The results for the selection of the “Academic Advances of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2020” were recently announced.

Sponsored by the Academic Committee of the university, the selection of candidates commenced in June 2019 focusing on research results officially delivered and published or appraised by teachers of the university, who were the main researchers for these projects from January the 1st, 2019 to June 30th, 2020. The final selection of the candidates was subject to recommendations from academic committees within the various departments or members of the Academic Committees of the university. 9 significant academic achievements were finally selected through preliminary evaluation at meetings of sub-committees consisting of various disciplines from the Academic Committees of the university. The achievements in research were selected by all members of the Academic Committees through correspondence review, nomination at the meeting of directors of the Academic Committee of the University, and through voting at the plenary meetings of the Academic Committees of the University.

Representing the highest level of relevant research in our university and having made substantial breakthroughs in the year concerned, the selected achievements will play a leading role in promoting corresponding disciplines in education and teaching, potentially leading to significant social impact.

Introduction of Academic Advances of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2020

Analysis on the Trend Impact of Public Health Intervention Measures on the Outbreak of COVID-19 and Characteristics of the Epidemic  

Mainly completed by: Tangchun Wu, Chaolong Wang, Sheng Wei and An Pan

  

Facing the COVID-19 epidemic, the School has been actively offering overall insight and advice, and in judging the epidemic trend, they have led efforts in the evaluation of the prevention and control effect of COVID-19 in Wuhan. In addition to this work, the School also answered questions about the significant contributions of joint prevention and control and coordinated the effective operation of medical and health disciplines, which globally demonstrated Chinese expertize and wisdom in fighting COVID-19 in Wuhan. The School’s innovative virus transmission dynamics model led to the huge achievements seen on the ground in Wuhan and further afield. Most notably, the School identified the two characteristics of the virus, high concealment and high infectivity, and they stressed the importance of strengthening epidemic monitoring to prevent the virus’s resurgence. This research was significant in guiding both China and the whole world to effectively formulate their national prevention policies and programs. The subsequent paper was published in JAMA and Nature.

The study revealed the two characteristics of COVID-19, high infectivity and high concealment. It also demonstrated the impact that constantly improving public health interventions in Wuhan had on curbing the spread of the epidemic.

Precise Ultrasonic Diagnosis of Difficult and Severe Cardiovascular Diseases and Its Clinical Application

Mainly completed by: Mingxing Xie, Li Zhang and Xinfang Wang

Difficult cardiovascular diseases often feature a difficult diagnosis alongside serious state of illness, rapid progress and high mortality. Early diagnosis and timely intervention of such diseases have always been a major issue in the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases around the world. According to different types of difficult diseases and cases, the team has put forward the precise ultrasonic diagnosis method as well as typing and diagnosis processes establishing a multi-parameter evaluation method for early changes of atrial and ventricular functions. This advancement has significantly improved the accuracy of cardiovascular ultrasound in evaluating the pathological structure and function of difficult cardiovascular diseases.

The image above shows a rare ruptured sinus of a Valsalva aneurysm breaking into the left ventricular outflow tract. The sinus of Valsalva aneurysms was diagnosed according to the cystic lesion (white arrow) near the aortic annulus, and by its deformation, mobility, and origin through thoracic combined with transesophageal ultrasound. The subtype was determined by the individual characteristics such as the aneurysm falling into the left ventricle and the valve annulus and the sinus wall separation, which was confirmed by the operation.

Study on the use of Imaging Diagnosis for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19

Mainly completed by: Chuansheng Zheng, Fan Yang and Heshui Shi

At present, the focus of prevention and control methods for COVID-19 is principally on prevention, that is, early screening and isolation. On the one hand, radiological diagnosis (especially CT imaging) and evaluation are an important means to detect the progress of COVID-19; but on the other hand, infection prevention and control is an important part to prevent nosocomial infection. While systematically and efficiently completing the imaging examination of a large number of patients infected by COVID-19, the team, cooperating with the artificial intelligence team at the School of Electronic Information and Communications, made a number of pioneering achievements in intelligent imaging diagnosis, quantitative evaluation, as well as sensing and control of imaging examination. Further promoting the vital role of science and technology in combating the virus and working towards a healthier China, the above achievements have played a vital role in establishing an accurate imaging diagnosis system for COVID-19.

The Road to “Combating COVID-19” at the Radiology Department of Wuhan Union Hospital

Sensing and Activation Mechanisms of Neurotransmitter Receptors

Mainly completed by: Jianfeng Liu and Jianke Gong

Life-sensing is the most basic biological process, and neurotransmitter receptors play an important role in sensing and transmitting signals. The team led by professor Jianfeng Liudiscovered a new function of ion channel receptors of excitatory neurotransmitter glutamic acid to sense cold, and a new mechanism of metabolic receptor multimeric signal transmission of inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid, analyzing its structure under a freezing electron microscope.

