bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of NPK on growth, yield and seed quality of hybrid Chilli
Authors: Hasan M , Robbani M , Parvin R , Mehedi MNH , Hossain I
Published: September 2019

An experiment was carried out at Germplasm Centre and Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Horticulture, PSTU to evaluate the growth, seed yield and quality of hybrid F1 chilli (cv. Sonic) crossing male line (LTSL-004-M) and female line (LTSL-004-F) along the viability of productive seeds influenced by NPK fertilizers during the period from November 2015 to October 2016. Ten different treatments of NPK fertilizers were used. Result showed that all the characteristics except primary branches and1000 seed weight were influenced significantly due to the application of NPK fertilizers. The tallest plant (69.88 cm), more leaves plant–1 (2491.33), highest number of secondary branches plant-1, tertiary branches plant-1 (5.00 and 88.00, respectively), number of flowers and hybrid fruits plant–1 (1533.00 and 12.33, respectively) and weight of seeds (4.03 g plant–1) along with required more time (54.67 days) for flowering were obtained from the application of 145 kg N ha–1, 175 kg P ha–1 and 96 kg K ha–1 (T4) which produced the highest final seed yield of chilli (4.03 kg ha–1). Application of T5 and T9 showed the highest number of primary branches (2.33). In seed viability characteristics T9 treated seeds showed the highest germination (100, 97.33 and 94.97%) at 1st, (1 MAH - Month After Harvest), 2nd (2 MAH) and 3rd (4 MAH) observations, respectively. The T3 treated seeds performed well in respect of Seed Vigour Index (SVI) at 1st and 2nd observations (8.00 and 7.48, respectively) but T9 treated seeds showed the highest SVI (6.32) at 3rd observation. Above indicating all characteristics were lowest under only recommended doses of NPK T1 as control treatment except days to first flowering. The observations suggested that production of hybrid chilli seeds could be enhanced by applying T4. While seeds of chilli treated by T9 in field level showed long time viable. Application of 145 kg N ha–1, 175 kg P ha–1 and 96 kg K ha–1 may be suggested for seed production of chilli and 110 kg N ha–1, + 175 kg P ha–1 + 115 kg K ha–1 for keeping the long time seed viability.

Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 9 (1): 35-41, June, 2019
State Financial Transfers in Environmental Protection: The Case of Vietnam
Authors: Tran Khanh Hung , Nguyen Duc Hung
Published: September 2019

This paper examines the practice and the effectiveness of the instrument of state financial transfers to the business sector in the implementation of investment in the field of environmental protection through Environment Protection Funds. Focusing on the case of Vietnam Environment Protection Fund, we found that the instrument of state financial transfers including grants, soft loans, accelerated depreciation allowances, tax incentives, and subsidies have propensity for lack of effectiveness due to creating insufficient incentives and increasing burden on the State budget. The application of market-based instruments is more effective but in Vietnam the rate of this figure is only 1% for market-based instruments while most of its budget (99%) spends on soft loans projects. Therefore, the recommendations are proposed to reduce the instruments of state financial transfers and foster use of market-based instruments in environmental protection activities for the sustainable development.
ABSENCIA KRIMINOLOGICKÝCH VÝSKUMOV PRI KREOVANÍ TRESTNEJ POLITIKY ŠTÁTU S AKCENTOM NA TREST DOMÁCEHO VÄZENIA
Authors: Tóthová Veronika
Published: September 2019

Autor sa v článku venuje trestnej politike štátu a jej smerovaniu, ktorá sa prejavuje najmä v zmenách platnej legislatívy. Smerovanie trestnej politiky sa prejavilo aj v legislatívnom návrhu zmeny zákona č. 300/2005 Z. z. Trestný zákon v znení neskorších predpisov, najmä v otázkach ukladania alternatívneho trestu domáceho väzenia. Autor poukazuje na skutočnosť, že táto zmena zákona nie je podporená žiadnym logickým argumentom, no najmä poukazuje na absenciu relevantných a hodnotných kriminologických výskumov, nakoľko v Slovenskej republike nebol od dnešného dňa zriadený Kriminologický ústav, ktorého podklady by v konečnom dôsledku mohli viesť samotného zákonodarcu k rozdielnym záverom.
NEMANŽELSKÉ SPOLUŽITIA AKO NOVODOBÝ FENOMÉN V SPOLOČNOSTI A JEHO ÚPRAVA V JUDIKATÚRE EURÓPSKEHO SÚDU PRE ĽUDSKÉ PRÁVA
Authors: Víglaská Nora
Published: September 2019

Táto vedecká práca sa snaží o vymedzenie základných pojmov v spojitosti s problematikou nemanželského spolužitia ako inštitútu, ktorý napriek spoločenskej požiadavke aktuálne rieši zákon v SR len okrajovo. Pozornosť je venovaná rozhodovacej praxi ESĽP zaoberajúcej sa vymedzením nemanželského spolužitia voči „starobylej“ inštitúcii manželstva v súvislosti s čl. 8 a čl. 14 Dohovoru. Práca sa zároveň venuje aj problematike postavenia nemanželských detí a ďalším aspektom nemanželského spolužitia.
Building the collections of the Musée académique de Genève: the contribution from Odessa of Léonard Revilliod
Authors: Hollier John , Hollier Anita , Cibois Alice
Published: September 2019

