CFD-DEM-VDGM method for simulation of particle fluidization behavior in multi-ring inclined-hole spouted fluidized bed

The simulation of particle fluidization behavior in a complex geometry with a large number of particles is challenging owing to the complexity of unstructured c...     

Sargassum fusiforme Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogel Microspheres Enhance Crystal Violet Dye Adsorption Properties

In this study, a polysaccharide-based hydrogel microsphere (SFP/SA) was prepared using S. fusiforme polysaccharide (SFP) and sodium alginate (SA). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) demonstrated that SFP was effectively loaded onto the hydrogel microsphere. Texture profile analysis (TPA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that, with the increase of SFP concentration, the hardness of SFP/SA decreased, while the springiness and cohesiveness of SFP/SA increased, and the thermal stability of SFP/SA improved. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of SFP/SA increased from 8.20 mg/g (without SFP) to 67.95 mg/g (SFP accounted 80%) without swelling, and from 35.05 mg/g (without SFP) to 81.98 mg/g (SFP accounted 80%) after 24 h swelling. The adsorption of crystal violet (CV) dye by SFP/SA followed pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetics (both with R² > 0.99). The diffusion of intraparticle in CV dye was not the only influencing factor. Moreover, the adsorption of CV dye for SFP/SA (SFP accounted 60%) fit the Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models. SFP/SA exhibited good regenerative adsorption capacity. Its adsorption rate remained at > 97% at the 10th consecutive cycle while SFP accounted for 80%. The results showed that the addition of Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide could increase the springiness, cohesiveness and thermal stability of the hydrogel microsphere, as well as improve the adsorption capacity of crystal violet dye.     

Conserved Control Path in Multilayer Networks

The determination of directed control paths in complex networks is important because control paths indicate the structure of the propagation of control signals through edges. A challenging problem is to identify them in complex networked systems characterized by different types of interactions that form multilayer networks. In this study, we describe a graph pattern called the conserved control path, which allows us to model a common control structure among different types of relations. We present a practical conserved control path detection method (CoPath), which is based on a maximum-weighted matching, to determine the paths that play the most consistent roles in controlling signal transmission in multilayer networks. As a pragmatic application, we demonstrate that the control paths detected in a multilayered pan-cancer network are statistically more consistent. Additionally, they lead to the effective identification of drug targets, thereby demonstrating their power in predicting key pathways that influence multiple cancers.     

Facile Fabrication of 1-Methylimidazole/Cu Nanozyme with Enhanced Laccase Activity for Fast Degradation and Sensitive Detection of Phenol Compounds

Facile construction of functional nanomaterials with laccase-like activity is important in sustainable chemistry since laccase is featured as an efficient and promising catalyst especially for phenolic degradation but still has the challenges of high cost, low activity, poor stability and unsatisfied recyclability. In this paper, we report a simple method to synthesize nanozymes with enhanced laccase-like activity by the self-assembly of copper ions with various imidazole derivatives. In the case of 1-methylimidazole as the ligand, the as-synthesized nanozyme (denoted as Cu-MIM) has the highest yield and best activity among the nanozymes prepared. Compared to laccase, the K_m of Cu-MIM nanozyme to phenol is much lower, and the v_max is 6.8 times higher. In addition, Cu-MIM maintains excellent stability in a variety of harsh environments, such as high pH, high temperature, high salt concentration, organic solvents and long-term storage. Based on the Cu-MIM nanozyme, we established a method for quantitatively detecting phenol concentration through a smartphone, which is believed to have important applications in environmental protection, pollutant detection and other fields.     

Palladium-catalyzed hydrosilylation of ynones to access silicon-stereogenic silylenones by stereospecific aromatic interaction-assisted Si–H activation

Hydrosilylation is one of the most important reactions in synthetic chemistry and ranks as a fundamental method to access organosilicon compounds in industrial and academic processes. However, the enantioselective construction of chiral-at-silicon compounds via catalytic asymmetric hydrosilylation remained limited and difficult. Here we report a highly enantioselective hydrosilylation of ynones, a type of carbonyl-activated alkynes, using a palladium catalyst with a chiral binaphthyl phosphoramidite ligand. The stereospecific hydrosilylation of ynones affords a series of silicon-stereogenic silylenones with up to 94% yield, 20:1 regioselectivity and 98:2 enantioselectivity. The density functional theory(DFT) calculations were conducted to elucidate the reaction mechanism and origin of high degree of stereoselectivity, in which the powerful potential of aromatic interaction in this reaction is highlighted by the multiple C–H-π interaction and aromatic cavity-oriented enantioselectivitydetermining step during desymmetric functionalization of Si–H bond.     

