Propeller Design for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle by the Lifting-line Method based on OpenProp and CFD

A high-efficiency propeller can enable a long mission duration for autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs).In this study,a new method with OpenProp coupled with computational fluid dynamics was developed to design a propeller for an Explorer100 AUV.The towed system simulation of the AUV was used to measure the nominal wake,and a self-propulsion simulation was used to measure the effective wake at the disc plane just in front of a propeller.Two propellers referring to the nominal wake(propeller 1)and effective wake(propeller 2)were designed with OpenProp and appended with the AUV for self-propulsion simulations,respectively.Through the numerical simulation of the AUV self-propulsion tests,the cruising velocity of AUV was obtained.The flow characteristics of the self-propulsion in pressure and velocity contours were also analyzed.The propeller designed with an effective wake improved the thrust,velocity,and efficiency by approximately 11.3%,6.7%,and 2.5%,respectively,as compared with those with a nominal wake.The cruising velocity of the final designed propeller for the Explorer100 AUV improved by 21.8%,as compared to that of the original propeller from the AUV free-running tests.

非金属掺杂提升铂族金属电催化剂性能

铂族金属(PGM)催化剂被认为是用于能量转换和存储设备(如燃料电池和水电解器)的最佳催化剂之一,但活性和稳定性不足极大地限制了其商业化应用.近年来,非金属原子(氢、硼、碳、氮、磷和硫等)掺杂策略引起了广泛关注,该方法可以对铂族金属的精细电子和配位结构进行调控,从而优化铂族金属的电催化活性和稳定性.非金属掺杂具有独特的优势:首先,非金属的原子半径较小,可以进入铂族金属的间隙位点,为调节铂族金属的电子结构提供了更多的可能性;其次,掺杂的非金属会诱导强电荷转移,并与主体金属产生s,p-d杂化,这与金属-金属合金中的d-d轨道耦合不同;第三,非金属掺杂的铂族金属基催化剂由于具有较强的非金属-金属键,从而表现出较好的耐久性.本文详细探讨了非金属掺杂铂族金属催化剂的合成和应用,并揭示了非金属掺杂的催化机理和构效关系.本文总结了非金属掺杂铂族金属基催化剂在电催化领域的一些代表性进展,讨论了影响催化剂活性和稳定性的关键因素,并介绍了非金属掺杂改善铂族金属基催化剂性能的基本原理.探讨了非金属掺杂铂族金属基催化剂的表征技术和理论方法,其中包括可直接观测到非金属原子的先进成像技术以及原位表征方法,辅助以密度泛函理论以及分子动力学模拟等理论计算方法,以进一步揭示催化剂性能增强机制.详细列举了非金属掺杂铂族电催化剂的合成方法,从气相沉积、高温热解、湿化学合成到电化学原位合成,提供了详尽的合成方案,并提出了针对贵金属活性中心的非金属修饰策略,旨在为未来材料设计提供启示.概述了非金属掺杂铂族金属基催化剂在电催化中的应用,重点揭示了非金属掺杂带来的结构-性能构效关系.在活性方面,非金属掺杂可以从配体效应、应力效应、微应变等方面影响铂族金属的d带重心,从而影响活性位点与反应中间体的吸附,而这种影响作用也因每种非金属的电负性、原子半径、掺杂方式等不同而不同,可通过调控掺杂种类/方式实现精细调控;同时,非贵金属的协同效应可以增强对OH的吸附,抑制活性位点的毒化.在稳定性方面,非金属可以通过与金属形成稳定的金属-非金属键抑制金属的溶解,或者减弱金属与氧的相互作用,防止其被氧化;同时,非金属的掺入可以提高金属的功函数,提高其溶解电位,从而提升催化剂稳定性.最后,本文提出了该类电催化材料面临的机遇和挑战,其中包括:(1)开发更加可控的非金属掺杂策略;(2)更加深入地研究非金属掺杂带来的构效关系;(3)探索新的非金属掺杂催化剂,并进一步拓展到其他催化领域;(4)发展抑制非金属组分溶解的通用策略;(5)重视催化剂在器件层面的性能评估.综上,本文不仅为非金属掺杂贵金属基催化剂进一步的研究提供启示,还为深入理解催化、纳米材料的合成提供参考.

