Magnesium(Mg)affects various critical physiological and biochemical processes in higher plants,and its deficiency impedes plant growth and development.Although potassium(K)-induced Mg deficiency in agricultural produc...Magnesium(Mg)affects various critical physiological and biochemical processes in higher plants,and its deficiency impedes plant growth and development.Although potassium(K)-induced Mg deficiency in agricultural production is widespread,the specific relationship of K with Mg and especially its competitive nature is poorly understood.This review summarizes current knowledge on the interactions between K and Mg with respect to their root uptake,root-to-shoot translocation and distribution in plants.Their synergistic effects on certain physiological functions are also described.The antagonistic effect of K on Mg is stronger than that of Mg on K in root absorption and transport within plants,indicating that the balanced use of K and Mg fertilizers is necessary for sustaining high plant-available Mg and alleviating K-induced Mg deficiency,especially in plant species with high K demand or in highavailable-K soil.The relationship between Mg and K in plant tissues may be antagonistic or synergistic depending on plant species,cell type,leaf age,source-and sink organs.There are synergistic effects of K and Mg on photosynthesis,carbohydrate transport and allocation,nitrogen metabolism,and turgor regulation.Definition of optimal K/Mg ratios for soils and plant tissues is desirable for maintaining proper nutritional status in plants,leading to a physiological state supporting crop production.Future research should concentrate on identifying the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between K and Mg in a given physiological function.展开更多
Thermal properties of AlN-Si-Al composites produced by pressureless melt infiltration of Al/Al alloys into porous a-Si3N4 preforms were investigated in a temperature range of 50-300 °C. SEM and TEM investigations...Thermal properties of AlN-Si-Al composites produced by pressureless melt infiltration of Al/Al alloys into porous a-Si3N4 preforms were investigated in a temperature range of 50-300 °C. SEM and TEM investigations revealed that the grain size of AlN particles was less than 1 μm. In spite of sub-micron grain size, composites showed relatively high thermal conductivity （TC）, 55-107 W/（m·K）. The thermal expansion coefficient （CTE） of the composite produced with commercial Al source, which has the highest TC of 107 W/（m·K）, was 6.5×10-6 K-1. Despite the high CTE of Al （23.6×10-6 K-1）, composites revealed significantly low CTE through the formation of Si and AlN phases during the infiltration process.展开更多
Structural shape monitoring plays a vital role in the structural health monitoring systems.The inverse finite element method(iFEM)has been demonstrated to be a practical method of deformation reconstruction owing to i...Structural shape monitoring plays a vital role in the structural health monitoring systems.The inverse finite element method(iFEM)has been demonstrated to be a practical method of deformation reconstruction owing to its unique advantages.Current iFEM formulations have been applied to small deformation of structures based on the small-displacement assumption of linear theory.However,this assumption may be inapplicable to some structures with large displacements in practical applications.Therefore,geometric nonlinearity needs to be considered.In this study,to expand the practical utility of iFEM for large displacement monitoring,we propose a nonlinear iFEM algorithm based on a four-node inverse quadrilateral shell element iQS4.Taking the advantage of an iterative iFEM algorithm,a nonlinear response is linearized to compute the geometrically nonlinear deformation reconstruction,like the basic concept of nonlinear FE analysis.Several examples are solved to verify the proposed approach.It is demonstrated that large displacements can be accurately estimated even if the in-situ sensor data includes different levels of randomly generated noise.It is proven that the nonlinear iFEM algorithm provides a more accurate displacement response as compared to the linear iFEM methodology for structures undergoing large displacement.Hence,the proposed approach can be utilized as a viable tool to effectively characterize geometrically nonlinear deformations of structures in real-time applications.展开更多
This research discusses the separation of methane gas from three different gas mixtures,CH4/H2 S,CH4/N2 and CH4/CO2,using a modified silicon carbide nanosheet(Si CNS)membrane using both molecular dynamics(MD)and compu...This research discusses the separation of methane gas from three different gas mixtures,CH4/H2 S,CH4/N2 and CH4/CO2,using a modified silicon carbide nanosheet(Si CNS)membrane using both molecular dynamics(MD)and computational fluid dynamics(CFD)methods.The research examines the effects of different structures of the Si CNSs on the separation of these gas mixtures.Various parameters including the potential of the mean force,separation factor,permeation rate,selectivity and diffusivity are discussed in detail.Our MD simulations showed that the separation of CH4/H2 S,and CH4/CO2 mixtures was successful,while simulation demonstrated a poor result for the CH4/N2 mixture.The effect of temperature on the diffusivity of gas is also discussed,and a correlation is introduced for diffusivity as a function of temperature.The evaluated value for diffusivity is then used in the CFD method to investigate the permeation rate of gas mixtures.展开更多
Additive manufacturing(AM)has revolutionized the design and manufacturing of patient-specific,three-dimensional(3D),complex porous structures known as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.The use of advanced ...Additive manufacturing(AM)has revolutionized the design and manufacturing of patient-specific,three-dimensional(3D),complex porous structures known as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.The use of advanced image acquisition techniques,image processing,and computer-aided design methods has enabled the precise design and additive manufacturing of anatomically correct and patient-specific implants and scaffolds.However,these sophisticated techniques can be timeconsuming,labor-intensive,and expensive.Moreover,the necessary imaging and manufacturing equipment may not be readily available when urgent treatment is needed for trauma patients.In this study,a novel design and AM methods are proposed for the development of modular and customizable scaffold blocks that can be adapted to fit the bone defect area of a patient.These modular scaffold blocks can be combined to quickly form any patient-specific scaffold directly from two-dimensional(2D)medical images when the surgeon lacks access to a 3D printer or cannot wait for lengthy 3D imaging,modeling,and 3D printing during surgery.The proposed method begins with developing a bone surface-modeling algorithm that reconstructs a model of the patient’s bone from 2D medical image measurements without the need for expensive 3D medical imaging or segmentation.This algorithm can generate both patient-specific and average bone models.Additionally,a biomimetic continuous path planning method is developed for the additive manufacturing of scaffolds,allowing porous scaffold blocks with the desired biomechanical properties to be manufactured directly from 2D data or images.The algorithms are implemented,and the designed scaffold blocks are 3D printed using an extrusion-based AM process.Guidelines and instructions are also provided to assist surgeons in assembling scaffold blocks for the self-repair of patient-specific large bone defects.展开更多
