Catalytic combustion synthesis of CNTs/MgO composite powders and the influences on the thermal shock resistance of low-carbon Al2O3–C refractories

Using MgC₂O₄, Mg powders as raw materials and Ni(NO₃)₂?6H₂O as a catalyst, CNTs/MgO composite powders were prepared by a catalytic combustion synthesis method. The CNTs/MgO composite powders were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM/EDS and HRTEM. The effects of catalyst content on the degree of graphitization and aspect ratio of the CNTs in composite powders were investigated. Moreover, the thermal shock resistance of low-carbon Al₂O₃–C refractories after adding the composite powder was investigated. The results indicated that the CNTs prepared with 1 wt% Ni(NO₃)₂?6H₂O addition had a higher degree of graphitization and aspect ratio. In particular, the aspect ratio could reach approximately 200. The growth mechanism of hollow bamboo-like CNTs in the composite powders was proven to be a V-L-S mechanism. The thermal shock resistance of Al₂O₃–C samples could be improved significantly after adding CNTs/MgO composite powders. In particular, compared with CM0, the residual strength ratio of Al₂O₃–C samples with added 2.5 wt% composite powders could be increased 63.9%.     

Microstructure,mechanical, tribological,and oxidizing properties of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings with different modulated thicknesses

Multilayer structure design is one of the most promising methods for improving the comprehensive performance of AlCrN-based hard coatings applied to cutting tools. In this study, four types of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings, with different modulated thicknesses, were deposited to investigate their microstructure, mechanical, tribological, and oxidizing properties. All multilayer coatings exhibited grain growth along the crystallographic plane of (200) with a NaCl-type face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. The results show that, as the modulation thickness decreases from ～35 nm to ～10 nm, (1) the grain refinement effect is increasingly evident; (2) all multilayer coatings show a hardness of >30 GPa and an elastic modulus of >300 GPa. Both the ability to resist elastic strain to failure and the plastic deformation of multilayer coatings increase. In addition, their resistance to cracking reduces; (3) the wear rates of these multilayer coatings reduce successively from 1.78 × 10^?16 m³ N^?1 m^?1 to 7.7 × 10^?17 m³ N^?1 m^?1. This is attributed to an increase in self-lubricating VO_x and a decrease in adhesives from the counterparts; (4) the best high-temperature oxidation resistance was obtained for the multilayer coating with a modulated thickness of ～15 nm.     

Preparation of magnetic zeolite/chitosan composite using silane as modifier for adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions

This study aimed to prepare an efficient, cost-effective, and separable magnetic zeolite/chitosan composite (MZFA/CS) adsorbent from solid waste to deal with the water pollution of Cr(VI). The MZFA/CS was characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. Then, the effect of pH, temperature, initial concentration of Cr(VI) ions, and contact time was considered in the study. For a sorbent dose of 0.1 g in 50 mL of a Cr(VI) solution, at a contact time of 30 min, temperature of 30°C, and a pH of 3, an adsorption capacity (q_e) of 16.96 mg g⁻¹ was achieved. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm data obtained for all adsorption systems were well-fitted by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, respectively. The thermodynamic study suggested that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. In summary, the adsorbent with better separability (Ms = 16.83 emu g⁻¹) and adsorbability was successfully fabricated.     

The effect of co-substitution on the microwave dielectric properties of Ba6-3xNd8+2xTi18O54(x=2/3) ceramics

In this work, the microwave dielectric properties of Ba₄(Nd_1-yBi_y)_28/3Ti_18-x(Al_1/2Ta_1/2)_xO₅₄(0≤x≤2, 0.05≤y≤0.2) ceramics co-substituted by A/B-site were studied. Firstly, (Al_1/2Ta_1/2)⁴⁺ was used for substitution at B-site. At 0≤x≤1.5, the above mentioned ceramic was found to exist in single-phase tungsten bronze structure, but at x = 2.0, the secondary phase appeared. Although the dielectric constant decreased by doping the (Al_1/2Ta_1/2)⁴⁺, but the quality factor was observed to improve by 40% and the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency decreased by 75%. Based on the above results, Bi³⁺ was introduced to Ba₄Nd_28/3Ti₁₇(Al_1/2Ta_1/2)O₅₄. The introduction of Bi³⁺ reduced the sintering temperature, greatly improved the dielectric constant, and ultimately decreased the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency, but it led to deterioration of quality factor. At last, with appropriate site-substitution content control (x = 1.0,y = 0.15), excellent comprehensive properties (ε_r = 89.0, Q × f = 5844 GHz @ 5.89 GHz，TCF = +8.7 ppm/°C) were obtained for the samples sintered at 1325 °C for 4 h.     

