Discovery of GPR183 Agonists Based on an Antagonist Scaffold

The G protein-coupled receptor GPR183/EBI2, which is activated by oxysterols, is a therapeutic target for inflammatory and metabolic diseases where both antagonists and agonists are of potential interest. Using the piperazine diamide core of the known GPR183 antagonist (E)-3-(4-bromophenyl)-1-(4-(4-methoxybenzoyl)piperazin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (NIBR189) as starting point, we identified and sourced 79 structurally related compounds that were commercially available. In vitro screening of this compound collection using a Ca²⁺ mobilization assay resulted in the identification of 10 compounds with agonist properties. To enable establishment of initial structure-activity relationship trends, these were supplemented with five in-house compounds, two of which were also shown to be GPR183 agonists. Taken together, our findings suggest that the agonist activity of this compound series is dictated by the substitution pattern of one of the two distal phenyl rings, which functions as a molecular efficacy-switch.     

Flexible,Mechanically Stable,Porous Self-Standing Microfiber Network Membranes of Covalent Organic Frameworks: Preparation Method and Characterization

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show advantageous characteristics, such as an ordered pore structure and a large surface area for gas storage and separation, energy storage, catalysis, and molecular separation. However, COFs usually exist as difficult-to-process powders, and preparing continuous, robust, flexible, foldable, and rollable COF membranes is still a challenge. Herein, such COF membranes with fiber morphology for the first time prepared via a newly introduced template-assisted framework process are reported. This method uses electrospun porous polymer membranes as a sacrificial large dimension template for making self-standing COF membranes. The porous COF fiber membranes, besides having high crystallinity, also show a large surface area (1153 m² g⁻¹), good mechanical stability, excellent thermal stability, and flexibility. This study opens up the possibility of preparation of large dimension COF membranes and their derivatives in a simple way and hence shows promise in technical applications in separation, catalysis, and energy in the future.     

基于网络的决策支持系统在水资源管理中的应用

综述了决策支持系统(DSS)与基于网络的决策支持系统(Web-based DSS)在水资源管理中的应用概况,通过对二者进行比较,指出Web-based DSS具有便于系统更新维护、降低用户使用门槛、扩展用户沟通渠道等优势。对Web-based DSS涉及的基础应用开发、多源信息采集与集成、多模块并行耦合、决策效果评估等关键技术进行了分析,探讨了Web-based DSS在多源异构大数据环境下面临的问题与挑战。     

Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2 ceramic and TC11 alloy joint diffusion bonded with a Cu interlayer

Reliable joints of Ti₃SiC₂ ceramic and TC11 alloy were diffusion bonded with a 50 μm thick Cu interlayer. The typical interfacial structure of the diffusion boned joint, which was dependent on the interdiffusion and chemical reactions between Al, Si and Ti atoms from the base materials and Cu interlayer, was TC11/α-Ti + β-Ti + Ti₂Cu + TiCu/Ti₅Si₄ + TiSiCu/Cu(s, s)/Ti₃SiC₂. The influence of bonding temperature and time on the interfacial structure and mechanical properties of Ti₃SiC₂/Cu/TC11 joint was analyzed. With the increase of bonding temperature and time, the joint shear strength was gradually increased due to enhanced atomic diffusion. However, the thickness of Ti₅Si₄ and TiSiCu layers with high microhardness increased for a long holding time, resulting in the reduction of bonding strength. The maximum shear strength of 251 ± 6 MPa was obtained for the joint diffusion bonded at 850 °C for 60 min, and fracture primarily occurred at the diffusion layer adjacent to the Ti₃SiC₂ substrate. This work provided an economical and convenient solution for broadening the engineering application of Ti₃SiC₂ ceramic.     

