Lightweight, robust, and thin aerogel films with multifunctionality are highly desirable to meet the technological demands of current society. However, fabrication and application of these ...multifunctional aerogel films are still significantly underdeveloped. Herein, we demonstrate a multifunctional aerogel film composed of strong aramid nanofibers (ANFs), conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and hydrophobic fluorocarbon (FC) resin. The obtained hybrid aerogel film exhibits large specific surface area (232.8 m2·g–1), high electrical conductivity (230 S·m–1), and excellent hydrophobicity (contact angle of up to 137.0°) with exceptional Joule heating performance and supreme electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency. The FC coating renders the hydrophilic ANF/CNT aerogel films hydrophobic, resulting in an excellent self-cleaning performance. The high electrical conductivity enables a low-voltage-driven Joule heating property and an EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 54.4 dB in the X-band at a thickness of 568 μm. The specific EMI SE is up to 33528.3 dB·cm2·g–1, which is among the highest values of typical metal-, conducting-polymer-, or carbon-based composites. This multifunctional aerogel film holds great promise for smart garments, electromagnetic wave shielding, and personal thermal management systems.
Microfluidic systems with splitting structures are excellent for increasing emulsion production. However, traditional two-dimensional (2D) lithographic systems require complex modification of the ...microchannel surfaces and achieve only 2D splitting of the droplets. Herein, we present new glass capillary microfluidic devices that perform three-dimensional (3D) splitting of droplets. These devices are simply constructed using different structural glass capillaries as the collection microchannels of the droplet microfluidic systems. We demonstrate that the devices are able to produce a 3D split of both single emulsions and double emulsions into two and three portions, respectively. These emulsions, after the splitting process, still have high monodispersity. We believe that this new technique for 3D splitting could be widely used, not only in the field of microfluidics but also in chemical/biological applications (e.g., drug delivery, micro-dispersion, etc.).
Two-phase (liquid, vapor) flow in confined spaces is fundamentally interesting and practically important in many practical applications such as thermal management, offering the potential to impart ...high thermal transport performance owing to high surface-to-volume ratio and latent heat released during liquid/vapor phase transition. However, the associated physical size effect, in coupling with the striking contrast in specific volume between liquid and vapor phases, also leads to the onset of unwanted vapor backflow and chaotic two-phase flow patterns, which seriously deteriorates the practical thermal transport performances. Here, we develop a thermal regulator consisting of classical Tesla valves and engineered capillary structures, which can switch its working states and boost its heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux in its "switched-on" state. We demonstrate that the Tesla valves and the capillary structures serve to eliminate vapor backflow and promote liquid flow along the sidewalls of both Tesla valves and main channels, respectively, which synergistically enable the thermal regulator to self-adapt to varying working conditions by rectifying the chaotic two-phase flow into an ordered and directional flow. We envision that revisiting century-old design can promote the development of next generation cooling devices towards switchable and very high heat transfer performances for power electronic devices.
Summary
We explored the relationships between lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, pulmonary inflammation index (PII) and disease evolution in patients with (corona virus disease 2019) COVID‐19. A total of ...123 patients with COVID‐19 were divided into mild and severe groups. Lymphocyte subsets and cytokines were detected on the first day of hospital admission and lung computed tomography results were quantified by PII. Difference analysis and correlation analysis were performed on the two groups. A total of 102 mild and 21 severe patients were included in the analysis. There were significant differences in cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4+ T), cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8+ T), interleukin 6 (IL‐6), interleukin 10 (IL‐10) and PII between the two groups. There were significant positive correlations between CD4+ T and CD8+ T, IL‐6 and IL‐10 in the mild group (r2 = 0·694, r 2 = 0·633, respectively; P < 0·01). After ‘five‐in‐one’ treatment, all patients were discharged with the exception of the four who died. Higher survival rates occurred in the mild group and in those with IL‐6 within normal values. CD4+ T, CD8+ T, IL‐6, IL‐10 and PII can be used as indicators of disease evolution, and the PII can be used as an independent indicator for disease progression of COVID‐19.
