Reducing web latency with coding-based fast multi-path loss recovery

Wireless Networks - TCP latency is critical to the performance of Web services. However, packet loss greatly impairs the TCP performance due to its poor loss recovery mechanisms. Recent work FUSO...     

Toughness and R-curve behaviour of laminated Si3N4/SiCw ceramics

Laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics were successfully prepared by tape casting and hot-pressing. Its mechanical properties were measured and the impact resistance was discussed. The toughness of the laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics was 13.5 MPa m^1/2, which was almost 1.6 times that of Si₃N₄/SiC_w composite ceramics, namely 8.5 MPa m^1/2. Moreover, the indentation strength of laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics was not sensitive to increasing indentation loads and exhibited a rising R-curve behaviour, indicating that the laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics had excellent impact resistance. The improved toughness and impact resistance of laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics was attributed to the residual stress caused by a thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the different layers, resulting in crack deflection and bridging of SiC whiskers in the interface layer, thus consuming a large amount of fracture work.     

Nacre-Inspired,Liquid Metal-Based Ultrasensitive Electronic Skin by Spatially Regulated Cracking Strategy

The realization of liquid metal-based wearable systems will be a milestone toward high-performance, integrated electronic skin. However, despite the revolutionary progress achieved in many other components of electronic skin, liquid metal-based flexible sensors still suffer from poor sensitivity due to the insufficient resistance change of liquid metal to deformation. Herein, a nacre-inspired architecture composed of a biphasic pattern (liquid metal with Cr/Cu underlayer) as “bricks” and strain-sensitive Ag film as “mortar” is developed, which breaks the long-standing sensitivity bottleneck of liquid metal-based electronic skin. With 2 orders of magnitude of sensitivity amplification while maintaining wide (>85%) working range, for the first time, liquid metal-based strain sensors rival the state-of-art counterparts. This liquid metal composite features spatially regulated cracking behavior. On the one hand, hard Cr cells locally modulate the strain distribution, which avoids premature cut-through cracks and prolongs the defect propagation in the adjacent Ag film. On the other hand, the separated liquid metal cells prevent unfavorable continuous liquid-metal paths and create crack-free regions during strain. Demonstrated in diverse scenarios, the proposed design concept may spark more applications of ultrasensitive liquid metal-based electronic skins, and reveals a pathway for sensor development via crack engineering.     

4-Methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene,a Major Active Metabolite of Bisphenol A,Triggers Pancreatic β-Cell Death via a JNK/AMPKα Activation-Regulated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Apoptotic Pathway

4-methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene (MBP), a major active metabolite of bisphenol A (BPA), is generated in the mammalian liver. Some studies have suggested that MBP exerts greater toxicity than BPA. However, the mechanism underlying MBP-induced pancreatic β-cell cytotoxicity remains largely unclear. This study demonstrated the cytotoxicity of MBP in pancreatic β-cells and elucidated the cellular mechanism involved in MBP-induced β-cell death. Our results showed that MBP exposure significantly reduced cell viability, caused insulin secretion dysfunction, and induced apoptotic events including increased caspase-3 activity and the expression of active forms of caspase-3/-7/-9 and PARP protein. In addition, MBP triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as indicated by the upregulation of GRP 78, CHOP, and cleaved caspase-12 proteins. Pretreatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA; a pharmacological inhibitor of ER stress) markedly reversed MBP-induced ER stress and apoptosis-related signals. Furthermore, exposure to MBP significantly induced the protein phosphorylation of JNK and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)α. Pretreatment of β-cells with pharmacological inhibitors for JNK (SP600125) and AMPK (compound C), respectively, effectively abrogated the MBP-induced apoptosis-related signals. Both JNK and AMPK inhibitors also suppressed the MBP-induced activation of JNK and AMPKα and of each other. In conclusion, these findings suggest that MBP exposure exerts cytotoxicity on β-cells via the interdependent activation of JNK and AMPKα, which regulates the downstream apoptotic signaling pathway.     

