Oxygen tension modulates cell function in an in vitro three-dimensional glioblastoma tumor model

Hypoxia is a typical feature of the tumor microenvironment,one of the most critical factors affecting cell behavior and tumor progression.However,the lack of tumor models able to precisely emulate natural brain tumor tissue has impeded the study of the effects of hypoxia on the progression and growth of tumor cells.This study reports a three-dimensional(3D)brain tumor model obtained by encapsulating U87MG(U87)cells in a hydrogel containing type I collagen.It also documents the effect of various oxygen concentrations(1%,7%,and 21%)in the culture environment on U87 cell morphology,proliferation,viability,cell cycle,apoptosis rate,and migration.Finally,it compares two-dimensional(2D)and 3D cultures.For comparison purposes,cells cultured in flat culture dishes were used as the control(2D model).Cells cultured in the 3D model proliferated more slowly but had a higher apoptosis rate and proportion of cells in the resting phase(G0 phase)/gap I phase(G1 phase)than those cultured in the 2D model.Besides,the two models yielded significantly different cell morphologies.Finally,hypoxia(e.g.,1%O2)affected cell morphology,slowed cell growth,reduced cell viability,and increased the apoptosis rate in the 3D model.These results indicate that the constructed 3D model is effective for investigating the effects of biological and chemical factors on cell morphology and function,and can be more representative of the tumor microenvironment than 2D culture systems.The developed 3D glioblastoma tumor model is equally applicable to other studies in pharmacology and pathology.

Modified method for extraction of watershed boundary with digital elevation modeling

Boundary extraction of watershed is an important step in forest landscape research. The boundary of the upriver wa-tershed of the Hunhe River in the sub-alpine Qingyuan County of eastern Liaoning Province, China was extracted by digital elevation modeling (DEM) data in ArcInfo8.1. Remote sensing image of the corresponding region was applied to help modify its copy according to Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) image抯 profuse geomorphological structure information. Both the DEM-dependent boundary and modified copy were overlapped with county map and drainage network map to visually check the effects of result. Overlap of county map suggested a nice extraction of the boundary line since the two layers matched precisely, which indicated the DEM-dependent boundary by program was effective and precise. Further upload of drainage network showed discrepancies between the boundary and the drainage network. Altogether, there were three sections of the extraction result that needed to correct. Compared with this extraction boundary, the modified boundary had a better match to the drainage network as well as to the county map. Comprehensive analysis demonstrated that the program extraction has generally fine precision in position and excels the digitized result by hand. The errors of the DEM-dependant extraction are due to the fact that it is difficult for program to recognize sections of complex landform especially altered by human activities, but these errors are discernable and adjustable because the spatial resolution of ETM image is less than that of DEM. This study result proved that application of remote sensing information could help obtain better result when DEM method is used in extraction of watershed boundary.

Estimation and mapping of water erosion and soil loss:Application of Gavrilovic erosion potential model(EPM)using GIS and remote sensing in the Assif el mal Watershed,Western high Atlas

Water erosion is a serious problem that leads to soil degradation,loss,and the destruction of structures.Assessing the risk of erosion and determining the affected areas has become crucial in order to understand the main factors influencing its evolution and to minimize its impacts.This study focuses on evaluating the risk of erosion in the Assif el mal watershed,which is located in the High Atlas Mountains.The Erosion Potential Model(EPM)is used to estimate soil losses depending on various parameters such as lithology,hydrology,topography,and morphometry.Geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques are employed to map areas with high erosive potential and their relationship with the distribution of factors involved.Different digital elevation models are also used in this study to highlight the impact of data quality on the accuracy of the results.The findings reveal that approximately 59%of the total area in the Assif el mal basin has low to very low potential for soil losses,while 22%is moderately affected and 19.9%is at high to very high risk.It is therefore crucial to implement soil conservation measures to mitigate and prevent erosion risks.

