bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AT101 [(-)-Gossypol] Selectively Inhibits MCL1 and Sensitizes Carcinoma to BH3 Mimetics by Inducing and Stabilizing NOXA
Authors: Mallick David J. , Eastman Alan
Published: August 2020

Anti-apoptotic BCL2 proteins are important targets for cancer therapy as cancers depend on their activity for survival. Direct inhibitors of MCL1 have entered clinical trials, although their efficacy may be limited by toxicity. An alternative approach may be to induce the pro-apoptotic protein NOXA which selectively inhibits MCL1 in cells. Many compounds originally proposed as inhibitors of the BCL2 family were subsequently found to induce the pro-apoptotic protein NOXA through the unfolded protein response. In the present study, we compared various putative BH3 mimetics across a panel of carcinoma cell lines and measured expression of NOXA protein and mRNA, as well as the kinetics of NOXA induction. We found that AT101 [(-)-gossypol] induces high levels of NOXA in carcinoma cell lines yet cells survive. When combined with an appropriate BCL2 or BCL-XL inhibitor, NOXA-dependent sensitization occurs. NOXA protein continues to accumulate for many hours after AT101 is removed, providing a window for administering these combinations. As MCL1 promotes drug resistance and overall survival, we propose that NOXA induction is an alternative therapeutic strategy to target MCL1 and either kill cancer cells that are dependent on MCL1 or sensitize cancer cells to other BCL2 inhibitors.
Prognostic Biomarkers of Salvage Chemotherapy Following Nivolumab Treatment for Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wakasaki Takahiro , Yasumatsu Ryuji , Masuda Muneyuki , Takeuchi Toranoshin , Manako Tomomi , Matsuo Mioko , Jiromaru Rina , Uchi Ryutaro , Komune Noritaka , Noda Teppei , Nakagawa Takashi
Published: August 2020

Recent studies have suggested the benefit of salvage chemotherapy (SCT) after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment for recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC). We retrospectively examined the outcome of SCT and the usefulness of the serum C-reactive protein level (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as prognostic biomarkers. Thirty-nine patients with R/M HNSCC were enrolled in this study. Twenty-five patients (64.1%) received combination chemotherapy of weekly paclitaxel and cetuximab (PC) as SCT, and 14 patients (35.9%) received tegafur-gimestat-otastat potassium (S1), an oral fluoropyrimidine. In all patients, the response rate, disease control rate, median progression-free survival (PFS), and median overall survival (OS) were 45.2%, 85.7%, 6.5 months, and 13.5 months, respectively. No chemotherapy-related deaths were observed. These PC groups had low CRP (<1.2 mg/dL) or low NLR (<7.0) values at the time of SCT induction, which was significantly associated with an improved OS (p = 0.0440, p = 0.0354). A multivariate analysis also showed that a lower CRP value was significantly associated with a better OS (p = 0.0078). We clarified the usefulness of the PC and S1 regimens as SCT. In addition, SCT with the PC regimen showed a better prognosis with a lower CRP or NLR at induction than a higher CRP or NLR. This is the first report on biomarkers of SCT in R/M HNSCC.
Distinct Mechanisms Are Responsible for Nrf2-Keap1 Pathway Activation at Different Stages of Rat Hepatocarcinogenesis
Authors: Orrù Claudia , Perra Andrea , Kowalik Marta Anna , Rizzolio Sabrina , Puliga Elisabetta , Cabras Lavinia , Giordano Silvia , Columbano Amedeo
Published: August 2020

Activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway, the main intracellular defense against environmental stress, has been observed in several human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we assessed whether distinct mechanisms of activation may be involved at different stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. We adopted an experimental model consisting of treatment with diethylnitrosamine (DENA) followed by a choline-devoid methionine-deficient (CMD) diet for 4 months. The CMD diet was then replaced with a basal diet, and the animals were killed at 6, 10 or 13 months after DENA injection. Nrf2 activation occurred at early steps of hepatocarcinogenesis and persisted throughout the tumorigenic process. While Nrf2 mutations were extremely frequent at early steps (90%), their incidence diminished with the progression to malignancy (25%). Conversely, while p62 was almost undetectable in early nodules, its accumulation occurred in HCCs, suggesting that Nrf2 pathway activation at late stages is mainly due to Keap1 sequestration by p62. We demonstrate that, in a model of hepatocarcinogenesis resembling human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Nrf2 mutations are the earliest molecular changes responsible for the activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway. The progressive loss of mutations associated with a concomitant p62 accumulation implies that distinct mechanisms are responsible for Nrf2-Keap1 pathway activation at different stages of hepatocarcinogenesis.
Phase II Clinical Trial of Pembrolizumab in Patients with Progressive Metastatic Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas
Authors: Jimenez Camilo , Subbiah Vivek , Stephen Bettzy , Ma Junsheng , Milton Denai , Xu Mingxuan , Zarifa Abdualrazzak , Akhmedzhanov Fechukwu Omolara , Tsimberidou Apostolia , Habra Mouhammed Amir , Rodon Anhert Jordi , Fu Siqing , Naing Aung
Published: August 2020

Metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (MPPGs) are rare endocrine malignancies that are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality because of their large tumor burden and location, progression, and release of catecholamines. Systemic therapies for MPPGs are limited. MPPGs are characterized by pseudohypoxia that may prevent immune system recognition. We conducted a phase II clinical trial of pembrolizumab in patients with progressive MPPGs. The primary endpoint was the non-progression rate at 27 weeks. The secondary endpoints included the objective response and clinical benefit rates, progression free and overall survival duration, and safety. We also determined whether PDL-1 expression and the presence of infiltrating mononuclear inflammatory cells in the primary tumor were associated with clinical response and hereditary background. Eleven patients were included in this trial, four (36%) with germline mutations and seven (64%) with hormonally active tumors. Four patients (40%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12–74%) achieved the primary endpoint. The objective response rate was 9% (95% CI: 0–41%). The clinical benefit rate was 73% (95% CI: 39–94%). Four patients had grade 3 adverse events related to pembrolizumab. No patients experienced grade 4 or 5 adverse events or a catecholamine crisis. Progression free survival time was 5.7 months (95% CI: 4.37—not reached). The median survival duration was 19 months (95% CI: 9.9—not reached). PDL-1 expression and the presence of infiltrating mononuclear inflammatory cells in the primary tumor did not seem to be associated with disease response. Single-agent pembrolizumab has modest treatment efficacy in patients with progressive MPPGs. Positive responses seemed to be independent of patients’ hereditary backgrounds, tumor hormonal status, and the presence of infiltrating mononuclear inflammatory cells or PDL-1 expression in the primary tumor.
Evolution of the Experimental Models of Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Massa Annamaria , Varamo Chiara , Vita Francesca , Tavolari Simona , Peraldo-Neia Caterina , Brandi Giovanni , Rizzo Alessandro , Cavalloni Giuliana , Aglietta Massimo
Published: August 2020

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare, aggressive disease with poor overall survival. In advanced cases, surgery is often not possible or fails; in addition, there is a lack of effective and specific therapies. Multidisciplinary approaches and advanced technologies have improved the knowledge of CCA molecular pathogenesis, highlighting its extreme heterogeneity and high frequency of genetic and molecular aberrations. Effective preclinical models, therefore, should be based on a comparable level of complexity. In the past years, there has been a consistent increase in the number of available CCA models. The exploitation of even more complex CCA models is rising. Examples are the use of CRISPR/Cas9 or stabilized organoids for in vitro studies, as well as patient-derived xenografts or transgenic mouse models for in vivo applications. Here, we examine the available preclinical CCA models exploited to investigate: (i) carcinogenesis processes from initiation to progression; and (ii) tools for personalized therapy and innovative therapeutic approaches, including chemotherapy and immune/targeted therapies. For each model, we describe the potential applications, highlighting both its advantages and limits.
Time to Next Treatment as a Meaningful Endpoint for Trials of Primary Cutaneous Lymphoma
Authors: Campbell Belinda A. , Scarisbrick Julia J. , Kim Youn H. , Wilcox Ryan A. , McCormack Christopher , Prince H. Miles
Published: August 2020

Time to next treatment (TTNT) is an emerging endpoint in clinical studies of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL), with utility as a surrogate marker for the “duration of clinical benefit”. TTNT provides a highly clinically meaningful endpoint that uniquely reflects not only the duration of treatment efficacy on disease and symptom control, but also incorporates the patient experience by accounting for patient compliance and tolerance to the studied therapy(s). Given the distinct challenges of pin-pointing the exact date of progression in patients with multi-compartmental CTCL, TTNT overcomes many of the shortcomings of conventional, disease-focused, clinical endpoints in primary CTCL research. Although widely accepted in clinical research for numerous other incurable malignancies, TTNT currently lacks a standardised definition. In this paper, we describe the value of TTNT as a clinical endpoint, review the applications of TTNT in primary CTCL research, and propose a standardised definition of TTNT to be applied in future clinical research of primary CTCL therapies.
(S)-Pramipexole and Its Enantiomer, Dexpramipexole: A New Chemoenzymatic Synthesis and Crystallographic Investigation of Key Enantiomeric Intermediates
Authors: Ciceri Samuele , Ferraboschi Patrizia , Grisenti Paride , Reza Elahi Shahrzad , Castellano Carlo , Mori Matteo , Meneghetti Fiorella
Published: August 2020

A new chemoenzymatic method has been developed for the synthesis of (S)- and (R)-N-(6-hydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl) acetamide, two key synthons for the preparation of (S)-pramipexole, an anti-Parkinson drug, and its enantiomer dexpramipexole, which is currently under investigation for the treatment of eosinophil-associated disorders. These two building blocks have been obtained in good yields and high enantiomeric excess (30% and >98% ee for the R-enantiomer, and 31% and >99% ee for the S- one) through a careful optimization of the reaction conditions, starting from the corresponding racemic mixture and using two consecutive irreversible transesterifications, catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase type A. Single crystal X-ray analysis has been carried out to unambiguously define the stereochemistry of the two enantiomers, and to explore in depth their three-dimensional features.
CO2 Methanation on Supported Rh Nanoparticles: The combined Effect of Support Oxygen Storage Capacity and Rh Particle Size
Authors: Botzolaki Georgia , Goula Grammatiki , Rontogianni Anatoli , Nikolaraki Ersi , Chalmpes Nikolaos , Zygouri Panagiota , Karakassides Michalis , Gournis Dimitrios , Charisiou Nikolaos , Goula Maria , Papadopoulos Stylianos , Yentekakis Ioannis
Published: August 2020