The attempt to found a museum in Geneva faced many challenges, but the nature of the city also provided some unusual opportunities. Against a background of the French Revolution, political upheaval, war and the creation of a new Swiss state, a few members of the academic and scientific community, led by Henri Boissier and Augustin-Pyramus de Candolle, created an institution in 1818 that was to become famous. Harnessing the patriotism of the population, the presence of eminent scientists, the interest of wealthy patrons, and local and international networks, they began to build a collection. The aim was to establish an educational resource, both for the formal teaching at the Académie de Genève and for public instruction. To attract the public, the donation of spectacular objects was of great help, and many individuals and institutions gave specimens in an early form of crowdsourcing. The academic ambitions required a more systematic effort and detailed collection data to augment the value of the specimens. To achieve this, the friendship and kinship networks of Geneva were brought into play; a comparison of the letters from the museum administration preserved by Léonard Revilliod (1786–1867) and entries in the museum's acquisition register provides a case study of how this interaction worked in practice.
Professional fossil preparators at the British Museum (Natural History), 1843–1990
Authors: Graham Mark R.
Published: September 2019

Since the inception of the British Museum (Natural History) in 1881 (now the Natural History Museum, London), the collection, development and mounting of fossils for scientific study and public exhibition have been undertaken by fossil preparators. Originally known as masons, because of their rock-working skills, their roles expanded in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when, at the forefront of the developing science of palaeontology, the Museum was actively obtaining fossil material from the UK and abroad to build the collections. As greater numbers of more impressive specimens were put on public display, these preparators developed new and better methods to recover and transport fossils from the field, and technical improvements, in the form of powered tools, enabled more detailed mechanical preparation to be undertaken. A recurring theme in the history of palaeontological preparation has been that sons often followed in their fathers' footsteps in earth sciences. William and Thomas Davies, Caleb and Frank Barlow, and Louis and Robert Parsons were all father-and-son geologists and preparators.
First Left, Guv? Mapping the Class-encoded Agency of Commercial Television's Spy-cop Archetype, 1967–78
Authors: Kiszely Philip
Published: September 2019

This article examines depictions of class-encoded agency in the English spy operative and police detective protagonists that appeared on commercial television during the late 1960s and 1970s. Its purpose is to discover connections between constructions of this agency and class-based discourses relating to what Michael Kenny (1995) has termed the ‘first New Left’ (1956–62). The focus of attention is The Sweeney's DI Jack Regan (John Thaw), the most recognisable and fluent expression of the male ‘anti-hero’ archetype in question; but in order to frame an analysis that deals with interrelationships at the level of metanarrative, the article also traces a process of genre interconnection and development. Considerations of class in series such as The Sweeney (ITV, 1975–8), Callan (ITV, 1967–72) and Special Branch (ITV, 1969–74) tend to offer meaning along the lines drawn by the likes of E. P. Thompson, Raymond Williams and Richard Hoggart, as well as other figures associated with the first New Left. The article proposes that key first New Left themes – working-class men finding ‘voice’; empiricism/theory binaries; and discourses of Americanisation and anti-Americanism – not only provide a historical/contextual lens through which to view class-encoded agency, but also constitute a mechanism through which it is expressed.
SOME MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONCRETE REINFORCED WITH DRIED WATER HYACINTH AND QUARRY DUST AS FINE AGGREGATES
Authors: Kiptum C. K. , Rosasi L. , Joseph O. , Odhiamba E.
Published: September 2019

This paper presents some mechanical properties of concrete reinforced with dry water hyacinth stem and quarry dust as fine aggregates. Fresh water hyacinth stems were collected from Lake Victoria; sun dried for a week and chopped into 3 cm long pieces. Sieve analysis was done for fine and coarse aggregates. Concrete mix designs were done according to Department of Environment (United Kingdom) method. A total of 32 cubes of concrete were cast (16 horizontal orientations of fiber, and 16 vertical orientations of fibers). Dry water hyacinth stems were incorporated during casting of cubes in terms of 0%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% of the volume of cube. Average compressive and split tensile strength tests were performed after 28 days. The results showed concrete composed of horizontal orientation of dry water hyacinth stem fibers had an average optimum tensile strength of 1.5 N/mm2 corresponding to 0.1% replacement. In vertical orientation, there was uniform decrease in tensile strength as the percentage replacement increased. Compressive strengths decreased slightly as the composition of water hyacinth fibers increased for both vertical and horizontal orientations.
Генрі Уоллес і законодавче врегулювання контролю за використанням ядерної енергії в США у 1945-1946 рр.
Authors: Lushchak Viktor
Published: September 2019

У статті досліджується проблема формування Закону США «Про атомну енергію» 1946 р. під кутом протистояння цивільного та військового підходів до проблеми контролю над атомною енергією. Було встановлено, що природа протистояння пов’язана з різними поглядами на використання атомної енергії у післявоєнний період: для одних – інструмент підтримки національної безпеки за рахунок монопольного контролю над атомною зброєю, для інших – джерело небезпеки та фактор, перш за все, економічного розвитку. Розглянуто роль, яку відіграв Генрі Уоллес у недопущенні встановлення військової опіки над атомною енергією.
Неопублікований нарис А.В. Флоровського «Про Катерину ІІ»: реконструкція наукового доробку
Authors: Myronchuk Anatolii
Published: September 2019

