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•A novel bio-inspired tapered structure mimicking the hierarchical architecture of barnacle is designed.•The SEA and mean crushing force show a significant improvement as the number ...of substructures increases.•The mean crushing force reaches maximum value when the ratio of external to internal wall thickness is the lowest.•The theoretical model effectively predicts the mean crushing force of the proposed structure.
This paper introduces a new type of energy-absorbing hierarchical tapered structure, mimicking the hierarchical architecture of barnacle. The proposed structures are designed by iteratively incorporating sub-tapered tubes at the junctions of primary ribs aiming to enhance the crashworthiness performance. The finite element models of the proposed structures are constructed in Abaqus software and validated using experimental testing. The effects of the geometrical parameters including the number of substructures and the external-to-internal wall thickness ratio on the energy absorption characteristics of the proposed structures are investigated. The results demonstrate that as the number of substructures increases, the specific energy absorption (SEA) and mean crushing force of the proposed design show a significant improvement. Specially, the SEA of the proposed structures with four substructures can reach 32.78 kJ/kg, which is 85.8 % higher than the conventional tapered tube. Additionally, decreasing the ratio of external to internal wall thickness leads to enhanced performance. After optimizing the wall thickness ratio, the maximum SEA can reach 40.87 kJ/kg, which is 26.0 % higher than that before optimization. To complement the findings, a theoretical study is presented, which exhibits excellent agreement with the numerical results, further validating the effectiveness of the proposed design. This study highlights the potential of incorporating hierarchical and tapered features into tapered structures, offering promising prospects for advancements in energy absorption technology across diverse industries.
•3D printed bioinspired tapered tubes based on observations of barnacles are designed.•The mechanical properties of the tubes under quasi-static compression loads are studied experimentally, ...numerically and theoretically.•The effects of the number of corrugations and the corrugation amplitudes on the structural deformation and energy absorption performance are obtained.•The crashworthiness of the corrugated tapered tubes under oblique loads is investigated.
Thin-walled structures are widely used as energy absorption devices in vehicles. This paper designs bioinspired thin-walled structures based on observations of barnacles and studies the mechanical properties of these structures under quasi-static conditions. The effects of the number of corrugations and the corrugation amplitudes on the structural deformation and energy absorption performance of 3D printed bioinspired tapered tubes are studied experimentally, numerically, and theoretically. The results show that the corrugation amplitude and the number of corrugations have a significant influence on the energy absorption parameters, and the specific energy absorption (SEA) can be significantly improved when the number and amplitude of the corrugations are properly controlled. The highest SEA of the corrugated tapered tube can be improved by 15.75% compared with the traditional tapered tube. Furthermore, the crashworthiness of the corrugated tapered tubes under oblique loads is also investigated. The result shows that the SEA of the corrugated tapered tube is 41.56% higher than that of the cylindrical tube when the oblique loading angle is 20°. Finally, the energy absorption performance of the multicell structures is studied, and they perform much better than conventional structures. Especially, the SEA of the multicell tapered tube with 16 cells is approximately 1.97 times that of conventional tube.
This study unveils a novel interaction effect in the foam-filled CFRP tapered tubes that enhances their specific energy absorption (SEA), challenging the conventional understanding that foam fillers ...decrease the SEA of structures like foam-filled CFRP straight tubes and foam-filled metal tapered tubes. Quasi-static axial compression tests were conducted on foam-filled CFRP tubes with varying taper angles (0°, 5°, 10°, 15°) to confirm and quantify this newfound interaction effect. The energy absorption characteristics and interaction effect due to the foam filler in the foam-filled CFRP tapered tubes were thoroughly evaluated and compared to 3D-printed 316L stainless steel tubes and unfilled CFRP counterparts. Contrary to expectations, our results indicate that the foam-filled CFRP tubes consistently outperform both steel and unfilled CFRP tubes in energy absorption. Intriguingly, the CFRP foam-filled tapered tubes in this study demonstrated higher SEA compared to CFRP tubes without foam filler, underscoring the remarkable effectiveness of CFRP materials in foam-filled tapered tube applications. Our comprehensive interaction effect analysis highlights the substantial contribution of the unique synergy between the foam filler and the debris of the CFRP tapered tube to this increased SEA. Additionally, we propose a novel hybrid design that integrates straight and tapered CFRP tubes with foam fillers, leveraging the newfound interaction effect to further enhance the energy absorption of tapered tubes. This research not only emphasizes the advantages of foam fillers in enhancing CFRP tapered structures but also introduces innovative possibilities for energy absorption applications across various industries.
