A new direct current circuit breaker with current regeneration capability

Direct current (DC) power systems are becoming very popular due to better control ability and equipment reliability thanks to the continuous development of power electronics. A DC circuit breaker (DCCB) used for current interruption in a DC network is a major part of the system. It plays the vital role of isolating networks during fault clearing as well as during normal load switching. Breaking the DC current is a major challenge as it does not have any natural zero crossing points like the AC current has. In addition, energy stored in the network inductances during normal operation opposes the instantaneous current breaking. Hence, all the conventional DC circuit breaker topologies use lossy elements to dissipate this stored energy as heat during the current breaking operation. However, it is possible to store this energy and reuse it later by developing an improvised topology. In this paper, the prospects of energy recovery and reuse in DC circuit breakers have been studied, and a new topology with regenerative current breaking capability has been proposed. This new topology can feed the stored energy of the network back into the same network after breaking the current and thus can improve the overall system efficiency.

Fluctuation of cellular differentiation in limb regeneration is regulated by Pde4b in urodele amphibians

Urodele amphibians, Pleurodeles waltl and Ambystoma mexicanum, have organ level regeneration capability, such as limb regeneration. Multipotent cells are induced by an endogenous mechanism in amphibian limb regeneration. It is well known that dermal fibroblasts receive regenerative signals and turn into multipotent cells, called blastema cells. However, the induction mechanism of the blastema cells from matured dermal cells was unknown. We previously found that BMP2, FGF2, and FGF8 (B2FF) could play sufficient roles in blastema induction in urodele amphibians. Here, we show that B2 FF treatment can induce dermis derived cells that can participate in multiple cell lineage in limb regeneration. We first established a newt dermis derived cell line and confirmed that B2FF treatment on the newt cells provided plasticity in cellular differentiation in limb regeneration. Interspecies comparative analysis clarified that Pde4b upregulation by B2FF specifically took place in the newt cells. Blocking P DE4B signaling by Rolipram suppressed dermis to cartilage transformation and the mosaic knockout animals showed consistent results . Our results are a valuable insight into how dermal fibroblasts acquire multipotency during the early phase of limb regeneration via an endogenous program in amphibian limb regeneration.

Chitosan-Derived Magnetic Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Characterization, and Nitrite Adsorption in Water

Nitrite is one of the main pollutants in the water worldwide. In this study, we have applied the reverse suspension crosslinking methodology based on chitosan (CS) and Fe3O4 (FeO) to synthesize the novel magnetic nanomaterial of chitosan (CS-FeO). The physical and chemical properties of CS-FeO were further characterized by scanning electron microscopy, particle size distribution, thermogravimetry, fluxgate magnetometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Results revealed that CS-FeO showed high thermal stability in the temperature ranging from 50 to 200°C. CS-FeO showed high crystallinity and magnetism and was easily and quickly separated from aqueous solution in the presence of an external magnetic field. The molecular structure of CS-FeO showed that the core-shell structure of CS-FeO was established with FeO as the core and CS as the shell. Furthermore, the adsorption rate of nitrite by CS-FeO reached 65.83 ± 0.76 % under optimal conditions. Moreover, CS-FeO showed high regeneration capability with Na2SO4 used as the eluent. Our study demonstrated evidently that CS-FeO can be potentially used to remove nitrite from drinking water sources and industrial wastewater, suggesting the promising future of the application of CS-derived magnetic nanomaterials in the areas of environmental protections.

Extrinsically Conductive Nanomaterials for Cardiac Tissue Engineering Applications

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the consequence of coronary artery thrombosis resulting in ischemia and necrosis of the myocardium. As a result, billions of contractile cardiomyocytes are lost with poor innate regeneration capability. This degenerated tissue is replaced by collagen-rich fibrotic scar tissue as the usual body response to quickly repair the injury. The non-conductive nature of this tissue results in arrhythmias and asynchronous beating leading to total heart failure in the long run due to ventricular remodelling. Traditional pharmacological and assistive device approaches have failed to meet the utmost need for tissue regeneration to repair MI injuries. Engineered heart tissues (EHTs) seem promising alternatives, but their non-conductive nature could not resolve problems such as arrhythmias and asynchronous beating for long term in-vivo applications. The ability of nanotechnology to mimic the nano-bioarchitecture of the extracellular matrix and the potential of cardiac tissue engineering to engineer heart-like tissues makes it a unique combination to develop conductive constructs. Biomaterials blended with conductive nanomaterials could yield conductive constructs (referred to as extrinsically conductive). These cell-laden conductive constructs can alleviate cardiac functions when implanted in-vivo. A succinct review of the most promising applications of nanomaterials in cardiac tissue engineering to repair MI injuries is presented with a focus on extrinsically conductive nanomaterials.

Spinal cord regeneration: A brief overview of present scenario and a sneak peek into the future

Central nervous system (CNS) portrays appreciable complexity in developing from a neural tube to controlling major functions of the body and orchestrated co-ordination in maintaining its homeostasis. Any insult or pathology to such an organized tissue leads to a plethora of events ranging from local hypoxia, ischemia, oxidative stress to reactive gliosis and scarring. Despite unravelling the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) and linked cellular and molecular mechanism, the over exhaustive inflammatory response at the site of injury, limited intrinsic regeneration capability of CNS, and the dual role of glial scar halts the expected accomplishment. The review discusses major current treatment approaches for traumatic SCI, addressing their limitation and scope for further development in the field under three main categories- neuroprotection, neuro-regeneration, and neuroplasticity. We further propose that a multi-disciplinary combinatorial treatment approach exploring any two or all three heads simultaneously could alleviate the inhibitory milieu and ameliorate functional recovery.

Novel newt regeneration genes regulate Wingless signaling to restore patterning in Drosophila eye

A fundamental process of regeneration, which varies among animals, recruits conserved signaling pathways to restore missing parts. Only a few animals like newts can repeatedly regenerate lost body parts throughout their lifespan that can be attributed to strategic regulation of conserved signaling pathways by newt’s regeneration tool-kit genes. Here we report the use of a genetically tractable Drosophila eye model to demonstrate the regeneration potential of a group of unique protein(s) from newt (Notophthalmus viridescens), which when ectopically expressed can significantly rescue missing photoreceptor cells in a Drosophila eye mutant. These newt proteins with signal peptides motifs exhibit non-cell-autonomous rescue properties and their regeneration potential even extends into later stages of fly development. Ectopic expression of these newt genes can rescue eye mutant phenotype by promoting cell proliferation and blocking cell death. These novel newt genes downregulate the evolutionarily conserved Wingless (Wg)/Wnt signaling pathway to promote rescue. Modulation of Wg/Wnt signaling levels by using antagonists or agonists of Wg/Wnt signaling pathway in eye mutant background where newt gene(s) is ectopically expressed suggests that Wg signaling acts downstream of newt genes. Our data highlights the regeneration potential of novel newt proteins that regulate conserved pathways to trigger a robust regeneration response in Drosophila model with weak regeneration capability.

Roles of Non-coding RNAs in Central Nervous System Axon Regeneration

Axons in the central nervous system often fail to regenerate after injury due to the limited intrinsic regeneration ability of the central nervous system (CNS) and complex extracellular inhibitory factors. Therefore, it is of vital importance to have a better understanding of potential methods to promote the regeneration capability of injured nerves. Evidence has shown that non-coding RNAs play an essential role in nerve regeneration, especially long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA). In this review, we profile their separate roles in axon regeneration after CNS injuries, such as spinal cord injury (SCI) and optic nerve injury. In addition, we also reveal the interactive networks among non-coding RNAs.