In this paper,we study the generalized complete(p,q)-elliptic integrals of the first and second kind as an application of generalized trigonometric functions with two parameters,and establish the monotonicity,generali...In this paper,we study the generalized complete(p,q)-elliptic integrals of the first and second kind as an application of generalized trigonometric functions with two parameters,and establish the monotonicity,generalized convexity and concavity of these functions.In particular,some Turán type inequalities are given.Finally,we also show some new series representations of these functions by applying Alzer and Richard's methods.展开更多
This study aimed to investigate the responses in rice(Oryza sativa cv.Osmancik 97)production and grain zinc(Zn)accumulation to combined Zn and sulfur(S)fertilization.The experiment was designed as a factorial experime...This study aimed to investigate the responses in rice(Oryza sativa cv.Osmancik 97)production and grain zinc(Zn)accumulation to combined Zn and sulfur(S)fertilization.The experiment was designed as a factorial experiment with two Zn and three S concentrations applied to the soil in a completely randomized design with four replications.The plants were grown under greenhouse conditions at low(0.25 mg/kg)and adequate(5 mg/kg)Zn rates combined with S(CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O)application(low,2.5 mg/kg;moderate,10 mg/kg,and adequate,50 mg/kg).The lowest rate of S at adequate soil Zn treatment increased grain yield by 68%compared with the same S rate at low Zn supply.Plants with the adequate S rate at low Zn and adequate Zn supply produced the highest grain yield,with increases of 247%and 143%compared with low S rate at low Zn and adequate Zn supply,respectively.The concentration of grain Zn and S responded differently to the applied S rates depending on the soil Zn condition.The highest grain Zn concentration,reaching 41.5 mg/kg,was observed when adequate Zn was supplied at the low S rate.Conversely,the adequate S rate at the low soil Zn conditions yielded the highest grain S concentration.The total grain Zn uptake per plant showed particular increases in grain Zn yield when adequate S rates were applied,showing increases of 208%and 111%compared with low S rate under low and adequate soil Zn conditions,respectively.The results indicated that the synergistic application of soil Zn and S improves grain production and grain Zn yield.These results highlight the importance of total grain Zn yield in addition to grain Zn concentration,especially under the growth conditions where grain yield shows particular increases as grain Zn is diluted due to increased grain yield by increasing S fertilization.展开更多
Herein, some fundamental open questions on engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials are considered, namely: 1) on thermodynamic stability and related characteristics of some h...Herein, some fundamental open questions on engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials are considered, namely: 1) on thermodynamic stability and related characteristics of some hydrogenated graphene layers nanostructures: relevance to the hydrogen storage problem;2) determination of thermodynamic characteristics of graphene hydrides;3) a treatment and interpretation of some recent STM, STS, HREELS/LEED, PES, ARPS and Raman spectroscopy data on hydrogensorbtion with epitaxial graphenes;4) on the physics of intercalation of hydrogen into surface graphene-like nanoblisters in pyrolytic graphite and epitaxial graphenes;5) on the physics of the elastic and plastic deformation of graphene walls in hydrogenated graphite nanofibers;6) on the physics of engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials, in the light of analysis of the Rodriguez-Baker extraordinary data and some others. These fundamental open questions may be solved within several years.展开更多
To date,using biphilic surfaces is one of the most promising methods for enhancing heat transfer and critical heat flux during boiling simultaneously.However,most of studies on the effect of biphilic surfaces on boili...To date,using biphilic surfaces is one of the most promising methods for enhancing heat transfer and critical heat flux during boiling simultaneously.However,most of studies on the effect of biphilic surfaces on boiling perfor-mance have been carried out under atmospheric pressure conditions.In this context,the issues of heat transfer enhancement and stabilization of the boiling process at subatmospheric pressures are particularly critical due to the interesting characteristics of boiling heat transfer and bubble dynamics at subatmospheric pressures and their practical significance including aerospace applications.This paper investigates the effect of the pitch size between hydrophobic spots on a biphilic surface on heat transfer and bubble dynamics during boiling at subatmospheric pressures(from 11.2 kPa up to atmospheric pressure).The data analysis using infrared thermography demonstrated that the maximum heat transfer rate was achieved on a surface with a uniform pitch size(6 mm)at all pressures.In this case,the heat transfer enhancement,compared a bare surface,reached 3.4 times.An analysis of the departure diameters of bubbles based on high-speed visualization indicated that the optimal configuration of the biphilic surface corresponds to the pitch size equal to the bubble departure diameter.Using high-speed visualization also demonstrated that an early transition to film boiling was evident for configurations with a very high density of hydrophobic spots(pitch size of 2 mm).展开更多
The T-junction microchannel device makes available a sharp edge to form micro-droplets from biomaterial solutions. This article investigates the effects of injection angle, flow rate ratio, density ratio,viscosity rat...The T-junction microchannel device makes available a sharp edge to form micro-droplets from biomaterial solutions. This article investigates the effects of injection angle, flow rate ratio, density ratio,viscosity ratio, contact angle, and slip length in the process of formation of uniform droplets in microfluidic T-junctions. The governing equations were solved by the commercial software. The results show that contact angle, slip length, and injection angles near the perpendicular and parallel conditions have an increasing effect on the diameter of generated droplets, while flow rate, density and viscosity ratios, and other injection angles had a decreasing effect on the diameter.展开更多
