CHD1L protein is overexpressed in human ovarian carcinomas and is a novel predictive biomarker for patients survival

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Bone-protective effects of bioactive fractions and ingredients in Sambucus williamsii HANCE

2011-2012 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Derailment risk and dynamics of railway vehicles in curved tracks: Analysis of the effect of failed fasteners

[EN] The effect of the fastener s failure in a railway track on the dynamic forces produced in the wheel-rail contact is studied using the simulation software VAMPIRE to assess the derailment risk of two different vehicles in two curves with distinct characteristics. First, a 3D-FEM model of a real track is constructed, paying special attention to fasteners, and calibrated with displacement data obtained experimentally during a train passage. This numerical model is subsequently used to determine the track vertical and lateral stiffness. This study evidences that although the track can practically lose its lateral stiffness as a consequence of the failure of 7 consecutive fasteners, the vehicle stability would not be necessarily compromised in the flawed zone. Moreover, the results reveal that the uncompensated acceleration and the distance along which the fasteners are failed play an important role in the dynamic behavior of the vehicle-track system, influencing strongly the risk of derailmentMorales-Ivorra, S.; Real Herráiz, JI.; Hernández Gracia, C.; Montalbán-Domingo, L. (2016). Derailment risk and dynamics of railway vehicles in curved tracks: Analysis of the effect of failed fasteners. Journal of Modern Transportation. 24(1):38-47. doi:10.1007/s40534-015-0093-zS3847241Iwnicki S (2006) Handbook of railway vehicle dynamics.CRC Press, Boca RatónJin XS, Wen ZF, Wang KY, Zhou ZR, Liu QY, Li CH (2006) Three-dimensional train-track model for study of rail corrugation. J Sound Vib 293:830–855Jin X, Wen Z, Xiao X (2007) A numerical method for prediction of curved rail wear. Multibody Sys Dyn 18:531–557Li W, Xiao G, Wen Z, Xiao X, Jin X (2011) Plastic deformation of curved rail at rail weld caused by train-track dynamic interaction. Wear 271:311–318Jin X, Wen Z (2008) Effect of discrete track support by sleepers on rail corrugation at a curved track. J Sound Vib 315:279–300Di Gialleonardo E, Bruni S, True H (2014) Analysis of the nonlinear dynamics of a 2-axle freight wagon in curves. Veh Syst Dyn 52(1):125–141Wang K, Liu P (2012) Lateral stability analysis of heavy-haul vehicle on curved track based on wheel/rail coupled dynamics. J Transp Technol 2:150–157Kurzeck B, Hecht M (2010) Dynamic simulation of friction-induced vibrations in a light railway bogie while curving compared with measurement results. Veh Syst Dyn 48:121–138Chen P, Gao L, Hao J (2007) Simulation study on parameters influencing wheel/rail wear in railway curve. China Railway Science 5Sun Y, Cole C, Boyd P (2011) A numerical method using VAMPIRE modelling for prediction of turnout curve wheel-rail wear. Wear 271(1–2):482–491Brabie D (2007) On derailment-worthiness in railway vehicle design. Analysis of vehicle features influencing derailment processes and consequences, PhD Thesis, Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmMatsumoto A, Sato Y, Ohno H, Shimizu M, Kurihara J, Saitou T, Michitsuji Y, Matsui R, Tanimoto M, Mizuno M (2014) Actual states of wheel/rail contact forces and friction on sharp curves—continuous monitoring from in-service trains and numerical simulations. Wear 314:189–197Wang L, Huang A, Liu G (2013) Analysis on curve negotiation ability of the rail vehicle based on SIMPACK. Adv Mater Res 721:551–555Eom BG, Lee H (2010) Assessment of running safety of railway vehicles using multibody dynamics. Int J Precis Eng Manuf 11(2):315–320Zhou L, Shen Z (2013) Dynamic analysis of a high-speed train operating on a curved track with failed fasteners. J Zhejiang Univ Sci A 14(6):447–458Xiao X, Jin X, Wen Z (2007) Effect of disabled fastening systems and ballast on vehicle derailment. J Vib Acoust 129:217–229Shi W, Cai C (2011) Influence of slab track fastener failure on track dynamic performance. In: Advances in environmental vibration-proceedings of the 5th international symposium on environmental vibration, Chengdu, pp 686–692Xiao X, Jin X, Deng Y, Zhou Z (2008) Effect of curved track support failure on vehicle derailment. Veh Syst Dyn 46(11):1029–1059Zakeri J, Fakhari M, Mirfattahi B (2012) Lateral resistance of railway track with frictional sleepers. Proc Inst Civ Eng Transp 165(2):151–155Gibert X, Patel V, Chellappa R (2015) Robust fastener detection for autonomous visual railway track inspection. In: IEEE Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision, Waikoloa Beach Hawai, pp 694–701Thompson D, Hemsworth B, Vincent N (1996) Experimental validation of the TWINS prediction program for rolling noise, part 1: description of the model and method. J Sound Vib 193(1):123–135Zakeri JA (2012) Lateral resistance of railway track. In: Perpinya DX (ed) Reliability and safety in railway. InTech Europe, Rijeka, pp 357–374Kernes RG, Edwards JR, Dersh MS, Lange DA, Barkan CP (2011) Investigation of the dynamic frictional properties of a concrete crosstie rail seat and pad and its effect on rail seat deterioration (RSD). Transportation Research Board 91st annual meeting. Railtec, Chicago, IllinoisCarrascal-Vaquero I (2006) Optimization and analysis of the behavior of fastener systems for Spanish high-speed railways. PhD Thesis, University of Cantabria, Santander (In Spanish)Sany J (1996) Another look at the single wheel derailment criteria. In: Proceedings of the IEEE/ASME Joint Railroad Conference, pp 17–22Koo J, Oh H (2014) A new derailment coefficient considering dynamic and geometrical effects of a single wheelset. J Mech Sci Technol 28(9):3483–3498UIC-Leaflet-518 (2009) Testing and approval of railway vehicles from the point of view of their dynamic behaviour-safety-track fatigue-ride quality. Railway Technical Publications, ParisUNE-EN14363:2007 (2007) Railway applications—testing for the acceptance of running characteristics of railway vehicles—testing of running behaviour and stationary tests. AENOR, Madri

