Continuous fabrication of calcium sulfate whiskers with adjustable aspect ratio in microdroplets

Hemi-hydrate and anhydrous CaSO₄ whiskers with adjustable aspect ratio were continuously synthesized by the reactive crystallization of CaCl₂ to K₂ S₂ O₈ in microdroplets. The effects of solvent and reactive temperature were examined, with SEM and XRD characterizations. Hemi-hydrate and anhydrous CaSO₄ whiskers can be, respectively, obtained in aqueous and N,N-dimethylformamide solutions at 90 °C in 180 s. The addition of ethylene glycol or glycerol as well as increasing temperature could lead to the increase in length and aspect ratio of the whiskers. Thus this preparation technique provides a simple continuous route to synthesize CaSO₄ whiskers with two kinds of crystal structures in a short time, and adjustable lengths and aspect ratios

Optimal distributed generation planning in active distribution networks considering integration of energy storage

A two-stage optimization method is proposed for optimal distributed generation (DG) planning considering the integration of energy storage in this paper. The first stage determines the installation locations and the initial capacity of DGs using the well-known loss sensitivity factor (LSF) approach, and the second stage identifies the optimal installation capacities of DGs to maximize the investment benefits and system voltage stability and to minimize line losses. In the second stage, the multi-objective ant lion optimizer (MOALO) is first applied to obtain the Pareto-optimal solutions, and then the 'best' compromise solution is identified by calculating the priority memberships of each solution via grey relation projection (GRP) method, while finally, in order to address the uncertain outputs of DGs, energy storage devices are installed whose maximum outputs are determined with the use of chance-constrained programming. The test results on the PG&E 69-bus distribution system demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to other current state-of-the-art approaches, and that the integration of energy storage makes the DGs operate at their pre-designed rated capacities with the probability of at least 60% which is novel.Comment: Accepted by Applied Energ

Double QoS guarantee for NOMA-enabled massive MTC networks

Massive connections and diverse quality of service (QoS) requirements pose a major challenge for machine-type communication (MTC) networks. In this paper, to satisfy various QoS requirements of a massive number of MTC devices (MTCDs), the devices are divided into multiple clusters based on the QoS characteristics. The cluster access control and intra-cluster resource allocation problems are studied to satisfy the double delay requirements in the access and data transmission phases in a cross-layer approach. Specifically, we formulate an access control problem to maximize the access efficiency with constraints on access and transmission delays. An efficient algorithm is proposed to adaptively adjust the access time intervals and backoff factors of the clusters for different numbers of active MTCDs and transmission rates. Given the access parameters, nonorthogonal multiple access is adopted in resource allocation to maximize the system utility function while guaranteeing the delay requirements for each accessed MTCD. An efficient sequential convex programming iterative algorithm is proposed to solve the NP-hard nonconvex problem with two typical utility objectives: total throughput and consumed power. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can achieve better performance in terms of access efficiency, delay, throughput, and consumed power than other schemes. The impacts of various parameters, including delay and traffic rate, on the performance are disclosed

Pair-barcode high-throughput sequencing for large-scale multiplexed sample analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The multiplexing becomes the major limitation of the next-generation sequencing (NGS) in application to low complexity samples. Physical space segregation allows limited multiplexing, while the existing barcode approach only permits simultaneously analysis of up to several dozen samples.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we introduce pair-barcode sequencing (PBS), an economic and flexible barcoding technique that permits parallel analysis of large-scale multiplexed samples. In two pilot runs using SOLiD sequencer (Applied Biosystems Inc.), 32 independent pair-barcoded miRNA libraries were simultaneously discovered by the combination of 4 unique forward barcodes and 8 unique reverse barcodes. Over 174,000,000 reads were generated and about 64% of them are assigned to both of the barcodes. After mapping all reads to pre-miRNAs in miRBase, different miRNA expression patterns are captured from the two clinical groups. The strong correlation using different barcode pairs and the high consistency of miRNA expression in two independent runs demonstrates that PBS approach is valid.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>By employing PBS approach in NGS, large-scale multiplexed pooled samples could be practically analyzed in parallel so that high-throughput sequencing economically meets the requirements of samples which are low sequencing throughput demand.</p

A charging pricing strategy of electric vehicle fast charging stations for the voltage control of electricity distribution networks

With the increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs), the EV fast charging load will significantly affect the voltage quality of electricity distribution networks. On the other hand, EVs have potentials to change the choices of charging locations due to the incentives from the variations of charging prices, which can be considered as a flexible response resource for electricity distribution networks. In this paper, a charging pricing strategy of EV fast charging stations (FCSs) was developed to determine the pricing scheme for the voltage control of electricity distribution networks, which consisted of a simulation model of EV mobility and a double-layer optimization model. Considering the travel characteristics of users, the simulation model of EV mobility was developed to accurately determine the fast charging demand. Taking the total income of FCSs and the users’ response to the pricing scheme into account, the double-layer optimization model was developed to optimize the charging pricing scheme and minimize the total voltage magnitude deviation of distribution networks. A test case was used to verify the proposed strategy. The results show that the spatial distribution of EV fast charging loads was reallocated by the proposed charging pricing scheme. It can also be seen that the proposed strategy can make full use of the response capacity from EVs to improve the voltage profiles without decreasing the income of the FCSs

