Large Particles Research Articles

Visualization and quantitative evaluation of aerosol deposition using 3D-printed adult nose cavities

Local steroid medication is one of the most important treatment options for chronic rhinosinusitis. Regional deposition has a higher clinical value compared with total deposition in predicting treatment outcomes or evaluating adverse reactions. The goal of this project is to propose an effective technique for visualizing and quantifying aerosol deposition in a three-dimensional adult nasal cavity, and to verify the practicality of this method. Three-dimensional (3D) nasal cavity models were constructed from computed tomography (CT) scans of one post-operative rhinosinusitis subject using imaging software. The nasal cast was coated with a water-indicating paste and deposited with saline; a liquid dressing was added to visualize the progress. The quantity of liquid dressing was evaluated via HPLC and the liquid deposition was analyzed within the nasal cast cavity. Herein, 98.77% of the particles generated by the nebulizer were over 5 μm, suggesting that most of the aerosol could effectively enter the nasal cavity instead of the lower respiratory system. The liquid dressing was mainly deposited in the nasal cavity, ethmoid sinus, and frontal sinus according to the visualization tests. HPLC results suggested that the main deposits were the frontal sinus (up to 41.80%) as well as in the sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinus (14.00%). The large particle nebulizer (BM-TCA) generally led to better deposition in sinus areas when compared to the smaller particle nebulizer (PARI). This technology allows for in vitro testing of various types of nasal preparations and equipment under various test methods.

NanoRidge filters: Fabrication strategies and performance optimization for nano-scale microfluidic particle filtration.

Filters with high throughput, minimal dead volume, and greater sensitivity to particle size are needed, which traditional benchtop filtration cannot provide. Leveraging microfabrication techniques developed by the electronics and optics industries, the filters presented here feature a unique serpentine "NanoRidge" structure, offering a continuous filtration gap spanning over three meters on a compact 4 × 14.5 mm2 footprint. This design provides more precise size filtration cut-offs and consistent flow paths compared to traditional membrane filtration systems. Despite challenges associated with glass substrate deformation impacting uniform filter gap sizes, the study provides valuable insights into the development of NanoRidge filters (NRFs) for enhancing filtration efficiency in preparatory techniques and sample analysis. This study describes the fabrication and testing of these new filter types and directly compares the performance to traditional membrane filters using the metrics of particle size cut-off (the smallest difference in particle size which can be filtered vs passed) and particle loss. The NanoRidge filters were characterized using imaging (during fabrication, post-fabrication and use, fluorescent particles captured and small molecule dye), pressure and flow measurements, and a series of particle sizes "filter or pass" studies. Particle capacity (100-250 nm) ranged from 5 × 108 to 7 × 109 in 1 ml samples at a flow rate of 100 μl/min with backpressure in the range of 1-3 Bar. The optimized fabrication procedure for the 150 nm NRF yielded a small particle recovery of 95% while also achieving a large particle filtration of 73%. High filtration efficiency was also proven in the final 60 and 80 nm NRF fabrication procedures at 96% and 91%, respectively.

Rheology of bidisperse non-Brownian suspensions.

We study the rheology of bidisperse non-Brownian suspensions using particle-based simulation, mapping the viscosity as a function of the size ratio of the species, their relative abundance, and the overall solid content. The variation of the viscosity with applied stress exhibits shear-thickening phenomenology irrespective of composition, though the stress-dependent limiting solids fraction governing the viscosity and its divergence point are nonmonotonic in the mixing ratio. Contact force data demonstrate an asymmetric exchange in the dominant stress contribution from large-large to small-small particle contacts as the mixing ratio of the species evolves. Combining a prior model for shear thickening with one for composition-dependent jamming, we obtain a full description of the rheology of bidisperse non-Brownian suspensions capable of predicting effects such as the viscosity reduction observed upon adding small particles to a suspension of large particles.