In the present study, newly design hybrid nanostructures were produced by growing long carbon nanofibers (CNF) on single- and multi-layer graphene oxide (GO) sheets in the presence of catalyst by chemical vapor deposi...In the present study, newly design hybrid nanostructures were produced by growing long carbon nanofibers (CNF) on single- and multi-layer graphene oxide (GO) sheets in the presence of catalyst by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Chemical composition analysis indicated the formation of Fe-C bonds by the deposition of carbon atoms on catalyst surface of Fe2O3 and increasing in C/O atomic ratio confirming CNF growing. These hybrid additives were distributed homogeneously through polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6) chains by high shear thermokinetic mixer in melt phase. Spectroscopic studies showed that the differences in the number of graphene layer in hybrid structures directly affected the crystalline behavior and dispersion state in polymer matrix. Flexural strength and flexural modulus of PA6.6 nanocomposites were improved up to 14.7% and 14% by the integration of 0.5 wt% CNF grown on multi-layer GO, respectively, whereas there was a significant loss in flexural properties of single-layer GO based nanocomposites. Also, the integration of 0.5 wt% multi-layer GO hybrid reinforcement in PA6.6 provided a significant increase in tensile modulus about 24%. Therefore, multi-layer GO with CNF increased the degree of crystallinity in nanocomposites by forming intercalated structure and acted as a nucleating agent causing the improvement in mechanical properties.展开更多
This study proposes a facile, but precise method to back-calculate the effective modulus of nanocomposite interleaving plies. Adaptation of a conventional dry-reinforcement resin film infusion (RFI) approach allows in...This study proposes a facile, but precise method to back-calculate the effective modulus of nanocomposite interleaving plies. Adaptation of a conventional dry-reinforcement resin film infusion (RFI) approach allows interleaving neat epoxy layers (NE) with the epoxy-infused nanofibrous plies (XE) of constant thickness. The final cured nanocomposite laminate thus has the form (NE/XE)n, where “n” denotes the number of the repeats and enables clear distinction of the nanocomposite interlayers through the thickness. Mechanical testing of neat epoxy and laminated nanocomposite specimens can be coupled with the classical lamination theory for back-calculating in-plane elastic modulus of the individual epoxy-infused nanofibrous plies (EXE). Finite element analysis (FEA) and testing the laminated nanocomposite subject to flexural loading (3-point bending) are proposed to validate the analytically back-calculated EXE. It is shown that the FEA prediction incorporating EXE and testing for flexural modulus of (NE/XE)20 laminated nanocomposites correlate well and the results are within 5%. This finding suggests that the back-calculation scheme reported herein would be attractive for accurately determining the properties of an individual nanocomposite building block layer. The proposed framework is beneficial for modelling laminated structural composites incorporating XE-like nanocomposite interlayers.展开更多
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Conventionally many drugs are used for the treatment of diabetes such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, meglitinides, etc. But the desired effective treatment is still ...Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Conventionally many drugs are used for the treatment of diabetes such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, meglitinides, etc. But the desired effective treatment is still not to be achieved. So researches are going on for the development of effective alternative therapy against diabetes. Olive leaves are traditionally used in the treatment of the disease. However, studies on its mechanism of action are not yet enough. The aim of this study was to investigate whether olive leaf extract (OLE) improves insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), tyrosine kinase (TK), GLUT-2, and GLUT-4. Oleuropein levels were analyzed from OLE obtained by using four different solvents, and the highest content of methanol extract was selected for the study. Different concentrations of OLE (2.5 to 320 μg/mL) were incubated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells for 24 hours. After incubation, cell viability was assessed based on luminometric ATP cell viability assay kit. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating level was detected using 2,7dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate (H2DCF-DA) fluorescent probes. Apoptosis was evaluated by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining method. Genotoxicity was evaluated by alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet Assay). Protein expression levels of IRS-1, TK, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 were analyzed by western blotting technique from the obtained cell lysates. Although an optimum doses of OLE (10 μg/mL) maximally increased cell proliferation, decreased ROS generation improved IRS-1, TK, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 protein expression levels (about fivefold), higher doses (10 to 320 μg/mL) markedly decreased the cell viability, increased DNA damage, apoptosis and ROS generation in a concentration-dependent manner. OLE can be used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, in order to find the most effective and non-toxic concentration, dose optimization is required.展开更多
Increasing the aerodynamic load on compressor blades helps to obtain a higher pressure ratio in lower rotational speeds. Considering the high aerodynamic load effects and structural concerns in the design process, it ...Increasing the aerodynamic load on compressor blades helps to obtain a higher pressure ratio in lower rotational speeds. Considering the high aerodynamic load effects and structural concerns in the design process, it is possible to obtain higher pressure ratios compared to conventional compressors. However, it must be noted that imposing higher aerodynamic loads results in higher loss coemcients and deteriorates the overall performance. To avoid the loss increase, the boundary layer quality must be studied carefully over the blade suction surface. Employment of advanced shaped airfoils （like CDAs）, slotted blades or other boundary layer control methods has helped the de- signers to use higher aerodynamic loads on compressor blades. Tandem cascade is a passive boundary layer control method, which is based on using the flow momentum to control the boundary layer on the suction surface and also to avoid the probable separation caused by higher aerodynamic loads. In fact, the front pressure side flow momentum helps to compensate the positive pressure gradient over the aft blade＇s suction side. Also, in compari- son to the single blade stators, tandem variable stators have more degrees of freedom, and this issue increases the possibility of finding enhanced conditions in the compressor off-design performance. In the current study, a 3D design procedure for an axial flow tandem compressor stage has been applied to design a highly loaded stage. Following, this design is numerically investigated using a CFD code and the stage characteristic map is reported. Also, the effect of various stator stagger angles on the compressor performance and especially on the compressor surge margin has been discussed. To validate the CFD method, another known compressor stage is presented and its performance is numerically investigated and the results are compared with available experimental results.展开更多