У статті аналізується неопублікований нарис А.В. Флоровського «Про Катерину ІІ» з його особового фонду в Архіві Російської академії наук. Наголошується на необхідності максимального освоєння рукописної спадщини історика та залучення її до наукового обігу.
The Autonomous Mind: The Right to Freedom of Thought in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: McCarthy-Jones Simon
Published: September 2019

To lose freedom of thought (FoT) is to lose our dignity, our democracy and our very selves. Accordingly, the right to FoT receives absolute protection under international human rights law. However, this foundational right has been neither significantly developed nor often utilized. The contours of this right urgently need to be defined due to twenty-first century threats to FoT posed by new technologies. As such, this paper draws on law and psychology to consider what the right to FoT should be in the twenty-first century. After discussing contemporary threats to FoT, and recent developments in our understanding of thought that can inform the development of the right, this paper considers three elements of the right; the rights not to reveal one's thoughts, not to be penalized for one's thoughts, and not to have one's thoughts manipulated. The paper then considers, for each element, why it should exist, how the law currently treats it, and challenges that will shape it going forward. The paper concludes that the law should develop the right to FoT with the clear understanding that what this aims to secure is mental autonomy. This process should hence begin by establishing the core mental processes that enable mental autonomy, such as attentional and cognitive agency. The paper argues that the domain of the right to FoT should be extended to include external actions that are arguably constitutive of thought, including internet searches and diaries, hence shielding them with absolute protection. It is stressed that law must protect us from threats to FoT from both states and corporations, with governments needing to act under the positive aspect of the right to ensure societies are structured to facilitate mental autonomy. It is suggested that in order to support mental autonomy, information should be provided in autonomy-supportive contexts and friction introduced into decision making processes to facilitate second-order thought. The need for public debate about how society wishes to balance risk and mental autonomy is highlighted, and the question is raised as to whether the importance attached to thought has changed in our culture. The urgency of defending FoT is re-iterated.
Social Interactions in Zoo-Housed Elephants: Factors Affecting Social Relationships
Authors: Williams Ellen , Carter Anne , Hall Carol , Bremner-Harrison Samantha
Published: September 2019

Elephants have complex social systems that are predominantly driven by ecological factors in situ. Within zoos, elephants are held in relatively static social groups and the factors observed driving social relationships in the wild are largely absent. Little research has investigated the effect of social group factors in zoos on elephant social interactions. The aim of this research was to establish whether there is a relationship between social group factors and social behaviour, in order to identify factors that make elephant herds more or less likely to be compatible. Results will facilitate recommendations for optimum social groupings for zoo elephants. Behavioural data quantifying social interactions were collected between January 2016 and February 2017 at seven UK and Irish zoos and safari parks from 10 African and 22 Asian elephants. Social interactions were split into four categories: positive physical, positive non-physical, negative physical and negative non-physical. Social interactions were related to age (positive physical higher and negative non-physical lower in calves than adults), personality (elephants with higher sociability scores engaged in more positive interactions and less negative interactions), presence of calves in the herd (herds with calves had more positive non-physical), relatedness to other elephants in the herd (positive non-physical were higher when relatives were in the group and negative non-physical were higher between unrelated elephants) and species (Asian elephants engaged in more positive non-physical than African elephants). A greater understanding of factors that may contribute to the success of zoo-elephant social groups is important for individual and herd welfare as it will enable evidence-based decisions which have minimal impact on social structures to be executed. This knowledge will enable proactive management approaches to be undertaken and will thus be paramount in ensuring optimal welfare for elephant herds moving forwards.
Effect of Harvest Time and Microbial Anaerobic Fermentation at Ruminal Degradability, In Vitro Digestibility to Milk Production and Milk Quality for Whole Plant Zhang Hybrid Millet in Dairy Cows
Authors: Tian Yujia , Zhang Xuewei , Li Shengli , Liu Kai , Guo Peng
Published: September 2019

This study assessed whether harvest time and microbial anaerobic fermentation could affect ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of whole Zhang hybrid millet, and estimate the effect of microbial anaerobic fermented whole Zhang hybrid millet as feedstuff on milk yield and milk quality. Protein degradation and intestinal digestion were determined using in situ nylon bag technique and three-step in vitro method, respectively. Results showed that harvest time, microbial anaerobic fermentation, or their interaction significantly affected EDDM, EDCP, and EDNDF (p < 0.05). In vitro fermentation was significantly influenced by harvest time. Early harvested samples appeared to have higher Total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and lower acetate: propionate ratio than late harvested ones (p < 0.01). However, significant effect of harvest time and fermentation was failed to find in the estimation of rumen-undegradable protein (RUP) (p > 0.05). Microbial anaerobic fermented whole Zhang hybrid millet as feedstuff provided similar milk compositions compared with controls, and it significantly reduced SCC (p = 0.04). Milk yield was numerically higher in whole Zhang hybrid millet groups. In conclusion, harvest time and microbial anaerobic fermentation could further improve ruminal utilization of whole Zhang hybrid millet. Whole Zhang hybrid millet could be an alternative feedstock for dairy cows with acceptable safety profile and potential benefit in milk production.
Towards Bioengineered Liver Stem Cell Transplantation Studies in a Preclinical Dog Model for Inherited Copper Toxicosis
Authors: Kruitwagen Hedwig S. , Fieten Hille , Penning Louis C.
Published: September 2019

