203 research outputs found
Modeling and Analysis of MPTCP Proxy-based LTE-WLAN Path Aggregation
Long Term Evolution (LTE)-Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Path Aggregation
(LWPA) based on Multi-path Transmission Control Protocol (MPTCP) has been under
standardization procedure as a promising and cost-efficient solution to boost
Downlink (DL) data rate and handle the rapidly increasing data traffic. This
paper aims at providing tractable analysis for the DL performance evaluation of
large-scale LWPA networks with the help of tools from stochastic geometry. We
consider a simple yet practical model to determine under which conditions a
native WLAN Access Point (AP) will work under LWPA mode to help increasing the
received data rate. Using stochastic spatial models for the distribution of
WLAN APs and LTE Base Stations (BSs), we analyze the density of active
LWPA-mode WiFi APs in the considered network model, which further leads to
closed-form expressions on the DL data rate and area spectral efficiency (ASE)
improvement. Our numerical results illustrate the impact of different network
parameters on the performance of LWPA networks, which can be useful for further
performance optimization.Comment: IEEE GLOBECOM 201
Features-Based Deisotoping Method for Tandem Mass Spectra
For high-resolution tandem mass spectra, the determination of monoisotopic masses of fragment ions plays a key role in the subsequent peptide and protein identification. In this paper, we present a new algorithm for deisotoping the bottom-up spectra. Isotopic-cluster graphs are constructed to describe the relationship between all possible isotopic clusters. Based on the relationship in isotopic-cluster graphs, each possible isotopic cluster is assessed with a score function, which is built by combining nonintensity and intensity features of fragment ions. The non-intensity features are used to prevent fragment ions with low intensity from being removed. Dynamic programming is adopted to find the highest score path with the most reliable isotopic clusters. The experimental results have shown that the average Mascot scores and F-scores of identified peptides from spectra processed by our deisotoping method are greater than those by YADA and MS-Deconv software
A Case Report of Multiple Aseptic Facial and Spinal Abscesses in a 45-Year-Old with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
INTRODUCTION
Sterile abscess syndrome is a rarely described entity that is often associated with auto-inflammatory disorders. Although clinically similar to septic abscesses, sterile abscesses are known to be unaffected by antibiotic regimens and instead highly sensitive to steroids. The association of sterile abscesses with inflammatory bowel disease has been well-described. The majority of sterile abscess syndromes described in the literature are intraabdominal abscesses related to a primary gastrointestinal inflammatory disease. We describe a unique case of extra-abdominal sterile abscess syndrome associated with inflammatory bowel disease presenting as facial and paraspinal lesions
Unresolved excess accumulation of myelin-derived cholesterol contributes to scar formation after spinal cord injury
Background: Spinal cord injury triggers complex pathological cascades,
resulting in destructive tissue damage and incomplete tissue repair. Scar
formation is generally considered as a barrier for regeneration in central
nervous system (CNS), while the intrinsic mechanism of scar-forming after
spinal cord injury has not been completed deciphered. Methods: We assessed
cholesterol hemostasis in spinal cord lesions and injured peripheral nerves
using confocal reflection microscopy and real-time PCR analyses. The
involvement of the proteins, which were predicted to promote cholesterol efflux
in spinal cord lesions, were assessed with Liver X receptor (LXR) agonist and
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) deficiency. The role of reverse cholesterol transport
(RCT) in cholesterol clearance was examined in APOE KO mice injured sciatic
nerves and myelin-overloaded macrophages in vitro. Finally, we determined the
consequence of excess cholesterol accumulation in CNS by transplantation of
myelin into neonatal spinal cord lesions. Results: We found that excess
cholesterol accumulates in phagocytes and is inefficiently removed in spinal
cord lesions in young-adult mice. Interestingly, we observed that excessive
cholesterol also accumulates in injured peripheral nerves, but is subsequently
removed by RCT. Meanwhile, preventing RCT led to macrophage accumulation and
fibrosis in injured peripheral nerves. Furthermore, the neonatal mouse spinal
cord lesions are devoid of myelin-derived lipids, and able to heal without
excess cholesterol accumulation. We found that transplantation of myelin into
neonatal lesions disrupts healing with excessive cholesterol accumulation,
persistent macrophage activation and fibrosis, indicating myelin-derived
cholesterol plays a critical role in impaired wound healing
Flexible Thermoelectric Generators with Inkjet-Printed Bismuth Telluride Nanowires and Liquid Metal Contacts