CO2 hydrogenation toward methane, a reaction of high environmental and sustainable energy importance, was investigated at 200–600 °C and H2/CO2 = 4/1, over Rh nanoparticles dispersed on supports with different oxygen storage capacity characteristics (γ-Al2O3, alumina-ceria-zirconia, and ceria-zirconia). The effects of the support OSC and Rh particle size on reaction behavior under both integral and differential conditions were investigated, to elucidate the combined role of these crucial catalyst design parameters on methanation efficiency. A volcano-type variation of methanation turnover frequency was found in respect to support OSC; Rh/ACZ, with intermediate OSC, was the optimal catalyst. The structure sensitivity of the reaction was found to be a combined function of support OSC and Rh particle size: For Rh/γ-Al2O3 (lack of OSC) methanation was strongly favored on small particles—the opposite for Rh/CZ (high OSC). The findings are promising for rational design and optimization of CO2 methanation catalysts by tailoring the aforementioned characteristics.
Visible Light Driven Spherical CuBi2O4 with Surface Oxygen Vacancy Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity: Catalyst Fabrication, Performance, and Reaction Mechanism
Authors: Zhong Xin , Cai Yihong , Bai Heping , Huang Wei , Zhou Binxue
Published: August 2020

Here, a spherical CuBi2O4 catalyst with surface oxygen vacancy was fabricated through a facile hydrothermal method, which exhibited remarkable enhanced photocatalytic activity of refractory chemicals in the heterogeneous sulfate radical-based Fenton-like reaction under visible light emitting diode (LED) light irradiation. The property of the catalysts was systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV/vis methods. The effects of parameters of solution pH, potassium peroxymonosulfate (PMS) concentration, catalyst dosage, and catalyst reusability on Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation were investigated. In the interface reaction, the improved photodegradation efficiency could be attributed to the decomposition of PMS, which produced sulfate radicals and hydroxyl radicals owing to the transmission of photo-generated electron/hole pairs. Herein, the introduction of surface oxygen vacancy as well as the cycling of copper valence states (Cu(II)/Cu(I) pairs) can facilitate the production of free reactive radicals, leading to the high degradation efficiency. The catalyst showed high removal efficiency and presented good cycle stability in the reaction. Additionally, the free radical quencher experiment and electron spin resonance (EPR) experiments were conducted, and a proposed photocatalytic mechanism was also illustrated.
Myosin XVI in the Nervous System
Authors: Telek Elek , Kengyel András , Bugyi Beáta
Published: August 2020

The myosin family is a large inventory of actin-associated motor proteins that participate in a diverse array of cellular functions. Several myosin classes are expressed in neural cells and play important roles in neural functioning. A recently discovered member of the myosin superfamily, the vertebrate-specific myosin XVI (Myo16) class is expressed predominantly in neural tissues and appears to be involved in the development and proper functioning of the nervous system. Accordingly, the alterations of MYO16 has been linked to neurological disorders. Although the role of Myo16 as a generic actin-associated motor is still enigmatic, the N-, and C-terminal extensions that flank the motor domain seem to confer unique structural features and versatile interactions to the protein. Recent biochemical and physiological examinations portray Myo16 as a signal transduction element that integrates cell signaling pathways to actin cytoskeleton reorganization. This review discusses the current knowledge of the structure-function relation of Myo16. In light of its prevalent localization, the emphasis is laid on the neural aspects.
Phosphorylation Targets of DNA-PK and Their Role in HIV-1 Replication
Authors: Anisenko Andrey , Kan Marina , Shadrina Olga , Brattseva Anna , Gottikh Marina
Published: August 2020

The DNA dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a trimeric nuclear complex consisting of a large protein kinase and the Ku heterodimer. The kinase activity of DNA-PK is required for efficient repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). We also showed that the kinase activity of DNA-PK is essential for post-integrational DNA repair in the case of HIV-1 infection. Besides, DNA-PK is known to participate in such cellular processes as protection of mammalian telomeres, transcription, and some others where the need for its phosphorylating activity is not clearly elucidated. We carried out a systematic search and analysis of DNA-PK targets described in the literature and identified 67 unique DNA-PK targets phosphorylated in response to various in vitro and/or in vivo stimuli. A functional enrichment analysis of DNA-PK targets and determination of protein–protein associations among them were performed. For 27 proteins from these 67 DNA-PK targets, their participation in the HIV-1 life cycle was demonstrated. This information may be useful for studying the functioning of DNA-PK in various cellular processes, as well as in various stages of HIV-1 replication.
Nuclear Envelope Proteins Modulating the Heterochromatin Formation and Functions in Fission Yeast
Authors: Hirano Yasuhiro , Asakawa Haruhiko , Sakuno Takeshi , Haraguchi Tokuko , Hiraoka Yasushi
Published: August 2020

