bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interface Transparency Issues in Teleoperation
Authors: Almeida Luis , Menezes Paulo , Dias Jorge
Published: September 2020

Transferring skills and expertise to remote places, without being present, is a new challenge for our digitally interconnected society. People can experience and perform actions in distant places through a robotic agent wearing immersive interfaces to feel physically there. However, technological contingencies can affect human perception, compromising skill-based performances. Considering the results from studies on human factors, a set of recommendations for the construction of immersive teleoperation systems is provided, followed by an example of the evaluation methodology. We developed a testbed to study perceptual issues that affect task performance while users manipulated the environment either through traditional or immersive interfaces. The analysis of its effect on perception, navigation, and manipulation relies on performances measures and subjective answers. The goal is to mitigate the effect of factors such as system latency, field of view, frame of reference, or frame rate to achieve the sense of telepresence. By decoupling the flows of an immersive teleoperation system, we aim to understand how vision and interaction fidelity affects spatial cognition. Results show that misalignments between the frame of reference for vision and motor-action or the use of tools affecting the sense of body position or movement have a higher effect on mental workload and spatial cognition.
Experimental Study of the Volumetric Error Effect on the Resulting Working Accuracy—Roundness
Authors: Holub Michal , Jankovych Robert , Vetiska Jan , Sramek Jan , Blecha Petr , Smolik Jan , Heinrich Petr
Published: September 2020

Currently, various types of software compensations are applied to machine tools. Their aim is to increase the working accuracy of the tools. The improvement in working accuracy is then further assessed according to the increase in the dimensional and shape accuracy or the surface quality of the workpiece. This publication describes the effects of the volumetric accuracy of a machine tool on the working accuracy of a workpiece, where total roundness (RONt) is evaluated in multiple cuts. In the experiment, two test workpieces are manufactured on a three-axis milling machining centre. The first is made using a standard machine setup while the second with activated volumetric compensation. The LaserTRACER self-tracking laser interferometer is used to compensate for volumetric accuracy. In the second part, verification measurements are performed with a Ballbar, where roundness error is evaluated according to ISO 230-4. Then two test workpieces are machined, and, in the last part, measurement is performed on Talyrond 595S roundness measuring equipment. Finally, the results are analysed and the dependence between the volumetric accuracy, the circularity error of the machine and the working accuracy of the CNC machine tool is established, represented by the RONt of the workpiece. This paper presents new and unpublished relations between the volumetric accuracy of the machine tool and the RONt of the workpiece.
IGNORE: A Policy Server to Prevent Cyber-Attacks from Propagating to the Physical Domain
Authors: Wadhawan Yatin , Neuman Clifford , AlMajali Anas
Published: September 2020

We present the intelligent governor for the smart grid system (IGNORE) to limit the success of attacks when a grid’s cyber system has been compromised and leveraged by an adversary to mount attacks on the physical system. IGNORE is based on the concept of the security reference monitor. It is a component that serves to protect a system from attacks that are more severe and frequent than is acceptable by enforcing security policies on the actions of the system’s higher-level functions. It enforces security and safety policies by ignoring commands issued by a system’s higher-level functions if by executing those commands may cause violations of its security and safety constraints. The underlying principle for generating security policies is the requirement and safety property that evaluates whether commands issued by a cyber system are required and safe in/for the physical system. Our key contribution is to present the methodology to design a governor for a grid’s higher-level function, that is, demand response. We define a set of attacks prevented by the governor, a set of rules that define the governor, and demonstrate its effectiveness through empirical results. This work sheds light upon how a higher-level functionality of a smart grid system is protected by analyzing the system’s cyber and physical aspects even when some parts of the cyber system are compromised.
Development and Research of a Multi-Medium Motion Capture System for Underwater Intelligent Agents
Authors: Zhu Zhongpan , Li Xin , Wang Zhipeng , He Luxi , He Bin , Xia Shengqing
Published: September 2020

A multi-medium motion capture system based on markers’ visual detection is developed and experimentally demonstrated for monitoring underwater intelligent agents such as fish biology and bionic robot-fish. Considering the refraction effect between air and water, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction model is established, which can be utilized to reconstruct the 3D coordinate of markers underwater from 2D data. Furthermore, the process of markers matching is undertaken through the multi-lens fusion perception prediction combined K-Means clustering algorithm. Subsequently, in order to track the marker of being occluded, according to the kinematics information of fish, an improved Kalman filtering algorithm is proposed. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of proposed system are verified through experimental results. The main models and methods in this paper can provide a reference and inspiration for measurement of underwater intelligent agents.
Numerical Design Method for CVT Supported in Standard Variable Speed Rubber V-Belts
Authors: Arango Ivan , Muñoz Alzate Sebastian
Published: September 2020

