bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3D Bioprinting Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Tissues Using a Novel Lab-on-a-Printer Technology
Authors: De la Vega Laura , A. Rosas Gómez Diego , Abelseth Emily , Abelseth Laila , Allisson da Silva Victor , Willerth Stephanie M.
Published: November 2018

Most neurological diseases and disorders lack true cures, including spinal cord injury (SCI). Accordingly, current treatments only alleviate the symptoms of these neurological diseases and disorders. Engineered neural tissues derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can serve as powerful tools to identify drug targets for treating such diseases and disorders. In this work, we demonstrate how hiPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) can be bioprinted into defined structures using Aspect Biosystems’ novel RX1 bioprinter in combination with our unique fibrin-based bioink in rapid fashion as it takes under 5 min to print four tissues. This printing process preserves high levels of cell viability (>81%) and their differentiation capacity in comparison to less sophisticated bioprinting methods. These bioprinted neural tissues expressed the neuronal marker, βT-III (45 ± 20.9%), after 15 days of culture and markers associated with spinal cord (SC) motor neurons (MNs), such as Olig2 (68.8 ± 6.9%), and HB9 (99.6 ± 0.4%) as indicated by flow cytometry. The bioprinted neural tissues expressed the mature MN marker, ChaT, after 30 days of culture as indicated by immunocytochemistry. In conclusion, we have presented a novel method for high throughput production of mature hiPSC-derived neural tissues with defined structures that resemble those found in the SC.
AA-HMM: An Anti-Adversarial Hidden Markov Model for Network-Based Intrusion Detection
Authors: Song Chongya , Pons Alexander , Yen Kang
Published: November 2018

In the field of network intrusion, malware usually evades anomaly detection by disguising malicious behavior as legitimate access. Therefore, detecting these attacks from network traffic has become a challenge in this an adversarial setting. In this paper, an enhanced Hidden Markov Model, called the Anti-Adversarial Hidden Markov Model (AA-HMM), is proposed to effectively detect evasion pattern, using the Dynamic Window and Threshold techniques to achieve adaptive, anti-adversarial, and online-learning abilities. In addition, a concept called Pattern Entropy is defined and acts as the foundation of AA-HMM. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach employing two well-known benchmark data sets, NSL-KDD and CTU-13, in terms of the common performance metrics and the algorithm’s adaptation and anti-adversary abilities.
Japan in Spain. Japanese Culture through Spanish Eyes in the Film Gisaku
Authors: Pérez Rosanna
Published: November 2018

Gisaku (2005), by Baltasar Pedrosa, is a unique Spanish movie that was produced to sell the Spanish country brand to visitors attending the Spanish Pavilion at Expo Aichi 2005. It is a cartoon feature production that builds a fantastic plot combining the Expo’s theme, the Spanish institutional objective of showing a good image of the country, and the aim of pleasing the target. This paper focuses on the last issue, more specifically on the narrative and production strategies of transcultural exchange developed to attract the Japanese audience. We analyze the movie from a discursive perspective. It is our hypothesis that Gisaku tries to empathize with its target by constructing a certain representation of the Japanese national culture the features of which come from an imagery of Japan negotiated in both traditional and renewed ways from Spain. It is a hybrid anime that deals with transnational representations of the Japanese national identity.
The Usability Study of a Proposed Environmental Experience Design Framework for Active Ageing
Authors: Noguchi Masa , Ma Nan , Woo Catherine Mei Min , Chau Hing-wah , Zhou Jin
Published: November 2018

Growing ageing population today may be necessitating building design decision makers to reconsider the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) standards in a way that accommodates senior occupants’ diverse and individual needs and demands. An experience design approach to rationalising and individualising end-user experience on how to utilise tangible products may serve to reflect user perceptions. Generally, architectural design practices tend to incorporate neither IEQ monitoring and analysis data, nor environmental experience design today. In response to the need for filling this gap, the authors of this paper conducted a feasibility study previously that led to structuring and defining an ‘Environmental Experience Design’ (EXD) research framework. Based on the previous case study on the collective spatial analysis and IEQ monitoring results, this paper further explored the usability and applicability of this proposed EXD framework particularly to the previously documented aged care facility in Victoria, Australia, which has been stressing active ageing agendas. This EXD framework usability experiment helped to build the capacity for engaging the subjectivity and objectivity of end users’ expectations, desires, and requirements in the architectural design thinking process. Nonetheless, due to the limitation of this initial and fundamental usability study’s resources and the objective, the necessity of adjusting the scale and scope of EXD analyses emerged. Moreover, the universality of this EXD research framework usage under various architectural typologies and user conditions yet require further attempts and investigations.
Back to the Future? The Fallopian Tube, Precursor Escape and a Dualistic Model of High-Grade Serous Carcinogenesis
Authors: Soong T. Rinda , Kolin David L. , Teschan Nathan J. , Crum Christopher P.
Published: November 2018

