To make more effective use of photovoltaic waste heat, a novel photovoltaic-hydrophilic modified tubular seawater desalination system was proposed in this paper. Based on the first and second laws of ...thermodynamics, energy analysis and exergy analysis models of the system were established. The influences of operation and structure parameters on system performance, heat and exergy losses of each component and performance comparisons among different solar tubular seawater desalination systems were analyzed and discussed. The results manifest that freshwater yield rate, thermal efficiency, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency are enhanced by raising the mass flow rate of working medium and heating pipe length; particularly when the length is small, the increase of heating pipe length can significantly elevate system performance. Moreover, 69.2% of the whole system's heat losses and 90.6% of the whole system's total exergy losses are attributed to the PV module. Compared with other solar tubular seawater desalination systems, the photovoltaic-hydrophilic modified tubular seawater desalination system proposed in this paper has the highest average energy efficiency and exergy efficiency, which are 32.6%, 10.4% respectively. Meanwhile, the photovoltaic thermal collector can provide up to 49.1 W of electricity to maintain the operation of system without consuming extra energy.
•Proposing a photovoltaic-hydrophilic modified tubular seawater desalination system•Analyzing the effects of structure and operation parameters on system performance•Determining the heat and exergy losses of each component•Comparing performance of different solar tubular seawater desalination systems
A novel one-step method, named “resistance sintering under ultra-high pressure”, has been developed to fabricate W/Cu functionally graded materials (FGM) without the addition of any sintering ...additive. A W/Cu FGM with more than 97% theoretical density has been successfully fabricated. The designed composition distribution of the FGM can be preserved very well. The densification effect and microstructure of the W/Cu FGM are investigated.
Cryptocaryon irritans can cause mass mortality of cultured marine fish. There are few strategies that are efficacious for the control of the agent. As such, a robust assessment of alternative/novel ...chemotherapeutic agents against parasites within infected hosts is needed. This study aimed to establish a novel method by designing a particular device to determine parasite abundance for evaluating anti-C. irritans efficacy. A device was designed, which is primarily consists of an enclosure and a placemat. The device was used to determine the regular pattern of C. irritans shedding from infected Trachinotus ovatus. A positive correlation was observed between different inoculum doses and parasite abundance. The parasite sampling method was also used to evaluate the effect of amprolium hydrochloride dose (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/kg feed) against C. irritans infection. The results showed that the device collected >99.86% tomonts at 2–4 days of post-infection. Furthermore, a linear model was established to analyze infectious dose and parasite abundance (y = 192.5 + 3.961×). The coefficient of determination (R2) value was 0.990. The results of the amprolium hydrochloride treatment showed that the parasite abundance in the chemotherapeutic treatment groups were significantly reduced by 14.54%, 20.61%, and 37.10%, respectively, compared to the control group. The observed efficacy was dose-dependent, which indicated that the chemical protection against C. irritans infection could be successfully evaluated by this method. Here, a device was designed to accurately measure the number of tomonts, which can be useful in determining parasite abundance and assessing anti-C. irritans efficacy of chemotherapeutics.
•A device was designed for collecting and counting tomonts from infected fish.•There was a positive correlation between infectious dose and parasite abundance.•Parasite abundance was reduced by 37.10% following ingestion of amprolium hydrochloride.
Previous studies have found that copper alloy sheets can kill the protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans effectively as the tomonts of this particular pathogen adhere to the hard surface of tanks. This ...study explored the potential use of copper alloy particles incorporated into coatings to be applied to the bottom of aquaculture tanks, in order to control cryptocaryoniasis outbreaks. Results showed that the number of trophonts on Trachinotus ovatus exposed to such copper coated surfaces was significantly lower than that in the control and blank groups 5 days later and effectively blocked the reinfection of C. irritans, thereby decreasing the mortality rate of T. ovatus. In in vitro assays, the mortality rate of protomonts and tomonts was up to 100% at 6th h and 24th h of post contacting with the copper coated surfaces, respectively. Safety assessments found that copper concentration was not significantly high in flowing seawater, but it showed an upward trend with longer immersion time, increasing significantly from 0.56 to 5.90 μg/L within a 30-day period. When exposed to the copper alloy coating, the bottom-crawling fish Epinephelus coioides, did not accumulate an excessive copper concentration in the serum, liver or muscle tissues. This study provides a safe and effective strategy to control cryptocaryoniasis in marine factory farming.
•The copper alloy coating surfaces effectively blocked the reinfection of Crytocaryon irritans.•The protomonts or tomonts exposed to copper alloy coating will be fully killed before the theronts excystment.•The fish exposed to copper alloy coating did not lead to excessive copper concentration in the serum, liver and muscle.
