Search Results (405)

Background: Membrane-associated tyrosine-threonine protein kinase 1 (PKMYT1), which is identified as a synthetic lethal partner of CCNE1, emerged as a promising therapeutic target in oncology. Methods: A series of novel PKMYT1 inhibitors were designed by employing a pharmacophore fusion strategy. The underlying mechanisms were investigated by means of pharmacological experiments and molecular simulations. Results: Compound MY-14 demonstrated optimal kinase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 0.002 μM) and significant anti-proliferative efficacy against CCNE1-amplified cells (IC_50-HCC1569 = 1.06 μM and IC_50-OVCAR3 = 0.80 μM). Furthermore, MY-14 induced concentration-dependent apoptosis, inhibited colony formation, and effectively arrested cell-cycle progression at the S-phase through synthetic lethality. Molecular dynamics simulations, Hirshfeld surface analysis, dynamic cross-correlation matrix (DCCM), and MM/GBSA calculations elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying MY-14’s interaction with PKMYT1. Conclusions: MY-14 emerged as a promising compound for the development of a novel PKMYT1 inhibitor. Full article

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a key mediator of SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry, making it an attractive target for drug delivery strategies. Nafamostat (NM), a multifunctional agent with antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, holds promise for COVID-19 treatment. In this study, we developed PLGA-PEG nanoparticles encapsulating NM (NM-PP NPs) and further conjugated them with specific ACE2 decoys (CTC-445.2d or SI5α) to generate NM-PP-Pro/Pep NPs. Both unmodified and ACE2-decoy-modified NPs exhibited uniform size distributions (diameter < 200 nm) and negative surface charges, as confirmed by dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. The nanoparticles maintained structural integrity for at least 18 days at 4 °C and room temperature. In vitro release studies revealed sustained and controlled NM release kinetics. Notably, NM-PP-Pro NPs displayed potent antiviral activity, with an IC₅₀ < 0.05 nM against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and remained effective against the D614G variant (IC₅₀ = 2 nM). These results underscore the potential of NM-PP-Pro NPs as a versatile n;anotherapeutic platform for targeting SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants. Full article

In-flight icing presents a critical safety hazard for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), resulting in ice accumulation on propeller surfaces that compromise UAV aerodynamic performance and operational integrity. While hybrid anti-/de-icing systems (i.e., combining active heating with passive superhydrophobic coatings) have been developed recently to efficiently address this challenge, conventional active heating sub-systems utilized in the hybrid anti-/de-icing systems face significant limitations when applied to curved geometries of UAV propeller blades. This necessitates the development of innovative self-heating superhydrophobic coatings that can conform perfectly to complex surface topographies. Carbon-based electrothermal coatings, particularly those incorporating graphite and carbon nanotubes, represent a promising approach for ice mitigation applications. This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation into the development and optimization of a novel self-heating carbon nanotube (CNT)-based superhydrophobic coating specifically designed for UAV icing mitigation. The coating’s anti-/de-icing efficacy was evaluated through a comprehensive experimental campaign conducted on a rotating UAV propeller under typical glaze icing conditions within an advanced icing research tunnel facility. The durability of the coating was also examined in a rain erosion test rig under the continuous high-speed impingement of water droplets. Experimental results demonstrate the successful application of the proposed sprayable self-heating superhydrophobic coating in UAV icing mitigation, providing valuable insights into the viability of CNT-based electrothermal coatings for practical UAV icing protection. This work contributes to the advancement of icing protection technologies for un-manned aerial systems operating in adverse weather conditions. Full article

