bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
miR‐199 family contributes to regulation of sonic hedgehog expression during craniofacial development
Authors: Richbourg Heather A. , Hu Diane P. , Xu Yanhua , Barczak Andrea J. , Marcucio Ralph S.
Published: May 2020

Background

The frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ) is a signaling center that regulates patterned development of the upper jaw, and Sonic hedgehog (SHH) mediates FEZ activity. Induction of SHH expression in the FEZ results from SHH‐dependent signals from the brain and neural crest cells. Given the role of miRNAs in modulating gene expression, we investigated the extent to which miRNAs regulate SHH expression and FEZ signaling.

Results

In the FEZ, the miR‐199 family appears to be regulated by SHH‐dependent signals from the brain; expression of this family increased from HH18 to HH22, and upon activation of SHH signaling in the brain. However, the miR‐199 family is more broadly expressed in the mesenchyme of the frontonasal process and adjacent neuroepithelium. Downregulating the miR‐199 genes expanded SHH expression in the FEZ, resulting in wider faces, while upregulating miR‐199 genes resulted in decreased SHH expression and narrow faces. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase 4 (MAP3K4) appear to be potential targets of miR‐199b. Reduction of MAP3K4 altered beak development but increased apoptosis, while reducing HIF1A reduced expression of SHH in the FEZ and produced malformations independent of apoptosis.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that this miRNA family appears to participate in regulating SHH expression in the FEZ; however, specific molecular mechanisms remain unknown.
Caged fish experiment and hydrodynamic bidimensional modeling highlight the importance to consider 2D dispersion in fluvial environmental DNA studies
Authors: Laporte Martin , Bougas Bérénice , Côté Guillaume , Champoux Olivier , Paradis Yves , Morin Jean , Bernatchez Louis
Published: May 2020

The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful tool to increase the efficiency of species detection and monitoring in aquatic ecosystems. Yet, several points remain to be clarified in order to estimate with better precision the distribution and abundance of targeted species, such as the dispersion and dilution of eDNA in large lotic systems. This study aimed to document the dispersion patterns of eDNA in the St. Lawrence River, the largest fluvial system in eastern North America. Caged Brown trout (Salmo trutta) were placed in two different water masses present in this part of the river, the Ottawa River, and water from the outlet of the Laurentian Great Lakes. eDNA detection of the caged fish was performed for two days following cage removal at 53 sampling stations located at 500 upstream, and 10, 100, 500, 1,000, and 5,000 m downstream from the cages. Quantitative PCR analysis using a Brown trout specific assay revealed a positive detection only at downstream stations and up to 5,000 m. To further investigate patterns of dispersion, the relative concentrations of eDNA were predicted using a bidimensional hydrodynamic model, calibrated for downstream advection and lateral mixing of particles (i.e., quantification of 2D dispersion). The detection and the quantities of eDNA obtained by qPCR analyses were compared with the model predictions. Our model which predicts a low lateral mixing and a downstream flow in direct line from the eDNA source best fits the results. We discuss how such studies can improve our capacity to produce more precise estimates of species abundance and distribution in order to better interpret eDNA signals in large lotic systems.
A Platinum Molecular Complex Immobilised on the Surface of Graphene as Active Catalyst in Alkyne Hydrosilylation
Authors: Mollar‐Cuni Andres , Borja Pilar , Martin Santiago , Guisado‐Barrios Gregorio , Mata Jose A.
Published: May 2020

A platinum complex bearing a N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand functionalised with a pyrene‐tag is immobilised onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The hybrid material composed of an organometallic complex and a graphene derivative is ready available in a single‐step process under mild reaction conditions. This methodology preserves the inherent properties of the active catalytic centre and the support. The platinum hybrid material is an efficient catalyst in hydrosilylation of alkynes and can be recycled and reused without significant loss of activity due to its high stability. Interestingly, the catalytic activity of the platinum complex is not affected by diffusion problems after immobilisation. The influence of graphene in hydrosilylation of alkynes is discussed in terms of activity and selectivity.
Seismic behavior of a partially grouted reinforced masonry structure: Shake‐table testing and numerical analyses
Authors: Koutras Andreas A. , Shing P. Benson
Published: May 2020

In regions of low to moderate seismicity in North America, reinforced masonry structures are mostly partially grouted. The behavior of such structures under lateral seismic loads is complicated because of the interaction of the grouted and ungrouted masonry. As revealed in past experimental studies, the performance of partially grouted masonry (PGM) walls under in‐plane cyclic lateral loading is inferior to that of fully grouted walls. However, the dynamic behavior of a PGM wall system under severe seismic loads is not well understood. In this study, a full‐scale, one‐story, PGM building designed for a moderate seismic zone according to current code provisions was tested on a shake table. It was shown that the structure was able to develop an adequate base shear capacity and withstand two earthquake motions that had an effective intensity of two times the maximum considered earthquake with only moderate cracking in mortar joints. However, the structure eventually failed in a brittle manner in a subsequent motion that had a slightly lower effective intensity. A detailed finite element model of the test structure has been developed and validated. The model has been used to understand the distribution of the lateral force resistance among the wall components and to evaluate the shear‐strength equation given in the design code. The code equation has been found to be adequate for this structure. Furthermore, a parametric study conducted with the finite element model has shown that the introduction of a continuous bond beam right below a window opening is highly beneficial.
Study on integrated solar combined cycle system with a new operation strategy of changeable integration mode under different Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) conditions
Authors: Wang Zhen , Duan Liqiang
Published: May 2020

Integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) system, which integrates solar thermal energy into traditional gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) system, has become an efficient way to reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and improve the thermal efficiency of the GTCC system. However, the volatility of solar energy usually results in low ISCC system thermal efficiency when no or low direct normal irradiance (DNI) is available because the ISCC system is usually not equipped with thermal energy storage system. In this paper, the ISCC system with a new operation strategy of changeable integration mode under different DNI conditions is proposed. The ISCC system model is constructed using the EBSILON software. Performance of ISCC system using the new operation strategy is investigated deeply. The results show that the ISCC system using the new operation strategy has higher annual solar to electricity efficiency (19.08%), 1.1% higher than that of the traditional ISCC system. Due to different DNI distributions in a whole year, the larger the distribution proportion of the low‐value DNI is, the greater the thermodynamic performance advantage of ISCC system with the optimization strategy is. Through the economic performance analysis, the LCOE of the ISCC system with the new optimization strategy is 0.223 $/kW·h, 0.01 $/kW·h lower than that of the traditional ISCC system. The LCOE decreases at first and then increases with the increase of the number of the parabolic trough collector. The optimal number of the parabolic trough collector corresponding to the new optimization strategy is 500. So this new operation strategy provides a new way for adequately utilizing the solar energy in ISCC system.
Techno‐economic comparative study of hybrid microgrids in eight climate zones of Iran
Authors: Sadat Seyyed Ali , Faraji Jamal , Babaei Masoud , Ketabi Abbas
Published: May 2020

Many efforts have been made to increase the utilization of renewable energy resources (RESs) in Iran. This paper aimed to evaluate the techno‐economic performance of an introduced hybrid microgrid (HMG) in eight climate zones of Iran. Therefore, ten cities are selected from the eight climate conditions of Iran. An electricity pricing strategy is also implemented according to the electricity tariffs defined by the Ministry of Energy (MOE) of Iran. The proposed electricity pricing strategy is applied to the HOMER software for investigating the optimal system configuration, RES electricity generation, and the economics of each understudy city. Optimization results indicate that Urmia (in moderate and rainy climate zone) has the least net present cost (NPC) (−5839$) and levelized cost of energy (COE) (−0.0122 $/kWh), whereas Golestan (in semimoderate and rainy climate zone) has the highest NPC (4520 $) and COE (0.012 $/kWh). It is shown that the combination of photovoltaic (PV)/wind turbine (WT)/converter in the grid‐connected operation mode is the most economical configuration. Moreover, the cities with higher potentials of wind speed and solar irradiance have lower NPC and COE. It is concluded that the utilization of the battery energy storage (BES) is technically and economically infeasible for all eight climate zones, even if the stored electricity is sold to the grid. Two sensitivity analyses are conducted to the electricity feed‐in‐tariff (FiT) and solar module price, respectively. The first sensitivity analysis indicates that by increasing FiT, more contribution of RESs is seen, which leads to lower COE and NPC. Furthermore, the two cities of Urmia and Yazd have the highest NPC and COE reductions. The second sensitivity analysis studies the module price impacts on the NPC and COE of each understudy city. It is revealed that the PV module price has a considerable effect on NPC and COE. However, this effect is more significant in some cities such as Bam, where a linear relationship is seen between the module price and economic results (NPC and COE).
Primary vs nodal site PET/CT response as a prognostic marker in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with intensity‐modulated radiation therapy
Authors: Eckstein Jacob Matthew , Nolan Nicole , Healy Erin , Wright Chadwick Lewis , Jain Angita , Barney Christian Louis , Washington Iman , McElroy Joseph Paul , Grecula John Christopher , Wobb Jessica Lynn , Mitchell Darrion Luther , Miller Eric , Gamez Mauricio , Blakaj Dukagjin , Diavolitsis Virginia , Bhatt Aashish
Published: May 2020

Background

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in staging of advanced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and at 3 months posttreatment (PETpost) is often utilized to assess response. The significance of lymph node vs primary site treatment response is incompletely understood.

Methods

We reviewed 230 patients treated with radiation therapy. PETpost response was graded at primary and nodal sites and correlated with survival.

Results

Median age was 58, and 83% were p16‐positive. Median follow‐up was 24.3 months. Nodal response at PETpost predicted improved 2‐year local recurrence‐free survival (LRFS) (93% vs 72%, P =.004), 2‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) (80% vs 61.3%, P =.021), and 2‐year overall survival (OS) (89% vs 83%, P =.051), while primary response only predicted improved 2‐year LRFS (91% vs 76% P = .035).