Experimental investigation of erosion and transport of binary sediment in sewer pipes

ABSTRACT Understanding sediment transport in storm sewer systems is essential to prevent pipe blockages, associated flooding, and maintenance. In this research, a laboratory study was conducted in a pipe to investigate the erosion and transport process of a binary sediment, i.e., a material with two different particle sizes. The sediment used in this study was a mixture of two sizes of spherical glass beads (0.8 and 4 mm) and two sizes of natural soil (sand and gravel), with different amounts of small size particles. The results show that the critical velocities for the initiation of sediment transport increase linearly with a decrease in the fine particle content of the mixture. A method to predict the critical velocity of a binary mixture is proposed based on the fine content and the critical velocity of single-size large particle and single-size small particle sediments. The transport rate of the mixture lies between that of the single-size large sediment and single-size small sediment. The transport rate is increased with an increase in the fine content, which means that mixing small particles with large particles can significantly increase the transport rate of large particles and the total transport rate.

Self-chemophoresis in the thin diffuse interface approximation

Self-chemophoresis is an appealing and quite successful interpretation of the motility exhibited by certain chemically active colloidal particles suspended in a solution of their ‘fuel’: the particle has a phoretic response to self-generated, rather than externally imposed, inhomogeneities in the chemical composition of the solution. The postulated mechanism of chemophoresis is the interaction of the particle (via an adsorption potential) with the chemical inhomogeneities in the surrounding medium. When the range of this interaction is much smaller than any other relevant scale in the system, the (translational and rotational) phoretic velocities can be described in terms of a phoretic coefficient and a slip fluid velocity at the surface of the particle. Using the case of a spherical particle as a simple and physically insightful example, here we exploit an integral representation of the rigid-body motion to critically re-examine this framework. The systematic analysis highlights two steps in the approximation: first the thin–layer approximation (very large particle size), and subsequently a lubrication approximation (slow variation of the adsorption potential along the tangential direction). We also discuss how these approximations could be relaxed and the effect of this on the particle's motion.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Erosion in Active Components of Abrasive Water Jet Machine

This study presents a comprehensive three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of abrasive fluid flow and its erosive effects on the active components of the WUXI YCWJ-380-1520 water jet cutting machine. The research investigates the behavior and impact of abrasive particles within the fluid, determining the erosion rates for particles with diameters of 0.19 mm, 0.285 mm, and 0.38 mm (dimensions resulting from the granulometry of the experimentally established sand), considering various abrasive flow rates. The methodology includes a detailed granulometric analysis of the abrasive material, identifying critical particle sizes and distributions, with a focus on M50 granulation (average particle size of 0.285 mm). Additionally, the study employs the Wadell method to determine the shape factor (Ψi = 0.622) of the abrasive particles, which plays a significant role in the erosion process. Experimental determination of the abrasive flow rate is conducted, leading to the development of a second-order parabolic model that accurately predicts flow variations based on the control settings of the AWJ machine. The maximum erosion occurs at the entry surface of the mixing tube’s truncated zone, with a higher intensity as the particle size increases. For the 0.19 mm particles, the erosion rates range from 1.090 × 10−6 kg/m2·s to 2.022 × 10−6 kg/m2·s and follow a parabolic distribution. The particles of 0.285 mm show erosion rates ranging from 2.450 × 10−6 kg/m2·s to 6.119 × 10−6 kg/m2·s, also fitting the second-order parabolic model. The largest particles (0.38 mm) exhibit erosion rates ranging from 3.646 × 10−6 kg/m2·s to 7.123 × 10−6 kg/m2·s, described by a third-order polynomial. The study concludes that larger particle sizes result in higher erosion rates due to their increased mass and kinetic energy. Therefore, the present investigation demonstrates a significant relationship between particle size, abrasive flow rate, and erosion rate, highlighting critical wear points in the machine’s components. The findings contribute to optimizing the design and operational parameters of water jet cutting machines, thereby enhancing their efficiency and lifespan.