The design of a V-belt continuously variable transmission (CVT) system is a complex problem due to the multiple interactions between components during its operation. Literature on CVT system design methods is scarce, and the vast majority of works include implicit equations that hinder applications at a basic design level. This research aims to introduce a numerical CVT design method for electric vehicles (EV) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles considering each one of their components and using mechanical centrifugal actuators and a rubber V-belt. This design method is based on user needs, for which there are three main requirements: road specifications, vehicle characteristics, and expected performance. This method is focused on a transmission for a vehicle traveling on the same route constantly, such as public transport vehicles. From three-wheelers to medium cargo vehicles, there is a greatly diverse range of potential applications for using this method for each type of standard rubber V-belt.
Extended Dual-Focus Microscopy for Ratiometric-Based 3D Movement Tracking
Authors: Lee Seohyun , Kim Hyuno , Higuchi Hideo
Published: September 2020

Imaging the three-dimensional movement of small organelles in living cells can provide key information for the dynamics of drug delivery and virus transmission in biomedical disciplines. To stably monitor such intracellular motion using microscope, long depth of field along optical axis and accurate three-dimensional tracking are simultaneously required. In the present work, we suggest an extended dual-focus optics microscopy system by combining a bifocal plane imaging scheme and objective lens oscillation, which enables accurate localization for a long axial range. The proposed system exploits high-resolution functionality by concatenating partial calibration result acquired each axial imaging level, maintaining the practical advantages of ratiometric method.
Impacts of Multiple Radiance Data Assimilation on the Simulation of Typhoon Chan-Hom
Authors: Xu Dongmei , Shu Aiqing , Shen Feifei , Min Jinzhong , Li Hong , Xia Xiaoli
Published: September 2020

With the module of assimilating AMSU-A (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A) and AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) data in the WRFDA (Weather Research and Forecasting Model Data Assimilation) system, the impacts of joint assimilation of the radiance observations from two satellites on the simulation of typhoon Chan-hom (2015) are addressed. For comparison, experiments with the assimilation of solely GTS (Global Telecommunications System) data, AMSU-A data, or AIRS data are also performed. The results show that, compared to other experiments, the analysis field after assimilating multiple radiance data is closer to the observation. The simulated steering flow in its forecast field is conductive to the northeast twist of the typhoon. In addition, the simulated rainband and the FSS (fraction skill score) calculated from the experiment with assimilating multiple radiance data are better. In the deterministic forecast, better performance is obtained from the simulation with multiple radiance data in the forecast of track, MSLP (minimum sea level pressure), and MSW (maximum surface wind).
The Split Various Variational Inequalities Problems for Three Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Chaichuay Chinda , Kangtunyakarn Atid
Published: September 2020

There are many methods for finding a common solution of a system of variational inequalities, a split equilibrium problem, and a hierarchical fixed-point problem in the setting of real Hilbert spaces. They proved the strong convergence theorem. Many split feasibility problems are generated in real Hillbert spaces. The open problem is proving a strong convergence theorem of three Hilbert spaces with different methods from the lasted method. In this research, a new split variational inequality in three Hilbert spaces is proposed. Important tools which are used to solve classical problems will be developed. The convergence theorem for finding a common element of the set of solution of such problems and the sets of fixed-points of discontinuous mappings has been proved.
Ranking Series of Cancer-Related Gene Expression Data by Means of the Superposing Significant Interaction Rules Method
Authors: Besalú Emili , De Julián-Ortiz Jesus Vicente
Published: September 2020

The Superposing Significant Interaction Rules (SSIR) method is a combinatorial procedure that deals with symbolic descriptors of samples. It is able to rank the series of samples when those items are classified into two classes. The method selects preferential descriptors and, with them, generates rules that make up the rank by means of a simple voting procedure. Here, two application examples are provided. In both cases, binary or multilevel strings encoding gene expressions are considered as descriptors. It is shown how the SSIR procedure is useful for ranking the series of patient transcription data to diagnose two types of cancer (leukemia and prostate cancer) obtaining Area Under Receiver Operating Characteristic (AU-ROC) values of 0.95 (leukemia prediction) and 0.80–0.90 (prostate). The preferential selected descriptors here are specific gene expressions, and this is potentially useful to point to possible key genes.
Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 4 (COX4): A Potential Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Bikas Athanasios , Jensen Kirk , Patel Aneeta , Costello John , Reynolds Sarah , Mendonca-Torres Maria , Thakur Shilpa , Klubo-Gwiezdzinska Joanna , Ylli Dorina , Wartofsky Leonard , Burman Kenneth , Vasko Vasyl
Published: September 2020