Establishment and transcriptome analysis of single blastomerederived cell lines from zebrafish

Maintaining chromosome euploidy in zebrafish embryonic cells is challenging because of the degradation of genomic integrity during cell passaging.In this study,we report the derivation of zebrafish cell lines from single blastomeres.These cell lines have a stable chromosome status attributed to BMP4 and exhibit continuous proliferation in vitro.Twenty zebrafish cell lines are successfully established from single blastomeres.Single-cell transcriptome sequencing analysis confirms the fidelity of gene expression profiles throughout long-term culturing of at least 45 passages.The long-term cultured cells are specialized into epithelial cells,exhibiting similar expression patterns validated by integrative transcriptomic analysis.Overall,this work provides a protocol for establishing zebrafish cell lines from single blastomeres,which can serve as valuable tools for in vitro investigations of epithelial cell dynamics in terms of lifeedeath balance and cell fate determination during normal homeostasis.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide/Visible-Light Comediated Chemoselective C-S Bond Formation Between Tryptophans and Thiophenols Enables Site-Selective Functionalization of Peptides

Late-stage peptide modification showcases a huge potential for the construction of peptide libraries,and the investigation of structure-activity relationships.Herein we report a dimethyl sulfoxide/visible light comediated chemoselective modification of tryptophan residue by forging the C-S structure using thiophenols irradiated with blue light-emitting diodes at room temperature.This method shows excellent chemoselectivity toward the C-2 position of the tryptophan residue and good compatibility with diverse thiophenol derivatives bearing various functional groups.Both protected oligopeptides and unmasked bioactive peptides smoothly underwent site-selective modification,furnishing the corresponding products.Above all,this study provides a new competent toolkit for late-stage peptide modification,labelling,and peptide-drug conjugation and provides a clue for protein bioconjugation.

Unveiling the existence and ecological hazards of trace organic pollutants in wastewater treatment plant effluents across China

The presence of trace organic pollutants in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs)poses considerable risks to aquatic organisms and human health.A large-scale survey of 302 trace organic pollutants in the effluent of 46 Chinese WWTPs was conducted to gain an improved understanding of their occurrence and ecological risks.The survey data showed that 216 compounds in 11 chemical classes had been detected in effluents.The sum concentrations of the trace contaminants in effluent ranged from 1,392 ng/L to 35,453 ng/L,with the maximum concentration of perfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs)recorded as the highest(30,573 ng/L),which was markedly less than the reported 185,000 ng/L for the 38 American WWTPs.The concentration of bisphenol analogs(BPs)was up to 4,422 ng/L,significantly higher than those reported in France,Germany,Japan,Korea,and the U.S.PFASs and BPs were the major pollutants,accounting for 59%of the total pollution.Additionally,a total of 119 contaminants were found to have ecological risks(RQ>0.01).Among these,23 contaminants(RQ>1.0)warrant higher attention and should be prioritized for removal.This study lists valuable information for controlling contaminants with higher priority in WWTP effluent in China.

Introducing Covalent Metal-Phosphorus Bonds into Intermetallic Platinum-Based Catalysts for High-Performance Fuel Cells

The inadequate performance of oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)catalysts hampers the development of proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs).Herein,we proposed an approach to tackle this problem by modulating the chemical bond type of intermetallic Pt-based catalysts,using phosphorus(P)doped L1_(0)-PtFeGa_(0.1)/C(P-L1_(0)-PtFeGa_(0.1)/C)as a proof of concept.X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS)demonstrated that the doped P transferred electrons to Pt,and thus,modified the electronic structure of Pt,weakening the adsorption strength with oxygen-containing species.Therefore P-L1_(0)-PtFeGa_(0.1)/C showed 13 times mass activity(MA)compared with commercial Pt/C,with a decay of only 28%after 100,000 potential cycles.When equipped in the membrane electrode assembly,the P-L1_(0)-PtFeGa_(0.1)/C catalyst also exhibited a remarkable activity(MA=0.84 A mgPt^(−1)at 0.9 V)and stability(MA retention=72%and voltage loss=9 mVat 0.8 A cm^(−2)after 30,000 cycles),making it one of the best performers among recorded Pt-based catalysts.Theoretical studies demonstrated that the doping of P optimized the adsorption energy between Pt and oxygen intermediates through sp-d orbital interactions and prevented metal dissolution by forming stronger Pt-P covalent bonds compared with Pt–Pt bonds.