Reversal of the Inflammatory Responses in Fabry Patient iPSC-Derived Cardiovascular Endothelial Cells by CRISPR/Cas9-Corrected Mutation

The late-onset type of Fabry disease (FD) with GLA IVS4 + 919G > A mutation has been shown to lead to cardiovascular dysfunctions. In order to eliminate variations in other aspects of the genetic background, we established the isogenic control of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for the identification of the pathogenetic factors for FD phenotypes through CRISPR/Cas9 genomic editing. We adopted droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to efficiently capture mutational events, thus enabling isolation of the corrected FD from FD-iPSCs. Both of these exhibited the characteristics of pluripotency and phenotypic plasticity, and they can be differentiated into endothelial cells (ECs). We demonstrated the phenotypic abnormalities in FD iPSC-derived ECs (FD-ECs), including intracellular Gb3 accumulation, autophagic flux impairment, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and these abnormalities were rescued in isogenic control iPSC-derived ECs (corrected FD-ECs). Microarray profiling revealed that corrected FD-derived endothelial cells reversed the enrichment of genes in the pro-inflammatory pathway and validated the downregulation of NF-κB and the MAPK signaling pathway. Our findings highlighted the critical role of ECs in FD-associated vascular dysfunctions by establishing a reliable isogenic control and providing information on potential cellular targets to reduce the morbidity and mortality of FD patients with vascular complications.     

Photomemory and Pulse Monitoring Featured Solution-Processed Near-Infrared Graphene/Organic Phototransistor with Detectivity of 2.4 × 1013 Jones

Emerging graphene/organic phototransistors are eye-catching technologies owing to their unique merits including easy/low-cost fabrication, temperature independent, and achieving various functions. However, their development in the near-infrared (NIR) region is experiencing a bottleneck of inferior sensitivity due to low exciton dissociation efficiency and inefficient charge extraction rate. Here, a novel-design solution-processed graphene/organic NIR phototransistor is reported, that is, creatively introducing electron extraction layer of ZnO on graphene channel and employing organic ternary bulk heterojunction as photosensitive layer, successfully breaking that bottleneck. The phototransistor exhibits a high responsivity of 6.1 × 10⁶ A W⁻¹, a superior detectivity of 2.4 × 10¹³ Jones, and a remarkable minimum detection power of 1.75 nW cm⁻² under 850 nm radiation. Considering its excellent NIR detection performance, a noncontact transmission-type pulse monitoring is carried out with no external circuit support, from which human pulse signal and heart rate can be displayed in real time. The phototransistor, interestingly, can be switched into a photomemory function with a retention time of 1000 s in the atmosphere through a gate voltage of −20 V. The design takes the characteristics of graphene/organic phototransistors to a higher level, beyond the limit of sensitivity, and opens up a novel approach for developing multifunction devices.     

Role of the HSP70 Co-Chaperone SIL1 in Health and Disease

Cell surface and secreted proteins provide essential functions for multicellular life. They enter the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen co-translationally, where they mature and fold into their complex three-dimensional structures. The ER is populated with a host of molecular chaperones, associated co-factors, and enzymes that assist and stabilize folded states. Together, they ensure that nascent proteins mature properly or, if this process fails, target them for degradation. BiP, the ER HSP70 chaperone, interacts with unfolded client proteins in a nucleotide-dependent manner, which is tightly regulated by eight DnaJ-type proteins and two nucleotide exchange factors (NEFs), SIL1 and GRP170. Loss of SIL1′s function is the leading cause of Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome (MSS), an autosomal recessive, multisystem disorder. The development of animal models has provided insights into SIL1′s functions and MSS-associated pathologies. This review provides an in-depth update on the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SIL1′s NEF activity and its role in maintaining ER homeostasis and normal physiology. A precise understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the loss of SIL1 may allow for the development of new pharmacological approaches to treat MSS.     

Benchmark experiment of large-angle scattering reaction cross section of iron at 14 MeV using two shadow bars – Comparison of experimental results with ENDF/B-VIII –

ABSTRACT

It is important to perform neutron transport simulations with accurate nuclear data in the neutronics design of a fusion reactor. However, absolute values of large-angle scattering cross sections vary among nuclear data libraries even for well-examined nuclide of iron. Benchmark experiments focusing on large-angle scattering cross sections were thus performed to confirm the correctness of nuclear data libraries. The series benchmark experiments were performed at a DT neutron source facility, OKTAVIAN of Osaka University, Japan, by the unique experimental system established by the authors’ group, which can extract only the contribution of large-angle scattering reactions. This system consists of two shadow bars, target plate (iron), and neutron detector (niobium). Two types of shadow bars were used and four irradiations were conducted for one experiment, so that contribution of room-return neutrons was effectively removed and only large-angle scattering neutrons were extracted from the measured four Nb reaction rates. The obtained experimental results were compared with calculations for five nuclear data libraries including JENDL-4.0, JEFF.-3.3, FENDL-3.1, ENDF/B- VII, and recently released ENDF/B-VIII. It was found from the comparison that ENDF/B-VIII showed the best result, though ENDF/B-VII showed overestimation and others are in large underestimation at 14 MeV.     

基于WebGL的3D立库可视化系统设计与实现

针对当前扩大化和普及化的仓储物流,提出了一种3D自动化立体仓库可视化系统的实现方案,用以解决仓储系统中遇到的数据不直观的问题。该系统采用JavaScript编程语言,以Three.js引擎为基础,构建了基于WebGL的三维自动化立体仓库的可视化系统,该系统能有效直观的进行仓储管理,适合现代化仓储企业的管理需求。