The nuclear envelope (NE) consists of the inner and outer nuclear membranes (INM and ONM), and the nuclear pore complex (NPC), which penetrates the double membrane. ONM continues with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). INM and NPC can interact with chromatin to regulate the genetic activities of the chromosome. Studies in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe have contributed to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying heterochromatin formation by the RNAi-mediated and histone deacetylase machineries. Recent studies have demonstrated that NE proteins modulate heterochromatin formation and functions through interactions with heterochromatic regions, including the pericentromeric and the sub-telomeric regions. In this review, we first introduce the molecular mechanisms underlying the heterochromatin formation and functions in fission yeast, and then summarize the NE proteins that play a role in anchoring heterochromatic regions and in modulating heterochromatin formation and functions, highlighting roles for a conserved INM protein, Lem2.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) of Metallic Alloys
Authors: Calignano Flaviana
Published: August 2020

The introduction of metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes in industrial sectors, such as the aerospace, automotive, defense, jewelry, medical and tool-making fields, has led to a significant reduction in waste material and in the lead times of the components, innovative designs with higher strength, lower weight and fewer potential failure points from joining features [...]
Structural and Electric Properties of MnO2-Doped KNN-LT Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics
Authors: Deng Yunfeng , Wang Junjun , Zhang Chunxiao , Ma Hui , Bai Chungeng , Liu Danqing , Wu Fengmin , Yang Bin
Published: August 2020

Structural, ferroelectric, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of K0.5Na0.5NbO3-LiTaO3-xmol%MnO2 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3 were studied. The ceramic samples were synthesized through the conventional solid-state reaction method. The MnO2 addition can reduce the sintering temperature of KNLNT ceramics. Compared with undoped KNLNT ceramic, the piezoelectric measurements showed that piezoelectric properties of K0.5Na0.5NbO3-LiTaO3-xMnO2 were improved (d33 = 251 pC/N) when x = 0.1. In addition, KNLNT-xMnO2 ceramics have larger Pr(20.59~21.97 μC/cm2) and smaller Ec(10.77~6.95 kV/cm), which indicates MnO2 has excellent softening property, which improves the ferroelectric properties of KNLNT ceramics This work adds relevant information regarding of potassium sodium niobate K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN) when doped Li, Ta, Mn at the B-site.
Potential Influences of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Nano-Sized Cell Fragments on Struvite Biomineralization
Authors: McLean Robert , Brown Erin
Published: August 2020

Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) calculi are formed as a result of urinary tract infections by Proteus mirabilis and other urease-producing bacteria. During struvite formation, the bacteria grow as biofilms, and thus crystals are formed in close association with bacterial cell surfaces and biofilm matrix components. Small nano-sized objects (originally termed “nanobacteria”) have been described in association with urinary calculi including struvite calculi. A much more likely explanation of these nano-structures is outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that can be produced by P. mirabilis and other Gram-negative bacteria. In this brief review, we describe the association of bacterial cell surfaces and biofilm matrix components with metal binding and the generation of chemical microenvironments during struvite formation; we propose potential mechanisms whereby OMVs can influence struvite crystal growth and biomineralization.
A Comparative Study on Blast-Resistant Performance of Steel and PVA Fiber-Reinforced Concrete: Experimental and Numerical Analyses
Authors: Chen Le , Sun Weiwei , Chen Bingcheng , Xu Sen , Liang Jianguo , Ding Chufan , Feng Jun
Published: August 2020

This paper deals with the blast-resistant performance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber-reinforced concrete (PVA-FRC) panels with a contact detonation test both experimentally and numerically. With 2% fiber volumetric content, SFRC and PVA-FRC specimens were prepared and comparatively tested in comparison with plain concrete (PC). SFRC was found to exhibit better blast-resistant performance than PVA-FRC. The dynamic mechanical responses of FRC panels were numerically studied with Lattice Discrete Particle Model-Fiber (LDPM-F) which was recently developed to simulate the meso-structure of quasi-brittle materials. The effect of dispersed fibers was also introduced in this discrete model as a natural extension. Calibration of LDPM-F model parameters was achieved by fitting the compression and bending responses. A numerical model of FRC contact detonation was then validated against the blast test results in terms of damage modes and crater dimensions. Finally, FRC panels with different fiber volumetric fractions (e.g., 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%) under blast loadings were further investigated with the validated LDPM-F blast model. The numerical predictions shed some light on the fiber content effect on the FRC blast resistance performance.
Multi-Approach Study Applied to Restoration Monitoring of a 16th Century Wooden Paste Sculpture
Authors: Gómez-Morón Auxiliadora , Ortiz Pilar , Ortiz Rocio , Colao Francesco , Fantoni Roberta , Castaing Jacques , Becerra Javier
Published: August 2020