Trypsiligase-Catalyzed Labeling of Proteins on Living Cells

Fluorescent fusion proteins are powerful tools for studying biological processes in living cells, but universal application is limited due to the voluminous size of those tags, which might have an impact on the folding, localization or even the biological function of the target protein. The designed biocatalyst trypsiligase enables site-directed linkage of small-sized fluorescence dyes on the N terminus of integral target proteins located in the outer membrane of living cells through a stable native peptide bond. The function of the approach was tested by using the examples of covalent derivatization of the transmembrane proteins CD147 as well as the EGF receptor, both presented on human HeLa cells. Specific trypsiligase recognition of the site of linkage was mediated by the dipeptide sequence Arg-His added to the proteins’ native N termini, pointing outside the cell membrane. The labeling procedure takes only about 5 minutes, as demonstrated for couplings of the fluorescence dye tetramethyl rhodamine and the affinity label biotin as well.     

基于改进SOA-VMD的磁声发射信号去噪算法

磁声发射（MAE）是铁磁性材料磁化过程中产生的声发射信号，在构件应力检测和微观损伤检测中有着广泛的应用。针对MAE信号非稳态、复杂性、衰减性等特点，提出海鸥算法结合变分模态分解（SOA-VMD）的去噪方法，为克服海鸥算法求解过程中易陷入局部最优解问题，利用柯西变异算子产生随机迭代过程，使改进算法即柯西变异海欧算法（CVSOA）跳出早熟收敛。采用以幅值谱熵为适应度函数，优化VMD算法中分解模态个数K和二次惩戒因子α两个参数，将含噪声的MAE信号进行VMD分解重构。经仿真信号和实际检测信号分析表明，改进后的CVSOA-VMD算法全局寻优能力和去噪性能优于传统的SOA-VMD算法，降噪后的MAE信号特征值对于不同应力下均方根、偏斜度特征值的重复性更好，可靠性更高。     

当代均陶艺术创作浅思——作品“麒麟献瑞”的制作感悟

宜兴有“陶都”的美名,宜兴的陶艺又有“五朵金花”,在中国陶瓷艺术之林可谓独树一帜,其中均陶和紫砂一样都属于宜兴陶艺“五朵金花”之一,有着相近的历史发展进程,同宜兴紫砂一样蕴含了丰富的中国文化元素,在中国秦汉以及历代釉陶的影响下发展而来,有着非常特殊的艺术和文化风格。     

Hydraulic reactivity and cement formation of baghdadite

In this study, the hydraulic reactivity and cement formation of baghdadite (Ca₃ZrSi₂O₉) was investigated. The material was synthesized by sintering a mixture of CaCO₃, SiO₂, and ZrO₂ and then mechanically activated using a planetary mill. This leads to a decrease in particle and crystallite size and a partial amorphization of baghdadite as shown by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and laser diffraction measurements. Baghdadite cements were formed by the addition of water at a powder to liquid ratio of 2.0 g/ml. Maximum compressive strengths were found to be ~2 MPa after 3-day setting for a 24-h ground material. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements showed an incongruent dissolution profile of set cements with a preferred dissolution of calcium and only marginal release of zirconium ions. Cement formation occurs under alkaline conditions, whereas the unground raw powder leads to a pH of 11.9 during setting, while prolonged grinding increased pH values to approximately 12.3.     

Modeling of the Magnetization and Magnetocaloric Effect in Ni2MnGa Heusler Alloy with the Effective Field Theory

Journal of Low Temperature Physics - This study modeled and investigated the magnetocaloric effect in Ni2MnGa Heusler alloy characterized by its magnetic entropy change (ΔSm) and its...     

供水管网DMA优化分区设计方案

实施独立计量分区(district metered area,DMA)是辅助供水管网管理和漏损识别的重要手段.图划分算法是进行DMA分区的方法之一,常规图划分算法应用中,存在解空间受限、分区后原水流状态易发生较大改变、形成较多串联分区(对流量计算不利)的缺点.在常规图划分算法基础上进行了改进:粗化阶段按照特定规则匹配、合并非输水干管两端的节点,形成简化的管网拓扑结构;分区阶段得到管网初步分区方案;细化阶段提出基于贪心算法、枚举算法、蒙特卡洛算法的分区调整方法,结合改进的仪表安置方法、水力模拟、优劣解距离法(technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution,TOPSIS),对分区方案进行调整.将该方法应用于YX市供水管网,成功进行了分区.