bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Turn Chatbot Based on Query-Context Attentions and Dual Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Kim Jintae , Oh Shinhyeok , Kwon Oh-Woog , Kim Harksoo
Published: September 2019

To generate proper responses to user queries, multi-turn chatbot models should selectively consider dialogue histories. However, previous chatbot models have simply concatenated or averaged vector representations of all previous utterances without considering contextual importance. To mitigate this problem, we propose a multi-turn chatbot model in which previous utterances participate in response generation using different weights. The proposed model calculates the contextual importance of previous utterances by using an attention mechanism. In addition, we propose a training method that uses two types of Wasserstein generative adversarial networks to improve the quality of responses. In experiments with the DailyDialog dataset, the proposed model outperformed the previous state-of-the-art models based on various performance measures.
Aerodynamic Sensitivity Analysis for a Wind Turbine Airfoil in an Air-Particle Two-Phase Flow
Authors: Guo Tongqing , Jin Junjun , Lu Zhiliang , Zhou Di , Wang Tongguang
Published: September 2019

In this paper, the Navier-Stokes equations coupled with a Lagrangian discrete phase model are described to simulate the air-particle flows over the S809 airfoil of the Phase VI blade, the NH6MW25 airfoil of a 6 MW wind turbine blade and the NACA0012 airfoil. The simulation results demonstrate that, in an attached flow, the slight performance degradation is caused by the boundary layer momentum loss. After flow separation, the performance degradation becomes significant and is dominated by a more extensive separation due to particles, since the aerodynamic coefficient increments and the moving distance of separation point present similar variation trends with increasing angle of attack. Unlike the NACA0012 airfoil, a most particle-sensitive angle of attack is found in the light stall region for a wind turbine airfoil, at which the lift decrement and the drag increment reach their peak values. For the S809 airfoil, the most sensitive angle of attack is about 3° higher than that for the maximum lift-to-drag ratio. Hence, the aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine is very susceptible to particles. Based on the most sensitive angles of attack, the more sensitive scope of angles of attack of a blade airfoil and the more sensitive range of rotor tip speed ratios are predicted sequentially. The present study clarifies the principles for the performance degradation of a wind turbine airfoil due to particles and the conclusions are useful for the wind turbine design reducing the particle influences.
An Intelligent Milling Tool Wear Monitoring Methodology Based on Convolutional Neural Network with Derived Wavelet Frames Coefficient
Authors: Cao Xincheng , Chen Binqiang , Yao Bin , Zhuang Shiqiang
Published: September 2019

Tool wear and breakage are inevitable due to the severe stress and high temperature in the cutting zone. A highly reliable tool condition monitoring system is necessary to increase productivity and quality, reduce tool costs and equipment downtime. Although many studies have been conducted, most of them focused on single-step process or continuous cutting. In this paper, a high robust milling tool wear monitoring methodology based on 2-D convolutional neural network (CNN) and derived wavelet frames (DWFs) is presented. The frequency band of high signal-to-noise ratio is extracted via derived wavelet frames, and the spectrum is further folded into a 2-D matrix to train 2-D CNN. The feature extraction ability of the 2-D CNN is fully utilized, bypassing the complex and low-portability feature engineering. The full life test of the end mill was carried out with S45C steel work piece and multiple sets of cutting conditions. The recognition accuracy of the proposed methodology reaches 98.5%, and the performance of 1-D CNN as well as the beneficial effects of the DWFs are verified.
Upper Limb Robotics in Rehabilitation: An Approach to Select the Devices, Based on Rehabilitation Aims, and Their Evaluation in a Feasibility Study
Authors: Aprile Irene , Cruciani Arianna , Germanotta Marco , Gower Valerio , Pecchioli Cristiano , Cattaneo Davide , Vannetti Federica , Padua Luca , Gramatica Furio
Published: September 2019

Robot-mediated therapy is a viable approach for upper limb rehabilitation. The upper limb is a highly complex segment and the identification of the appropriate devices capable of rehabilitating it globally (from the shoulder to the hand) in clinical practice is crucial. In this work, we aimed: (i) to describe an approach used in identifying a set of technological and robotic devices to globally treat the upper limb, and (ii) to evaluate the feasibility of the identified set in clinical practice. Using an ad-hoc form, a multidisciplinary team identified a set of four robotic and sensor-based devices to treat globally the upper limb. Then, 30 stroke patients were enrolled and assigned to two groups: the robotic group (RG), where patients were treated with the robotic set, or the conventional group (CG). All patients were evaluated before and after the treatment. In the RG the patients used all the devices (one in each rehabilitation session); the treatment was well accepted, without drop-outs or adverse events. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we identified a set of technological and robotic devices to treat the upper limb globally, and then we experimented to ascertain its feasibility, in a pilot study. Robotics offers a considerable number of devices for rehabilitation that should be selected according to rehabilitation aims and feasibility in clinical practice.
Climate Change Influences of Temporal and Spatial Drought Variation in the Andean High Mountain Basin
Authors: Zhiña Dario , Montenegro Martín , Montalván Lisseth , Mendoza Daniel , Contreras Juan , Campozano Lenin , Avilés Alex
Published: September 2019