Conclusion

In OPSCC patients, both nodal and primary response at 3 months on PET/CT predicted for improved LRFS, but only nodal response predicted DFS and OS.
Physical activity and risk of bladder cancer among postmenopausal women
Authors: Li Yueyao , Hendryx Michael S. , Xun Pengcheng , He Ka , Shadyab Aladdin H. , Lane Dorothy S. , Nassir Rami , Stefanick Marcia L. , Wactawski‐Wende Jean , Pal Sumanta Kumar , Luo Juhua
Published: May 2020

Physical activity is associated with decreased risk for many cancers. Studies on the association between physical activity and risk of bladder cancer are limited, and findings are inconsistent. Postmenopausal women (mean age = 63.3) were recruited into the Women's Health Initiative from 1993 to 1998. Self‐reported baseline information on physical activity and other covariates were available in 141 288 participants. Incident bladder cancer cases were collected through 2018 and centrally adjudicated. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined by Cox proportional hazard regression models. Effect modification due to smoking was assessed. During an average of 18.5 years of follow‐up, 817 bladder cancer cases were identified. Compared to physically inactive women, those who engaged in ≥15 MET‐hours/week of total physical activity, ≥8.75 MET‐hours/week of walking or ≥11.25 MET‐hours/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity had lower risk of bladder cancer (HR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59‐0.94, P for linear trend = .02; HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63‐0.98, P for linear trend = .03; and HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61‐0.94, P for linear trend = .02, respectively). No effect modification was found by smoking status (P for interaction = .06, 0.91 and 0.27, respectively). We found that total physical activity, walking and moderate to vigorous physical activity were inversely associated with bladder cancer incidence among postmenopausal women in a dose‐response manner. Physical activity may play a potential role in the primary prevention of bladder cancer. Further studies with objective measurements of physical activity are needed to confirm these findings.
Cytological and spectroscopic characteristics of c‐KIT N822K mutation in core binding factor acute myeloid leukemia cells
Authors: Chen Yang , Wang Lingyan , Lin Xindi , Zhang Qian , Xu Yunchao , Lin Donghong , Xu Jianping , Feng Shangyuan , Hu Jianda
Published: May 2020

The frequency of N822K mutation is high in the A‐loop region of c‐KIT which is highly associated with poor prognosis of core binding factor acute myeloid leukemia. The current work used common assays including cell cycle, apoptosis, clone formation and western blot to perform cytological detection for HL60 (wild type), NB4 (carrying t[15;17] chromosome translocation) and Kasumi‐1 (with c‐KIT N822K mutation); and meanwhile, the laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS) was also used to perform label‐free detection of single living cells. The results demonstrated that Kasumi‐1 cell line bearing c‐KIT N822K mutation has a stable cell cycle, while there was a significant difference between early and late apoptosis within 48 hours. The LTRS detection initially reflected the spectral differences induced by genetic abnormalities and highlighted progressive patterns of DNA and amino acids band contents which were appropriately consistent with that of cell clone ratio and the c‐KIT phosphorylation level. It is concluded that methodology of LTRS‐based single living cell characterization could be potential and effective to reveal gene mutation‐induced cell differentiation.
MicroRNA‐127‐5p impairs function of granulosa cells via HMGB2 gene in premature ovarian insufficiency
Authors: Zhang Xinyue , Dang Yujie , Liu Ran , Zhao Shidou , Ma Jinlong , Qin Yingying
Published: May 2020

Distinct microRNA (miRNA) profiles have been reported in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), but their functional relevance in POI is not yet clearly stated. In this study, aberrant expressions of miR‐127‐5p and high mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) were observed by microarrays in granulosa cells (GCs) from biochemical POI (bPOI) women and further confirmed by a quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. Immortalized human granulosa cell line and mouse primary ovarian GCs were used for functional validation. Orthotopic mouse model was established to examine the role of miR‐127‐5p in vivo. Finally, the expression of miR‐127‐5p was measured in the plasma of bPOI women. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the indicative role of miR‐127‐5p for ovarian reserve. Results showed the upregulation of miR‐127‐5p was identified in GCs from bPOI patients. It inhibited GCs proliferation and impaired DNA damage repair capacity through targeting HMGB2, which was significantly downregulated in GCs from the same cohort of cases. miR‐127‐5p was confirmed to attenuate DNA repair capability via HMGB2 in mouse ovary in vivo. Intriguingly, the upexpression of miR‐127‐5p was also detected in plasma of bPOI individuals, suggesting that miR‐127‐5p could be a promising indicator for bPOI. Taken together, our results discovered the deleterious effects of miR‐127‐5p on GCs function and its predictive value in POI process. The target gene HMGB2 could be considered as a new candidate for POI. This study highlights the importance of DNA repair capacity for ovarian function and sheds light on the epigenetic mechanism in the pathogenicity of POI.
Public Leadership Under Resource Constraints: An Examination of the U.S. Nonprofit Sector
Authors: Lam Marcus
Published: May 2020