TP53 gene mutation is crucial in determining the prognosis of Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients. Understanding metabolic genes linked to TP53 mutation is vital for developing targeted therapies for ...these patients.BACKGROUNDTP53 gene mutation is crucial in determining the prognosis of Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients. Understanding metabolic genes linked to TP53 mutation is vital for developing targeted therapies for these patients.We analyzed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset to identify genes related to TP53 mutation and metabolism. Using univariate Cox regression and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, we identified key genes. We categorized patients into high and low metabolism groups via non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering, which led to the discovery of relevant differential genes. Integrating these with genes from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and PPI interactions, we pinpointed crucial metabolic genes associated with TP53 mutation in MM. Additionally, we conducted prognostic analyses involving survival curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) charts.METHODWe analyzed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset to identify genes related to TP53 mutation and metabolism. Using univariate Cox regression and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, we identified key genes. We categorized patients into high and low metabolism groups via non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering, which led to the discovery of relevant differential genes. Integrating these with genes from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and PPI interactions, we pinpointed crucial metabolic genes associated with TP53 mutation in MM. Additionally, we conducted prognostic analyses involving survival curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) charts.Our study reveals that the metabolic gene ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2), linked to TP53 mutation, correlates positively with the International Staging System (ISS) stage in MM patients and is an independent prognostic risk factor. In the TCGA dataset, among the 767 patients, the 35 MM patients with TP53 mutation generally had poor survival outcomes. Specifically, the patients with both TP53 mutation and high RRM2 expression had a 2-year survival rate of only 38.87%, whereas those with normal TP53 function and low RRM2 expression had a 2-year survival rate of 86.31% (p < 0.001).RESULTSOur study reveals that the metabolic gene ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2), linked to TP53 mutation, correlates positively with the International Staging System (ISS) stage in MM patients and is an independent prognostic risk factor. In the TCGA dataset, among the 767 patients, the 35 MM patients with TP53 mutation generally had poor survival outcomes. Specifically, the patients with both TP53 mutation and high RRM2 expression had a 2-year survival rate of only 38.87%, whereas those with normal TP53 function and low RRM2 expression had a 2-year survival rate of 86.31% (p < 0.001).RRM2 significantly impacts MM prognosis and is associated with TP53 mutation, presenting itself as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for MM.CONCLUSIONRRM2 significantly impacts MM prognosis and is associated with TP53 mutation, presenting itself as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for MM.
Double emulsion drop formation in flow-focusing microfluidic device is investigated numerically by computational fluid dynamics simulation using VOF method. The simulation produces two typical drop ...formation modes, including dripping and jetting, and provides the detailed hydrodynamic information underlying these two modes. In addition, the effects of viscosity ratio, flow rate ratio and interfacial tension ratio on the double emulsion formation by the flow-focusing system are clarified quantitatively. It is indicated that the cooperation of the interfacial tension and viscous drag of the outer fluid induce the detaching of the double emulsion droplet under both dripping and jetting modes, while the large viscous drag from the outer fluid under jetting mode generates a long stretched neck which leads to the different formation behaviors. The drop formation mode transits from dripping to jetting abruptly when the middle fluid is more viscous than other fluids. And the size of the generated drops increases with the rise in viscosity ratio of the middle fluid to the inner one. The flow rate of the outer fluid determines the drop formation mode as well as the generated drop size, while the flow rate of the middle fluid contributes only to the drop size but have no obvious effect on drop formation regime in a wide range of flow rate ratio. In addition, the interfacial tension ratio shows little influence on drop sizes but large effect on the interface shapes.