A three-dimensional numerical simulation of hot air anti-icing was conducted on the full-annular realistic model of engine intake components, comprising the intake ducts, intake casing, struts, axial flow casing, and zero-stage guide vanes, based on the intermittent maximum icing conditions and the actual engine operating parameters. The simulation integrated multi-physics modules, including air-supercooled water droplet two-phase flow around components, water film flow and heat transfer on anti-icing surfaces, solid heat conduction within structural components, hot air flow dynamics in anti-icing cavities, and their coupled heat transfer interactions. Simulation results indicate that water droplet impingement primarily localizes at the leading edge roots and pressure surfaces of struts, as well as the leading edges and pressure surfaces of guide vanes. The peak water droplet collection coefficient reaches 4.2 at the guide vane leading edge. Except for the outlet end wall of the axial flow casing, all anti-icing surfaces of intake components maintain temperatures above the freezing point, demonstrating effective anti-icing performance. The anti-icing characteristics of the intake components are governed by two critical factors: cumulative heat loss along the hot air flow path and heat load consumption for heating and evaporating impinging water droplets. The former induces a 53.9 °C temperature disparity between the first and last struts in the heating sequence. For zero-stage guide vanes, the latter factor exerts a more pronounced influence. Notable temperature reductions occur on the trailing edges of three struts downstream of the hot air flow and at the roots of zero-stage guide vanes. Full article

Ice accretion on critical transportation infrastructure presents serious operational risks and economic challenges, highlighting the need for sustainable anti-icing solutions. This study develops a strong PDMS-based composite coating on aluminum by incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon powder, effectively merging passive superhydrophobicity with photothermal capabilities. We systematically assess how different ratios of CNTs to carbon powder (3:1, 1:1, 1:3) influence surface morphology, wettability, anti-icing performance, mechanical durability, and corrosion resistance. The morphological analysis shows the formation of hierarchical micro/nano-structures, with the optimal 1:3 ratio (designated as P13) resulting in dense, porous agglomerates of intertwined CNTs and carbon powder. P13 demonstrates high-performing superhydrophobicity, with a contact angle of 139.7° and a sliding angle of 9.4°, alongside a significantly extended freezing delay of 180 s at −20 °C. This performance is attributed to reduced water–surface interaction and inhibited ice nucleation. Mechanical abrasion tests indicate remarkable durability, as P13 retains a contact angle of 132.5° and consistent anti-icing properties after enduring 100 abrasion cycles. Electrochemical analysis reveals exceptional corrosion resistance, particularly for P13, which achieves a notable 99.66% corrosion inhibition efficiency by creating a highly tortuous diffusion barrier that protects against corrosive agents. This multifunctional coating effectively utilizes the photothermal properties of CNTs, the affordability of carbon powder, the low surface energy of PDMS, and the thermal conductivity of aluminum, presenting a robust and high-performance solution for anti-icing applications in challenging environments. Full article

To investigate how sand erosion impacts the anti-icing performance of wind turbine blade surfaces, this study experimentally examines the individual and interactive effects of four key factors—the freezing temperature, separation temperature, surface roughness of eroded blade coatings, and loading rate on ice adhesion properties.The results from single-factor analyses reveal that the ice adhesion strength increases linearly with decreasing separation temperature. A more nuanced relationship emerges when considering the freezing temperature relative to the separation temperature: when the freezing temperature exceeds the separation temperature, the adhesion strength rises linearly as the separation temperature drops; conversely, when the freezing temperature is lower than the separation temperature, the adhesion strength decreases linearly with falling separation temperature. Higher loading rates correlate with reduced ice adhesion, while increased surface roughness induced by sand erosion leads to greater adhesion strength. Orthogonal array testing demonstrates the hierarchy of these factors’ influence on post-erosion ice adhesion, as follows: separation temperature > loading rate > freezing temperature > surface roughness of sand-eroded coatings. Notably, the separation temperature and loading rate exert the most significant effects. Furthermore, a regression equation for ice adhesion strength is established based on orthogonal test results, which can effectively predict ice adhesion strength under untested parameter combinations. These findings provide critical foundational data and a reliable theoretical tool to inform the development and optimization of practical de-icing systems in engineering applications. Full article

