Fast shape reconstruction of perfectly conducting cracks by using a multi-frequency topological derivative strategy

This paper concerns a fast, one-step iterative technique of imaging extended perfectly conducting cracks with Dirichlet boundary condition. In order to reconstruct the shape of cracks from scattered field data measured at the boundary, we introduce a topological derivative-based electromagnetic imaging function operated at several nonzero frequencies. The properties of the imaging function are carefully analyzed for the configurations of both symmetric and non-symmetric incident field directions. This analysis explains why the application of incident fields with symmetric direction operated at multiple frequencies guarantees a successful reconstruction. Various numerical simulations with noise-corrupted data are conducted to assess the performance, effectiveness, robustness, and limitations of the proposed technique.Comment: 17 pages, 27 figure

m6A mRNA demethylase FTO regulates melanoma tumorigenicity and response to anti-PD-1 blockade

Melanoma is one of the most deadly and therapy-resistant cancers. Here we show that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA demethylation by fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) increases melanoma growth and decreases response to anti-PD-1 blockade immunotherapy. FTO level is increased in human melanoma and enhances melanoma tumorigenesis in mice. FTO is induced by metabolic starvation stress through the autophagy and NF-κB pathway. Knockdown of FTO increases m6A methylation in the critical protumorigenic melanoma cell-intrinsic genes including PD-1 (PDCD1), CXCR4, and SOX10, leading to increased RNA decay through the m6A reader YTHDF2. Knockdown of FTO sensitizes melanoma cells to interferon gamma (IFNγ) and sensitizes melanoma to anti-PD-1 treatment in mice, depending on adaptive immunity. Our findings demonstrate a crucial role of FTO as an m6A demethylase in promoting melanoma tumorigenesis and anti-PD-1 resistance, and suggest that the combination of FTO inhibition with anti-PD-1 blockade may reduce the resistance to immunotherapy in melanoma. © 2019, The Author(s)

Microbial electrocatalysis with Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilm on stainless steel cathodes

Stainless steel and graphite electrodes were individually addressed and polarized at−0.60V vs. Ag/AgCl in reactors filled with a growth medium that contained 25mM fumarate as the electron acceptor and no electron donor, in order to force the microbial cells to use the electrode as electron source. When the reactor was inoculated with Geobacter sulfurreducens, the current increased and stabilized at average values around 0.75Am−2 for graphite and 20.5Am−2 for stainless steel. Cyclic voltammetry performed at the end of the experiment indicated that the reduction started at around −0.30V vs. Ag/AgCl on stainless steel. Removing the biofilm formed on the electrode surface made the current totally disappear, confirming that the G.sulfurreducens biofilm was fully responsible for the electrocatalysis of fumarate reduction. Similar current densities were recorded when the electrodes were polarized after being kept in open circuit for several days. The reasons for the bacteria presence and survival on non-connected stainless steel coupons were discussed. Chronoamperometry experiments performed at different potential values suggested that the biofilm-driven catalysis was controlled by electrochemical kinetics. The high current density obtained, quite close to the redox potential of the fumarate/succinate couple, presents stainless steel as a remarkable material to support biocathodes

Unitarity of Little Higgs Models Signals New Physics of UV Completion

The ``Little Higgs'' opens up a new avenue for natural electroweak symmetry breaking in which the standard model Higgs particle is realized as a pseudo-Goldstone boson and thus is generically light. The symmetry breaking structure of the Little Higgs models predicts a large multiplet of (pseudo-)Goldstone bosons and their low energy interactions below the ultraviolet (UV) completion scale $\Lambda \sim 4\pi f \sim O(10)$ TeV, where $f$ is the Goldstone decay constant. We study unitarity of the Little Higgs models by systematically analyzing the high energy scatterings of these (pseudo-)Goldstone bosons. We reveal that the collective effect of the Goldstone scatterings via coupled channel analysis tends to push the unitarity violation scale $\Lambda_U$ significantly below the conventional UV scale $\Lambda \sim 4\pi f$ as estimated by naive dimensional analysis (NDA). Specifically, $\Lambda_U \sim (3-4)f$, lying in the multi-TeV range for $f\sim 1$ TeV. We interpret this as an encouraging sign that the upcoming LHC may explore aspects of Little Higgs UV completions, and we discuss some potential signatures. The meanings of the two estimated UV scales $\Lambda_U$ (from unitarity violation) and $\Lambda$ (from NDA) together with their implications for an effective field theory analysis of the Little Higgs models are also discussed.Comment: To match Phys.Lett.B version (9pp, only minor rewording

An Intelligent Dissolved Oxygen Microsensor System with Electrochemically Actuated Fluidics

A new dissolved oxygen monitoring microsystem is proposed to achieve in situ intelligent self-calibration by using an electrochemically actuated fluidic system. The electrochemical actuation, based on water electrolysis, plays two critical roles in the proposed microsystem. First, the electrochemically generated gases serve as the calibrants for the in situ 2-point calibration/diagnosis procedure of the microsensor in a chip. Secondly, the electrochemical generation and collapse of gas bubbles provide the driving force of the bidirectional fluidic manipulation for sampling and dispensing of the sample solution. A microsystem including a dissolved oxygen microprobe, electrochemical actuators, and a fluidic structure are prepared by microfabrication technology and its performance is characterized

D-Brane Gauge Theories from Toric Singularities and Toric Duality

Via partial resolution of Abelian orbifolds we present an algorithm for extracting a consistent set of gauge theory data for an arbitrary toric variety whose singularity a D-brane probes. As illustrative examples, we tabulate the matter content and superpotential for a D-brane living on the toric del Pezzo surfaces as well as the zeroth Hirzebruch surface. Moreover, we discuss the non-uniqueness of the general problem and present examples of vastly different theories whose moduli spaces are described by the same toric data. Our methods provide new tools for calculating gauge theories which flow to the same universality class in the IR. We shall call it ``Toric Duality.''Comment: 38 pages, 6 figures, 2 references added and 1 equation correcte

PexRAP inhibits PRDM16-mediated thermogenic gene expression

How the nuclear receptor PPARγ regulates the development of two functionally distinct types of adipose tissue, brown and white fat, as well as the browning of white fat, remains unclear. Our previous studies suggest that PexRAP, a peroxisomal lipid synthetic enzyme, regulates PPARγ signaling and white adipogenesis. Here, we show that PexRAP is an inhibitor of brown adipocyte gene expression. PexRAP inactivation promoted adipocyte browning, increased energy expenditure, and decreased adiposity. Identification of PexRAP-interacting proteins suggests that PexRAP function extends beyond its role as a lipid synthetic enzyme. Notably, PexRAP interacts with importin-β1, a nuclear import factor, and knockdown of PexRAP in adipocytes reduced the levels of nuclear phospholipids. PexRAP also interacts with PPARγ, as well as PRDM16, a critical transcriptional regulator of thermogenesis, and disrupts the PRDM16-PPARγ complex, providing a potential mechanism for PexRAP-mediated inhibition of adipocyte browning. These results identify PexRAP as an important regulator of adipose tissue remodeling