Expanding the Spectrum of Antibiotics Capable of Killing Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Infections from antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are a serious threat because reduced antibiotic efficacy complicates treatment decisions and prolongs the disease state in many patients. To expand the arsenal of treatments against antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens, 600-Da branched polyethylenimine (BPEI) can overcome antibiotic resistance mechanisms and potentiate β-lactam antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria. BPEI binds cell-wall teichoic acids and disables resistance factors from penicillin binding proteins PBP2a and PBP4. This study describes a new mechanism of action for BPEI potentiation of antibiotics generally regarded as agents effective against Gram-positive pathogens but not Gram-negative bacteria. 600-Da BPEI is able to reduce the barriers to drug influx and facilitate the uptake of a non-β-lactam co-drug, erythromycin, which targets the intracellular machinery. Also, BPEI can suppress production of the cytokine interleukin IL-8 by human epithelial keratinocytes. This enables BPEI to function as a broad-spectrum antibiotic potentiator, and expands the opportunities to improve drug design, antibiotic development, and therapeutic approaches against pathogenic bacteria, especially for wound care.     

Characterization of host response to bruchids (Callosobruchus chinensis and C. maculatus) in 39 genotypes belongs to 12 Cajanus spp. And assessment of molecular diversity inter se

Thirty nine genotypes belong to 12 Cajanus species were characterized for host response to bruchids (C. chinensis and C. maculatus) using no-choice based in vivo and in vitro antibiosis assay, and these assays revealed seven genotypes of primary gene pool (C. cajan) were more susceptible to bruchid infestation as compared to the genotypes of secondary and tertiary gene pools. Among all the genotypes, C. cajanifolius acc. ICPW-31 showed higher degree of resistance to both the bruchids. The molecular diversity using CDDP and SCoT markers showed wide range of genetic variations among the 12 species of Cajanus, and was supported by estimates of Nei's genetic distance and fixation index (F_ST) based haplotype matrix. The genetic structure showed clustering of 39 genotypes into eight distinct groups (K = 8) on the basis of their allelic composition, and among them C. cajanifolius acc. ICPW 31 and ICPW 30 showed close affinity with the cultivars of C. cajan by sharing several alleles. AMOVA analyses showed the existence of higher extent of genetic variation both at the genotype (37%) and species (63%) level in the genus Cajanus. The dendrogram and the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) placed the 39 genotypes into six major clusters at par with their sectional classification. MCheza and ARLEQUIN based outlier analysis revealed 13 common loci under balancing selection, which are supposed to be involved in maintenance of genetic polymorphism either at species or genotype level, and are assigned to putative gene families such as KNOX, WRKY, ERF, MYB, ABP1 and MADS. The in vivo and in vitro bruchid assay vis-à-vis the DNA marker based molecular diversity analysis affirmed the possible use of C. cajanifolius acc. ICPW-31 as donor genotype for the introgression of bruchid resistance allele(s) into cultivated genetic background.     

Effects of Fe/Ni Ratio on Microstructure and Properties of FeNiCrAlNb High-Entropy Alloys

Herein, the effects of Fe/Ni ratio on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution of Fe_xNi_65−xCr₂₀Al₁₀Nb₅ are investigated systematically. It is found that the phases shifted from the FCC-dominated to the BCC-dominated with the molar ratio of the Fe/Ni increased. The strength of Fe_xNi_65−xCr₂₀Al₁₀Nb₅ increases with the molar ratio of Fe/Ni further increased, while the plasticity decreases. The yield strength reaches 1,653 MPa at x = 45. The alloy exhibits the best corrosion resistance when x = 35 which is attributed to the dominant FCC phases in the dendritic region.     

La2O3对TiAl合金激光熔覆γ/Cr7C3/TiC 复合材料涂层组织与性能的影响

研究了添加不同含量稀土氧化物La2O3对TiAl合金预涂NiCr-Cr3C2混合粉末激光熔覆复合材料涂层组织、耐磨性及抗氧化性能的影响，分析了La2O3的作用机理。结果表明，激光熔覆涂层的组织主要由大量较规则初生块状Cr2C3，细小粒状或树枝状TiC以及γ／Cr2C3共晶组成；随着La2O3的加入，初生相明显细化、球化，共晶组织数量增多，适当的(质量分数4％）La2O3的添加能提高涂层的硬度、韧性和耐磨性，并改善其抗氧化性能。这主要是由于稀土元素对显微组织的细化和涂层的净化作用，显微组织的细化提高了涂层的强度、韧性和硬度，而涂层的净化可以降低其夹杂物的含量，进而提高氧化膜的致密性和附着性，这些都有利于提高其耐磨性和抗氧化性。     

蝶式缓冲止回阀的结构分析及优化设计

采用ANSYS Workbench软件对蝶式缓冲止回阀进行静力学结构仿真分析,并基于仿真分析数据对阀板的结构进行了结构优化。优化后蝶板厚度为28mm,比优化前减小了2mm;阀板的开度可以达到32°,流阻系数为0.204,比优化前降低了0.016;减少了能量损失,提高了阀门的效率。     

连铸机拉矫液压装置电气控制

介绍了三炼钢厂连铸机拉矫液压装置电气控制系统硬件组成，顺序控制软件程序和数据通讯以及作者调试体会。     

铈镧混合稀土对AZ91D压铸镁合金显微组织和蠕变性能的影响

研究了不同含量Ce/La(x=0,0.1,0.5,1.0)对AZ91D镁合金显微组织及蠕变性能的影响。通过X射线衍射(XRD)、金相显微镜(OM)、扫描电镜(SEM)及能谱分析(EDX)观察与分析表明,压铸AZ91D镁合金中添加Ce/La后,除了α-Mg,β-Mg17Al12相之外,还生成了新的稀土化合物Al11RE3(RE=Ce/La)化合物,并且细化了合金显微组织、提高了合金室温和高温力学性能。生成的Al11RE3(RE=Ce/La)高温热稳定相使AZ91D+xCe/La(x=0,0.1,0.5,1.0)合金在150℃,50MPa下的蠕变抗力优于AZ91D镁合金,1%Ce/La的合金与AZ91D相比,蠕变延伸率低了0.2%,最小蠕变速率从2.30×10-8s-1降低到2.02×10-8s-1。蠕变试样的微观组织结构分析表明:AZ91D合金的蠕变机制主要以晶界滑移方式为主,Al11RE3(RE=Ce/La)热稳定相在晶界处延缓和阻碍了晶界断裂的过程。     

太阳能汽车车身外形设计要素分析

太阳能汽车利用太阳能驱动且无有害排放物,被称为"未来汽车"。以太阳能汽车为主题,重点介绍了国内外具有代表性的各种太阳能汽车车身外形,分析了车身外形设计要素,认为降低空气阻力、减小滚动阻力,以及增加太阳能的采集,可以有效减少能耗、提高能效。着重从低风阻、车身轻量化,以及太阳能电池板放置来探讨太阳能汽车车身外形的设计。