Numerical investigation on heat transfer characterization of liquid lithium metal in pipe

Liquid Li metal is a promising nuclear reactor coolant; however, relevant research regarding its heat transfer characteristics remains insufficient. In this study, a steady-state two-dimensional mathematical model is established to describe the heat transfer process of liquid Li in a straight pipe. A numerical analysis is conducted to investigate the effects of inlet velocity, inlet temperature, and wall heat flux on heat transfer in liquid Li. The results indicate the advantage of using liquid Li for improving heat transfer at high inlet temperatures (> 1000 K) compared with using liquid sodium and lead–bismuth eutectic. Considering the mechanism of the outlet radial heat flow model, the ratio of turbulent to molecular diffusion coefficients presents a parabolic distribution along the radius of the pipe. Increasing the inlet velocity, decreasing the inlet temperature, and decreasing the wall heat flux can effectively weaken the dominant role of molecular heat transfer owing to the low Prandtl number of liquid Li. The heat transfer of liquid Li is investigated comprehensively in this study, and the results provide a basis for the practical application of liquid Li as a promising coolant.     

考虑竞争企业定向能力的定向优惠券投放策略

针对竞争环境下企业优惠券投放问题,本文引入大众优惠券和定向优惠券,综合考虑消费者忠诚度和定向能力策略,构建优惠券影响下的企业利润模型,进而分析企业优惠券投放策略。结果表明:(1)当企业实施定向优惠券策略时,企业在优势市场投放强度要高于竞争市场;(2)当企业综合考虑价格歧视和定向优惠券策略时,通过在不同细分市场给予消费者不同价格,最大程度上提升企业的利润;(3)当企业不具备完全定向能力时,企业优惠券投放强度会受到细分市场优惠券面值和投放精度的影响,且同时实行价格歧视和定向优惠券策略,可能会加剧市场竞争。     

Improving the photocatalytic activity of graphitic carbon nitride by thermal treatment in a high-pressure hydrogen atmosphere

Extending visible light absorption range and suppressing the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers are always important topics in developing efficient solar-driven photocatalysts. In this study, the thermal treatment process at 400 °C in a high-pressure hydrogen atmosphere was applied to modify graphitic carbon nitride. Compared to the normal atmospheric hydrogen treatment process, this process has the merit of producing nitrogen deficient graphitic carbon nitride in high-yield. The optimal photocatalytic activity of modified graphitic carbon nitride was demonstrated by controlling the treatment duration in the hydrogen atmosphere.The changes in the crystal structure, microstructure and optical properties of carbon nitrides were investigated by several characterizations. The relationship between the photocatalytic activity and structures of graphitic carbon nitride was preliminarily established. The results obtained in this study could provide some new ways of improving the activity of graphitic carbon nitride based photocatalyst.     

A Method to Visualize the Skeleton Industrial Structure with Input-Output Analysis and Its Application in China,Japan and USA

The paper established a double filtering method (DFM) to visualize the skeleton industrial structure (SIS) of one economy and find its evolution rule. Different with the previous researches, this method is from a new view of industrial conjunctions combined by leading sectors to depict the industrial structure. It was proved that the leading sector selected by DFM must be key sector selected by Hirschman-Rasmussen method. Applied DFM to input-output tables of China, Japan and USA and MFA to Japan and USA, the results analysis showed that DFM could overtake the two main shortcomings of minimum flow analysis (MFA), scratch SIS of each economy with its own characteristics, visualize the general evolution rules of the industrial structure with crisscrossed conjunctions among leading sectors.     

Defining G protein-coupled receptor peptide ligand expressomes and signalomes in human and mouse islets

Introduction

Islets synthesise and secrete numerous peptides, some of which are known to be important regulators of islet function and glucose homeostasis. In this study, we quantified mRNAs encoding all peptide ligands of islet G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in isolated human and mouse islets and carried out in vitro islet hormone secretion studies to provide functional confirmation for the species-specific role of peptide YY (PYY) in mouse islets.

Materials and methods

GPCR peptide ligand mRNAs in human and mouse islets were quantified by quantitative real-time PCR relative to the reference genes ACTB, GAPDH, PPIA, TBP and TFRC. The pathways connecting GPCR peptide ligands with their receptors were identified by manual searches in the PubMed, IUPHAR and Ingenuity databases. Distribution of PYY protein in mouse and human islets was determined by immunohistochemistry. Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin secretion from islets was measured by radioimmunoassay.

Results

We have quantified GPCR peptide ligand mRNA expression in human and mouse islets and created specific signalomes mapping the pathways by which islet peptide ligands regulate human and mouse GPCR signalling. We also identified species-specific islet expression of several GPCR ligands. In particular, PYY mRNA levels were ~ 40,000-fold higher in mouse than human islets, suggesting a more important role of locally secreted Pyy in mouse islets. This was confirmed by IHC and functional experiments measuring insulin, glucagon and somatostatin secretion.

