bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential Role of HLA Class I Antigens in the Glycolytic Metabolism and Motility of Melanoma Cells
Authors: Peppicelli Silvia , Ruzzolini Jessica , Andreucci Elena , Bianchini Francesca , Kontos Filippos , Yamada Teppei , Ferrone Soldano , Calorini Lido
Published: August 2019

Besides playing a crucial role in immune surveillance, human leukocyte antigens (HLA) possess numerous non-immune functions involved in cell communication. In the present study, screening of a panel of HLA class I- and HLA class II-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for their effects on the metabolism of human melanoma cells showed for the first time that the HLA-B,C-specific mAb B1.23.2 reduced the expression level of key glycolytic enzymes, but did not affect that of mitochondrial respiration effectors. As a result, the metabolism of melanoma cells shifted from a Warburg metabolism to a more oxidative phosphorylation. In addition, the HLA-B,C-specific mAb B1.23.2 downregulated the expression of glutamine transporter and glutaminase enzyme participating in the reduction of tricarboxylic acid cycle. The HLA-B,C-specific mAb B1.23.2-mediated reduction in energy production was associated with a reduction of melanoma cell motility. On the whole, the described results suggest that HLA class I antigens, and in particular the gene products of HLA-B and C loci play a role in the motility of melanoma cells by regulating their metabolism.
BRAF Mutation in Colorectal Rhabdoid and Poorly Differentiated Medullary Carcinomas
Authors: Bolzacchini Elena , Digiacomo Nunzio , Marrazzo Cristina , Sahnane Nora , Maragliano Roberta , Gill Anthony , Albarello Luca , Sessa Fausto , Furlan Daniela , Capella Carlo
Published: August 2019

Colorectal rhabdoid carcinomas (CRbCs) are very rare and aggressive cancers. The BRAF mutation and CpG island methylator phenotype have been reported to be common features of CRbCs. This study reviews the literature about CRbCs and analyzes the clinicopathological and molecular profiles of seven CRbCs characterized by large discohesive cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, showing hyaline inclusions and large rounded to bean-shaped nuclei. For comparison, we included four poorly differentiated medullary carcinomas (PDMCs) with focal aspects mimicking rhabdoid features. Overall survival was poor in both subsets, with 78% of patients dying of disease within 2–11 months. The main features of CRbCs were: Loss of/reduced SMARCB1/INI expression, intense vimentin immunostaining, and dense neutrophilic infiltration. The PDMCs were positive for pancytokeratin but negative for vimentin and showed moderate peritumoral/intratumoral CD8+ lymphocytes. All PDMCs showed SMARCB1(INI-1) expression. The coexistence of BRAF and TP53 mutations was observed in 80% of CRbCs and PDMCs. PDMCs always showed microsatellite instability and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), while CRbCs were CIMP negative and exhibited microsatellite instability (MSI) in two out of seven cases. CRbCs are characterized by BRAF and TP53 mutations. Loss/reduced expression of nuclear SMARCB1/INI, intense vimentin immunostaining, dense neutrophilic infiltration, and low frequency of CIMP are useful markers to recognize these rare aggressive tumors.
Recent Advances on Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering for Biomanufacturing
Authors: Lee Eun Yeol
Published: August 2019

The use of biocatalysts, including enzymes and metabolically engineered cells, has attracted a great deal of attention in chemical and bio-industry, because biocatalytic reactions can be conducted under environmentally-benign conditions and in more sustainable ways [...]
Heterogeneous Synergistic Catalysis for Promoting Aza-Michael–Henry Tandem Reaction for the Synthesis of Chiral 3-Nitro-1,2-Dihydroquinoline
Authors: An Zhe , Chen Lifeng , Jiang Yitao , He Jing
Published: August 2019

Heterogeneous synergistic catalysis by SBA-15 immobilized chiral amines catalysts has promoted efficient aza-Michael–Henry tandem reaction for the synthesis of chiral 3-Nitro-1,2-Dihydroquinoline. Final products in the asymmetric aza-Michael–Henry cascade reactions between 2-aminobenzaldehyde and β-nitrostyrolene were afforded in a yield of 85% and an enantiomeric excess (ee) value of 98% on (S)-(–)-2-aminomethyl-1-ethylpyrrolidine immobilized SBA-15. SBA-15-AEP catalyst has been also extended to the asymmetric aza-Michael–Henry cascade reaction of substituted R1-2-aminobenzaldehyde and R2-substituted nitroolefin. The heterogeneous synergistic mechanism for both tertiary amine and secondary amine immobilized mesoporous has been proposed in detail including the geometrical constraints in the ee promotion.
Synthesis of Mono- and Bis-Pyrazoles Bearing Flexible p-Tolyl Ether and Rigid Xanthene Backbones, and Their Potential as Ligands in the Pd-Catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction
Authors: Hussain Zahid , Schwalm Cristiane , Rambo Raoní , Dias Renieidy , Stieler Rafael , Monteiro Adriano
Published: August 2019

