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Implantable sensors can be used to monitor biomechanical strain continuously. However, three key challenges need to be addressed before they can be of use in clinical practice: the structural mismatch between the sensors and tissue or organs should be eliminated; a practical suturing attachment process should be developed; and the sensors should be equipped with wireless readout. Here, we report a wireless and suturable fibre strain-sensing system created by combining a capacitive fibre strain sensor with an inductive coil for wireless readout. The sensor is composed of two stretchable conductive fibres organized in a double helical structure with an empty core, and has a sensitivity of around 12. Mathematical analysis and simulation of the sensor can effectively predict its capacitive response and can be used to modulate performance according to the intended application. To illustrate the capabilities of the system, we use it to perform strain measurements on the Achilles tendon and knee ligament in an ex vivo and in vivo porcine leg. A capacitive, fibre-like stretchable strain sensor, formed of two conductors in a double helical structure, can be combined with an inductive coil to create a wireless strain-sensing system for biomedical applications.

To date, researchers have developed various animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to investigate its mechanisms and to identify potential therapeutic treatments. A widely recognized model that mimics the pathology of human sporadic AD involves intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection with streptozotocin (STZ). However, ICV injections are an invasive approach, which creates limitations in generalizing the results. In this study, we produced a rodent model of AD using STZ (3 mg/kg) injection via the cisterna magna (CM) once every week for 4 weeks, and analyzed at 4 weeks and 16 weeks after final injection. In the CM-STZ rodent model of AD, we observed increase in extracellular amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and decrease and abnormal morphology of post-synaptic protein, PSD95 in 16 weeks STZ-injected group. The model developed using our less-invasive method induced features of AD-like pathology, including significantly increased extracellular amyloid-beta deposition, and decreased synaptic protein in the hippocampus. These findings supporting the success of this alternative approach, and thus, we suggest this is a promising, less invasive model for use in future AD research.

For the mass production of silicon thin film solar cell, it is a key issue to increase deposition rate of microcrystalline silicon film on a large area substrate. One of the most effective methods to increase deposition rate of the film is using high frequency and high power plasma. However, high frequency plasma leads to plasma non uniformity in large area deposition, and high power plasma induces substrate heating during deposition of microcrystalline silicon film and degrades the film quality. In this study, we developed a shaped electrode for spatially uniform plasma and a susceptor cooling system for preventing substrate heating by plasma. And also we investigated the influences of deposition parameters on the microcrystalline silicon single junction cell efficiency with high frequency and high power plasma. Glass substrate was 1.1 m × 1.3 m and plasma excitation frequency was 40 MHz. Capacitively coupled parallel plates RF reactor with concave shaped electrode was used. For the high deposition rate of the microcrystalline films, plasma powers of 0.8∼1.1W/cm2 were used. The highest deposition rate of microcrystalline silicon was 2nm/s. The increases of temperature of susceptor were monitored by two thermocouples which were installed at center and outer side of the susceptor. The temperature increases were suppressed to almost zero with liquid cooling systems. Multiple step deposition was performed which means the higher H2/SiH2 ratio at the initial stage of film growth was used and the ratio gradually decreased during deposition in order to eliminate the amorphous layer at the interface between substrate and film. We also achieved microcrystalline single junction cell efficiencies above 6% on large area substrate at high deposition rate of 1.5nm/s.