Wilson Disease is a rare autosomal recessive liver disorder in humans. Although its clinical presentation and age of onset are highly variable, hallmarks include signs of liver disease, neurological features and so-called Kayser-Fleischer rings in the eyes of the patient. Hepatic copper accumulation leads to liver disease and eventually to liver cirrhosis. Treatment options include life-long copper chelation therapy and/or decrease in copper intake. Eventually liver transplantations are indicated. Although clinical outcome of liver transplantations is favorable, the lack of suitable donor livers hampers large numbers of transplantations. As an alternative, cell therapies with hepatocytes or liver stem cells are currently under investigation. Stem cell biology in relation to pets is in its infancy. Due to the specific population structure of dogs, canine copper toxicosis is frequently encountered in various dog breeds. Since the histology and clinical presentation resemble Wilson Disease, we combined genetics, gene-editing, and matrices-based stem cell cultures to develop a translational preclinical transplantation model for inherited copper toxicosis in dogs. Here we describe the roadmap followed, starting from the discovery of a causative copper toxicosis mutation in a specific dog breed and culminating in transplantation of genetically-engineered autologous liver stem cells.
FOXO1 Confers Maintenance of the Dark Zone Proliferation and Survival Program and Can Be Pharmacologically Targeted in Burkitt Lymphoma
Authors: Gehringer Franziska , Weissinger Stephanie , Swier Lotteke , Möller Peter , Wirth Thomas , Ushmorov Alexey
Published: September 2019

The FOXO1 transcription factor plays a central role in the proliferation and survival of B cells at several stages of differentiation. B cell malignancies, with exception of classical Hodgkin lymphoma, maintain expression of FOXO1 at levels characteristic for their non-malignant counterparts. Extensive expression profiling had revealed that Burkitt lymphoma (BL) show many characteristics of the dark zone (DZ) germinal center (GC) B cell program. Here we show that FOXO1 knockdown inhibits proliferation of human BL cell lines. The anti-proliferative effect of the FOXO1 knockdown is associated with the repression of the DZ B cell program including expression of MYB, CCND3, RAG2, BACH2, and CXCR4. In addition, the induction of signaling pathways of the light zone (LZ) program like NF-κB and PI3K-AKT was observed. Using a rescue experiment we identified downregulation of the proto-oncogene MYB as a critical factor contributing to the antiproliferative effect of FOXO1 knockdown. In an attempt to estimate the feasibility of pharmacological FOXO1 repression, we found that the small molecular weight FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856 induces cell death and growth arrest in BL cell lines at low concentrations. Interestingly, we found that overactivation of FOXO1 also induces growth inhibition in BL cell lines, indicating the importance of a tight regulation of FOXO1 activity in BL.
Molecular Detection of Minimal Residual Disease before Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Predicts a High Incidence of Early Relapse in Adult Patients with NPM1 Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Lussana Federico , Caprioli Chiara , Stefanoni Paola , Pavoni Chiara , Spinelli Orietta , Buklijas Ksenija , Michelato Anna , Borleri GianMaria , Algarotti Alessandra , Micò Caterina , Grassi Anna , Intermesoli Tamara , Rambaldi Alessandro
Published: September 2019

We analyzed the impact of alloHSCT in a single center cohort of 89 newly diagnosed NPM1mut AML patients, consecutively treated according to the Northern Italy Leukemia Group protocol 02/06 [NCT00495287]. After two consolidation cycles, the detection of measurable residual disease (MRD) by RQ-PCR was strongly associated with an inferior three-year overall survival (OS, 45% versus 84%, p = 0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS, 44% versus 76%, p = 0.006). In MRD-negative patients, post-remissional consolidation with alloHSCT did not provide a significant additional benefit over a conventional chemotherapy in terms of overall survival [OS, 89% (95% CI 71–100%) versus 81% (95% CI 64–100%), p = 0.59] and disease-free survival [DFS, 80% (95% CI 59–100%) versus 75% (95% CI 56–99%), p = 0.87]. On the contrary, in patients with persistent MRD positivity, the three-year OS and DFS were improved in patients receiving an alloHSCT compared to those allocated to conventional chemotherapy (OS, 52% versus 31%, p = 0.45 and DFS, 50% versus 17%, p = 0.31, respectively). However, in this group of patients, the benefit of alloHSCT was still hampered by a high incidence of leukemia relapse during the first year after transplantation (43%, 95% CI 25–60%). Consolidative alloHSCT improves outcomes compared to standard chemotherapy in patients with persistent NPM1mut MRD positivity, but in these high-risk patients, the significant incidence of leukemia relapse must be tackled by post-transplant preemptive treatments.
Anti-Tumor Drug-Loaded Oxygen Nanobubbles for the Degradation of HIF-1α and the Upregulation of Reactive Oxygen Species in Tumor Cells
Authors: Khan Muhammad Saad , Hwang Jangsun , Lee Kyungwoo , Choi Yonghyun , Seo Youngmin , Jeon Hojeong , Hong Jong Wook , Choi Jonghoon
Published: September 2019

