pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Low dissipation thermometry using superconducting tunnel junctions

Thermometers are a cornerstone of experimental physics, starting in XVII th century with the premises of thermodynamics. Nowadays, the state of the art thermometers are employed as sensors in bolometers and calorimeters, probing the light originating from the Big Bang. The limitation of these devices is intrinsic. Performing at millikelvin temperatures, their temperatures start to fluctuate as predicted by the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem.
In this thesis we investigate thermometers able to measure the temperature of an electron gas at sub-kelvin temperatures. We based our approach on tunnel junctions (I) between a superconductor (S) and the system under study, either a normal metal (N) or a weaker superconductor (S'). We tried to decoupled the system from its immediate surrounding by constructing SINIS or SIS'IS structure. This way, the central island is protected from noises and heat coming from the measurement contacts. We focused our work on characterizing a non-invasive thermometer, thus we reduced dissipation in the thermometer to its minimum value. In order to achieve that, we mainly investigate how the low-bias impedance of SINIS and SIS'IS devices reacts with temperature.
For SINIS structures, we observed a saturation of the temperature response due to the presence of leakage through the junction. Ballistic Andreev reflection are one of the source of these leakage, and set a minimum working temperature for these device. In the special case where diffusive Andreev reflection are dominating the sub-gap conductance, the low bias impedance of a SINIS structure is responsive toward lower temperatures. The achievable temperature range was only limited by a spurious heat load.
In SIS'IS structures, we monitor the transition of the weaker of the superconductor by measuring the supercurrent through the whole device. Such a thermometer response is really large, but the temperature range is also really narrow around the transition temperature of S'. In a sense, this kind of devices is similar to Transition-Edge Sensors (TES), but the presence of tunnel junctions increases the responsivity and reduces the heat leak through the measurement contacts.For all these devices, we developed a unified model allowing ones to reproduce quantitatively the zero bias impedance response to temperature. This model allows one to compare and optimize the sensitivity of the thermometers, given as a Noise Equivalent Temperature (NET). NET as low as a few *mu*K/*sqrt*<Hz> have been observed for a SIS'IS device, and a SINIS device demonstrated a NET within a factor of two of its theoretical limit set by the temperature fluctuations
Circulating sex hormones and breast cancer risk factors in postmenopausal women: reanalysis of 13 studies

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer risk for postmenopausal women is positively associated with circulating concentrations of oestrogens and androgens, but the determinants of these hormones are not well understood. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses of breast cancer risk factors and circulating hormone concentrations in more than 6000 postmenopausal women controls in 13 prospective studies. RESULTS: Concentrations of all hormones were lower in older than younger women, with the largest difference for dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), whereas sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was higher in the older women. Androgens were lower in women with bilateral ovariectomy than in naturally postmenopausal women, with the largest difference for free testosterone. All hormones were higher in obese than lean women, with the largest difference for free oestradiol, whereas SHBG was lower in obese women. Smokers of 15+ cigarettes per day had higher levels of all hormones than non-smokers, with the largest difference for testosterone. Drinkers of 20+ g alcohol per day had higher levels of all hormones, but lower SHBG, than non-drinkers, with the largest difference for DHEAS. Hormone concentrations were not strongly related to age at menarche, parity, age at first full-term pregnancy or family history of breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Sex hormone concentrations were strongly associated with several established or suspected risk factors for breast cancer, and may mediate the effects of these factors on breast cancer risk.Open Acces
Common folate gene variant, MTHFR C677T, is associated with brain structure in two independent cohorts of people with mild cognitive impairment

AbstractA commonly carried C677T polymorphism in a folate-related gene, MTHFR, is associated with higher plasma homocysteine, a well-known mediator of neuronal damage and brain atrophy.As homocysteine promotes brain atrophy, we set out to discover whether people carrying the C677T MTHFR polymorphism which increases homocysteine, might also show systematic differences in brain structure.Using tensor-based morphometry, we tested this association in 359 elderly Caucasian subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (mean age: 75±7.1years) scanned with brain MRI and genotyped as part of Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. We carried out a replication study in an independent, non-overlapping sample of 51 elderly Caucasian subjects with MCI (mean age: 76±5.5years), scanned with brain MRI and genotyped for MTHFR, as part of the Cardiovascular Health Study. At each voxel in the brain, we tested to see where regional volume differences were associated with carrying one or more MTHFR ‘T’ alleles.In ADNI subjects, carriers of the MTHFR risk allele had detectable brain volume deficits, in the white matter, of up to 2–8% per risk T allele locally at baseline and showed accelerated brain atrophy of 0.5–1.5% per T allele at 1year follow-up, after adjusting for age and sex. We replicated these brain volume deficits of up to 5–12% per MTHFR T allele in the independent cohort of CHS subjects.As expected, the associations weakened after controlling for homocysteine levels, which the risk gene affects. The MTHFR risk variant may thus promote brain atrophy by elevating homocysteine levels.This study aims to investigate the spatially detailed effects of this MTHFR polymorphism on brain structure in 3D, pointing to a causal pathway that may promote homocysteine-mediated brain atrophy in elderly people with MCI
Physicochemical and toxicological profiling of ash from the 2010 and 2011 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn volcanoes, Iceland using a rapid respiratory hazard assessment protocol