The present work describes the synthesis of mono- and bis-pyrazole compounds bearing flexible p-tolyl ether and rigid 4,5-dibromo-2,7-di-tert-butyl-9,9-dimethyl-9H-xanthene backbones as pyrazolyl analogues of DPEphos and Xantphos ligands, respectively. The synthesis of new pyrazolyl analogues was accomplished following an Ullmann coupling protocol, and the resulting products were isolated in overall good yields. In addition, a hybrid imidazolyl–pyrazolyl analogue bearing a xanthene backbone was synthesized using the same protocol, whereas a hybrid selanyl–pyrazolyl analogue with a xanthene backbone was synthesized in a good yield employing a second C–H activation step. The symmetrical bis-pyrazolyl and the hybrid imidazolyl–pyrazolyl analogues were found to be the most active among the new ligands evaluated in the Pd-catalysed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of aryl halides with aryl boronic acids. A simple catalytic system based on Pd(OAc)2/2a was developed, which efficiently catalyses the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction of aryl halides and aryl boronic acids and provides moderate to excellent yields of the corresponding cross-coupling products.
PFN2a Suppresses C2C12 Myogenic Development by Inhibiting Proliferation and Promoting Apoptosis via the p53 Pathway
Authors: Li Huaqin , Hou Lianjie , Zhang Yu , Jiang Fangyi , Zhu Yifan , Li Qing X. , Hu Ching Yuan , Wang Chong
Published: August 2019

Skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in physical activity and in regulating body energy and protein balance. Myoblast proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis are indispensable processes for myoblast myogenesis. Profilin 2a (PFN2a) is a ubiquitous actin monomer-binding protein and promotes lung cancer growth and metastasis through suppressing the nuclear localization of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). However, how PFN2a regulates myoblast myogenic development is still not clear. We constructed a C2C12 mouse myoblast cell line overexpressing PFN2a. The CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to study the function of PFN2a in C2C12 myogenic development. We find that PFN2a suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis and consequentially downregulates C2C12 myogenic development. The suppression of PFN2a also decreases the amount of HDAC1 in the nucleus and increases the protein level of p53 during C2C12 myogenic development. Therefore, we propose that PFN2a suppresses C2C12 myogenic development via the p53 pathway. Si-p53 (siRNA-p53) reverses the PFN2a inhibitory effect on C2C12 proliferation and the PFN2a promotion effect on C2C12 apoptosis, and then attenuates the suppression of PFN2a on myogenic differentiation. Our results expand understanding of PFN2a regulatory mechanisms in myogenic development and suggest potential therapeutic targets for muscle atrophy-related diseases.
Dynamics of Dynamin-Related Protein 1 in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Oliver Darryll , Reddy P.
Published: August 2019

The purpose of this article is to highlight the role of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) in abnormal mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial fragmentation, autophagy/mitophagy, and neuronal damage in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and obesity. Dynamin-related protein 1 is one of the evolutionarily highly conserved large family of GTPase proteins. Drp1 is critical for mitochondrial division, size, shape, and distribution throughout the neuron, from cell body to axons, dendrites, and nerve terminals. Several decades of intense research from several groups revealed that Drp1 is enriched at neuronal terminals and involved in synapse formation and synaptic sprouting. Different phosphorylated forms of Drp1 acts as both increased fragmentation and/or increased fusion of mitochondria. Increased levels of Drp1 were found in diseased states and caused excessive fragmentation of mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal damage. In the last two decades, several Drp1 inhibitors have been developed, including Mdivi-1, Dynasore, P110, and DDQ and their beneficial effects tested using cell cultures and mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent research using genetic crossing studies revealed that a partial reduction of Drp1 is protective against mutant protein(s)-induced mitochondrial and synaptic toxicities. Based on findings from cell cultures, mouse models and postmortem brains of AD and other neurodegenerative disease, we cautiously conclude that reduced Drp1 is a promising therapeutic target for AD and other neurological diseases.
Forkhead Domains of FOXO Transcription Factors Differ in both Overall Conformation and Dynamics
Authors: Psenakova Katarina , Kohoutova Klara , Obsilova Veronika , Ausserlechner Michael , Veverka Vaclav , Obsil Tomas
Published: August 2019

FOXO transcription factors regulate cellular homeostasis, longevity and response to stress. FOXO1 (also known as FKHR) is a key regulator of hepatic glucose production and lipid metabolism, and its specific inhibition may have beneficial effects on diabetic hyperglycemia by reducing hepatic glucose production. Moreover, all FOXO proteins are considered potential drug targets for drug resistance prevention in cancer therapy. However, the development of specific FOXO inhibitors requires a detailed understanding of structural differences between individual FOXO DNA-binding domains. The high-resolution structure of the DNA-binding domain of FOXO1 reported in this study and its comparison with structures of other FOXO proteins revealed differences in both their conformation and flexibility. These differences are encoded by variations in protein sequences and account for the distinct functions of FOXO proteins. In particular, the positions of the helices H1, H2 and H3, whose interface form the hydrophobic core of the Forkhead domain, and the interactions between hydrophobic residues located on the interface between the N-terminal segment, the H2-H3 loop, and the recognition helix H3 differ among apo FOXO1, FOXO3 and FOXO4 proteins. Therefore, the availability of apo structures of DNA-binding domains of all three major FOXO proteins will support the development of FOXO-type-specific inhibitors.
Extracellular Vesicles: A Possible Link between HIV and Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Pathology in HIV Subjects?
Authors: Kodidela Sunitha , Gerth Kelli , Haque Sanjana , Gong Yuqing , Ismael Saifudeen , Singh Ajay , Ishrat Tauheed , Kumar Santosh
Published: August 2019