Hypoxia is a key concern during the treatment of tumors, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) has been associated with increased tumor resistance to therapeutic modalities. In this study, doxorubicin-loaded oxygen nanobubbles (Dox/ONBs) were synthesized, and the effectiveness of drug delivery to MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and HeLa cells was evaluated. Dox/ONBs were characterized using optical and fluorescence microscopy, and size measurements were performed through nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The working mechanism of Dox was evaluated using reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays, and cellular penetration was assessed with confocal microscopy. Hypoxic conditions were established to assess the effect of Dox/ONBs under hypoxic conditions compared with normoxic conditions. Our results indicate that Dox/ONBs are effective for drug delivery, enhancing oxygen levels, and ROS generation in tumor-derived cell lines.
Effects of Aspirin or Clopidogrel on Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Kuan Yi-Chun , Huang Kuang-Wei , Lin Cheng-Li , Luo Jiing-Chyuan , Kao Chia-Hung
Published: September 2019

Background: The effect of clopidogrel, whose mechanism of action differs from that of aspirin, on CRC risk remains unknown. We investigated the effects of clopidogrel and aspirin, either as monotherapy or combined, on colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: We conducted a cohort study using Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Four groups comprising 218,903 patients using aspirin monotherapy, 20,158 patients using clopidogrel monotherapy, 42,779 patients using dual antiplatelet therapy, and 281,840 nonuser matched controls were created using propensity score matching. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate the CRC risk during follow-up. Results: During the 13-year follow-up period, we found 9431 cases of CRC over 3,409,522 person-years. The overall incidence rates of CRC were 2.04, 3.45, 1.55, and 3.52 per 1000 person-years in the aspirin, clopidogrel, dual antiplatelet, and nonuser cohorts, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56–0.61), 0.77 (95% CI, 0.68–0.87), and 0.37 (95% CI, 0.33–0.40) for the aspirin, clopidogrel, and dual antiplatelet cohorts, respectively. Dose- and duration-dependent chemopreventive effects were observed in the three cohorts.
CNOT2 Is Critically Involved in Atorvastatin Induced Apoptotic and Autophagic Cell Death in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers
Authors: Lee Jihyun , Jung Ji Hoon , Hwang Jisung , Park Ji Eon , Kim Ju-Ha , Park Woon Yi , Suh Jin Young , Kim Sung-Hoon
Published: September 2019

Though Atorvastatin has been used as a hypolipidemic agent, its anticancer mechanisms for repurposing are not fully understood so far. Thus, in the current study, its apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms were investigated in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Atorvastatin increased cytotoxicity, sub G1 population, the number of apoptotic bodies, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase 3 and activated p53 in H1299, H596, and H460 cells. Notably, Atorvastatin inhibited the expression of c-Myc and induced ribosomal protein L5 and L11, but depletion of L5 reduced PARP cleavages induced by Atorvastatin rather than L11 in H1299 cells. Also, Atorvastatin increased autophagy microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3II (LC3 II) conversion, p62/sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) accumulation with increased number of LC3II puncta in H1299 cells. However, late stage autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) increased cytotoxicity in Atorvastatin treated H1299 cells compared to early stage autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Furthermore, autophagic flux assay using RFP-GFP-LC3 constructs and Lysotracker Red or acridine orange-staining demonstrated that autophagosome-lysosome fusion is blocked by Atorvastatin treatment in H1299 cells. Conversely, overexpression of CCR4-NOT transcription complex subunit 2(CNOT2) weakly reversed the ability of Atorvastatin to increase cytotoxicity, sub G1 population, cleavages of PARP and caspase 3, LC3II conversion and p62/SQSTM1 accumulation in H1299 cells. In contrast, CNOT2 depletion enhanced cleavages of PARP and caspase 3, LC3 conversion and p62/SQSTM1 accumulation in Atorvastatin treated H1299 cells. Overall, these findings suggest that CNOT2 signaling is critically involved in Atorvastatin induced apoptotic and autophagic cell death in NSCLCs.
Relevance of Neurotrophin Receptors CD271 and TrkC for Prognosis, Migration, and Proliferation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Foerster Yannick , Stöver Timo , Wagenblast Jens , Diensthuber Marc , Balster Sven , Gabrielpillai Jennis , Petzold Hannah , Geissler Christin
Published: September 2019

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and often has a poor prognosis. The present study investigated the role of the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor CD271 as a putative therapy target in HNSCC. Neurotrophins that bind to CD271 also have a high affinity for the tropomyosin receptor kinase family (Trk), consisting of TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC, which must also be considered in addition to CD271. A retrospective study and functional in vitro cell line tests (migration assay and cell sorting) were conducted in order to evaluate the relevance of CD271 expression alone and with regard to Trk expression. CD271 and Trks were heterogeneously expressed in human HNSCC. The vast majority of tumors exhibited CD271 and TrkA, whereas only half of the tumors expressed TrkB and TrkC. High expression of CD271-positive cells predicted a bad clinical outcome of patients with HNSCC and was associated with distant metastases. However, the human carcinomas that also expressed TrkC had a reduced correlation with distant metastases and better survival rates. In vitro, CD271 expression marked a subpopulation with higher proliferation rates, but proliferation was lower in tumor cells that co-expressed CD271 and TrkC. The CD271 inhibitor LM11A 31 suppressed cell motility in vitro. However, neither TrkA nor TrkB expression were linked to prognosis or cell proliferation. We conclude that CD271 is a promising candidate that provides prognostic information for HNSCC and could be a putative target for HNSCC treatment.
Inhibition of TOR in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Leads to Rapid Cysteine Oxidation Reflecting Sustained Physiological Changes
Authors: Ford Megan M. , Smythers Amanda L. , McConnell Evan W. , Lowery Sarah C. , Kolling Derrick R. J. , Hicks Leslie M.
Published: September 2019