Beginning with the discovery of the BRCA-associated ovarian cancer susceptibility genes and subsequent detailed examination of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) specimens, a new paradigm of ovarian carcinogenesis has unfolded with attention to the distal fallopian tube. The primary focus has been an early cancer or neoplasm in the fallopian tube which is seen in virtually all incidentally discovered high-grade serous cancers in asymptomatic women. This high-frequency of tubal involvement in early serous neoplasm (usually in the form of serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma—STIC) has galvanized attention to this organ as a primary source of this disease. However, an enduring mystery has been the relatively low frequency of STIC in the fallopian tubes of women with advanced malignancy. This paradox, a high frequency of tubal involvement early on and a low frequency of involvement later in the disease process, has spurred interest in other potential sources, such as the ovarian surface epithelium or cortical inclusions and the secondary Mullerian system. However, because essentially all high-grade serous carcinomas are linked by TP53 mutations, and because fallopian tubes frequently contain early serous proliferations (ESPs) with these mutations, attention has turned to the possibility that the nonmalignant but TP53 mutated tubal epithelium could be responsible for an eventual malignancy. Recent data have shown evidence of a lineage continuity between ESPs and concurrent serous carcinomas prompting the concept of “precursor escape”. This creates a second component of the paradigm by which cells from early precursors are shed from the tube and undergo subsequent malignant transformation, emerging suddenly as widespread intraperitoneal malignancy. This dualistic model thus provides a unique pathway by which the future outcome (wide spread high-grade serous carcinomas—HGSC) is ultimately explained by going back in time to an early serous proliferation. This paradigm also brings the peritoneal cavity into focus, raising new questions about the potential co-variables or exposures that might facilitate the occasional malignant transformation of an ESP in the peritoneal cavity or on the peritoneal surface.
Immunotherapy, Radiotherapy, and Hyperthermia: A Combined Therapeutic Approach in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Authors: Mahmood Javed , Shukla Hem D. , Soman Sandrine , Samanta Santanu , Singh Prerna , Kamlapurkar Shriya , Saeed Ali , Amin Neha P. , Vujaskovic Zeljko
Published: November 2018

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has the highest mortality rate amongst all other cancers in both men and women, with a one-year relative survival rate of 20%, and a five-year relative survival rate of 8% for all stages of PC combined. The Whipple procedure, or pancreaticoduodenectomy, can increase survival for patients with resectable PC, however, less than 20% of patients are candidates for surgery at time of presentation. Most of the patients are diagnosed with advanced PC, often with regional and distant metastasis. In these advanced cases, chemotherapy and radiation have shown limited tumor control, and PC continues to be refractory to treatment and results in a poor survival outcome. In recent years, there has been intensive research on checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy for PC, however, PC is characterized with dense stromal tissue and a tumor microenvironment (TME) that is highly immunosuppressive, which makes immunotherapy less effective. Interestingly, when immunotherapy is combined with radiation therapy (RT) and loco-regional hyperthermia (HT), it has demonstrated enhanced tumor responses. HT improves tumor killing via a variety of mechanisms, targeting both the tumor and the TME. Targeted HT raises the temperature of the tumor and surrounding tissues to 42–43 °C and makes the tumor more immunoresponsive. HT can also modulate the immune system of the TME by inducing and synthesizing heat shock proteins (HSP), which also activate an anti-tumor response. It is well known that HT can enhance RT-induced DNA damage in cancer cells and simultaneously help to oxygenate hypoxic regions. Thus, it is envisaged that combined HT and RT might have immunomodulatory effects in the PC-TME, making PC more responsive to immunotherapies. Moreover, the combined tripartite approach of immunotherapy, RT, and HT could reduce the overall toxicity associated with each individual therapy, while concomitantly enhancing the immunotherapeutic effect of overall individual therapies to treat local and metastatic PC. Thus, the use of a tripartite combinatorial approach could be promising and more efficacious than monotherapy or dual therapy to treat and increase the survival of the PC patients.
SIRT-3 Modulation by Resveratrol Improves Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation in Diabetic Heart through Deacetylation of TFAM
Authors: Bagul Pankaj K. , Katare Parmeshwar B. , Bugga Paramesha , Dinda Amit K. , Banerjee Sanjay K.
Published: November 2018

Background and Purpose: Mitochondrial dysfunction remains the crucial cause for many heart diseases including diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Sirtuin-3 (SIRT-3) is a protein deacetylase localized in the mitochondria and regulates mitochondrial function. Being a noteworthy mitochondrial protein deacetylase enzyme, the role of SIRT-3 in DCM is yet to be explored. Experimental Approach: Diabetes mellitus (Type-I, T1DM) was induced using streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg) in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Rats with >200 mg/dL blood glucose levels were then divided randomly into two groups, DIA and DIA + RESV, where vehicle and resveratrol (25 mg/kg/day) were administered orally in both groups, respectively. Cardiac oxidative stress, fibrosis, and mitochondrial parameters were evaluated. H9c2 cells were transfected with SIRT-3 siRNA and shRNA, and ORF plasmid for silencing and overexpression, respectively. Key Results: After eight weeks, diabetic rat heart showed reduced cardiac cell size, increased oxidative stress and reduction of the activities of enzymes involved in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). There was reduced expression and activity of SIRT-3 and mitochondrial transcription factor (TFAM) in diabetic heart. Reduced SIRT-3 expression is also correlated with increased acetylation, decreased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) binding activity of TFAM, and reduced transcription of mitochondrial DNA encoded genes. Administration of resveratrol prevented the decrease in SIRT-3 and TFAM activity, which was corresponding to the reduced acetylation status of TFAM. Silencing SIRT-3 using siRNA in H9C2 cells showed increased acetylation of TFAM. Conclusion and Implications: Together our data shows that resveratrol activates SIRT-3, regulates the acetylation status of TFAM and preserves the mitochondrial function along with cellular size in diabetic rat heart.
Heparanase: A Multitasking Protein Involved in Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Remodeling and Intracellular Events
Authors: Masola Valentina , Bellin Gloria , Gambaro Giovanni , Onisto Maurizio
Published: November 2018