The longevity of people with HIV/AIDS has been prolonged with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The age-related complications, especially cognitive deficits, rise as HIV patients live longer. Deposition of beta-amyloid (Aβ), a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), has been observed in subjects with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Various mechanisms such as neuroinflammation induced by HIV proteins (e.g., Tat, gp120, Nef), excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and the use of ART contribute to the deposition of Aβ, leading to dementia. However, progressive dementia in older subjects with HIV might be due to HAND, AD, or both. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs)/exosomes, have gained recognition for their importance in understanding the pathology of both HAND and AD. EVs can serve as a possible link between HIV and AD, due to their ability to package and transport the toxic proteins implicated in both AD and HIV (Aβ/tau and gp120/tat, respectively). Given that Aß is also elevated in neuron-derived exosomes isolated from the plasma of HIV patients, it is reasonable to suggest that neuron-to-neuron exosomal transport of Aβ and tau also contributes to AD-like pathology in HIV-infected subjects. Therefore, exploring exosomal contents is likely to help distinguish HAND from AD. However, future prospective clinical studies need to be conducted to compare the exosomal contents in the plasma of HIV subjects with and without HAND as well as those with and without AD. This would help to find new markers and develop new treatment strategies to treat AD in HIV-positive subjects. This review presents comprehensive literatures on the mechanisms contributing to Aβ deposition in HIV-infected cells, the role of EVs in the propagation of Aβ in AD, the possible role of EVs in HIV-induced AD-like pathology, and finally, possible therapeutic targets or molecules to treat HIV subjects with AD.
Mechanisms and Pathophysiological Roles of the ATG8 Conjugation Machinery
Authors: Lystad Alf Håkon , Simonsen Anne
Published: August 2019

Since their initial discovery around two decades ago, the yeast autophagy-related (Atg)8 protein and its mammalian homologues of the light chain 3 (LC3) and γ-aminobutyric acid receptor associated proteins (GABARAP) families have been key for the tremendous expansion of our knowledge about autophagy, a process in which cytoplasmic material become targeted for lysosomal degradation. These proteins are ubiquitin-like proteins that become directly conjugated to a lipid in the autophagy membrane upon induction of autophagy, thus providing a marker of the pathway, allowing studies of autophagosome biogenesis and maturation. Moreover, the ATG8 proteins function to recruit components of the core autophagy machinery as well as cargo for selective degradation. Importantly, comprehensive structural and biochemical in vitro studies of the machinery required for ATG8 protein lipidation, as well as their genetic manipulation in various model organisms, have provided novel insight into the molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological roles of the mATG8 proteins. Recently, it has become evident that the ATG8 proteins and their conjugation machinery are also involved in intracellular pathways and processes not related to autophagy. This review focuses on the molecular functions of ATG8 proteins and their conjugation machinery in autophagy and other pathways, as well as their links to disease.
The Cynomolgus Macaque MHC Polymorphism in Experimental Medicine
Authors: Shiina Takashi , Blancher Antoine
Published: August 2019

Among the non-human primates used in experimental medicine, cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis hereafter referred to as Mafa) are increasingly selected for the ease with which they are maintained and bred in captivity. Macaques belong to Old World monkeys and are phylogenetically much closer to humans than rodents, which are still the most frequently used animal model. Our understanding of the Mafa genome has progressed rapidly in recent years and has greatly benefited from the latest technical advances in molecular genetics. Cynomolgus macaques are widespread in Southeast Asia and numerous studies have shown a distinct genetic differentiation of continental and island populations. The major histocompatibility complex of cynomolgus macaque (Mafa MHC) is organized in the same way as that of human, but it differs from the latter by its high degree of classical class I gene duplication. Human polymorphic MHC regions play a pivotal role in allograft transplantation and have been associated with more than 100 diseases and/or phenotypes. The Mafa MHC polymorphism similarly plays a crucial role in experimental allografts of organs and stem cells. Experimental results show that the Mafa MHC class I and II regions influence the ability to mount an immune response against infectious pathogens and vaccines. MHC also affects cynomolgus macaque reproduction and impacts on numerous biological parameters. This review describes the Mafa MHC polymorphism and the methods currently used to characterize it. We discuss some of the major areas of experimental medicine where an effect induced by MHC polymorphism has been demonstrated.
Development of the Help Overcoming Pain Early (HOPE) Programme Built on a Person-Centred Approach to Support School Nurses in the Care of Adolescents with Chronic Pain—A Feasibility Study
Authors: Nilsson Stefan , Wallbing Ulrika , Alfvén Gösta , Dalenius Kristina , Fors Andreas , Golsäter Marie , Rosvall Per-Åke , Wigert Helena , Lundberg Mari
Published: August 2019