Multiple myeloma(MM)is a type of hematological cancer that occurs when B cells become malignant.Various drugs such as proteasome inhibitors,immunomodulators,and compounds that cause DNA damage can be used in the treat...Multiple myeloma(MM)is a type of hematological cancer that occurs when B cells become malignant.Various drugs such as proteasome inhibitors,immunomodulators,and compounds that cause DNA damage can be used in the treatment of MM.Autophagy,a type 2 cell death mechanism,plays a crucial role in determining the fate of B cells,either promoting their survival or inducing cell death.Therefore,autophagy can either facilitate the progression or hinder the treatment of MM disease.In this review,autophagy mechanisms that may be effective in MM cells were covered and evaluated within the contexts of unfolded protein response(UPR),bone marrow microenvironment(BMME),drug resistance,hypoxia,DNA repair and transcriptional regulation,and apoptosis.The genes that are effective in each mechanism and research efforts on this subject were discussed in detail.Signaling pathways targeted by new drugs to benefit from autophagy in MM disease were covered.The efficacy of drugs that regulate autophagy in MM was examined,and clinical trials on this subject were included.Consequently,among the autophagy mechanisms that are effective in MM,the most suitable ones to be used in the treatment were expressed.The importance of 3D models and microfluidic systems for the discovery of new drugs for autophagy and personalized treatment was emphasized.Ultimately,this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of MM disease,encompassing autophagy mechanisms,drugs,clinical studies,and further studies.展开更多
Melanoma is a serious malignant skin tumor.Effectively eliminating melanoma and healing after-surgical wounds are always challenges in clinical studies.To address these problems,we propose manganese-doped calcium sili...Melanoma is a serious malignant skin tumor.Effectively eliminating melanoma and healing after-surgical wounds are always challenges in clinical studies.To address these problems,we propose manganese-doped calcium silicate nanowire-incorporated alginate hydrogels(named MCSA hydrogels)for in situ photothermal ablation of melanoma followed by the wound healing process.The proposed MCSA hydrogel had controllable gelation properties,reasonable strength,and excellent bioactivity due to the incorporated calcium silicate nanowires as the in situ cross-linking agents and bioactive components.The doping of manganese into calcium silicate nanowires gave them excellent photothermal effects for eradicating melanoma effectively under near infrared(NIR)irradiation.Moreover,the synergistic effect of manganese and silicon in the MCSA hydrogel effectively promotes migration and proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and promotes angiogenesis.Hence,such bifunctional bioactive hydrogels could achieve combined functions of photothermal therapy and wound healing,showing great promise for melanoma therapy and tissue regeneration.展开更多
The bubbly flow regime inside orifices has significant effects on several applications, and studying its trend along an orifice could be helpful in identifying the flow mechanism in various situations. The flow regime...The bubbly flow regime inside orifices has significant effects on several applications, and studying its trend along an orifice could be helpful in identifying the flow mechanism in various situations. The flow regime inside an orifice depends on the situation which has been specified for the orifice. Orifice geometry has a considerable effect on bubbly flow in injectors. Meanwhile, spray characteristics are influenced by the fuel flow inside an orifice, which has strong effects on the mixture of fuel-air. In this study, spray characteristics are studied for different values of the orifice angle. The cavitation phenomenon which occurs inside an orifice varies in intensity and patterns at different angles of the orifice and consequently has diverse effects on spray characteristics. The governing equations are solved by the SIMPLE algorithm. The spray flow is modeled by the discrete droplet method（DDM）, the droplet breakup is modeled by the WAVE model, and the primary breakup is modeled by the DIESEL BREAK UP model. In order to generate cavitation phenomenon inside orifices and investigate its effect on spray characteristics, the angle of orifice with respect to the injector body is varied and the problem is studied for different angles of orifice.展开更多
Seed size and composition are important traits in food crops and can be affected by nutrient availability in the soil. Phosphorus （P） is a non-renewable, essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits soybean （G1...Seed size and composition are important traits in food crops and can be affected by nutrient availability in the soil. Phosphorus （P） is a non-renewable, essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits soybean （G1ycine max） yield and quality. To investigate the associations of seed traits in low- and high-P environ- ments, soybean recombinant inbred lines （RILs） from a cross of cultivars Fiskeby III and Mandarin （Ottawa） were grown under contrasting P availability environments. Traits including individual seed weight, seed number, and intact mature pod weight were significantly affected by soil P levels and showed transgressive segregation among the RILs. Surprisingly, P treatments did not affect seed composition or weight, suggesting that soybeanmaintains sufficient P in seeds even in Iow-P soil. Quantitative trait loci （QTLs） were detected for seed weight, intact pods, seed volume, and seed protein, with five significant QTLs identified in Iow-P environments and one significant QTL found in the optimaI-P environment. Broad-sense heritability estimates were 0.78 （individual seed weight）, o.go （seed protein）, 0.34 （seed oil）, and 0.98 （seed number）. The QTLs identified under low P point to genetic regions that may be useful to improve soybean performance under limiting P conditions.展开更多
The （n,f, k）： F（G） system consists ofn components and the system fails （works） if and only if there are at least flailed （working） components or at least k consecutive failed （working） components. These sys...The （n,f, k）： F（G） system consists ofn components and the system fails （works） if and only if there are at least flailed （working） components or at least k consecutive failed （working） components. These system models can be used in electronic equipment, automatic payment systems in banks, and furnace systems. In this paper we introduce and study the （n, f, k）：F and （n, f, k）： G systems consisting of weighted components. Recursive equations are presented for reliability evaluation of these new models. We also provide some conditions on the weights to represent weighted-（n,f, k） systems as usual （n,f, k） systems.展开更多