Climate change threatens the hydrological equilibrium with severe consequences for living beings. In that respect, considerable differences in drought features are expected, especially for mountain-Andean regions, which seem to be prone to climate change. Therefore, an urgent need for evaluation of such climate conditions arises; especially the effects at catchment scales, due to its implications over the hydrological services. However, to study future climate impacts at the catchment scale, the use of dynamically downscaled data in developing countries is a luxury due to the computational constraints. This study performed spatiotemporal future long-term projections of droughts in the upper part of the Paute River basin, located in the southern Andes of Ecuador. Using 10 km dynamically downscaled data from four global climate models, the standardized precipitation and evapotranspiration index (SPEI) index was used for drought characterization in the base period (1981–2005) and future period (2011–2070) for RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 of CMIP5 project. Fitting a generalized-extreme-value (GEV) distribution, the change ratio of the magnitude, duration, and severity between the future and present was evaluated for return periods 10, 50, and 100 years. The results show that magnitude and duration dramatically decrease in the near future for the climate scenarios under analysis; these features presented a declining effect from the near to the far future. Additionally, the severity shows a general increment with respect to the base period, which is intensified with longer return periods; however, the severity shows a decrement for specific areas in the far future of RCP 4.5 and near future of RCP 8.5. This research adds knowledge to the evaluation of droughts in complex terrain in tropical regions, where the representation of convection is the main limitation of global climate models (GCMs). The results provide useful information for decision-makers supporting mitigating measures in future decades.
Evaluation of Different WRF Parametrizations over the Region of Iași with Remote Sensing Techniques
Authors: Roșu Iulian-Alin , Ferrarese Silvia , Radinschi Irina , Ciocan Vasilica , Cazacu Marius-Mihai
Published: September 2019

This article aims to present an evaluation of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with multiple instruments when applied to a humid continental region, in this case, the region around the city of Iași, Romania. A series of output parameters are compared with observed data, obtained on-site, with a focus on the Planetary Boundary Layer Height (PBLH) and on PBLH-related parametrizations used by the WRF model. The impact of each different parametrization on physical quantities is highlighted during the two chosen measurement intervals, both of them in the warm season of 2016 and 2017, respectively. The instruments used to obtain real data to compare to the WRF simulations are: a lidar platform, a photometer, and ground-level (GL) meteorological instrumentation for the measurement of temperature, average wind speed, and pressure. Maps of PBLH and 2   m above ground-level (AGL) atmospheric temperature are also presented, compared to a topological and relief map of the inner nest of the WRF simulation. Finally, a comprehensive simulation performance evaluation of PBLH, temperature, wind speed, and pressure at the surface and total precipitable water vapor is performed.
Evolution of Turbulence in the Kelvin–Helmholtz Instability in the Terrestrial Magnetopause
Authors: Di Mare Francesca , Sorriso-Valvo Luca , Retinò Alessandro , Malara Francesco , Hasegawa Hiroshi
Published: September 2019

The dynamics occurring at the terrestrial magnetopause are investigated by using Geotail and THEMIS spacecraft data of magnetopause crossings during ongoing Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Properties of plasma turbulence and intermittency are presented, with the aim of understanding the evolution of the turbulence as a result of the development of Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The data have been tested against standard diagnostics for intermittent turbulence, such as the autocorrelation function, the spectral analysis and the scale-dependent statistics of the magnetic field increments. A quasi-periodic modulation of different scaling exponents may exist along the direction of propagation of the Kelvin–Helmholtz waves along the Geocentric Solar Magnetosphere coordinate system (GSM), and it is visible as a quasi-periodic modulation of the scaling exponents we have studied. The wave period associated with such oscillation was estimated to be approximately 6.4 Earth Radii ( R E ). Furthermore, the amplitude of such modulation seems to decrease as the measurements are taken further away from the Earth along the magnetopause, in particular after X ( G S M ) ≲ − 15 R E . The observed modulation seems to persist for most of the parameters considered in this analysis. This suggests that a kind of signature related to the development of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities could be present in the statistical properties of the magnetic turbulence.
Computationally Designed Peptides for Zika Virus Detection: An Incremental Construction Approach
Authors: Mascini Marcello , Dikici Emre , Robles Mañueco Marta , Perez-Erviti Julio A. , Deo Sapna K. , Compagnone Dario , Wang Joseph , Pingarrón José M. , Daunert Sylvia
Published: September 2019