The nuclear-encoded subunit 4 of cytochrome c oxidase (COX4) plays a role in regulation of oxidative phosphorylation and contributes to cancer progression. We sought to determine the role of COX4 in differentiated (DTC) and medullary (MTC) thyroid cancers. We examined the expression of COX4 in human thyroid tumors by immunostaining and used shRNA-mediated knockdown of COX4 to evaluate its functional contributions in thyroid cancer cell lines. In human thyroid tissue, the expression of COX4 was higher in cancers than in either normal thyroid (p = 0.0001) or adenomas (p = 0.001). The level of COX4 expression correlated with tumor size (p = 0.04) and lymph-node metastases (p = 0.024) in patients with MTCs. COX4 silencing had no effects on cell signaling activation and mitochondrial respiration in DTC cell lines (FTC133 and BCPAP). In MTC-derived TT cells, COX4 silencing inhibited p70S6K/pS6 and p-ERK signaling, and was associated with decreased oxygen consumption and ATP production. Treatment with potassium cyanide had minimal effects on FTC133 and BCPAP, but inhibited mitochondrial respiration and induced apoptosis in MTC-derived TT cells. Our data demonstrated that metastatic MTCs are characterized by increased expression of COX4, and MTC-derived TT cells are vulnerable to COX4 silencing. These data suggest that COX4 can be considered as a novel molecular target for the treatment of MTC.
Adherence Measures for Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Treated with Abiraterone Acetate plus Prednisone: Results of a Prospective, Cluster-Randomized Trial
Authors: Suttmann Henrik , Gleissner Jochen , Huebner Andreas , Mathes Tim , Baurecht Werner , Krützfeldt Katrin , Sweiti Hussein , Feyerabend Susan
Published: September 2020

Residual androgen production causes tumor progression in metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Abiraterone acetate (AA), a prodrug of abiraterone, is an oral CYP-17 inhibitor that blocks androgen production. It was hypothesized that adherence-enhancing measures (AEM) might be beneficial for mCRPC patients receiving abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AA + P). This multicenter, prospective, 2-arm trial allocated mCRPC patients who were progressive after docetaxel-based chemotherapy or asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic after failure of an androgen deprivation therapy to Arm A (with AEM) or Arm B (without AEM) by center-based cluster-randomization. The primary objective was to assess the influence of AEM on discontinuation rates and medication adherence in mCRPC patients treated with AA + P. A total of 360 patients were allocated to Arm A, and 315 patients to Arm B. At month 3, the rate of treatment discontinuation, not due to disease progression or the start of new cancer therapy, was low in both arms (A: 9.0% vs. B: 7.3%, OR = 1.230). Few patients had a medium/low Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-4) score (A: 6.4% vs. B: 9.1%, OR = 0.685). The results obtained did not suggest any clear adherence difference between Arm A and Arm B. In patients with mCRPC taking AA + P medication, adherence seemed to be generally high.
Multi-Omics Investigation of Innate Navitoclax Resistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Marczyk Michal , Patwardhan Gauri A. , Zhao Jun , Qu Rihao , Li Xiaotong , Wali Vikram B. , Gupta Abhishek K. , Pillai Manoj M. , Kluger Yuval , Yan Qin , Hatzis Christos , Pusztai Lajos , Gunasekharan Vignesh
Published: September 2020

Cancer cells employ various defense mechanisms against drug-induced cell death. Investigating multi-omics landscapes of cancer cells before and after treatment can reveal resistance mechanisms and inform new therapeutic strategies. We assessed the effects of navitoclax, a BCL2 family inhibitor, on the transcriptome, methylome, chromatin structure, and copy number variations of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Cells were sampled before treatment, at 72 h of exposure, and after 10-day drug-free recovery from treatment. We observed transient alterations in the expression of stress response genes that were accompanied by corresponding changes in chromatin accessibility. Most of these changes returned to baseline after the recovery period. We also detected lasting alterations in methylation states and genome structure that suggest permanent changes in cell population composition. Using single-cell analyses, we identified 2350 genes significantly upregulated in navitoclax-resistant cells and derived an 18-gene navitoclax resistance signature. We assessed the navitoclax-response-predictive function of this signature in four additional TNBC cell lines in vitro and in silico in 619 cell lines treated with 251 different drugs. We observed a drug-specific predictive value in both experiments, suggesting that this signature could help guiding clinical biomarker studies involving navitoclax.
The Role of Non-Coding RNAs as Prognostic Factor, Predictor of Drug Response or Resistance and Pharmacological Targets, in the Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Garofoli Marianna , Volpicella Mariateresa , Guida Michele , Porcelli Letizia , Azzariti Amalia
Published: September 2020

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the most common keratinocyte-derived skin cancer in the Caucasian population. Exposure to UV radiations (UVRs) represents the main risk carcinogenesis, causing a considerable accumulation of DNA damage in epidermal keratinocytes with an uncontrolled hyperproliferation and tumor development. The limited and rarely durable response of CSCC to the current therapeutic options has led researchers to look for new therapeutic strategies. Recently, the multi-omics approaches have contributed to the identification and prediction of the key role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), circularRNAs (circRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the regulation of several cellular processes in different tumor types, including CSCC. ncRNAs can modulate transcriptional and post-transcriptional events by interacting either with each other or with DNA and proteins, such as transcription factors and RNA-binding proteins. In this review, the implication of ncRNAs in tumorigenesis and their potential role as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in human CSCC are reported.
Fibronectin-Expressing Mesenchymal Tumor Cells Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Jun Brian H. , Guo Tianqi , Libring Sarah , Chanda Monica K. , Paez Juan Sebastian , Shinde Aparna , Wendt Michael K. , Vlachos Pavlos P. , Solorio Luis
Published: September 2020

