Feasibility of an electrostatic energy harvesting device for CFCs aircraft

A novel energy harvesting concept is proposed for treating local electrostatic energy produced on flying composite aircrafts. This work focuses on the feasibility research on collecting static charges with capacitive collectors. The existing energy harvesting system and the electrification of the typical carbon fibre composites (CFCs) aircraft has been reviewed. The detailed model experiments were then designed to characterize different configurations for electrostatic energy harvesting on aeroplane. In the lab, the static charge was produced by a corona discharging device, and a capacitor or a metal sheet was put in the electric field to collect the charges under four different configurations. After that, the rest results for these configurations were analysed, which is followed by the discussion about the results application on the aircraft. This work has proved that it is feasible to collect the local static electricity on flying aircraft, and it could provide a new direction of energy harvesting system in aviation field

Development of a fatty liver model using oleic acid in primary liver cells isolated from Atlantic salmon and the prevention of lipid accumulation using metformin

The following study aimed to develop a fatty liver model in primary hepatocytes isolated from Atlantic salmon. In order to induce the fatty liver, oleic acid (OA) at 0.2 or 0.4 mM was used. Metformin, known to prevent and cure fatty liver in mammalian cells, was used at 1 or 10 mM for 24 hr before addition of OA to test possible prevention effect of metformin on the OA‐induced fatty liver phenotype. Cells grown in 0.2 mM OA did not increase the mean number of lipid droplets, while cells grown in 0.4 mM OA increased the number of lipid droplets within the liver cells (p < 0.0001). Metformin pretreatment prior to OA supplementation reduced the mean number of lipid droplets. Gene expression of ApoB100, CD36 and PPARa increased in cells treated with metformin and most so at 10 mM. On the other hand, gene expression of LXR, SREBP2 and CPT‐1 decreased at both concentrations of metformin, while OA treatment did not affect these genes. Gene expression of IL‐8 increased by 0.4 mM OA (p = 0.002). Metformin reduced the gene expression of IL‐8. Thus, metformin efficiently enhanced the expression of genes related to transport and oxidation of lipids in hepatic cells of salmon, but required higher concentrations of OA and metformin than those required in rodent models to increase and prevent lipid accumulation, respectively.publishedVersio

Nonlinear optical properties in a quantum well with the hyperbolic confinement potential

We have performed theoretical calculation of the nonlinear optical properties in a quantum well (QW) with the hyperbolic confinement potential. Calculation results reveal that the transition energy, oscillator strength, second-order nonlinear optical rectification (OR), geometric factor and nonlinear optical absorption (OA) are strongly affected by the parameters ($\alpha, \sigma$) of the hyperbolic confinement potential. And an increment of the parameter $\alpha$ reduces all these physical quantities, while an increment of the parameter $\sigma$ enhances them, but not for geometric factor. In addition, it is found that one can control the optical properties of QW by tuning these parameters.Comment: 16pages,6 figures,Accepted for publication in Physica

A Four-Step Method for Optimising the Normal Water Level of Reservoirs Based on a Mathematical Programming Model—A Case Study for the Songyuan Backwater Dam in Jilin Province, China

Determination of the optimal normal water level of reservoirs (RNWL) was investigated, incorporating environmental ecology as a primary consideration. RNWL constitutes a relatively significant eigenvalue of any water conservancy project. In the present study, a four-step method based on a mathematical programming model and suitable for RNWL decision making was developed and applied to the water conservancy project of the Songyuan backwater dam in China. System analysis, correlation analysis, significance testing, principal component analysis, sensitivity analysis, and system optimisation theory are used in the solution process. In this study, various factors that impact the economic viability, engineering characteristics, environmental and urban ecology are considered for holistic optimisation. The study shows that the proposed four-step method may provide a feasible quantitative form of support for RNWL decision making

Radiation-induced brain structural and functional abnormalities in presymptomatic phase and outcome prediction: Radiation-Induced Brain Abnormalities

Radiation therapy, a major method of treatment for brain cancer, may cause severe brain injuries after many years. We used a rare and unique cohort of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with normal-appearing brains to study possible early irradiation injury in its presymptomatic phase before severe, irreversible necrosis happens. The aim is to detect any structural or functional imaging biomarker that is sensitive to early irradiation injury, and to understand the recovery and progression of irradiation injury that can shed light on outcome prediction for early clinical intervention. We found an acute increase in local brain activity that is followed by extensive reductions in such activity in the temporal lobe and significant loss of functional connectivity in a distributed, large-scale, high-level cognitive function-related brain network. Intriguingly, these radiosensitive functional alterations were found to be fully or partially recoverable. In contrast, progressive late disruptions to the integrity of the related far-end white matter structure began to be significant after one year. Importantly, early increased local brain functional activity was predictive of severe later temporal lobe necrosis. Based on these findings, we proposed a dynamic, multifactorial model for radiation injury and another preventive model for timely clinical intervention. Hum Brain Mapp 39:407-427, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Evasion of anti-growth signaling: a key step in tumorigenesis and potential target for treatment and prophylaxis by natural compounds

The evasion of anti-growth signaling is an important characteristic of cancer cells. In order to continue to proliferate, cancer cells must somehow uncouple themselves from the many signals that exist to slow down cell growth. Here, we define the anti-growth signaling process, and review several important pathways involved in growth signaling: p53, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), retinoblastoma protein (Rb), Hippo, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A), Notch, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) pathways. Aberrations in these processes in cancer cells involve mutations and thus the suppression of genes that prevent growth, as well as mutation and activation of genes involved in driving cell growth. Using these pathways as examples, we prioritize molecular targets that might be leveraged to promote anti-growth signaling in cancer cells. Interestingly, naturally-occurring phytochemicals found in human diets (either singly or as mixtures) may promote anti-growth signaling, and do so without the potentially adverse effects associated with synthetic chemicals. We review examples of naturally-occurring phytochemicals that may be applied to prevent cancer by antagonizing growth signaling, and propose one phytochemical for each pathway. These are: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for the Rb pathway, luteolin for p53, curcumin for PTEN, porphyrins for Hippo, genistein for GDF15, resveratrol for ARID1A, withaferin A for Notch and diguelin for the IGF1-receptor pathway. The coordination of anti-growth signaling and natural compound studies will provide insight into the future application of these compounds in the clinical setting