Multi-physical fields distribution in billet during helical electromagnetic stirring:A numerical simulation research

Electromagnetic stirring is one of the widely applied techniques to modify the quality of casting billets.Different from conventional rotate stirring,the helical stirring is more professional in assisting multi-dimensional flow of molten metal and eliminating solidification defects.In this study,the single-winding helical stirring(SWHS)was introduced,offering advantages such as smaller volume and lower electromagnetic shielding compared to traditional helical stirring methods.Following a comprehensive numerical simulation,the stirring parameters of SWHS were adjusted to yoke inclination angle of 43°and frequency of 12 Hz.The higher electromagnetic force and flow velocity in drawing direction,as well as the lower temperature gradient induced by the SWHS,are positive factors for homogeneous solidification of billet.The experimental results on Al-8%Si alloy and 0.4%C-1.1%Mn steel demonstrate that compared to rotate stirring,the SWHS process can induce better billet quality and is more effective in accelerating the equiaxed expansion and reducing element segregation.The SWHS process can enhance the equiaxed ratio of the billet by 58.3%and reduce segregation degree of carbon element by 10.97%.Consequently,SWHS holds great promise as a potential approach for improving the quality of continuous casting billets.

Integrated data mining and network pharmacology to discover a novel traditional Chinese medicine prescription against diabetic retinopathy and reveal its mechanism

Background:Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is currently the leading cause of blindness in elderly individuals with diabetes.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)prescriptions have shown remarkable effectiveness for treating DR.This study aimed to screen a novel TCM prescription against DR from patents and elucidate its medication rule and molecular mechanism using data mining,network pharmacology,molecular docking and molecular dynamics(MD)simulation.Method:TCM prescriptions for treating DR was collected from patents and a novel TCM prescription was identified using data mining.Subsequently,the mechanism of the novel TCM prescription against DR was explored by constructing a network of core TCMs-core active ingredients-core targets-core pathways.Finally,molecular docking and MD simulation were employed to validate the findings from network pharmacology.Result:The TCMs of the collected prescriptions primarily possessed bitter and cold properties with heat-clearing and supplementing effects,attributed to the liver,lung and kidney channels.Notably,a novel TCM prescription for treating DR was identified,composed of Lycii Fructus,Chrysanthemi Flos,Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix.Twenty core active ingredients and ten core targets of the novel TCM prescription for treating DR were screened.Moreover,the novel TCM prescription played a crucial role for treating DR by inhibiting inflammatory response,oxidative stress,retinal pigment epithelium cell apoptosis and retinal neovascularization through various pathways,such as the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications and the MAPK signaling pathway.Finally,molecular docking and MD simulation demonstrated that almost all core active ingredients exhibited satisfactory binding energies to core targets.Conclusions:This study identified a novel TCM prescription and unveiled its multi-component,multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics for treating DR.These findings provide a scientific basis and novel insights into the development of drugs for DR prevention and treatment.