Tumor metastasis is connected to epithelial-mesenchymal heterogeneity (EMH) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) within the tumor microenvironment. Mesenchymal-like fibronectin (FN) expressing tumor cells enhance metastasis within tumors that have EMH. However, the secondary tumors are primarily composed of the FN null population. Interestingly, during tumor cell dissemination, the invasive front has more mesenchymal-like characteristics, although the outgrowths of metastatic colonies consist of a more epithelial-like population of cells. We hypothesize that soluble FN provided by mesenchymal-like tumor cells plays a role in supporting the survival of the more epithelial-like tumor cells within the metastatic niche in a paracrine manner. Furthermore, due to a lower rate of proliferation, the mesenchymal-like tumor cells become a minority population within the metastatic niche. In this study, we utilized a multi-parametric cell-tracking algorithm and immunoblotting to evaluate the effect of EMH on the growth and invasion of an isogenic cell series within a 3D collagen network using a microfluidic platform. Using the MCF10A progression series, we demonstrated that co-culture with FN-expressing MCF10CA1h cells significantly enhanced the survival of the more epithelial MCF10CA1a cells, with a two-fold increase in the population after 5 days in co-culture, whereas the population of the MCF10CA1a cells began to decrease after 2.5 days when cultured alone (p < 0.001). However, co-culture did not significantly alter the rate of proliferation for the more mesenchymal MCF10CA1h cells. Epithelial tumor cells not only showed prolonged survival, but migrated significantly longer distances (350 µm compared with 150 µm, respectively, p < 0.01) and with greater velocity magnitude (4.5 µm/h compared with 2.1 µm/h, respectively, p < 0.001) under co-culture conditions and in response to exogenously administered FN. Genetic depletion of FN from the MCF10CA1h cells resulted in a loss of survival and migration capacity of the epithelial and mesenchymal populations. These data suggest that mesenchymal tumor cells may function to support the survival and outgrowth of more epithelial tumor cells within the metastatic niche and that inhibition of FN production may provide a valuable target for treating metastatic disease.
Metformin Suppresses Cancer Stem Cells through AMPK Activation and Inhibition of Protein Prenylation of the Mevalonate Pathway in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Seo Yoojeong , Kim Janghyun , Park Soo Jung , Park Jae Jun , Cheon Jae Hee , Kim Won Ho , Kim Tae Il
Published: September 2020

Metformin is a well-known AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) activator that suppresses cancer stem cells (CSCs) in some cancers. However, the mechanisms of the CSC-suppressing effects of metformin are not yet well understood. In this study, we investigated the CSC-suppressive effect of metformin via the mevalonate (MVA) pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC). Two colorectal cancer cell lines, HT29 and DLD-1 cells, were treated with metformin, mevalonate, or a combination of the two. We measured CSC populations by flow cytometric analysis (CD44+/CD133+) and by tumor spheroid growth. The expression of p-AMPK, mTORC1 (pS6), and key enzymes (HMGCR, FDPS, GGPS1, and SQLE) of the MVA pathway was also analyzed. We investigated the effects of metformin and/or mevalonate in xenograft mice using HT29 cells; immunohistochemical staining for CSC markers and key enzymes of the MVA pathway in tumor xenografts was performed. In both HT29 and DLD-1 cells, the CSC population was significantly decreased following treatment with metformin, AMPK activator (AICAR), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (simvastatin), or mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin), and was increased by mevalonate. The CSC-suppressing effect of these drugs was attenuated by mevalonate. The results of tumor spheroid growth matched those of the CSC population experiments. Metformin treatment increased p-AMPK and decreased mTOR (pS6) expression; these effects were reversed by addition of mevalonate. The expression of key MVA pathway enzymes was significantly increased in tumor spheroid culture, and by addition of mevalonate, and decreased upon treatment with metformin, AICAR, or rapamycin. In xenograft experiments, tumor growth and CSC populations were significantly reduced by metformin, and this inhibitory effect of metformin was abrogated by combined treatment with mevalonate. Furthermore, in the MVA pathway, CSC populations were reduced by inhibition of protein prenylation with a farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI-277) or a geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor (GGTI-298), but not by inhibition of cholesterol synthesis with a squalene synthase inhibitor (YM-53601). In conclusion, the CSC-suppressive effect of metformin was associated with AMPK activation and repression of protein prenylation through MVA pathway suppression in colorectal cancer.
Prolonging the Half-Life of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Belinostat via 50 nm Scale Liposomal Subcutaneous Delivery System for Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Cheng Meng-Hsuan , Weng Jun-Yi , Chuang Chih-Hung , Liao Wei-Ting , Lai Yu-Fong , Liu Jia-Yu , Fang Yi-Ping
Published: September 2020