Hydrodynamic cavitation is one of the major phase change phenomena and occurs with a sudden decrease in the local static pressure within a fluid.With the emergence of microelectromechanical systems(MEMS),high-speed mi...Hydrodynamic cavitation is one of the major phase change phenomena and occurs with a sudden decrease in the local static pressure within a fluid.With the emergence of microelectromechanical systems(MEMS),high-speed microfluidic devices have attracted considerable attention and been implemented in many fields,including cavitation applications.In this study,a new generation of‘cavitation-on-a-chip’devices with eight parallel structured microchannels is proposed.This new device is designed with the motivation of decreasing the upstream pressure(input energy)required for facile hydrodynamic cavitation inception.Water and a poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA)microbubble(MB)suspension are used as the working fluids.The results show that the cavitation inception upstream pressure can be reduced with the proposed device in comparison with previous studies with a single flow restrictive element.Furthermore,using PVA MBs further results in a reduction in the upstream pressure required for cavitation inception.In this new device,different cavitating flow patterns with various intensities can be observed at a constant cavitation number and fixed upstream pressure within the same device.Moreover,cavitating flows intensify faster in the proposed device for both water and the water–PVA MB suspension in comparison to previous studies.Due to these features,this next-generation‘cavitation-on-a-chip’device has a high potential for implementation in applications involving microfluidic/organ-on-a-chip devices,such as integrated drug release and tissue engineering.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0200901 and 2016YFD0200305)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(KJQN201514 and KYZ201625)。
文摘Magnesium(Mg)affects various critical physiological and biochemical processes in higher plants,and its deficiency impedes plant growth and development.Although potassium(K)-induced Mg deficiency in agricultural production is widespread,the specific relationship of K with Mg and especially its competitive nature is poorly understood.This review summarizes current knowledge on the interactions between K and Mg with respect to their root uptake,root-to-shoot translocation and distribution in plants.Their synergistic effects on certain physiological functions are also described.The antagonistic effect of K on Mg is stronger than that of Mg on K in root absorption and transport within plants,indicating that the balanced use of K and Mg fertilizers is necessary for sustaining high plant-available Mg and alleviating K-induced Mg deficiency,especially in plant species with high K demand or in highavailable-K soil.The relationship between Mg and K in plant tissues may be antagonistic or synergistic depending on plant species,cell type,leaf age,source-and sink organs.There are synergistic effects of K and Mg on photosynthesis,carbohydrate transport and allocation,nitrogen metabolism,and turgor regulation.Definition of optimal K/Mg ratios for soils and plant tissues is desirable for maintaining proper nutritional status in plants,leading to a physiological state supporting crop production.Future research should concentrate on identifying the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between K and Mg in a given physiological function.
基金The Foundation for Scientific Research Projects of Mugla Sitki Kocman University(Project No.10/30)The Scientific&Technological Research Council of Turkey(TUBITAK,Project No:108M194)for funding the present work
文摘Thermal properties of AlN-Si-Al composites produced by pressureless melt infiltration of Al/Al alloys into porous a-Si3N4 preforms were investigated in a temperature range of 50-300 °C. SEM and TEM investigations revealed that the grain size of AlN particles was less than 1 μm. In spite of sub-micron grain size, composites showed relatively high thermal conductivity （TC）, 55-107 W/（m·K）. The thermal expansion coefficient （CTE） of the composite produced with commercial Al source, which has the highest TC of 107 W/（m·K）, was 6.5×10-6 K-1. Despite the high CTE of Al （23.6×10-6 K-1）, composites revealed significantly low CTE through the formation of Si and AlN phases during the infiltration process.
基金supported by the NationalNatural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11902253)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China.The authors are grateful for this support.
文摘Structural shape monitoring plays a vital role in the structural health monitoring systems.The inverse finite element method(iFEM)has been demonstrated to be a practical method of deformation reconstruction owing to its unique advantages.Current iFEM formulations have been applied to small deformation of structures based on the small-displacement assumption of linear theory.However,this assumption may be inapplicable to some structures with large displacements in practical applications.Therefore,geometric nonlinearity needs to be considered.In this study,to expand the practical utility of iFEM for large displacement monitoring,we propose a nonlinear iFEM algorithm based on a four-node inverse quadrilateral shell element iQS4.Taking the advantage of an iterative iFEM algorithm,a nonlinear response is linearized to compute the geometrically nonlinear deformation reconstruction,like the basic concept of nonlinear FE analysis.Several examples are solved to verify the proposed approach.It is demonstrated that large displacements can be accurately estimated even if the in-situ sensor data includes different levels of randomly generated noise.It is proven that the nonlinear iFEM algorithm provides a more accurate displacement response as compared to the linear iFEM methodology for structures undergoing large displacement.Hence,the proposed approach can be utilized as a viable tool to effectively characterize geometrically nonlinear deformations of structures in real-time applications.
文摘This research discusses the separation of methane gas from three different gas mixtures,CH4/H2 S,CH4/N2 and CH4/CO2,using a modified silicon carbide nanosheet(Si CNS)membrane using both molecular dynamics(MD)and computational fluid dynamics(CFD)methods.The research examines the effects of different structures of the Si CNSs on the separation of these gas mixtures.Various parameters including the potential of the mean force,separation factor,permeation rate,selectivity and diffusivity are discussed in detail.Our MD simulations showed that the separation of CH4/H2 S,and CH4/CO2 mixtures was successful,while simulation demonstrated a poor result for the CH4/N2 mixture.The effect of temperature on the diffusivity of gas is also discussed,and a correlation is introduced for diffusivity as a function of temperature.The evaluated value for diffusivity is then used in the CFD method to investigate the permeation rate of gas mixtures.
