Assessment and Comparison of Early Developmental Toxicity of Six Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances with Human Embryonic Stem Cell Models.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are extensively utilized in varieties of products and tend to accumulate in the human body including umbilical cord blood and embryos/fetuses. In this study, we conducted an assessment and comparison of the potential early developmental toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), undecafluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), heptafluorobutyric acid, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonate, and perfluorobutyric acid at noncytotoxic concentrations relevant to human exposure using models based on human embryonic stem cells in both three-dimensional embryoid body (EB) and monolayer differentiation configurations. All six compounds influenced the determination of cell fate by disrupting the expression of associated markers in both models and, in some instances, even led to alterations in the formation of cystic EBs. The expression of cilia-related gene IFT122 was significantly inhibited. Additionally, PFOS and PFOA inhibited ciliogenesis, while PFOA specifically reduced the cilia length. Transcriptome analysis revealed that PFOS altered 1054 genes and disrupted crucial signaling pathways such as WNT and TGF-ß, which play integral roles in cilia transduction and are critical for early embryonic development. These results provide precise and comprehensive insights into the potential adverse health effects of these six PFAS compounds directly concerning early human embryonic development.

A systematic study on the phase diagram and superconductivity of ternary clathrate Ca-Sc-H at high pressures.

This work explores potential high-temperature superconductor materials in hydrogen-rich systems. Here, the crystal structure stabilities of ternary Ca-Sc-H systems under high-pressure (P = 100-250 GPa) and their superconductivities are investigated using the particle swarm optimization methodology combined with first-principles calculations. For the predicted candidate structures of Ca-Sc-H systems, the pressure-dependent phase diagram and thermodynamic convex hull were investigated across a wide range of compositions; the electronic properties of all the predicted phases were analyzed in detail to study the bonding behavior of these stable phases. We identified the crystal structures of four thermodynamically stable compounds: R3̄m-CaScH6, Immm-CaSc2H9,C2/m-Ca2ScH10, and R3̄m-CaScH12. Among them, R3̄m-CaScH12 was predicted to have the highest Tc value (i.e., 173 K) at 200 GPa. The discovery of this previously unreported pressure-induced decomposition of Ca-Sc-H systems will pave the way for investigations on the nature of hydrogen-metal interactions.

Induced crystallization for the simultaneous removal of hardness-iron-manganese in groundwater: An experimental study.

Hardness, iron, and manganese are common groundwater pollutants, that frequently surpass the established discharge standard concentrations. They can be effectively removed, however, through induced crystallization. This study has investigated the effectiveness of the simultaneous removal of hardness-iron-manganese and the crystallization kinetics of calcium carbonate during co-crystallization using an automatic potentiometric titrator. The impacts pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and ion concentration on the removal efficiency of iron and manganese and their influence on calcium carbonate induced crystallization were assessed. The results suggest that pH exerts the most significant influence during the removal of hardness, iron, and manganese, followed by DO, and then the concentration of iron and manganese ions. The rate of calcium carbonate crystallization increased with pH, stabilizing at a maximum of 10-10 m/s. Iron and manganese can be reduced from an initial level of 4 mg/L to <0.3 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively. The removal rate of iron, however, was notably higher than that of manganese. The DO concentration correlates positively with the removal of iron and manganese but has minimal impact on the calcium carbonate crystallization process. During the removal of iron and manganese, competitive interactions occur with the substrate, as increases in the concentration of one ion will inhibit the removal rate of the other. Characterization of post-reaction particles and mechanistic analysis reveals that calcium is removed through the crystallization of CaCO3, while most iron is removed through precipitation as Fe2O3 and FeOOH. Manganese is removed via two mechanisms, crystallization of manganese oxide (MnO2/Mn2O3) and precipitation. Overall, this research studies the removal efficiency of coexisting ions, the crystallization rate of calcium carbonate, and the mechanism of simultaneous removal, and provides valuable data to aid in the development of new removal techniques for coexisting ions.

Stratified control of chemical crystallization in a pellet fluidized bed for pH-Adjusted fluoride and phosphate reduction: An experimental study.

