Uncertainty in calibration and characterisation of pyranometers

This work quantifies the uncertainties of thermoelectric pyranometer measurements made with different calibration methods. Measurement campaigns supported both the evaluation of pyranometer calibrations and newly proposed approaches to characterise the pyranometers in indoor and outdoor conditions. Estimated uncertainties were then applied to a year-long irradiance dataset to evaluate the impact on the assessment of the annual solar irradiation. This study highlights the differences seen when calibrating pyranometers under different conditions and procedures. Such deeper insight of pyranometers response aims ultimately to assist the integration of short-term (pyranometers) and long-term (satellite-based) data to a more accurate evaluation of PV energy yield

Evaluation of uncertainty sources and propagation from irradiance sensors to PV energy production

This work quantifies the uncertainties of a pyranometer. Sensitivity to errors is analysed regarding the effects generated by adopting different time resolutions. Estimation of irradiance measurand and error is extended throughout an annual data set. This study represents an attempt to provide a more exhaustive overview of both systematic (i.e. physical) and random uncertainties in the evaluation of pyranometer measurements. Starting from expanded uncertainty in a monitored pyranometer, the study concludes with an evaluation of its impact on the estimation uncertainty in the performance of a photovoltaics (PV) solar farm

Assessment and improvement of thermoelectric pyranometer measurements

This work evaluates the variability of thermoelectric pyranometer calibration values seen when using different calibration methods and practices. The pyranometer calibration ISO 9847:1992 standard leaves many procedural details to the user’s discretion. The variability resulting from different interpretations influences PV system performance monitoring and energy yield modelling. Improved methods and more robust standardisation are therefore needed to reduce uncertainty in field-deployed thermoelectric pyranometers and consequently reduce risk in PV system energy yield assessment. This paper investigates the variability induced by relaxed calibration procedures defined in the standard Furthermore, it proposes indoor procedures for the characterisation of pyranometer response to incidence angle and temperature which have not yet been defined in the standards. Uncertainty of calibration factors including under high angles of incidence and a few cloudy data series from outdoor methods were found to be up to 2.08%, compared with 1.4% stated by the manufacturer. Uncertainty increases up to 4.73% when reference and test sensors are of different types. Results of indoor calibration procedures agreed to within 1.21% even when calibrating multiple sensors at the same time. The instability of the irradiance source contributed more to the overall uncertainty than the selection of the procedure. The angular response of the devices tested was close to the prescribed limits [1]

Bispecific antibody detection using antigen-conjugated synthetic nucleic acid strands

We report here the development of two different sensing strategies based on the use of antigen-conjugated nucleic acid strands for the detection of a bispecific antibody against the tumor-related proteins Mucin1 and epidermal growth factor receptor. Both approaches work well in serum samples (nanomolar sensitivity), show high specificity against the two monospecific antibodies, and are rapid. The results presented here demonstrate the versatility of DNA-based platforms for the detection of bispecific antibodies and could represent a versatile alternative to other more reagent-intensive and time-consuming analytical approaches

MET inhibition sensitizes rhabdomyosarcoma cells to NOTCH signaling suppression

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a pediatric myogenic soft tissue sarcoma. The Fusion-Positive (FP) subtype expresses the chimeric protein PAX3-FOXO1 (P3F) while the Fusion-Negative (FN) is devoid of any gene translocation. FP-RMS and metastatic FN-RMS are often unresponsive to conventional therapy. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches are needed to halt tumor progression. NOTCH signaling has oncogenic functions in RMS and its pharmacologic inhibition through gamma-secretase inhibitors blocks tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that NOTCH signaling blockade resulted in the up-regulation and phosphorylation of the MET oncogene in both RH30 (FP-RMS) and RD (FN-RMS) cell lines. Pharmacologic inhibition of either NOTCH or MET signaling slowed proliferation and restrained cell survival compared to control cells partly by increasing Annexin V and CASP3/7 activation. Co-treatment with NOTCH and MET inhibitors significantly amplified these effects and enhanced PARP1 cleavage in both cell lines. Moreover, it severely hampered cell migration, colony formation, and anchorage-independent growth compared to single-agent treatments in both cell lines and significantly prevented the growth of FN-RMS cells grown as spheroids. Collectively, our results unveil the overexpression of the MET oncogene by NOTCH signaling targeting in RMS cells and show that MET pathway blockade sensitizes them to NOTCH inhibition

A chimeric haemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine boosts human cellular immune responses directed towards the conserved haemagglutinin stalk domain and the viral nucleoprotein