Solution phase printing of nanomaterials is becoming increasingly important for the creation of scalable flexible electronics including those associated with biomedical and energy harvesting applications. However, the use of solution-phase printed thermoelectric energy generators (TEGs) has been minimally explored. Herein we report a highly flexible inkjet-printed TEG. Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and bismuth antimony telluride (Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3) nanowires (NWs) are inkjet printed onto polyimide to form n-type and p-type legs for the TEGs. A post-print thermal annealing process is used to increase the thermoelectric performance of the printed NWs while eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) liquid metal contacts electrically connect the TEG legs in series. Annealing conditions for the combination of p/n legs are examined to maximize the thermoelectric efficiency of the TEG prototype. The maximum power factor was found to be 180 μW m-1K-2 and 110 μW m-1K-2 for Bi2Te3 and Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 respectively, and a maximum power of 127 nW at a 32.5 K temperature difference. The performance of the TEG device does not diminish even after multiple bending (up to 50 times) experiments around a tight radius of curvature (rod dia. 11 mm). Hence this inkjet-printed flexible TEG is a step towards a fully functional wearable TEG device
MiR-34b-5p Suppresses Melanoma Differentiation-Associated Gene 5 (MDA5) Signaling Pathway to Promote Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J (ALV-J)-Infected Cells Proliferaction and ALV-J Replication
Extraordinary Thermoelectric Properties of Topological Surface States in Quantum-Confined Cd3As2 Thin Films
Topological insulators and semimetals have been shown to possess intriguing
thermoelectric properties promising for energy harvesting and cooling
applications. However, thermoelectric transport associated with the Fermi arc
topological surface states on topological Dirac semimetals remains less
explored. In this work, we systematically examine thermoelectric transport in a
series of topological Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 thin films grown by molecular beam
epitaxy. Surprisingly, we find significantly enhanced Seebeck effect and
anomalous Nernst effect at cryogenic temperatures when the Cd3As2 layer is
thin. Combining angle-dependent quantum oscillation analysis,
magnetothermoelectric measurement, transport modelling and first-principles
simulation, we isolate the contributions from bulk and surface conducting
channels and attribute the unusual thermoeletric properties to the topological
surface states. Our analysis showcases the rich thermoelectric transport
physics in quantum-confined topological Dirac semimetal thin films and suggests
new routes to achieving high thermoelectric performance at cryogenic
temperatures
Genome-wide investigation of the AP2/ERF superfamily and their expression under salt stress in Chinese willow (Salix matsudana)
AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) play indispensable roles in plant growth, development, and especially in various abiotic stresses responses. The AP2/ERF TF family has been discovered and classified in more than 50 species. However, little is known about the AP2/ERF gene family of Chinese willow (Salix matsudana), which is a tetraploid ornamental tree species that is widely planted and is also considered as a species that can improve the soil salinity of coastal beaches. In this study, 364 AP2/ERF genes of Salix matsudana (SmAP2/ERF) were identified depending on the recently produced whole genome sequencing data of Salix matsudana. These genes were renamed according to the chromosomal location of the SmAP2/ERF genes. The SmAP2/ERF genes included three major subfamilies: AP2 (55 members), ERF (301 members), and RAV (six members) and two Soloist genes. Genes’ structure and conserved motifs were analyzed in SmAP2/ERF family members, and introns were not found in most genes of the ERF subfamily, some unique motifs were found to be important for the function of SmAP2/ERF genes. Syntenic relationships between the SmAP2/ERF genes and AP2/ERF genes from Populus trichocarpa and Salix purpurea showed that Salix matsudana is genetically more closely related to Populus trichocarpa than to Salix purpurea. Evolution analysis on paralog gene pairs suggested that progenitor of S. matsudana originated from hybridization between two different diploid salix germplasms and underwent genome duplication not more than 10 Mya. RNA sequencing results demonstrated the differential expression patterns of some SmAP2/ERF genes under salt stress and this information can help reveal the mechanism of salt tolerance regulation in Salix matsudana
Effects of acidification on nitrification and associated nitrous oxide emission in estuarine and coastal waters
In the context of an increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) level, acidification of estuarine and coastal waters is greatly exacerbated by land-derived nutrient inputs, coastal upwelling, and complex biogeochemical processes. A deeper understanding of how nitrifiers respond to intensifying acidification is thus crucial to predict the response of estuarine and coastal ecosystems and their contribution to global climate change. Here, we show that acidification can significantly decrease nitrification rate but stimulate generation of byproduct nitrous oxide (N2O) in estuarine and coastal waters. By varying CO2 concentration and pH independently, an expected beneficial effect of elevated CO2 on activity of nitrifiers (“CO2-fertilization” effect) is excluded under acidification. Metatranscriptome data further demonstrate that nitrifiers could significantly up-regulate gene expressions associated with intracellular pH homeostasis to cope with acidification stress. This study highlights the molecular underpinnings of acidification effects on nitrification and associated greenhouse gas N2O emission, and helps predict the response and evolution of estuarine and coastal ecosystems under climate change and human activities.publishedVersio
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