Heparanase (HPSE) has been defined as a multitasking protein that exhibits a peculiar enzymatic activity towards HS chains but which simultaneously performs other non-enzymatic functions. Through its enzymatic activity, HPSE catalyzes the cutting of the side chains of heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans, thus contributing to the remodeling of the extracellular matrix and of the basal membranes. Furthermore, thanks to this activity, HPSE also promotes the release and diffusion of various HS-linked molecules like growth factors, cytokines and enzymes. In addition to being an enzyme, HPSE has been shown to possess the ability to trigger different signaling pathways by interacting with transmembrane proteins. In normal tissue and in physiological conditions, HPSE exhibits only low levels of expression restricted only to keratinocytes, trophoblast, platelets and mast cells and leukocytes. On the contrary, in pathological conditions, such as in tumor progression and metastasis, inflammation and fibrosis, it is overexpressed. With this brief review, we intend to provide an update on the current knowledge about the different role of HPSE protein exerted by its enzymatic and non-enzymatic activity.
Tetramer Compound of Manganese Ions with Mixed Valence [MnII MnIII MnIV] and Its Spatial, Electronic, Magnetic, and Theoretical Studies
Authors: Pastor-Ramírez Cándida , Zamorano-Ulloa Rafael , Ramírez-Rosales Daniel , Vázquez-Lima Hugo , Hernández-Anzaldo Samuel , Reyes-Ortega Yasmi
Published: November 2018

Using different spectroscopic techniques and computational calculations, we describe the structural and electromagnetic relationship that causes many interesting phenomena within a novel coordination compound with mixed valence manganese (II, III and IV) in its crystal and powder state. The novel compound [MnII MnIII MnIV(HL)2(H2L)2(H2O)4](NO3)2(H2O) 1 was obtained with the Schiff base (E)-2-((2-hydroxybenzylidene)amine)-2-(hydroximethyl)propane-1,3-diol, (H4L), and Mn(NO3)2.4H2O. The coordination reaction was promoted by the deprotonation of the ligand by the soft base triethylamine. The paper’s main contribution is the integration of the experimental and computational studies to explain the interesting magnetic behavior that the mixed valence manganese multimetallic core shows. The results presented herein, which are rarely found for Mn(II), (III) and (IV) complexes, will contribute to the understanding of the magnetic communication generated by the valence electrons and its repercussion in the local geometry and in the overall crystalline structure.
Russian–German Astroparticle Data Life Cycle Initiative
Authors: Bychkov Igor , Demichev Andrey , Dubenskaya Julia , Fedorov Oleg , Haungs Andreas , Heiss Andreas , Kang Donghwa , Kazarina Yulia , Korosteleva Elena , Kostunin Dmitriy , Kryukov Alexander , Mikhailov Andrey , Nguyen Minh-Duc , Polyakov Stanislav , Postnikov Evgeny , Shigarov Alexey , Shipilov Dmitry , Streit Achim , Tokareva Victoria , Wochele Doris , Wochele Jürgen , Zhurov Dmitry
Published: November 2018

Modern large-scale astroparticle setups measure high-energy particles, gamma rays, neutrinos, radio waves, and the recently discovered gravitational waves. Ongoing and future experiments are located worldwide. The data acquired have different formats, storage concepts, and publication policies. Such differences are a crucial point in the era of Big Data and of multi-messenger analysis in astroparticle physics. We propose an open science web platform called ASTROPARTICLE.ONLINE which enables us to publish, store, search, select, and analyze astroparticle data. In the first stage of the project, the following components of a full data life cycle concept are under development: describing, storing, and reusing astroparticle data; software to perform multi-messenger analysis using deep learning; and outreach for students, post-graduate students, and others who are interested in astroparticle physics. Here we describe the concepts of the web platform and the first obtained results, including the meta data structure for astroparticle data, data analysis by using convolution neural networks, description of the binary data, and the outreach platform for those interested in astroparticle physics. The KASCADE-Grande and TAIGA cosmic-ray experiments were chosen as pilot examples.
Concavity, Response Functions and Replica Energy
Authors: Campa Alessandro , Casetti Lapo , Latella Ivan , Pérez-Madrid Agustín , Ruffo Stefano
Published: November 2018

