A Flexible Piezoelectric Energy Harvester-Based Single-Layer WS2 Nanometer 2D Material for Self-Powered Sensors

A piezoelectric sensor is a typical self-powered sensor. With the advantages of a high sensitivity, high frequency band, high signal-to-noise ratio, simple structure, light weight, and reliable operation, it has gradually been applied to the field of smart wearable devices. Here, we first report a flexible piezoelectric sensor (FPS) based on tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayers that generate electricity when subjected to human movement. The generator maximum voltage was 2.26 V, and the produced energy was 55.45 μJ of the electrical charge on the capacitor (capacity: 220 μF) when applying periodic pressing by 13 kg. The generator demonstrated here can meet the requirements of human motion energy because it generates an average voltage of 7.74 V (a knee), 8.7 V (a sole), and 4.58 V (an elbow) when used on a running human (weight: 75 kg). Output voltages embody distinct patterns for different human parts, the movement-recognition capability of the cellphone application. This generator is quite promising for smart sensors in human–machine interaction detecting personal movement

A Magneto-Mechanical Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Designed to Scavenge AC Magnetic Field from Thermal Power Plant with Power-Line Cables

Piezoelectric energy harvesters have attracted much attention because they are crucial in portable industrial applications. Here, we report on a high-power device based on a magneto-mechanical piezoelectric energy harvester to scavenge the AC magnetic field from a power-line cable for industrial applications. The electrical output performance of the harvester (×4 layers) reached an output voltage of 60.8 Vmax, an output power of 215 mWmax (98 mWrms), and a power density of 94.5 mWmax/cm3 (43.5 mWrms/cm3) at an impedance matching of 5 kΩ under a magnetic field of 80 μT. The multilayer energy harvester enables high-output performance, presenting an obvious advantage given this improved level of output power. Finite element simulations were also performed to support the experimental observations. The generator was successfully used to power a wireless sensor network (WSN) for use on an IoT device composed of a temperature sensor in a thermal power station. The result shows that the magneto-mechanical piezoelectric energy harvester (MPEH) demonstrated is capable of meeting the requirements of self-powered monitoring systems under a small magnetic field, and is quite promising for use in actual industrial applications

Differences of Upper Airway Morphology According to Obesity: Study with Cephalometry and Dynamic MD-CT

ObjectivesWe investigated difference of parameters of polysomnography, cephalometry and dynamic multi-detector computerized tomography (MD-CT) in wake and sleep states according to obesity.MethodsWe evaluated 93 patients who underwent polysomnography and cephalometry. MD-CT was performed in 68 of these 93 patients. Fifty-nine and 34 patients were classified as obese and non-obese, with obesity defined as BMI ≥25. Cephalometry results were analyzed for 12 variables. Using the MD-CT, we evaluated dynamic upper airway morphology in wake and sleep states and divided the upper airway into four parts named as high retropalatal (HRP), low retropalatal (LRP), high retroglossal (HRG), and low retroglossal (LRG). A minimal cross sectional area (mCSA) and collapsibility index (CI) were calculated for each airway level.ResultsDiastolic blood pressure (P=0.0005), neck circumference (P<0.0001), and apnea-hypopnea index (P<0.0001) were statistically significantly different between the obese and non-obese group. Among 12 cephalometric variables, there was a significant difference in only the distance from mandibular plane to hyoid bone (P=0.003). There was statistical difference in CI of HRG and LRG in sleep state (P=0.0449, 0.0281) but no difference in mCSA in wake and sleep states.ConclusionThe obese group had more severe sleep apnea than the non-obese group. We believe that the increased severity of apnea in the obese group may be have been due to increased collapsibility of the upper airway rather than decreased size of the upper airway

Reliability Analysis on Flexural Behavior of FRP Bridge Decks

Design codes for the design of FRP bridge decks shall be established to promote the use of such innovative materials. For the purpose of preparing code provisions, reliability analyses were conducted to evaluate proper levels of safety and serviceability. Based on the results, several guidelines on design codes are suggested

Nucleosome deposition and DNA methylation at coding region boundaries

Nucleosomes and methylation have been observed to peak at both ends of protein coding units in a genome-wide survey