A multi-approach study has been designed to evaluate the mannerist-style masterpiece of the Christ of the Expiration (Museum Brotherhood, Seville, Spain), a polychrome wooden paste sculpture of the 16th Century that was restored in the Andalusian Historical Heritage Institute (IAPH). During its intervention, a combination of two non-destructive prototypes were used to evaluate the different color in its feet regarding its legs and torso and its cause. A portable equipment that combined X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was employed to analyze chemical composition and mineralogical characterization of pigments. This equipment allowed obtaining simultaneously XRF and XRD at the same point without sampling. X-ray techniques identified cerussite, hydrocerussite and barite in different layers. The presence of zinc oxide from a recent restoration was also detected. Additionally, laser induced fluorescence (LIF) was employed to assess the presence of different fluorescent compounds on the surface. This technique showed the use of acrylic products in the feet, loincloth and torso of Christ from previous restoration and allowed to detect spectral difference on the feet and a high ration of the acrylic product on feet, both could be the cause of the differential degradation between the feet and torso. This multi-approach study based on portable and non-destructive techniques allowed restoration monitoring and helped restorers to take decisions without sampling.
Somatostatin Receptor PET/CT Imaging for the Detection and Staging of Pancreatic NET: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Bauckneht Matteo , Albano Domenico , Annunziata Salvatore , Santo Giulia , Guglielmo Priscilla , Frantellizzi Viviana , Branca Alessia , Ferrari Cristina , Vento Antonio , Mirabile Alessia , Nappi Anna Giulia , Evangelista Laura , Alongi Pierpaolo , Laudicella Riccardo
Published: August 2020

We investigated the diagnostic performance of Somatostatin Receptor Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (SSR-PET/CT) for the detection of primary lesion and initial staging of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). A comprehensive literature search up to January 2020 was performed selecting studies in presence of: sample size ≥10 patients; index test (i.e., 68Ga-DOTATOC or 68Ga-DOTANOC or 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT); and outcomes (i.e., detection rate (DR), true positive, true negative, false positive, and false-negative). The methodological quality was evaluated with QUADAS-2. Pooled DR and pooled sensitivity and specificity for the identification of the primary tumor were assessed by a patient-based and a lesion-based analysis. Thirty-eight studies were selected for the qualitative analysis, while 18 papers were included in the meta-analysis. The number of pNET patients ranged from 10 to 142, for a total of 1143 subjects. At patient-based analysis, the pooled sensitivity and specificity for the assessment of primary pNET were 79.6% (95% confidence interval (95%CI): 71–87%) and 95% (95%CI: 75–100%) with a heterogeneity of 59.6% and 51.5%, respectively. Pooled DR for the primary lesion was 81% (95%CI: 65–90%) and 92% (95%CI: 80–97%), respectively, at patient-based and lesion-based analysis. In conclusion, SSR-PET/CT has high DR and diagnostic performances for primary lesion and initial staging of pNETs.
Non-Markovianity of a Central Spin Interacting with a Lipkin–Meshkov–Glick Bath via a Conditional Past–Future Correlation
Authors: Han Liping , Zou Jian , Li Hai , Shao Bin
Published: August 2020

Based on conditional past–future (CPF) correlations, we study the non-Markovianity of a central spin coupled to an isotropic Lipkin–Meshkov–Glick (LMG) bath. Although the dynamics of a system is always non-Markovian, it is found that some measurement time intervals considering a specific process, with respect to a particular set of CPF measurement operators, can be zero, which means that in this case the non-Markovianity of the system could not be detected. Furthermore, the initial system–bath correlations only slightly influence the non-Markovianity of the system in our model. Significantly, it is also found that the dynamics of the system for LMG baths, initially in the ground states corresponding to the symmetric phase and symmetry broken phase, exhibit different properties, and the maximal value of the CPF at the critical point is the smallest, independent of the measurement operator, which means that the criticality can manifest itself by the CPF. Moreover, the effect of bath temperature on the quantum criticality of the CPF depends on the measurement operator.
On the Capacity of Amplitude Modulated Soliton Communication over Long Haul Fibers
Authors: Chen Yu , Tavakkolnia Iman , Alvarado Alex , Safari Majid
Published: August 2020

The capacity limits of fiber-optic communication systems in the nonlinear regime are not yet well understood. In this paper, we study the capacity of amplitude modulated first-order soliton transmission, defined as the maximum of the so-called time-scaled mutual information. Such definition allows us to directly incorporate the dependence of soliton pulse width to its amplitude into capacity formulation. The commonly used memoryless channel model based on noncentral chi-squared distribution is initially considered. Applying a variance normalizing transform, this channel is approximated by a unit-variance additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) model. Based on a numerical capacity analysis of the approximated AWGN channel, a general form of capacity-approaching input distributions is determined. These optimal distributions are discrete comprising a mass point at zero (off symbol) and a finite number of mass points almost uniformly distributed away from zero. Using this general form of input distributions, a novel closed-form approximation of the capacity is determined showing a good match to numerical results. Finally, mismatch capacity bounds are developed based on split-step simulations of the nonlinear Schro¨dinger equation considering both single soliton and soliton sequence transmissions. This relaxes the initial assumption of memoryless channel to show the impact of both inter-soliton interaction and Gordon–Haus effects. Our results show that the inter-soliton interaction effect becomes increasingly significant at higher soliton amplitudes and would be the dominant impairment compared to the timing jitter induced by the Gordon–Haus effect.
Understanding of Collective Atom Phase Control in Modified Photon Echoes for a Near-Perfect Storage Time-Extended Quantum Memory
Authors: Ullah Rahmat , Ham Byoung S.
Published: August 2020