文摘Additive manufacturing(AM)has revolutionized the design and manufacturing of patient-specific,three-dimensional(3D),complex porous structures known as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.The use of advanced image acquisition techniques,image processing,and computer-aided design methods has enabled the precise design and additive manufacturing of anatomically correct and patient-specific implants and scaffolds.However,these sophisticated techniques can be timeconsuming,labor-intensive,and expensive.Moreover,the necessary imaging and manufacturing equipment may not be readily available when urgent treatment is needed for trauma patients.In this study,a novel design and AM methods are proposed for the development of modular and customizable scaffold blocks that can be adapted to fit the bone defect area of a patient.These modular scaffold blocks can be combined to quickly form any patient-specific scaffold directly from two-dimensional(2D)medical images when the surgeon lacks access to a 3D printer or cannot wait for lengthy 3D imaging,modeling,and 3D printing during surgery.The proposed method begins with developing a bone surface-modeling algorithm that reconstructs a model of the patient’s bone from 2D medical image measurements without the need for expensive 3D medical imaging or segmentation.This algorithm can generate both patient-specific and average bone models.Additionally,a biomimetic continuous path planning method is developed for the additive manufacturing of scaffolds,allowing porous scaffold blocks with the desired biomechanical properties to be manufactured directly from 2D data or images.The algorithms are implemented,and the designed scaffold blocks are 3D printed using an extrusion-based AM process.Guidelines and instructions are also provided to assist surgeons in assembling scaffold blocks for the self-repair of patient-specific large bone defects.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2019QA003 and ZR2018MF023)by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11601036)by the Major Project of Binzhou University (2020ZD02)
文摘In this paper,we study the generalized complete(p,q)-elliptic integrals of the first and second kind as an application of generalized trigonometric functions with two parameters,and establish the monotonicity,generalized convexity and concavity of these functions.In particular,some Turán type inequalities are given.Finally,we also show some new series representations of these functions by applying Alzer and Richard's methods.
基金This research project was supported by Fundamental Fund 2023,Chiang Mai University,Thailand(Grant No.FF66/063).
文摘This study aimed to investigate the responses in rice(Oryza sativa cv.Osmancik 97)production and grain zinc(Zn)accumulation to combined Zn and sulfur(S)fertilization.The experiment was designed as a factorial experiment with two Zn and three S concentrations applied to the soil in a completely randomized design with four replications.The plants were grown under greenhouse conditions at low(0.25 mg/kg)and adequate(5 mg/kg)Zn rates combined with S(CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O)application(low,2.5 mg/kg;moderate,10 mg/kg,and adequate,50 mg/kg).The lowest rate of S at adequate soil Zn treatment increased grain yield by 68%compared with the same S rate at low Zn supply.Plants with the adequate S rate at low Zn and adequate Zn supply produced the highest grain yield,with increases of 247%and 143%compared with low S rate at low Zn and adequate Zn supply,respectively.The concentration of grain Zn and S responded differently to the applied S rates depending on the soil Zn condition.The highest grain Zn concentration,reaching 41.5 mg/kg,was observed when adequate Zn was supplied at the low S rate.Conversely,the adequate S rate at the low soil Zn conditions yielded the highest grain S concentration.The total grain Zn uptake per plant showed particular increases in grain Zn yield when adequate S rates were applied,showing increases of 208%and 111%compared with low S rate under low and adequate soil Zn conditions,respectively.The results indicated that the synergistic application of soil Zn and S improves grain production and grain Zn yield.These results highlight the importance of total grain Zn yield in addition to grain Zn concentration,especially under the growth conditions where grain yield shows particular increases as grain Zn is diluted due to increased grain yield by increasing S fertilization.
文摘Herein, some fundamental open questions on engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials are considered, namely: 1) on thermodynamic stability and related characteristics of some hydrogenated graphene layers nanostructures: relevance to the hydrogen storage problem;2) determination of thermodynamic characteristics of graphene hydrides;3) a treatment and interpretation of some recent STM, STS, HREELS/LEED, PES, ARPS and Raman spectroscopy data on hydrogensorbtion with epitaxial graphenes;4) on the physics of intercalation of hydrogen into surface graphene-like nanoblisters in pyrolytic graphite and epitaxial graphenes;5) on the physics of the elastic and plastic deformation of graphene walls in hydrogenated graphite nanofibers;6) on the physics of engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials, in the light of analysis of the Rodriguez-Baker extraordinary data and some others. These fundamental open questions may be solved within several years.
基金The work was carried out under the state contract of IT SB RAS(No.121031800216-1)supported by the joint funding of RFBR(No.20-58-46008,Anton Surtaev)TUBITAK(No.119N401,Ali Kosar).
文摘To date,using biphilic surfaces is one of the most promising methods for enhancing heat transfer and critical heat flux during boiling simultaneously.However,most of studies on the effect of biphilic surfaces on boiling perfor-mance have been carried out under atmospheric pressure conditions.In this context,the issues of heat transfer enhancement and stabilization of the boiling process at subatmospheric pressures are particularly critical due to the interesting characteristics of boiling heat transfer and bubble dynamics at subatmospheric pressures and their practical significance including aerospace applications.This paper investigates the effect of the pitch size between hydrophobic spots on a biphilic surface on heat transfer and bubble dynamics during boiling at subatmospheric pressures(from 11.2 kPa up to atmospheric pressure).The data analysis using infrared thermography demonstrated that the maximum heat transfer rate was achieved on a surface with a uniform pitch size(6 mm)at all pressures.In this case,the heat transfer enhancement,compared a bare surface,reached 3.4 times.An analysis of the departure diameters of bubbles based on high-speed visualization indicated that the optimal configuration of the biphilic surface corresponds to the pitch size equal to the bubble departure diameter.Using high-speed visualization also demonstrated that an early transition to film boiling was evident for configurations with a very high density of hydrophobic spots(pitch size of 2 mm).
文摘The T-junction microchannel device makes available a sharp edge to form micro-droplets from biomaterial solutions. This article investigates the effects of injection angle, flow rate ratio, density ratio,viscosity ratio, contact angle, and slip length in the process of formation of uniform droplets in microfluidic T-junctions. The governing equations were solved by the commercial software. The results show that contact angle, slip length, and injection angles near the perpendicular and parallel conditions have an increasing effect on the diameter of generated droplets, while flow rate, density and viscosity ratios, and other injection angles had a decreasing effect on the diameter.