Surgical decompression in acute spinal cord injury： A review of clinical evidence, animal model studies, and potential future directions of investigation

The goal for treatment in acute spinal cord injury （SCI） is to reduce the extent of secondary damage and facilitate neurologic regeneration and functional recovery. Although multiple studies have investigated potential new therapies for the treatment of acute SCI, outcomes and management protocols aimed at ameliorating neurologic injury in patients remain ineffective. More recent clinical and basic science research have shown surgical interventions to be a potentially valuable modality for treatment; however, the role and timing of surgical decompression, in addition to the optimal surgical intervention, remain one of the most controversial topics pertaining to surgical treatment of acute SCI. As an increasing number of potential treatment modalities emerge, animal models are pivotal for investigating its clinical application and translation into human trials. This review critically appraises the available literature for both clinical and basic science studies to highlight the extent of investigation that has occurred, specific therapies considered, and potential areas for future research.

Effect of pyrophosphate on the light scatter in KDP crystal

Pyrophosphate doped potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal was grown from aqueous solution by the temperature lowering method. Light scatter in KDP crystal was detected with the ultramicroscopic method. The light scatter in KDP crystal was aggravated when pyro-phosphate was doped into the growth solution, which was distributed ununiformly in prism and pyramidal sectors of KDP crystal. Different effects of pyrophosphate on prism and pyramidal sectors of KDP crystal can explain this case. The transmission in this crystal was measured, showing that pyrophosphate affects the transmission evidently.

A targeted nanoplatform co-delivery of pooled siRNA and doxorubicin for reversing of multidrug resistance in breast cancer

Multi-drug resistance(MDR)has become the largest obstacle to the success of cancer patients receiving traditional chemotherapeutics or novel targeted drugs.Here,we developed a targeted nanoplatform based on biodegradable boronic acid modifiedε-polylysine to co-deliver P-gp siRNA,Bcl-2 siRNA,and doxorubicin for overcoming the challenge.The targeted nanoplatform showed a robust suppressing efficiency for the invasion,proliferation,and colony formation of adriamycin(ADR)resistant breast cancer cell line(MCF-7/ADR)cells in vitro.The ATP responsiveness of the nanoplatform was also proved in the research.In the in vivo antitumor experiment,the targeted nanoplatform showed a significant inhibition of tumor growth with good biocompatibility.The goal of this study is to develop a novel and facile strategy to prepare a highly efficient and safe gene and drug delivery system for MDR breast cancer based on biocompatibleε-polylysine polymers.

POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO PERIODIC BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS FOR SINGULAR NON-LINEAR SECOND ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

In this paper, we investigate the problem of the existence of positive solutions to a non-linear second-order periodic boundary value problem. The proof relies on a non-linear alternative of Leray-Schauder type and a fxed point theorem in cones.

Neddylation is a novel therapeutic target for lupus by regulating double negative T cell homeostasis

Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),a severe autoimmune disorder,is characterized by systemic inflammatory response,autoantibody accumulation and damage to organs.The dysregulation of double-negative(DN)T cells is considered as a crucial commander during SLE.Neddylation,a significant type of protein post-translational modification(PTM),has been well-proved to regulate T cell-mediated immune response.However,the function of neddylation in SLE is still unknown.Here,we reported that neddylation inactivation with MLN4924,a specific inhibitor of NEDD8-activating enzyme E1(NAE1),or genetic abrogation of Ube2m in T cells decreased DN T cell accumulation and attenuated murine lupus development.Further investigations revealed that inactivation of neddylation blocked Bim ubiquitination degradation and maintained Bim level in DN T cells,contributing to the apoptosis of the accumulated DN T cells in lupus mice.Then double knockout(KO)lupus-prone mice(Ube2m-/-Bim-/-lpr)were generated and results showed that loss of Bim reduced Ube2m deficiency-induced apoptosis in DN T cells and reversed the alleviated lupus progression.Our findings identified that neddylation inactivation promoted Bim-mediated DN T cell apoptosis and attenuated lupus progression.Clinically,we also found that in SLE patients,the proportion of DN T cells was raised and their apoptosis was reduced.Moreover,compared to healthy groups,SLE patients exhibited decreased Bim levels and elevated Cullin1 neddylation levels.Meantime,the inhibition of neddylation induced Bim-dependent apoptosis of DN T cells isolated from SLE patients.Altogether,our findings provide the direct evidence about the function of neddylation during lupus,suggesting a promising therapeutic approach for this disease.