Icing represents a significant hazard to the flight safety of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), particularly affecting critical aerodynamic surfaces such as air intakes, wings, and empennages. While conventional adhesive electrothermal de-icing systems are straightforward to operate, they present safety concerns, including a 15–25% increase in system weight, elevated anti-/de-icing power consumption, and the risk of interlayer interface delamination. To address the objectives of reducing weight and power consumption, this study introduces an innovative electrothermal–structural–durability co-design strategy. This approach successfully led to the development of a glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) component that integrates anti-icing functionality with structural load-bearing capacity, achieved through an embedded hot-pressing process. A stress-damage cohesive zone model was utilized to accurately quantify the threshold of mechanical performance degradation under electrothermal cycling conditions, elucidating the evolution of interfacial stress and the mechanism underlying interlayer failure. Experimental data indicate that this novel component significantly enhances heating performance compared to traditional designs. Specifically, the heating rate increased by approximately 202%, electrothermal efficiency improved by about 13.8% at −30 °C, and interlayer shear strength was enhanced by approximately 30.5%. This research offers essential technical support for the structural optimization, strength assessment, and service life prediction of UAV anti-icing and de-icing systems in the aerospace field. Full article

Ice accumulation on exposed surfaces presents substantial economic and safety challenges across various industries. To overcome limitations associated with traditional anti-icing methods, such as the use of nanoparticles, this study introduces a novel and facile approach for fabricating superhydrophobic and anti-icing microstructures using cost-effective LCD 3D printing technology. The influence of diverse pillar geometries, including square, cylindrical, hexagonal, and truncated conical forms, was analyzed to assess their effects on the hydrophobic and anti-icing/icephobic performance in terms of wettability, ice adhesion strength, and icing delay time. The role of microstructure topography was further investigated through cylindrical patterns with varying geometric parameters to identify optimal designs for enhancing hydrophobic and icephobic characteristics. Furthermore, the effectiveness of surface functionalization using a low surface energy material was evaluated. Our findings demonstrate that the synergistic combination of tailored microscale geometries and surface functionalization significantly enhances anti-icing performance with reliable repeatability, achieving ice adhesion of 13.9 and 17.9 kPa for square and cylindrical pillars, respectively. Critically, this nanoparticle-free 3D printing and low surface energy treatment method offers a scalable and efficient route for producing high-performance hydrophobic/icephobic surfaces, opening promising avenues for applications in sectors where robust anti-icing capabilities are crucial, such as renewable energy and transportation. Full article

This study explores the valorization of agro-industrial by-products—riceberry broken rice (RBR) and soybean meal (SBM)—as cost-effective substrates for enhancing exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by Bacillus tequilensis PS21. Eight Bacillus strains were screened, and B. tequilensis PS21 demonstrated the highest EPS yield (2.54 g/100 mL DW). The EPS displayed a strong antioxidant capacity with 65.5% DPPH and 80.5% hydroxyl radical scavenging, and a FRAP value of 6.51 mg Fe²⁺/g DW. Antimicrobial testing showed inhibition zones up to 10.07 mm against Streptococcus agalactiae and 7.83 mm against Staphylococcus aureus. Optimization using central composite design (CCD) and the response surface methodology (RSM) revealed the best production at 5% (w/v) RBR, 3% (w/v) SBM, pH 6.66, and 39.51 °C, yielding 39.82 g/L EPS. This EPS is a moderate-molecular-weight (11,282 Da) homopolysaccharide with glucose monomers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed an amorphous pattern, favorable for solubility in biological applications. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated thermal stability up to ~250 °C, supporting its suitability for high-temperature processing. EPS also exhibited anticancer activity with IC₅₀ values of 226.60 µg/mL (MCF-7) and 224.30 µg/mL (HeLa) at 72 h, reduced colony formation, inhibited cell migration, and demonstrated anti-tyrosinase, anti-collagenase, and anti-elastase effects. This study demonstrates the successful valorization of agro-industrial by-products—RBR and SBM—for the high-yield production of multifunctional EPS with potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. The findings highlight the sustainable potential of these low-cost substrates in supporting the development of green and value-added bioproducts, with promising utilizations across the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sectors. Full article