Chemical crystallization granulation in a fluidized bed offers an environmentally friendly technology with significant promise for fluoride removal. This study investigates the impact of stratified pH control in a crystallization granulation fluidized bed for the removal of fluoride and phosphate on a pilot scale. The results indicate that using dolomite as a seed crystal, employing sodium dihydrogen phosphate (SDP) and calcium chloride as crystallizing agents, and controlling the molar ratio n(F):n(P):n(Ca) = 1:5:10 with an upflow velocity of 7.52 m/h, effectively removes fluoride and phosphate. Stratified pH control-maintaining weakly acidic conditions (pH = 6-7) at the bottom and weakly alkaline conditions (pH = 7-8) at the top-facilitates the induction of fluoroapatite (FAP) and calcium phosphate crystallization. This approach reduces groundwater fluoride levels from 9.5 mg/L to 0.2-0.6 mg/L and phosphate levels to 0.1-0.2 mg/L. Particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction physical characterizations reveal significant differences in crystal morphology between the top and bottom layers, with the lower layer primarily generating high-purity FAP crystals. Further analysis shows that dolomite-induced FAP crystallization offers distinct advantages. SDP not only dissolves on the dolomite surface to provide active sites for crystallization but also, under weakly acidic conditions, renders both dolomite and FAP surfaces negatively charged. This allows for the effective adsorption of PO43-, HPO42-, and F- anions onto the crystal surfaces. This study provides supporting data for the removal of fluoride from groundwater through induced FAP crystallization in a chemical crystallization pellet fluidized bed.

A method to analyze the radiation characteristics of a liquid column resonance transducer based on fluid motion.

Liquid column resonance (LCR) transducers have been widely used in deep-sea acoustic applications because of their fluid-filled structures. Until now, studies of pipe resonance have generally been based on the plane acoustic wave equation, but for a vibrating object, the velocity is the primary focus instead of the pressure. Thus, the motion equation of a pipe resonance mode can be deduced based on the Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations. In this work, the velocity of an LCR transducer is obtained using the finite element model, and the velocity distribution inside the liquid column is examined. In addition, the radiating surface of the LCR transducer is identified and a simplified model of the radiation that consists of concave pistons and ring sources is proposed and verified. The theory behind the high mechanical quality (Q) value of the LCR transducer is explained through the radiation of the LCR transducer and the low viscosity of the water. This is also verified through a finite element model and measurements. Due to the high mechanical Q value and the low frequency of the LCR transducer, such measurements should be carried out in open-field water and the pulse should be long enough to achieve a steady state.

Effects of Tactical Periodization on Workload, Physical Fitness, and Well-Being in Professional Rugby Union Players During a Preseason Period.

ABSTRACT: Hu, X, Boisbluche, S, Philippe, K, Maurelli, O, Li, S, Xu, B, and Prioux, J. Effects of tactical periodization on workload, physical fitness, and well-being in professional rugby union players during a preseason period. J Strength Cond Res 38(1): 105-115, 2024-Tactical periodization (TP) emerged approximately 30 years ago and has recently gained considerable attention in rugby union (RU). It aims to develop specific physical fitness components with 3 acquisition days (strength, endurance, and speed). However, no study has investigated the effects of TP on workload, physical fitness, and well-being across an RU preseason. This study aimed to determine how RU players' workload response to TP focusing on positional differences, observe the influence of a TP preseason training program on aerobic fitness and neuromuscular performance between positions, and analyze the variation of well-being reported by forwards and backs from the 3 acquisition days. Thirty-two male players completed a 6-week TP protocol. External and internal workload variables were recorded through global positioning systems and session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) separately. Fitness assessments included Bronco and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests. The sum of well-being indices was measured using the Hooper index. Kruskal-Wallis H tests revealed that the highest values of PlayerLoad slow, PlayerLoad slow percentage, and s-RPE were found on endurance day and the lowest on speed day. Mann-Whitney U tests showed that 15 external workload parameters were higher in backs than forwards for each acquisition day. Small improvements were observed on the Bronco test. No differences were observed in CMJ performance during the preseason period and well-being values between acquisition days. This study provides unique insights into external and internal workload variables during each acquisition day. Furthermore, it highlights TP as an efficient theoretical concept to use in an RU context.