Genome-scale metabolic model of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and the reconciliation of in silico/in vivo mutant growth

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Over the last decade, the genome-scale metabolic models have been playing increasingly important roles in elucidating metabolic characteristics of biological systems for a wide range of applications including, but not limited to, system-wide identification of drug targets and production of high value biochemical compounds. However, these genome-scale metabolic models must be able to first predict known <it>in vivo</it> phenotypes before it is applied towards these applications with high confidence. One benchmark for measuring the <it>in silico</it> capability in predicting <it>in vivo</it> phenotypes is the use of single-gene mutant libraries to measure the accuracy of knockout simulations in predicting mutant growth phenotypes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we employed a systematic and iterative process, designated as Reconciling <it>In silico/in vivo</it> mutaNt Growth (RING), to settle discrepancies between <it>in silico</it> prediction and <it>in vivo</it> observations to a newly reconstructed genome-scale metabolic model of the fission yeast, <it>Schizosaccharomyces pombe</it>, SpoMBEL1693. The predictive capabilities of the genome-scale metabolic model in predicting single-gene mutant growth phenotypes were measured against the single-gene mutant library of <it>S. pombe</it>. The use of RING resulted in improving the overall predictive capability of SpoMBEL1693 by 21.5%, from 61.2% to 82.7% (92.5% of the negative predictions matched the observed growth phenotype and 79.7% the positive predictions matched the observed growth phenotype).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study presents validation and refinement of a newly reconstructed metabolic model of the yeast <it>S. pombe</it>, through improving the metabolic model’s predictive capabilities by reconciling the <it>in silico</it> predicted growth phenotypes of single-gene knockout mutants, with experimental <it>in vivo</it> growth data.</p

New particle formation events observed at the King Sejong Station, Antarctic Peninsula - Part 2: Link with the oceanic biological activities

Abstract. Marine biota is an important source of atmospheric aerosol particles in the remote marine atmosphere. However, the relationship between new particle formation and marine biota is poorly quantified. Long-term observations (from 2009 to 2016) of the physical properties of atmospheric aerosol particles measured at the Antarctic Peninsula (King Sejong Station; 62.2∘ S, 58.8∘ W) and satellite-derived estimates of the biological characteristics were analyzed to identify the link between new particle formation and marine biota. New particle formation events in the Antarctic atmosphere showed distinct seasonal variations, with the highest values occurring when the air mass originated from the ocean domain during the productive austral summer (December, January and February). Interestingly, new particle formation events were more frequent in the air masses that originated from the Bellingshausen Sea than in those that originated from the Weddell Sea. The monthly mean number concentration of nanoparticles (2.5–10 nm in diameter) was >2-fold higher when the air masses passed over the Bellingshausen Sea than the Weddell Sea, whereas the biomass of phytoplankton in the Weddell Sea was more than ∼70 % higher than that of the Bellingshausen Sea during the austral summer period. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is of marine origin and its oxidative products are known to be one of the major components in the formation of new particles. Both satellite-derived estimates of the biological characteristics (dimethylsulfoniopropionate, DMSP; precursor of DMS) and phytoplankton taxonomic composition and in situ methanesulfonic acid (84 daily measurements during the summer period in 2013 and 2014) analysis revealed that DMS(P)-rich phytoplankton were more dominant in the Bellingshausen Sea than in the Weddell Sea. Furthermore, the number concentration of nanoparticles was positively correlated with the biomass of phytoplankton during the period when DMS(P)-rich phytoplankton predominate. These results indicate that oceanic DMS emissions could play a key role in the formation of new particles; moreover, the taxonomic composition of phytoplankton could affect the formation of new particles in the Antarctic Ocean

Treatment of Spontaneous Cervical Spinal Subdural Hematoma with Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy

We report herein a case of hyperacute onset of spontaneous cervical spinal subdural hematoma treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy that showed good results. A 57-year-old man was admitted for posterior neck pain and paraparesis which occurred an hour ago. MRI revealed a ventral subdural hematoma distributed from the level of C1 down to T3, compressing the spinal cord. Conservative management with methylprednisolone pulse therapy was administered considering the patient's poor general condition. Although emergent surgical decompression is necessary in most cases of spinal subdural hematoma, conservative management with steroid therapy could be effective