Herein, and in contrast to current production of anti-Zika virus antibodies, we propose a semi-combinatorial virtual strategy to select short peptides as biomimetic antibodies/binding agents for the detection of intact Zika virus (ZIKV) particles. The virtual approach was based on generating different docking cycles of tetra, penta, hexa, and heptapeptide libraries by maximizing the discrimination between the amino acid motif in the ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) envelope protein glycosylation site. Eight peptides, two for each length (tetra, penta, hexa, and heptapeptide) were then synthesized and tested vs. intact ZIKV particles by using a direct enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). As a reference, we employed a well-established anti-ZIKV antibody, the antibody 4G2. Three peptide-based assays had good detection limits with dynamic range starting from 105 copies/mL of intact ZIKV particles; this was one order magnitude lower than the other peptides or antibodies. These three peptides showed slight cross-reactivity against the three serotypes of DENV (DENV-1, -2, and -3) at a concentration of 106 copies/mL of intact virus particles, but the discrimination between the DENV and ZIKV was lost when the coating concentration was increased to 107 copies/mL of the virus. The sensitivity of the peptides was tested in the presence of two biological matrices, serum and urine diluted 1:10 and 1:1, respectively. The detection limits decreased about one order of magnitude for ZIKV detection in serum or urine, albeit still having for two of the three peptides tested a distinct analytical signal starting from 106 copies/mL, the concentration of ZIKV in acute infection.
Creation of Cybrid Cultures Containing mtDNA Mutations m.12315G>A and m.1555G>A, Associated with Atherosclerosis
Authors: Sazonova Margarita A. , Sinyov Vasily V. , Ryzhkova Anastasia I. , Sazonova Marina D. , Khasanova Zukhra B. , Shkurat Tatiana P. , Karagodin Vasily P. , Orekhov Alexander N. , Sobenin Igor A.
Published: September 2019

In the present work, a pilot creation of four cybrid cultures with high heteroplasmy level was performed using mitochondrial genome mutations m.12315G>A and m.1555G>A. According to data of our preliminary studies, the threshold heteroplasmy level of mutation m.12315G>A is associated with atherosclerosis. At the same time, for a mutation m.1555G>A, such a heteroplasmy level is associated with the absence of atherosclerosis. Cybrid cultures were created by fusion of rho0-cells and mitochondria from platelets with a high heteroplasmy level of the investigated mutations. To create rho0-cells, THP-1 culture of monocytic origin was taken. According to the results of the study, two cybrid cell lines containing mutation m.12315G>A with the heteroplasmy level above the threshold value (25% and 44%, respectively) were obtained. In addition, two cybrid cell lines containing mutation m.1555G>A with a high heteroplasmy level (24%) were obtained. Cybrid cultures with mtDNA mutation m.12315G>A can be used to model both the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis in cells and the titration of drug therapy for patients with atherosclerosis. With the help of cybrid cultures containing single nucleotide replacement of mitochondrial genome m.1555G>A, it is possible to develop approaches to the gene therapy of atherosclerosis.
Integrative Analysis of the Core Fruit Lignification Toolbox in Pear Reveals Targets for Fruit Quality Bioengineering
Authors: Cao Yunpeng , Li Xiaoxu , Jiang Lan
Published: September 2019

Stone cell content is an important factor affecting pear fruit flavor. Lignin, a major component of pear stone cells, hinders the quality and value of commercial fruit. The completion of the Chinese white pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) genome sequence provides an opportunity to perform integrative analysis of the genes encoding the eleven protein families (i.e., PAL, C4H, 4CL, HCT, C3H, CSE, CCoAOMT, CCR, F5H, COMT, and CAD) in the phenylpropanoid pathway. Here, a systematic study based on expression patterns and phylogenetic analyses was performed to identify the members of each gene family potentially involved in the lignification in the Chinese white pear. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that 35 P. bretschneideri genes belong to bona fide lignification clade members. Compared to other plants, some multigene families are expanded by tandem gene duplication, such as HCT, C3H, COMT, and CCR. RNA sequencing was used to study the expression patterns of the genes in different tissues, including leaf, petal, bud, sepal, ovary, stem, and fruit. Eighteen genes presented a high expression in fruit, indicating that these genes may be involved in the biosynthesis of lignin in pear fruit. Similarly to what has been observed for Populus trichocarpa, a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiment indicated that P. bretschneideri C3H and C4H might also interact with each other to regulate monolignol biosynthesis in P. bretschneideri, ultimately affecting the stone cell content in pear fruits. The identification of the major genes involved in lignin biosynthesis in pear fruits provides the basis for the development of strategies to improve fruit quality.
Targeting the Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier for Neuroprotection
Authors: Tang Bor Luen
Published: September 2019

The mitochondrial pyruvate carriers mediate pyruvate import into the mitochondria, which is key to the sustenance of the tricarboxylic cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. However, inhibition of mitochondria pyruvate carrier-mediated pyruvate transport was recently shown to be beneficial in experimental models of neurotoxicity pertaining to the context of Parkinson’s disease, and is also protective against excitotoxic neuronal death. These findings attested to the metabolic adaptability of neurons resulting from MPC inhibition, a phenomenon that has also been shown in other tissue types. In this short review, I discuss the mechanism and potential feasibility of mitochondrial pyruvate carrier inhibition as a neuroprotective strategy in neuronal injury and neurodegenerative diseases.
Postural Instability in Parkinson’s Disease: A Review
Authors: Palakurthi Bhavana , Burugupally Sindhu Preetham
Published: September 2019

