Clustering-based adaptive low-power subframe configuration with load-aware offsetting in dense heterogeneous networks

Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets) and cell densification represent promising solutions for the surging data traffic demand in wireless networks. In dense HetNets, user traffic is steered toward the Low-Power Node (LPN) when possible to enhance the user throughput and system capacity by increasing the area spectral efficiency. However, because of the transmit power differences in different tiers of HetNets and irregular service demand, a load imbalance typically exists among different serving nodes. To offload more traffic to LPNs and coordinate the Inter-Cell Interference (ICI), Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has facilitated the development of the Cell Range Expansion (CRE), enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) and Further enhanced ICIC (FeICIC). In this paper, we develop a cell clustering-based load-aware offsetting and an adaptive Low-Power Subframe (LPS) approach. Our solution allows the separation of User Association (UA) functions at the User Equipment (UE) and network server such that users can make a simple cell-selection decision similar to that in the maximum Received Signal Strength (max-RSS) based UA scheme, where the network server computes the load-aware offsetting and required LPS periods based on the load conditions of the system. The proposed solution is evaluated using system-level simulations wherein the results correspond to performance changes in different service regions. Results show that our method effectively solves the offloading and interference coordination problems in dense HetNets.     

针对复杂多环网络拓扑的路由改进算法

网络运营商为用户提供的光纤接入主干网大多以环型网络的方式提供服务,然而目前对于大规模、环数众多、连接方式多样化的复杂多环网络缺乏性能优良的路由算法。为解决传统环网结构网络延迟高和传输效率低的问题,提出一种针对复杂多环网络拓扑的路由改进算法,将多环网络中的复杂路由问题转化为单环网中的简单路由问题。在此基础上,通过设计源溯节点还原以及路径还原算法,将单一环网改进为增强环网网络结构,使同一环内通信节点间的路径还原为完整最短路径,并从理论上证明该算法得到的最优路径是无差错的。实验结果表明,相比于现有的优化Dijkstra算法,该算法的搜索空间比提升约13%,具有更好的改进效果,且算法运行时间缩短79%,更适合复杂多环网络的路由计算。     

Plasmon‐Enhanced Spectroscopies with Shell‐Isolated Nanoparticles

Shell‐isolated nanoparticle‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS), due to its versatility, has been able to break the long‐term limitations of the material‐ and substrate‐specific generalities in the traditional field of surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy. With a shell‐isolated work principle, this method provides an opportunity to investigate successfully in surface, biological systems, energetic materials, and environmental sciences. Both the shell material and core morphology are being improved continuously to meet the requirements in diverse systems, such as the electrochemical studies at single crystal electrode surfaces, in situ monitoring of photoinduced reaction processes, practical applications in energy conversion and storage, inspections in food safety, and the surface‐enhanced fluorescence. Predictably, the concept of shell‐isolated nanoparticle‐enhancement could be expanded to the wider range for the performance of plasmon‐enhanced spectral modifications.     

Immobilization of Pt Nanoparticles via Rapid and Reusable Electropolymerization of Dopamine on TiO2 Nanotube Arrays for Reversible SERS Substrates and Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensors

Inspired by mussel‐adhesion phenomena in nature, polydopamine (PDA) coatings are a promising route to multifunctional platforms for decorating various materials. The typical self‐polymerization process of dopamine is time‐consuming and the coatings of PDA are not reusable. Herein, a reusable and time‐saving strategy for the electrochemical polymerization of dopamine (EPD) is reported. The PDA layer is deposited on vertically aligned TiO₂ nanotube arrays (NTAs). Owing to the abundant catechol and amine groups in the PDA layer, uniform Pt nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited onto the TiO₂ NTAs and can effectively prevent the recombination of electron–hole pairs generated from photo‐electrocatalysis and transfer the captured electrons to participate in the photo‐electrocatalytic reaction process. Compared with pristine TiO₂ NTAs, the as‐prepared Pt@TiO₂ NTA composites exhibit surface‐enhanced Raman scattering sensitivity for detecting rhodamine 6G and display excellent UV‐assisted self‐cleaning ability, and also show promise as a nonenzymatic glucose biosensor. Furthermore, the mussel‐inspired electropolymerization strategy and the fast EPD‐reduced nanoparticle decorating process presented herein can be readily extended to various functional substrates, such as conductive glass, metallic oxides, and semiconductors. It is the adaptation of the established PDA system for a selective, robust, and generalizable sensing system that is the emphasis of this work.     

Targeting orthotopic gliomas with renal-clearable luminescent gold nanoparticles

A major clinical translational challenge in nanomedicine is the potential of toxicity associated with the uptake and long-term retention of non-degradable nanoparticles (NPs) in major organs.The development of inorganic NPs that undergo renal clearance could potentially resolve this significant biosafety concern.However,it remains unclear whether inorganic NPs that can be excreted by the kidneys remain capable of targeting tumors with poor permeability.Glioblastoma multiforme,the most malignant orthotopic brain tumor,presents a unique challenge for NP delivery because of the blood-brain barrier and robust blood-tumor barrier of reactive microglia and macroglia in the tumor microenvironment.Herein,we used an orthotopic murine glioma model to investigate the passive targeting of glutathione-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of 3 nm in diameter that undergo renal clearance and 18-nm AuNPs that fail to undergo renal clearance.Remarkably, we report that 3-nm AuNPs were able to target intracranial tumor tissues with higher efficiency (2.3x relative to surrounding non-tumor normal brain tissues) and greater specificity (3.0x)than did the larger AuNPs.Pharmacokinetics studies suggested that the higher glioma targeting ability of the 3-nm AuNPs may be attributed to the longer retention time in circulation.The total accumulation of the 3-nm AuNPs in major organs was significantly less (8.4x) than that of the 18-nm AuNPs.Microscopic imaging of blood vessels and renal-clearable AuNPs showed extravasation of NPs from the leaky blood-tumor barrier into the tumor interstitium.Taken together,our results suggest that the 3-nm AuNPs,characterized by enhanced permeability and retention,are able to target brain tumors and undergo renal clearance.     