New Sensory Function and New Activation Mechanism for Neurotransmitter Receptors

Development of a High-precision Wide-spectrum Mueller Matrix Ellipsometer and its Application in Nano-Measurement

Mainly completed by: Shiyuan Liu, Xiuguo Chen and Chuanwei Zhang

The team led by professor Shiyuan Liu has developed China’s first Mueller matrix ellipsometer which has a high precision and wide spectrum alongside a measurement repeatability of more than 0.002 nm, the highest level in the world at present. This achievement in research has been transformed and industrialized, with the products sold in batches, breaking the long-term technological monopoly of foreign enterprises in China's high-end ellipsometer market. Based on the team's achievements, the measuring instrument developed was put into production at the Yangtze River Storage Technology in batches as the only contemporary domestic instrument dedicated to the online measurement of nano-structure 3D morphology in the pre-process of IC manufacturing.

Key Technology of the High-precision Wide-spectrum Mueller Matrix Ellipsometer and its Application in Nano-Measurement

Chemical Agglomeration of PM2.5 through Coal Combustion

Mainly completed by: Junying Zhang, Yongchun Zhao and Chuguang Zheng

The utilization of fossil energy causes frequent smog, which causes serious harm to the health of humans and the environment. As a subversive innovation, differing from the traditional method of physical dust removal, the chemical agglomeration of PM2.5 with coal combustion can essentially solve the problem of PM2.5 treatment. The invented technology, including chemical agglomeration of PM2.5, heterogeneous agglomeration of heavy metal, and zero emission of desulfurization wastewater through cascade evaporation and coupling agglomeration, has realized economic and efficient integrated control of unconventional pollutants such as PM2.5, heavy metal and desulfurization wastewater. This technology has been widely used in large state-owned enterprises, and has been called “a sharp tool for dust removal and smog control” by CCTV and other mainstream media.

Technical Route of Chemical Agglomeration of PM2.5 through Coal Combustion

Modeling Theory and Application of Data-driven Cyber-physical Systems

Mainly completed by: Ye Yuan, Han Ding and Haitao Zhang

The advanced manufacturing industry is an important direction in upgrading and transforming China's manufacturing industry to promote the continuing development of China as a major manufacturing power. A cyber-physical system (CPS), which integrates computing, communication and control, is one of the key technologies to realize advanced manufacturing. The team has put forward a unified data-driven modeling theory of CPS to establish an innovative end-to-end fault diagnosis framework, accurately revealing the CPS model from the data to realize online diagnosis of multi-class manufacturing systems. This practical application has considerable value in advanced manufacturing, and as a guide it is significant to research in fields that combine advanced manufacturing with artificial intelligence in China, such as smart equipment and smart factories.

Modeling Theory and Application of Data-driven Cyber-Physical Systems

Solving the 5G Mobility Problem: PAD Prediction Theory and Technology

Mainly completed by: Haifan Yin, Haiquan Wang and Yingzhuang Liu

In field deployment, 5G has encountered a practical challenge, the mobility problem: compared with the static or low-speed mobile environment, the key performance indicators of 5G drop sharply in medium and high-speed mobile areas. This problem has become a substantial challenge hindering the high-speed data transmission of 5G. The team has proposed a PAD channel prediction technology based on the angles, delays and Doppler channel structure. In factoring in the characteristics of wireless channels and the extremely high space-time resolution of 5G Massive MIMO, both theoretical analysis and experimental verification has shown that this technology can improve the performance of 5G in medium and high-speed environments to reflect that of a static environment.

5G Mobility Problem and Technological Breakthroughs

A High-efficiency Platinum-nickel Alloy Catalyst for Fuel Cells

Mainly completed by: Baoyu Xia, Hongfang Liu and Xingpeng Guo

Platinum-based oxygen reduction catalysts are widely used in energy technology fields such as fuel cells. Constructing high-efficiency and low-platinum catalysts is the key to the commercialization of a fuel cell. The team has adopted (electro-) chemical corrosion to construct a one-dimensional platinum-nickel alloy hollow structure, which has greatly improved the service level and service life of fuel cells.

The High-efficiency Platinum-Nickel Alloy Catalyst Realizes High-level and Long-life Service for Fuel Cells

Edited by: Andrew and Yumeng Peng

Source: Academic Committee of the university