Restoration of electrical microenvironment enhances bone regeneration under diabetic conditions by modulating macrophage polarization

Macrophage-mediated inflammation compromises bone repair in diabetic patients.Electrical signaling cues are known to regulate macrophage functions.However,the biological effects of electrical microenvironment from charged biomaterials on the immune response for regulating osteogenesis under diabetic conditions remain to be elucidated.Herein the endogeneous electrical microenvironment of native bone tissue was recapitulated by fabricating a ferroelectric BaTiO_(3)/poly(vinylidene fluoridetrifluoroethylene)(BTO/P(VDF-TrFE))nanocomposite membrane.In vitro,the polarized BaTiO_(3)/poly(vinylidene fluoridetrifluoroethylene)(BTO/P(VDF-TrFE))nanocomposite membranes inhibited high glucose-induced M1-type inflammation,by effecting changes in cell morphology,M1 marker expression and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in macrophages.This led to enhanced osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BM-MSCs).In vivo,the biomimetic electrical microenvironment recapitulated by the polarized nanocomposite membranes switched macrophage phenotype from the pro-inflammatory(M1)into the pro-healing(M2)phenotype,which in turn enhanced bone regeneration in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Mechanistic studies revealed that the biomimetic electrical microenvironment attenuated pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage polarization under hyperglycemic conditions by suppressing expression of AKT2 and IRF5 within the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway,thereby inducing favorable osteo-immunomodulatory effects.Our study thus provides fundamental insights into the biological effects of restoring the electrical microenvironment conducive for osteogenesis under DM conditions,and offers an effective strategy to design functionalized biomaterials for bone regeneration therapy in diabetic patients.

An imputed whole-genome sequence-based GWAS approach pinpoints causal mutations for complex traits in a specific swine population

Sequencing-based genome-wide association studies(GWAS) have facilitated the identification of causal associations between genetic variants and traits in diverse species. However, it is cost-prohibitive for the majority of research groups to sequence a large number of samples. Here, we carried out genotype imputation to increase the density of single nucleotide polymorphisms in a large-scale Swine F;population using a reference panel including 117 individuals, followed by a series of GWAS analyses. The imputation accuracies reached 0.89 and 0.86 for allelic concordance and correlation, respectively. A quantitative trait nucleotide(QTN) affecting the chest vertebrate was detected directly, while the investigation of another QTN affecting the residual glucose failed due to the presence of similar haplotypes carrying wild-type and mutant allelesin the reference panel used in this study. A high imputation accuracy was confirmed by Sanger sequencing technology for the most significant loci. Two candidate genes,CPNE5 and MYH3, affecting meat-related traits were proposed. Collectively, we illustrated four scenarios in imputation-based GWAS that may be encountered by researchers, and our results will provide an extensive reference for future genotype imputation-based GWAS analyses in the future.

Seasonal dynamics of iron and phosphorus in reservoir sediments in Eucalyptus plantation region