A near-perfect storage time-extended photon echo-based quantum memory protocol has been analyzed by solving the Maxwell–Bloch equations for a backward scheme in a three-level system. The backward photon echo scheme is combined with a controlled coherence conversion process via controlled Rabi flopping to a third state, where the control Rabi flopping collectively shifts the phase of the ensemble coherence. The propagation direction of photon echoes is coherently determined by the phase-matching condition between the data (quantum) and the control (classical) pulses. Herein, we discuss the classical controllability of a quantum state for both phase and propagation direction by manipulating the control pulses in both single and double rephasing photon echo schemes of a three-level system. Compared with the well-understood uses of two-level photon echoes, the Maxwell–Bloch equations for a three-level system have a critical limitation regarding the phase change when interacting with an arbitrary control pulse area.
PESL: System-Level Estimation of Power-Management Effect on Dynamic Energy Consumption
Authors: Erdelyi Jaroslav , Macko Dominik , Jelemenska Katarina
Published: August 2020

Power estimation is one of the key aspects that can help designers create digital circuits more effectively. If a designer is able to estimate circuit parameters during the early stages of development, correct decisions can be made that can significantly shorten the design time. The early design stages are represented by modeling at the system level of abstraction. However, existing system-level power/energy estimation methods are either too complicated, or they do not consider power management when estimating power consumption, meaning they are inaccurate. Therefore, in this paper we propose a method for a more accurate system-level estimation of the dynamic energy consumption by considering the impact of power management. The SystemC description of a power-managed system and the simulation results (in the form of the value change dump (VCD)) are inputs to the estimation method. The proposed method is based on an activity profile using the modified Hamming distance computation. The method is especially useful for the exploration of alternative power-management strategies, and it helps the designer to select the most efficient strategy.
CoAP-Based Streaming Control for IoT Applications
Authors: Jung Joong-Hwa , Gohar Moneeb , Koh Seok-Joo
Published: August 2020

The Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a representative messaging protocol for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. It is noted that a lot of IoT-based streaming applications have been recently deployed. Typically, CoAP uses User Datagram Protocol (UDP) as its underlying protocol for lightweight messaging. However, it cannot provide reliability, since it is based on UDP. Thus, the CoAP over Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) was recently proposed so as to provide reliability. However, the existing schemes do not provide the error handling and flow controls suitably for IoT-based streaming applications. This tends to induce throughput degradation in wireless lossy networks. In this paper, we propose a CoAP-based streaming control (CoAP-SC) scheme, which is an extension of CoAP over UDP with error handling and flow control for throughput enhancement. The proposed CoAP-SC scheme is designed by considering the sequence number of data message, the use of ACK messages, and the buffer size of sending buffer. To do this, a new CoAP option is defined. For performance analysis, the proposed scheme is implemented and compared with the existing schemes. From the testbed experimentations in various network environments, we see that the proposed CoAP-SC scheme can provide better throughput than the existing CoAP-based schemes by performing the error handling and flow control operations effectively.
Luenberger Position Observer Based on Deadbeat-Current Predictive Control for Sensorless PMSM
Authors: Zhu Yuan , Tao Ben , Xiao Mingkang , Yang Gang , Zhang Xingfu , Lu Ke
Published: August 2020

Two problems can cause control performance degradation on permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) systems, namely, fluctuation of PMSM parameters and the time delay between current sampling and command value update. In order to reduce the influence of these problems, a new current-predictive control strategy is proposed in this article for medium- and high-speed PMSM. This strategy is based on the discrete mathematical model of PMSM. This new control strategy consists of two main steps: First, an integrator is applied to calculate current compensation value; second, the predictive current value is obtained through deadbeat-current predictive method. The stability of predictive control system is also proved in the article. With this deadbeat-current predictive control scheme, the real current can reach the desired value within one control-step. Based on this new current control method, Luenberger observer and phase-locked loop position tracker is applied in this article. Experimental results for 0.4 kW surface-mounted PMSM confirm the validity and excellent performance for parameters fluctuation of new current predictive control.
An RSSI-Based Localization, Path Planning and Computer Vision-Based Decision Making Robotic System
Authors: Upadhyay Jatin , Rawat Abhishek , Deb Dipankar , Muresan Vlad , Unguresan Mihaela-Ligia
Published: August 2020