In our rapidly evolving postindustrial and increasingly transnational world, the study of public leadership must encompass not only leadership in government agencies and institutions but also leadership in nonprofit organizations and civil society. The nonprofit sector exists alongside the public and private sectors and responds to both government and market failures. Increasingly, the role of the nonprofit sector may shift from service providers to facilitators of building a vibrant and diverse civil society and as social accountability organizations, keeping public officials and government transparent and accountable. Leadership in nonprofit organizations presents a unique set of challenges that may limit the adaption of leadership approaches focused primarily on individual leader traits. Contingency based theories such as the multiple‐linkages model point to important mediating variables, including generating sufficient resources, that limit a leader's ability to enhance organizational effectiveness. Drawing from tax filing data for the U.S. nonprofit sector, the current paper will examine trends in two key financial indicators of resource availability: (a) program service revenue (i.e., earned income and fees for service) and (b) profit margin. Results suggest both resource scarcity and variability over time. To address these challenges, nonprofit leaders may engage in a number of strategies such as building key stakeholder relationships, partnerships with other nonprofits for shared resources, or linking revenue to benefits. Furthermore, the current paper highlights the potential of utilizing administrative financial data as measures of situational factors that may enhance the utility of contingency based models of leadership.
Exercising Public Leadership From Below: An Empirical Research on a Native American Health Clinic Organization
Authors: Jimenez‐Luque Antonio
Published: May 2020

Historically, human beings have shown a tendency to go beyond government‐oriented structures and developed processes of collective organization from below to address particular issues. Overall, studies in public leadership have put too much attention at the top, and to leaders in positions of authority, and work in the field regarding bottom‐up and collective processes of exercising public leadership from excluded social groups is scarce. The current study is a mini‐ethnographic case study that includes observations, artifacts collection, and interviews, and was conducted within a Native American health clinic organization founded in the Northwest of the United States that provides health services to the community. From perspectives of critical interculturality and process philosophy, the current article examines how this organization understands and exercises a collective process of public leadership from below. In particular, the focus of the current study is on how frameworks for sense and meaning‐making of their struggle pursuing the public good are developed and how the organizational structures to adjust to the external challenges of a rapidly changing world from a position of social exclusion are created.
An Analytical Study on Public Leadership Styles Influencing Organizational Effectiveness of Indian Public Sector Banks: Today and Tomorrow
Authors: Mitra Dipa
Published: May 2020

The Indian government has initiated a sea change by merging the public sector banks (PSBs). The number of banks is reducing drastically; though such mergers are taking place to construct viable banks so that they can compete globally with a bigger capital base. In this regard, descriptive research was performed to identify the most significant factors of effective public leadership styles of Indian PSBs to safeguard the human perspectives after merger. The study explored both preferred present as well as their future leadership styles. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the preferred public leadership styles towards organizational effectiveness of Indian PSBs both for today (preference) and in the future (expectation). Senior employees (N = 308) from PSBs located in all four regions of India were surveyed to develop a model based on the aforesaid present and future public leadership styles. Multivariate analyses were conducted to develop a model for the present, as well as future, public leadership styles at Indian PSBs. Because of the anticipation of supplementary changes in the Indian PSBs, the current study is relevant as it emphasizes the preferable public leadership styles and shows how some traditional and contemporary leadership styles emerge as the most preferable. Moreover, the current study may offer insights necessary to reengineer age‐old management styles, and to adopt the suggested approaches of public leadership not only to overcome today's problematic situation, but to also be proactive in the future.
pH‐Responsive Micelle‐Forming Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymers
Authors: Bener Semira , Puglisi Antonino , Yagci Yusuf
Published: May 2020

A novel pH‐responsive micellar nanoparticle based on poly(ethylene glycol)–polydimethylsiloxane–poly(ethylene glycol) triblock copolymer with benzoic imine linkage is reported. A new synthetic approach to produce the pH‐cleavable polymer that can self‐assemble into stable micellar nanoparticle is presented. Such nanoparticles are stable at physiological pH, but degrade at slightly acidic pH, making this system potentially suitable to exploit pH gradients in biological compartments. The precursors, intermediates, final polymers, and micellar nanoparticles are characterized in detail by various spectroscopic techniques, gel permeation chromatography, and particle size measurements.
Targeting glycosylated antigens on cancer cells using siglec‐7/9‐based CAR T‐cells
Authors: Meril Sara , Harush Ortal , Reboh Yishai , Matikhina Tatyana , Barliya Tilda , Cohen Cyrille J.
Published: May 2020

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cells treatment demonstrate the increasing and powerful potential of immunotherapeutic strategies, as seen mainly for hematological malignancies. Still, efficient CAR‐T cell approaches for the treatment of a broader spectrum of tumors are needed. It has been shown that cancer cells can implement strategies to evade immune response that include the expression of inhibitory ligands, such as hypersialylated proteins (sialoglycans) on their surface. These may be recognized by sialic acid‐binding immunoglobulin‐type lectins (siglecs) which are surface receptors found primarily on immune cells. In this regard, siglec‐7 and ‐9 are found on immune cells, such as natural killer cells, T‐cells, and dendritic cells and they can promote immune suppression when binding to sialic acids expressed on target cells. In the present study, we hypothesized that it is possible to use genetically engineered T‐cells expressing siglec‐based CARs, enabling them to recognize and eliminate tumor cells, in a non‐histocompatibility complex molecule restricted way. Thus, we genetically modified human T‐cells with different chimeric receptors based on the exodomain of human siglec‐7 and ‐9 molecules and selected optimal receptors. We then assessed their antitumor activity in vitro demonstrating the recognition of cell lines from different histologies. These results were confirmed in a tumor xenograft model exemplifying the potential of the present approach. Overall, this study demonstrates the benefit of targeting cancer‐associated glycosylation patterns using CAR based on native immune receptors and expressed in human primary T‐cells.
Consistent Cell‐selective Analog Series as Constellation Luminaries in Chemical Space
Authors: Naveja J. Jesús , Medina‐Franco José L.
Published: May 2020

