Study on the flow resistance of the dispersion system of deformable preformed particle gel in porous media using LBM-DEM-IMB method

After being injected into the porous media, the dispersion system of preformed particle gel (PPG) tends to enter high permeability regions and block water channeling passages, which forces the subsequent water to turn to the low permeability regions and thus increases sweep efficiency and enhances oil recovery. However, it is still unclear about the influence factors and the mechanisms how PPG increases water flow resistance, which limits the application of PPG in more oilfields. Therefore, the paper combines the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), the discrete element method (DEM) and the improved immersed moving boundary (IMB) method to simulate the migration of deformable PPG in porous media. On the basis, the paper quantitatively analyzes the variation law of displacement pressure across the porous media and discusses the influence factors such as the PPG diameter, elasticity modulus and the number concentration. Results indicate that, because of the friction and retention of PPG in pore-throat, the displacement pressure across the porous media during PPG flooding is much higher than that during water flooding. In other words, the existence of PPG increases the flow resistance of injected water. Besides, the displacement pressure is always fluctuant resulting from the continuous process of PPG migration, retention, deformation and remigration. Influence factor analysis shows that the incremental value and fluctuation degree of flow resistance increase with the PPG diameter, elasticity modulus and the number concentration. The study not only provides useful reference for future PPG flooding, but also benefits the development of deformable particle flow theory.     

新型热作模具钢CH95的高温力学和抗磨性能研究

对比研究了CH95钢与H11钢的高温力学及抗磨性能,分析了2种模具钢的组成和微结构对其高温力学性能和抗磨性能的影响,采用透射电子显微镜观察分析了CH95钢试样中碳化物的形貌．结果表明：CH95钢与H11钢相比具有优异的高温力学性能;其优异的高温力学性能和抗磨性能归因于其特定的微观结构;CH95钢中细小且呈弥散分布的MC、M2C强化相的含量较高,使得其在高温下仍可保持优良的力学性能和抗磨性能;稀土可加速CH95钢表面致密氧化物层的形成,提高其强度、韧性、耐磨性和抗剥离能力;而经离子氮化处理后形成的细小且呈弥散分布的合金氮化物亦可起弥散强化作用,从而使得CH95钢在高温高载荷下的抗磨性能明显优于H11钢．     

Multiple Keys for a Single Lock: The Unusual Structural Plasticity of the Nucleotidyltransferase (4′)/Kanamycin Complex

The most common mode of bacterial resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics is the enzyme‐catalysed chemical modification of the drug. Over the last two decades, significant efforts in medicinal chemistry have been focused on the design of non‐ inactivable antibiotics. Unfortunately, this strategy has met with limited success on account of the remarkably wide substrate specificity of aminoglycoside‐modifying enzymes. To understand the mechanisms behind substrate promiscuity, we have performed a comprehensive experimental and theoretical analysis of the molecular‐recognition processes that lead to antibiotic inactivation by Staphylococcus aureus nucleotidyltransferase 4′(ANT(4′)), a clinically relevant protein. According to our results, the ability of this enzyme to inactivate structurally diverse polycationic molecules relies on three specific features of the catalytic region. First, the dominant role of electrostatics in aminoglycoside recognition, in combination with the significant extension of the enzyme anionic regions, confers to the protein/antibiotic complex a highly dynamic character. The motion deduced for the bound antibiotic seem to be essential for the enzyme action and probably provide a mechanism to explore alternative drug inactivation modes. Second, the nucleotide recognition is exclusively mediated by the inorganic fragment. In fact, even inorganic triphosphate can be employed as a substrate. Third, ANT(4′) seems to be equipped with a duplicated basic catalyst that is able to promote drug inactivation through different reactive geometries. This particular combination of features explains the enzyme versatility and renders the design of non‐inactivable derivatives a challenging task.     

Study of the effect of laser treatment on the initial oxidation behaviour of Al‐coated NiCrAlY bond‐coat

In this study, the initial oxidation behaviour of laser‐treated Al/NiCrAlY bond‐coat is investigated. Two approaches, (i) Al film sputtering on the surface of bond‐coat and (ii) laser treatment, have been taken to enhance the oxidation resistance of NiCrAlY bond‐coat. Experimental results showed that after laser treatment, the Al/NiCrAlY bond‐coat exhibited a columnar dendritic microstructure without cracks and voids. A dense and continuous α‐Al₂O₃/Cr₂O₃ multilayer was found to form on the bond‐coat surface. Results on the cyclic oxidation at 1200 °C (for time ≤ 204 h) revealed that the laser‐treated Al/NiCrAlY bond‐coat exhibited better oxidation resistance compared to as‐sprayed NiCrAlY, Al/NiCrAlY and laser‐remelted NiCrAlY bond‐coat. The formation of θ‐Al₂O₃, NiO, Cr₂O₃ and NiCr₂O₄ spinel oxides was observed to be suppressed due to the preformed α‐Al₂O₃ scale during initial oxidation on the surface of laser pre‐oxidized Al/NiCrAlY bond‐coat. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combined nanosuspensions from two natural active ingredients for cancer therapy with reduced side effects