Co-sintering of a ceramic-metal bilayer: Coupled experimental, analytical and numerical approaches

The co-sintering behavior of a ceramic-metal bilayer is carefully investigated. This bilayer is composed of a gold film deposited by screen-printing on a silica-based low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) layer. First, behaviors of both materials in free sintering are finely characterized. LTCC exhibits a viscous flow sintering mechanism, whereas the densification mechanism of gold is controlled by grain boundary diffusion (with an identified apparent activation energy of 101 ± 15 kJ mol−1). Free sintering of gold is also marked by a two-step densification process due to its large bimodal particle size distribution. A methodology is proposed to estimate gold viscosity at high temperatures directly from raw experimental data in free sintering, without performing dedicated mechanical characterizations. Based on the constitutive laws identified for LTCC and gold materials, analytical and numerical models of the bilayer co-sintering process are built. During co-sintering, stresses generated by densification kinetic mismatch between gold and LTCC are progressively relaxed by camber phenomenon. Calculated evolutions of camber in co-sintering are compared to curvature monitoring by ombroscopy. Finite element simulation in 3D fits well with the experimental data, whereas the analytical solution strongly underestimates camber rates. This shows that the simplified numerical approach suggested here leads to a robust numerical model, faithfully describing thermomechanical interactions occurring in co-sintering within the ceramic-metal bilayer.

DEM investigation on the dynamic characteristics of wall normal stress and particle flow during silo discharge

Violent fluctuations of wall normal stress and particle velocity during silo discharge have been frequently reported by researchers, yet a detailed particle-scale description of these phenomena is still lacking. In this work, the discharge of granular assembly from a flat-bottomed silo was investigated by performing three-dimensional (3D) Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. It is found that arc-shaped rupture surfaces, characterized by the lower solid volume fraction, stronger shear interaction between particles and higher particle rotating velocity, developed continuously in the bottom converging part of flowing zone. And the temporal evolution of particle velocity field in this converging part presented a swinging feature manifested by the alternate appearance of large particle velocity magnitude in the right- and left- side regions. Discrete Fourier transform results showed that the fluctuation of wall normal stress at the transition point contained two dominate frequencies. The lower frequency matched well with the dynamic evolution of the rupture surface joining the transition point, and the higher frequency was nearly the same as the fluctuating frequency of particle vertical velocity. Thus, our DEM simulation results suggested that for the silo discharge considered in this work, the periodic fluctuation of wall normal stress at the transition point was contributed by both the alternating flow pattern mechanism and the free-fall arch mechanism.

Physicochemical Characteristics of Titania Particles Synthesized with Gelatin as a Template Before and After Regeneration and Their Performance in Photocatalytic Methylene Blue

TiO2 material has an important position in the processing of methylene blue waste because it is economical, has abundant polymorphs, high sustainability and supports green chemistry applications. Mesoporous TiO2 is a porous material that has higher effectiveness than other TiO2 because the pore structure has a large diameter at the nano scale (2-50 nm) with a regular shape so that the surface area and pore volume are greater than the average for other TiO2. The synthesis of mesopore TiO2 material has so far used the sol-gel route with synthetic pore directing agents such as P123 which can be replaced with gelatin as a cheaper and safer pore directing agent with high sustainability and abundance. Based on the description above, this research aims to photodegrade methylene blue using mesoporous TiO2 (m-TiO2) nanoparticles which were prepared by the sol–gel method using gelatin and P123 as template. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Electron dispersive X-Ray (EDX), and UV–vis spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the samples. Photocatalytic activities of samples for methylene blue degradation were investigated. The catalyst before and after regeneration will be studied so that the effect of regeneration on the results of methylene blue photocatalysis with m-TiO2 can be determined. XRD results confirmed the formation of the anatase and rutile phase for the TiO2 nanoparticles, with crystallite sizes larger after regeneration in the range of 9–21 nm. The large particle size was after regeneration due to the promotion by high temperature treatment. TiO2 nanoparticles showed the best photocatalytic activity on the first use to 91% and remained stable after four cycles with photodegradation efficiency up to 76% based on the measured UV-Vis spectroscopy. TiO2 as synthesis could be the best candidate for catalyst with the high performance after multicycle regeneration. Copyright © 2024 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