Aircraft wing surface icing compromises flight safety, where accurate calculation of heat transfer coefficient on airfoil surfaces serves as a prerequisite for designing thermal anti-icing systems. However, during icing conditions, ice morphology changes wall roughness and transition properties, making it difficult to accurately determine the heat transfer coefficient. The current study develops a partitioned rough-wall boundary layer integral methodology in order to overcome this issue, extending the conventional boundary layer integral method. The technique generates a convective heat transfer coefficient formulation for aircraft icing surfaces while accounting for roughness differences brought on by water droplet shape. The results show that the partitioned rough-wall boundary layer integral method divides the wing surface into three distinct zones based on water droplet dynamics—a smooth zone, rough zone, and runback zone—each associated with specific roughness values. The NACA0012 airfoil was used for numerical validation, which showed that computational and experimental data concur well. Additionally, the suggested approach predicts transition locations with a high degree of agreement with experimental results. Full article

To address the challenges of cotton cellulose materials being susceptible to environmental humidity and pollutant erosion, a strategy for constructing superhydrophobic functional coatings with biomimetic micro–nano composite structures was proposed. Through surface silanization modification, diatomite (DEM) and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were functionalized with octyltriethoxysilane (OTS) to prepare superhydrophobic diatomite flakes (ODEM) and OFe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Following the multi-scale composite principle, ODEM and OFe₃O₄ nanoparticles were blended and crosslinked via the hydroxyl-initiated ring-opening polymerization of epoxy resin (EP), resulting in an EP/ODEM@OFe₃O₄ composite coating with hierarchical roughness. Microstructural characterization revealed that the micrometer-scale porous structure of ODEM and the nanoscale protrusions of OFe₃O₄ form a hierarchical micro–nano topography. The special topography combined with the low surface energy property leads to a contact angle of 158°. Additionally, the narrow bandgap semiconductor characteristic of OFe₃O₄ induces the localized surface plasmon resonance effect. This enables the coating to attain 80% light absorption across the 350–2500 nm spectrum, and rapidly heat to 45.8 °C within 60 s under 0.5 sun, thereby demonstrating excellent deicing performance. This work provides a theoretical foundation for developing environmentally tolerant superhydrophobic photothermal coatings, which exhibit significant application potential in the field of anti-icing and anti-fouling. Full article

Aiming at the problems of serious pavement temperature diseases, low efficiency and high loss of ice-breaking methods, high occupancy rate of waste tires and the low utilization rate and insufficient durability of rubber particles, this paper aims to improve the service level of roads and ensure the safety of winter pavements. A pavement material with high efficiency, low carbon and environmental friendliness for active snow melting and ice breaking is developed. Firstly, NaOH, NaClO and KH550 were used to optimize the treatment of rubber particles. The hydrophilic properties, surface morphology and phase composition of rubber particles before and after optimization were studied, and the optimal treatment method of rubber particles was determined. Then, the optimized rubber particles were used to replace the natural aggregate in the polyurethane gel mixture by the volume substitution method, and the optimum polyurethane gel dosages and molding and curing processes were determined. Finally, the influence law of the road performance of RPGM was compared and analyzed by means of an indoor test, and the ice-breaking effect of RPGM was explored. The results showed that the contact angles of rubber particles treated with three solutions were reduced by 22.5%, 30.2% and 36.7%, respectively. The surface energy was improved, the element types on the surface of rubber particles were reduced and the surface impurities were effectively removed. Among them, the improvement effect of the KH550 solution was the most significant. With the increase in rubber particle content from 0% to 15%, the dynamic stability of the mixture gradually increases, with a maximum increase of 23.5%. The maximum bending strain increases with the increase in its content. The residual stability increases first and then decreases with the increase in rubber particle content, and the increase ranges are 1.4%, 3.3% and 0.5%, respectively. The anti-scattering performance increases with the increase in rubber content, and an excessive amount will lead to an increase in the scattering loss rate, but it can still be maintained below 5%. The fatigue life of polyurethane gel mixtures with 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% rubber particles is 2.9 times, 3.8 times, 4.3 times and 4.0 times higher than that of the AC-13 asphalt mixture, respectively, showing excellent anti-fatigue performance. The friction coefficient of the mixture increases with an increase in the rubber particle content, which can be increased by 22.3% compared with the ordinary asphalt mixture. RPGM shows better de-icing performance than traditional asphalt mixtures, and with an increase in rubber particle content, the ice-breaking ability is effectively improved. When the thickness of the ice layer exceeds 9 mm, the ice-breaking ability of the mixture is significantly weakened. Mainly through the synergistic effect of stress coupling, thermal effect and interface failure, the bonding performance of the ice–pavement interface is weakened under the action of driving load cycle, and the ice layer is loosened, broken and peeled off, achieving efficient de-icing. Full article