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a heterogeneous progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which typically affects older adults; it is predicted that by 2030 about 3% of the world population above 65 years of age is likely to be affected. At present, the diagnosis of PD is clinical, subjective, nonspecific, and often inadequate. There is a need to quantify the PD factors for an objective disease assessment. Among the various factors, postural instability (PI) is unresponsive to the existing treatment strategies resulting in morbidity. In this work, we review the physiology and pathophysiology of postural balance that is essential to treat PI among PD patients. Specifically, we discuss some of the reported factors for an early PI diagnosis, including age, nervous system lesions, genetic mutations, abnormal proprioception, impaired reflexes, and altered biomechanics. Though the contributing factors to PI have been identified, how their quantification to grade PI severity in a patient can help in treatment is not fully understood. By contextualizing the contributing factors, we aim to assist the future research efforts that underpin posturographical and histopathological studies to measure PI in PD. Once the pathology of PI is established, effective diagnostic tools and treatment strategies could be developed to curtail patient falls.
Prognostic Factors for Event-Free Survival in Pediatric Patients with Hepatoblastoma Based on the 2017 PRETEXT and CHIC-HS Systems
Authors: Yoon Hee Mang , Hwang Jisun , Kim Kyung Won , Namgoong Jung-Man , Kim Dae Yeon , Koh Kyung-Nam , Kim Hyery , Cho Young Ah
Published: September 2019

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of variables used in the 2017 PRE-Treatment EXTent of tumor (PRETEXT) system and the Children’s Hepatic tumors International Collaboration-Hepatoblastoma Stratification (CHIC-HS) system in pediatric patients with hepatoblastoma. A retrospective analysis of data from the pediatric hepatoblastoma registry of a tertiary referral center was conducted to evaluate the clinical and imaging variables (annotation factors) of the PRETEXT staging system. The primary outcome was event-free survival (EFS). Data from 84 patients (mean age: 2.9 ± 3.5 years) identified between 1998 and 2017 were included. Univariable Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that PRETEXT annotation factors P (portal vein involvement), F (multifocality of tumor), and M (distant metastasis) showed a significant negative association with EFS. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that factor F was the strongest predictor (HR (hazard ratio), 2.908; 95% CI (confidence interval), 1.061–7.972; p = 0.038), whereas factor M showed borderline significance (HR, 2.416; 95% CI, 0.918–6.354; p = 0.074). The prediction model based on F and M (F + M) showed good performance to predict EFS (C-statistic, 0.734; 95% CI, 0.612–0.854). In conclusion, the PRETEXT annotation factor F was the strongest predictor of EFS, and the F + M model showed good performance to predict EFS in pediatric patients with hepatoblastoma.
Should Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes, Androgen Receptor, and FOXA1 Expression Predict the Clinical Outcome in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients?
Authors: Mangia Anita , Saponaro Concetta , Vagheggini Alessandro , Opinto Giuseppina , Centonze Matteo , Vicenti Chiara , Popescu Ondina , Pastena Maria , Giotta Francesco , Silvestris Nicola
Published: September 2019

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a valuable indicator of the immune microenvironment that plays the central role in new anticancer drugs. TILs have a strong prognostic role in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Little is known about the interaction with the androgen receptor (AR) and forkhead box A1 (FOXA1). We analyzed the relationships between TIL levels, AR, and FOXA1 expression and their clinical significance in TNBC patients. Further, we investigated their interaction with other biomarkers like programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1), poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), and Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1). The expression of the proteins was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 124 TNBC samples. TILs were performed adhering to International TILs Working Group 2014 criteria. Cox proportional hazards models were also used to identify risk factors associated with poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis identified TILs as independent prognostic factor of disease free survival (DFS; p = 0.045). A Kaplan–Meyer analysis revealed that the patients with high TILs had a better DFS compared to patients with low TILs (p = 0.037), and the phenotypes TILs−/AR+ and TILs−/FOXA1− had a worse DFS (p = 0.032, p = 0.001 respectively). AR was associated with FOXA1 expression (p = 0.007), and the tumors FOXA1+ presented low levels of TILs (p = 0.028). A poor DFS was observed for AR+/FOXA1+ tumors compared to other TNBCs (p = 0.0117). Low TILs score was associated with poor patients’ survival, and TILs level in combination with AR or FOXA1 expression affected patient’s clinical outcome. In addition, AR+/FOXA1+ phenotype identified a specific subgroup of TNBC patients with poor prognosis. These data may suggest new ways of therapeutic intervention to support current treatments.
Interleukin4Rα (IL4Rα) and IL13Rα1 Are Associated with the Progress of Renal Cell Carcinoma through Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2)/Forkhead Box O3 (FOXO3) Pathways
Authors: Kang Mi-Ae , Lee Jongsung , Ha Sang , Lee Chang , Kim Kyoung , Jang Kyu , Park See-Hyoung
Published: September 2019

