Intelligent Network Provisioning for Dynamically Downloadable Applications in Beyond 3G Mobile Networks

Mobile communications beyond 3G will integrate different (but complementary) access technologies into a common platform to deliver value-added services and multimedia content in an optimum way. However, the numerous possible configurations of mobile networks complicated the dynamic deployment of mobile applications. Therefore, research is intensely seeking a service provisioning framework that is technology-independent, supports multiple wireless network technologies, and can interwork high-level service management tasks to network management operations. This paper presents an open value chain paradigm, a model for downloadable applications and a mediating platform for service provisioning in beyond 3G mobile settings. Furthermore, we introduce mechanisms that support a coupled interaction between service deployment and network configuration operations, focusing on the dynamic provisioning of QoS state to data path devices according to the requirements of dynamically downloadable mobile value-added services (VAS).

A structured marketplace for arbitrary services

Creating simple marketplaces with common rules, that enable the dynamic selection and consumption of functionality, is the missing link to allow small businesses to enter the cloud, not only as consumers, but also as vendors. In this paper, we present the concepts behind a hybrid service and process repository that can act as the foundation for such a marketplace, as well as a prototype that allowed us to test various real-world scenarios. The advantage of a hybrid service and process repository is that, it not only holds a flat list of services, but also exposes a generic set of use cases, that it obtains information on how specific services can be used to implement the use cases as well as information to select services at run-time according to customer’s goal functions.     

Electrically Tunable Nanoporous Carbon Hybrid Actuators

A novel nanoporous carbon/electrolyte hybrid material is reported for use in actuation. The nanoporous carbon matrix provides a 3D network that combines mechanical strength, light weight, and low cost with an extremely high surface area. In contrast to lower dimensional nanomaterials, the nanoporous carbon matrix can be prepared in the form of macroscopic monolithic samples that can be loaded in compression. The hybrid material is formed by infiltrating the free internal pore volume of the carbon with an electrolyte. Actuation is prompted by polarizing the internal interfaces via an applied electric bias. It is found that the strain amplitude is proportional to the Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) mass specific surface area, with reversible volume strain amplitudes up to the exceptionally high value of 6.6%. The mass‐specific strain energy density compares favorably to reported values for piezoceramics and for nanoporous metal actuators.     

A Comprehensive Review of Genetically Engineered Mouse Models for Prader-Willi Syndrome Research

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurogenetic multifactorial disorder caused by the deletion or inactivation of paternally imprinted genes on human chromosome 15q11-q13. The affected homologous locus is on mouse chromosome 7C. The positional conservation and organization of genes including the imprinting pattern between mice and men implies similar physiological functions of this locus. Therefore, considerable efforts to recreate the pathogenesis of PWS have been accomplished in mouse models. We provide a summary of different mouse models that were generated for the analysis of PWS and discuss their impact on our current understanding of corresponding genes, their putative functions and the pathogenesis of PWS. Murine models of PWS unveiled the contribution of each affected gene to this multi-facetted disease, and also enabled the establishment of the minimal critical genomic region (PWScr) responsible for core symptoms, highlighting the importance of non-protein coding genes in the PWS locus. Although the underlying disease-causing mechanisms of PWS remain widely unresolved and existing mouse models do not fully capture the entire spectrum of the human PWS disorder, continuous improvements of genetically engineered mouse models have proven to be very powerful and valuable tools in PWS research.     

How operators make use of wide-choice adaptable automation: observations from a series of experimental studies

The present paper is concerned with the design of adaptable automation. It analyses the aggregated data from five experiments (N = 154) to examine which automation levels operators prefer, how often they switch between them, and whether performance is associated with frequent switching or the automation levels being used. Using wide-choice adaptable automation (i.e. up to six levels were offered), the experiments were conducted using a PC-based simulation of a complex work environment. The results showed that about 95% of operators had a clearly preferred automation level, which they used for more than 50% of the time. They strongly preferred intermediate automation levels over levels at the higher and lower ends of the scale. Most operators switched rarely between levels and when they did, they usually made small adjustment rather than large changes. Several implications for the design of adaptable automation were derived from the empirical data.     