IL-16 Mediates the Effect of Circulating Metabolites on Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Two-Step, Multivariable Mendelian Randomization Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the relationship between circulating metabolites and postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) and to assess the mediating role of inflammatory factors. Methods: Utilizing summary-level data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and employing a Mendelian Randomization approach, a two-sample MR analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between circulating metabolites and PMOP. Additionally, a two-step MR was used to quantify the mediating impact of inflammatory factors on the effect of circulating metabolites on PMOP. Results: The results revealed a significant association between certain metabolites and the risk of PMOP, notably the ratio of free cholesterol to total lipids in very large VLDL particles (OR: 1.399, 95% CI: 1.002-1.954, p = 0.048) and IL-16 (OR: 0.773, 95% CI: 0.608-0.983, p = 0.036). IL-16 was found to partially mediate the impact of circulating metabolites on PMOP, with a mediation effect of 10.4%. Conclusion: This study underscores the crucial role of circulating metabolites and inflammatory factors in PMOP pathogenesis. A causal relationship between circulating metabolites and PMOP was established, with IL-16 mediating some effects. These findings hold promise for clinical applications in early detection, personalized medicine, and the identification of therapeutic targets for PMOP.

Reveal of relationship between microscopy architecture and mechanical performance of Y/Bi substituted Bi-2212 engineering ceramics.

This study aims to find out how the crystallinity quality, surface morphology, and mechanical performances change with the substitution of yttrium (Y) for bismuth (Bi) impurity within molar ratios of 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.12 in the Bi2.0-xYxSr2.0Ca1.1Cu2.0Oy (Bi-2212) cuprates to reveal the dependence of micro surface topology on the substitution mechanism and achieve a strong relation between the impurity ions and crystallization mechanism. The materials are prepared by ceramic method. It is found that all the experimental findings improve remarkably with increasing yttrium impurity molar ratio of x = 0.01. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate that the optimum Y ions strengthen the formation of flaky adjacent stacked layers due to the changes of thermal expansion, vibration amplitude of atoms, heat capacitance, reaction kinetics, activation energy, nucleation temperature, thermodynamic stability, and intermolecular forces. Besides, new engineering novel compound produced by optimum Y ions presents the best crystallinity quality, uniform surface view, greatest coupling interaction between grains, largest particle size distributions/orientations, and densest/smoothest surface morphology. Hardness measurement results totally support the surface morphology view. Moreover, mechanical design properties and durability of the tetragonal phase improve significantly with increasing replacement level of x = 0.01 due to the induction of new surface residual compressive stress areas, slip systems, and chemical bonding between the foreign and host atoms. Besides, the same sample exhibits the maximum strength and minimum sensitivity to loads depending on reduction of stored internal strain energy and degree of granularity. Consequently, cracks tend to propagate predominantly within the transcrystalline regions. Furthermore, each material investigated exhibits the characteristic behavior of the indentation size effect. In summary, the optimum Y-doped Bi-2212 sample paves the way for the expanded use of engineering ceramics across various applications based on the enhanced service life. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The presence of the optimum yttrium impurity significantly decreases the Ea value. As the Y/Bi replacement increases up to the molar substitution level of x = 0.01, the mechanical design properties and durability of the tetragonal phase enhance significantly.

Enhanced radiation shielding efficiency of polystyrene nanocomposites with tailored lead oxide nanoparticles

