Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Monolithically Integrated Tri-Axis High-Shock Accelerometer in Single (111)-Silicon Wafer

In this paper, a monolithic tri-axis piezoresistive high-shock accelerometer has been proposed that has been single-sided fabricated in a single (111)-silicon wafer. A single-cantilever structure and two dual-cantilever structures are designed and micromachined in one (111)-silicon chip to detect Z-axis and X-/Y-axis high-shock accelerations, respectively. Unlike the previous tri-axis sensors where the X-/Y-axis structure was different from the Z-axis one, the herein used similar cantilever sensing structures for tri-axis sensing facilitates design of uniform performance among the three elements for different sensing axes and simplifies micro-fabrication for the multi-axis sensing structure. Attributed to the tri-axis sensors formed by using the single-wafer single-sided fabrication process, the sensor is mechanically robust enough to endure the harsh high-g shocking environment and can be compatibly batch-fabricated in standard semiconductor foundries. After the single-sided process to form the sensor, the untouched chip backside facilitates simple and reliable die-bond packaging. The high-shock testing results of the fabricated sensor show linear sensing outputs along X-/Y-axis and Z-axis, with the sensitivities (under DC 5 V supply) as about 0.80–0.88 μV/g and 1.36 μV/g, respectively. Being advantageous in single-chip compact integration of the tri-axis accelerometers, the proposed monolithic tri-axis sensors are promising to be embedded into detection micro-systems for high-shock measurement applications

An LMNB1 Duplication Caused Adult-Onset Autosomal Dominant Leukodystrophy in Chinese Family: Clinical Manifestations, Neuroradiology and Genetic Diagnosis

Autosomal dominant adult-onset demyelinating leukodystrophy (ADLD) is a very rare neurological disorder featured with late onset, slowly progressive central nervous system demyelination. Duplication or over expression of the lamin B1 (LMNB1) gene causes ADLD. In this study, we undertook a comprehensive clinical evaluation and genetic detection for a Chinese family with ADLD. The proband is a 52-year old man manifested with autonomic abnormalities, pyramidal tract dysfunction. MRI brain scan identified bilateral symmetric white matter (WM) hyper-intensities in periventricular and semi-oval WM, cerebral peduncles and middle cerebellar peduncles. The proband has a positive autosomal dominant family history with similar clinical manifestations with a trend of genetic anticipation. In order to understand the genetic cause of the disease in this family, target exome capture based next generation sequencing has been done, but no causative variants or possibly pathogenic variants has been identified. However, Multiplex ligand-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) showed whole duplication of LMNB1 gene which is co-segregated with the disease phenotype in this family. This is the first genetically confirmed LMNB1 associated ADLD pedigree from China

Simultaneous Removal of Soot and NO<i>_x</i> from Diesel Engines over Three-Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous ZSM-5-Supported MMnO_δ Catalysts

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) ZSM-5 support was successfully designed and synthesized via a combination of seed- and steam-assisted methods. In addition, MMnOδ/3DOM ZSM-5 (M = Fe, Co, Ce, Pr, and W) catalysts were prepared using ZSM-5 as a carrier and showed good catalytic performance, which may be due to the catalysts’ unique pore structures and interactions between M and Mn. 3DOM ZSM-5-supported PrMnOδ possesses the best reaction performance for soot oxidation, with a lowest peak temperature of 430 °C, and the best low-temperature denitration performance, with a temperature window of 149–336 °C when NO conversion is 80%. This may be due to the catalyst’s better redox performance, abundant active oxygen and acidic sites, and the higher content of Mn4+ and OII/OI ratio compared with the other MMnOδ/3DOM ZSM-5 catalysts. Meanwhile, the high turnover frequency and low Ea over 3DOM ZSM-5-supported PrMnOδ also contributed to its high intrinsic activity. The corresponding reaction mechanisms were proposed according to in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy analysis and other characterizations. At low temperature (<300 °C), the selective catalytic reduction reaction follows the Eley–Rideal and Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanisms. At a high temperature, the mechanisms for soot combustion include active oxygen oxidation and NO2-assisted mechanisms

Light-Induced Hypoxia-Triggered Living Nanocarriers for Synergistic Cancer Therapy

Living drug delivery system has been proposed as new concept materials because it is able to communicate with biological system, sense subtle changes in body microenvironment caused by disease, and then make rapid response to cure in the early stage of disease. Herein, taking full advantage of the tumor hypoxia physiology and successive effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT), we designed a new living delivery system via combining the PDT and hypoxia-responsive chemotherapy, abbreviated as Ce6-PEG-Azo-PCL. Then, according to the fact that oxygen can be converted into reactive oxygen species during irradiation of the photosensitizer, tumor cells could be killed after the poly­(ethylene glycol) (PEG) conjugated photosensitizer chlorine e6 was irradiated at the tumor site. What is more, the continuous consumption of oxygen could further amplify the hypoxia condition of tumor and trigger the disassembly of hypoxia-responsive azobenzene bridges at the tumor site to release loaded chemotherapeutics drugs doxorubicin. The ongoing collaboration with PDT and hypoxia-responsive chemotherapy provided an integrated therapeutic effect in vitro and in vivo to suppress tumor growth

Table_3_Transcriptomic Landscapes of Immune Response and Axonal Regeneration by Integrative Analysis of Molecular Pathways and Interactive Networks Post-sciatic Nerve Transection.XLS

<p>Potential interaction between immune response and axonal regeneration has recently attracted much attention in peripheral nervous system (PNS). Previously, global mRNA expression changes in proximal nerve segments were profiled and merely focused on the differentially change of the key biological processes. To further uncover molecular mechanisms of peripheral nerve regeneration, here we focused on the interaction between immune response and axonal regeneration that associated with specific molecular pathways and interactive networks following sciatic nerve transection. To offer an outline of the specific molecular pathways elaborating axonal regeneration and immune response, and to figure out the molecular interaction between immune response and axonal regeneration post-sciatic nerve transection, we carried out comprehensive approaches, including gene expression profiling plus multi-level bioinformatics analysis and then further experimental validation. Alcam, Nrp1, Nrp2, Rac1, Creb1, and Runx3 were firstly considered as the key or hub genes of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network in rat models of sciatic nerve transection, which are highly correlated with immune response and axonal regeneration. Our work provide a new way to figure out molecular mechanism of peripheral nerve regeneration and valuable resources to figure out the molecular courses which outline neural injury-induced micro-environmental variation to discover novel therapeutic targets for axonal regeneration.</p