Chronic pain and its consequences are major global health challenges, and the prevalence is increasing worldwide among adolescents. Adolescents spend most of their waking hours in school; however, there is limited research available on how school nurses can address chronic pain among adolescents in the Swedish school context. Therefore, we designed a person-centred intervention, known as Help Overcoming Pain Early (HOPE), to enable school nurses to offer adolescents strategies to manage their stress and pain. We used the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing and designing this new complex intervention. For this study, we describe two of the four phases: (a) development and (b) feasibility and piloting. The final version of the HOPE programme consists of (i) an educational package for school nurses in the areas person-centred care, stress and pain education/management and gender perspective; and (ii) an intervention package for adolescents with chronic pain. The programme consists of four sessions during which adolescents with chronic pain have person-centred dialogues with a school nurse. The HOPE programme is based on the existing evidence of managing chronic pain and on the assumption that school nurses can support adolescents with chronic pain by using person-centred care.
Interaction of Methane Concentration and Deposition Temperature in Atmospheric Laser Based CVD Diamond Deposition on Hard Metal
Authors: Prieske Markus , Müller Sven , Woizeschke Peer
Published: August 2019

For laser-based plasma chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of diamond on hard metal at atmospheric pressure, without a vacuum chamber, the interaction between the deposition temperature and the methane concentration has to be understood to adjust the coating thickness, deposition duration, and medium diamond crystal size. The hypothesis of this study is that a wider range of methane concentrations could be used to deposit microcrystalline diamond coatings due to the increasing etching and deposition rates with rising deposition temperatures. The deposition of the CVD diamond coatings was carried out on K10 hard metal substrates. The process temperature and the methane concentration were varied from 650 to 1100 °C and from 0.15% to 5.0%, respectively. The coatings were analysed by scanning electron and 3D laser-scanning confocal microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and micro-Raman spectroscopy, as well as cryofracture-based microscopy analysis. The results showed that microcrystalline diamond coatings could be deposited in a wider range of methane concentrations when increasing the process temperature. The coating thickness saturates depending on the process temperature even though the methane concentration constantly increases. The coating thickness increases with an increasing deposition temperature until the cobalt diffusion hinders the deposition at the process temperature of 1100 °C.
Directly Writing Patterning of Conductive Material by High Voltage Induced Weak Electric Arc Machining (HV-μEAM)
Authors: Peng Zilong , Feng Tianming , Wei Zilong , Zhang Yong , Li Yinan
Published: August 2019

An additive manufacturing (AM) method for the deposition of metallic layer in micron scale on monocrystalline silicon wafer surface by high voltage induced weak electric arc machining (HV-μEAM) has been proposed. The process characteristics of HV-μEAM are analyzed to fulfil the metal material deposition. The influence of the processing parameters on the deposition effect were studied with copper as additive electrode material. Using the optimal parameters, a number of complex trajectory deposition experiments have been carried out and a QD character-type deposition layer with a height of 139.09 μm has been obtained. The deposition has good continuity and high forming precision. It is proven that the new method is achievable and efficient for patterning metallic materials in the micro- and nano-scale on the silicon substrates surface.
High Temperature Oxidation Behaviors of CrNx and Cr-Si-N Thin Films at 1000 °C
Authors: Lou Bih-Show , Chang Yue-Chyuan , Lee Jyh-Wei
Published: August 2019

The high temperature oxidation performance of nitride thin films has become an important issue when they are used as protective coatings on dry cutting tools or on die casting molds. In this study, the high temperature oxidation behaviors of CrNx and Cr-Si-N thin films were investigated at 1000 °C for 6 h in ambient air. The CrNx and Cr-Si-N thin films were prepared by a bipolar asymmetric pulsed direct-current (DC) magnetron sputtering system. Cr-Si-N films with silicon content ranging from 3.9 to 12.2 at.% were deposited by adjusting the Si target power. A thermogravimeter was adopted to study the oxidation kinetics of thin films. The weight gains were measured to calculate the parabolic rate constants of thin films. X-ray diffraction, X-ray mapping, and Auger electron spectroscopy were employed to study the microstructure and elemental redistributions of oxidized thin films. The as-deposited CrNx and Cr-Si-N thin films consisted of CrN and Cr2N mixed phases. The faceted Cr2O3 surface oxides, porous inner oxide layer, and oxygen-containing CrSi2 phases were found for the CrN film after oxidation test. On the other hand, the Cr-Si-N film containing 12.2 at.% Si showed a dense surface oxide layer and a thick and compact nitride layer, which indicates its best oxidation resistance. The high temperature oxidation resistance of Cr-Si-N thin films was improved by increasing Si content, due to the amorphous matrix contained nanocomposite microstructure and the formation of amorphous silicon oxide to retard the diffusion paths of oxygen, chromium, silicon, and nitrogen. The lowest parabolic rate constant of 1.48 × 10–2 mg2/cm4/h was obtained for the 12.2 at.% Si contained Cr-Si-N thin films, which provided the best oxidation resistance at 1000 °C for 6 h in this work. It should be noted that the residual tensile stress of thin film had a detrimental effect on the adhesion property during the oxidation test.
Phragmites Communis Leaves with Anisotropy, Superhydrophobicity and Self-Cleaning Effect and Biomimetic Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Replicas
Authors: Guan Huiying , Feng Xiaoming , Zhang Junqiu , Niu Shichao , Han Zhiwu
Published: August 2019