In this study, we investigated a novel polymer nano-composite, PS-PbO, containing two distinct nano-sizes of lead oxide nanoparticles (PbO-A and PbO-B), in addition to the bulk size (PbO-K). These nanoparticles were embedded separately in a polystyrene (PS) matrix at different weight percentages (10%, 15%, 25%, and 35%) using roll mill mixing and compressing molding. Our evaluation focused on the radiation attenuation ability of PS-PbO and the effect of particle size, considering gamma-ray energies ranging from 0.06 to 1.3 MeV (from sources like 241Am, 133Ba, 137Cs, and 60Co). The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) was determined by analyzing samples of the synthesized composite with different thicknesses. Then, various shielding parameters were calculated, including total molecular, atomic, and electronic cross-sections (σmol, σatm, σel), as well as the effective atomic number and the electron density (Zeff and Neff). Surprisingly, modifying PbO particle sizes had a significant impact on shielding efficiency. For instance, the composite with 25 wt% of the smallest PbO-B particles showed a 26.7% increase in LAC at 0.059 keV compared to the composite with 25 wt% of PbO-K (larger particles). Notably, the LAC peaked at low energy (0.059 keV), close to the K-edge of Pb, where interaction is directly proportional to Z4. With increasing PbO concentrations, the LAC of PS-PbO composites increased steadily. Additionally, as PbO concentration increased, the composite’s effective atomic number Zeff and the electron density Neff increased, leading to a greater total Gamma-ray interaction cross-section. Furthermore, when comparing the Half-Value Layers of the novel nanocomposite to traditional lead shielding, a 70% reduction in mass was observed. Notably, the composite containing the smallest nano-size of PbO exhibited the highest radiation-shielding efficiency among all combinations and could therefore be used to create inexpensive and lightweight shields.

Causal Association between Circulating Metabolites and Dementia: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

The causal association of circulating metabolites with dementia remains uncertain. We assessed the causal association of circulating metabolites with dementia utilizing Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. We performed univariable MR analysis to evaluate the associations of 486 metabolites with dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD) risk. For secondary validation, we replicated the analyses using an additional dataset with 123 metabolites. We observed 118 metabolites relevant to the risk of dementia, 59 of which were lipids, supporting the crucial role of lipids in dementia pathogenesis. After Bonferroni adjustment, we identified nine traits of HDL particles as potential causal mediators of dementia. Regarding dementia subtypes, protective effects were observed for epiandrosterone sulfate on AD (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.48-0.75) and glycoproteins on VaD (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.95). Bayesian model averaging MR (MR-BMA) analysis was further conducted to prioritize the predominant metabolites for dementia risk, which highlighted the mean diameter of HDL particles and the concentration of very large HDL particles as the predominant protective factors against dementia. Moreover, pathway analysis identified 17 significant and 2 shared metabolic pathways. These findings provide support for the identification of promising predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for dementia.

Graphene powders as new contact nanopesticides: Revealing key parameters on their insecticidal activity for stored product insects

The overuse and reliance on pesticides has caused insects to develop resistance with global concerns. To address this problem extensive research is directed to find new and sustainable alternatives using chemical-free and resistance-free solutions for pest control. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the insecticidal properties of several types of industrially produced graphene powder materials such as graphene and graphene oxide (GO) with micro- and nano size and different structural and chemical properties as new contact nanopesticides against three major stored grain insects: the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.), the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.)˙ and the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus Horn. Bioassays were performed using different concentrations, i.e., 0, 100, 500 and 1000 ppm of graphene powders on the mortality of selected adult insects recorded after 3, 7, 14, and 21 days of exposure and progeny production after 65 days. Results showed that graphene oxide (GO) has no insecticidal efficacy while graphene powders with nano-size particles showed significantly enhanced insecticidal performance compared to micron-size graphene powders. The observed insecticidal effects are explained by the higher probability that nano-sized graphene particles adhere on the insect body compared to large particles. The mortality is proposed as the result of physical mode of action of attached graphene nanoparticles causing stronger interruption of the protective cuticle layer, gas respiratory functions and faster mortality. The findings of this study revealed that it is important to select graphene materials with optimal structural and interfacial properties to achieve the highest insecticidal performance in potential development of a new generation of sustainable insecticides.