Potential rules for stable transition metal hexafluorides with high oxidation states under high pressures.

High pressure is a powerful tool in material sciences which can lead to the discovery of novel inorganic species in high oxidation states. Based on the prediction of the stability of PdF6 with a high Pd oxidation state of +6, we propose three potential guiding rules for finding stable transition metal (TM) fluorides with high +6 oxidation states: (1) the existence of a large (>7 eV) valence orbitals energy differences of atoms between the TM d orbital and the F 2p orbital; (2) an appropriate number of valence electrons within the range of 6-11; and (3) suitable electronegativity values less than 2.3 on the Pauli scale. More importantly, by synergistically invoking all of these rules, we predict, by combining a particle swarm optimization algorithm with first-principles calculation on the phase stabilities of the various TM-F compounds, a collection of new TMF6 species with the space group Pnma that have a +6 oxidation state. Subsequently, we develop an understanding of the high +6 oxidation state for the TM elements. These findings are expected to play a crucial role in the predictive discoveries of new fluorides with high oxidation states of +6.

A liquid column resonance transducer driven by Class IV flextensional transducer.

A liquid column resonance (LCR) transducer, also referred to as an organ pipe transducer, is a type of transducer that utilizes the liquid column resonance mode to produce acoustic energy underwater. Traditional transducers, such as piezoelectric rings or Janus transducers, are commonly used as the driving source in LCR transducers. A flextensional transducer (FT) is introduced into the LCR transducer as the driving source because of the relatively larger volume velocity at low frequencies. Moreover, the eigen-mode of the Class IV FT is easier to couple with the LCR mode to broaden the bandwidth of a LCR transducer. To overcome the problems associated with the low stiffness of elliptical metal pipes, an improved aluminum pipe, which has a cross-beam to increase the stiffness, was proposed and utilized in a LCR transducer driven by a Class IV FT. The fabricated LCR transducer prototype driven by the Class IV FT has two resonance peaks from 700-2000 Hz, and the transmitting voltage response values of these peaks are 132.1 and 137.8 dB (re 1 µPa/V @1 m). Comparing with an LCR transducer driven by a 33-mode ring, the results show that the LCR transducer driven by a Class IV FT provides good efficiency and broadband characteristics.

Development of a simplified human embryonic stem cell-based retinal pre-organoid model for toxicity evaluations of common pollutants.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the retinal toxicity of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), flame retardants, bisphenols, phthalates, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on human retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which are the primary cell types at the early stages of retinal development, vital for subsequent functional cell type differentiation, and closely related to retinal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After 23 days of differentiation, human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based retinal pre-organoids, containing RPCs and RPE cells, were exposed to 10, 100, and 1000 nM pesticides (butachlor, terbutryn, imidacloprid, deltamethrin, pendimethalin, and carbaryl), flame retardants (PFOS, TBBPA, DBDPE, and TDCIPP), PPCPs (climbazole and BHT), and other typical pollutants (phenanthrene, DCHP, and BPA) for seven days. Then, mRNA expression changes were monitored and compared. RESULTS: (1) The selected pollutants did not show strong effects at environmental and human-relevant concentrations, although the effects of flame retardants were more potent than those of other categories of chemicals. Surprisingly, some pollutants with distinct structures showed similar adverse effects. (2) Exposure to pollutants induced different degrees of cell detachment, probably due to alterations in extracellular matrix and/or cell adhesion. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we established a retinal pre-organoid model suitable for evaluating multiple pollutants' effects, and pointed out the potential retinal toxicity of flame retardants, among other pollutants. Nevertheless, the potential mechanisms of toxicity and the effects on cell detachment are still unclear and deserve further exploration. Additionally, this model holds promise for screening interventions aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of these pollutants.

Nanostructure engineering of two-dimensional diamonds toward high thermal conductivity and approaching zero Poisson's ratio.