Phragmites communis leaf (PCL) is anisotropic, superhydrophobic and shows a self-cleaning effect. The water contact angle (WCA) values along the vertical and parallel vein directions on PCL are 153° ± 2° and 148° ± 2°, respectively. In contrast, the water sliding angle (WSA) values along the vertical and parallel vein directions for PCL are 12° ± 2° and 7° ± 2°, respectively. The epidermal wax makes the leaves intrinsically hydrophobic. The microstructure of the PCL surface shows sub-millimetre-, micron- and nanometre-scale structures. The sub-millimetre ridge structure is the main reason for the anisotropy of the leaves. The micron-scale papillae structure has a strong hydrophobic enhancement effect, and the nanoscale sheet structure is the key factor in achieving a stable Cassie state, as well as superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning activities. PCL-like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) samples fabricated by template transfer technology exhibited the sub-millimetre ridge structure and micron-scale papillae from the natural PCL; they also show obvious anisotropy and strong hydrophobicity and have a certain self-cleaning effect. The WCA and WSA values along the vertical and parallel vein directions on PCL are 146° ± 2°, 23° ± 2°, 142° ± 2° and 19° ± 2°, respectively. The preparation of a biomimetic PCL surface has broad application prospects in micro-fluidic control and the non-destructive transmission of liquids.
Microstructural and Corrosion Behavior of High Velocity Arc Sprayed FeCrAl/Al Composite Coating on Q235 Steel Substrate
Authors: Ndiithi Ndumia Joseph , Kang Min , Zhu Jiping , Lin Jinran , Nyambura Samuel Mbugua , Liu Yuntong , Huang Fang
Published: August 2019

High velocity arc spraying was used to prepare FeCrAl/Al composite coating on Q235 steel substrate by simultaneously spraying FeCrAl wire as the anode and Al wire as the cathode. The composite coating was sprayed with varying voltage and current to obtain optimum coating characteristics. FeCrAl coating was also prepared for comparison purposes. The surface microstructure of the coatings was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average microhardness of the coatings and the substrate was analyzed and compared. Corrosion resistance was investigated by means of electrochemical tests. The image results showed that a lamellar structure consisted of interwoven layers of FeCrAl and Al. Al and FeCr constituted the main phases with traces of oxides and AlFe intermetallic compounds. The average porosity was reduced and microhardness of the coatings was improved with increasing voltage and current. The FeCrAl/Al coating formed alternating layers of hard and ductile phases; the corrosion resistance of the coatings in the sodium chloride (NaCl) solution depended on the increase in Al content and spray parameters. The corrosion resistance tests indicated that FeCrAl/Al coating had a better corrosion resistance than the FeCrAl coating. FeCrAl/Al can be used to coat steel substrates and increase their corrosion resistance.
Influence of LBE Temperatures on the Microstructure and Properties of Crystalline and Amorphous Multiphase Ceramic Coatings
Authors: Chen Yong , Hu Liangbin , Qiu Changjun , He Bin , Zhou Lihua , Zhao Jing , Li Yanxi
Published: August 2019

An Al2O3–TiO2 amorphous composite coating with a thickness of 100–120 μm was fabricated on China low activation martensitic steel (CLAM steel) by oxygen acetylene flame spraying technology and the laser in-situ reaction method. We investigated the microstructures and mechanical properties of the coating after liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) alloy corrosion under different temperatures for 300 h and found that the corrosion temperature of the LBE had no observable effect on the microstructure and chemical phase of the Al2O3–TiO2 amorphous composite coatings. However, the mechanical properties (micro-hardness and shear strength) of the Al2O3–TiO2 multiphase coating deteriorated slightly with the increase in the immersion temperature of the LBE. As a result of oxygen acetylene flame spraying and laser in-situ reaction technology, it was found that the Al2O3–TiO2 amorphous composite coating exhibits an excellent LBE corrosion resistance, which is a candidate structural material for the accelerator-driven subcritical system (ADS) to handle nuclear waste under extreme conditions.
A First-Principles Exploration of NaxSy Binary Phases at 1 atm and Under Pressure
Authors: Geng Nisha , Bi Tiange , Zarifi Niloofar , Yan Yan , Zurek Eva
Published: August 2019

Interest in Na-S compounds stems from their use in battery materials at 1 atm, as well as the potential for superconductivity under pressure. Evolutionary structure searches coupled with Density Functional Theory calculations were employed to predict stable and low-lying metastable phases of sodium poor and sodium rich sulfides at 1 atm and within 100–200 GPa. At ambient pressures, four new stable or metastable phases with unbranched sulfur motifs were predicted: Na2S3 with C 2 / c and Imm2 symmetry, C 2 -Na2S5 and C 2 -Na2S8. Van der Waals interactions were shown to affect the energy ordering of various polymorphs. At high pressure, several novel phases that contained a wide variety of zero-, one-, and two-dimensional sulfur motifs were predicted, and their electronic structures and bonding were analyzed. At 200 GPa, P 4 / m m m -Na2S8 was predicted to become superconducting below 15.5 K, which is close to results previously obtained for the β -Po phase of elemental sulfur. The structures of the most stable M3S and M4S, M = Na, phases differed from those previously reported for compounds with M = H, Li, K.
An Optimization of Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystals at Low Refractive Index Material
Authors: Nguyen Thanh-Phuong , Tien Tran Quoc , Tong Quang Cong , Lai Ngoc Diep
Published: August 2019