Unveiling Strong Thin Film Confinement Effects on Semirigid Conjugated Polymers

Nanoconfinement has been recognized to induce significant changes in the physical properties of polymeric films when their thickness is less than 100 nm. Despite extensive research on the effect of nanoconfinement on nonconjugated polymers, studies focusing on the confinement effects on dynamics and associated electronic and mechanical properties for semiconductive and semirigid conjugated polymers remain limited. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into the nanoconfinement effects on both p- and n-type conjugated polymers having varying chain rigidity under different degrees of confinement. Using the flash differential scanning calorimetry technique, it was found that the increased molecular mobility with decreasing film thickness, as indicated by the depression of glass transition temperature (Tg) from its bulk values, was directly proportional to chain rigidity. This relationship between chain rigidity and enhanced segmental mobility was further corroborated through molecular dynamics simulations. Thinner films exhibited a higher degree of crystallinity for all conjugated polymers, and a significant reduction of more than 50% in elastic modulus was observed for films with approximately 20 nm thickness compared to those of 105 nm thickness, particularly for highly rigid conjugated polymers. Interestingly, we found that the charge mobility remained independent of film thickness, with all samples demonstrating good charge mobility regardless of the different film thicknesses for devices measured here. Nanoconfined conjugated polymer thin films exhibited a combination of mechanical compliance and good charge carrier mobility properties, making them promising candidates for the next generation of flexible and portable organic electronics. From an engineering standpoint, confinement could be an effective strategy to tailor the dynamics and mechanical properties without significant loss of electronic property.This article is published as Zhao, Haoyu, Zhaofan Li, Yunfei Wang, Qi-An Hong, Wenjie Xia, Yu-Cheng Chiu, and Xiaodan Gu. "Unveiling Strong Thin Film Confinement Effects on Semirigid Conjugated Polymers." Macromolecules (2024). doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.4c01500

RSQ: a statistical method for quantification of isoform-specific structurome using transcriptome-wide structural profiling data [preprint]

The structure of RNA, which is considered to be a second layer of information alongside the genetic code, provides fundamental insights into the cellular function of both coding and non-coding RNAs. Several high-throughput technologies have been developed to profile transcriptome-wide RNA structures, i.e., the structurome. However, it is challenging to interpret the profiling data because the observed data represent an average over different RNA conformations and isoforms with different abundance. To address this challenge, we developed an RNA structurome quantification method (RSQ) to statistically model the distribution of reads over both isoforms and RNA conformations, and thus provide accurate quantification of the isoform-specific structurome. The quantified RNA structurome enables the comparison of isoform-specific conformations between different conditions, the exploration of RNA conformation variation affected by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) , and the measurement of RNA accessibility for binding of either small RNAs in RNAi-based assays or RNA binding protein in transcriptional regulation. The model used in our method sheds new light on the potential impact of the RNA structurome on gene regulation

Resident Immune Cells of the Liver in the Tumor Microenvironment

The liver is a central immunomodulator that ensures a homeostatic balance between protection and immunotolerance. A hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the deregulation of this tightly controlled immunological network. Immune response in the liver involves a complex interplay between resident innate, innate, and adaptive immune cells. The immune response in the liver is modulated by its continuous exposure to toxic molecules and microorganisms that requires a degree of immune tolerance to protect normal tissue from damage. In HCC pathogenesis, immune cells must balance a dual role that includes the elimination of malignant cells, as well as the repair of damaged liver tissue to maintain homeostasis. Immune response in the innate and adaptive immune systems extends to the cross-talk and interaction involving immune-regulating non-hematopoietic cells, myeloid immune cells, and lymphoid immune cells. In this review, we discuss the different immune responses of resident immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Current FDA-approved targeted therapies, including immunotherapy options, have produced modest results to date for the treatment of advanced HCC. Although immunotherapy therapy to date has demonstrated its potential efficacy, immune cell pathways need to be better understood. In this review article, we summarize the roles of specific resident immune cell subsets and their cross-talk subversion in HCC pathogenesis, with a view to identifying potential new biomarkers and therapy options

Constitutive Activation of β-Catenin in Differentiated Osteoclasts Induces Bone Loss in Mice

Background/Aims: Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway has been widely investigated in bone biology and shown to promote bone formation. However, its specific effects on osteoclast differentiation have not been fully elucidated. Our study aimed to identify the role of β-catenin in osteoclastogenesis and bone homeostasis. Methods: In the present study, exon 3 in the β-catenin gene (Ctnnb1) allele encoding phosphorylation target serine/threonine residues was flanked by floxP sequences. We generated mice exhibiting conditional β-catenin activation (Ctsk-Cre;Ctnnb1flox(exon3)/+, designated CA-β-catenin) by crossing Ctnnb1flox(exon3)/flox(exon3) mice with osteoclast-specific Ctsk-Cre mice. Bone growth and bone mass were analysed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histomorphometry. To further examine osteoclast activity, osteoclasts were induced from bone marrow monocytes (BMMs) isolated from CA-β-catenin and Control mice in vitro. Osteoclast differentiation was detected by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining, immunofluorescence staining and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR) analysis. Results: Growth retardation and low bone mass were observed in CA-β-catenin mice. Compared to controls, CA-β-catenin mice had significantly reduced trabecular bone numbers under growth plates as well as thinner cortical bones. Moreover, increased TRAP-positive osteoclasts were observed on the surfaces of trabecular bones and cortical bones in the CA-β-catenin mice; consistent results were observed in vitro. In the CA-β-catenin group, excessive numbers of osteoclasts were induced from BMMs, accompanied by the increased expression of osteoclast-associated marker genes. Conclusion: These results indicated that the constitutive activation of β-catenin in osteoclasts promotes osteoclast formation, resulting in bone loss