The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is a master metabolic regulator with roles in nutritional sensing, protein translation, and autophagy. In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular green alga, TOR has been linked to the regulation of increased triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation, suggesting that TOR or a downstream target(s) is responsible for the elusive “lipid switch” in control of increasing TAG accumulation under nutrient limitation. However, while TOR has been well characterized in mammalian systems, it is still poorly understood in photosynthetic systems, and little work has been done to show the role of oxidative signaling in TOR regulation. In this study, the TOR inhibitor AZD8055 was used to relate reversible thiol oxidation to the physiological changes seen under TOR inhibition, including increased TAG content. Using oxidized cysteine resin-assisted capture enrichment coupled with label-free quantitative proteomics, 401 proteins were determined to have significant changes in oxidation following TOR inhibition. These oxidative changes mirrored characterized physiological modifications, supporting the role of reversible thiol oxidation in TOR regulation of TAG production, protein translation, carbohydrate catabolism, and photosynthesis through the use of reversible thiol oxidation. The delineation of redox-controlled proteins under TOR inhibition provides a framework for further characterization of the TOR pathway in photosynthetic eukaryotes.
Corrosion Protection of Monel Alloy Coated with Graphene Quantum Dots Starts with a Surge
Authors: Bopp Charles , Santhanam Kalathur
Published: September 2019

There has been an active interest in protecting metals and alloys using graphene coating. The mechanism by which corrosion protection occurs has not been well understood as the couple involved are both good electron conductors. In this work, we demonstrate that Monel alloy coated with graphene quantum dots (GQD) changes the corrosion rate with a surge (increase) caused by the galvanic coupling of the two materials. This surge results in the protective layer formation on Monel to inhibit the corrosion. X-ray fluorescence spectrum of Monel (400) alloy showed the composition of it as Ni (67.05%) and Cu (29.42%). The Tafel experiments carried out in NaCl and Na2SO4 electrolytes showed an initial enhancement of the corrosion rate followed by a decrease upon successive polarizations. Monel coated with graphene oxide (an insulator) shows no initial enhancement of corrosion rate; the coated samples showed a lower corrosion rate in comparison to the uncoated samples. X-ray fluorescence, Fourier Transform spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman imaging studies have been carried out for understanding this transformation. Distinct peaks due to Ni-O stretching and Ni-O-H bending vibration were observed in the FTIR spectrum.
Effect of Thioacetamide Concentration on the Preparation of Single-Phase SnS and SnS2 Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Gedi Sreedevi , Minnam Reddy Vasudeva Reddy , Alhammadi Salh , Moon Doohyung , Seo Yeongju , Kotte Tulasi Ramakrishna Reddy , Park Chinho , Kim Woo Kyoung
Published: September 2019

Eco-friendly tin sulfide (SnS) thin films were deposited by chemical solution process using varying concentrations of a sulfur precursor (thioacetamide, 0.50–0.75 M). Optimized thioacetamide concentrations of 0.6 and 0.7 M were obtained for the preparation of single-phase SnS and SnS2 films for photovoltaic absorbers and buffers, respectively. The as-deposited SnS and SnS2 thin films were uniform and pinhole-free without any major cracks and satisfactorily adhered to the substrate; they appeared in dark-brown and orange colors, respectively. Thin-film studies (compositional, structural, optical, and electrical) revealed that the as-prepared SnS and SnS2 films were polycrystalline in nature; exhibited orthorhombic and hexagonal crystal structures with (111) and (001) peaks as the preferred orientation; had optimal band gaps of 1.28 and 2.92 eV; and exhibited p- and n-type electrical conductivity, respectively. This study presents a step towards the growth of SnS and SnS2 binary compounds for a clean and economical power source.
Study on the Influence of Diversity and Quality in Entropy Based Collaborative Clustering
Authors: Sublime Jérémie , Cabanes Guénaël , Matei Basarab
Published: September 2019

The aim of collaborative clustering is to enhance the performances of clustering algorithms by enabling them to work together and exchange their information to tackle difficult data sets. The fundamental concept of collaboration is that clustering algorithms operate locally but collaborate by exchanging information about the local structures found by each algorithm. This kind of collaborative learning can be beneficial to a wide number of tasks including multi-view clustering, clustering of distributed data with privacy constraints, multi-expert clustering and multi-scale analysis. Within this context, the main difficulty of collaborative clustering is to determine how to weight the influence of the different clustering methods with the goal of maximizing the final results and minimizing the risk of negative collaborations—where the results are worse after collaboration than before. In this paper, we study how the quality and diversity of the different collaborators, but also the stability of the partitions can influence the final results. We propose both a theoretical analysis based on mathematical optimization, and a second study based on empirical results. Our findings show that on the one hand, in the absence of a clear criterion to optimize, a low diversity pool of solution with a high stability are the best option to ensure good performances. And on the other hand, if there is a known criterion to maximize, it is best to rely on a higher diversity pool of solution with a high quality on the said criterion. While our approach focuses on entropy based collaborative clustering, we believe that most of our results could be extended to other collaborative algorithms.
On Bidirectional DC Nano-Grids: Design Considerations and an Architecture Proposal
Authors: Vazquez Aitor , Martin Kevin , Arias Manuel , Sebastian Javier
Published: September 2019