In nonadditive systems, like small systems or like long-range interacting systems even in the thermodynamic limit, ensemble inequivalence can be related to the occurrence of negative response functions, this in turn being connected with anomalous concavity properties of the thermodynamic potentials associated with the various ensembles. We show how the type and number of negative response functions depend on which of the quantities E, V and N (energy, volume and number of particles) are constrained in the ensemble. In particular, we consider the unconstrained ensemble in which E, V and N fluctuate, which is physically meaningful only for nonadditive systems. In fact, its partition function is associated with the replica energy, a thermodynamic function that identically vanishes when additivity holds, but that contains relevant information in nonadditive systems.
Effect of Molybdenum Additives on Corrosion Behavior of (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Wang Wenrui , Wang Jieqian , Yi Honggang , Qi Wu , Peng Qing
Published: November 2018

The present work investigates the influence of micro-alloyed Mo on the corrosion behavior of (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox high-entropy alloys. All of the (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox alloys exhibit a single face-centered cubic (FCC) solid solution. However, the (CoCrFeNi)97Mo3 alloy exhibits an ordered sigma (σ) phase enriched in Cr and Mo. With the increase of x (the Mo content) from 1 to 3, the hardness of the (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox alloys increases from 124.8 to 133.6 Vickers hardness (HV), and the compressive yield strength increases from 113.6 MPa to 141.1 MPa, without fracture under about a 60% compressive strain. The potentiodynamic polarization curve in a 3.5% NaCl solution indicates that the addition of Mo has a beneficial effect on the corrosion resistance to some certain extent, opposed to the σ phase. Furthermore, the alloys tend to form a passivation film in the 0.5 M H2SO4 solution in order to inhibit the progress of the corrosion reaction as the Mo content increases.
Elemental Phase Partitioning in the γ-γ″ Ni2CoFeCrNb0.15 High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Han Bin , Wei Jie , He Feng , Chen Da , Wang Zhi Jun , Hu Alice , Zhou Wenzhong , Kai Ji Jung
Published: November 2018

The partitioning of the alloying elements into the γ″ nanoparticles in a Ni2CoFeCrNb0.15 high entropy alloy was studied by the combination of atom probe tomography and first-principles calculations. The atom probe tomography results show that the Co, Fe, and Cr atoms incorporated into the Ni3Nb-type γ″ nanoparticles but their partitioning behaviors are significantly different. The Co element is much easier to partition into the γ″ nanoparticles than Fe and Cr elements. The first-principles calculations demonstrated that the different partitioning behaviors of Co, Fe and Cr elements into the γ″ nanoparticles resulted from the differences of their specific chemical potentials and bonding states in the γ″ phase.
Measuring Thermally-Driven LED Emissions via Voltage Modulation near Zero Bias
Authors: Orem Peter M. , Vogt Kyle T. , Graham Matt W. , Orem Frank M.
Published: November 2018

This study was launched to demonstrate that LEDs at zero bias show recombination photon emissions, and to check the models for the same. A method for measuring the light emission for a LED near zero bias is presented. A large reverse bias sufficient to suppress detectable emissions is assumed. The bias voltage between ‘large reverse’ and our target voltage is modulated, and the difference measured. The measured emissions found are consistent with the Shockley diode equation. The spectrum near zero bias can be measured and characterized. It shows LED behavior that is substantially different from other typical measurements, and suggests a violation of Kirchhoff’s Law.
Prediction of Remaining Useful Life of Wind Turbine Bearings under Non-Stationary Operating Conditions
Authors: Cao Lixiao , Qian Zheng , Zareipour Hamid , Wood David , Mollasalehi Ehsan , Tian Shuangshu , Pei Yan
Published: November 2018

Wind-powered electricity generation has grown significantly over the past decade. While there are many components that might impact their useful life, the gearbox and generator bearings are among the most fragile components in wind turbines. Therefore, the prediction of remaining useful life (RUL) of faulty or damaged wind turbine bearings will provide useful support for reliability evaluation and advanced maintenance of wind turbines. This paper proposes a data-driven method combining the interval whitenization method with a Gaussian process (GP) algorithm in order to predict the RUL of wind turbine generator bearings. Firstly, a wavelet packet transform is used to eliminate noise in the vibration signals and extract the characteristic fault signals. A comprehensive analysis of the real degradation process is used to determine the indicators of degradation. The interval whitenization method is proposed to reduce the interference of non-stationary operating conditions to improve the quality of health indicators. Finally, the GP method is utilized to construct the model which reflects the relationship between the RUL and health indicators. The method is assessed using actual vibration datasets from two wind turbines. The prediction results demonstrate that the proposed method can reduce the effect of non-stationary operating conditions. In addition, compared with the support vector regression (SVR) method and artificial neural network (ANN), the prediction accuracy of the proposed method has an improvement of more than 65.8%. The prediction results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.
Life Cycle Estimation of Battery Energy Storage Systems for Primary Frequency Regulation
Authors: Andrenacci Natascia , Chiodo Elio , Lauria Davide , Mottola Fabio
Published: November 2018