Tumor drug resistance and systemic side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs are the main reasons for the failure of cancer treatment. In recent years, it was found that some natural active ingredients can reverse MDR and regulate body immunity to enhance the efficacy and reduce toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. In this paper, a new nanosuspensions, HCPT and QUR hybrid nanosuspensions (HQ-NPs), was prepared by the microprecipitation-high pressure homogenization method to reverse tumor drug resistance, reduce toxicity, and increase therapeutic efficacy. The in vitro investigation results showed that HQ-NPs had a unique shape (particle size was about 216.3 ± 5.9 nm), changed crystalline, and different dissolution rates compared with HCPT-NPs and QUR-NPs, which is attributed to the strong intermolecular forces between HCPT and QUR as indicated by the results of the molecule dock. It was verified that the HQ-NPs could double the retention of HCPT in cells and enhance the cytotoxicity to A549/PTX cells in vitro tests compared with HCPT-NPs. We also found that HQ-NPs can significantly enhance the accumulation of HCPT in tumor sites, improve the antitumor activity of HCPT, and protect the immune organs and other normal tissues (P < 0.01), compared with HCPT-NPs. Therefore, hybrid nanosuspensions can offer promising potential as the drug delivery system for HCPT and QUR to increase the therapeutic efficacy and reduce the toxicity of HCPT.     

Investigation of a Photochromic Diarylethene with Electron-acceptor Attached

In this contribution, an electron acceptor attached diarylethene derivative was synthesized and fully characterized. The photochromic behavior was investigated in THF. Under exposure of UV and visible light cycles, the solution color can be switched between colorless and yellow smoothly. Fatigue resistance measurements could be repeated 50 times with an acceptable degradation. Due to the electron acceptor attached to the framework of diarylethene, the photo- and thermal-stability were enhanced both. A full-photo mode switch can be established based on the well-defined states by external excitation. The molecular structures of ring-open and ring-closed form were optimized by Dmol³. The distance between photocyclizing atoms in aptiparallel conformation meets the requirement for photochromic reaction. And the calculated absorption wavelengths were also in agreement with the experimental values.     

Caseinolytic Proteins (Clp) in the Genus Klebsiella: Special Focus on ClpK

Caseinolytic proteins (Clp), which are present in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, play a major role in cell protein quality control and survival of bacteria in harsh environmental conditions. Recently, a member of this protein family, ClpK was identified in a pathogenic strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae which was responsible for nosocomial infections. ClpK is linked to the thermal stress survival of this pathogen. The genome wide analysis of Clp proteins in Klebsiella spp. indicates that ClpK is present in only 34% of the investigated strains. This suggests that the uptake of the clpk gene is selective and may only be taken up by a pathogen that needs to survive harsh environmental conditions. In silico analyses and molecular dynamic simulations show that ClpK is mainly α-helical and is highly dynamic. ClpK was successfully expressed and purified to homogeneity using affinity and anion exchange chromatography. Biophysical characterization of ClpK showed that it is predominantly alpha-helical, and this is in agreement with in silico analysis of the protein structure. Furthermore, the purified protein is biologically active and hydrolyses ATP in a concentration- dependent manner.     

2-Hydroxyestradiol Overcomes Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Mediated Platinum Chemoresistance in Ovarian Cancer Cells in an ERK-Independent Fashion

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common type of gynecological malignancy. Platinum (Pt)-based chemotherapy is the standard of care for OC, but toxicity and acquired chemoresistance has proven challenging. Recently, we reported that sensitivity to platinum was significantly reduced in a co-culture of OC cells with MSC. To discover compounds capable of restoring platinum sensitivity, we screened a number of candidates and monitored ability to induce PARP cleavage. Moreover, we monitored platinum uptake and expression of ABC transporters in OC cells. Our results showed that 2-hydroxyestradiol (2HE2), a metabolite of estradiol, and dasatinib, an Abl/Src kinase inhibitor, were significantly effective in overcoming MSC-mediated platinum drug resistance. Dasatinib activity was dependent on ERK1/2 activation, whereas 2HE2 was independent of the activation of ERK1/2. MSC-mediated platinum drug resistance was accompanied by reduced intracellular platinum concentrations in OC cells. Moreover, MSC co-cultured with OC cells resulted in downregulation of the expression of cellular transporters required for platinum uptake and efflux. Exposure to 2HE2 and other modulators resulted in an increase in intracellular platinum concentrations. Thus, 2HE2 and dasatinib might act as sensitizers to restore platinum drug sensitivity to OC cells and thus to limit TME-mediated chemoresistance in OC.     

Tire and soil effects on power loss: Measurement and comparison with finite element model results

In the present study, the effect of vertical load, tire inflation pressure and soil moisture content on power loss in tire under controlled soil bin conditions were investigated. Also a finite element model of tire-soil interaction in order to achieve a suitable model for predicting power loss in tire was created. Increasing the vertical load on the tire had a noteworthy impact on increasing the tire contact volume with the soil, reducing the percentage of slip, and increasing the rolling resistance; although, reducing the load on the tire had the opposite effect. At a constant inflation pressure, by increasing the vertical load on the tire, the amount of power loss due to the rolling resistance and the total power loss in the tire increased. Increase in soil moisture content increased the power loss caused by slip. Increasing the inflation pressure at a constant vertical load, also increasing the soil moisture content, led to an increase in the power loss caused by rolling resistance, and increase total power loss. The obtained error for estimating power loss of rolling resistance and total power loss was satisfactory and confirmed the acceptability of the model for power loss estimation.