基金ordsa Teknik Tekstil A.S.Company for providing financial support.
文摘In the present study, newly design hybrid nanostructures were produced by growing long carbon nanofibers (CNF) on single- and multi-layer graphene oxide (GO) sheets in the presence of catalyst by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Chemical composition analysis indicated the formation of Fe-C bonds by the deposition of carbon atoms on catalyst surface of Fe2O3 and increasing in C/O atomic ratio confirming CNF growing. These hybrid additives were distributed homogeneously through polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6) chains by high shear thermokinetic mixer in melt phase. Spectroscopic studies showed that the differences in the number of graphene layer in hybrid structures directly affected the crystalline behavior and dispersion state in polymer matrix. Flexural strength and flexural modulus of PA6.6 nanocomposites were improved up to 14.7% and 14% by the integration of 0.5 wt% CNF grown on multi-layer GO, respectively, whereas there was a significant loss in flexural properties of single-layer GO based nanocomposites. Also, the integration of 0.5 wt% multi-layer GO hybrid reinforcement in PA6.6 provided a significant increase in tensile modulus about 24%. Therefore, multi-layer GO with CNF increased the degree of crystallinity in nanocomposites by forming intercalated structure and acted as a nucleating agent causing the improvement in mechanical properties.
文摘This study proposes a facile, but precise method to back-calculate the effective modulus of nanocomposite interleaving plies. Adaptation of a conventional dry-reinforcement resin film infusion (RFI) approach allows interleaving neat epoxy layers (NE) with the epoxy-infused nanofibrous plies (XE) of constant thickness. The final cured nanocomposite laminate thus has the form (NE/XE)n, where “n” denotes the number of the repeats and enables clear distinction of the nanocomposite interlayers through the thickness. Mechanical testing of neat epoxy and laminated nanocomposite specimens can be coupled with the classical lamination theory for back-calculating in-plane elastic modulus of the individual epoxy-infused nanofibrous plies (EXE). Finite element analysis (FEA) and testing the laminated nanocomposite subject to flexural loading (3-point bending) are proposed to validate the analytically back-calculated EXE. It is shown that the FEA prediction incorporating EXE and testing for flexural modulus of (NE/XE)20 laminated nanocomposites correlate well and the results are within 5%. This finding suggests that the back-calculation scheme reported herein would be attractive for accurately determining the properties of an individual nanocomposite building block layer. The proposed framework is beneficial for modelling laminated structural composites incorporating XE-like nanocomposite interlayers.
基金funded by the Bezmialem Vakif University Scientific Research Projects Unit(No:6.2016/57).
文摘Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Conventionally many drugs are used for the treatment of diabetes such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, meglitinides, etc. But the desired effective treatment is still not to be achieved. So researches are going on for the development of effective alternative therapy against diabetes. Olive leaves are traditionally used in the treatment of the disease. However, studies on its mechanism of action are not yet enough. The aim of this study was to investigate whether olive leaf extract (OLE) improves insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), tyrosine kinase (TK), GLUT-2, and GLUT-4. Oleuropein levels were analyzed from OLE obtained by using four different solvents, and the highest content of methanol extract was selected for the study. Different concentrations of OLE (2.5 to 320 μg/mL) were incubated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells for 24 hours. After incubation, cell viability was assessed based on luminometric ATP cell viability assay kit. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating level was detected using 2,7dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate (H2DCF-DA) fluorescent probes. Apoptosis was evaluated by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining method. Genotoxicity was evaluated by alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet Assay). Protein expression levels of IRS-1, TK, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 were analyzed by western blotting technique from the obtained cell lysates. Although an optimum doses of OLE (10 μg/mL) maximally increased cell proliferation, decreased ROS generation improved IRS-1, TK, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 protein expression levels (about fivefold), higher doses (10 to 320 μg/mL) markedly decreased the cell viability, increased DNA damage, apoptosis and ROS generation in a concentration-dependent manner. OLE can be used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, in order to find the most effective and non-toxic concentration, dose optimization is required.
文摘Increasing the aerodynamic load on compressor blades helps to obtain a higher pressure ratio in lower rotational speeds. Considering the high aerodynamic load effects and structural concerns in the design process, it is possible to obtain higher pressure ratios compared to conventional compressors. However, it must be noted that imposing higher aerodynamic loads results in higher loss coemcients and deteriorates the overall performance. To avoid the loss increase, the boundary layer quality must be studied carefully over the blade suction surface. Employment of advanced shaped airfoils （like CDAs）, slotted blades or other boundary layer control methods has helped the de- signers to use higher aerodynamic loads on compressor blades. Tandem cascade is a passive boundary layer control method, which is based on using the flow momentum to control the boundary layer on the suction surface and also to avoid the probable separation caused by higher aerodynamic loads. In fact, the front pressure side flow momentum helps to compensate the positive pressure gradient over the aft blade＇s suction side. Also, in compari- son to the single blade stators, tandem variable stators have more degrees of freedom, and this issue increases the possibility of finding enhanced conditions in the compressor off-design performance. In the current study, a 3D design procedure for an axial flow tandem compressor stage has been applied to design a highly loaded stage. Following, this design is numerically investigated using a CFD code and the stage characteristic map is reported. Also, the effect of various stator stagger angles on the compressor performance and especially on the compressor surge margin has been discussed. To validate the CFD method, another known compressor stage is presented and its performance is numerically investigated and the results are compared with available experimental results.
基金funded by TUBITAK(Turkish Scientific and Technological Council)grant number 121C417.