A robotic navigation system operates flawlessly under an adequate GPS signal range, whereas indoor navigation systems use the simultaneous localization and mapping system or other vision-based localization systems. The sensor used in indoor navigation systems is not suitable for low power and small scale robotic systems. The wireless area network transmitting devices have fixed transmission power, and the receivers get the different values of signal strength based on their surrounding environments. In the proposed method, the received signal strength index (RSSI) values of three fixed transmitter units are measured every 1.6 m in mesh format and analyzed by the classifiers, and robot position can be mapped in the indoor area. After navigation, the robot analyzes objects and detects and recognize human faces with the help of object recognition and facial recognition-based classification methods respectively. This robot detects the intruder with the current position in an indoor environment.
Data-Driven Charging Demand Prediction at Public Charging Stations Using Supervised Machine Learning Regression Methods
Authors: Almaghrebi Ahmad , Aljuheshi Fares , Rafaie Mostafa , James Kevin , Alahmad Mahmoud
Published: August 2020

Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) user charging behavior has a significant influence on a distribution network and its reliability. Generally, monitoring energy consumption has become one of the most important factors in green and micro grids; therefore, predicting the charging demand of PEVs (the energy consumed during the charging session) could help to efficiently manage the electric grid. Consequently, three machine learning methods are applied in this research to predict the charging demand for the PEV user after a charging session starts. This approach is validated using a dataset consisting of seven years of charging events collected from public charging stations in the state of Nebraska, USA. The results show that the regression method, XGBoost, slightly outperforms the other methods in predicting the charging demand, with an RMSE equal to 6.68 kWh and R2 equal to 51.9%. The relative importance of input variables is also discussed, showing that the user’s historical average demand has the most predictive value. Accurate prediction of session charging demand, as opposed to the daily or hourly demand of multiple users, has many possible applications for utility companies and charging networks, including scheduling, grid stability, and smart grid integration.
Development and Experimental Study of the First Stage in a Two-Stage Water-Flooded Single-Screw Compressor Unit for Polyethylene Terephthalate Bottle Blowing System
Authors: Li Ting , Wang Yuchuan , Mao Xiuli , Chen Diyi , Huang Rui , Feng Quanke
Published: August 2020

The oil-free compressor is a key component in fabricating polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for beverages and water. At present, the main compressor type used for blowing PET bottles is the reciprocating compressor. However, compared to screw compressors, reciprocating compressors have shortcomings of high energy consumption and too many consumable parts. Many manufacturers of PET bottles in Asia are seeking to replace reciprocating compressors with screw compressors, as we know. Screw compressors can be classified as single-screw compressors (SSC) and twin-screw compressors. Since the load in a twin-screw compressor is far larger than that in an SSC, SSCs are more suitable for being developed for high-pressure applications such as PET bottle blowing. This paper presents a performance study on an oil-free single-screw compressor as the first stage of the PET compressor unit. A 5.4 m3·min−1 prototype and its test rig were developed. The thermophysical process of the moist air is theoretically analyzed. The pressure loss on the flow path and the influence of the important parameters are experimentally investigated. It is found that water vapor cannot be separated during the adiabatic compression process. The results also show that the pressure loss from the discharging duct to the check valve accounts for the largest percentage of the total pressure loss. The experimental results further show that the discharge capacity and shaft power increase almost linearly with the motor speed. The efficiency declines with increasing injected water temperature. The discharge capacity and shaft power all increase with the injected water flowrate, and an optimum flowrate is found to ensure a highest isentropic efficiency. With the increase in discharge pressure, the discharge capacity decreases, and the shaft power increases. The isentropic efficiency is found to have its maximum value at a certain discharge pressure.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Carbon Labeling Schemes in the Period 2007–2019
Authors: Zhao Rui , Wu Dingye , Patti Sebastiano
Published: August 2020

Carbon labeling schemes enable consumers to be aware of carbon emissions regarding products or services, to help change their purchasing behaviors. This study provides a bibliometric analysis to review the research progress of carbon labeling schemes during the period 2007–2019, in order to provide insight into its future development. Number of publications, countries of publications, authors, institutions, and highly cited papers are included for statistical analysis. The CiteSpace software package is used to visualize the national collaboration, keywords co-appearance, and aggregation. The results are given as follows: (1) there are 175 articles published in the pre-defined period, which shows a gradual increase, with a peak occurred in 2016; (2) carbon labeling schemes are mainly applied to grocery products, and gradually emerged in construction and tourism. (3) Existing studies mainly focus on examination of utility of carbon labeling schemes, by conducting surveys to investigate individual perception, preference, and willingness to pay. (4) Future research will include the optimization of life cycle assessment for labeling accreditation, improvement of labeling visualization for better expression, and normalization of various environmental labels to promote sustainable consumption.
Development Forecasts for the Zero-Emission Bus Fleet in Servicing Public Transport in Chosen EU Member Countries
Authors: Brdulak Anna , Chaberek Grażyna , Jagodziński Jacek
Published: August 2020

