Carbon nanotubes change their electronic properties when subjected to strains. In this study, the strain sensing characteristic of carbon nanotubes is used to develop a carbon nanotube film sensor that can be used for strain sensing on the macro scale. The carbon nanotube film is isotropic due to randomly oriented bundles of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Using experimental results it is shown that there is a nearly linear change in voltage across the film when it is subjected to tensile and compressive stresses. The change in voltage is measured by a movable four-point probe in contact with the film. Multidirectional and multiple location strains can be measured by the isotropic carbon nanotube film.

SummaryChemotherapy is one of the prevailing methods used to treat malignant tumours, but the outcome and prognosis of tumour patients are not optimistic.

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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder found in 5-10% of reproductive-age women and 75-80% of anovulatory women. Characteristics of PCOS include amenorrhea/ oligomenorrhea, infertility, hyperinsulinemia from insulin resistance, leutinizing hormone (LH) hypersecretion and hyperandrogenism [1]. The etiology and pathophysiology of PCOS are not clear, so the treatments only scratch the surface of the problem and drugs are needed to ease the symptoms. Some scholars have considered that PCOS is a single autosomal dominant genetic disease [2,3] abstract. although hyperandrogenism is an important condition and is considered the possible pathogenesis behind polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), data supporting this is still scarce. We sought to determine whether or not prenatal androgen exposure leads to PCOS and the possible cellular mechanisms involved. To induce prenatal androgen exposure, pregnant rats were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of free testosterone (T) or dihydrotestosterone (dHT) from embryonic days 16 to 19, and their female offspring were studied as adults. The mRna expression of the progesterone receptor (PR) in the preoptic area (POa) hypothalamus was higher in the experimental groups than in the control group after ovariectomy and stimulation with estradiol benzoate. The levels of T, P, leutinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol were higher in the experimental groups than in the control groups. The frequency and magnitude of LH secretion was increased in experimental rats as compared with the control group. The anogenital distance of the experimental groups was prolonged and the nipple number was lower than that of the control group. almost all experimental rats had prolonged or irregular estrous cycles. The experimental groups had fewer corpus luteum and preovulatory follicles and more preantral follicles and antral follicles than the controls. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that excess androgen during the prenatal period may cause PCOS. additionally, we show that hyperandrogenic interference in the release of preovulatory LH surges is mediated by the suppressive effects of androgens on PR expression in POa-hypothalamic tissue.