Two-dimensional diamond, also called diamane, has attracted great research attention for its novel physical properties and potential applications in nanoelectronics, ultrasensitive resonators and thermal management. Compared with the hexagonal diamane, the physical properties of the rectangular diamane are less explored. In this work, using first-principles calculations, we conducted a comprehensive study on the electronic, phononic, thermal and mechanical properties of three types of rectangular diamanes. We found that rectangular diamanes possess a high Debye temperature (722-788 K) and a strong in-plane Young's modulus (405.9-575.9 N m-1). We further show close to zero Poisson's ratio in the rectangular Pmma diamane. Moreover, based on the phonon Boltzmann transport equation, high room temperature lattice thermal conductivity (910-1807 W m-1 K-1) and strong configuration and orientation dependence are demonstrated. Phonon group velocity, relaxation time and characteristic square velocity are explored and it is demonstrated that phonon harmonic behavior is responsible for the remarkable configuration dependent thermal conductivity in rectangular diamanes. The present work underscores the use of nanostructure engineering to manipulate thermal conductivity of 2D diamond, which provides opportunities for developing effective thermal channeling devices.

Pressure-induced evolution of crystal and electronic structure of neptunium hydrides.

An extensive exploration of high-pressure phase diagrams of NpHx (x = 1-10) compounds was performed by using swarm-intelligence-based CALYPSO structure searches. We propose five stable hydrogen-rich clathrate phases (P4/nmm-NpH5, Cmcm-NpH7, Fm3̄m-NpH8, P63/mmc-NpH9, and Fm3̄m-NpH10) that are composed of unusual H cages with stoichiometries H20, H24, H29, and H32 in which the H atoms are weakly covalently bonded to one another, with neptunium atoms occupying centers of the cages. The electronic structure analyses show that these predicted hydrogen-rich structures are all metallic phases, and Np-H and H-H bonds are formed by ionic and covalent bond interactions, respectively. The charge transfer from the Np atom plays an important role in the stability of the proposed structures. All hydrogen-rich clathrate structures show superconductivity behavior in their respective stability pressure range. Our work is an important step in understanding the phase stability and bonding behavior of NpHx under extreme conditions and provides a valuable reference for experimental synthesis and identification of cage-like neptunium hydrides.

Clinical features in maxillary sinus fungus ball in patients with malignant hematological disease.

PURPOSE: Previous studies on fungus balls have primarily focused on immunocompetent patients, and only a few studies have described the clinical characteristics of fungus balls in malignant hematological disease (MHD) patients. Therefore, we compared the clinical features of maxillary sinus fungus ball (MSFB) between immunosuppressive patients with MHD and immunocompetent patients. METHODS: Twenty patients with MHD and 40 randomly selected immunocompetent patients were enrolled and divided into MHD and non-MHD groups. All patients were diagnosed with MSFB and their clinical features were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Patients in the MHD group had non-specific clinical symptoms and endoscopic manifestations of MSFB, similar to those in the non-MHD group. On computed tomography (CT), the MHD group showed higher Lund-Mackay scores, lesser single sinus opacifications, more multiple sinus opacifications on the affected side, and more bilateral opacifications compared to the non-MHD group. The MHD group had a lower frequency of central hyper-density and heterogeneous opacifications than the non-MHD group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the fungal-infected side, lateral sinus wall ratio, sclerosis of the lateral sinus wall, erosion of the inner sinus wall, and nasal septum deviation. CONCLUSION: The clinical symptoms and endoscopic manifestations of MSFB in patients with MHD were similar to those of immunocompetent patients. However, more atypical signs and wider mucosal inflammation were found on CT scans of MSFB patients with MHD. These results indicate that caution should be executed when excluding the possibility of fungus balls in immunosuppressive patients.

Three-Fold Enhancement of In-Plane Thermal Conductivity of Borophene through Metallic Atom Intercalation.

We studied the thermal conductivity of Al-intercalated bilayer δ4 borophene sheet by solving phonon Boltzmann transport equation based on density functional theory. Although the overall atomic density of Al-intercalated borophene is larger than that of δ4 borophene, it possesses significant enhancement in in-plane thermal conductivity. With metallic atom intercalation, the armchair-direction thermal conductivity increases from 53.8 to 160.2 W m-1 K-1 and that along the zigzag direction increases from 115.7 to 157.2 W m-1 K-1. This pronounced enhancement is attributed to the bunching of the acoustic branches in the Al-intercalated borophene, which decreases the phase space for the high frequency three acoustic phonon scattering processes. In addition to the pronounced increased thermal conductivity, the Al-intercalation also tunes the in-plane anisotropy. This study illustrates the importance of metallic atom intercalation in the in-plane thermal conductivity of 2D van der Waals materials and also has practical implications for fields ranging from thermal management to thermoelectrics design.