Three-dimensional structural models,evolution and petroleum geological significances of transtensional faults in the Ziyang area,central Sichuan Basin,SW China

With drilling and seismic data of Transtensional(strike-slip)Fault System in the Ziyang area of the central Sichuan Basin,SW China plane-section integrated structural interpretation,3-D fault framework model building,fault throw analyzing,and balanced profile restoration,it is pointed out that the transtensional fault system in the Ziyang 3-D seismic survey consists of the northeast-trending F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones dominated by extensional deformation,as well as 3 sets of northwest-trending en echelon normal faults experienced dextral shear deformation.Among them,the F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones cut through the Neoproterozoic to Lower Triassic Jialingjiang Formation,presenting a 3-D structure of an“S”-shaped ribbon.And before Permian and during the Early Triassic,the F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones underwent at least two periods of structural superimposition.Besides,the 3 sets of northwest-trending en echelon normal faults are composed of small normal faults arranged in pairs,with opposite dip directions and partially left-stepped arrangement.And before Permian,they had formed almost,restricting the eastward growth and propagation of the F_(I)19 fault zone.The F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones communicate multiple sets of source rocks and reservoirs from deep to shallow,and the timing of fault activity matches well with oil and gas generation peaks.If there were favorable Cambrian-Triassic sedimentary facies and reservoirs developing on the local anticlinal belts of both sides of the F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones,the major reservoirs in this area are expected to achieve breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration.

Three-dimensional numerical modeling of gravity anomalies based on Poisson equation in spacewavenumber mixed domain

In gravity-anomaly-based prospecting, the computational and memory requirements for practical numerical modeling are potentially enormous. Achieving an efficient and precise inversion for gravity anomaly imaging over large-scale and complex terrain requires additional methods. To this end, we have proposed a new topography-capable By performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform in the horizontal directions, threedimensional partial differential equations in the spatial domain were transformed into a group of independent, one-dimensional differential equations engaged with different wave numbers. These independent differential equations are highly parallel across different wave numbers. differential equations with different wave numbers, and the efficiency of solving fixedbandwidth linear equations was further improved by a chasing method. In a synthetic test, a prism model was used to verify the accuracy and reliability of the proposed algorithm by comparing the numerical solution with the analytical solution. We studied the computational precision and efficiency with and without topography using different Fourier transform methods. The results showed that the Guass-FFT method has higher numerical precision, while the standard FFT method is superior, in terms of computation time, for inversion and quantitative interpretation under complicated terrain.

Hydrologic Modeling of the Bouregreg Watershed (Morocco) Using GIS and SWAT Model

The study of water resources at watershed scale is widely adopted as approach to manage, assess and simulate these important natural resources. The development of remote sensing and GIS techniques has allowed the use of spatially and physically based hydrologic models to simulate as simply and realistically as possible the functioning of watershed systems. Indeed, the major constraint that has hindered the expansion use of these tools was the unavailability or scarcity of data especially in the developing countries. In this context, the objective of this study is to model the hydrology in the Bouregreg basin, located at the north-central of Morocco, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in order to understand and determine the different watershed hydrological processes. Thus, it aims to simulate the stream flow, establish the water balance and estimate the monthly volume inflow to SMBA dam situated at the basin outlet. The ArcSWAT interface implemented in the ArcGIS software was used to delineate the basin and its sub-components, combine the data layers and edit the model database. The model parameters were analyzed, ranked and adjusted for hydrologic modeling purposes using daily temporal data series. They were calibrated using an auto-calibration method based on a Shuffled Complex Evolution Algorithm from 1989 to 1997 and validated from 1998 to 2005. Based on statistical indicators, the evaluation indicates that SWAT model had a good performance for both calibration and validation periods in Bouregreg Watershed. In fact, the model showed a good correlation between the observed and simulated monthly average river discharge with R2 and Nash coefficient of about 0.8. The water balance components were correctly estimated and the SMBA dam inflow was successfully reproduced with R2 of 0.9. These results revealed that if properly calibrated, SWAT model can be used efficiently in semi-arid regions to support water management policies.

Three-dimensional cell culture systems as an in vitro platform for cancer and stem cell modeling

Three-dimensional(3D)culture systems are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to mimic tissue-like structures more effectively than the monolayer cultures.In cancer and stem cell research,the natural cell characteristics and architectures are closely mimicked by the 3D cell models.Thus,the 3D cell cultures are promising and suitable systems for various proposes,ranging from disease modeling to drug target identification as well as potential therapeutic substances that may transform our lives.This review provides a comprehensive compendium of recent advancements in culturing cells,in particular cancer and stem cells,using 3D culture techniques.The major approaches highlighted here include cell spheroids,hydrogel embedding,bioreactors,scaffolds,and bioprinting.In addition,the progress of employing 3D cell culture systems as a platform for cancer and stem cell research was addressed,and the prominent studies of 3D cell culture systems were discussed.