Specific kinds of interleukin (IL) receptors are known to mediate lymphocyte proliferation and survival. However, recent reports have suggested that the high expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 in tumor tissue might be associated with tumorigenesis in several kinds of tumor. We found that a significant association between mRNA level of IL4Rα or IL13Rα1 and the poor prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from the public database (http://www.oncolnc.org/). Then, we evaluated the clinicopathological significance of the immunohistochemical expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 in 199 clear cell RCC (CCRCC) patients. The individual and co-expression patterns of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 were significantly associated with cancer-specific survival (CSS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis indicated IL4Rα-positivity and co-expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 as the independent indicators of shorter CSS and RFS of CCRCC patients. For the in vitro evaluation of the oncogenic role of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 in RCC, we knock-downed IL4Rα or IL13Rα1 and observed that the cell proliferation rate was decreased, and the apoptosis rate was increased in A498 and ACHN cells. Furthermore, we examined the possible role of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), well-known down-stream tyrosine kinase under the heterodimeric receptor complex of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1. Interestingly, JAK2 interacted with Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) to cause tyrosine-phosphorylation of FOXO3. Silencing IL4Rα or JAK2 in A498 and ACHN cells reduced the interaction between JAK2 and FOXO3. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of JAK2 induced the nuclear localization of FOXO3, leading to increase apoptosis and decrease cell proliferation rate in A498 and ACHN cells. Taken together, these results suggest that IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 might be involved in the progression of RCC through JAK2/FOXO3 pathway, and their expression might be used as the novel prognostic factor and therapeutic target for RCC patients.
Management of Small Bowel Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Larouche Vincent , Akirov Amit , Alshehri Sameerah , Ezzat Shereen
Published: September 2019

Several important landmark trials have reshaped the landscape of non-surgical management of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors over the last few years, with the confirmation of the antitumor effect of somatostatin analogue therapy in PROMID and CLARINET trials as well as the advent of therapies with significant potential such as mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTor) everolimus (RADIANT trials) and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with 177-Lutetium (NETTER-1 trial). This narrative summarizes the recommended management strategies of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors. We review the main evidence behind each recommendation as well as compare and contrast four major guidelines, namely the 2016 Canadian Consensus guidelines, the 2017 North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society guidelines, the 2018 National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, and the 2016 European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society guidelines. Different clinical situations will be addressed, from loco-regional therapy to metastatic unresectable disease. Carcinoid syndrome, which is mostly managed by somatostatin analogue therapy and the serotonin antagonist telotristat etiprate for refractory diarrhea, as well as neuroendocrine carcinoma will be reviewed. However, several questions remain unanswered, such as the optimal management of neuroendocrine carcinomas or the effect of combining and sequencing of the aforementioned modalities where more randomized controlled trials are needed.
CX3CR1 Mediates the Development of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells during Hepatic Inflammation
Authors: Sutti Salvatore , Bruzzì Stefania , Heymann Felix , Liepelt Anke , Krenkel Oliver , Toscani Alberto , Ramavath Naresh , Cotella Diego , Albano Emanuele , Tacke Frank
Published: September 2019

Recent evidence suggests that hepatic dendritic cells (HDCs) contribute to the evolution of chronic liver diseases. However, the HDC subsets involved and the mechanisms driving these responses are still poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the role of the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 in modulating monocyte-derived dendritic cell (moDC) differentiation during liver inflammation. The phenotype of HDC and functional relevance of CX3CR1 was assessed in mice following necro-inflammatory liver injury induced by the hepatotoxic agent carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and in steatohepatitis caused by a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet. In both the experimental models, hepatic inflammation was associated with a massive expansion of CD11c+/MHCIIhigh/CD11b+ myeloid HDCs. These cells also expressed the monocyte markers Ly6C, chemokine (C-C Motif) receptor 2 (CCR2), F4/80 and CD88, along with CX3CR1, allowing their tentative identification as moDCs. Mice defective in CX3CR1 showed a reduction in liver-moDC recruitment following CCl4 poisoning in parallel with a defective maturation of monocytes into moDCs. The lack of CX3CR1 also affected moDC differentiation from bone marrow myeloid cells induced by granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in vitro. In wild-type mice, treatment with the CX3CR1 antagonist CX3-AT (150 µg, i.p.) 24 h after CCl4 administration reduced liver moDCS and significantly ameliorated hepatic injury and inflammation. Altogether, these results highlight the possible involvement of moDCs in promoting hepatic inflammation following liver injury and indicated a novel role of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 dyad in driving the differentiation of hepatic moDCs.
Understanding the Modus Operandi of MicroRNA Regulatory Clusters
Authors: Oliveira Arthur C. , Bovolenta Luiz A. , Alves Lucas , Figueiredo Lucas , Ribeiro Amanda O. , Campos Vinicius F. , Lemke Ney , Pinhal Danillo
Published: September 2019