Lymph node metastasis is an aggressive condition characterized by poor treatment outcomes and low overall survival. Belinostat is a novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of relapsed peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). However, the major problem is that belinostat has a short half-life of 1.1 h. In this study, we successfully prepared 50 nm liposomal colloids, which showed a controlled release pattern and excellent pharmacokinetics. The results showed that the particle size of liposomes consisting of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) was larger than that of those consisting of dioleoylglycerophosphoserine (DOPS). In terms of release kinetics of belinostat, the free drug was rapidly released and showed lower area under curve (AUC) exposure for in vivo pharmacokinetics. When liposomal formulations were employed, the release pattern was fitted with Hixson–Crowell models and showed sustained release of belinostat. Moreover, HuT-78 cells were able to take up all the liposomes in a concentration-dependent manner. The safety assessment confirmed hemocompatibility, and the platelet count was increased. Furthermore, the liposomes consisting of DOPC or DOPS had different behavior patterns, and their delivery to lymphatic regions should be thoroughly investigated in the future.
Catalytic Performance of Calcium Titanate for Catalytic Decomposition of Waste Polypropylene to Carbon Nanotubes in a Single-Stage CVD Reactor
Authors: Modekwe Helen Uchenna , Mamo Messai Adenew , Daramola Michael Olawale , Moothi Kapil
Published: September 2020

Calcium titanate mixed metal oxides with different contents were used as supports for NiMo catalyst prepared by the sol–gel method. The activities of these catalysts were tested in the catalytic decomposition of waste polypropylene (PP) for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a single-stage chemical vapor deposition technique. The physico-chemical properties of the catalysts and deposited carbon over the catalysts were checked by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), N2 physisorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM and XRD results presented a high dispersion of the active metal species on the surface of the support materials. The result showed that increasing the support content led to an increased crystallite size of the catalysts and a resultant reduction in CNTs yield from 44% to 35%. NiMo-supported CaTiO3 catalyst displayed good catalytic activity and stability toward CNTs growth. Furthermore, the effect of calcination temperature on the morphology, yield, and quality of CNTs was also studied, and it was observed that thermal treatment up to 700 °C could produce well graphitized, high-quality, and high-yield CNTs from the waste PP.
Dendritic Cells and SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Still an Unclarified Connection
Authors: Campana Pasquale , Parisi Valentina , Leosco Dario , Bencivenga Debora , Della Ragione Fulvio , Borriello Adriana
Published: September 2020

The ongoing pandemic due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has so far infected about 2.42 × 107 (as at 27 August 2020) subjects with more than 820,000 deaths. It is the third zoonotic coronavirus-dependent outbreak in the last twenty years and represents a major infective threat for public health worldwide. A main aspect of the infection, in analogy to other viral infections, is the so-called “cytokine storm”, an inappropriate molecular response to virus spread which plays major roles in tissue and organ damage. Immunological therapies, including vaccines and humanized monoclonal antibodies, have been proposed as major strategies for prevention and treatment of the disease. Accordingly, a detailed mechanistic knowledge of the molecular events with which the virus infects cells and induces an immunological response appears necessary. In this review, we will report details of the initial process of SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry with major emphasis on the maturation of the spike protein. Then, a particular focus will be devoted to describe the possible mechanisms by which dendritic cells, a major cellular component of innate and adaptive immune responses, may play a role in the spread of the virus in the human body and in the clinical evolution of the disease.
HPLC-MS/MS Shows That the Cellular Uptake of All-Trans-Retinoic Acid under Hypoxia Is Downregulated by the Novel Active Agent 5-Methoxyleoligin
Authors: Guntner Armin Sebastian , Doppler Christian , Wechselberger Christian , Bernhard David , Buchberger Wolfgang
Published: September 2020

All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) is the essential derivative of vitamin A and is of interest due to its various biological key functions. As shown in the recent literature, atRA also plays a role in the failing heart during myocardial infarction, the leading cause of death globally. To date insufficient mechanistic information has been available on related hypoxia-induced cell damage and reperfusion injuries. However, it has been demonstrated that a reduction in cellular atRA uptake abrogates hypoxia-mediated cell and tissue damage, which may offer a new route for intervention. Consequently, in this study, the effect of the novel cardio-protective compound 5-methoxyleoligin (5ML) on cellular atRA uptake was tested in human umbilical-vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). For this purpose, a high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to assess intra-cellular levels of the active substance and corresponding levels of vitamin A and its derivatives, including potential cis/trans isomers. This work also focused on light-induced isomerization and the stability of biological sample material to ensure sample integrity and avoid biased conclusions. This study provides evidence of the inhibitory effect of 5ML on cellular atRA uptake, a promising step toward a novel therapy for myocardial infarction.
Is There a Role for Immunotherapy in Prostate Cancer?
Authors: Rizzo Alessandro , Mollica Veronica , Cimadamore Alessia , Santoni Matteo , Scarpelli Marina , Giunchi Francesca , Cheng Liang , Lopez-Beltran Antonio , Fiorentino Michelangelo , Montironi Rodolfo , Massari Francesco
Published: September 2020