Drug self-assembly: A phenomenon at the nanometer scale with major impact in the structure–biological properties relationship and the treatment of disease

Under water-rich conditions, small amphiphilic and hydrophobic drug molecules self-assemble into supramolecular nanostructures. Thus, substantial modifications in their interaction with cellular structures and the ability to reach intracellular targets could happen. Additionally, drug aggregates could be more toxic than the non-aggregated counterparts, or vice versa. Moreover, since self-aggregation reduces the number of effective “monomeric” molecules that interact with the target, the drug potency could be underestimated. In other cases, the activity could be ascribed to the non-aggregated molecule while it stems from its aggregates. Thus, drug self-assembly could mislead from drug throughput screening assays to advanced preclinical and clinical trials. Finally, aggregates could serve as crystallization nuclei. The impact that this phenomenon has on the biological performance of active compounds, the inconsistent and often controversial nature of the published data and the need for recommendations/guidelines as preamble of more harmonized research protocols to characterize drug self-aggregation were main motivations for this review. First, the key molecular and environmental parameters governing drug self-aggregation, the main drug families for which this phenomenon and the methods used for its characterization are described. Then, promising nanotechnology platforms investigated to prevent/control it towards a more efficient drug development process are briefly discussed.     

Fabrication and Optical Properties of Periodic Ag Nano‐Pore and Nano‐Particle Arrays with Controlled Shape and Size over Macroscopic Length Scales

A facile and economical route to preparation of highly ordered sliver pore or particle arrays with controlled pore‐shape and size extended over cm² areas is described. The substrates are prepared at planar and curved surfaces via sphere‐imprinted polymer (PDMS) templating using polystyrene spheres with diameters of 820, 600, or 430 nm. Nano‐pore arrays are created by sputtering 80 nm of Ag directly onto the templates and nano‐particle arrays are prepared by electrode‐less deposition of Ag from Tollen's reagent. The shape of the nano‐pore or particles in the array conformed to that of the imprint of the sphere on the template. Stretching the flexible template enable creation of cuboid shaped nano‐voids and nano‐particles following Ag deposition. Diffuse reflectance from the spherical Ag nano‐cavity arrays showed absorbance maxima at wavelengths comparable similar to the diameter of the templating sphere, whereas reflectance from the cuboid arrays, showed little correlation with the sphere diameter. The cuboid nano‐particle arrays showed the most intense visible absorption which is red‐shifted compared to the spherical arrays. White light diffraction from the arrays, observed by rotating 1 cm² substrates relative to a fixed light source, reflected exactly the symmetry axes of the periodic nano‐features in the arrays demonstrating the remarkable macroscopic order of the periodic structures. Raman spectra of 1‐benzenethiol adsorbed at the arrays indicated SERS enhancements from the substrates are attributed mainly to surface nano‐roughness with only moderate contributions from the periodically corrugated structures. Despite excitation at the major resonance dip in the reflectance spectrum, a weak, localized rim dipole mode is found to elicit a small increase in the SERS enhancement factor for the 430 nm diameter spherical arrays. FDTD studies of nano‐void arrays provided insights into v arious factors affecting the SERS experiment and confirmed the array's plasmonic spectra are dominated by propagating plasmon modes under microscope excitation/collection angles.     

Retracted: Dual Effects of Nanostructuring and Oxygen Vacancy on Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Activity of Superstructured and Defective Hematite Nanorods

An Ar atmospheric treatment is rationally used to etch and activate hematite nanoflakes (NFs) as photoanodes toward enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation. The formation of a highly ordered hematite nanorods (NRs) array containing a high density of oxygen vacancy is successfully prepared through in situ reduction of NFs in Ar atmosphere. Furthermore, a hematite (104) plane and an iron suboxide layer at the absorber/back‐contact interface are formed. The material defects produced by a thermal oxidation method can be critical for the morphology transformation from 2D NFs to 1D NRs. The resulting hematite NR photoanodes show high efficiency toward solar water splitting with improved light harvesting capabilities, leading to an enhanced photoresponse due to the artificially formed oxygen vacancies.     

Abrasion-Resistant and Enhanced Super-Slippery Flush Toilets Fabricated by a Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printing Technology

Flush toilets waste a significant amount of water every day due to the unavoidable adhesions between human waste and the toilet surfaces. Super-slippery surfaces can repel complex fluids and various viscoelastic solids, however, are easily broken by mechanical abrasions. Herein, the fabrication of an abrasion-resistant super-slippery flush toilet (ARSFT) is reported using a selective laser sintering 3D printing technology. Unlike traditional super-slippery surfaces with limited thicknesses which can be easily worn away, the powder-sintered strategy endows the ARSFT not only with a self-supporting 3D complex shape but also with a porous structure that can accommodate considerable lubricants for an abrasion-resistant super-slippery property. As a result, the as-prepared ARSFT remains clean after contacting with various liquids such as milk, yogurt, highly sticky honey, and starch gel mixed congee, demonstrating excellent repellence to complex fluids. Besides liquids, the ARSFT exhibits a high resistance to sticky synthetic feces. Notably, even after being abraded to 1,000 cycles of abrasion using sandpaper, the ARSFT maintains its record-breaking super-slippery capability. The concept of the 3D-printed object with a superior abrasion-resistant slippery ability will improve the development of super-slippery materials and further save water consumption in the human society.