An increasing share of renewable energy sources in power systems requires ad-hoc tools to guarantee the closeness of the system’s frequency to its rated value. At present, the use of new technologies, such as battery energy storage systems, is widely debated for its participation in the service of frequency containment. Since battery installation costs are still high, the estimation of their lifetime appears crucial in both the planning and operations of power systems’ regulation service. As the frequency response of batteries is strongly dependent on the stochastic nature of the various contingencies which can occur on power systems, the estimation of the battery lifetime is a very complex issue. In the present paper, the stochastic process which better represents the power system frequency is analyzed first; then the battery lifetime is properly estimated on the basis of realistic dynamic modeling including the state of the charge control strategy. The dynamic evolution of the state of charge is then used in combination with the celebrated rain-flow procedure with the aim of evaluating the number of charging/discharging cycles whose knowledge allows estimating the battery damage. Numerical simulations are carried out in the last part of the paper, highlighting the resulting lifetime probabilistic expectation and the impact of the state of the charge control strategy on the battery lifetime. The main findings of the present work are the proposed autoregressive model, which allows creating accurate pseudo-samples of frequency patterns and the analysis of the incidence of the control law on the battery lifetime. The numerical applications clearly show the prominent importance of this last aspect since it has an opposing impact on the economic issue by influencing the battery lifetime and technical effects by modifying the availability of the frequency regulation service.
A Novel Approach Based on Crow Search Algorithm for Solving Reactive Power Dispatch Problem
Authors: Meddeb Asma , Amor Nesrine , Abbes Mohamed , Chebbi Souad
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a novel meta-heuristic approach based on the crow search algorithm (CSA) for solving the optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) problem. The ORPD is formulated as a nonlinear optimization problem designed to minimize power losses while satisfying the required constraints. The CSA is a recent efficient approach that depends on the intelligent behavior of crows. Nowadays, it has been used to solve many complex engineering optimization problems where it has proven its power and effectiveness. Motivated by the high ability in solving complex optimization problems and faster convergence of CSA, this paper proposes a novel approach to solve the ORPD problem. Furthermore, the settings of control variables such as generator terminal voltage, tap changer positions, and capacitor banks are determined to achieve the minimum total power loss while satisfying a set of nonlinear constraints. The accuracy and the performance of the proposed algorithm were performed and compared to other meta-heuristic algorithms reported in the literature. Several tests are applied on two standard test systems, including IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 30-bus as well as on the large-scale Tunisian 86-bus system. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been performed to valid the performance of the CSA in solving the ORPD problem. We demonstrate that the proposed CSA provides a supremacy results and statistically significant in solving ORPD problems (for IEEE-14 bus p < 0.0006 , for IEEE-30 bus p < 0.006 , and for Tunisian 86-bus p < 0.0000001 ).
A Simplified Methodology to Estimate Energy Savings in Commercial Buildings from Improvements in Airtightness
Authors: Bhandari Mahabir , Hun Diana , Shrestha Som , Pallin Simon , Lapsa Melissa
Published: November 2018

Air leakage through the envelope of commercial buildings in the United States accounts for approximately 6% of their energy use. Various simulation approaches have been proposed to estimate the impact of air leakage on building energy use. Although approaches that are based on detailed airflow modeling appear to be the most accurate to calculate infiltration heat transfer in simulation models, these approaches tend to require significant modeling expertise and effort. To make these energy savings estimates more readily available to building owners and designers, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Air Barrier Association of America, and the US Department of Energy (DOE) are developing a user-friendly online calculator that applies a detailed airflow modeling approach to examine energy savings due to airtightness in commercial buildings. The calculator, however, is limited to 52 US cities and a few cities in Canada and China. This paper describes the development of an alternative, simplified method to estimate energy savings from improved airtightness. The proposed method uses the same detailed approach for hourly infiltration calculations as the online calculator but it expands the ability to estimate energy savings to all US cities using hourly outdoor air temperature as the only input. The new simple regression model-based approach was developed and tested with DOE’s standalone retail prototype building model. Results from the new approach and the calculator show good agreement. Additionally, a simple approach to estimate percent energy savings for retrofitted buildings was also developed; results were within 5% of the energy saving estimates from the online calculator.
Safety Evaluation of Silicon Carbide and Zircaloy-4 Cladding during a Large-Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident
Authors: Ahn Kwangwon , Joo Kyohun , Park Sung-Pil
Published: November 2018

In this study, we aim to conduct structural analyses of cladding materials, such as silicon carbide and zircaloy-4, during a Large-Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident. The safety margin is the key consideration regarding the performance of the cladding materials. Our study shows that, in terms of primary stresses, SiC has a greater safety margin than zircaloy-4 due to SiC having a higher yield and ultimate strength; the cladding outer pressure is not affected by the cladding materials and, thus, the primary stresses of all cladding materials are the same. However, for secondary stresses, zircaloy-4 has the smallest fluctuation and irradiated SiC recorded the largest; secondary stresses and temperature histories are material-dependent. Ultimately, both cladding materials were found to have sufficient safety margins with respect to primary and secondary stresses.
Research on Automatic Generation Control with Wind Power Participation Based on Predictive Optimal 2-Degree-of-Freedom PID Strategy for Multi-area Interconnected Power System
Authors: Zhao Xilin , Lin Zhenyu , Fu Bo , He Li , Fang Na
Published: November 2018