In the last decade, immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment landscape of several hematological and solid malignancies, reporting unprecedented response rates. Unfortunately, this is not the case for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), as several phase I and II trials assessing programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors have shown limited benefits. Moreover, despite sipuleucel-T representing the only cancer vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for mCRPC following the results of the IMPACT trial, the use of this agent is relatively limited in everyday clinical practice. The identification of specific histological and molecular biomarkers that could predict response to immunotherapy represents one of the current challenges, with an aim to detect subgroups of mCRPC patients who may benefit from immune checkpoint monoclonal antibodies as monotherapy or in combination with other anticancer agents. Several unanswered questions remain, including the following: is there—or will there ever be—a role for immunotherapy in prostate cancer? In this review, we aim at underlining the failures and promises of immunotherapy in prostate cancer, summarizing the current state of art regarding cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint monoclonal antibodies, and discussing future research directions in this immunologically “cold” malignancy.
Importance of Endocytosis for the Biological Activity of Cedar Virus Fusion Protein
Authors: Fischer Kerstin , Groschup Martin H. , Diederich Sandra
Published: September 2020

Endocytosis plays a particular role in the proteolytic activation of highly pathogenic henipaviruses Hendra (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) fusion (F) protein precursors. These proteins require endocytic uptake from the cell surface to be cleaved by cellular proteases within the endosomal compartment, followed by recycling to the plasma membrane for incorporation into budding virions or mediation of cell-cell fusion. This internalization largely depends on a tyrosine-based consensus motif for endocytosis present in the cytoplasmic tail of HeV and NiV F. Given the large number of tyrosine residues present in the F protein cytoplasmic domain of Cedar virus (CedV), a closely related but low pathogenic henipavirus, we aimed to investigate whether CedV F protein undergoes signal-mediated endocytosis from the cell surface controlled by tyrosine-based motifs present in its cytoplasmic tail and whether endocytosis is relevant for its biological activity. Therefore, tyrosine-based signals were mutated, and mutations were assessed for their effect on F cell surface expression, endocytosis, and biological activity. A membrane-proximal YXXΦ motif and a C-terminal di-tyrosine motif are of particular importance for cell surface expression and endocytosis rate. Furthermore, our data strongly indicate the pivotal role of endocytosis for the biological activity of the CedV F protein.
Preparation and Properties of Composite Nanoceramic NiCrBSi-TiO2/WC(Co) Coatings
Authors: Wang Xinsheng , Xing Zhiguo
Published: September 2020

Using the supersonic plasma spraying (SPS) technique, the preparation of a NiCrBSi (Ni60) coating was achieved by adding nano TiO2 in Ni60 coating with WC ceramic particles. Ni60-TiO2 (Ni60T) and Ni60-TiO2/WC coating (Ni60TW) were successfully prepared. Results show that of the three, Ni60T had the best densification, the porosity of the Ni60T coating exhibited the best value of 1.3%, and also has a stronger hardness value of 890 HV. At the same time, the coating corrosion resistance, wear coefficient, and the wear morphology of Ni60T are superior to Ni60 and Ni60TW coatings. It is added TiO2 and ceramic WC(Co) in Ni-based spraying powder. The main purpose is for the nanoparticles to achieve the effect of refining the grain, which can greatly improve the coating’s hardness and toughness.
Polyazulene-Based Materials for Heavy Metal Ion Detection. 2. (E)-5-(azulen-1-yldiazenyl)-1H-Tetrazole-Modified Electrodes for Heavy Metal Sensing
Authors: Enache Laura-Bianca , Anăstăsoaie Veronica , Birzan Liviu , Ungureanu Eleonora-Mihaela , Diao Peng , Enachescu Marius
Published: September 2020

Azulene-based materials present very appealing properties for the preparation of advanced materials. They can be irreversibly electrooxidated, leading to polymers, which can be deposited on electrodes and modified. This paper shows several experiments concerning the preparation of modified electrodes based on (E)-5-(azulen-1-yldiazenyl)-1H-tetrazole (L). L has a tetrazole complexing unit, which can be attached to the electrode’s surface and recognized. L has been deeply characterized by electrochemical techniques. Complexing modified electrodes have been prepared and tested in different conditions. Functional modified electrodes based on L obtained by controlled potential electrolysis were examined by AFM and SEM to see the influences of charge and potential on the deposited polyz films’ morphologies. The modified electrodes prepared in different conditions have been tested for heavy metal ion sensing. The new azulene-based modified electrode demonstrated its feasibility for Pb ions analysis (detection limit of 5 × 10−8 M, and linear domain between 5 × 10−8 M and 10−6 M) and potential use in future applications for real water samples analysis.
Acclimatization Drives Differences in Reef-Building Coral Calcification Rates
Authors: Barnhill Kelsey Archer , Jogee Nadia , Brown Colleen , McGowan Ashley , Rodgers Ku’ulei , Bryceson Ian , Bahr Keisha
Published: September 2020