The important role of strain on phonon hydrodynamics in diamond-like bi-layer graphene.

In this work, combining first-principles calculation and the phonon Boltzmann transport equation, we explored the diffusive thermal conductivity of diamond-like bi-layer graphene. The converged iterative solution provides high room temperature thermal conductivity of 2034 W mK-1, significantly higher than other 2D materials. More interesting, the thermal conductivity calculated by relaxation time approximation is about 33% underestimated, revealing a remarkable phonon hydrodynamic transport characteristic. Significant strain dependence is reported, for example, under 5% tensile strain, room temperature thermal conductivity (1081 W mK-1) of only about 50% of the strain-free sample, and under 20% strain, it reduces dramatically to only about 11% of the intrinsic one (226 W mK-1). Unexpectedly, in addition to the remarkable reduction in the absolute value of thermal conductivity, tensile strain can impact the hydrodynamic significance. For example, under 5% strain, the underestimation of relaxation time approximation in thermal conductivity is reduced to 20%. Furthermore, using a non-equilibrium Green's function calculation, high ballistic thermal conductance (2.95 GW m-2 K-1) is demonstrated, and the mean free path is predicted to be 700 nm at room temperature. The importance of the knowledge of phonon transport in diamond-like bi-layer graphene goes beyond fundamental physics owing to its relevance to thermal management applications due to the super-high thermal conduction.

Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae excretory/secretory products trigger apoptosis and S-phase arrest of the non-small-cell lung cancer line A549.

Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) muscle larvae (ML) excretory/secretory products (ESPs) are antitumor substances extracted from the culture medium of T. spiralis ML. The ESPs inhibit tumor growth and induce tumor cell apoptosis. To explore the effects of these products on the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) line A549, logarithmically growing A549 cells were co-cultured with different concentrations of T. spiralis ML ESPs for 24, 36 and 48 h. Our results showed that T. spiralis ML ESPs significantly inhibited A549 cells proliferation, which was dose-and time-dependent. To evaluate the inhibition by T. spiralis ML ESPs of the growth of A549 cells, we assayed their apoptosis and cell-cycle distribution by flow cytometry (FCM). To determine whether ESPs induced apoptosis of A549 cells via the mitochondrial pathway, we evaluated the levels of mitochondrion-related factors by Western blotting. The FCM indicated a clear trend toward apoptosis of A549 cells co-cultured with ESPs for 24 h. The cells were blocked in S-phase. Western blotting revealed that the expression levels of the genes encoding Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 increased (compared to a control group), and the Bcl-2 gene expression level decreased. Our results suggest that T. spiralis ML ESPs induce apoptosis of the NSCLC line A549 via the mitochondrial pathway; the cells become arrested in S-phase. This may explain the antineoplastic activity of T. spiralis ML ESPs.

Underwater Spiral Wave Sound Source Based on Phased Array with Three Transducers.

This paper realizes an underwater spiral wave sound source by using three omni-directional spherical transducers with three different phases. The pressure distribution of the sound field for a phased array is derived using the superposition theory of sound field. The generation of spiral wave field is presented, the relationship between the performance of phased array sound field and the array parameters is analyzed, and also verified by the finite element method (FEM). A spiral wave sound source with three spherical piezoelectric ceramic transducers is then designed and fabricated based on FEM simulation, and the performance of the sound source is analyzed. Measurements are made in a reverberation pool, and the result shows that the fabricated spiral wave sound source is capable of producing a spiral sound wave. Under a frequency of 3.5 kHz, the phase directivity has a fluctuation of ±21°, and the amplitude directivity range is 4.3 dB, which verifies the realization of the spiral wave sound source.