Gas/liquid oxygen-transfer to flowing lead alloys

For the application of liquid lead or lead-bismuth eutectic as coolant in nuclear reactors, the concentration of dissolved oxygen, determining the compatibility with steels used as construction materials, is of critical importance. In general, oxygen has to be added continuously to the liquid metal, so as to compensate for consumption by oxide formation on the surface of the reactor components. A potential method of keeping the oxygen concentration in a favourable range is transferring oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas, which is investigated on the basis of the experience from operating a gas/liquid transfer device in the CORRIDA loop. Conclusions on oxygen transfer in industrial-scale systems are drawn.     

Partial oxidation of methane in hollow‐fiber membrane reactors based on alkaline‐earth metal‐free CO2‐tolerant oxide

The U‐shaped alkaline‐earth metal‐free CO₂‐stable oxide hollow‐fiber membranes based on (Pr_0.9La_0.1)₂(Ni_0.74Cu_0.21Ga_0.05)O_4+δ (PLNCG) are prepared by a phase‐inversion spinning process and applied successfully in the partial oxidation of methane (POM) to syngas. The effects of temperature, CH₄ concentration and flow rate of the feed air on CH₄ conversion, CO selectivity, H₂/CO ratio, and oxygen permeation flux through the PLNCG hollow‐fiber membrane are investigated in detail. The oxygen permeation flux arrives at approximately 10.5 mL/min cm² and the CO selectivity is higher than 99.5% with a CH₄ conversion of 97.0% and a H₂/CO ratio of 1.8 during 140 h steady operation. The spent hollow‐fiber membrane still maintains a dense microstructure and the Ruddlesden‐Popper K₂NiF₄‐type structure, which indicates that the U‐shaped alkaline‐earth metal‐free CO₂‐tolerant PLNCG hollow‐fiber membrane reactor can be steadily operated for POM to syngas with good performance. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3587–3595, 2014     

Photoluminescence and electroluminescence imaging of perovskite solar cells

Fast camera‐based luminescence‐imaging measurements on perovskite solar cells are presented. The fundamental correlation between the luminescence intensity and the open circuit voltage predicted by the generalised Planck law is confirmed, enabling various quantitative methods for the detection of efficiency‐limiting defects to be applied to this new cell structure. Interstinegly, it is found that this fundamental correlation is valid only for light‐soaked devices. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of Spatially Heterogeneous Trop-2 Expression on Prognosis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral cancer often presents with aggressive behavior and a high risk of recurrence and metastasis. For oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which is the most frequent histological subtype, therapy strategies include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and EGFR inhibitors. Recently, a Trop-2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) has been approved in the United States of America for the treatment of advanced triple-negative breast cancer. However, this ADC has also been tested in other solid tumors including head & neck squamous cell carcinoma. The prognostic impact of Trop-2 has already been reported for several cancers. We studied the prognostic influence of Trop-2 protein expression on OSCC patients’ survival. The cohort comprised n = 229 OSCC patients with available archived tumor tissue and corresponding non-neoplastic oral mucosa tissue. Using immunohistochemistry, we investigated Trop-2 expression in both the central and peripheral regions of each tumor and in corresponding non-neoplastic oral mucosa. In patients suffering from OSCC with combined high central and low peripheral Trop-2 expression, five-year overall survival (OS) was 41.2%, whereas 55.6% of OSCC patients who presented lower central and/or higher peripheral tumoral Trop-2 expression were alive after five years (p = 0.075). In multivariate Cox regression, the expression pattern of high central tumoral and lower peripheral Trop-2 expression was significantly correlated with impaired OS (HR = 1.802, 95%-CI: 1.134–2.864; p = 0.013) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 1.633, 95%-CI: 1.042–2.560; p = 0.033), respectively, when adjusting for co-variables. Hence, Trop-2 may serve as an independent prognostic biomarker in OSCC. In subsequent studies, the pathophysiological meaning of downregulated Trop-2 expression in the OSCC periphery has to be analyzed.