Coral reefs are susceptible to climate change, anthropogenic influence, and environmental stressors. However, corals in Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawaiʻi have repeatedly shown resilience and acclimatization to anthropogenically-induced rising temperatures and increased frequencies of bleaching events. Variations in coral and algae cover at two sites—just 600 m apart—at Malaukaʻa fringing reef suggest genetic or environmental differences in coral resilience between sites. A reciprocal transplant experiment was conducted to determine if calcification (linear extension and dry skeletal weight) for dominant reef-building species, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa, varied between the two sites and whether or not parent colony or environmental factors were responsible for the differences. Despite the two sites representing distinct environmental conditions with significant differences between temperature, salinity, and aragonite saturation, M. capitata growth rates remained the same between sites and treatments. However, dry skeletal weight increases in P. compressa were significantly different between sites, but not across treatments, with linear mixed effects model results suggesting heterogeneity driven by environmental differences between sites and the parent colonies. These results provide evidence of resilience and acclimatization for M. capitata and P. compressa. Variability of resilience may be driven by local adaptations at a small, reef-level scale for P. compressa in Kāneʻohe Bay.
Composition Classification of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays
Authors: Herrera Luis Javier , Todero Peixoto Carlos José , Baños Oresti , Carceller Juan Miguel , Carrillo Francisco , Guillén Alberto
Published: September 2020

The study of cosmic rays remains as one of the most challenging research fields in Physics. From the many questions still open in this area, knowledge of the type of primary for each event remains as one of the most important issues. All of the cosmic rays observatories have been trying to solve this question for at least six decades, but have not yet succeeded. The main obstacle is the impossibility of directly detecting high energy primary events, being necessary to use Monte Carlo models and simulations to characterize generated particles cascades. This work presents the results attained using a simulated dataset that was provided by the Monte Carlo code CORSIKA, which is a simulator of high energy particles interactions with the atmosphere, resulting in a cascade of secondary particles extending for a few kilometers (in diameter) at ground level. Using this simulated data, a set of machine learning classifiers have been designed and trained, and their computational cost and effectiveness compared, when classifying the type of primary under ideal measuring conditions. Additionally, a feature selection algorithm has allowed for identifying the relevance of the considered features. The results confirm the importance of the electromagnetic-muonic component separation from signal data measured for the problem. The obtained results are quite encouraging and open new work lines for future more restrictive simulations.
Synergistic Information Transfer in the Global System of Financial Markets
Authors: Scagliarini Tomas , Faes Luca , Marinazzo Daniele , Stramaglia Sebastiano , Mantegna Rosario N.
Published: September 2020

Uncovering dynamic information flow between stock market indices has been the topic of several studies which exploited the notion of transfer entropy or Granger causality, its linear version. The output of the transfer entropy approach is a directed weighted graph measuring the information about the future state of each target provided by the knowledge of the state of each driving stock market index. In order to go beyond the pairwise description of the information flow, thus looking at higher order informational circuits, here we apply the partial information decomposition to triplets consisting of a pair of driving markets (belonging to America or Europe) and a target market in Asia. Our analysis, on daily data recorded during the years 2000 to 2019, allows the identification of the synergistic information that a pair of drivers carry about the target. By studying the influence of the closing returns of drivers on the subsequent overnight changes of target indexes, we find that (i) Korea, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore are, in order, the most influenced Asian markets; (ii) US indices SP500 and Russell are the strongest drivers with respect to the bivariate Granger causality; and (iii) concerning higher order effects, pairs of European and American stock market indices play a major role as the most synergetic three-variables circuits. Our results show that the Synergy, a proxy of higher order predictive information flow rooted in information theory, provides details that are complementary to those obtained from bivariate and global Granger causality, and can thus be used to get a better characterization of the global financial system.
Flow Statistics in the Transitional Regime of Plane Channel Flow
Authors: Kashyap Pavan , Duguet Yohann , Dauchot Olivier
Published: September 2020

The transitional regime of plane channel flow is investigated above the transitional point below which turbulence is not sustained, using direct numerical simulation in large domains. Statistics of laminar-turbulent spatio-temporal intermittency are reported. The geometry of the pattern is first characterized, including statistics for the angles of the laminar-turbulent stripes observed in this regime, with a comparison to experiments. High-order statistics of the local and instantaneous bulk velocity, wall shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy are then provided. The distributions of the two former quantities have non-trivial shapes, characterized by a large kurtosis and/or skewness. Interestingly, we observe a strong linear correlation between their kurtosis and their skewness squared, which is usually reported at much higher Reynolds number in the fully turbulent regime.
Variable Structure Control of a Small Ducted Wind Turbine in the Whole Wind Speed Range Using a Luenberger Observer
Authors: Calabrese Diego , Tricarico Gioacchino , Brescia Elia , Cascella Giuseppe Leonardo , Monopoli Vito Giuseppe , Cupertino Francesco
Published: September 2020