High penetration of wind power in the modern power system renders traditional automatic generation control (AGC) methods more challenging, due to the uncertainty of the external environment, less reserve power, and small inertia constant of the power system. An improved AGC method named predictive optimal 2-degree-of-freedom proportion integral differential (PO-2-DOF-PID) is proposed in this paper, which wind farm will participate in the load frequency control process. Firstly, the mathematical model of the AGC system of multi-area power grid with penetration of wind power is built. Then, predictive optimal 2-degree-of-freedom PID controller is presented to improve the system robustness considering system uncertainties. The objective function is designed based on the wind speed and whether wind farm takes part in AGC or not. The controller solves the optimization problem through the predictive theory while taking into account given constraints. In order to obtain the predictive sequence of output of the whole system, the characteristic of the 2-DOF-PID controller is integrated in the system model. A three interconnected power system is introduced as an example to test the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. When considering the penetration of wind power, two cases of high wind speed and low wind speed are analyzed. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method can effectively deal with the negative influence caused by wind power when wind power participates in AGC.
Responses of Fine Root Functional Traits to Soil Nutrient Limitations in a Karst Ecosystem of Southwest China
Authors: Pan Fujing , Liang Yueming , Wang Kelin , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2018

Soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) shortages limit the growth of shrubs, and P shortage limit the growth of trees in karst ecosystems. Changes in fine root functional traits are the important strategies for plants to respond to such nutrient shortages. However, such responses in karst ecosystems are poorly known. To determine the responses of fine root functional traits to soil N and P changes and define their resource-use strategies in the ecosystem, we tested the specific root length (SRL), root tips over the root biomass (RT/RB), and N concentration (Nroot) in the fine roots of four plant species (two shrubs (Alchornea trewioides and Ligustrum sinense) and two trees (Celtis biondii and Pteroceltis tatarinowii)) during the dry (January) and the wet (July) season. The results showed that the SRL, RT/RB, and Nroot in the fine roots of shrub species were lower than those of tree species, and the three parameters were higher in the wet season than in the dry season. Linear regression models revealed that the SRL, RT/RB, and Nroot of overall species increased with increasing soil N and P concentrations and availabilities, and were positively correlated with increasing rhizosphere soil oxalic acid, microbial biomass carbon (C), and the activities of hydrolytic enzymes. In addition, the individual plant species had unique patterns of the three fine root traits that resulted affected by the change of soil nutrients and biochemistry. Thus, the specific root length, root tips over the root biomass, and N concentrations of fine roots were species-specific, affected by seasonal change, and correlated with soil nutrients and biochemistry. Our findings suggests that fine root functional traits increase the ability of plant species to tolerate nutrient shortage in karst ecosystems, and possibly indicated that a P-exploitative strategy in tree species and an N-conservative strategy in shrub species were exhibited.
Assembly of Conducting Polymer and Biohydrogel for the Release and Real-Time Monitoring of Vitamin K3
Authors: Molina Brenda G. , Domínguez Eva , Armelin Elaine , Alemán Carlos
Published: November 2018

In this work, we report the design and fabrication of a dual-function integrated system to monitor, in real time, the release of previously loaded 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (MeNQ), also named vitamin K3. The newly developed system consists of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanoparticles, which were embedded into a poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) biohydrogel during the gelling reaction between the biopolymer chains and the cross-linker, cystamine. After this, agglomerates of PEDOT nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed inside the biohydrogel were used as polymerization nuclei for the in situ anodic synthesis of poly(hydroxymethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in aqueous solution. After characterization of the resulting flexible electrode composites, their ability to load and release MeNQ was proven and monitored. Specifically, loaded MeNQ molecules, which organized in shells around PEDOT nanoparticles agglomerates when the drug was simply added to the initial gelling solution, were progressively released to a physiological medium. The latter process was successfully monitored using an electrode composite through differential pulse voltammetry. The fabrication of electroactive flexible biohydrogels for real-time release monitoring opens new opportunities for theranostic therapeutic approaches.
The Emerging Role of Cohesin in the DNA Damage Response
Authors: Litwin Ireneusz , Pilarczyk Ewa , Wysocki Robert
Published: November 2018

Faithful transmission of genetic material is crucial for all organisms since changes in genetic information may result in genomic instability that causes developmental disorders and cancers. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that preserve genome integrity is of fundamental importance. Cohesin is a multiprotein complex whose canonical function is to hold sister chromatids together from S-phase until the onset of anaphase to ensure the equal division of chromosomes. However, recent research points to a crucial function of cohesin in the DNA damage response (DDR). In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of cohesin function in DNA damage signaling and repair. First, we focus on cohesin architecture and molecular mechanisms that govern sister chromatid cohesion. Next, we briefly characterize the main DDR pathways. Finally, we describe mechanisms that determine cohesin accumulation at DNA damage sites and discuss possible roles of cohesin in DDR.
Selective Pressures on Human Cancer Genes along the Evolution of Mammals
Authors: Vicens Alberto , Posada David
Published: November 2018