Discussion

The detailed human and mouse islet GPCR peptide ligand atlases will allow accurate translation of mouse islet functional studies for the identification of GPCR/peptide signalling pathways relevant for human physiology, which may lead to novel treatment modalities of diabetes and metabolic disease.

     

Blockage of the NLRP3 inflammasome by MCC950 improves anti-tumor immune responses in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical innate immune pathway responsible for producing active interleukin (IL)-1β, which is associated with tumor development and immunity. However, the mechanisms regulating the inflammatory microenvironment, tumorigenesis and tumor immunity are unclear. Herein, we show that the NLRP3 inflammasome was over-expressed in human HNSCC tissues and that the IL-1β concentration was increased in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients. Additionally, elevated NLRP3 inflammasome levels were detected in tumor tissues of Tgfbr1/Pten 2cKO HNSCC mice, and elevated IL-1β levels were detected in the peripheral blood serum, spleen, draining lymph nodes and tumor tissues. Blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation using MCC950 remarkably reduced IL-1β production in an HNSCC mouse model and reduced the numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), regulatory T cells (Tregs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Moreover, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation increased the numbers of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in HNSCC mice. Notably, the numbers of exhausted PD-1⁺ and Tim3⁺ T cells were significantly reduced. A human HNSCC tissue microarray showed that NLRP3 inflammasome expression was correlated with the expression of CD8 and CD4, the Treg marker Foxp3, the MDSC markers CD11b and CD33, and the TAM markers CD68 and CD163, PD-1 and Tim3. Overall, our results demonstrate that the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway promotes tumorigenesis in HNSCC and inactivation of this pathway delays tumor growth, accompanied by decreased immunosuppressive cell accumulation and an increased number of effector T cells. Thus, inhibition of the tumor microenvironment through the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway may provide a novel approach for HNSCC therapy.     

A method for recovery of iron,titanium, and vanadium from vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite

An innovative method for recovering valuable elements from vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite is proposed. This method involves two procedures: low-temperature roasting of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite and water leaching of roasting slag. During the roasting process, the reduction of iron oxides to metallic iron, the sodium oxidation of vanadium oxides to water-soluble sodium vanadate, and the smelting separation of metallic iron and slag were accomplished simultaneously. Optimal roasting conditions for iron/slag separation were achieved with a mixture thickness of 42.5 mm, a roasting temperature of 1200°C, a residence time of 2 h, a molar ratio of C/O of 1.7, and a sodium carbonate addition of 70 wt%, as well as with the use of anthracite as a reductant. Under the optimal conditions, 93.67% iron from the raw ore was recovered in the form of iron nugget with 95.44% iron grade. After a water leaching process, 85.61% of the vanadium from the roasting slag was leached, confirming the sodium oxidation of most of the vanadium oxides to water-soluble sodium vanadate during the roasting process. The total recoveries of iron, vanadium, and titanium were 93.67%, 72.68%, and 99.72%, respectively.     

Facile synthesis of flake-like dihydrate zinc oxalate particles

Monodispersed dihydrated zinc oxalate(ZnC_2O_4·2H_2O) particles with characteristic morphology were synthesized by aging a mixed solution of zinc nitrate(Zn(NO_3)_2) and sodium oxalate(Na_2C_2O_4) in the presence of a citrate ligand, with an average flat size of approximately 10–15 μm. The important parameters, including the solution pH values and the concentration of the zinc ions and citrate ligand, were investigated using a series of experiments. It is verified that the citrate ligand significantly affects the morphology of zinc oxalate particles, probably via its multiple roles of chelating, dispersing, and selective absorption. Thermodynamic equilibrium of the distribution of zinc species in an aqueous solution of Zn(Ⅱ)-citrate-oxalate-H_2O was estimated to explain the experimental results and to clarify the size and morphological evolution mechanism of the precipitated particles.     

峰值电量约束下的场桥能耗最小化问题研究

随着化石能源的大量使用带来的环境污染问题日益严峻,关注能源使用效率的集装箱港口绿色化运营研究成为近年来的热点之一.本文以集装箱堆场中需要执行预倒箱作业的场桥为研究对象,考虑场桥不同运行状态下的单位时间电量需求不同以及峰值电量实时约束,建立了以总能耗最小化为目标的多场桥调度问题的混合整数规划数学模型.继而,将关键变量利用非连续贝和连续贝两种不同的方式进行编码,将次级变量利用启发式规则进行解码,并设计了相对应的遗传算法交叉与变异方法.数值实验表明,连续贝编码方法表现更为优异;通过与Cplex在小规模算例中的比较,与粒子群算法及人工蜂群算法在大规模算例中的比较,验证了所设计遗传算法的有效性.同时,通过与传统策略的对比,表明本模型可以同时实现能耗总需求与峰值需求两方面的优化,从而可以为港口管理人员在不影响既定日常运营工作的前提下降低能源成本提供科学有效的指导.