Effects of Molecular Geometry on the Properties of Compressed Diamondoid Crystals
Abstract not provided
Yang, Fan↗
Engineering topics
Yang, Fan
Publications and source records attributed to Yang, Fan.
Identification of the core set of carbon-associated genes in a bioenergy grassland soil
Despite the central role of soil microbial communities in global carbon (C) cycling, little is known about soil microbial community structure and even less about their metabolic pathways. Efforts to characterize soil communities often focus on identifying differences in gene content across environmental gradients, but an alternative question is what genes are similar in soils. These genes may indicate critical species or potential functions that are required in all soils. Here we identified the “core” set of C cycling sequences widely present in multiple soil metagenomes from a fertilized prairie (FP). Of 226,887 sequences associated with known enzymes involved in the synthesis, metabolism, and transport of carbohydrates, 843 were identified to be consistently prevalent across four replicate soil metagenomes. This core metagenome was functionally and taxonomically diverse, representing five enzyme classes and 99 enzyme families within the CAZy database. Though it only comprised 0.4% of all CAZy-associated genes identified in FP metagenomes, the core was found to be comprised of functions similar to those within cumulative soils. The FP CAZy-associated core sequences were present in multiple publicly available soil metagenomes and most similar to soils sharing geographic proximity. In soil ecosystems, where high diversity remains a key challenge for metagenomic investigations, these core genes represent a subset of critical functions necessary for carbohydrate metabolism, which can be targeted to evaluate important C fluxes in these and other similar soils.
Howe, Adina↗
Dynamic autophagic activity affected the development of thoracic aortic dissection by regulating functional properties of smooth muscle cells
The aortic medial degeneration is the key histopathologic feature of Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD). The aim of this study was to identify the change of autophagic activity in the aortic wall during TAD development, and to explore the roles of autophagy on regulating functional properties of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Firstly, compared with control group (n = 11), the increased expression of autophagic markers Beclin1 and LC3 was detected in the aortic wall from TAD group (n = 23) by immunochemistry and western blot. We found that more autophagic vacuoles were present in the aortic wall of TAD patients using Transmission electron microscopy. Next, autophagic activity was examined in AD mice model established by β-aminopropionitrile fumarate (BAPN) and angiotensin II. Immunochemistry proved that autophagic activity was dynamically changed during AD development. Beclin1 and LC3 were detected up-regulated in the aortic wall in the second week after BAPN feeding, earlier than the fragmentation or loss of elastic fibers. When AD occurred in the 4th week, the expression of Beclin1 and LC3 began to decrease, but still higher than the control. Furthermore, autophagy was found to inhibit starvation-induced apoptosis of SMCs. Meanwhile, blockage of autophagy could suppress PDGF-induced phenotypic switch of SMCs. Taken together, autophagic activity was dynamically changed in the aortic wall during TAD development. The abnormal autophagy could regulate the functional properties of aortic SMCs, which might be the potential pathogenesis of TAD. - Highlights: • Autophagy is up-regulated in aorta wall from thoracic aorta dissection (TAD) patient. • Autophagic activity is dynamically changed during TAD development. • Dynamically change of autophagy is associated with pathological process of TAD. • Autophagy participate in the development of TAD by regulating function of SMCs.
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
Geometric analysis of enhanced thermal conductivity in epoxy composites: A comparison of graphite and carbon nanofiber fillers
We analyze the geometric effects of two different carbon fillers on the enhancement of the thermal conductivity of carbon‐epoxy composites. This study compares the thermal properties of composites containing graphite powder (2‐dimensional) and carbon nanofibers (1‐dimensional) incorporated in an industrial epoxy. Calculations using the generalized effective medium model were also used to examine the effect of the geometry and aspect ratio of the carbon filler. Experiments show that at a filler volume fraction loading of 0.10, the effective thermal conductivity of the composites was improved up to eightfold for carbon nanofiber and threefold for graphite in comparison to the neat epoxy. The superior performance of the carbon nanofiber composite is due to the larger aspect ratio of nanofiber which allows greater overlap between neighboring particles. However, this greater overlap also results in the composite becoming prohibitively viscous at low filler volume fractions. In graphite composite at the maximum filler volume fraction of 0.3, the resulting thermal conductivity improvement was 14‐fold over the neat epoxy. Calculations indicated that the improved thermal conductivity was primarily due to the filler particle geometry. Additionally, calculations suggest the wider distribution of graphite particle aspect ratio could have a positive influence on enhancing composite thermal conductivity.