Sensitivity Analysis and Calibration of Hydrological Modeling of the Watershed Northeast Brazil

Mathematical models of the quantity and quality of water in hydrographic basins enable simulation of a wide variety of processes, including the production of water and sediments, and the dynamics of point and nonpoint sources of pollution. These models have become increasingly complex, requiring large amounts of input data, which can increase the uncertainty of the results of simulations. For this reason, it is essential to perform calibration and validation procedures. The objective of this work was to conduct sensitivity analysis and calibration of a distributed hydrological model (SWAT) applied to the flows of water in the watershed of the Poxim River. Satisfactory performance of the model was indicated by the values obtained for the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (0.77), the percent bias (5.05), the root mean square error (0.48), and the ratio of the RMSE to the standard deviation of the observations (RSR) (0.49). The set of parameters identified here could be used for the simulation and evaluation of other scenarios.

Three-dimensional land FD-CSEM forward modeling using edge finite-element method

A modeling tool for simulating three-dimensional land frequency-domain controlled-source electromagnetic surveys,based on a finite-element discretization of the Helmholtz equation for the electric fields,has been developed.The main difference between our modeling method and those previous works is edge finite-element approach applied to solving the three-dimensional land frequency-domain electromagnetic responses generated by horizontal electric dipole source.Firstly,the edge finite-element equation is formulated through the Galerkin method based on Helmholtz equation of the electric fields.Secondly,in order to check the validity of the modeling code,the numerical results are compared with the analytical solutions for a homogeneous half-space model.Finally,other three models are simulated with three-dimensional electromagnetic responses.The results indicate that the method can be applied for solving three-dimensional electromagnetic responses.The algorithm has been demonstrated,which can be effective to modeling the complex geo-electrical structures.This efficient algorithm will help to study the distribution laws of3-D land frequency-domain controlled-source electromagnetic responses and to setup basis for research of three-dimensional inversion.

Microstructure modeling and virtual test of asphalt mixture based on three-dimensional discrete element method

The objective of this work is to model the microstructure of asphalt mixture and build virtual test for asphalt mixture by using Particle Flow Code in three dimensions(PFC^(3D))based on three-dimensional discrete element method.A randomly generating algorithm was proposed to capture the three-dimensional irregular shape of coarse aggregate.And then,modeling algorithm and method for graded aggregates were built.Based on the combination of modeling of coarse aggregates,asphalt mastic and air voids,three-dimensional virtual sample of asphalt mixture was modeled by using PFC^(3D).Virtual tests for penetration test of aggregate and uniaxial creep test of asphalt mixture were built and conducted by using PFC^(3D).By comparison of the testing results between virtual tests and actual laboratory tests,the validity of the microstructure modeling and virtual test built in this study was verified.Additionally,compared with laboratory test,the virtual test is easier to conduct and has less variability.It is proved that microstructure modeling and virtual test based on three-dimensional discrete element method is a promising way to conduct research of asphalt mixture.

Three-dimensional forward modeling for magnetotelluric sounding by finite element method

A finite element algorithm combined with divergence condition was presented for computing three-dimensional(3D) magnetotelluric forward modeling. The finite element equation of three-dimensional magnetotelluric forward modeling was derived from Maxwell's equations using general variation principle. The divergence condition was added forcedly to the electric field boundary value problem, which made the solution correct. The system of equation of the finite element algorithm was a large sparse, banded, symmetric, ill-conditioned, non-Hermitian complex matrix equation, which can be solved using the Bi-CGSTAB method. In order to prove correctness of the three-dimensional magnetotelluric forward algorithm, the computed results and analytic results of one-dimensional geo-electrical model were compared. In addition, the three-dimensional magnetotelluric forward algorithm is given a further evaluation by computing COMMEMI model. The forward modeling results show that the algorithm is very efficient, and it has a lot of advantages, such as the high precision, the canonical process of solving problem, meeting the internal boundary condition automatically and adapting to all kinds of distribution of multi-substances.

