• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.999-1008
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• 2023

Deformed fuel rods can cause a partial blockage of the flow area in a subchannel. Such flow blockage will influence the core coolant flow and further the core heat transfer during the reflooding phase and subsequent severe accidents. Nevertheless, most of the system analysis codes simulate the accident process based on the assumed flow blockage ratio, resulting in inconsistencies between simulated results and actual conditions. This paper aims to study the influence of flow blockage in severe accident scenario of the CAP1400 reactor. First, the flow blockage model of ISAA code is improved based on the FRTMB module. Then, the ISAA-FRTMB coupling system is adopted to model and calculate the QUENCH-LOCA-0 experiment. The correctness and validity of the flow blockage model are verified by comparing the peak cladding temperature. Finally, the DVI Line-SBLOCA accident is induced to analyze the influence of flow blockage on subsequent CAP1400 reactor core heat transfer and core degradation. From the results of the DVI Line-SBLOCA accident analysis, it can be concluded that the blockage ratio is in the range of 40%-60%, and the position of severe blockage is the same as that of cladding rupture. The blockage reduces the circulation area of the core coolant, which in turn impacts the heat exchange between the core and the coolant, leading to the early failure and collapse of some core assemblies and accelerating the core degradation process.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.434-445
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• 2023

We investigated whether FTY-720 might have an effect on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis through inhibiting TGF-β1 pathway, and up-regulating autophagy. The pulmonary fibrosis was induced by bleomycin. FTY-720 (1 mg/kg) drug was intraperitoneally injected into mice. Histological changes and inflammatory factors were observed, and EMT and autophagy protein markers were studied by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The effects of bleomycin on MLE-12 cells were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry, and the related molecular mechanisms were studied by Western Blot. FTY-720 considerably attenuated bleomycin-induced disorganization of alveolar tissue, extracellular collagen deposition, and α-SMA and E-cadherin levels in mice. The levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 cytokines were attenuated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as protein content and leukocyte count. COL1A1 and MMP9 protein expressions in lung tissue were significantly reduced. Additionally, FTY-720 treatment effectively inhibited the expressions of key proteins in TGF-β1/TAK1/P38MAPK pathway and regulated autophagy proteins. Similar results were additionally found in cellular assays with mouse alveolar epithelial cells. Our study provides proof for a new mechanism for FTY-720 to suppress pulmonary fibrosis. FTY-720 is also a target for treating pulmonary fibrosis.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1644-1650
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• 2023

In spent fuel reprocessing, UO₂(DBP)₂ (U-DBP) can be deposited in stainless steel equipment. U-DBP must be removed by dissolution and the process must not cause corrosion to stainless steel. This study was conducted to find the best scheme for dissolution. U-DBP was manufactured by the titrimetric sedimentation method. The effects of different factors on the dissolution of U-DBP were investigated. For example, solid-liquid ratio, hydrazine carbonate solutions with different mass components, mixed solutions containing different concentrations of H₂O₂, and different carbonates. The results indicated that U-DBP does not have a regular crystal morphology. With the increase of the solid-liquid ratio and the mass fraction of hydrazine carbonate, the concentration of U(VI) at the dissolution equilibrium increases gradually. The addition of H₂O₂ has a great promotion effect on the dissolution. However, when the concentration of H₂O₂ is greater than 0.5 M, the dissolution solution may have an erosive effect on the stainless steel. (NH₄)₂CO₃ can increase the dissolution capacity of dissolved U-DBP, but it may also accelerate the corrosion of stainless steel.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2023