Ruminski, Anne M.↗
Polybenzimidazole (PBI) functionalized nanographene as highly stable catalyst support for polymer Electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs)
Nanoscale graphenes were used as cathode catalyst supports in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Surface-initiated polymerization that covalently bonds polybenzimidazole (PBI) polymer on the surface of graphene supports enables the uniform distribution of the Pt nanoparticles, as well as allows the sealing of the unterminated carbon bonds usually present on the edge of graphene from the chemical reduction of graphene oxide. The nanographene effectively shortens the length of channels and pores for O 2 diffusion/water dissipation and significantly increases the primary pore volume. Further addition of p-phenyl sulfonic functional graphitic carbon particles as spacers, increases the specific volume of the secondary pores and greatly improves O 2 mass transport within the catalyst layers. The developed composite cathode catalyst of Pt/PBI-nanographene (50 wt%) + SO 3 H-graphitic carbon black demonstrates a higher beginning of life (BOL) PEMFC performance as compared to both Pt/PBI-nanographene (50 wt%) and Pt/PBI-graphene (50 wt%) + SO 3 H-graphitic carbon black (GCB). Accelerated stress tests show excellent support durability compared to that of traditional Pt/Vulcan XC72 catalysts, when subjected to 10,000 cycles from 1.0 V to 1.5 V. As a result, this study suggests the promise of using PBI-nanographene + SO 3 H-GCB hybrid supports in fuel cells to achieve the 2020 DOE targets for transportation applications.
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
Conditions for super-adiabatic droplet growth after entrainment mixing
Abstract. Cloud droplet response to entrainment and mixing between a cloud and its environment is considered, accounting for subsequent droplet growth during adiabatic ascent following a mixing event. The vertical profile for liquid water mixing ratio after a mixing event is derived analytically, allowing the reduction to be predicted from the mixing fraction and from the temperature and humidity for both the cloud and environment. It is derived for the limit of homogeneous mixing. The expression leads to a critical height above the mixing level: at the critical height the cloud droplet radius is the same for both mixed and unmixed parcels, and the critical height is independent of the updraft velocity and mixing fraction. Cloud droplets in a mixed parcel are larger than in an unmixed parcel above the critical height, which we refer to as the “super-adiabatic” growth region. Analytical results are confirmed with a bin microphysics cloud model. Using the model, we explore the effects of updraft velocity, aerosol source in the environmental air, and polydisperse cloud droplets. Results show that the mixed parcel is more likely to reach the super-adiabatic growth region when the environmental air is humid and clean. It is also confirmed that the analytical predictions are matched by the volume-mean cloud droplet radius for polydisperse size distributions. The findings have implications for the origin of large cloud droplets that may contribute to onset of collision–coalescence in warm clouds.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Data centers as dispatchable loads to harness stranded power
Here, we analyze how traditional data center placement and optimal placement of dispatchable data centers affect power grid efficiency. We use detailed network models, stochastic optimization formulations, and diverse renewable generation scenarios to perform our analysis. Our results reveal that significant spillage and stranded power will persist in power grids as wind power levels are increased. A counter-intuitive finding is that collocating data centers with inflexible loads next to wind farms has limited impacts on renewable portfolio standard (RPS) goals because it provides limited system-level flexibility. Such an approach can, in fact, increase stranded power and fossil-fueled generation. In contrast, optimally placing data centers that are dispatchable provides system-wide flexibility, reduces stranded power, and improves efficiency. In short, optimally placed dispatchable computing loads can enable better scaling to high RPS. In our case study, we find that these dispatchable computing loads are powered to 60-80% of their requested capacity, indicating that there are significant economic incentives provided by stranded power.