Target Deletion of the Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein Palladin Does Not Impair Neurite Outgrowth in Mice

Palladin is an actin cytoskeleton–associated protein which is crucial for cell morphogenesis and motility. Previous studies have shown that palladin is localized to the axonal growth cone in neurons and may play an important role in axonal extension. Previously, we have generated palladin knockout mice which display cranial neural tube closure defect and embryonic lethality before embryonic day 15.5 (E15.5). To further study the role of palladin in the developing nervous system, we examined the innervation of palladin-deficient mouse embryos since the 200 kd, 140 kd, 90–92 kd and 50 kd palladin isoforms were undetectable in the mutant mouse embryo brain. Contrary to the results of previous studies, we found no inhibition of the axonal extension in palladin-deficient mouse embryos. The cortical neurons derived from palladin-deficient mice also showed no significant difference in neurite outgrowth as compared with those from wild-type mice. Moreover, no difference was found in neurite outgrowth of neural stem cell derived-neurons between palladin-deficient mice and wild-type mice. In conclusion, these results suggest that palladin is dispensable for normal neurite outgrowth in mice

Structural Basis of Gate-DNA Breakage and Resealing by Type II Topoisomerases

Type II DNA topoisomerases are ubiquitous enzymes with essential functions in DNA replication, recombination and transcription. They change DNA topology by forming a transient covalent cleavage complex with a gate-DNA duplex that allows transport of a second duplex though the gate. Despite its biological importance and targeting by anticancer and antibacterial drugs, cleavage complex formation and reversal is not understood for any type II enzyme. To address the mechanism, we have used X-ray crystallography to study sequential states in the formation and reversal of a DNA cleavage complex by topoisomerase IV from Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterial type II enzyme involved in chromosome segregation. A high resolution structure of the complex captured by a novel antibacterial dione reveals two drug molecules intercalated at a cleaved B-form DNA gate and anchored by drug-specific protein contacts. Dione release generated drug-free cleaved and resealed DNA complexes in which the DNA gate instead adopts an unusual A/B-form helical conformation with a Mg2+ ion repositioned to coordinate each scissile phosphodiester group and promote reversible cleavage by active-site tyrosines. These structures, the first for putative reaction intermediates of a type II topoisomerase, suggest how a type II enzyme reseals DNA during its normal reaction cycle and illuminate aspects of drug arrest important for the development of new topoisomerase-targeting therapeutics

