3D Printed Stem‐Cell Derived Neural Progenitors Generate Spinal Cord Scaffolds

A bioengineered spinal cord is fabricated via extrusion‐based multimaterial 3D bioprinting, in which clusters of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‐derived spinal neuronal progenitor cells (sNPCs) and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are placed in precise positions within 3D printed biocompatible scaffolds during assembly. The location of a cluster of cells, of a single type or multiple types, is controlled using a point‐dispensing printing method with a 200 µm center‐to‐center spacing within 150 µm wide channels. The bioprinted sNPCs differentiate and extend axons throughout microscale scaffold channels, and the activity of these neuronal networks is confirmed by physiological spontaneous calcium flux studies. Successful bioprinting of OPCs in combination with sNPCs demonstrates a multicellular neural tissue engineering approach, where the ability to direct the patterning and combination of transplanted neuronal and glial cells can be beneficial in rebuilding functional axonal connections across areas of central nervous system (CNS) tissue damage. This platform can be used to prepare novel biomimetic, hydrogel‐based scaffolds modeling complex CNS tissue architecture in vitro and harnessed to develop new clinical approaches to treat neurological diseases, including spinal cord injury.     

A low-power readout circuit for nanowire based hydrogen sensor

This paper presents a fully integrated lock-in amplifier intended for nanowire gas sensing. The nanowire will change its conductivity according to the concentration of an absorbing gas. To ensure an accurate nanowire impedance measurement, a lock-in technique is implemented to attenuate the low frequency noise and offset by synchronous demodulation or phase-sensitive detection (PSD). The dual-channel lock-in amplifier also provides both resistive and capacitive information of the nanowire in separate channels. Measurement results of test resistors and capacitors show a 2% resolution in the resistance range 10-40 kΩ and a 3% resolution in the capacitance range 0.5-1.8 nF. Moreover, a 28.7-32.1 kΩ impedance variation was measured through the lock-in amplifier for a single palladium nanowire that was exposed to a decreasing hydrogen concentration (10% H₂ in N₂ to air). The chip has been implemented with UMC 0.18 μm CMOS technology and occupies an area of 2 mm². The power consumption of the readout circuit is 2 mW from a 1.8 V supply.     

Les dispositifs de lutte contre les effets des évanouissements sélectifs dans les faisceaux hertziens numériques

An overview of the countermeasure techniques used in digital radio systems for combatting the effects of selective fading due to multipath propagation is presented. Basic principles are analyzed. Their performances, based upon experimental measurements carried out throughout the world are compared. Frequency diversity techniques and channel interference cancellation techniques specific to a multichannel environment are not investigated. Future trends in the field are finally discussed.     

Un algorithme précis de synthèse en échelle

An algebraic approach to the problem of LC ladder filter synthesis is presented by use of a polynomial formalism introduced first for polynomial low-pass filters and then generalized to the case of filters with infinite peaks of attenuation. An algorithm based upon this formalism is given which provides a much better accuracy than a continued fraction expansion. Numerical results are given.     

Un nouveau matériau pour le multiplexage holographique sur réseau de fibres optiques

Frequency multiplexing, using gratings, in optical fiber systems is now well known. The potentials of holography have already been validated for this kind of application. However, the silver halide photosensitive materials limited the diffraction efficiency and also the achievable angular discrimination. The material we have developed, called optrigelac, is a gelatin doped with ammonium dichromate. This material allows high diffraction efficiencies, up to the theoretical limit of 100 %, with low noise and adjustable angular and wavelength selectivity. The coating, sensitizing and development procedures, and a model relating the final hologram properties to a practical working procedure are described.     

Quantification et détection

The basic detection problem consists in deciding on an optimal way between two possible hypotheses. This decision is made by comparing to an appropriate threshold the output of a processing system. The purpose of this paper is to study the consequences of a threshold quantization on the detection performance. Using various possible models of quantization we show that it creates in general a degradation of the performance. From this fact we introduce a new detection criterion using the concept of contrast and we show on some examples how this criterion is adapted to quantized detection problems.     

Evanescent wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy: a platform for the study of supported lipid bilayers

Evanescent wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy (EW-CRDS) is advocated as an approach for monitoring the formation of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) on quartz substrates in situ and for the quantitative study of fast molecular adsorption kinetics at the resulting modified biomimetic surface. This approach is illustrated using SLBs of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP). Complementary atomic force microscopy (AFM) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) measurements confirm the formation of bilayers on quartz. The subsequent interaction of the porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphine-p,p',p',p'-tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium hydrate (TPPS) with the cationic bilayer-modified silica surface has been studied using EW-CRDS combined with an impinging-jet to deliver analyte to the surface in a well-defined manner. The adsorption of TPPS to the bilayer was kinetically controlled and the adsorption rate constant was found to be 1.7 (±0.6) × 10(-4) cm s(-1) from finite element modeling of the jet hydrodynamics and associated convective-diffusion equation, coupled to a first-order surface process describing adsorption. These proof-of-concept studies provide a platform for the investigation of molecular processes at biomembranes using EW-CRDS for chemical species showing optical absorbance in the visible and ultraviolet range.     

Active sites for outer-sphere, inner-sphere, and complex multistage electrochemical reactions at polycrystalline boron-doped diamond electrodes (pBDD) revealed with scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM)

The local rate of heterogeneous electron transfer (HET) at polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (pBDD) electrodes has been visualized at high spatial resolution for various aqueous electrochemical reactions, using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), which is a technique that uses a mobile pipet-based electrochemical cell as an imaging probe. As exemplar systems, three important classes of electrode reactions have been investigated: outer-sphere (one-electron oxidation of ferrocenylmethyltrimethylammonium (FcTMA(+))), inner-sphere (one-electron oxidation of Fe(2+)), and complex processes with coupled electron transfer and chemical reactions (oxidation of serotonin). In all cases, the pattern of reactivity is similar: the entire pBDD surface is electroactive, but there are variations in activity between different crystal facets which correlate directly with differences in the local dopant level, as visualized qualitatively by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). No evidence was found for enhanced activity at grain boundaries for any of the reactions. The case of serotonin oxidation is particularly interesting, as this process is known to lead to deterioration of the electrodes, because of blocking by reaction products, and therefore cannot be studied with conventional scanning electrochemical probe microscopy (SEPM) techniques. Yet, we have found this system nonproblematic to study, because the meniscus of the scanning pipet is only in contact with the surface investigated for a brief time and any blocking product is left behind as the pipet moves to a new location. Thus, SECCM opens up the possibility of investigating and visualizing much more complex heterogeneous electrode reactions than possible presently with other SEPM techniques.