High‐throughput screening data of compounds consistently tested against the same panel of cell lines is a rich source of information for interrogating cell‐selectivity of a compound. Nevertheless, there is a high risk of false positives for these rapid‐testing strategies. Then, a single cell‐inactive compound can be mistakenly labeled as highly cell‐selective if a false positive occurs in any of the cell assays. More interesting would be the case of a series of analogs, which are structurally related compounds, that have a trend to be active only against a small number of cells. To this end, it is herein proposed a proof‐of‐concept of a method for finding consistent cell‐selective analog series of chemical compounds through analysis of high‐throughput cell‐compound screening data systematically obtained. Furthermore, statistics for quantifying cell‐promiscuity and consistency of an analog series are presented.
Time‐scale analysis nonlocal diffusion systems, applied to disease models
Authors: Pereira Marcone , Oliva Sergio , Sartori Larissa
Published: May 2020

The objective of the present paper is to use the well‐known Ross–Macdonald models as a prototype, incorporating spatial movements, identifying different time scales and proving a singular perturbation result using a system of local and nonlocal diffusion. This results can be applied to the prototype model, where the vector has a fast dynamics, local in space, and the host has a slow dynamics, nonlocal in space.
Report on G4‐Med, a Geant4 benchmarking system for medical physics applications developed by the Geant4 Medical Simulation Benchmarking Group
Authors: Arce P. , Bolst D. , Bordage M.‐C. , Brown J. M. C. , Cirrone P. , Cortés‐Giraldo M. A. , Cutajar D. , Cuttone G. , Desorgher L. , Dondero P. , Dotti A. , Faddegon B. , Fedon C. , Guatelli S. , Incerti S. , Ivanchenko V. , Konstantinov D. , Kyriakou I. , Latyshev G. , Le A. , Mancini‐Terracciano C. , Maire M. , Mantero A. , Novak M. , Omachi C. , Pandola L. , Perales A. , Perrot Y. , Petringa G. , Quesada J. M. , Ramos‐Méndez J. , Romano F. , Rosenfeld A. B. , Sarmiento L. G. , Sakata D. , Sasaki T. , Sechopoulos I. , Simpson E. C. , Toshito T. , Wright D. H.
Published: May 2020

Background

Geant4 is a Monte Carlo code extensively used in medical physics for a wide range of applications, such as dosimetry, micro‐ and nanodosimetry, imaging, radiation protection, and nuclear medicine. Geant4 is continuously evolving, so it is crucial to have a system that benchmarks this Monte Carlo code for medical physics against reference data and to perform regression testing.

Aims

To respond to these needs, we developed G4‐Med, a benchmarking and regression testing system of Geant4 for medical physics.

Materials and Methods

G4‐Med currently includes 18 tests. They range from the benchmarking of fundamental physics quantities to the testing of Monte Carlo simulation setups typical of medical physics applications. Both electromagnetic and hadronic physics processes and models within the prebuilt Geant4 physics lists are tested. The tests included in G4‐Med are executed on the CERN computing infrastructure via the use of the geant‐val web application, developed at CERN for Geant4 testing. The physical observables can be compared to reference data for benchmarking and to results of previous Geant4 versions for regression testing purposes.

Results

This paper describes the tests included in G4‐Med and shows the results derived from the benchmarking of Geant4 10.5 against reference data.

Discussion

Our results indicate that the Geant4 electromagnetic physics constructor G4EmStandardPhysics_option4 gives a good agreement with the reference data for all the tests. The QGSP_BIC_HP physics list provided an overall adequate description of the physics involved in hadron therapy, including proton and carbon ion therapy. New tests should be included in the next stage of the project to extend the benchmarking to other physical quantities and application scenarios of interest for medical physics.

Conclusion

The results presented and discussed in this paper will aid users in tailoring physics lists to their particular application.
Explanatory factors of blood‐giving in young adults: An extended theory of planned behaviour model
Authors: Costa Ana Raquel , Alves Helena , Paço Arminda
Published: May 2020

Although much research has been carried out to understand blood donators' behaviour, donation behaviour falls short of what is needed, especially among young people. This study has the general objective of extending the theory of planned behaviour (TBP) model beyond previous studies. It gathers the contributions of previous studies in a more complete model and adds a new factor, pro‐social behaviour, to try to improve the TPB model's explanatory capacity among young people. To do so, we carried out a transversal quantitative study with a sample of 200 students who took part in a questionnaire survey. The results indicate that self‐efficacy is the construct with the greatest influence on the intention to donate blood, followed by attitude, with moral norm also having a high indirect influence through attitude. Pro‐social behaviour was shown not to influence the intention to give blood but to have an indirect influence through attitude. The same happens with the descriptive norm.
Free Wheel, Free Will! The Effects of Bikeshare Systems on Urban Commuting Patterns in the U.S.
Authors: Xu Dafeng
Published: May 2020