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that regulate a wide range of biological pathways by post-transcriptionally modulating gene expression levels. Given that even a single miRNA may simultaneously control several genes enrolled in multiple biological functions, one would expect that these tiny RNAs have the ability to properly sort among distinctive cellular processes to drive protein production. To test this hypothesis, we scrutinized previously published microarray datasets and clustered protein-coding gene expression profiles according to the intensity of fold-change levels caused by the exogenous transfection of 10 miRNAs (miR-1, miR-7, miR-9, miR-124, miR-128a, miR-132, miR-133a, miR-142, miR-148b, miR-181a) in a human cell line. Through an in silico functional enrichment analysis, we discovered non-randomic regulatory patterns, proper of each cluster identified. We demonstrated that miRNAs are capable of equivalently modulate the expression signatures of target genes in regulatory clusters according to the biological function they are assigned to. Moreover, target prediction analysis applied to ten vertebrate species, suggest that such miRNA regulatory modus operandi is evolutionarily conserved within vertebrates. Overall, we discovered a complex regulatory cluster-module strategy driven by miRNAs, which relies on the controlled intensity of the repression over distinct targets under specific biological contexts. Our discovery helps to clarify the mechanisms underlying the functional activity of miRNAs and makes it easier to take the fastest and most accurate path in the search for the functions of miRNAs in any distinct biological process of interest.
Interleukin 21 Receptor/Ligand Interaction Is Linked to Disease Progression in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Linnebacher Alica , Mayer Philipp , Marnet Nicole , Bergmann Frank , Herpel Esther , Revia Steffie , Yin Libo , Liu Li , Hackert Thilo , Giese Thomas , Herr Ingrid , Gaida Matthias M.
Published: September 2019

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) displays a marked fibro-inflammatory microenvironment in which infiltrated immune cells fail to eliminate the tumor cells and often—rather paradoxically—promote tumor progression. Of special interest are tumor-promoting T cells that assume a Th17-like phenotype because their presence in PDAC tissue is associated with a poor prognosis. In that context, the role of IL-21, a major cytokine released by Th17-like cells, was assessed. In all tissue samples (n = 264) IL-21+ immune cells were detected by immunohistochemistry and high density of those cells was associated with poor prognosis. In the majority of patients (221/264), tumor cells expressed the receptor for IL-21 (IL-21R) and also a downstream target of IL-21, Blimp-1 (199/264). Blimp-1 expression closely correlated with IL-21R expression and multivariate analysis revealed that expression of both IL-21R and Blimp-1 was associated with shorter survival time of the patients. In vitro data using pancreatic tumor cells lines provided a possible explanation: IL-21 activated ERK and STAT3 pathways and upregulated Blimp-1. Moreover, IL-21 increased invasion of tumor cell lines in a Blimp-1-dependent manner. As an in vivo correlate, an avian xenograft model was used. Here again Blimp-1 expression was significantly upregulated in IL-21 stimulated tumor cells. In summary, our data showed an association of IL-21+ immune cell infiltration and IL-21 receptor expression in PDAC with poor survival, most likely due to an IL-21-mediated promotion of tumor cell invasion and enhanced colony formation, supporting the notion of the tumor-promoting abilities of the tumor microenvironment.
A Two-Season Impact Study of Radiative Forced Tropospheric Response to Stratospheric Initial Conditions Inferred From Satellite Radiance Assimilation
Authors: Shao Min , Bao Yansong , Petropoulos George P. , Zhang Hongfang
Published: September 2019

This study investigated the impacts of stratospheric temperatures and their variations on tropospheric short-term weather forecasting using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) system with real satellite data assimilation. Satellite-borne microwave stratospheric temperature measurements up to 1 mb, from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A), the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), and the Special Sensor microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMI/S), were assimilated into the WRF model over the continental U.S. during winter and summer 2015 using the community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system. Adjusted stratospheric temperature related to upper stratospheric ozone absorption of short-wave (SW) radiation further lead to vibration in downward SW radiation in winter predictions and overall reduced with a maximum of 5.5% reduction of downward SW radiation in summer predictions. Stratospheric signals in winter need 48- to 72-h to propagate to the lower troposphere while near-instant tropospheric response to the stratospheric initial conditions are observed in summer predictions. A schematic plot illustrated the physical processes of the coupled stratosphere and troposphere related to radiative processes. Our results suggest that the inclusion of the entire stratosphere and better representation of the upper stratosphere are important in regional NWP systems in short-term forecasts.
Influence of the Growth Ambience on the Localized Phase Separation and Electrical Conductivity in SrRuO3 Oxide Films
Authors: Cheng Hsin-Ming
Published: September 2019

