High Performance and Reliable MPPT Solar Array Regulator for the PCDU of LISA Pathfinder

LISA PCDU is a very optimised and reliable Power Conditioning and Distribution Unit based on an unregulated 28 V bus, maximum power point tracker (MPPT). The high demanding specification in terms of mass, efficiency and performances can be fulfilled only with unconventional, less conservative solutions. An enormous effort has been done to prove the reliability and robustness of the adopted solutions. Moreover, LISA PCDU faces and solves typical problems of battery follower MPPTs: damage of Li-Ion batteries in case of overdischarge, operation without battery and power loss in Conductance to MPPT transitions. The MPPT Solar Array Regulators module is one of the most impacted designs. The paper explains the main challenges faced and the relevant solutions adopted to achieve this highly optimised and reliable design

Sema3E/Plexin-D1 Mediated Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Endometrioid Cancer

Cancer cells often employ developmental cues for advantageous growth and metastasis. Here, we report that an axon guidance molecule, Sema3E, is highly expressed in human high-grade ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, but not low-grade or other ovarian epithelial tumors, and facilitates tumor progression. Unlike its known angiogenic activity, Sema3E acted through Plexin-D1 receptors to augment cell migratory ability and concomitant epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Sema3E-induced EMT in ovarian endometrioid cancer cells was dependent on nuclear localization of Snail1 through activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and ERK/MAPK. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Sema3E, Plexin-D1 or Snail1 in Sema3E-expressing tumor cells resulted in compromised cell motility, concurrent reversion of EMT and diminished nuclear localization of Snail1. By contrast, forced retention of Snail1 within the nucleus of Sema3E-negative tumor cells induced EMT and enhanced cell motility. These results show that in addition to the angiogenic effects of Sema3E on tumor vascular endothelium, an EMT strategy could be exploited by Sema3E/Plexin-D1 signaling in tumor cells to promote cellular invasion/migration

Recent visible light and metal free strategies in [2+2] and [4+2] photocycloadditions

When aiming to synthesize molecules with elevated molecular complexity starting from relatively simple starting materials, photochemical transformations represent an open avenue to circumvent analogous multistep procedures. Specifically, light-mediated cycloadditions remain as powerful tools to generate new bonds begotten from non-very intuitive disconnections, that alternative thermal protocols would not offer. In response to the current trend in both industrial and academic research pointing towards green and sustainable processes, several strategies that meet these requirements are currently available in the literature. This Minireview summarizes [2+2] and [4+2] photocycloadditions that do not require the use of metal photocatalysts by means of alternative strategies. It is segmented according to the cycloaddition type in order to give the reader a friendly approach and we primarily focus on the most recent developments in the field carried out using visible light, a general overview of the mechanism in each case is offered as wellFinancial support was provided by the European Research Council (ERC-CoG, Contract Number: 647550), the Spanish Government (RTI2018-095038-B-I00), the ‘Comunidad de Madrid’ and European Structural Funds (S2018/NMT-4367). R. I. R thanks Fundación Carolina for a graduate fellowshi

Midline Signalling Systems Direct the Formation of a Neural Map by Dendritic Targeting in the Drosophila Motor System

During embryonic development of the motor system of Drosophila, motorneurons target their dendrites to different regions along the body axis in response to midline guidance cues

Impact of secondary succession in abandoned fields on some properties of acidic sandy soils

Abandonment of agricultural lands in recent decades is occurring mainly in Europe, North America and Oceania, and changing the fate of landscapes as the ecosystem recovers during fallow stage. The objective of this study was to find the impact of secondary succession in abandoned fields on some parameters of acidic sandy soils in the Borsk\ue1 n\ued\uc5ina lowland (southwestern Slovakia). We investigated soil chemical (pH and soil organic carbon content), hydrophysical (water sorptivity, and hydraulic conductivity), and water repellency (water drop penetration time, water repellency cessation time, repellency index, and modified repellency index) parameters, as well as the ethanol sorptivity of the studied soils. Both the hydrophysical and chemical parameters decreased significantly during abandonment of the three investigated agricultural fields. On the other hand, the water repellency parameters increased significantly, but the ethanol sorptivity did not change during abandonment. As the ethanol sorptivity depends mainly on soil pore size, the last finding could mean that the pore size of acidic sandy soils did not change during succession