Urban bikeshare systems have become increasingly popular in the U.S. in recent years. In this paper, I examine the effects of bikeshare systems on patterns of commuting to and from work in U.S. cities. To study this, I link cities across 2008 through 2016 American Community Survey (ACS) data and estimate the effects of bikeshare systems using both individual‐level ACS records and city panel data. Event‐study estimates suggest that bikeshare systems lead to a rise in bicycle commuting to and from work, and the effects of bikeshare systems are statistically and economically significant. I also find evidence of modal shifts after the introduction of bikeshare systems: While bicycle commuting rates increase, there is a decline in automobile commuting to and from work.
Feasibility of monitoring peripheral blood to detect emerging clones in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia†
Authors: Saliba Jason , Evensen Nikki A. , Meyer Julia A. , Newman Daniel , Nersting Jacob , Narang Sonali , Ma Xiaotu , Schmiegelow Kjeld , Carroll William L.
Published: May 2020

Relapse‐enriched somatic variants drive drug resistance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We used digital droplet‐based polymerase chain reaction to establish whether relapse‐enriched mutations in emerging subclones could be detected in peripheral blood samples before frank relapse. Although limitations in sensitivity for some probes hindered detection of certain variants, we successfully detected variants in NT5C2 and PRPS1 at a fractional abundance of 0.005% to 0.3%, 41 to 116 days before relapse. As mutations in both these genes confer resistance to thiopurines, early detection protocols using peripheral blood could be implemented to preemptively alter maintenance therapy to extinguish resistant clones before overt relapse.
Improvement of overall survival in the Collaborative Wilms Tumour Africa Project
Authors: Chagaluka George , Paintsil Vivian , Renner Lorna , Weijers Janna , Chitsike Inam , Borgstein Eric , Kamiza Steve , Afungchwi Glenn M. , Kouya Francine , Hesseling Peter , Molyneux Elizabeth , Israels Trijn
Published: May 2020

Introduction

The Collaborative Wilms Tumour (WT) Africa Project implemented an adapted WT treatment guideline in six centres in sub‐Saharan Africa. The primary objectives were to describe abandonment of treatment, death during treatment, event‐free survival (EFS) and relapse following implementation. An exploratory objective was to compare outcomes with the baseline evaluation, a historical cohort preceding implementation.

Methods

The Collaborative WT Africa Project is a multi‐centre prospective clinical trial that began in 2014. Funding was distributed to all participating centres and used to cover treatment, travel and other associated costs for patients. Patient characteristics, tumour characteristics and events were described.

Results

In total, 201 WT patients were included. Two‐year EFS was 49.9 ± 3.8% when abandonment of treatment was considered an event. Relapse of disease occurred in 21% (42 of 201) of all included patients and in 26% (42 of 161) of those who had a nephrectomy. Programme implementation was associated with significantly higher survival without evidence of disease at the end of treatment (52% vs 68.5%, P = .002), significantly reduced abandonment of treatment (23% vs 12%, P = .009) and fewer deaths during treatment (21% vs 13%, P = .06).

Conclusion

This collaborative implementation of an adapted WT treatment guideline, using relatively simple and low‐cost interventions, was feasible. Two‐year EFS was almost 50%. In addition, a significant decrease in treatment abandonment and an increase in survival at the end of treatment were observed compared to a pre‐implementation cohort. Future work should focus on decreasing deaths during treatment and will include enhancing supportive care.
Plasma‐assisted synthesis and deposition of molybdenum oxide nanoparticles on polyethylene terephthalate for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B
Authors: Sirotkin Nikolay , Khlyustova Anna , Titov Valeriy , Agafonov Alexander
Published: May 2020

In this study, an atmospheric pressure glow discharge initiated between the metal molybdenum anode and the liquid cathode is applied to produce molybdenum oxide nanoparticles, which are deposited on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate. The presence of nanoparticles in the liquid solution is confirmed by ultraviolet‐vis absorbance spectroscopy and the dynamic light scattering method. The obtained composites are characterized by methods of scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The efficiency of the obtained composite as a photocatalyst is investigated. The composite demonstrates a high photocatalytic performance, ~100% dye removal in 30 min during five cycles of use.
Long‐Standing Optically Excited Magnetic States in ZnO Nanoparticles
Authors: Savoyant Adrien , Sebastiao Clément , Margeat Olivier
Published: May 2020

The spectral dependence of the light‐induced magnetic states generated in zinc oxide nanoparticles by illumination during an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiment is studied for three incident light wavelengths (451, 405, and 370 nm). The minimal wavelength excitation is found to be in the visible violet region, very close to 405 nm for all of the light‐induced EPR lines. This points to a close relationship between their originating centers, despite the difference in their dynamics previously revealed by saturation recovery measurements. The study of the light‐induced signals decay with time (after illumination removal) and with temperature (under constant illumination) confirms the existence of two groups of lines characterized by different dynamics. The quite unusual persistence of these magnetic states after excitation removal opens promising possibilities for encoding information within semiconducting nanoparticles.
Revisiting the identification of wintertime atmospheric circulation regimes in the Euro‐Atlantic sector
Authors: Falkena Swinda K.J. , de Wiljes Jana , Weisheimer Antje , Shepherd Theodore G.
Published: May 2020