This paper proposes a novel laser shock hydraulic microforming technology which employs laser-induced shock wave pressure to deform thin-walled metal foils into the large-area three-dimensional micro ...arrays with the liquid as the pressure transmission medium. Both numerical simulation and experimental methods were used to investigate the laser shock hydraulic microforming of pure copper foils. A finite element model was built and a method of discrete spatiotemporal Gaussian distribution laser shock wave pressure was applied in the simulation, and the experimental measurements were well consistent with the simulation results, which verifies the accuracy of the model. The dynamic forming process, as well as the deformation behaviors, including the velocity variation and strain distribution, were studied through the model. The pressure distribution equalization and the spring back during the forming process were found and discussed. In addition, the influence of the laser energy and foil thickness on the formability of thin-walled copper foils were studied. The numerical and experimental investigations have shown that this technology has a good pressure equalizing effect and can suppress or even prevent the springback of copper foils, which is suitable for the forming of large-area array micro-features.
•Spring back first occurs in the central region and then affects the surroundings.•Liquid can prolong the action time and equalize the shock wave pressure.•Higher laser energy ensures better forming accuracy of thin-walled foils in a certain range.•Thin foils have higher forming quality than thick ones under the same laser energy.•The significant strain gradient occurs at the entrance of the mould cavity.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in IPF and explore its ...correlation with immune infiltration.
ERS-related differentially expressed genes (ERSRDEGs) were identified by intersecting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets with ERS-related gene sets. Gene Set Variation Analysis and Gene Ontology were used to explore the potential biological mechanisms underlying ERS. A nomogram was developed using the risk signature derived from the ERSRDEGs to perform risk assessment. The diagnostic value of the risk signature was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics, calibration, and decision curve analyses. The ERS score of patients with IPF was measured using a single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm. Subsequently, a prognostic model based on the ERS scores was established. The proportion of immune cell infiltration was assessed using the ssGSEA and CIBERSORT algorithms. Finally, the expression of ERSRDEGs was validated
and
via RT-qPCR.
This study developed an 8-ERSRDEGs signature. Based on the expression of these genes, we constructed a diagnostic nomogram model in which agouti-related neuropeptide had a significantly greater impact on the model. The area under the curve values for the predictive value of the ERSRDEGs signature were 0.975 and 1.000 for GSE70866 and GSE110147, respectively. We developed a prognostic model based on the ERS scores of patients with IPF. Furthermore, we classified patients with IPF into two subtypes based on their signatures. The RT-qPCR validation results supported the reliability of most of our conclusions.
We developed and verified a risk model using eight ERSRDEGs. These eight genes can potentially affect the progression of IPF by regulating ERS and immune responses.