Perovskite SrRuO3 (SRO) epitaxial thin films grown on SrTiO3 (STO) (001) have been synthesized using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) under a series of oxygen pressures. High quality and conductive SRO thin films on STO have been achieved at 10−1 Torr oxygen pressure with the epitaxial relation of (110)<001>SrRuO3//(001)<010>SrTiO3. The lattice parameters of the thin films exhibit huge expansion by reducing the ambience (~10−7 Torr) during deposition, and the resistance increases by about two orders higher as compared with the low oxide pressure ones. The rise of resistivity can be ascribed to not only the deficiency of Ru elements but also the phase transformation inside SRO thin films. The correlation of growth ambience on the structural transition and corresponding resistivity of epitaxial oxide thin films have been explicitly investigated.
Surface Functionalization of Activated Carbon with Phosphonium Ionic Liquid for CO2 Adsorption
Authors: He Xiaodong , Zhu Jiamei , Wang Hongmin , Zhou Min , Zhang Shuangquan
Published: September 2019

Immobilization of phosphonium ionic liquid (IL) onto activated carbon (AC) was synthesized via grafting and impregnated methods, and the modified materials were analyzed via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, thermal gravity analysis, scanning electron microscope, pore structure and CO2/N2 adsorption selectivity. The effect of the gas flow rate (100–500 mL/min) and adsorption pressure (0.2–0.6 MPa) on the dynamic adsorption behavior of mixture gas containing 15 vol.% CO2 and 85 vol.% N2 was explained using a breakthrough method. By analyzing the breakthrough curves, the adsorption capacity was determined. The results show that surface functionalization of activated carbon with phosphonium ionic liquid is conducive to improving CO2/N2 selectivity, especially ionic liquid-impregnated film. The different adsorption behaviors of impregnated and grafted adsorbents are observed under various conditions. The grafted AC had better CO2 adsorption and mass transfer due to a lower blockage of pores by ionic liquid.
Lichen Diversity and Biomonitoring: A Special Issue
Authors: Giordani Paolo
Published: September 2019

Lichens are symbiotic organisms susceptible to environmental alteration due to their morphological and physiological features. For this reason, researchers and decision-makers are extensively using lichen biomonitoring for assessing the effects of various anthropogenic disturbances. The Special Issue was launched to fulfil some knowledge gaps in this field, such as the development of procedures to interpret and compare results. The SI includes three reviews that explore the application of lichen biomonitoring for detecting the effects of climate change. Three articles and one review paper examined the use at a decision level of biomonitoring of air pollution employing lichens, including the application in environmental forensic. Finally, six research articles are illustrative examples of lichen biomonitoring in poorly known habitats, providing data from the physiological to the community level of observation, and pose the basis for extending comparable approaches on a global scale.
Evaluation of Acridine Orange Staining for a Semi-Automated Urinalysis Microscopic Examination at the Point-of-Care
Authors: Powless Amy J. , Prieto Sandra P. , Gramling Madison R. , Conley Roxanna J. , Holley Gregory G. , Muldoon Timothy J.
Published: September 2019

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can be diagnosed via urinalysis, consisting of a dipstick test and manual microscopic examination. Point-of-care (POC) image-based systems have been designed to automate the microscopic examination for low-volume laboratories or low-resource clinics. In this pilot study, acridine orange (AO) was evaluated as a fluorescence-based contrast agent to aid in detecting and enumerating urine sediment specific for diagnosing a UTI. Acridine orange staining of epithelial cells, leukocytes, and bacteria provided sufficient contrast to successfully implement image segmentation techniques, which enabled the extraction of classifiable morphologic features. Surface area bounded by each cell border was used to differentiate the sediment; epithelial cells were larger than 500μm2, bacteria were less than 30μm2, and leukocytes in between. This image-based semi-automated technique using AO resulted in similar cell counts to the clinical results, which demonstrates the feasibility of AO as an aid for POC urinalysis systems.
Field Trials for the Characterization of Non-Intentional Emissions at Low-Voltage Grid in the Frequency Range Assigned to NB-PLC Technologies
Authors: Fernández Igor , de la Vega David , Arrinda Amaia , Angulo Itziar , Uribe-Pérez Noelia , Llano Asier
Published: September 2019

The paper describes the results of a measurement campaign to characterize the non-intentional emissions (NIE) that are present in the low voltage section of the electrical grid, within the frequency range assigned to narrowband power line communications (NB-PLC), from 20 kHz to 500 kHz. These NIE may severely degrade the quality of the communications and, in some cases, even isolate the transmission devices. For this reason, the identification and characterization of these perturbations are important aspects for the proper performance of the smart grid services based on PLC. The proper characterization of NIE in this frequency range is a key aspect for the selection of efficient configurations to find the best trade-off between data throughput and robustness, or even for the definition of new improved error detection and correction methods. The huge number of types of NIE, together with the wide variety of grid topologies and loads distribution (density and location of homes and industrial facilities) are great challenges that complicate the thorough characterization of NIE. This work contributes with results from field trials in different scenarios, the identification of different types of NIE and the characterization both in time and frequency domains of all the registered disturbances. This contribution will be helpful for a better knowledge of the electrical grid as a transmission medium for PLC and, therefore, for evaluating the appropriateness of different robustness techniques to be applied in the next generation of smart grid services.
Experimental Interference Robustness Evaluation of IEEE 802.15.4-2015 OQPSK-DSSS and SUN-OFDM Physical Layers for Industrial Communications
Authors: Tuset-Peiró Pere , Vázquez-Gallego Francisco , Muñoz Jonathan , Watteyne Thomas , Alonso-Zarate Jesus , Vilajosana Xavier
Published: September 2019

