Spatial Control of Neuronal Adhesion on Diamond-Like Carbon

This study reports a route to spatial control of neuronal adhesion onto Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) by surface functionalisation by poly (oligo-ethyleneglycol methacrylate) (pOEGMA) and consequent laser ablation to produce cell adhesive tracks. DLC can be deposited as a tough and low friction coating on implantable devices and surgical instruments and has favourable properties for use as a biomaterial. The pOEGMA surface coating renders the DLC surface antifouling and the laser ablation creates graphitised tracks on the surface. The surfaces were coated with laminin, which adhered preferentially to the ablation tracks. The patterned surfaces were investigated for neuronal cell growth with NG108-15 cells for short term culture and rat neural stem cells for longer term culture. The cells initially adhered highly selectively to the ablation tracks while longer term cell culture revealed a more uniform cell coverage of the surface.

The Influence of Photovoltaic Cell Coverage Rate on the Thermal and Electric Performance of Semi-Transparent Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Windows Based on the Dynamic Power Coupling Model

Based on the energy conversion equation and dynamic power model of the semi-transparent crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) window (ST-PVW), through an iterative coupling solution to the operating temperature of the cell, a thermal-electric coupling calculation method for the ST-PVW is provided, and, combined with experiments, the method model was verified. Based on this model, the influence of PV cell coverage rate (PVR) on the thermal performance of the ST-PVW was studied. According to the simulation results, in summer, the heat gain of the ST-PVW decreases with the increase of PVR, and in winter, the amount of heat loss increases with the increase of PVR. For the four cities of Guangzhou, Nanjing, Beijing and Harbin, when the PVR is 1, 0.60 to 0.64, 0.28 to 0.32 and 0.26 to 0.30, respectively, the annual power consumption of the air conditioner can reach the minimum, and when the PVR is 0.16 to 0.17, 0.24 to 0.25, 0.22 to 0.23 and 0.19 to 0.20, respectively, the amount of electricity generated can just offset the power consumption of the air conditioner during the day.

Evaluating the Quality of Experience Performance Metric for UAV-Based Networks

In this work, we consider a UAV-assisted cell in a single user scenario. We consider the Quality of Experience (QoE) performance metric calculating it as a function of the packet loss ratio. In order to acquire this metric, a radio-channel emulation system was developed and tested under different conditions. The system consists of two independent blocks, separately emulating connections between the User Equipment (UE) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and between the UAV and Base station (BS). In order to estimate scenario usage constraints, an analytical model was developed. The results show that, in the described scenario, cell coverage can be enhanced with minimal impact on QoE.

Attachment on mortar surfaces by cyanobacterium Gloeocapsa PCC 73106 and sequestration of CO2 by microbially induced calcium carbonate

Cyanobacterial carbonate precipitation induced by cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) enhances mortar durability. The percentage of cell/EPS attachment regulates the effectiveness of the mortar restoration. This study investigates the cell coverage on mortar and microbially induced carbonate precipitation. Statistical analysis of results from scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy shows that the cell coverage was higher in the presence of UV-killed cells than living cells. Cells preferably attached to cement paste than sand grains, with a difference of one order of magnitude. The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses and Raman mapping suggest cyanobacteria used atmospheric CO2 to precipitate carbonates.

Performance Analysis Of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access Technique Using Simulink

Non orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is a novel technology for transmission of the data with similar data-rate for users both at the cell center and the at cell edge. Due to its good cell coverage and large transmission bandwidth enables reliable communication for users located at the cell edge. The signals for the users are transmitted through entire spatial bandwidth by multiplexing in the power domain. This work presents the Simulink implementation of non-orthogonal multiple access over additive white Gaussian noise channel, Rayleigh and Rician fading channel. The NOMA Transmitter and the receiver blocks with SIC are implemented for two user and three user environments. Multipath fading environment was providing using parameter settings available in theblocks. Performance of the models implemented are analyzed with respect to Bit error rate (BER) v/s Eb/Noplots comparing using various modulation schemes over various channels. The results are tabulated and analyzed.

Bleeding in patients and mice with Alagille syndrome: sex differences and risk factors

ABSTRACTAlagille syndrome (ALGS) is generally thought of as a pediatric cholestatic liver disease, but spontaneous bleeds are a major cause of death. Here, we investigated bleeding in patients and a mouse model for ALGS (Jag1Ndr/Ndr mice) and asked whether phenotypes identified in mice could be detected in patients non-invasively. Jag1Ndr/Ndr mice spontaneously bled, exhibiting a thin skull and vascular defects. Vascular abnormalities included artery-vein crossings, tortuous vessels, and capillary breakdown. Furthermore, Jag1Ndr/Ndr arteries had sparse vascular smooth muscle cell coverage, which was further aggravated by hypertension. Retinographs from patients with ALGS, biliary atresia, or CADASIL confirmed tortuous blood vessels and artery-vein crossings in ALGS. We also identified sex-specific differences: fewer major vessels in female Jag1Ndr/Ndr mice, and four-fold more female than male patients with intracranial hemorrhage. In conclusion, dysfunctional Jag1 disrupted vascular growth and homeostasis, with sex-specific differences. The mouse model for Alagille syndrome demonstrated multiple bleeding risk factors and vascular defects that can be identified in patients non-invasively.

Bioinstructive Micro-Nanotextured Zirconia Ceramic Interfaces for Guiding and Stimulating an Osteogenic Response In Vitro

Osseous implantology’s material requirements include a lack of potential for inducing allergic disorders and providing both functional and esthetic features for the patient’s benefit. Despite being bioinert, Zirconia ceramics have become a candidate of interest to be used as an alternative to titanium dental and cochlear bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implants, implying the need for endowing the surface with biologically instructive properties by changing basic parameters such as surface texture. Within this context, we propose anisotropic and isotropic patterns (linear microgroove arrays, and superimposed crossline microgroove arrays, respectively) textured in zirconia substrates, as bioinstructive interfaces to guide the cytoskeletal organization of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The designed textured micro-nano interfaces with either steep ridges and microgratings or curved edges, and nanoroughened walls obtained by direct femtosecond laser texturing are used to evaluate the hMSC response parameters and osteogenic differentiation to each topography. Our results show parallel micro line anisotropic surfaces are able to guide cell growth only for the steep surfaces, while the curved ones reduce the initial response and show the lowest osteogenic response. An improved osteogenic phenotype of hMSCs is obtained when grown onto isotropic grid/pillar-like patterns, showing an improved cell coverage and Ca/P ratio, with direct implications for BAHA prosthetic development, or other future applications in regenerating bone defects.