Spatiotemporal Modeling of Monthly Precipitation in the Upper Shiyang River Watershed in West Central Gansu,Northwest China

This paper outlines a methodology to estimate monthly precipitation surfaces at 1-kin resolution for the Upper Shiyang River watershed （USRW） in northwest China. Generation of precipitation maps is based on the application of a four-variable genetic algorithm （GA） trained on 10 years of weather and ancillary data, i.e., surface air temperature, relative humidity, Digital Elevation Model-derived estimates of elevation, and time of year collected at 29 weather stations in west-central Gansu and northern Qinghai province. An observed-to-GA predicted data comparison of 10 years of precipitation collected at the 29 weather stations showed that about 84% of the variability in observed values could be explained by the trained GA, including variability in two independent datasets. Point-comparisons of observed and modeled precipitation along an elevation-rainfall gradient demonstrated near-similar spatiotemporal patterns. A precipitation surface for USRW for July, 2005, was developed with the trained GA and input surfaces of surface air temperature and relative humidity generated from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer sensor （MODIS） products of land surface temperature. Spatial tendencies in predicted maximum and minimum values of surface air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation within a 2-kin radius circle around selected weather stations were in close agreement with the values measured at the weather stations.

Integrated Modeling of Soil Erosion for a Canadian Watershed in Response to Projected Changes in Climate and Consequent Adoption of Mitigating Best Management Practices

Controlling soil erosion and the transport and deposition of suspended sediment to receiving waters, especially in relation to the modifying influences of, and interplay between, climate and land-use alterations, is essential for effective watershed management. The Atlantic Canada—New England region is expected to experience elevated rainfall erosivity due to climate change over the next century. Using the projected higher precipitation amounts of 5% and 10% for future scenarios of 5 and 25 years for the region, and a spatially-explicit, integrated (GIS, RUSLE) model for a rural watershed in Nova Scotia, predicted increases in total erosion rates of 4.9 and 9.9%, respectively. Modelled scenarios altering buffer strips based on either consistent or slope-variable widths between 30 m (the legal requirement) to 90 m were found to correspond to reductions in predicted total watershed erosion rates from 11% to 32%. Assuming and extending the 1:1 concordance between projected precipitation and estimated soil erosion for this particular watershed into the more distant future of 26 to 55 years, suggests that the 25% increase in soil erosion predicted over this period would have to be offset by expanding the protective buffer strips to a consistent width of 70 m. Adoption of such a protective management scheme would subsume 19% of the terrestrial area of the study watershed and thus consequent reductions in land available for agricultural production and timber harvest.

Three-dimensional fuzzy logic system for process modeling and control

The traditional fuzzy logic system （FLS） can only model and control the process in two-dimensional nature. Many of real-world systems are of multidimensional features, such as, thermal and fluid processes with spatiotemporal dynamics, biological systems, or decision-making processes that contain stochastic and imprecise uncertainties. These types of systems are difficult for the traditional FLS to model and control because they require a third dimension for spatial or probabilistic information. The type-2 fuzzy set provides the possibility to develop a three-dimensional fuzzy logic system for modeling and controlling these processes in three-dimensional nature.

Hydrological Response to Environment Change in Himalayan Watersheds: Assessment from Integrated Modeling Approach

Land use changes such as deforestation,increase in cropping or grazing areas and built-up land, likely modify the water balance and land surface behavior in the Himalayan watersheds.An integrated approach of hydrological and hydraulic modeling was adopted for comparative analysis of hydrological pattern in three Himalayan watersheds i.e.Khanpur,Rawal and Simly situated in the Northern territory of Pakistan.The rainfall-runoff model SWAT- Soil and water assessment tool and Hydro CAD were calibrated for the selected watersheds.The correlation analysis of the precipitation data of two climate stations i.e.Murree and Islamabad, with the discharge data of three rivers was utilized to select best suitable input precipitation data for Hydro CAD rainfall-runoff modeling.The peak flood hydrograph were generated using Hydro CAD runoff to optimize the basin parameters like CN, runoff volume, peak flows of the three watersheds.The hydrological response of the Rawal watershed was studied as a case study to different scenarios of land use change using SWAT model.The scenario of high deforestation indicated a decline of about 6.3% in the groundwater recharge tostream while increase of 7.1% in the surface runoff has been observed under the scenario of growth in urbanization in the recent decades.The integrated modeling approach proved helpful in investigating the hydrological behavior under changing environment at watershed level in the Himalayan region.