Marine cultured fish in tropical and sub-tropical regions often suffer from white spot disease, caused by Cryptocaryon irritans infection. This can lead to mass mortality and economic loss. This ...study investigated the use of seawater-adapted red tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus × O. mossambicus) as scavengers for cleaning tomonts, to protect susceptible marine fish from C. irritans infection. The sensitivity of red tilapia to C. irritans infection, the effectiveness of red tilapia in consuming tomonts, and the efficacy for protecting the vulnerable Trachinotus ovatus from C. irritans infection were evaluated. The results showed that the susceptibility of red tilapia to C. irritans infection was significantly lower than T. ovatus and the rate of tomonts consumption by red tilapia was positively correlated with the number of tomonts in the seawater. The relative percent survival of T. ovatus infected with C. irritans and co-cultured with red tilapias (at a density of 19 red tilapias/m2) was 97.78% at the12 days post-infection. This study indicates that polyculture with red tilapia could be a potential alternative biocontrol strategy to eliminate tomonts, for controlling C. irritans reinfection.
•Red tilapia show low sensitivity to Cryptocaryon irritans infection.•Red tilapia can clean Cryptocaryon irritans tomonts effectively.•Polyculture with red tilapia could protect against reinfection.
Infection by Cryptocaryon irritans, a ciliated protozoa parasite of marine fish, causes mass mortality and economic loss to the mariculture industry. In this study, plate and mesh galvanized zinc ...were embedded on the bottom of seawater to evaluate the protection to susceptible host Trachinotus ovatus from C. irritans reinfection at various seawater exchange rates and dosages. Furthermore, an evaluation of the zinc ion released from galvanized materials was carried out through detection of the zinc ion content in seawater and muscle tissue, and the observed pathological changes of liver. The results showed that, at all flow exchange rates (0, 50, or 1200%), the parasite abundance of infected T. ovatus were significantly decreased with galvanized materials. Survival rates were 100% at 14 days post infection when 56.25% of the tank was covered with galvanized iron plates or galvanized iron mesh at a dose of 0.2 m2/m3. The zinc ion concentrations in seawater after using galvanized materials increased continuously. However, residual zinc ion in the muscle of T. ovatus were not significantly different to the control group. Furthermore, no obvious pathological change was observed in the liver of T. ovatus. Consequently, using galvanized materials can control the reinfection of C. irritans and poses no threat to protected fish. Therefore, the use of galvanized materials could be a promising strategy to control cryptocaryoniasis.
•Immersed galvanized materials protect against Cryptocaryon irritans reinfection.•Galvanized materials are effective at high seawater exchange rates.•Optimal doses to control C. irritans infection were determined.•Using galvanized materials is not harmful to marine fish.
Three different methods, plasma spraying, infiltration-welding method and resistance sintering under ultra-high pressure, have been developed to fabricate W/Cu FGM based plasma facing components. SEM ...analysis showed that good grading composition of all FGM samples had been obtained. Water quenching and electron, or laser beam test facilities have been utilized to investigate and compare thermal shock behavior and performance under high heat load. It is found that the grading at the interface between W and Cu is very effective for the reduction of thermal stress. W/Cu FGM fabricated by infiltration-welding method has the best thermal shock resistance among these three kinds of W/Cu FGM.
Currently, drug discovery and development for clinical treatment of prostate cancer has received increased attention, specifically the STAT3 inhibitor. Our previous study reported that the ...neuroleptic drug pimozide had antitumor activity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells or stem-like cells through suppressing the STAT3 activity. In the present study we demonstrate that pimozide inhibits cell growth and cellular STAT3 activation in prostate cancer cells. Our results showed that pimozide inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner by inducing G1 phase cell cycle arrest, downregulated the ability of colony formation and sphere forming, as well as suppressed cells migration in both DU145 and LNCaP cells. Surprisingly, pimozide reduced the basal expression of phosphorylation STAT3 at tyrosine 705 and reversed the expression of phosphorylation of STAT3 induced by IL-6 addition, suggesting that pimozide can suppress cellular STAT3 activation. Thus, the antipsychotic agent pimozide may be a potential and novel therapeutic for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. Despite sharing the common property of pluripotency, hESCs are notably distinct from epiblast cells of the ...preimplantation blastocyst. Here we use a combination of three small-molecule inhibitors to sustain hESCs in a LIF signaling-dependent hESC state (3iL hESCs) with elevated expression of NANOG and epiblast-enriched genes such as KLF4, DPPA3, and TBX3. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis confirms that the expression signature of 3iL hESCs shares similarities with native preimplantation epiblast cells. We also show that 3iL hESCs have a distinct epigenetic landscape, characterized by derepression of preimplantation epiblast genes. Using genome-wide binding profiles of NANOG and OCT4, we identify enhancers that contribute to rewiring of the regulatory circuitry. In summary, our study identifies a distinct hESC state with defined regulatory circuitry that will facilitate future analysis of human preimplantation embryogenesis and pluripotency.
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•A combination of three small molecules induces a LIF-dependent hESC state (3iL)•3iL hESCs share an expression signature with native preimplantation epiblast•The transcriptional regulatory circuitry is remodeled in 3iL hESCs•Identification of enhancers of human preimplantation epiblast genes
A cocktail of three small molecules plus LIF generates a stable human embryonic stem cell state that closely resembles preimplantation blastocyst.
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