Flexible poly(styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene) hybrid nanofibers for bioengineering and water filtration applications

Among the thermoplastic elastomers that play important roles in the polymer industry due to their superior properties, styrene-based species and polyurethane block copolymers are of great interest. Poly(styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene) (SEBS) as a triblock copolymer seems to have the potential to meet many demands in different applications due to various industrial requirements where durability, biocompatibility, breaking elongation, and interfacial adhesion are important. In this study, the SEBS triblock copolymer was functionalized with natural (Satureja hortensis, SH) and synthetic (nanopowder, TiO₂) agents to obtain composite nanofibers by electrospinning and electrospraying methods for use in biomedical and water filtration applications. The results were compared with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite nanofibers, which are commonly used in these fields. Here, functionalized SEBS nanofibers exhibited antibacterial effect while at the same time improving cell viability. In addition, because of successful water filtration by using the SEBS composite nanofibers, the material may have a good potential to be used comparably to TPU for the application.     

豫西雷门沟钼矿水文地质条件分析及涌水量预测

豫西熊耳山雷门沟钼矿床位于东秦岭多金属成矿带东段,是已探明的超大型斑岩型钼矿,前人研究程度高、地质成果丰硕,但对矿床开采技术条件方面研究较少。本次通过地质调查工程、水文地质试验等方法,从水文地质角度,对雷门沟钼矿床水文地质条件进行研究,填补了该方面的空白,丰富了研究成果；采用水文地质比拟法预测未来矿坑最大排水量2613 m³/d,经实践检验结果较为可靠；总结的采坑排水量预测方法、含水层特点、矿床充水因素以及防治水措施,以期对该区域水文地质工作具有参考价值。     

Biological Water Treatment by a Hybrid Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor: Theoretical Study

A hybrid fluidized-bed bioreactor for water purification was proposed and analyzed. It is a novel type of bioreactor characterized by hitherto unknown stationary and dynamic features. Steady-state characteristics of this hybrid bioreactor with external liquid circulation are presented. A quantitative analysis of steady-state properties of the bioreactor was performed with the aid of an original mathematical model developed for a double-substrate aerobic microbiological process. A steady-state analysis of aerobic processes characterized by different oxygen demand was performed. The effect of essential parameters was evaluated, including carbonaceous substrate concentration in the feed stream to the apparatus, aeration intensity, total residence time of a liquid in the bioreactor, and height of the bed of fine carrier particles.     

microRNA在亨廷顿病中的研究进展

亨廷顿病(Huntington's disease, HD)是神经退行性疾病(neurodegenerative disorders)中一种单基因遗传病,由亨廷顿基因(the huntingtin gene, HTT)第一个外显子中的CAG三核苷酸序列重复扩增引起,尚无法治愈。HTT编码的蛋白产物被称为亨廷顿蛋白(Huntingtin protein, Htt)。突变亨廷顿蛋白(mutated huntingtin protein, mHtt)容易形成聚集体,具有毒性,导致一系列细胞学异常和神经元功能障碍。microRNA(miRNA)在基因转录后水平调控中起重要作用,其表达的改变与HD病理过程有关,成为治疗HD的潜在生物标志物。近年来,对一些特定miRNA在HD中调控机制及靶基因预测方面的研究可为HD提供潜在的治疗方法。本文就miRNA在HD中的相关研究进展进行综述。     

电磁精细探测法在隐伏型导水地质裂缝勘探中的应用

针对传统隐伏型导水地质裂缝勘探方法存在勘测精度较差的问题,提出电磁精细探测法探析隐伏型导水地质裂缝。依照屏蔽系数、实测场强和理论场强数据绘制综合曲线图,通过该图获取隐伏型导水地质裂缝所处位置几何阴影范围,采用层析成像法得到网格化的工作面,获取隐伏型导水地质图像。通过图像直接观测隐伏型导水地质工作面裂缝所处位置,在此基础上,观测四个电磁场分量,采用正交电磁场分量计算介质视电阻率,依据计算视电阻率数值和视电阻率分布状态研究裂缝发育情况和裂缝富水程度。结果表明:采用该方法能较为精准地获取隐伏型导水地质裂缝位置。通过裂缝位置进一步检测出隐伏型导水地质裂缝最大发育高度为63.5 m。当视电阻数值不断增加时,隐伏型导水地质裂缝和裂缝富水性逐渐减小,与实际情况较为相符,说明该种方法探析效果较好。     

Interaction of graphene,MnOx, and Ca2+ for enhanced biomimetic, ‘bubble-free’ oxygen evolution reaction at mild pH

Water electrolysis powered by renewable electricity will likely be critical to a future hydrogen economy. However, the typical use of strongly acidic or alkaline electrolytes necessitates the use of expensive materials, while bubbles add to capital and operational costs, due to blocking of the electrode surface and the necessary use of pumps and gas-liquid separators. Here ‘bubble-free’ oxygen evolution at mild pH is carried out using an electrocatalyst that mimics photosystem II (PSII). The bubble-free electrode includes a gas-extracting Gore-Tex® membrane. Edge-functionalised graphene (EFG) is included to mimic the metal-binding local protein environment, and the tyrosine residue, in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of PSII, while MnO_x and Ca²⁺ are incorporated to mimic the Mn₄CaO₅ cluster. Interaction between EFG, MnO_x, and Ca²⁺ results in a significant, 130 mV fall in the overpotential required to drive electrocatalytic oxygen evolution at 10 mA cm⁻², compared to the electrode without these biomimetic components.     

Characterizing physical habitat preferences and thermal refuge occupancy of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at high river temperatures

Anthropogenic influences, including climate change, are increasing river temperatures in northern and temperate regions and threatening the thermal habitats of native salmonids. When river temperatures exceed the tolerance levels of brook trout and Atlantic salmon, individuals exhibit behavioural thermoregulation by seeking out cold‐water refugia – often created by tributaries and groundwater discharge. Thermal infrared (TIR) imagery was used to map cold‐water anomalies along a 53 km reach of the Cains River, New Brunswick. Trout and salmon parr did not use all identified thermal anomalies as refugia during higher river temperature periods (>21°C). Most small‐bodied trout (8–30 cm) were observed in 80% of the thermal anomalies sampled. Large‐bodied trout (>35 cm) required a more specific set of physical habitat conditions for suitable refugia, that is, 100% of observed large trout used 30% of the anomalies sampled and required water depths >65 cm within or adjacent to the anomaly. Densities of trout were significantly higher within anomalies compared with areas of ambient river temperature. Salmon parr were less aligned with thermal anomalies at the observed temperatures, that is, 59% were found in 65% of the sampled anomalies; and densities were not significantly different within/ outside anomalies. Salmon parr appeared to aggregate at 27°C, and after several events over 27°C variability in aggregation behaviour was observed – some fish aggregated at 25°C, others did not. We stipulate this is due to variances of thermal fatigue. Habitat suitability curves were developed for velocity, temperature, depth, substrate, and deep water availability to characterize conditions preferred by fish during high‐temperature events. These findings are useful for managers as our climate warms, and can potentially be used as a tool to help conserve and enhance thermal refugia for brook trout and Atlantic salmon in similar systems.