Cancer is a disease driven by both somatic mutations that increase survival and proliferation of cell lineages and the evolution of genes associated with cancer risk in populations. Several genes associated with cancer in humans, hereafter cancer genes, show evidence of germline positive selection among species. Taking advantage of a large collection of mammalian genomes, we systematically looked for signatures of germline positive selection in 430 cancer genes available in COSMIC. We identified 40 cancer genes with a robust signal of positive selection in mammals. We found evidence for fewer selective constraints—higher number of non-synonymous substitutions per non-synonymous site to the number of synonymous substitutions per synonymous site (dN/dS)—and higher incidence of positive selection—more positively selected sites—in cancer genes bearing germline and recessive mutations that predispose to cancer. This finding suggests a potential association between relaxed selection, positive selection, and risk of hereditary cancer. On the other hand, we did not find significant differences in terms of tissue or gene type. Human cancer genes under germline positive selection in mammals are significantly enriched in the processes of DNA repair, with high presence of Fanconi anaemia/Breast Cancer A (FA/BRCA) pathway components and T cell proliferation genes. We also show that the inferred positively selected sites in the two genes with the strongest signal of positive selection, i.e., BRCA2 and PTPRC, are in regions of functional relevance, which could be relevant to cancer susceptibility.
Evolution and Structure of Proteins and Proteomes
Authors: Liberles David , Teufel Ashley
Published: November 2018

This themed issue centered on the evolution and structure of proteins and proteomes is comprised of seven published manuscripts. [...]
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies for Fluoropyrimidine Treatment of Patients Carrying Multiple DPYD Variants
Authors: Lunenburg Carin A. T. C. , Henricks Linda M. , Van Kuilenburg André B. P. , Mathijssen Ron H. J. , Schellens Jan H. M. , Gelderblom Hans , Guchelaar Henk-Jan , Swen Jesse J.
Published: November 2018

DPYD genotyping prior to fluoropyrimidine treatment is increasingly implemented in clinical care. Without phasing information (i.e., allelic location of variants), current genotype-based dosing guidelines cannot be applied to patients carrying multiple DPYD variants. The primary aim of this study is to examine diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for fluoropyrimidine treatment of patients carrying multiple DPYD variants. A case series of patients carrying multiple DPYD variants is presented. Different genotyping techniques were used to determine phasing information. Phenotyping was performed by dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) enzyme activity measurements. Publicly available databases were queried to explore the frequency and phasing of variants of patients carrying multiple DPYD variants. Four out of seven patients carrying multiple DPYD variants received a full dose of fluoropyrimidines and experienced severe toxicity. Phasing information could be retrieved for four patients. In three patients, variants were located on two different alleles, i.e., in trans. Recommended dose reductions based on the phased genotype differed from the phenotype-derived dose reductions in three out of four cases. Data from publicly available databases show that the frequency of patients carrying multiple DPYD variants is low (< 0.2%), but higher than the frequency of the commonly tested DPYD*13 variant (0.1%). Patients carrying multiple DPYD variants are at high risk of developing severe toxicity. Additional analyses are required to determine the correct dose of fluoropyrimidine treatment. In patients carrying multiple DPYD variants, we recommend that a DPD phenotyping assay be carried out to determine a safe starting dose.
Development and Validation of a Simple Convenience Store SHELF Audit
Authors: Horacek Tanya M. , Yildirim Elif Dede , Kelly Erin , White Adrienne A. , Shelnutt Karla P. , Riggsbee Kristin , Olfert Melissa D. , Morrell Jesse Stabile , Mathews Anne E. , Mosby Terezie T. , Kidd Tandalayo , Kattelmann Kendra , Greene Geoffrey , Franzen-Castle Lisa , Colby Sarah , Byrd-Bredbenner Carol , Brown Onikia
Published: November 2018