A filter retardation assay facilitates the detection and quantification of heat-stable, amyloidogenic mutant huntingtin aggregates in complex biosamples

N-terminal mutant huntingtin (mHTT) fragments with pathogenic polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts spontaneously form stable, amyloidogenic protein aggregates with a fibrillar morphology. Such structures are detectable in brains of Huntington's disease (HD) patients and various model organisms, suggesting that they play a critical role in pathogenesis. Heat-stable, fibrillar mHTT aggregates can be detected and quantified in cells and tissues using a denaturing filter retardation assay (FRA). Here, we describe step-by-step protocols and experimental procedures for the investigation of mHTT aggregates in complex biosamples using FRAs. The methods are illustrated with examples from studies in cellular, transgenic fly, and mouse models of HD, but can be adapted for any disease-relevant protein with amyloidogenic polyQ tracts

Miniaturized free-standing SOFC membranes on silicon chips (A0704)

Due to their high specific energy and high energy density, miniaturized low-temperature (350-550°C) solid oxide fuel cells, hereafter abbreviated “micro-SOFC”, are believed to constitute one of the technologies that could help satisfy the continuously increasing electric energy demand for mobile devices such as laptops and camcorders. Using thin film and MEMS technologies, cathode-electrolyte-anode layer assemblies as thin as 1 μm are deposited on silicon substrates that are micromachined to form arrays of free-standing membranes (surface area: 390x390 μm2 at ETH Zurich). Proof of concept was already established by several groups and high power densities of several hundreds of mW/cm2 have been reported at temperatures as low as 350 °C. In Switzerland, the OneBat® consortium consisting of eight research groups is working on the development of the micro-SOFC technology covering various aspects such as membrane fabrication and characterization, reformer catalysis, thermal management and system development. After a brief presentation of the consortium activities as well as the state-of-the-art of the micro-SOFC research worldwide, this contribution will lay emphasis on the core of the micro-SOFC technology, namely the electrochemical cells, and address key-aspects for their further development: fabrication and thermomechanical stability of free-standing membranes, development of cost-effective thin film deposition techniques, and development of thermally stable electrodes

Internal tar/CH4 reforming in a biomass dual fluidised bed gasifier.

An internal reformer is developed for in situ catalyticreforming of tar and methane (CH4) in allothermal gasifiers.The study has been performed in the 150 kW dual fluidised bed (DFB) biomass gasifier at Mid Sweden University(MIUN). The MIUN gasifier is built for research onsynthetic fuel production. Reduction of tars and CH4 (exceptfor methanation application) in the syngas is a major challengefor commercialization of biomass fluidised-bed gasificationtechnology towards automotive fuel production. The MIUN gasifier has a unique design with an internal reformer, where intensive contact of gas and catalytic solids improves the reforming reactions. This paper presents an initial study on the internal reformer operated with and without Ni-catalytic pellets, by evaluation of the syngas composition and tar/CH4 content. A novel application of Ni-catalyst in DFB gasifiers is proposed and studied in this work. It can be concluded that the reformer with Ni-catalytic pellets clearly gives a higher H2 content together with lower CH4 and tar contents in the syngas than the reformer without Ni-catalytic pellets. The gravimetric tar content decreases down to 5 g/m3 and the CH4 content down below 6 % in the syngas. The tar content can be decreased further to lower levels, with increased gas contact to the specific surface area of the catalyst and increased catalyst surface-to-volume ratio. The new design in the MIUN gasifier increases the gasification efficiency, suppresses the tar generation and upgrades the syngas quality.Published online 2nd Oct 2014.</p