Photonic crystal (PC) is usually realized in materials with high refractive indices contrast to achieve a photonic bandgap (PBG). In this work, we demonstrated an optimization of two-dimensional PCs using a low refractive index polymer material. An original idea of assembly of polymeric multiple rings in a hexagonal configuration allowed us to obtain a circular-like structure with higher symmetry, resulting in a larger PBG at a low refractive index of 1.6. The optical properties of such newly proposed structure are numerically calculated by using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The proposed structures were realized experimentally by using a direct laser writing technique based on low one-photon absorption method.
Triglycine-Based Approach for Identifying the Substrate Recognition Site of an Enzyme
Authors: Nam Ki Hyun
Published: August 2019

Various peptides or non-structural amino acids are recognized by their specific target proteins, and perform a biological role in various pathways in vivo. Understanding the interactions between target protein and peptides (or non-structural amino acids) provides key information on the molecular interactions, which can be potentially translated to the development of novel drugs. However, it is experimentally challenging to determine the crystal structure of protein–peptide complexes. To obtain structural information on the substrate recognition of the peptide-recognizing enzyme, X-ray crystallographic studies were performed using triglycine (Gly-Gly-Gly) as the main-chain of the peptide. The crystal structure of Parengyodontium album Proteinase K in complex with triglcyine was determined at a 1.4 Å resolution. Two different bound conformations of triglycine were observed at the substrate recognition site. The triglycine backbone forms stable interactions with β5-α4 and α5-β6 loops of the main-chain. One of the triglycine-binding conformations was identical to the binding mode of a peptide-based inhibitor from a previously reported crystal structure of Proteinase K. Triglycine has potential application in X-ray crystallography in order to identify the substrate recognition sites in the peptide binding enzymes.
A New Physically Meaningful Threshold of Sample Entropy for Detecting Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Xiong Jinle , Liang Xueyu , Zhu Tingting , Zhao Lina , Li Jianqing , Liu Chengyu
Published: August 2019

Sample Entropy (SampEn) is a popular method for assessing the regularity of physiological signals. Prior to the entropy calculation, certain common parameters need to be initialized: Embedding dimension m, tolerance threshold r and time series length N. Nevertheless, the determination of these parameters is usually based on expert experience. Improper assignments of these parameters tend to bring invalid values, inconsistency and low statistical significance in entropy calculation. In this study, we proposed a new tolerance threshold with physical meaning ( r p ), which was based on the sampling resolution of physiological signals. Statistical significance, percentage of invalid entropy values and ROC curve were used to evaluate the proposed r p against the traditional threshold ( r t ). Normal sinus rhythm (NSR), congestive heart failure (CHF) as well as atrial fibrillation (AF) RR interval recordings from Physionet were used as the test data. The results demonstrated that the proposed r p had better stability than r t , hence more adaptive to detect cardiovascular diseases of CHF and AF.
Spectral Quasi-Linearization Method for Non-Darcy Porous Medium with Convective Boundary Condition
Authors: Alharbey R. A. , Mondal Hiranmoy , Behl Ramandeep
Published: August 2019

The boundary layer micropolar fluid over a horizontal plate embedded in a non-Darcy porous medium is investigated in this study. This paper is solely focused on contributions oriented towards the application of micropolar fluid flow over a stretching sheet. The prime equations are renewed to ordinary differential equations with the assistance of similarity transformation; they are then subsequently solved numerically using the spectral quasi-linearization method (SQLM) for direct Taylor series expansions that can be applied to non-linear terms in order to linearize them. The spectral collocation approach is then applied to solve the resulting linearized system of equations. The paper acquires realistic numerical explanations for rapidly convergent solutions using the spectral quasi-linearization method. Convergence of the numerical solutions was monitored using the residual error of the PDEs. The validity of our model is established using error analysis. The impact of different geometric parameters on angular velocity, temperature, and entropy generation numbers are presented in graphs. The results show that the entropy generation number decelerates with an increase in Reynolds number and Brinkmann number. The velocity profile increases with the increasing material parameter. The results indicate that the fluid angular velocity decreases throughout the boundary layer for increasing values of the material parameter.
Assessment of Economic Security of Households Based on a Scenario Analysis
Authors: Kośny Marek , Piotrowska Maria
Published: August 2019

The article proposes a method to assess the level of economic security, based on the analysis of scenarios of future events. These scenarios cover realistically possible combinations of future events, both positive and negative, allowing for an assessment of their financial implications. The empirical part of the paper contains the results of applying the proposed method to the Polish data. In the scenarios considered, changes in the situation of individuals in the labour market and changes in the level of income and expenditure are taken into account.
Remote Hardware Controlled Experiment Virtual Laboratory for Undergraduate Teaching in Power Electronics
Authors: Cheng Ka , Chan Chung
Published: August 2019