Computational fluid dynamic-discrete element method coupling analysis of particle transport in branched networks

An understanding of the particle transport characteristics in a branched network helps to predict the particle distribution and prevent undesired plugging in various engineering systems.Quantitative analysis of particle flow characteristics is challenging in that experiments are expensive and particle flow is difficult to detect without disturbing the flow.To overcome this difficulty,man-made fractal tree-like branched networks were built,and a coupled computational fluid dynamic and discrete element method model was applied.A series of numerical simulations was carried out to analyze the influence of fractal structure parameters of networks on the particle flow characteristics.The joint influence of inertial,shunt capacity and superposition from upstream branches on particle flow was investigated.The injection position at the inlet determined the particle velocity and its future flow path.The particle density ratio,particle size and bifurcation angle had a greater influence on the shunting of K2 branches than that in the K1 level and N_k22/N_k21 reached a maximum at 60°.Compared with a network with an even number of branches,there was a preferential branch when the branch number was odd.The preferential branch effect or asymmetry degree of the level(K2)branches had a more significant impact on particle shunting than that from the upstream branches(K1).     

Bioavailability Enhancement of Cepharanthine via Pulmonary Administration in Rats and Its Therapeutic Potential for Pulmonary Fibrosis Associated with COVID-19 Infection

Cepharanthine (CEP) has excellent anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties, indicating its favorable potential for COVID-19 treatment. However, its application is challenged by its poor dissolubility and oral bioavailability. The present study aimed to improve the bioavailability of CEP by optimizing its solubility and through a pulmonary delivery method, which improved its bioavailability by five times when compared to that through the oral delivery method (68.07% vs. 13.15%). An ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for quantification of CEP in rat plasma was developed and validated to support the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic studies. In addition, pulmonary fibrosis was recognized as a sequela of COVID-19 infection, warranting further evaluation of the therapeutic potential of CEP on a rat lung fibrosis model. The antifibrotic effect was assessed by analysis of lung index and histopathological examination, detection of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and hydroxyproline level in serum or lung tissues. Our data demonstrated that CEP could significantly alleviate bleomycin (BLM)-induced collagen accumulation and inflammation, thereby exerting protective effects against pulmonary fibrosis. Our results provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that pulmonary delivery CEP may be a promising therapy for pulmonary fibrosis associated with COVID-19 infection.     

快速匹配算法在药筒模块检测中的应用

为了能够快速、准确判断药筒模块是否合格,实现检测的自动化,针对药筒模块中可燃性紧塞盖图像的特点和检测要求,在研究经典相关系数匹配算法基础上,采用了一种快速图像匹配算法,即通过减少相关系数计算量和模板搜索范围,在保证匹配准确度的前提下来提高图像匹配速度。实验和现场测试表明,使用该方法,匹配速度提高了近67%,实现了图像的快速匹配,软件误判率1%,满足实际生产要求。     

基于铰链式六面顶压机的二级6-8模超高压大腔体内置加热元件的设计与温度标定

 首次报道了一种新型的基于铰链式六面顶压机的二级6-8模大腔体静高压装置的内置加热元件的设计与温度标定。此加热组装结构简单,升温快,保温效果好,并有效地解决了国外基于两面顶压机构架下的二级6-8模内加热组装中热电偶在施加压力时易断的问题。以低成本的碳管为加热元件,采用直接和间接两种加热方式,用双铂铑（Pt6%Rh-Pt30%Rt）B型热电偶进行温度测量,并根据实验过程中加热功率与腔内实际温度的关系,对不同压力下腔体内的温度进行了标定。实验结果表明：此加热系统的油压达到40 MPa（腔体压力约10 GPa）时,温度可以达到1 700 ℃以上;在油压为30 MPa、样品室温度为1 000 ℃时,保温时间可达2 h,甚至更长;实验中获得样品的直径可达3 mm,高度可达7 mm,实现了在高温超高压条件下大样品的制备,满足了实验对产生高温超高压条件的需要。     

激光激发水中产生超声波的实验研究

采用压电陶瓷水听器研究了Nd：YAG脉冲激光激发水中产生瞬态超声波的特性,给出了声压信号随距离的变化关系。研究结果表明：用激光产生水下声波是完全可行的。当观测点与光击穿区的距离r远大于柱体长度时,垂直于光传播方向的激光瞬态超声波幅值与r成反比;当观测点与光击穿区的距离r很小时,垂直于光传播方向的声压幅值与产成反比。此外,当激光入射角度发生变化,超声脉冲的幅值也随之发生变化,其幅值在激光束垂直入射的时候最大。