This paper proposes a new variable structure control scheme for a variable-speed, fixed-pitch ducted wind turbine, equipped with an annular, brushless permanent-magnet synchronous generator, considering a back-to-back power converter topology. The purpose of this control scheme is to maximise the aerodynamic power over the entire wind speed range, considering the mechanical safety limits of the ducted wind turbine. The ideal power characteristics are achieved with the design of control laws aimed at performing the maximum power point tracking control in the low wind speeds region, and the constant speed, power, and torque control in the high wind speed region. The designed control laws utilize a Luenberger observer for the estimation of the aerodynamic torque and a shallow neural network for wind speed estimation. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified through tests in a laboratory setup. Moreover, a comparison with other solutions from the literature allowed us to better evaluate the performances achieved and to highlight the originality of the proposed control scheme.
Development of a Heuristic Control Algorithm for Detection and Regeneration of CO Poisoned LT-PEMFC Stacks in Stationary Applications
Authors: Tullius Vietja , Zobel Marco , Dyck Alexander
Published: September 2020

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems based on low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (LT-PEMFC) technology are suspected to CO poisoning on the anode side. The fuel cell CO sensitivity increases with ongoing operation time leading to high performance losses. In this paper we present the development of detection and regeneration algorithm based on air bleed to minimize voltage losses due to CO poisoning. Therefore, CO sensitivity tests with two short stacks with different operation time will be analyzed and the test results of aged membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) will be presented for the first time. Additionally, the first results of the algorithm in operation will be shown.
Modeling and Simulation of a Hybrid System of Solar Panels and Wind Turbines for the Supply of Autonomous Electrical Energy to Organic Architectures
Authors: Icaza Daniel , Borge-Diez David , Pulla Galindo Santiago , Flores-Vázquez Carlos
Published: September 2020

In this research, the modeling, simulation, and analysis of the energy conversion equations that describe the behavior of a hybrid photovoltaic and wind turbine system that supplies electrical energy to an average organic architecture is performed. Organic constructions have a philosophy that seeks to understand and integrate into the site, taking advantage of the natural potentials and their resources of the surrounding areas so that they form part of a unified and correlated composition. The rooms in these buildings are designed similar to a bean, inspired by the uterus of a mother and her child who are comfortable, at rest, and alive. We are left with the task of spreading this research to integrate its energy potential from the surroundings and transform it into autonomous electrical energy. In this article, a numerical model based on the fundamental equations was developed and coded, and the results compared with experimental data with a real airplane-type system located in a remote area of Ecuador. The model is intended to be used as an optimization and design tool for such hybrid systems applied to organic constructions. After an error analysis it was determined that this model predicted quite interesting results compared to the experimental data under various conditions. It is important to indicate that this analysis has been carried out so that in the future, these power generation systems can be exploited and applied more efficiently in areas far from the public electricity grid.
Solution-Processed Titanium Oxide for Rear Contact Improvement in Heterojunction Solar Cells
Authors: Lee Yu-Tsu , Lin Fang-Ru , Pei Zingway
Published: September 2020

In this work, we demonstrated a heterojunction Si solar cell utilizing chemically grown titanium oxide (TiOx) as an electron-selective contact layer at its rear surface. With TiOx, the rear surface was passivated to reduce carrier recombination. The reverse saturation current, which is an indicator of carrier recombination, exhibited a 4.4-fold reduction after placing a TiOx layer on the rear surface. With reduced recombination, the open-circuit voltage increased from 433 mV to 600 mV and consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) increased from 9.57 to 14.70%. By X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, the surface passivation was attributed to a silicon oxide interfacial layer formed during the chemical growth process. This passivation results in a 625 cm/s surface recombination velocity for the TiOx-passivated Si surface, which is 2.4 times lower than the sample without TiOx, ensuring the carriers pass through the rear contact without extensive recombination. According to these results, the band alignment for the heterojunction solar cell with and without a TiOx rear contact layer was plotted, the reduced interfacial recombination and the electron and hole blocking structure are the main reasons for the observed efficiency enhancement.
State of Charge Control Integrated with Load Frequency Control for BESS in Islanded Microgrid
Authors: Sitompul Sandro , Hanawa Yuki , Bupphaves Verapatra , Fujita Goro
Published: September 2020

The dependence of distributed generations (DGs) on climate conditions and fluctuating load demands are the challenges for the implementation of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) in islanded microgrids. BESS participation in system frequency regulation becomes one of the solutions to those challenges. Frequency regulation by BESS can be realized by applying the load-frequency control (LFC) in BESS. However, this participation clearly poses problems for the battery state of charge (SOC), as the battery is often overcharged or undercharged. In this paper, a control that maintains SOC at a certain level is introduced. This control strategy focuses on the battery operation function, which is determined from five control scenarios. All scenarios are achieved by applying the droop reference shifting method in the LFC to allow battery operation change. Control verification is carried out on an islanded microgrid system that experiences load demand changes and photovoltaic (PV) output power changes. The test results show that the SOC is maintained at 45–75% by applying load and PV power variations. The results correspond to the predetermined criteria control.