A remote-controlled experiment for power electronics was developed for a virtual laboratory. Power converter experiments were set up, allowing students to conduct a remote-controlled experiment with special hardware and electric power. Students can activate parameter controls, connect wires, and tune electric load conditions with preset electronic laboratory instruction. Waveforms and experimental voltage and currents are measured, and the results can be delivered to users via the internet. The virtual laboratory features lecture notes and other computer simulations to improve learning. The development was used in a class of a power electronics course, in which students participated in a trial of the virtual experiment. The feedback from the students was very positive, and it was observed that students displayed better time management and improved learning and understanding of laboratory procedure as compared to a conventional laboratory class.
Experiments on a Real-Time Energy Management System for Islanded Prosumer Microgrids
Authors: Macana Carlos A. , Pota Hemanshu R. , Zhu Quanyan , Guerrero Josep M. , Vasquez Juan C.
Published: August 2019

This paper presents an experimental demonstration of a novel real-time Energy Management System (EMS) for inverter-based microgrids to achieve optimal economic operation using a simple dynamic algorithm without offline optimization process requirements. The dynamic algorithm solves the economic dispatch problem offering an adequate stability performance and an optimal power reference tracking under sudden load and generation changes. Convergence, optimality and frequency regulation properties of the real-time EMS are shown, and the effectiveness and compatibility with inner and primary controllers are validated in experiments, showing better performance on optimal power tracking and frequency regulation than conventional droop control power sharing techniques.
A Joint Reliable Transport Strategy in Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Wang Zhaoxu , Zhou Huachun , Feng Bohao , Zhang Yuming
Published: August 2019

Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is promising in bringing various data services from the traditional Internet to vehicle networks. Therefore, a reliable transport service in IoV needs to cross multiple heterogeneous networks with quite different characteristics. However, no single transport protocol is able to cope with such complex scenarios comprehensively with efficient data transmission all the way. To this end, we provide a solution named the joint reliable transport strategy (JR-TS) that selects different transport protocols on demand based on various scenarios, and builds an entire end-to-end route by linking all these transport protocols head to tail. Currently, JR-TS has already included three types of transport protocols to adapt to three typical network scenarios. With the proper implementations and settings, JR-TS can improve end-to-end transport performance and cache capacity efficiency more effectively than any single transport protocol.
An Efficient Precoding Scheme for Millimeter-Wave Massive MIMO Systems
Authors: Alemaishat Salem , Saraereh Omar A. , Khan Imran , Affes Sophene H. , Li Xingwang , Lee Jeong Woo
Published: August 2019

Aiming at the problem of high computational complexity due to a large number of antennas deployed in mmWave massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems, this paper proposes an efficient algorithm for optimizing beam control vectors with low computational complexity based on codebooks for millimeter-wave massive MIMO systems with split sub-arrays hybrid beamforming architecture. A bidirectional method is adopted on the beam control vector of each antenna sub-array both at the transmitter and receiver, which utilizes the idea of interference alignment (IA) and alternating optimization. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has low computational complexity, fast convergence, and improved spectral efficiency as compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms.
Robust Joint Optimization of Transmit Power and Decoding Order in Uplink NOMA Systems
Authors: Bui Van-Phuc , Nguyen Hieu V. , Nguyen Van-Dinh , Shin Oh-Soon
Published: August 2019

We consider a robust design problem for achieving max-min fairness amongst users in an uplink non-orthogonal multiple access system under imperfect channel state information. Contrary to the conventional approach adopted in the literature, we propose an optimal decoding order-based successive interference cancellation technique by introducing new binary variables, which results in a difficult class of mixed-integer nonconvex optimization problem. For a practical application, we devise an efficient suboptimal solution based on the inner convex approximation framework, which solves a second-order-cone program at each iteration. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate its performance gain over state-of-the-art designs. The proposed design also yields data rates close to those obtained by an exhaustive search method.
Energy Efficiency Based Control Strategy of a Three-Level Interleaved DC-DC Buck Converter Supplying a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer
Authors: Yodwong Burin , Guilbert Damien , Kaewmanee Wattana , Phattanasak Matheepot
Published: August 2019

To face the intensive use of natural gas and other fossil fuels to generate hydrogen, water electrolysis based on renewable energy sources (RES) seems to be a viable solution. Due to their fast response times, and high efficiency, proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEM EL) is the most suitable technology for long-term energy storage, combined with RES. Like fuel cells, the development of fit DC-DC converters is mandatory to interface the EL to the DC grid. Given that PEM EL operating voltages are quite low and to meet requirements in terms of output current ripples, new emerging interleaved DC-DC converter topologies seem to be the best candidates. In this work, a three-level interleaved DC-DC buck converter has been chosen to supply a PEM EL from a DC grid. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to develop a suitable control strategy of this interleaved topology connected to a PEM EL emulator. To design the control strategy, investigations have been carried out on energy efficiency, hydrogen flow rate, and specific energy consumption. The obtained experimental results validate the performance of the converter in protecting the PEM EL during transient operations while guaranteeing correct specific energy consumption.
Predictive Dynamic Window Approach Development with Artificial Neural Fuzzy Inference Improvement
Authors: Teso-Fz-Betoño Daniel , Zulueta Ekaitz , Fernandez-Gamiz Unai , Saenz-Aguirre Aitor , Martinez Raquel
Published: August 2019