The control theory (system identification theory) is introduced to quantitatively analyze the start-up performance of the closed-loop pulsating heat pipes (CLPHPs) based on an experimental ...investigation with various working fluids under different working conditions. A preliminary dynamic relationship between the ‘input’ (heat load) and ‘output’ (evaporator temperature) and corresponding six evaluation criteria are proposed to realize the quantitative characterization of the dynamic performance of two most common types of start-up, respectively, which provide a prerequisite for the further simulation and control design of the CLPHPs’ start-up. Based on such analysis, it is indicated that the optimal liquid filling ratio for start-up is about 41% for water, 52% for ethanol, and falls within the range from 35% to 41% for methanol. The start-up performance is improved with increasing inclination angle from 0° to 90°. With the increasing heat load, a faster start-up speed and a better relative stability are observed while the start-up temperature is increased. Moreover, the working fluid with small dynamic viscosity, small specific heat, and especially large saturation pressure gradient versus temperature is beneficial to the start-up performance of the CLPHPs.
► Control theory is introduced to quantitatively simulate the start-up of CLPHPs. ► Six performance evaluation criteria are proposed to characterize start-up. ► The optimal liquid filling ratio for start-up is 35–52%. ► Working fluid with large saturated pressure gradient is beneficial for start-up.
Surface materials with specific wettability play important roles in a wide variety of areas from science to industry. We present a novel paraffin-infused porous graphene film (PIPGF) with ...programmable wettability. Because of graphene's photothermal property, the paraffin in the PIPGF was in transition between liquid and solid in response to near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Thus, we imparted the film with a dynamic and reversible transition between a slippery and a rough surface as the remotely tunable wettability. In addition, with the integration of NIR masks, the paraffin could melt at corresponding patterns on the PIPGF, which formed special flow pathways for the slipping droplets. Therefore, the PIPGF could provide programmable wettability pathways for the spatiotemporal droplet manipulation by flexibly changing the NIR masks. We demonstrated these programmable wettability pathways to not only simplify liquid handling in the microplates and droplet microarrays technology but also to provide distinctly microfluidic microreactors for different purposes, such as practical blood grouping diagnosis. These features indicated that the photocontrollable PIPGF would be amenable to a variety of applications, such as microfluidic systems, laboratory-on-a-chip settings, and droplet manipulations.
•Thermal performance of anti-gravity PHP is experimentally clarified.•Anti-gravity PHP is successfully applied in recovering waste heat to preheat the fuel oil.•Optimum filling ratio around 70% is ...suggested for the anti-gravity PHP.
A series of experimental studies are conducted to investigate the thermal performance of a pulsating heat pipe (PHP) under anti-gravity operation. The working fluid in the PHP is methanol and the Bond number of these experiments ranges from 0.833 to 1.068. Via the comparison between the performance of the anti-gravity PHP and a gravity-assisted one under different working conditions, the effects of gravity, heat load, filling ratio, number of turns and length of each section on the thermal performance of the anti-gravity PHP are discussed and analyzed. The experimental results indicate that an anti-gravity PHP always experiences a longer start-up process, exhibits more intense quasi-steady temperature oscillations and has a greater thermal resistance, implying that gravity plays an important positive role in the thermal performance of the PHP. For a given heat load, increasing the number of turns and the length of each section of the anti-gravity PHP can both lead to more intense temperature oscillation among the PHP but result in better and worse thermal performance of the PHP, respectively. The optimum filling ratio for the heat transfer performance of the anti-gravity pulsating heat pipe is approximately 70%. In addition, with the increasing heat load, the effect of other operational parameters on the thermal performance of the anti-gravity PHP can be weakened. Accordingly, a conceptual apparatus for utilization of the anti-gravity PHP for waste heat recovery from the high-temperature exhaust to preheat the low-temperature fuel is developed and tested with the Bond number of 0.902. Compared to the conventional pure copper heat transfer medium, the anti-gravity PHP shows much better heat recovery capacity, which verifies the great potential of an anti-gravity PHP for heat recovery utilization.
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