Effects of freeze-thaw leaching on physicochemical properties and cadmium transformation in cadmium contaminated soil

This study aims to investigate the effect of the combined method of freeze–thaw and leaching on the removal of cadmium (Cd) in soil and to provide a theoretical basis for the remediation of farmland soil polluted by heavy metals. The removal process and mechanism of Cd were deduced through oscillatory leaching experiments and freeze–thaw leaching simulation experiments, and the influence of the freeze–thaw leaching technology on the soil environment was evaluated. The results of oscillatory leaching showed that a mixture consisting of 0.80 mol/L citric acid and 0.80 mol/L ferric chloride in a 1:19 vol ratio effectively remove 47.75 % of Cd, indicating that the composite leaching agent could effectively remove Cd from the soil. The results of the freeze–thaw leaching simulation experiment showed that although the freeze–thaw leaching treatment increased the total Cd content in the 0–5 cm soil layer, the total Cd content in the 5–10 cm, 10–15 cm, and 15–20 cm soil layers decreased by 5.08 %, 2.39 %, and 5.68 %, respectively. The freeze–thaw leaching increased the content of exchangeable Cd (p<0.05), carbonate bound Cd, but decreased organic bound Cd and residual Cd (p<0.05), thereby increasing the bioavailability of Cd. Freeze–thaw leaching not only increased the competitive adsorption of Cd2+ by decreasing soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and increasing the content of exchangeable calcium and exchangeable magnesium, thus reducing the adsorption of Cd in soil. And the results of XPS and FTIR similarly showed that the freeze–thaw leaching could promote the chelation between Cd2+ and hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl functional groups. Although the freeze–thaw leaching destroyed the large particle structure (0.05–2 mm) and large pores in the soil, and increased the clay content (<0.002 mm) and the proportion of small pores in the soil, the XRD results showed that freeze–thaw leaching had no significant effect on the minerals in the soil. In summary, this study shows that freeze–thaw leaching has a significant effect on the removal of soil heavy metals, suggesting that the synergistic effect of freeze-thaw and leaching should be considered in the process of removing soil pollutants in seasonal freeze–thaw zones, and that this method provides a new insight into the remediation of contaminated soils.

Unlocking multi-photon excited luminescence in pyrazolate trinuclear gold clusters for dynamic cell imaging

The family of coinage-metal-based cyclic trinuclear complexes exhibits abundant photophysical properties, promising for diverse applications. However, their utility in biochemistry is often hindered by large particle size and strong hydrophobicity. Meanwhile, the investigation into multi-photon excited luminescence within this family remained undocumented, limiting their potential in bio-imaging. Herein, we unveil the multi-photon excited luminescent properties of pyrazolate-based trinuclear gold(I) clusters, facilitated by excimeric gold(I)···gold(I) interactions, revealing a nonlinear optical phenomenon within this family. Furthermore, to address issues of poor biocompatibility, we employ electrospinning coupled with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin as the matrix to fabricate a flexible, durable, transparent, and red emissive film with a photoluminescence quantum yield as high as 88.3%. This strategy not only produces the film with sufficient hydrophilicity and stability, but also achieves the downsizing of trinuclear gold(I) clusters from microscale to nanoscale. Following the instantaneous dissolution of the film in the media, the released trinuclear gold(I) nanoparticles have illuminated cells and bacteria through a real-time, non-toxic, multi-photon bio-imaging approach. This achievement offers a fresh approach for utilizing coinage-metal-based cyclic trinuclear complexes in biochemical fields.

Numerical Evaluation of Aerosol Propagation in Wind Instruments Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

This paper examines aerosol propagation in wind instruments through numerical analysis, focusing on particle trajectories within five types of wind instruments: saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe, and trumpet. Using a computational fluid dynamics approach, it is found that larger particles are deposited within the instruments, while smaller micron-sized particles predominantly exit through the bell. The impact of the instrument’s geometry on aerosol dynamics is quantified; cylindrical instruments (clarinet, flute) show an increased rate of small droplet deposition or escape through tone holes compared to conical instruments (saxophone, oboe). Instruments with steep turnings, such as the trumpet, exhibited significant particle deposition. The study suggests that deposited particles are likely to move towards re-emission points, driven by gravity and airflow, especially in straight-shaped instruments. Integrating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as a complementary approach to traditional experimental methods provides insights into aerosol transmission mechanisms in musical settings. This methodology not only aids in understanding aerosol behavior but also supports the development of safer musical and educational environments, contributing to the field.