Background:Iron(Fe)and phosphorus(P)dynamics in sediments have direct and indirect impacts on water quality.However,the mobility of P and Fe in reservoir sediments in Eucalyptus plantation region remains unclear.This study examined P and Fe pollution in sediments in a Eucalyptus plantation region using the novel planar optode,the ZrO-Chelex DGT,and the DIFS model.Results:Direct in situ investigations showed that the levels of labile P and Fe were smaller in the Eucalyptus species-dominated sediments(X2)compared to sediments without Eucalyptus species(X1).The mean concentration of labile P and Fe decreased by 25%and 42%from X1 to X2.The decrement was insignificant(p=0.20)in the surface sediment concentration for labile P.The significant disparity for DGT-Fe(Fe^(2+))(p=0.03)observed in the surface sediments could be attributed to the Eucalyptus species’elevated organic matter(tannins)concentration at X2,which reacted and consumed labile Fe.For both regions,the maximum concentration of labile P and Fe occurred in November(autumn).The reductive decomposition of Fe/Mn oxides was recognized as the main driver for their high P efflux in July and November.Low concentration of labile P and Fe was observed in December(winter)due to the adsorption of Fe/Mn oxides.The concentration of labile Fe synchronizes uniformly with that of labile P in both sediments indicating the existence of a coupling relationship(r>0.8,p<0.01)in both regions.The positive diffusion fluxes in both regions suggested that the sediments release labile P and Fe.The fluxes of labile P and Fe in both regions were substantially higher(p<0.05)in the summer(anoxic period)than winter(aerobic period),indicating that hypoxia and redox conditions influenced the seasonal efflux of labile P and Fe.From the DIFS model,the replenishment ability of reactive P was higher during the anoxic period(R=0.7,k_(1)=79.4 day^(-1),k_(-1)=0.2 day^(-1))than the aerobic period(R=0.4,k_(1)=14.2 day^(-1),k_(-1)=0.1 day^(-1)),suggesting that oxygen inhibited the efflux of P in the sediments.Conclusion:Our results indicated that hypoxia,Eucalyptus species(organic matter(tannins)),and redox conditions influenced the seasonal mobility of sediment labile P and Fe.Our findings provided an insight into the mobility of labile P and Fe in Eucalyptus-dominated sediments and,moreover,serves as a reference for developing future studies on Eucalyptus-dominated sediments.

Overlying water fluoride concentrations influence dissolved organic matter composition and migration from pore water in sediment via bacterial mechanisms

Fluoride(F^(-))is widespread in aquatic environments;however,it is not clear whether the fluctuation of F^(-)concentrations in overlying lake water affects the composition and migration of dissolved organic matter(DOM)from sediment.A case study was presented in Sand Lake,China,and an experiment was conducted to analyze the influence of different F^(-)concentrations in overlying water on DOM characteristics.Diffusion resulted in similarities in DOM components between overlying and pore waters,and bacterial activities and enzyme variation resulted in differences between them.Higher F^(-)concentrations in overlying water resulted in a higher pH of pore water,which favored the enrichment of protein-like substances.Higher F^(-)concentrations caused lower DOM concentrations and lower maximum fluorescence intensities(Fmax)of protein-like components in pore water.The F^(-)concentrations had significantly negative correlations with Shannon indexes(P<0.05).Thiobacillus influenced the migration of tyrosinelike substances by decreasing the pH of pore water.Trichococcus and Fusibacter altered the Fmax of protein-like,humic-like,and fulvic-like substances.The F^(-)concentrations affected the DOM composition and migration due to the response of functional bacterial communities,which were positively correlated with the relative abundance of Thiobacillus and negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Trichococcus and Fusibacter.The high F^(-)concentrations influenced the biosynthesis and degradation of protein-like substances by shifting the abundances of the relevant enzymes.The results of this study may provide ideas for investigating DOM cycling under the influence of F^(-),especially in lakes with fluctuations in F^(-)concentrations.

Inclusions in DKDP crystal

The shape and the size of inclusions in DKDP crystal have been observed and measured microscopically. Three kinds of inclusions were found and the components of the inclusions were measured. The formation mechanisms were proposed and discussed.

Derivation of zebrafish heart-related haploid cells

The first long-term cultured haploid embryonic stem cell(ESC)line was established from medaka fish,which represented a breakthrough in vertebrates(Yi et al.,2009).Subsequently,haploid ESC lines were established from mammals and used for genetic analysis and complex genetic manipulation(Elling et al.,2011;Yang et al.,2012).The diploidization of haploid cells is an interesting biological phenomenon and has been widely studied,but the mechanism of diploidization has not yet been fully resolved(Sun et al.,2020).The zebrafish is an excellent vertebrate animal model used in biological studies(Huang et al.,2022).Researchers have isolated many cell lines from zebrafish,such as the zebrafish fibroblast line ZF4(Driever and Rangini,1993).However,there have been no reports regarding stable haploid cell lines of zebrafish,and whether diploidization occurs in zebrafish is unclear.