Nearly two-thirds of the emissions that cause smog come from road transport. In April 2019, the European Parliament adopted new regulations on public procurement to encourage investment in clean buses—electric, hydrogen, or gas. Directive 2009/33/EC is to apply from the second half of 2021. The aim of this article is to make an attempt to simulate the number of zero-emission buses (ZEB) in European Union (EU) member countries in two time horizons: 2025 and 2030, and to forecast the number of clean vehicles in the precise time horizons, including before and after 2050. Research questions are as follows: (1) what will be the number of ZEBs in individual EU countries over the next few years; (2) which of the EU countries will reach by 2030 the level of 95% share of ZEBs in all buses, which are a fleet of public transport buses; and (3) in which year will which EU countries reach the level of 95% share of zero-emission buses. The method used is a Bass model. The conducted analyses demonstrate that, by 2050, only four of the EU members will be able to reach 95% level of share of clean buses in the city bus transport fleets. It is likely that other countries may not achieve this even by 2050.
Data for Urban Scale Building Energy Modelling: Assessing Impacts and Overcoming Availability Challenges
Authors: Goy Solène , Maréchal François , Finn Donal
Published: August 2020

Data are essential to urban building energy models and yet, obtaining sufficient and accurate building data at a large-scale is challenging. Previous studies have highlighted that the data impact on urban case studies has not been sufficiently discussed. This paper addresses this gap by providing an analysis of the impact of input data on building energy modelling at an urban scale. The paper proposes a joint review of data impact and data accessibility to identify areas where future survey efforts should be concentrated. Moreover, a Morris sensitivity analysis is carried out on a large-scale residential case study, to rank input parameters by impact on space heating demand. This paper shows that accessible data impact the whole modelling process, from approach selection to model replicability. The sensitivity analysis shows that the setpoint and thermal characteristics were the most impactful for the case study considered. Solutions proposed to overcome availability and accessibility issues include organising annual workshops between data users and data owners, or developing online databases that could be populated on a volunteer-basis by data owners. Overall, overcoming data challenges is essential for the transition towards smarter cities, and will require an improved communication between all city stakeholders.
Managing Wind Power Generation via Indexed Semi-Markov Model and Copula
Authors: D’Amico Guglielmo , Masala Giovanni , Petroni Filippo , Sobolewski Robert Adam
Published: August 2020

Because of the stochastic nature of wind turbines, the output power management of wind power generation (WPG) is a fundamental challenge for the integration of wind energy systems into either power systems or microgrids (i.e., isolated systems consisting of local wind energy systems only) in operation and planning studies. In general, a wind energy system can refer to both one wind farm consisting of a number of wind turbines and a given number of wind farms sited at the area in question. In power systems (microgrid) planning, a WPG should be quantified for the determination of the expected power flows and the analysis of the adequacy of power generation. Concerning this operation, the WPG should be incorporated into an optimal operation decision process, as well as unit commitment and economic dispatch studies. In both cases, the probabilistic investigation of WPG leads to a multivariate uncertainty analysis problem involving correlated random variables (the output power of either wind turbines that constitute wind farm or wind farms sited at the area in question) that follow different distributions. This paper advances a multivariate model of WPG for a wind farm that relies on indexed semi-Markov chains (ISMC) to represent the output power of each wind energy system in question and a copula function to reproduce the spatial dependencies of the energy systems’ output power. The ISMC model can reproduce long-term memory effects in the temporal dependence of turbine power and thus understand, as distinct cases, the plethora of Markovian models. Using copula theory, we incorporate non-linear spatial dependencies into the model that go beyond linear correlations. Some copula functions that are frequently used in applications are taken into consideration in the paper; i.e., Gumbel copula, Gaussian copula, and the t-Student copula with different degrees of freedom. As a case study, we analyze a real dataset of the output powers of six wind turbines that constitute a wind farm situated in Poland. This dataset is compared with the synthetic data generated by the model thorough the calculation of three adequacy indices commonly used at the first hierarchical level of power system reliability studies; i.e., loss of load probability (LOLP), loss of load hours (LOLH) and loss of load expectation (LOLE). The results will be compared with those obtained using other models that are well known in the econometric field; i.e., vector autoregressive models (VAR).
Evaluation of Microaeration and Sound to Increase Biogas Production from Poultry Litter
Authors: Loughrin John , Antle Stacy , Bryant Michael , Berry Zachary , Lovanh Nanh
Published: August 2020

Microaeration, wherein small amounts of air are introduced into otherwise anaerobic digesters, has been shown to enhance biogas production. This occurs by fostering the growth of facultatively aerobic bacteria and production of enzymes that enhance the degradation of complex polymers such as cellulose. The treatment of anaerobic digestate with sound at sonic frequencies (<20 kHz) has also been shown to improve biogas production. Microaeration at a rate of 800 mL day−1, treatment with a 1000-Hz sine wave, and combined microaeration/sound were compared to a control digester for the production of biogas and their effect on wastewater quality. Poultry litter from a facility using wood chips as bedding was used as feed. The initial feeding rate was 400 g week−1, and this was slowly increased to a final rate of 2400 g week−1. Compared to the control, sound treatment, aeration, and combined sound/aeration produced 17%, 32%, and 28% more biogas. The aeration alone treatment may have been more effective than combined aeration/sound due to the sound interfering with retention of aeration or the formation of free radicals during cavitation. Digesters treated with sound had the highest concentrations of suspended solids, likely due to cavitation occurring within the sludge and the resulting suspension of fine particles by bubbles.