The irreversible capacity loss of lithium-ion batteries during initial cycling directly leads to a decrease in energy density, and promising lithium cathode replenishment can significantly alleviate ...this problem. In response to the problems of complex preparation, instability in air, and unfavorable residue of the conventional cathode lithium replenishment materials, a Li2CO3/carbon nanocomposite is prepared and utilized as the lithium replenishment material. With high-speed ball-milling, a nanocomposite with a tight embedment structured Li2CO3/Ketjen Black (KB) composite composed of nanosized Li2CO3 and KB is synthesized. The decomposition potential of Li2CO3 is effectively decreased to 3.8 V, and the amount of the active lithium ion being released is significantly increased, corresponding to a specific capacity of 645.2 mAh·g–1 during the initial charging cycle. It has been introduced into the full-cells composed of the NCM523 cathode and graphite anode, resulting in a capacity increase of 44 mAh·g–1 in the initial cycle and a 26.4% improvement in capacity retention over 100 cycles. The working mechanism of the Li2CO3/KB nanocomposite as the lithium replenishment agent has been discussed. The outcome of the work provides a practically feasible route to realize lithium-ion battery technology with improved energy density and cycling life.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology, characterized by diffuse alveolitis and alveolar structural damage. Due to the short median ...survival time and poor prognosis of IPF, it is particularly urgent to find new IPF biomarkers. Previous studies have shown that basement membranes (BMs) are associated with the development of IPF and tumor metastasis. However, there is still a lack of research on BMs-related genes in IPF. Therefore, we investigated the expression level of BMs genes in IPF and control groups, and explored their potential as biomarkers for IPF diagnosis. In this study, the GSE32537 and GSE53845 datasets were used as training sets, while the GSE24206, GSE10667 and GSE101286 datasets were used as validation sets. In the training set, seven immune biomarkers related to BMs were selected by differential expression analysis, machine learning algorithm (LASSO, SVM-RFE, Randomforest) and ssGSEA analysis. Further ROC analysis confirmed that seven BMs-related genes played an important role in IPF. Finally, four immune-related Hub genes (
,
,
,
) were screened out. Then we created a logistic regression model of immune-related hub genes (IHGs) and used a nomogram to predict IPF risk. The nomogram model was evaluated to have good reliability and validity, and ROC analysis showed that the AUC value of IHGs was 0.941 in the training set and 0.917 in the validation set. Pan-cancer analysis showed that IHGs were associated with prognosis, immune cell infiltration, TME, and drug sensitivity in 33 cancers, suggesting that IHGs may be potential targets for intervention in human diseases including IPF and cancer.
Abstract
Background
The combination of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R) can activate various signal pathways, leading to distinct pathophysiological roles. ...This interaction has gained significant attention in recent research on fibrosis diseases. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a crucial role in regulating signals from growth factor receptors and Integrins. It is also involved in the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. This study aims to investigate the impact of the CB2R agonist JWH133 on lung fibrosis and its potential to alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in mice through the FAK pathway.
Methods
The C57 mice were categorized into five groups: control, BLM, BLM + JWH133, BLM + JWH133 + NC, and BLM + JWH133 + FAK groups.JWH133 was administered to mice individually or in conjunction with the FAK vector. After 21 days, pathological changes in mouse lung tissues, inflammatory factor levels, hydroxyproline levels, and collagen contents were evaluated. Moreover, the levels of the FAK/ERK/S100A4 pathway-related proteins were measured.
Results
JWH133 treatment decreased inflammatory factor levels, attenuated pathological changes, and reduced extracellular matrix accumulation in the mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis; however, these effects were reversed by FAK. JWH133 attenuated fibrosis by regulating the FAK/ERK/S100A4 pathway.
Conclusions
The results presented in this study show that JWH133 exerts a protective effect against pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the FAK/ERK/S100A4 pathway.Therefore, JWH133 holds promise as a potential therapeutic target for pulmonary fibrosis.
Abstract Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive form of pulmonary fibrosis of unknown etiology. Despite ongoing research, there is currently no cure for this disease. Recent ...studies have highlighted the significance of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks in IPF development. Therefore, this study investigated the ceRNA network associated with IPF pathogenesis. We obtained gene expression datasets (GSE32538, GSE32537, GSE47460, and GSE24206) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and analyzed them using bioinformatics tools to identify differentially expressed messenger RNAs (DEmRNAs), microRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (DElncRNA). For DEmRNAs, we conducted an enrichment analysis, constructed protein–protein interaction networks, and identified hub genes. Additionally, we predicted the target genes of differentially expressed mRNAs and their interacting long non-coding RNAs using various databases. Subsequently, we screened RNA molecules with ceRNA regulatory relations in the lncACTdb database based on the screening results. Furthermore, we performed disease and functional enrichment analyses and pathway prediction for miRNAs in the ceRNA network. We also validated the expression levels of candidate DEmRNAs through quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and analyzed the correlation between the expression of these candidate DEmRNAs and the percent predicted pre-bronchodilator forced vital capacity %predicted FVC (pre-bd). We found that three ceRNA regulatory axes, specifically KCNQ1OT1/XIST/NEAT1-miR-20a-5p-ITGB8, XIST-miR-146b-5p/miR-31-5p- MMP16, and NEAT1-miR-31-5p-MMP16, have the potential to significantly affect IPF progression. Further examination of the underlying regulatory mechanisms within this network enhances our understanding of IPF pathogenesis and may aid in the identification of diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