Background The development of a universal influenza virus vaccine, to protect against both seasonal and pandemic influenza A viruses, is a long-standing public health goal. The conserved stalk domain of haemagglutinin (HA) is a promising vaccine target. However, the stalk is immunosubdominant. As such, innovative approaches are required to elicit robust immunity against this domain. In a previously reported observer-blind, randomised placebo-controlled phase I trial (NCT03300050), immunisation regimens using chimeric HA (cHA)-based immunogens formulated as inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) −/+ AS03 adjuvant, or live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV), elicited durable HA stalk-specific antibodies with broad reactivity. In this study, we sought to determine if these vaccines could also boost T cell responses against HA stalk, and nucleoprotein (NP). Methods We measured interferon-γ (IFN-γ) responses by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSpot (ELISpot) assay at baseline, seven days post-prime, pre-boost and seven days post-boost following heterologous prime:boost regimens of LAIV and/or adjuvanted/unadjuvanted IIV-cHA vaccines. Findings Our findings demonstrate that immunisation with adjuvanted cHA-based IIVs boost HA stalk-specific and NP-specific T cell responses in humans. To date, it has been unclear if HA stalk-specific T cells can be boosted in humans by HA-stalk focused universal vaccines. Therefore, our study will provide valuable insights for the design of future studies to determine the precise role of HA stalk-specific T cells in broad protection. Interpretation Considering that cHA-based vaccines also elicit stalk-specific antibodies, these data support the further clinical advancement of cHA-based universal influenza vaccine candidates. Funding This study was funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Tracking of Energy Performance Indicators in Residential Building Stocks – Different Approaches and Common Results - EPISCOPE Synthesis Report No. 4

A central task of IEE EPISCOPE project was to carry out energy balance calculations and scenario analysis for national, regional or local residential building stocks against the background of energy saving and climate protection targets. The EPISCOPE Synthesis Report No. 4 documents the individual approaches of collecting information for the investigated residential building stocks as a foundation for building stock models and scenario calculations. Issues related to the availability of data and data quality are discussed, and concepts for a continuous monitoring (a regular data collection) are presented as a basis for a future tracking of energy performance in the observed building stocks

Spermine oxidase induces DNA damage and sensitizes fusion negative rhabdomyosarcoma cells to irradiation

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a pediatric myogenic soft tissue sarcoma that includes fusion-positive (FP) and fusion-negative (FN) molecular subtypes. FP-RMS expresses PAX3-FOXO1 fusion protein and often shows dismal prognosis. FN-RMS shows cytogenetic abnormalities and frequently harbors RAS pathway mutations. Despite the multimodal heavy chemo and radiation therapeutic regimens, high risk metastatic/recurrent FN-RMS shows a 5-year survival less than 30% due to poor sensitivity to chemo-radiotherapy. Therefore, the identification of novel targets is needed. Polyamines (PAs) such as putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) are low-molecular-mass highly charged molecules whose intracellular levels are strictly modulated by specific enzymes. Among the latter, spermine oxidase (SMOX) regulates polyamine catabolism oxidizing SPM to SPD, which impacts cellular processes such as apoptosis and DNA damage response. Here we report that low SMOX levels are associated with a worse outcome in FN-RMS, but not in FP-RMS, patients. Consistently, SMOX expression is downregulated in FN-RMS cell lines as compared to normal myoblasts. Moreover, SMOX transcript levels are reduced FN-RMS cells differentiation, being indirectly downregulated by the muscle transcription factor MYOD. Noteworthy, forced expression of SMOX in two cell lines derived from high-risk FN-RMS: 1) reduces SPM and upregulates SPD levels; 2) induces G0/G1 cell cycle arrest followed by apoptosis; 3) impairs anchorage-independent and tumor spheroids growth; 4) inhibits cell migration; 5) increases γH2AX levels and foci formation indicative of DNA damage. In addition, forced expression of SMOX and irradiation synergize at activating ATM and DNA-PKCs, and at inducing γH2AX expression and foci formation, which suggests an enhancement in DNA damage response. Irradiated SMOX-overexpressing FN-RMS cells also show significant decrease in both colony formation capacity and spheroids growth with respect to single approaches. Thus, our results unveil a role for SMOX as inhibitor of tumorigenicity of FN-RMS cells in vitro. In conclusion, our in vitro results suggest that SMOX induction could be a potential combinatorial approach to sensitize FN-RMS to ionizing radiation and deserve further in-depth studies