Background This paper describes the development, reliability, and convergent validity of a practical tool—the Convenience Store Supportive Healthy Environment for Life-Promoting Food (SHELF) Audit. Methods Audit items included: a variety of fresh, processed, and frozen fruits and vegetables; low-fat dairy products; healthy staples and frozen meals; healthy food incentive programs; items sold in check-out areas; portion/cup sizes; and pricing. Each audit item was scored using a five-point semantic-differential scale (1 = provides little or no support for healthful foods to 5 = provides high support for healthful foods). Convergent validity was examined by comparing the SHELF audit to Ghirardelli et al. and Laska et al. store audits. Statistical analysis included: Factor analysis, ANOVA, and Spearman correlations. Results SHELF included three factors: a Fruits/Vegetables scale (eight items, α = 0.79; total potential points = 34); a Healthy Foods scale (four items, α = 0.72; total potential points = 16); and a Supports scale (four items, α = 0.685; total potential points = 16). Only 6% of the 124 convenience stores assessed scored in the most healthful range (46–66). The assessed drug stores (n = 15) scored higher than convenience stores (n = 81) on the Healthy Foods and Supports scales but not the Fruits/Vegetables scale. The SHELF sub-scores were highly correlated with other audit tools indicating convergent validity. Conclusion The SHELF convenience store audit is a valid, reliable tool for assessing the degree to which convenience stores support healthfulness regarding Fruits/Vegetables, Healthy Foods, and Supports for choosing healthy.
Overexpression of the DEAD-Box RNA Helicase Gene AtRH17 Confers Tolerance to Salt Stress in Arabidopsis
Authors: Nguyen Linh Vu , Seok Hye-Yeon , Woo Dong-Hyuk , Lee Sun-Young , Moon Yong-Hwan
Published: November 2018

Plants adapt to abiotic stresses by complex mechanisms involving various stress-responsive genes. Here, we identified a DEAD-box RNA helicase (RH) gene, AtRH17, in Arabidopsis, involved in salt-stress responses using activation tagging, a useful technique for isolating novel stress-responsive genes. AT895, an activation tagging line, was more tolerant than wild type (WT) under NaCl treatment during germination and seedling development, and AtRH17 was activated in AT895. AtRH17 possesses nine well-conserved motifs of DEAD-box RHs, consisting of motifs Q, I, Ia, Ib, and II-VI. Although at least 12 orthologs of AtRH17 have been found in various plant species, no paralog occurs in Arabidopsis. AtRH17 protein is subcellularily localized in the nucleus. AtRH17-overexpressing transgenic plants (OXs) were more tolerant to high concentrations of NaCl and LiCl compared with WT, but no differences from WT were detected among seedlings exposed to mannitol and freezing treatments. Moreover, in the mature plant stage, AtRH17 OXs were also more tolerant to NaCl than WT, but not to drought, suggesting that AtRH17 is involved specifically in the salt-stress response. Notably, transcriptions of well-known abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent and ABA-independent stress-response genes were similar or lower in AtRH17 OXs than WT under salt-stress treatments. Taken together, our findings suggest that AtRH17, a nuclear DEAD-box RH protein, is involved in salt-stress tolerance, and that its overexpression confers salt-stress tolerance via a pathway other than the well-known ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways.
Ligature-Induced Experimental Peri-Implantitis—A Systematic Review
Authors: Reinedahl David , Chrcanovic Bruno , Albrektsson Tomas , Tengvall Pentti , Wennerberg Ann
Published: November 2018

This systematic review sought to analyze different experimental peri-implantitis models, their potential to induce marginal bone resorption (MBR) and the necessity of bacteria for bone loss to occur in these models. An electronic search in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect was undertaken. A total of 133 studies were analyzed. Most studies induced peri-implantitis with ligatures that had formed a biofilm, sometimes in combination with inoculation of specific bacteria but never in a sterile environment. Most vertical MBR resulted from new ligatures periodically packed above old ones, followed by periodically exchanged ligatures and ligatures that were not exchanged. Cotton ligatures produced the most MBR, followed by steel, “dental floss” (not further specified in the studies) and silk. The amount of MBR varied significantly between different animal types and implant surfaces. None of the analyzed ligature studies aimed to validate that bacteria are necessary for the inducement of MBR. It cannot be excluded that bone loss can be achieved by other factors of the model, such as an immunological reaction to the ligature itself or trauma from repeated ligature insertions. Because all the included trials allowed plaque accumulation on the ligatures, bone resorbing capacity due to other factors could not be excluded or evaluated here.
The Number of Comorbidities Predicts Renal Outcomes in Patients with Stage 3–5 Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Lee Wen-Chin , Lee Yueh-Ting , Li Lung-Chih , Ng Hwee-Yeong , Kuo Wei-Hung , Lin Pei-Ting , Liao Ying-Chun , Chiou Terry Ting-Yu , Lee Chien-Te
Published: November 2018

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health threat affecting approximately 10% of the adult population worldwide. Multimorbidity is common in CKD, but its impacts on disease outcomes are seldom investigated. Methods: This prospective cohort analysis followed patients, who were part of a multidisciplinary CKD care program, for 10 years. We aimed to determine the impact of multimorbidity on renal outcomes. Results: Overall, 1463 patients with stage 3–5 CKD were enrolled and stratified by the number of comorbidities. Mean follow-up time was 6.39 ± 1.19 years. We found that stage 3–5 CKD patients with at least three comorbidities at enrollment initiated dialysis earlier (hazard ratio (HR): 2.971) than patients without comorbidities. Risk factors for multimorbidity included old age, smoking, and proteinuria. Conclusions: By analyzing the number of comorbidities, a simple and readily applicable method, we demonstrated an association between multimorbidity and poor renal outcomes in stage 3–5 CKD patients. In addition to current guideline-based approaches, our results suggest an urgent need for tailored CKD care strategies for high-risk groups.