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of ion transport during the charging process of porous electrodes in randomly reconstructed seawater desalination batteries

The economics and desalination results of desalination cells are superior to those of other desalination technologies due to their unique electrochemical mechanisms. Nevertheless, there has been a paucity of research into the potential mechanisms of pore-scale ion removal during the operation of this specific type of battery. In this paper, the relationship between electrode microstructure and cell performance is investigated by establishing a lattice Boltzmann model and a high-fidelity two-dimensional electrode structure. The results demonstrate that the random morphology and irregular agglomeration of particles result in significant differences in electrode performance. During electrode deionization, the ion embedding process is faster in particles close to the main flow. In addition, sodium ions are inserted faster in small particles than in large particles. If the particles comprising the electrode exhibit a localized uneven distribution, it is advantageous to have a greater density of particles in the vicinity of the flow channel. The larger the reaction interface per unit area, the faster the interpolation rate of the particle, while the larger the total area, the larger the interpolation capacity of the particle.

Major Vault Protein/Lung Resistance-Related Protein: A Novel Biomarker for Inflammation and Acute Infections.

Vault particles are large cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein particles that participate in inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of major vault protein (MVP) in patients with inflammation, in order to determine whether MVP could be used as a biomarker for infection or inflammation. We also aimed to compare the diagnostic impact of MVP compared to other conventional measurements, such as CRP or white blood cell (WBC) counts. CRP and MVP levels were measured in 111 sera samples from 85 patients with inflammation admitted to a tertiary-care hospital and 26 healthy individuals during an 18-month period (2019-2020), using nephelometry and a custom MVP sandwich ELISA assay, respectively. In addition, WBC counts were measured using a commercial assay. MVP levels were found to be elevated in patients with inflammation compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.0001). Moreover, MVP levels were higher in patients with inflammation due to an infectious etiology compared to those with non-infectious etiology (p = 0.0006). MVP levels significantly decreased during the first four days of infection in response to antibiotic treatment, while CRP levels showed a less-sensitive decline. An ROC curve analysis demonstrated that MVP and CRP have similarly high diagnostic accuracy, with AUCs of 0.955 and 0.995, respectively, followed by WBCs with an AUC of 0.805. The ROC curves demonstrated that MVP has the potential to serve as a diagnostic biomarker for inflammation and infection. Additionally, MVP levels may reflect the efficacy of antibiotic treatment.

Effect of large particle mixing on cloud ignition and explosion of fine rice husk

Large particles mixed with fine dust are commonly found in the processing and transportation of grain dust. The mixture of dust is exposed to the risk of dust explosions when suspended in the environment. Using a 20 L spherical explosion device and the dust cloud minimum ignition energy (MIE) experimental platform, this study examines the effects of crushed brown rice mixture on the ignition and explosion of fine rice husk dust. The discovery of large granules of crushed brown rice being lifted up to form flow "obstacles" in the mixed dust cloud has a similar inhibitory effect to inert materials, causing the MIE of the dust cloud to increase from 40 mJ to 150 mJ. However, 5 % of crushed brown rice will lower the 10 mJ dust cloud's ignition energy when the concentration of dust clouds is 500 g/m3. Through testing the dispersibility of mixed dust clouds, it was found that fine dust particles adsorbed on the surface of large particles will peel off after being lifted, improving the dispersibility of the mixed dust cloud and forming a system of mixed dust clouds with finer effective particle size, thereby promoting ignition. Furthermore, due to the improvement in the dispersibility of mixed dust clouds by large particles, at mixing ratios below 30 %, large particles will also significantly increase the maximum rate of pressure rise (dP/dt)max, increasing the likelihood of dust ignition and the consequences of an explosion. Therefore, these findings should be taken into consideration during the process of grain processing and transportation.