Atmospheric circulation is often clustered in so‐called circulation regimes, which are persistent and recurrent patterns. For the Euro‐Atlantic sector in winter, most studies identify four regimes: the Atlantic Ridge, Scandinavian Blocking and the two phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation. These results are obtained by applying k‐means clustering to the first several empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of geopotential height data. Studying the observed circulation in reanalysis data, it is found that when the full field data are used for the k‐means cluster analysis instead of the EOFs, the optimal number of clusters is no longer four but six. The two extra regimes that are found are the opposites of the Atlantic Ridge and Scandinavian Blocking, meaning they have a low‐pressure area roughly where the original regimes have a high‐pressure area. This introduces an appealing symmetry in the clustering result. Incorporating a weak persistence constraint in the clustering procedure is found to lead to a longer duration of regimes, extending beyond the synoptic time‐scale, without changing their occurrence rates. This is in contrast to the commonly used application of a time‐filter to the data before the clustering is executed, which, while increasing the persistence, changes the occurrence rates of the regimes. We conclude that applying a persistence constraint within the clustering procedure is a better way of stabilizing the clustering results than low‐pass filtering the
data.
Prospects of Trapping Atoms with an Optical Dipole Trap in a Deep Parabolic Mirror for Light–Matter‐Interaction Experiments
Authors: Sondermann Markus , Fischer Martin , Leuchs Gerd
Published: May 2020

The prospects of employing a deep parabolic mirror as a focusing device for trapping neutral atoms in an optical dipole trap are evaluated. It is predicted that such a dipole trap will result in a deep trapping potential as well as in a small spatial spread of the atom's center of mass wave function already for a Doppler cooled atom. This strong confinement is beneficial for many applications, one of which is the increase of the interaction strength between an atom and a light field focused from full solid angle.
Destroyed lung due to sustained inflammation after chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab
Authors: Taima Kageaki , Tanaka Hisashi , Itoga Masamichi , Ishioka Yoshiko , Kurose Akira , Tasaka Sadatomo
Published: May 2020

A 68‐year‐old male patient with squamous cell carcinoma (cT4N2M0) of the left upper lobe received chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The tumour responded well to the therapy, but an infiltrative shadow appeared in the left upper lobe, which was outside the radiation field. Despite treatment with corticosteroid and antibiotics, the development of a cavitary lesion was noted. As Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from the bronchoscopy specimen, antifungal agents were also administered, but the cavitary lesion further developed. Because his general condition worsened and the entire left lung was destroyed, the patient underwent a left pneumonectomy and recovered without recurrence. The pathology of the removed lung revealed a scarred nodule with granulation tissue around and a cavernous lesion having a necrotic substance inside. We considered that durvalumab might further accelerate the inflammatory response, which had been introduced by fungal infection, leading to uncontrollable inflammation of the lung.
Sample‐weighted semiparametric estimation of cause‐specific cumulative risk and incidence using left‐ or interval‐censored data from electronic health records
Authors: Hyun Noorie , Katki Hormuzd A. , Graubard Barry I.
Published: May 2020

Electronic health records (EHRs) can be a cost‐effective data source for forming cohorts and developing risk models in the context of disease screening. However, important issues need to be handled: competing outcomes, left‐censoring of prevalent disease, interval‐censoring of incident disease, and uncertainty of prevalent disease when accurate disease ascertainment is not conducted at baseline. Furthermore, novel tests that are costly and limited in availability can be conducted on stored biospecimens selected as samples from EHRs by using different sampling fractions. We extend sample‐weighted semiparametric marginal mixture models to estimating competing risks. For flexible modeling of relative risks, a general transformation of the subdistribution hazard function and regression parameters is used. We propose a numerical algorithm for nonparametrically calculating the maximum likelihood estimates for subdistribution hazard functions and regression parameters. Methods for calculating the consistent confidence intervals for relative and absolute risk estimates are presented. The proposed algorithm and methods show reliable finite sample performance through simulation studies. We apply our methods to a cohort assembled from EHRs at a health maintenance organization where we estimate cumulative risk of cervical precancer/cancer and incidence of infection‐clearance by HPV genotype among human papillomavirus (HPV) positive women. There is no significant difference in 3‐year HPV‐clearance rates across different HPV types, but 3‐year cumulative risk of progression‐to‐precancer/cancer from HPV‐16 is relatively higher than the other HPV genotypes.
Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Coumarinylthiazolyl Iminothiazolidinone Hybrids as Potent Urease Inhibitors
Authors: Mahmood Shams‐Ul , Nazir Yasir , Saeed Aamer , Abbas Qamar , Ashraf Zaman
Published: May 2020