A Forkhead Box Protein†C2 Inhibitor: Targeting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Metastasis.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been suggested as a new target for therapeutic intervention of metastatic cancer. Forkhead box protein C2 (FOXC2) is known to be necessary for initiating and maintaining EMT, and therefore bestows on cancer cells metastatic and cancer stem cell (CSC)-like phenotypes, allowing cells to acquire higher motility, invasiveness, self-renewal, and therapy resistance. Here, we describe the first inhibitor of FOXC2, MC-1-F2. MC-1-F2 was able to induce cadherin switching and reverse EMT through the degradation of FOXC2 and blocking of its nuclear localization. In addition, MC-1-F2 was very effective in inhibiting cancer cell migration and invasion. As the first small-molecule inhibitor of FOXC2 and the first compound targeting EMT-associated transcription factor, MC-1-F2 will pave the way for a new anticancer therapeutic agent targeting metastatic cancer and help to elucidate the network of EMT signaling pathways.

Theoretical Study of the Feasibility of Laser Cooling the 24Mg35Cl Molecule Including Hyperfine Structure and Branching Ratios.

The possibility of laser cooling the 24Mg35Cl molecule is investigated using the electronic, rovibrational, and hyperfine structure. Twelve low-lying Λ-S electronic states of the 24Mg35Cl molecule have been calculated at the multireference configuration interaction level of theory. The spin-orbit coupling effects are taken into account in the electronic structure calculations. Spectroscopic constants agree well with previously obtained theoretical and experimental values. On the basis of the potential energy curves and transition dipole moments, the highly diagonally distributed Franck-Condon factors for the A2Π â†’ X2Σ+ transition and short radiative lifetime of the A2Π state are determined. Then, employing a quantum effective Hamiltonian approach, we investigate the hyperfine manifolds of the X2Σ+ state and obtain the zero-field hyperfine spectrum with the errors relative to the experimental data not exceeding 8-20 kHz. Finally, we design a laser cooling scheme with one cooling main laser beam and two repumping laser beams with modulated sidebands, which is sufficient for the implementation of efficient laser slowing and cooling of the 24Mg35Cl molecule. Moreover, it is important to note that the dissociation energy (2.2593 eV) of the B2Σ+ state is obtained for the first time at the multireference configuration interaction level. We hope that this can provide a helpful reference for experimental observation.

Spiral Sound Wave Transducer Based on the Longitudinal Vibration.

A spiral sound wave transducer comprised of longitudinal vibrating elements has been proposed. This transducer was made from eight uniform radial distributed longitudinal vibrating elements, which could effectively generate low frequency underwater acoustic spiral waves. We discuss the production theory of spiral sound waves, which could be synthesized by two orthogonal acoustic dipoles with a phase difference of 90 degrees. The excitation voltage distribution of the transducer for emitting a spiral sound wave and the measurement method for the transducer is given. Three-dimensional finite element modeling (FEM)of the transducer was established for simulating the vibration modes and the acoustic characteristics of the transducers. Further, we fabricated a spiral sound wave transducer based on our design and simulations. It was found that the resonance frequency of the transducer was 10.8 kHz and that the transmitting voltage resonance was 140.5 dB. The underwater sound field measurements demonstrate that our designed transducer based on the longitudinal elements could successfully generate spiral sound waves.

A Conformal Driving Class IV Flextensional Transducer.

Class IV Flextensional Transducers (FTs) are the most popular among various FTs used as low-frequency and high power underwater acoustic sources. However, an undeniable fact exists in Class IV FTs is that the resonance frequency of breathing mode regulator used is fairly raised by its longitudinal driver stacks. In this research, a conformal driving Class IV FT in which the driver stacks are kept conformal with its oval shell was proposed aiming at the limitations of conventional driving Class IV FTs described above. The device exhibits competitive Transmitting Voltage Responses (TVRs) but much lower operation frequencies with respect to conventional driving Class IV FTs, through the designs of conformal and segmentally controlled driver stacks. Geometric parameters analysis was carried out extensively by Finite Element (FE) simulations for the design optimizations and then a conformal driving Class IV FT resonating at 510 Hz (45% approximately lower than that of conventional driving Class IV FT with the same shell geometry) was finalized. Subsequently the conformal driving Class IV was fabricated and tested in the anechoic tank experimentally. Good agreements of both FE predictions and experimental results demonstrate its low-frequency and small-size acoustic performance.