Modeling Reforestation’s Role in Climate-Proofing Watersheds from Flooding and Soil Erosion

The mitigation potential of reforestation for offsetting the deleterious effects of increased flooding and soil erosion projected to occur in Atlantic Canada through future climate change was investigated. Modelling determined a strong but non-linear relationship between extent of vegetative cover and runoff volume and discharge rate for a Nova Scotian watershed, suggesting that reforestation will reduce, but not completely prevent, flooding. Predicted erosion rates were found to be progressively reduced in relation to the extent of upland reforestation. Of three scenarios examined in which 60%, 65%, and 85% of the entire watershed are randomly reforested, only the latter would reduce the elevated erosion expected to occur through climate change back to present-day existing levels. Additional modelling revealed that comparable mitigation of soil erosion can ensue through implementation of 70 m streamside buffer strips, which would only take up 19% of the total surface area. Prioritizing riparian zones for reforestation will therefore subsume less of the overall productive land area and therefore enact a less severe socio-economic impact on agriculture and forestry.

Three-Dimensional Simulations of RESET Operation in Phase-Change Random Access Memory with Blade-Type Like Phase Change Layer by Finite Element Modeling

An optimized device structure for reducing the RESET current of phase-change random access memory （PCRAM） with blade-type like （BTL） phase change layer is proposed. The electrical thermal analysis of the BTL cell and the blade heater contactor structure by three-dimensional finite element modeling are compared with each other during RESET operation. The simulation results show that the programming region of the phase change layer in the BTL cell is much smaller, and thermal electrical distributions of the BTL cell are more concentrated on the TiN/GST interface. The results indicate that the BTL cell has the superiorities of increasing the heating efficiency, decreasing the power consumption and reducing the RESET current from 0.67mA to 0.32mA. Therefore, the BTL cell will be appropriate for high performance PCRAM device with lower power consumption and lower RESET current.

The Design of a Three-Dimensional Physical Modeling System for Real-Time Groundwater Flows

In the past decades,physical modeling has been widely used in hydrogeology for teaching,studying and exhibition purposes.Most of these models are used to illustrate hydrogeological profiles,but few can depict three-dimensional groundwater flows,making it impossible to validate groundwater flows simulated by numerical methods with physical modeling.

Research on the Three-dimensional Modeling and Optimization of a Virtual Tower Crane Based on 3DS Max, Solidworks and EON Professional

Three-dimensional modeling of virtual hoisting machinery is the critical works to structure the system of virtual construction, and the foundation to realize intelligent and interactive virtual hoisting. Aimed at enhancing the requests of image quality and stability of the virtual construction scene, taking a tower crane for example. We studied the technology of three-dimensional modeling and optimization of a virtual tower crane, and a method named two-stage model optimization was put forward. This depended on the modeling stage using Solidworks and 3DS Max and the performance optimization stage in EON. The practice of software development indicates that the proposed methods of three-dimensional modeling and optimization could satisfy the performance request of virtual construction system and be popularized to other virtual system.

Hydrologic modeling of the Heihe watershed by DLBRM in Northwest China

Water shortage is a chronic problem in arid Northwest China.The rapid population growth and expanding urbanization as well as potential climate change impacts are likely to worsen the situation,threatening domestic,irrigation,and industrial supplies and even the survival of the ecosystems in Northwest China.This paper describes the preliminary work of adapting the Distributed Large Basin Runoff Model(DLBRM) to the Heihe watershed(the second largest inland river in arid Northwestern China,with a drainage area of 128,000 km2) for understanding distribution of glacial-snow melt,groundwater,surface runoff,and evapotranspi-ration,and for assessing hydrological impacts of climate change and glacial recession on water supply in the middle and lower reaches of the watershed.Preliminary simulation results show that the Qilian Mountain in the upper reach area produces most runoff in the Heihe watershed.The simulated daily river flows during the period of 1990-2000 indicate that the Heihe River dis-charges about 1×109 m3 of water from the middle reach(at Zhengyixia Station) to lower reach,with surface runoff and interflow contributing 51 and 49 percent respectively.The sandy lower soil zone in the middle reach has the highest evapotranspiration rate and also contributes nearly half of the river flow.Work underway focuses on the DLBRM model improvement and incorporation of the climate change and management scenarios to the hydrological simulations in the watershed.