The use of DC distribution networks has several advantages, especially for energy saving and integration of energy storage system and renewable energies. In this regard, DC nano-grids are a very interesting solution when distributing electrical power in households. In this paper, an analysis about the possible bidirectional capability of this DC nano-grid is presented. The end-user can freely connect either a passive load (demanding power) or an active one (able to sink current to the grid). The analysis is divided into three different parts. First, a discussion about the most promising power architecture is addressed, taking into consideration the loads in a house. Second, a standard for voltage regulation in a bidirectional DC nano-grid is proposed. Finally, a possible bus provider for this particular bidirectional DC nano-grid is also addressed. This power converter is based on a Dual Active Bridge cascaded with five synchronous buck converters. The key design aspects of the proposed topology are analyzed to emphasize the particular constraints imposed by the standard and the power architecture. A 500 W, 380 V to 24 V bidirectional bus provider has been built in order to experimentally validate the standard proposal and the design aspects.
Influence of DVR on Adjacent Load and Its Compensation Strategy Design Based on Externality Theory
Authors: Du Zhaobin , Chen Zhuo , Dai Guanquan , Javed Mohammed Yaqoob , Shao Chuanyong , Zhan Haoqin
Published: September 2019

Dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is a compensation device that can effectively improve power quality, and it is widely used to compensate the voltage sag on sensitive loads. However, DVR will affect the operation of the sensitive loads in parallel at the same busbar (such parallel are defined as adjacent loads) in the process of improving sensitive load voltage quality. With the externality theory, this paper proposes a solution to clarify the influence of DVR on the adjacent load and handle the possible controversy. This paper first establishes a simple system that consists of a DVR, sensitive loads, and adjacent loads. Based on the equivalent network, the influence of the DVR on the adjacent load is analyzed in terms of voltage change and power consumed. The externality boundaries are clearly defined when considering network parameters in order to fairly deal with the interaction of multi entities. Afterwards, an optimization compensation strategy that is based on externality theory is proposed. Finally, the simulation on compensation strategy is tested on the MATLAB/Simulink platform to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Extreme Fast Charging Technology—Prospects to Enhance Sustainable Electric Transportation
Authors: Ronanki Deepak , Kelkar Apoorva , Williamson Sheldon S.
Published: September 2019

With the growing fleet of a new generation electric vehicles (EVs), it is essential to develop an adequate high power charging infrastructure that can mimic conventional gasoline fuel stations. Therefore, much research attention must be focused on the development of off-board DC fast chargers which can quickly replenish the charge in an EV battery. However, use of the service transformer in the existing fast charging architecture adds to the system cost, size and complicates the installation process while directly connected to medium-voltage (MV) line. With continual improvements in power electronics and magnetics, solid state transformer (SST) technology can be adopted to enhance power density and efficiency of the system. This paper aims to review the current state of the art architectures and challenges of fast charging infrastructure using SST technology while directly connected to the MV line. Finally, this paper discusses technical considerations, challenges and introduces future research possibilities.
A Practical Approach to the Design of a Highly Efficient PSFB DC-DC Converter for Server Applications
Authors: Escudero Manuel , Kutschak Matteo-Alessandro , Meneses David , Rodriguez Noel , Morales Diego P.
Published: September 2019

The phase shift full bridge (PSFB) is a widely known isolated DC-DC converter topology commonly used in medium to high power applications, and one of the best candidates for the front-end DC-DC converter in server power supplies. Since the server power supplies consume an enormous amount of power, the most critical issue is to achieve high efficiency. Several organizations promoting electrical energy efficiency, like the 80 PLUS, keep introducing higher efficiency certifications with growing requirements extending also to light loads. The design of a high efficiency PSFB converter is a complex problem with many degrees of freedom which requires of a sufficiently accurate modeling of the losses and of efficient design criteria. In this work a losses model of the converter is proposed as well as design guidelines for the efficiency optimization of PSFB converter. The model and the criteria are tested with the redesign of an existing reference PSFB converter of 1400 W for server applications, with wide input voltage range, nominal 400 V input and 12 V output; achieving 95.85% of efficiency at 50% of the load. A new optimized prototype of PSFB was built with the same specifications, achieving a peak efficiency of 96.68% at 50% of the load.
The IEC 61850 Sampled Measured Values Protocol: Analysis, Threat Identification, and Feasibility of Using NN Forecasters to Detect Spoofed Packets
Authors: El Hariri Mohamad , Harmon Eric , Youssef Tarek , Saleh Mahmoud , Habib Hany , Mohammed Osama
Published: September 2019