文摘Multiple myeloma(MM)is a type of hematological cancer that occurs when B cells become malignant.Various drugs such as proteasome inhibitors,immunomodulators,and compounds that cause DNA damage can be used in the treatment of MM.Autophagy,a type 2 cell death mechanism,plays a crucial role in determining the fate of B cells,either promoting their survival or inducing cell death.Therefore,autophagy can either facilitate the progression or hinder the treatment of MM disease.In this review,autophagy mechanisms that may be effective in MM cells were covered and evaluated within the contexts of unfolded protein response(UPR),bone marrow microenvironment(BMME),drug resistance,hypoxia,DNA repair and transcriptional regulation,and apoptosis.The genes that are effective in each mechanism and research efforts on this subject were discussed in detail.Signaling pathways targeted by new drugs to benefit from autophagy in MM disease were covered.The efficacy of drugs that regulate autophagy in MM was examined,and clinical trials on this subject were included.Consequently,among the autophagy mechanisms that are effective in MM,the most suitable ones to be used in the treatment were expressed.The importance of 3D models and microfluidic systems for the discovery of new drugs for autophagy and personalized treatment was emphasized.Ultimately,this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of MM disease,encompassing autophagy mechanisms,drugs,clinical studies,and further studies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81771989)Innovation Cross Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(JCTD-2018-13)Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Munici-pality(20490713900).
文摘Melanoma is a serious malignant skin tumor.Effectively eliminating melanoma and healing after-surgical wounds are always challenges in clinical studies.To address these problems,we propose manganese-doped calcium silicate nanowire-incorporated alginate hydrogels(named MCSA hydrogels)for in situ photothermal ablation of melanoma followed by the wound healing process.The proposed MCSA hydrogel had controllable gelation properties,reasonable strength,and excellent bioactivity due to the incorporated calcium silicate nanowires as the in situ cross-linking agents and bioactive components.The doping of manganese into calcium silicate nanowires gave them excellent photothermal effects for eradicating melanoma effectively under near infrared(NIR)irradiation.Moreover,the synergistic effect of manganese and silicon in the MCSA hydrogel effectively promotes migration and proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and promotes angiogenesis.Hence,such bifunctional bioactive hydrogels could achieve combined functions of photothermal therapy and wound healing,showing great promise for melanoma therapy and tissue regeneration.
文摘The bubbly flow regime inside orifices has significant effects on several applications, and studying its trend along an orifice could be helpful in identifying the flow mechanism in various situations. The flow regime inside an orifice depends on the situation which has been specified for the orifice. Orifice geometry has a considerable effect on bubbly flow in injectors. Meanwhile, spray characteristics are influenced by the fuel flow inside an orifice, which has strong effects on the mixture of fuel-air. In this study, spray characteristics are studied for different values of the orifice angle. The cavitation phenomenon which occurs inside an orifice varies in intensity and patterns at different angles of the orifice and consequently has diverse effects on spray characteristics. The governing equations are solved by the SIMPLE algorithm. The spray flow is modeled by the discrete droplet method（DDM）, the droplet breakup is modeled by the WAVE model, and the primary breakup is modeled by the DIESEL BREAK UP model. In order to generate cavitation phenomenon inside orifices and investigate its effect on spray characteristics, the angle of orifice with respect to the injector body is varied and the problem is studied for different angles of orifice.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation grants IOS-1031416 and IOS-1444456sabbatical leave funding from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
文摘Seed size and composition are important traits in food crops and can be affected by nutrient availability in the soil. Phosphorus （P） is a non-renewable, essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits soybean （G1ycine max） yield and quality. To investigate the associations of seed traits in low- and high-P environ- ments, soybean recombinant inbred lines （RILs） from a cross of cultivars Fiskeby III and Mandarin （Ottawa） were grown under contrasting P availability environments. Traits including individual seed weight, seed number, and intact mature pod weight were significantly affected by soil P levels and showed transgressive segregation among the RILs. Surprisingly, P treatments did not affect seed composition or weight, suggesting that soybeanmaintains sufficient P in seeds even in Iow-P soil. Quantitative trait loci （QTLs） were detected for seed weight, intact pods, seed volume, and seed protein, with five significant QTLs identified in Iow-P environments and one significant QTL found in the optimaI-P environment. Broad-sense heritability estimates were 0.78 （individual seed weight）, o.go （seed protein）, 0.34 （seed oil）, and 0.98 （seed number）. The QTLs identified under low P point to genetic regions that may be useful to improve soybean performance under limiting P conditions.
文摘The （n,f, k）： F（G） system consists ofn components and the system fails （works） if and only if there are at least flailed （working） components or at least k consecutive failed （working） components. These system models can be used in electronic equipment, automatic payment systems in banks, and furnace systems. In this paper we introduce and study the （n, f, k）：F and （n, f, k）： G systems consisting of weighted components. Recursive equations are presented for reliability evaluation of these new models. We also provide some conditions on the weights to represent weighted-（n,f, k） systems as usual （n,f, k） systems.
基金This work was supported by internal funding of the KTH Energy Platform and TUBITAK(The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)Support Program for Scientific and Technological Research Project(Grant No.217M869).
文摘Hydrodynamic cavitation is one of the major phase change phenomena and occurs with a sudden decrease in the local static pressure within a fluid.With the emergence of microelectromechanical systems(MEMS),high-speed microfluidic devices have attracted considerable attention and been implemented in many fields,including cavitation applications.In this study,a new generation of‘cavitation-on-a-chip’devices with eight parallel structured microchannels is proposed.This new device is designed with the motivation of decreasing the upstream pressure(input energy)required for facile hydrodynamic cavitation inception.Water and a poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA)microbubble(MB)suspension are used as the working fluids.The results show that the cavitation inception upstream pressure can be reduced with the proposed device in comparison with previous studies with a single flow restrictive element.Furthermore,using PVA MBs further results in a reduction in the upstream pressure required for cavitation inception.In this new device,different cavitating flow patterns with various intensities can be observed at a constant cavitation number and fixed upstream pressure within the same device.Moreover,cavitating flows intensify faster in the proposed device for both water and the water–PVA MB suspension in comparison to previous studies.Due to these features,this next-generation‘cavitation-on-a-chip’device has a high potential for implementation in applications involving microfluidic/organ-on-a-chip devices,such as integrated drug release and tissue engineering.
