 576 NAFLD-related genes were searched in GeneCards, and under the screening criteria of oral bioavailability (OB) ≥30% and drug-likeness (DL) ≥0.18, a total of 19 active ingredients and 210 targets were identified in TFT. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that 55 matching targets in PPIs were closely associated with roles for NAFLD treatment. Through the evaluation of network topology parameters, four key central genes, PPARγ , SREBP , AKT , and RELA , were identified. Furthermore, animal experiments indicated that TFT could reduce plasma lipid profiles, hepatic lipid profiles and hepatic fat accumulation, improve liver function, suppress inflammatory factors, and reduce oxidative stress. Through immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analysis, PPARγ, SREBP, AKT, and RELA were confirmed as targets of TFT in HFD-induced rats., Conclusion: In summary, our results indicate that TFT can prevent and treat NAFLD via multiple targets, including lipid accumulation, antioxidation, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.)

To analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of norepinephrine combined with ulinastatin in the treatment of septic shock. 100 patients with septic shock treated in our institution from May 2019 to May 2021 were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either norepinephrine (control group) or norepinephrine plus ulinastatin (experimental group) according to the treatment scheme. The treatment efficacy, time for shock improvement, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, total hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, 30-day survival, and changes in inflammatory factors (plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), serum lactic acid (LAC), serum procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-10 (IL-10)) before and after treatment were analyzed, and the sequential organ failure scores of the two groups were compared. The experimental group exhibited superior performance with respect to efficacy, ICU stays, and total hospital stay, in-hospital mortality to the control group (all P<0.05). After treatment, the experimental group presented lower levels of CRP, LAC, PCT and IL-10 and higher SOFA scores than the control group (P<0.05). Norepinephrine plus ulinastatin achieved remarkable results in the treatment of septic shock, improving the treatment efficiency, shortening the time for shock improvement and hospitalization, reducing hospital mortality, driving down the expression of inflammatory factors and enhancing the survival of patients, with high safety.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are deemed to have great prospects in the next generation advanced energy storage systems and have been considered in recent years. However, the majority of substrates with both high electronic conductivity and full coverage of adsorption-catalysis synergy are difficult to achieve. Herein, nitrogen functionalized porous carbon nanofibers assembled with nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NFO/NCFs) are successfully prepared by electrospinning combined with hydrothermal treatment, which were applied to current collector containing Li 2 S 6 catholyte and binder-free for Li-S batteries. With its abundant active sites, the NFO/NCFs have a vital role in the adsorption and catalysis of the polysulfides, which further accelerate the redox kinetics. Consequently, Li 2 S 6 catholyte impregnated NFO/NCFs electrode (sulfur loading: 5.09 mg cm -2 ) exhibits the first discharge capacity of 997 mAh g -1 and maintains at 637 mAh g -1 after 350 cycles at 0.2C, which is superior cycling performance than NCFs. Even at 10.2 mg cm -2 sulfur loading, the composite electrode shows a high area capacity of 8.35 mAh cm -2 at 0.1C and retains 6.01 mAh cm -2 after 150 cycles. The results suggest the multifunction NFO/NCFs that anchor effectively and catalysis are beneficial to realize the goal of the large-scale application for Li-S batteries., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A series of 2-(((5-akly/aryl-1 H -pyrazol-3-yl)methyl)thio)-5-alkyl-6-(cyclohexylmethyl)-pyrimidin-4(3 H )-ones were synthesized and their anti-HIV-1 activities were evaluated. Most of these compounds were highly active against wild-type (WT) HIV-1 strain (IIIB) with EC 50 values in the range of 0.0038-0.4759 μmol/L. Among those compounds, I-11 had an EC 50 value of 3.8 nmol/L and SI (selectivity index) of up to 25,468 indicating excellent activity against WT HIV-1. In vitro anti-HIV-1 activity and resistance profile studies suggested that compounds I-11 and I-12 displayed potential anti-HIV-1 activity against laboratory adapted strains and primary isolated strains including different subtypes and tropism strains (EC 50 s range from 4.3 to 63.6 nmol/L and 18.9-219.3 nmol/L, respectively). On the other hand, it was observed that those two compounds were less effective with EC 50 values of 2.77 and 4.87 μmol/L for HIV-1A 17 (K103N + Y181C). The activity against reverse transcriptase (RT) was also evaluated for those compounds. Both I-11 and I-12 obtained sub-micromolar IC 50 values showing their potential in RT inhibition. The pharmacokinetics examination in rats indicated that compound I-11 has acceptable pharmacokinetic properties and bioavailability. Preliminary structure-activity relationships and molecular modeling studies were also discussed., (© 2020 Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Recently, a few RNA-cleaving DNAzymes have been isolated with excellent specificity for Na + , and some of them contain a Na + -binding aptamer. This metal recognition mechanism is different from that of most previously reported DNAzymes. When using 2-aminopurine (2AP) as a probe, interesting local folding induced by Na + was recently observed. In this work, FRET was used to probe the global folding of the Ce13d DNAzyme; one of the Na + -specific DNAzymes. FRET pairs were at different locations, which yielded a total of five constructs to probe the three-way junction structure with a large loop. With endlabeled DNAzymes, the global structure appears to be quite rigid with little folding upon adding up to 200 mm monovalent metal ions, although some minor differences were observed between Li + , Na + , and K + . This lack of significant conformational change is also consistent with circular dichroism spectroscopy data. The loop was then labeled with an internal tetramethylrhodamine fluorophore at the G14 position, and its cleavage activity was partially retained. A clear Na + -dependent folding was observed with spectral crossover. From a biosensing standpoint, global folding based sensors are unlikely to work due to the overall rigid structure of the DNAzyme. Therefore, the best way to use this DNAzyme to discriminate Na + from K + is based on cleavage activity, followed by probing local folding, whereas global folding is the least effective for metal discrimination., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)