As composite materials are used in many applications, the modern world looks forward to significant progress. An overview of the application of composite fiber materials in sports equipment is provided in this article, focusing primarily on the advantages of these materials when applied to sports equipment, as well as an Analysis of the influence of sports equipment of fiber-reinforced composite material on social sports development. The present study investigated surface morphology and physical and mechanical properties of S-glass fiber epoxy composites containing Al₂O₃ nanofillers (for example, 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt%). A mechanical stirrer and ultrasonication combined the Al₂O₃ nanofiller with the matrix in varying amounts. A compression molding method was used to produce sheet composites. A first physical observation is well done, which confirms that nanoparticles are deposited on the fiber, and adhesive bonds are formed. Al₂O₃ nanofiller crystalline structure was investigated by X-ray diffraction, and its surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). In the experimental test, nanofiller content was added at a rate of 1, 2, and 3% by weight, which caused a gradual decrease in void fraction by 2.851, 2.533, and 1.724%, respectively, an increase from 2.7%. The atomic bonding mechanism shows molecular bonding between nanoparticles and fibers. At temperatures between 60 ℃ and 380 ℃, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) analysis shows that NPs deposition improves the thermal properties of the fibers and causes negligible weight reduction (percentage). Thermal stability of the composites was therefore presented up to 380 ℃. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) spectrum confirms that nanoparticles have been deposited successfully on the fiber.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2628-2641
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• 2023

Nuclear safety is the lifeline for the development and application of nuclear energy. In severe accidents of pressurized water reactor (PWR), aerosols, as the main carrier of fission products, are suspended in the containment vessel, posing a potential threat of radioactive contamination caused by leakage into the environment. The gas-phase aerosols suspended in the containment will settle onto the wall or sump water through the natural deposition mechanism, thereby reducing atmospheric radioactivity. Aiming at the low accuracy of the aerosol model in the ISAA code, this paper improves the natural deposition model of aerosol in the containment. The aerosol dynamic shape factor was introduced to correct the natural deposition rate of non-spherical aerosols. Moreover, the gravity, Brownian diffusion, thermophoresis and diffusiophoresis deposition models were improved. In addition, ABCOVE, AHMED and LACE experiments were selected to validate and evaluate the improved ISAA code. According to the calculation results, the improved model can more accurately simulate the peak aerosol mass and respond to the influence of the containment pressure and temperature on the natural deposition rate of aerosols. At the same time, it can significantly improve the calculation accuracy of the residual mass of aerosols in the containment. The performance of improved ISAA can meet the requirements for analyzing the natural deposition behavior of aerosol in containment of advanced PWRs in severe accident. In the future, further optimization will be made to address the problems found in the current aerosol model.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.303-314
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• 2023

In this study, two steady RANS turbulence models (SST k-ω and Realizable k-ε) and four unsteady turbulence models (URANS SST k-ω and Realizable k-ε, SST-SAS, and SST-IDDES) are evaluated with respect to their capacity to predict crosswind characteristics on high-speed trains (HSTs). All of the numerical simulations are compared with the wind tunnel values and LES results to ensure the accuracy of each turbulence model. Specifically, the surface pressure distributions, time-averaged aerodynamic coefficients, flow fields, and computational cost are studied to determine the suitability of different models. Results suggest that the predictions of the pressure distributions and aerodynamic forces obtained from the steady and transient RANS models are almost the same. In particular, both SAS and IDDES exhibits similar predictions with wind tunnel test and LES, therefore, the SAS model is considered an attractive alternative for IDDES or LES in the crosswind study of trains. In addition, if the computational cost needs to be significantly reduced, the RANS SST k-ω model is shown to provide relatively reasonable results for the surface pressures and aerodynamic forces. As a result, the RANS SST k-ω model might be the most appropriate option for the expensive aerodynamic optimizations of trains using machine learning (ML) techniques because it balances solution accuracy and resource consumption.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.107-122
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• 2024