In this paper, we experimentally evaluate and compare the robustness against interference of the OQPSK-DSSS (Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying-Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) and the SUN-OFDM (Smart Utility Network-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) physical layers, as defined in the IEEE 802.15.4-2015 standard. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact that different levels of interference produce on these modulations, in terms of the resulting PDR (Packet Delivery Ratio) and depending on the length of the packet being transmitted. The results show that the SUN-OFDM physical layer provides significant benefits compared to the ubiquitous OQPSK-DSSS in terms of interference robustness, regardless of the interference type and the packet length. Overall, this demonstrates the suitability of choosing the SUN-OFDM physical layer when deploying low-power wireless networks in industrial scenarios, especially taking into consideration the possibility of trading-off robustness and spectrum efficiency depending on the application requirements.
Passive Wireless Measurement System Based on Wireless Power Transfer Technology
Authors: Zheng Yunfei , Hu Zhijian , Dai Zhongyu , Pei Chao , Yang Chuan , Zhou Haikuo , Qu Haoyue , Yang Lingjun
Published: September 2019

This paper presents a passive wireless measurement system based on wireless power transfer (WPT) technology. It does not require separate information and power transmission circuits. The data receiver only needs to send a short signal to the data collector through WPT, and then the information of the measured environment can be obtained by analyzing the feedback signal from the data collector. Three concepts are included in this system, namely (1) the constant oscillation period of oscillation attenuation waveforms; (2) the characteristics of inductive coupling WPT; and (3) the relationship between sensitive resistances and environmental parameters. It is very suitable for measuring the parameters in an internal or closed space. The data collector is small in size and simple in structure, and no power is needed. It has stable performance after implantation and can be used permanently. Results obtained from simulations and experiments are included. They verify the measurement process and measurement results meet the requirements of passive wireless measurement, and the measurement error is less than 1.5%.
Design and Analysis of a Drive System for a Series Manipulator Based on Orthogonal-Fuzzy PID Control
Authors: Zhou Haibo , Chen Rui , Zhou Shun , Liu Zhenzhong
Published: September 2019

Because the proportional–integral–derivative (PID) parameters selected by experience are random, the control effect of fuzzy PID cannot be optimized. In order to improve the accuracy and stability of robot motion control, an orthogonal-fuzzy PID intelligent control method is proposed. In this paper, the electric steering gear is used as the actuator, and the mathematical model of the servo motor joint drive system is established. The simulation analysis of the original control, PID control, fuzzy PID control, and orthogonal-fuzzy PID control of the manipulator joints in the Simulink software simulation environment and the motion control experiment of the manipulator show that using the orthogonal test method to adjust the PID parameters can quickly determine the appropriate PID parameters and greatly reduce the number of trials. The rise time, adjustment time, and overshoot of the system are significantly reduced by using fuzzy PID control, which can improve the adaptability of the system. By comparing and analyzing fuzzy PID and orthogonal-fuzzy PID control methods, it can be found that the system of orthogonal-fuzzy PID for optimal factor level combination (Kp = 0.1, Ki = 30 and Kd = 0.02) is the optimal system. The experiment results show that the orthogonal-fuzzy PID can further improve the accuracy of the system and reduce the oscillation process of the system near the steady state and make the motion more stable.
Feedforward Interpolation Error Compensation Method for Field Weakening Operation Region of PMSM Drive
Authors: Ji Young-Bae , Lee Jung-Hyo
Published: September 2019

This study proposes a field weakening control method with interpolation error compensation of the look-up table based permanent-magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) method. The look-up table (LUT) based control method has robust control characteristics compared to other control methods that use linear controllers for current reference generation. However, it is impossible to store all current references under all circumstances for torque commands. General LUT based control methods use two input parameters. In order to mitigate the effect of discretely stored data, two-dimensional interpolation is used to linearly interpolate values between discontinuous data. However, because the current trajectories of PMSMs are generally ellipsoidal, an error occurs between the linearly interpolated and controllable current references. This study proposes a method to compensate for this interpolation error using a feedforward controller for rapid compensation. The improvement using the proposed method is verified by experiment and simulation.
A Systematic Equalizer Design Technique Using Backward Directional Design
Authors: Ji Gihyeon
Published: September 2019

This paper presents a systematic equalizer design methodology using a backward directional design (BDD). The proposed design method includes pre-emphasis and crosstalk cancellation design and offers a proper waveform solution for transmitters (TX). Since it is driven by a user-defined specification, it avoids over/under design, reducing wasted power. Furthermore, the proposed design procedure is summarized in systematic algorithms and provides an automated design environment. The procedure has been tested for various line conditions to verify the algorithms. The result shows that the proposed method successfully designs equalizers to within a 2.4% error.