Current Status of Angiogenic Cell Therapy and Related Strategies Applied in Critical Limb Ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) constitutes the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), it is characterized by progressive blockade of arterial vessels, commonly correlated to atherosclerosis. Currently, revascularization strategies (bypass grafting, angioplasty) remain the first option for CLI patients, although less than 45% of them are eligible for surgical intervention mainly due to associated comorbidities. Moreover, patients usually require amputation in the short-term. Angiogenic cell therapy has arisen as a promising alternative for these “no-option” patients, with many studies demonstrating the potential of stem cells to enhance revascularization by promoting vessel formation and blood flow recovery in ischemic tissues. Herein, we provide an overview of studies focused on the use of angiogenic cell therapies in CLI in the last years, from approaches testing different cell types in animal/pre-clinical models of CLI, to the clinical trials currently under evaluation. Furthermore, recent alternatives related to stem cell therapies such as the use of secretomes, exosomes, or even microRNA, will be also described.     

High-resolution FIB-TEM-STEM structural characterization of grain boundaries in the high dielectric constant perovskite CaCu3Ti4O12

In this work, the grain boundaries composition of the polycrystalline CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO) was investigated. A Focused Ion Beam (FIB)/lift-out technique was used to prepare site-specific thin samples of the grain boundaries interface of CCTO ceramics. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDXS) and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) systems were used to characterize the composition and nanostructure of the grain and grain boundaries region. It is known that during conventional sintering, discontinuous grain growth occurs and a Cu-rich phase appears at grain boundaries. This Cu-rich phase may affect the final dielectric properties of CCTO but its structure and chemical composition remained unknown. For the first time, this high-resolution FIB-TEM-STEM study of CCTO interfacial region highlights the composition of the phases segregated at grain boundaries namely CuO, Cu₂O and the metastable phase Cu₃TiO_4.     

Surface modification of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) films via environmental crazing

This work addresses the phenomenon of the development of a patterned surface relief on polymer films via different modes of environmental crazing. Commercial films of semicrystalline poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and amorphous glassy poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were subjected to tensile drawing in the presence of physically active liquid environments (carbon tetrachloride or aliphatic alcohols). The structure parameters and wettability of the modified films were studied by AFM, SEM, profilometer measurements and contact angle measurements. Environmental intercrystallite crazing of PTFE is accompanied by the development of an unstable structure with a high free surface, which experiences marked strain recovery upon unloading. As a result of the relief formation, PTFE hydrophobicity is enhanced (the water contact angle increases by 25°). Classical environmental crazing of PET films is accompanied by the formation of an anisotropic surface relief which is an assembly of crazes oriented perpendicular to the direction of tensile drawing, thus leading to the phenomenon of anisotropic wetting. The proposed approach for structural surface modification makes it possible to use the advantages of surface instability and spontaneous self‐organization of the polymer towards the development of a unique surface microrelief. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

Investigating the effect of silver nanorods embedded in polydimethylsiloxane matrix using nanoindentation and its use for flexible electronics

The stretchable electrodes with excellent flexibility, electrical conductivity, and mechanical durability are the most fundamental components in the emerging and exciting field of flexible electronics. This article proposes a method for fabrication of such a stretchable electrode by embedding silver nanorods (AgNRs) into a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix that is grown by a unique glancing angle deposition technique. The surface, mechanical, and electrical properties of PDMS are significantly changed after embedding the AgNRs in it. The results show that surface roughness and polarity increase after AgNRs are embedded in the PDMS matrix. Elastic modulus (E) and hardness (H) decrease with an increase in the indentation load as a result of the indentation depth effect. Due to strong interfacial adhesion of AgNRs embedded in the PDMS matrix, the E and H of nanocomposite are increased by 167.6 and 93.3% compared with PDMS film, respectively. Furthermore, the AgNRs-PDMS film has an electrical resistivity value in the order of 10⁻⁷ Ωm. It remains conductive during various mechanical strains such as bending, twisting, and stretching, which is demonstrated using a light-emitting diode circuit. Simultaneously, the antimicrobial activity of silver could make it a promising candidate for wearable electronics.     

基于关键路径延时检测的自适应电压缩减技术

为了减小传统的最差情况设计方法引入的电压裕量,提出了一种变化可知的自适应电压缩减(AVS)技术,通过调整电源电压来降低电路功耗.自适应电压缩减技术基于检测关键路径的延时变化,基于此设计了一款预错误原位延时检测电路,可以检测关键路径延时并输出预错误信号,进而控制单元可根据反馈回的预错误信号的个数调整系统电压.本芯片采用SMIC180 nm工艺设计验证,仿真分析表明,采用自适应电压缩减技术后,4个目标验证电路分别节省功耗12.4％,11.3％,10.4％和11.6％.     

Design and performance study of phase‐locked loop using fractional‐order loop filter

The present work reports the realization of an analog fractional‐order phase‐locked loop (FPLL) using a fractional capacitor. The expressions for bandwidth, capture range, and lock range of the FPLL have been derived analytically and then compared with the experimental observations using LM565 IC. It has been observed that bandwidth and capture range can be extended by using FPLL. It has also been found that FPLL can provide faster response and lower phase error at the time of switching compared to its integer‐order counterpart. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nb和时效时间对热轧中锰TRIP钢中P偏聚的影响

热轧态中锰TRIP钢首先经650 ℃退火2 h,随后在550 ℃进行等温时效热处理,采用场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)研究该钢中P的偏聚和时效析出行为的变化情况。结果表明,中锰TRIP钢中P在晶界的偏聚是一种非平衡偏聚现象,临界时间约为50 h,与理论计算结果48 h较为吻合。在局部偏聚区域内,C与P存在共偏聚的关系,即P偏聚量高的地方,C含量也高。而合金元素Nb具有抑制P偏聚的效果,在20~70 h时效时间内,可以相对降低6.57%~19.5%的最大P偏聚量。根据电子背散射衍射(EBSD)菊池线分析,P偏聚量低于2.28at%时,P为固溶状态,高于2.28at.%时,P为析出状态。     

泥页岩井壁稳定研究及在临盘地区的应用

从岩石力学和物理化学两个主要因素简要分析了井壁失稳的机理，指出泥页岩井壁失稳是由力学与化学两方面因素共同作用的结果。钻井液与泥页岩存在化学势差，并改变了井壁附近的孔隙压力，降低岩石强度。借助于井壁处有效应力的变化,将泥页岩与钻井液相互作用时页岩水化所产生的力学效应与纯力学效应结合起来，计算出任意井斜方位井眼围岩应力状态，利用测井资料求出有关岩石力学参数和Mohr Couloumb准则，计算得出防塌的临界钻井液密度。     

嵌入式RTOS中任务优先级反转问题研究

针对嵌入式实时系统任务调度策略的特点，任务在运行的时候可能被更高优先级的任务中断。分析了嵌入式RTOS中的最高就绪任务的查找算法，指出该调度算法存在的不同优先级的反转问题，并且针对这一问题进行研究，给出了相应的优先级继承方案。较好地解决了RTOS中任务调度中的优先级的反转问题。