Nanyang Technological University

About: Nanyang Technological University is a education organization based out in Singapore, Singapore. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Computer science & Catalysis. The organization has 48003 authors who have published 112815 publications receiving 3294199 citations. The organization is also known as: NTU & Universiti Teknologi Nanyang.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus envelope protein ion channel activity promotes virus fitness and pathogenesis.

Abstract: Deletion of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) envelope (E) gene attenuates the virus. E gene encodes a small multifunctional protein that possesses ion channel (IC) activity, an important function in virus-host interaction. To test the contribution of E protein IC activity in virus pathogenesis, two recombinant mouse-adapted SARS-CoVs, each containing one single amino acid mutation that suppressed ion conductivity, were engineered. After serial infections, mutant viruses, in general, incorporated compensatory mutations within E gene that rendered active ion channels. Furthermore, IC activity conferred better fitness in competition assays, suggesting that ion conductivity represents an advantage for the virus. Interestingly, mice infected with viruses displaying E protein IC activity, either with the wild-type E protein sequence or with the revertants that restored ion transport, rapidly lost weight and died. In contrast, mice infected with mutants lacking IC activity, which did not incorporate mutations within E gene during the experiment, recovered from disease and most survived. Knocking down E protein IC activity did not significantly affect virus growth in infected mice but decreased edema accumulation, the major determinant of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) leading to death. Reduced edema correlated with lung epithelia integrity and proper localization of Na+/K+ ATPase, which participates in edema resolution. Levels of inflammasome-activated IL-1β were reduced in the lung airways of the animals infected with viruses lacking E protein IC activity, indicating that E protein IC function is required for inflammasome activation. Reduction of IL-1β was accompanied by diminished amounts of TNF and IL-6 in the absence of E protein ion conductivity. All these key cytokines promote the progression of lung damage and ARDS pathology. In conclusion, E protein IC activity represents a new determinant for SARS-CoV virulence.

Machine-to-machine communications for home energy management system in smart grid

Abstract: Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications have emerged as a cutting edge technology for next-generation communications, and are undergoing rapid development and inspiring numerous applications. This article presents an investigation of the application of M2M communications in the smart grid. First, an overview of M2M communications is given. The enabling technologies and open research issues of M2M communications are also discussed. Then we address the network design issue of M2M communications for a home energy management system (HEMS) in the smart grid. The network architecture for HEMS to collect status and power consumption demand from home appliances is introduced. Then the optimal HEMS traffic concentration is presented and formulated as the optimal cluster formation. A dynamic programming algorithm is applied to obtain the optimal solution. The numerical results show that the proposed optimal traffic concentration can minimize the cost of HEMS.

Facile synthesis of low crystalline MoS2 nanosheet-coated CNTs for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract: In this work, a networked MoS2/CNT nanocomposite has been synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. The as-prepared sample exhibits high catalytic activity for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Formamidinium tin-based perovskite with low Eg for photovoltaic applications

Abstract: A lead-free low bandgap organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite, formamidinium tin iodide, is utilized as a light absorbing layer in photovoltaics. This material has a bandgap of 1.41 eV which allows light harvesting from the near infrared region, making high photocurrents achievable. A power conversion efficiency of 2.10% was accomplished upon incorporating SnF2.

Research Progress on Negative Electrodes for Practical Li‐Ion Batteries: Beyond Carbonaceous Anodes

Abstract: Research activities related to the development of negative electrodes for construction of high-performance Li-ion batteries (LIBs) with conventional cathodes such as LiCoO2, LiFePO4, and LiMn2O4 are described. The anode materials are classified in to three main categories, insertion, conversion, and alloying type, based on their reactivity with Li. Although numerous materials have been proposed (i.e., for half-cell assembly), few of them have reached commercial applications, apart from graphite, Li4Ti5O12, Si, and Sn-Co-C. This clearly demonstrates that full-cell studies are desperately needed rather than just characterizing materials in half-cell assemblies. Additionally, the performance of such anodes in practical Li-ion configurations (full-cell) is much more important than merely proposing materials for LIBs. Irreversible capacity loss, huge volume variation, unstable solid electrolyte interface layer formation, and poor cycleability are the main issues for conversion and alloy type anodes. This review addresses how best to circumvent the mentioned issues during the construction of Li-ion cells and the future prospects of such anodes are described in detail.