The operation of the smart grid is anticipated to rely profoundly on distributed microprocessor-based control. Therefore, interoperability standards are needed to address the heterogeneous nature of the smart grid data. Since the IEC 61850 emerged as a wide-spread interoperability standard widely accepted by the industry, the Sampled Measured Values method has been used to communicate digitized voltage and current measurements. Realizing that current and voltage measurements (i.e., feedback measurements) are necessary for reliable and secure noperation of the power grid, firstly, this manuscript provides a detailed analysis of the Sampled Measured Values protocol emphasizing its advantages, then, it identifies vulnerabilities in this protocol and explains the cyber threats associated to these vulnerabilities. Secondly, current efforts to mitigate these vulnerabilities are outlined and the feasibility of using neural network forecasters to detect spoofed sampled values is investigated. It was shown that although such forecasters have high spoofed data detection accuracy, they are prone to the accumulation of forecasting error. Accordingly, this paper also proposes an algorithm to detect the accumulation of the forecasting error based on lightweight statistical indicators. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is experimentally verified in a laboratory-scale smart grid testbed.
Effect of Electrical Energy on the Manufacturing Setup Cost Reduction, Transportation Discounts, and Process Quality Improvement in a Two-Echelon Supply Chain Management under a Service-Level Constraint
Authors: Khan Irfanullah , Jemai Jihed , Lim Han , Sarkar Biswajit
Published: September 2019

The need for efficient electrical energy consumption has greatly expanded in the process industries. In this paper, efforts are made to recognize the electrical energy consumption in a two-echelon supply chain model with a stochastic lead-time demand and imperfect production, while considering the distribution free approach. The initial investments are made for quality improvement and setup cost reduction, which ultimately reduce electrical energy consumption. The inspection costs are considered in order to ensure the good qualities of the product. Centralized and decentralized strategies are used to analyze the proposed supply chain model. The main objective of this study is to reduce the overall cost through efficient electrical energy consumption in supply chain management by optimizing the lot size, the number of shipments, the setup cost, and the failure rate. A quantity-based transportation discount policy is applied to reduce the expected annual costs, and a service-level constraint is incorporated for the buyer to avoid a stockout situation. The impact of the decision variables on the expected total costs is analyzed, and sensitivity analysis is carried out. The results show a significant reduction in overall cost, with quality improvement and setup cost reduction ultimately reducing electrical energy consumption.
Lithium Hydroxide Reaction for Low Temperature Chemical Heat Storage: Hydration and Dehydration Reaction
Authors: Li Jun , Zeng Tao , Kobayashi Noriyuki , Xu Haotai , Bai Yu , Deng Lisheng , He Zhaohong , Huang Hongyu
Published: September 2019

As a key parameter of a chemical heat storage material, the hydration and dehydration reaction characteristics of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) at pure vapor condition is unclear. In this study, we focused on the hydration reaction and dehydration process of LiOH at the pure vapor condition. The pressure–temperature diagram of LiOH equilibrium was measured. The hydration and dehydration of LiOH at various conditions have been experimentally investigated. The results show that the steam diffusion can be greatly enhanced at vacuum condition. A thin layer of LiOH is uniformly dispersed in the reactor, which can greatly increase the heat transfer between the LiOH material and reactor, leading to a higher hydration reaction rate of LiOH. Furthermore, the steam pressure, reaction temperature, and the particle size of LiOH can greatly influence the hydration reaction. A maximum hydration reaction rate of 80% is obtained under the conditions of 47 °C, steam pressure of 9 kPa, and particle size of 32–40 μm. LiOH exhibits a different reaction property at the condition of pure steam without air and below atmospheric pressure. A store and reaction condition of LiOH with isolation of air is recommended when apply LiOH as a heat storage material at low temperature.
Techno-Economic Optimization of CO2-to-Methanol with Solid-Oxide Electrolyzer
Authors: Zhang Hanfei , Wang Ligang , Van herle Jan , Maréchal François , Desideri Umberto
Published: September 2019

Carbon capture and utilization are promising to tackle fossil-fuel depletion and climate change. CO2 hydrogenation can synthesize various chemicals and fuels, such as methanol, formic acid, urea, and methane. CO2-to-methanol integrated with solid-oxide electrolysis (SOE) process can store renewable power in methanol while recycling recovered CO2, thus achieving the dual purposes of storing excess renewable power and reducing lifetime CO2 emissions. This paper focuses on the techno-economic optimization of CO2 hydrogenation to synthesize green methanol integrated with solid-oxide electrolysis process. Process integration, techno-economic evaluation, and multi-objective optimization are carried out for a case study. Results show that there is a trade-off between energy efficiency and methanol production cost. The annual yield of methanol of the studied case is 100 kton with a purity of 99.7%wt with annual CO2 utilization of 150 kton, representing the annual storage capacity of 800 GWh renewable energy. Although the system efficiency is rather high at around at 70% and varies within a narrow range, methanol production cost reaches 560 $/ton for an electricity price of 73.16 $/MWh, being economically infeasible with a payback time over 13 years. When the electricity price is reduced to 47 $/MWh and further to 24 $/MWh, the methanol production cost becomes 365 and 172 $/ton with an attractive payback time of 4.6 and 2.8 years, respectively. The electricity price has significant impact on project implementation. The electricity price is different in each country, leading to a difference of the payback time in different locations.