The present paper is designed to explore the potential of an important class of heterocycles coumarinylthiazolyl iminothiazolidinone to inhibit jack bean urease. The final products 6a–j were prepared by condensation of substituted aldehydes with intermediate 5 in sodium methoxide/methanol mixture. The synthesized compounds were characterized by their FTIR, 1H, 13C NMR and mass spectral data. The synthesized coumarinylthiazolyl iminothiazolidinone hybrids 6 a–j were evaluated for their potential to inhibit urease activity. All the synthesized derivatives showed remarkable inhibitory activity with IC50 ranging 8 to 34 nM, while IC50 of standard thiourea is 18.5 nM. The compound 5‐(2,4‐Dichlorobenzylidene)‐2‐(4‐(2‐oxo‐2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)thiazol‐2‐yl imino) thiazolidin‐4‐one 6 h bearing 2,4‐di‐chloro substituted phenyl ring exhibited excellent activity with IC50 value 8 nM. In silico molecular docking studies was performed against urease enzyme PDBID 4H9 M and predicted possible binding modes in catalytic site for these active compounds. The thiazole nitrogen in compound 6 h formed a strong hydrogen bonding interaction with side chain Gln635 having distance 2.01 Å and rest part of this inhibitor is present close to Val640. The most potent derivative 6 h have highest binding affinity with binding energy −6.178 kcal/mol. It is concluded based upon our results that 6 a and 6 h are most promising compounds from this series and provide a basis for rationale design of most potent urease inhibitors.
Meso‐Reconstruction of Wool Keratin 3D “Molecular Springs” for Tunable Ultra‐Sensitive and Highly Recovery Strain Sensors
Authors: Zhang Lin , Hu Fan , Zhu Shuihong , Lin Youhui , Meng Zhaohui , Yu Rui , Liu Xiang Yang
Published: May 2020

Wool keratin (WK) consists of a large number of α‐helices, which are just like many molecular‐scale springs. Herein, the construction of 3D WK molecular spring networks are reported by cross‐linking individual WK molecules via a Michael addition reaction. The as‐prepared springs display a superior recovery capability with unusual nonlinear elasticity, very low dissipative energy, and turntable elastic constant achieved by adjusting the chemical crosslinking density of WK networks. Owing to these unique characteristics, the 3D WK networks based flexible strain sensors reveal a high sensitivity, broad sensing ranges, and extremely long and stable performance. While normal highly sensible strain sensors, obtained by highly sophisticated surface or bulk patterning, often exhibit a relatively narrow range of measurements and limited life cycles. Such the WK mediated sensing materials have widespread applications in wearable electronics, such as detection and tracking of different human motions, and even discern voice during speaking.
Nanoscale Correlations between Metal–Insulator Transition and Resistive Switching Effect in Metallic Perovskite Oxides
Authors: Gonzalez‐Rosillo Juan Carlos , Catalano Sara , Maggio‐Aprile Ivan , Gibert Marta , Obradors Xavier , Palau Anna , Puig Teresa
Published: May 2020

Strongly correlated perovskite oxides are a class of materials with fascinating intrinsic physical functionalities due to the interplay of charge, spin, orbital ordering, and lattice degrees of freedom. Among the exotic phenomena arising from such an interplay, metal–insulator transitions (MITs) are fundamentally still not fully understood and are of large interest for novel nanoelectronics applications, such as resistive switching‐based memories and neuromorphic computing devices. In particular, rare‐earth nickelates and lanthanum strontium manganites are archetypical examples of bandwidth‐controlled and band‐filling‐controlled MIT, respectively, which are used in this work as a playground to correlate the switching characteristics of the oxides and their MIT properties by means of local probe techniques in a systematic manner. These findings suggest that an electric‐field‐induced MIT can be triggered in these strongly correlated systems upon generation of oxygen vacancies and establish that lower operational voltages and larger resistance ratios are obtained in those films where the MIT lies closer to room temperature. This work demonstrates the potential of using MITs in the next generation of nanoelectronics devices.
Wafer‐Scale Fabrication of Nanopore Devices for Single‐Molecule DNA Biosensing using MoS2
Authors: Thakur Mukeshchand , Macha Michal , Chernev Andrey , Graf Michael , Lihter Martina , Deen Jochem , Tripathi Mukesh , Kis Andras , Radenovic Aleksandra
Published: May 2020

Atomically thin (2D) nanoporous membranes are an excellent platform for a broad scope of academic research. Their thickness and intrinsic ion selectivity (demonstrated for example in molybdenum disulfide‐MoS2) make them particularly attractive for single‐molecule biosensing experiments and osmotic energy harvesting membranes. Currently, one of the major challenges associated with the research progress and industrial development of 2D nanopore membrane devices is small‐scale thin‐film growth and small‐area transfer methods. To address these issues, a large‐area protocol including a wafer‐scale monolayer MoS2 synthesis, Si/SiNx substrate fabrication and wafer‐scale material transfer are demonstrated. First, the 7.62 cm wafer‐scale MOCVD growth yielding homogenous monolayer MoS2 films are introduced. Second, a large number of devices are fabricated in one batch by employing the wafer‐scale thin‐film transfer method with high transfer efficiency (>70% device yield). The growth, the transfer quality and cleanliness are investigated using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, the applicability and robustness of the large‐area protocol is demonstrated by performing a set of double‐stranded DNA translocation experiments through as‐fabricated MoS2 nanopore devices. It is believed that the shown approach will pave the way toward wafer‐scale, high‐throughput use of 2D nanopores in various applications.