The aim of this paper is to improve the dynamic window approach algorithm for mobile robots by implementing a prediction window with a fuzzy inference system to adapt to fixed parameters, depending on the surrounding conditions. The first implementation shows the advantage of the prediction step in terms of optimizing the path selection. The second improvement uses fuzzy inference to optimize each of the fixed parameters’ values to increase the algorithm performance. Nevertheless, a simple fuzzy inference system (FIS) was not used for this particular study; instead, an artificial neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was used, thus making it possible to develop a FIS system with a back-propagation technique. Each parameter would have a particular ANFIS, in order to modify the α D , β D , and γ D parameters individually. At the end of the article, different scenarios are analyzed to determine whether the developments in this article have improved the DWA behavior. The results show that the prediction step and ANFIS adapt DWA performance by optimizing the path resolution.
MID Filter: An Orientation-Based Nonlinear Filter For Reducing Multiplicative Noise
Authors: Ince Ibrahim Furkan , Ince Omer Faruk , Bulut Faruk
Published: August 2019

In this study, an edge-preserving nonlinear filter is proposed to reduce multiplicative noise by using a filter structure based on mathematical morphology. This method is called the minimum index of dispersion (MID) filter. MID is an improved and extended version of MCV (minimum coefficient of variation) and MLV (mean least variance) filters. Different from these filters, this paper proposes an extra-layer for the value-and-criterion function in which orientation information is employed in addition to the intensity information. Furthermore, the selection function is re-modeled by performing low-pass filtering (mean filtering) to reduce multiplicative noise. MID outputs are benchmarked with the outputs of MCV and MLV filters in terms of structural similarity index (SSIM), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), mean squared error (MSE), standard deviation, and contrast value metrics. Additionally, F Score, which is a hybrid metric that is the combination of all five of those metrics, is presented in order to evaluate all the filters. Experimental results and extensive benchmarking studies show that the proposed method achieves promising results better than conventional MCV and MLV filters in terms of robustness in both edge preservation and noise removal. Noise filter methods normally cannot give better results in noise removal and edge-preserving at the same time. However, this study proves a great contribution that MID filter produces better results in both noise cleaning and edge preservation.
Multi-Task Scheduling Based on Classification in Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Zheng Xiao , Chen Yuanfang , Alam Muhammad , Guo Jun
Published: August 2019

In this paper, a dynamic multi-task scheduling prototype is proposed to improve the limited resource utilization in the vehicular networks (VNET) assisted by mobile edge computing (MEC). To ensure quality of service (QoS) and meet the growing data demands, multi-task scheduling strategies should be specially constructed by considering vehicle mobility and hardware service constraints. We investigate the rational scheduling of multiple computing tasks to minimize the VNET loss. To avoid conflicts between tasks when the vehicle moves, we regard multi-task scheduling (MTS) as a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem, and the whole goal is to find the Pareto optimal solution. Therefore, we develop some gradient-based multi-objective optimization algorithms. Those optimization algorithms are unable to deal with large-scale task scheduling because they become unscalable as the task number and gradient dimensions increase. We therefore further investigate an upper bound of the loss of multi-objective and prove that it can be optimized in an effective way. Moreover, we also reach the conclusion that, with practical assumptions, we can produce a Pareto optimal solution by upper bound optimization. Compared with the existing methods, the experimental results show that the accuracy is significantly improved.
Improvement of Short-Term BIPV Power Predictions Using Feature Engineering and a Recurrent Neural Network
Authors: Lee Dongkyu , Jeong Jinhwa , Yoon Sung Hoon , Chae Young Tae
Published: August 2019

The time resolution and prediction accuracy of the power generated by building-integrated photovoltaics are important for managing electricity demand and formulating a strategy to trade power with the grid. This study presents a novel approach to improve short-term hourly photovoltaic power output predictions using feature engineering and machine learning. Feature selection measured the importance score of input features by using a model-based variable importance. It verified that the normative sky index in the weather forecasted data had the least importance as a predictor for hourly prediction of photovoltaic power output. Six different machine-learning algorithms were assessed to select an appropriate model for the hourly power output prediction with onsite weather forecast data. The recurrent neural network outperformed five other models, including artificial neural networks, support vector machines, classification and regression trees, chi-square automatic interaction detection, and random forests, in terms of its ability to predict photovoltaic power output at an hourly and daily resolution for 64 tested days. Feature engineering was then used to apply dropout observation to the normative sky index from the training and prediction process, which improved the hourly prediction performance. In particular, the prediction accuracy for overcast days improved by 20% compared to the original weather dataset used without dropout observation. The results show that feature engineering effectively improves the short-term predictions of photovoltaic power output in buildings with a simple weather forecasting service.
RETRACTED: Nakaten, N.C.; Kempka, T. Techno-Economic Comparison of Onshore and Offshore Underground Coal Gasification End-Product Competitiveness. Energies 2017, 10, 1643
Authors: Nakaten Natalie , Kempka Thomas
Published: August 2019

A programming error in our simulation model resulted in the overestimation of three input mass streams, inducing follow-up errors in the mass and energy balance calculations as well as the economic assessment, so that the results presented in the manuscript [...]