Following an internal column failure, adjacent double-span beams above the failed column will play a critical role in the load transfer and internal force redistribution within the remaining structure, and the span-to-depth ratios of double-span beams significantly influence the structural resistance capacity against progressive collapse. Most existing studies have focused on the collapse-resistant performances of single-story symmetric structures, whereas limited published works are available on the collapse resistances of multi-story steel frames with unequal spans. To this end, in this study, numerical models based on shell elements were employed to investigate the structural behavior of multi-story steel frames with unequal spans. The simulation models were validated using the previous experimental results obtained for single- and two-story steel frames, and the load-displacement responses and internal force development of unequal-span three-story steel frames under three cases were comprehensively analyzed. In addition, the specific contributions of the different mechanism resistances of unequal-span, double-span beams of each story were separated quantitatively using the energy equilibrium theory, with an aim to gain a deeper level of understanding of the load-resistance mechanisms in the unequal-span steel frames. The results showed that the axial and flexural mechanism resistances were determined by the span ratio and linear stiffness ratio of double-span beams, respectively.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-30
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• 2024

Earthquakes can lead to substantial damage to buildings, with long-period ground motion being particularly destructive. The design of high-performance building structures has become a prominent focus of research. The double-story isolated structure is a novel type of isolated structure developed from base isolated structure. To delve deeper into the building performance of double-story isolated structures, the double-story isolated structure was constructed with the upper isolated layer located in different layers, alongside a base isolated structure for comparative analysis. Nonlinear elastoplastic analyses were conducted on these structures using different ground motion inputs, including ordinary ground motion, near-field impulsive ground motion, and far-field harmonic ground motion. The results demonstrate that the double-story isolated structure can extend the structural period further than the base isolated structure under three types of ground motions. The double-story isolated structure exhibits lower base shear, inter-story displacement, base isolated layer displacement, story shear, and maximum acceleration of the top layer, compared to the base isolated structure. In addition, the double-story isolated structure generates fewer plastic hinges in the frame, causes less damage to the core tube, and experiences smaller overturning moments, demonstrating excellent resistance to overturning and a shock-absorbing effect. As the upper isolated layer is positioned higher, the compressive stress on the isolated bearings of the upper isolated layer in the double-story isolated structure gradually decreases. Moreover, the compressive stress on the isolated bearings of the base isolated layer is lower compared to that of the base isolated structure. However, the shock-absorbing capacity of the double-story isolated structure is significantly increased when the upper isolated layer is located in the middle and lower section. Notably, in regions exposed to long-period ground motion, a double-story isolated structure can experience greater seismic response and reduced shock-absorbing capacity, which may be detrimental to the structure.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2024

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin tumors, and conventional treatment modalities are not effective in treating advanced melanoma. Although immunotherapy is an effective treatment for melanoma, it has disadvantages, such as a poor response rate and serious systemic immune-related toxic side effects. The main solution to this problem is the use of biological materials such as hydrogels to reduce these side effects and amplify the immune killing effect against tumor cells. Hydrogels have great advantages as local slow-release drug carriers, including the ability to deliver antitumor drugs directly to the tumor site, enhance the local drug concentration in tumor tissue, reduce systemic drug distribution and exhibit good degradability. Despite these advantages, there has been limited research on the application of hydrogels in melanoma treatment. Therefore, this article provides a comprehensive review of the potential application of hydrogels in melanoma immunotherapy. Hydrogels can serve as carriers for sustained drug delivery, enabling the targeted and localized delivery of drugs with minimal systemic side effects. This approach has the potential to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for melanoma. Thus, the use of hydrogels as drug delivery vehicles for melanoma immunotherapy has great potential and warrants further exploration.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.18.1-18.27
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• 2024

Mastitis is one of the most widespread infectious diseases that adversely affects the profitability of the dairy industry worldwide. Accurate diagnosis and identification of pathogens early to cull infected animals and minimize the spread of infection in herds is critical for improving treatment effects and dairy farm welfare. The major pathogens causing mastitis and pathogenesis are assessed first. The most recent and advanced strategies for detecting mastitis, including genomics and proteomics approaches, are then evaluated. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of each technique, potential research directions, and future perspectives are reported. This review provides a theoretical basis to help veterinarians select the most sensitive, specific, and cost-effective approach for detecting bovine mastitis early.