An active balancer with rapid bidirectional charge shuttling and adaptive equalization current control for lithium-ion battery strings

This article proposes an active balancer, which features bidirectional charge shuttling and adaptive equalization current control, to fast counterbalance the state of charge (SOC) of cells in a lithium-ion battery (LIB) string. The power circuit consists of certain bidirectional buck-boost converters to transfer energy among the different cells back and forth. Owing to the characterization of the open-circuit voltage (OCV) vs SOC in LIB being relatively smooth near the SOC middle range, the SOC-inspected balance strategy can achieve more precise and efficient equilibrium than the voltage-based control. Accordingly, a compensated OCV-based SOC estimation is put forward to take into account the discrepancy of SOC estimation. Besides, the varied-duty-cycle (VDC) and curve-fitting modulation (CFM) methods are devised herein to tackle the problems of slow equalization rate and low balance efficacy, which arise from the diminution in balancing current as the SOC difference between the cells decreases in the later duration of equalization especially. The proposed strategies have taken the battery nonlinear characteristic and circuit parameter nonideality into account and can adaptively modulate the duty cycle with the SOC difference to keep balancing current constant throughout the balancing cycle. Simulated and experimental results are given to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the same prototype constructed. Compared with the fixed duty cycle and the VDC methods, the proposed CFM has the best balancing efficiency of 81.4%, and the balance time is shortened by 27.1% and 18.6%, respectively.     

基于乙酰胆碱酯酶和氧化应激研究海胆酮对阿尔茨海默症的作用机制

海胆酮是一种酮式类胡萝卜素，主要从海胆及藻类等海洋生物中提取。本文研究海胆酮对乙酰胆碱酯酶（acetylcholinesterase，AChE）的抑制作用，应用酶动力学、荧光光谱、圆二色光谱和分子对接技术研究海胆酮对AChE的抑制机理，并用淀粉样β蛋白片段25～35（amyloid beta-peptide 25-35，Aβ25-35）诱导大鼠肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤细胞（PC12细胞）建立阿尔茨海默症（Alzheimer’s disease，AD）模型，研究海胆酮对AD细胞模型氧化应激损伤的作用。结果表明，海胆酮有很强的AChE抑制活性，其半抑制质量浓度为（16.29±0.97）μg/mL，抑制常数Ki为3.82 μg/mL，表现为竞争性抑制；海胆酮可诱导AChE二级结构改变，更容易与AChE活性中心氨基酸Ser200、His440、Trp84和Tyr121结合，阻碍底物碘代硫代乙酰胆碱（acetylthiocholine iodide，ATCI）与酶结合，从而引起酶活力降低。海胆酮能有效抑制Aβ25-35诱导PC12细胞的AChE活力，降低丙二醛含量，增加超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶活力，减轻Aβ25-35诱导的PC12细胞氧化应激损伤。本研究基于AChE和氧化应激阐明了海胆酮对AD的潜在作用机制，为海胆酮在功能食品、生物医药等领域的应用提供了数据支持和理论根据。     

Pectic Galactan Polysaccharide-Based Gene Delivery System for Targeting Neuroinflammation

Treating neuroinflammation-related injuries and disorders through manipulation of neuroinflammation functions is being heralded as a new therapeutic strategy. In this study, a novel pectic galactan (PG) polysaccharide based gene therapy approach is developed for targeting reactive gliosis in neuroinflammation. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a cell protein with a high affinity to β-galactoside sugars and is highly expressed in reactive gliosis. Since PG carries galactans, it can target reactive gliosis via specific carbohydrate interaction between galactan and Gal-3 on the cell membrane, and therefore can be utilized as a carrier for delivering genes to these cells. The carrier is synthesized by modifying quaternary ammonium groups on the PG. The resulting quaternized PG (QPG) is found to form complexes with plasmid DNA with a mean diameter of 100 nm and have the characteristics required for targeted gene therapy. The complexes efficiently condense large amounts of plasmid per particle and successfully bind to Gal-3. The in vivo study shows that the complexes are biocompatible and safe for administration and can selectively transfect reactive glial cells of an induced cortical lesion. The results confirm that this PG-based delivery system is a promising platform for targeting Gal-3 overexpressing neuroinflammation cells for treating neuroinflammation-related injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.