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
Self-diffusion and microscopic dynamics in a gold-silicon liquid investigated with quasielastic neutron scattering
We use incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering to study the atomic dynamics of gold in a eutectic Au{sub 81}Si{sub 19} melt. Despite the glass-forming nature of this system, the gold self-diffusivity displays an Arrhenius behavior with a low activation energy characteristic of simple liquids. At high temperatures, long-range transport of gold atoms is well described by hydrodynamic theory with a simple exponential decay of the self-correlation function. On cooling towards the melting temperature, structural relaxation crosses over to a highly stretched exponential behavior. This suggests the onset of a heterogeneous dynamics, even in the equilibrium melt, and is indicative of a very fragile liquid.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Reverse degradation of nickel graphene junction by hydrogen annealing
Metal contacts are fundamental building components for graphene based electronic devices and their properties are greatly influenced by interface quality during device fabrication, leading to resistance variation. Here we show that nickel graphene junction degrades after air exposure, due to interfacial oxidation, thus creating a tunneling barrier. Most importantly, we demonstrate that hydrogen annealing at moderate temperature (300 {sup 0}C) is an effective technique to reverse the degradation.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
MicroRNA-613 represses prostate cancer cell proliferation and invasion through targeting Frizzled7
A growing number of studies have indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of carcinogenesis and cancer progression and may serve as potential therapeutic tools for cancer therapy. Frizzled7 (Fzd7), the most important receptor of the Wnt signaling pathway, is extensively involved in cancer development and progression. However, the role of Fzd7 in prostate cancer remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression of Fzd7 in prostate cancer and test whether modulating Fzd7 expression by miR-613 would have an impact on prostate cancer cell proliferation and invasion. We found that Fzd7 was highly expressed in prostate cancer cell lines. Through bioinformatics analysis, Fzd7 was predicted as a target gene of miR-613, which was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assays, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. By gain of function experiments, we showed that overexpression of miR-613 significantly suppressed prostate cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Furthermore, miR-613 overexpression markedly downregulated the Wnt signaling pathway. Through a rescue experiment, we showed that overexpression of Fzd7 could abrogate the inhibitory effect of miR-613 on cell proliferation and invasion as well as Wnt signaling. Additionally, these results were further strengthened by data showing that miR-613 was significantly downregulated in prostate cancer tissues, exhibiting an inverse correlation with Fzd7 expression. In conclusion, our study suggests that miR-613 functions as a tumor suppressor, partially through targeting Fzd7, and is a potential therapeutic target for prostate cancer. - Highlights: • Fzd7 was highly expressed in prostate cancer. • Fzd7 was predicted as a target gene of miR-613. • MiR-613 negatively regulated prostate cancer by Fzd7. • MiR-613 inversely correlated with Fzd7 in prostate cancer.
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
A novel porous anionic metal–organic framework with pillared double-layer structure for selective adsorption of dyes
A novel porous anionic metal–organic framework, (Me{sub 2}NH{sub 2}){sub 2}[Zn{sub 2}L{sub 1.5}bpy]·2DMF (BUT-201; H{sub 4}L=4,8-disulfonaphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid; bpy=4,4-bipyridine; DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide), with pillared double-layer structure has been synthesized through the reaction of a sulfonated carboxylic acid ligand and Zn(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O with 4,4-bipyridine as a co-ligand. It is found that BUT-201 can rapidly adsorb cationic dyes with a smaller size such as Methylene Blue (MB) and Acriflavine Hydrochloride (AH) by substitution of guest (CH{sub 3}){sub 2}NH{sub 2}{sup +}, but has no adsorption towards the cationic dyes with a lager size such as Methylene Violet (MV), the anionic dyes like C. I. Acid Yellow 1 (AY1) and neutral dyes like C. I. Solvent Yellow 7 (SY7), respectively. The results show that the adsorption behavior of BUT-201 relates not only to the charge but also to the size/shape of dyes. Furthermore, the adsorbed dyes can be gradually released in the methanol solution of LiNO{sub 3}. - Graphical abstract: A porous anionic metal–organic framework (BUT-201) can selectively adsorb the cationic dyes by cationic guest molecule substitution, and the adsorbed dyes can be gradually released in the methanol solution of LiNO{sub 3}. - Highlights: • An anionic metal-organic framework (BUT-201) has been synthesized and characterized. • BUT-201 has a three-dimensional (3D) pillared double-layer structure. • BUT-201 can selectively and rapidly adsorb cationic dyes. • The adsorbed dyes can be gradually released in the methanol solution of LiNO{sub 3}.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