Atomic-scale combination of germanium-zinc nanofibers for structural and electrochemical evolution

Alloys are recently receiving considerable attention in the community of rechargeable batteries as possible alternatives to carbonaceous negative electrodes; however, challenges remain for the practical utilization of these materials. Herein, we report the synthesis of germanium-zinc alloy nanofibers through electrospinning and a subsequent calcination step. Evidenced by in situ transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterizations, this one-dimensional design possesses unique structures. Both germanium and zinc atoms are homogenously distributed allowing for outstanding electronic conductivity and high available capacity for lithium storage. The as-prepared materials present high rate capability (capacity of similar to 50% at 20 C compared to that at 0.2 C-rate) and cycle retention (73% at 3.0 C-rate) with a retaining capacity of 546 mAh g(-1) even after 1000 cycles. When assembled in a full cell, high energy density can be maintained during 400 cycles, which indicates that the current material has the potential to be used in a large-scale energy storage system

Fiber-optic parametric amplifier and oscillator based on intracavity parametric pump technique

Chinese Government Scholarship of Postgraduates' Oversea Study For Building High-Level UniversityA cost-effective fiber optical parametric amplifier (FOPA) based on the laser intracavity pump technique has been proposed and demonstrated experimentally. The parametric process is realized by inserting a 1 km highly nonlinear dispersion-shifted fiber (HNL-DSF) into a fiber ring-laser cavity that consists of a high-power erbium-doped fiber (EDF) amplifier and two highly reflective fiber Bragg gratings. Compared with the conventional parametric pump schemes, the proposed pumping technique is free from a tunable semiconductor laser as the pump source and also the pump phase modulation. When the oscillating power of 530 mW in the EDF laser cavity is achieved to pump the HNL-DSF, a peak parametric gain of 27.5 dB and a net gain over 45 nm are obtained. Moreover, a widely tunable fiber-optic parametric oscillator is further developed using the FOPA as a gain medium. (C) 2009 Optical Society of Americ

Baseline Levels of Influenza-Specific CD4 Memory T-Cells Affect T-Cell Responses to Influenza Vaccines

BACKGROUND: Factors affecting immune responses to influenza vaccines have not been studied systematically. We hypothesized that T-cell and antibody responses to the vaccines are functions of pre-existing host immunity against influenza antigens. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: During the 2004 and 2005 influenza seasons, we have collected data on cellular and humoral immune reactivity to influenza virus in blood samples collected before and after immunization with inactivated or live attenuated influenza vaccines in healthy children and adults. We first used cross-validated lasso regression on the 2004 dataset to identify a group of candidate baseline correlates with T-cell and antibody responses to vaccines, defined as fold-increase in influenza-specific T-cells and serum HAI titer after vaccination. The following baseline parameters were examined: percentages of influenza-reactive IFN-gamma(+) cells in T and NK cell subsets, percentages of influenza-specific memory B-cells, HAI titer, age, and type of vaccine. The candidate baseline correlates were then tested with the independent 2005 dataset. Baseline percentage of influenza-specific IFN-gamma(+) CD4 T-cells was identified as a significant correlate of CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses, with lower baseline levels associated with larger T-cell responses. Baseline HAI titer and vaccine type were identified as significant correlates for HAI response, with lower baseline levels and the inactivated vaccine associated with larger HAI responses. Previously we reported that baseline levels of CD56(dim) NK reactivity against influenza virus inversely correlated with the immediate T-cell response to vaccination, and that NK reactivity induced by influenza virus depended on IL-2 produced by influenza-specific memory T-cells. Taken together these results suggest a novel mechanism for the homeostasis of virus-specific T-cells, which involves interaction between memory helper T-cells, CD56(dim) NK and DC. SIGNIFICANCE: These results demonstrate that assessment of baseline biomarkers may predict immunologic outcome of influenza vaccination and may reveal some of the mechanisms responsible for variable immune responses following vaccination and natural infection