This study investigates nacelle lip icing on a particular engine model, focusing on anti-icing solutions with hot air as the heating medium. By integrating numerical simulations with Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) and Kriging optimization methods, the most severe icing condition within the flight envelope was identified and determined. Additionally, using coupled computational methods, the protective effectiveness of the proposed anti-icing structure was evaluated under these extreme conditions. Within the flight and icing envelopes, 30 distinct operating conditions were obtained using the LHS approach, and numerical simulations were conducted to model the icing conditions for each case. The calculated ice accretion served as the optimization criterion, and the Kriging optimization method was used to pinpoint the most severe icing condition within the flight envelope. The computational results indicate that under this severe condition, the ice thickness on the lip surface reaches 5.4 mm and 15.2 mm after 600 s and 1800 s, respectively, with a total ice accretion rate of 7.8 g/s, posing a significant threat to engine safety. The designed anti-icing structure can effectively provide thermal protection against this severe condition when the supply air temperature is set at 383.15 K, and the total air supply flow rate at the lip is 0.193 kg/s. Notably, the interior surface of the nacelle lip exhibits a 36.2% higher minimum convective heat transfer coefficient than the exterior surface, effectively preventing engine ice ingestion. Full article

Guardrail concrete in cold regions frequently suffers from corrosion due to icing and solutions, significantly shortening the service life of the guardrail. This paper proposed a cement-based composite coating for concrete protection. The hydrophobic agent was synthesized using nano-silica, tetraethyl orthosilicate and perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane and used for coating modification as an additive or by impregnation. Also, a commercial hydrophobic agent was used for comparison. The modified coating was characterized by wettability, mechanical properties, chemical stability and icephobicity tests. The results showed that the coating prepared with the synthetic hydrophobic agent presented a higher contact angle than that prepared with the commercial one during the above tests. Moreover, it featured excellent icephobicity by effectively delaying the time of icing on concrete and reducing the icing mass and ice adhesion strength. In addition, the hydrophobic agent used by impregnation was a better choice for concrete surface protection. Chemical composition and morphology analysis of the coating showed that hydrophobicity and icephobicity were mainly attributed to F-containing functional groups and rough structure with low surface energy. This study provided an application potential of modified cement-based composite coating for anti-/de-icing of guardrail concrete. Full article

Growing demand for chemically resistant, thermally stable, and anti-icing coatings has intensified interest in boron nitride (BN)-based materials and surface coatings. In this study, BN coatings were developed on mild steel (MS) via chemical vapour deposition (CVD) at 1200 °C for 15, 30, and 60 min, and their structural, surface, and water-repellent characteristics were evaluated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the successful formation of BN, while water contact angle measurements indicated high hydrophobicity, demonstrating excellent barrier properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed morphological evolution from flower- and needle-like BN structures in the sample placed in the CVD furnace for 15 min to dense, coral-like, and tubular networks in the samples placed for 30 and 60 min. These findings highlight that BN coatings, particularly the one obtained after 30 min of deposition, have a high hydrophobic character following the Cassie–Baxter model and can be used for corrosion resistance and anti-icing on MS, making them ideal for industrial applications requiring long-lasting protection. Full article