a three-level verification approach on wireless communication controller system

Wireless Communication Controller System is an industrial communication system that controls multiple categories of radios to communicate with remote systems. Due to high cost and great uncertainty in this wireless system test, we present our work in terms of formally modeling, verifying and improving the system. To deal with the complexity of concurrent system verification, we propose a three-level verification method, from the lowest function view to secondary component view and then to the highest system view. By SPIN model checker, we have discovered some deadlock scenarios and boundary-value errors in the system. After being corrected, the system demonstrates well behaviors in the next step of verification. © 2011 IEEE.IEEEWireless Communication Controller System is an industrial communication system that controls multiple categories of radios to communicate with remote systems. Due to high cost and great uncertainty in this wireless system test, we present our work in terms of formally modeling, verifying and improving the system. To deal with the complexity of concurrent system verification, we propose a three-level verification method, from the lowest function view to secondary component view and then to the highest system view. By SPIN model checker, we have discovered some deadlock scenarios and boundary-value errors in the system. After being corrected, the system demonstrates well behaviors in the next step of verification. © 2011 IEEE

Production of liquid fuel intermediates from furfural via aldol condensation over Lewis acid zeolite catalysts

Aldol condensation reactions between furfural and acetone can be used to produce liquid fuel intermediates. It was found that tin-containing zeolites with MFI (Sn-MFI) and BEA* (Sn-Beta) framework structures are effective for C-C bond formation via the aldol condensation reactions between furfural and acetone. Aldol condensation between furfural and acetone produced two main products, 4-(2-furyl)-3-buten-2-one (FAc) and 1,5-di-2-furanyl-1,4-pentadien-3-one (F2Ac). Although both these catalysts were active for the aldol condensation reactions, different selectivities to aldol products were observed over Sn-MFI and Sn-Beta. FAc and F2Ac were formed over the Sn-Beta catalyst with selectivities to FAc of 40% and F2Ac of 22%, respectively. In contrast, only FAc was produced over Sn-MFI. The variation in selectivity is likely due to different pore geometries of Sn-Beta and Sn-MFI, suggesting that Sn-MFI exhibits shape selectivity for aldol condensation between furfural and acetone. In addition, it was found that the addition of water to the reaction system can also affect the product selectivity, leading to the aldol product exclusively being FAc over Sn-Beta

Chimeric antigen receptors for adoptive T cell therapy in acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract Currently, conventional therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have high failure and relapse rates. Thus, developing new strategies is crucial for improving the treatment of AML. With the clinical success of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies against B-lineage malignancies, many studies have attempted to translate the success of CAR T cell therapy to other malignancies, including AML. This review summarizes the current advances in CAR T cell therapy against AML, including preclinical studies and clinical trials, and discusses the potential AML-associated surface markers that could be used for further CAR technology. Finally, we describe strategies that might address the current issues of employing CAR T cell therapy in AML

Nano-Scale Spatial Assessment of Calcium Distribution in Coccolithophores Using Synchrotron-Based Nano-CT and STXM-NEXAFS

Calcified coccolithophores generate calcium carbonate scales around their cell surface. In light of predicted climate change and the global carbon cycle, the biomineralization ability of coccoliths has received growing interest. However, the underlying biomineralization mechanism is not yet well understood; the lack of non-invasive characterizing tools to obtain molecular level information involving biogenic processes and biomineral components remain significant challenges. In the present study, synchrotron-based Nano-computed Tomography (Nano-CT) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy-Near-edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectromicroscopy (STXM-NEXAFS) techniques were employed to identify Ca spatial distribution and investigate the compositional chemistry and distinctive features of the association between biomacromolecules and mineral components of calcite present in coccoliths. The Nano-CT results show that the coccolith scale vesicle is similar as a continuous single channel. The mature coccoliths were intracellularly distributed and immediately ejected and located at the exterior surface to form a coccoshpere. The NEXAFS spectromicroscopy results of the Ca L edge clearly demonstrate the existence of two levels of gradients spatially, indicating two distinctive forms of Ca in coccoliths: a crystalline-poor layer surrounded by a relatively crystalline-rich layer. The results show that Sr is absorbed by the coccoliths and that Sr/Ca substitution is rather homogeneous within the coccoliths. Our findings indicate that synchrotron-based STXM-NEXAFS and Nano-CT are excellent tools for the study of biominerals and provide information to clarify biomineralization mechanism

Salt-Responsive Zwitterionic Polymer Brushes with Tunable Friction and Antifouling Properties

Development of smart, multifunction materials is challenging but important for many fundamental and industrial applications. Here, we synthesized and characterized zwitterionic poly­(3-(1-(4-vinyl­benzyl)-1<i>H</i>-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)­propane-1-sulfonate) (polyVBIPS) brushes as ion-responsive smart surfaces via the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. PolyVBIPS brushes were carefully characterized for their surface morphologies, compositions, wettability, and film thicknesses by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle, and ellipsometer, respectively. Salt-responsive, switching properties of polyVBIPS brushes on surface hydration, friction, and antifouling properties were further examined and compared both in water and in salt solutions with different salt concentrations and counterion types. Collective data showed that polyVBIPS brushes exhibited reversible surface wettability switching between in water and saturated NaCl solution. PolyVBIPS brushes in water induced the larger protein absorption, higher surface friction, and lower surface hydration than those in salt solutions, exhibiting “anti-polyelectrolyte effect” salt responsive behaviors. At appropriate ionic conditions, polyVBIPs brushes were able to switch to superlow fouling surfaces (<0.3 ng/cm² protein adsorption) and superlow friction surfaces (<i>u</i> ∼ 10^–3). The relationship between brush structure and its salt-responsive performance was also discussed. This work provides new zwitterionic surface-responsive materials with controllable antifouling and friction capabilities for multifunctional applications