AbstractThe six week eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010 produced heavy ash fall in a sparsely populated area of southern and south eastern Iceland and disrupted European commercial flights for at least 6 days. We adopted a protocol for the rapid analysis of volcanic ash particles, for the purpose of informing respiratory health risk assessments. Ash collected from deposits underwent a multi-laboratory physicochemical and toxicological investigation of their mineralogical parameters associated with bio-reactivity, and selected in vitro toxicology assays related to pulmonary inflammatory responses. Ash from the eruption of Grímsvötn, Iceland, in 2011 was also studied. The results were benchmarked against ash from Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, which has been extensively studied since the onset of eruptive activity in 1995.For Eyjafjallajökull, the grain size distributions were variable: 2–13vol% of the bulk samples were <4µm, with the most explosive phases of the eruption generating abundant respirable particulate matter. In contrast, the Grímsvötn ash was almost uniformly coarse (<3.5vol%<4µm material). Surface area ranged from 0.3 to 7.7m2g−1 for Eyjafjallajökull but was very low for Grímsvötn (<0.6m2g−1). There were few fibre-like particles (which were unrelated to asbestos) and the crystalline silica content was negligible in both eruptions, whereas Soufrière Hills ash was cristobalite-rich with a known potential to cause silicosis. All samples displayed a low ability to deplete lung antioxidant defences, showed little haemolysis and low acute cytotoxicity in human alveolar type-1 like epithelial cells (TT1). However, cell-free tests showed substantial hydroxyl radical generation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide for Grímsvötn samples, as expected for basaltic, Fe-rich ash. Cellular mediators MCP-1, IL-6, and IL-8 showed chronic pro-inflammatory responses in Eyjafjallajökull, Grímsvötn and Soufrière Hills samples, despite substantial differences in the sample mineralogy and eruptive styles.The value of the pro-inflammatory profiles in differentiating the potential respiratory health hazard of volcanic ashes remains uncertain in a protocol designed to inform public health risk assessment, and further research on their role in volcanic crises is warranted
Stiffening of Red Blood Cells Induced by Cytoskeleton Disorders: A Joint Theory-Experiment Study

AbstractThe functions and elasticities of the cell are largely related to the structures of the cytoskeletons underlying the lipid bilayer. Among various cell types, the red blood cell (RBC) possesses a relatively simple cytoskeletal structure. Underneath the membrane, the RBC cytoskeleton takes the form of a two-dimensional triangular network, consisting of nodes of actins (and other proteins) and edges of spectrins. Recent experiments focusing on the malaria-infected RBCs (iRBCs) show that there is a correlation between the elongation of spectrins in the cytoskeletal network and the stiffening of the iRBCs. Here we rationalize the correlation between these two observations by combining the wormlike chain model for single spectrins and the effective medium theory for the network elasticity. We specifically focus on how the disorders in the cytoskeletal network affect its macroscopic elasticity. Analytical and numerical solutions from our model reveal that the stiffness of the membrane increases with increasing end-to-end distances of spectrins, but has a nonmonotonic dependence on the variance of the end-to-end distance distributions. These predictions are verified quantitatively by our atomic force microscopy and micropipette aspiration measurements of iRBCs. The model may, from a molecular level, provide guidelines for future identification of new treatment methods for RBC-related diseases, such as malaria infection
High yielding biomass genotypes of willow (Salix spp.) show differences in below ground biomass allocation

AbstractWillows (Salix spp.) grown as short rotation coppice (SRC) are viewed as a sustainable source of biomass with a positive greenhouse gas (GHG) balance due to their potential to fix and accumulate carbon (C) below ground. However, exploiting this potential has been limited by the paucity of data available on below ground biomass allocation and the extent to which it varies between genotypes. Furthermore, it is likely that allocation can be altered considerably by environment. To investigate the role of genotype and environment on allocation, four willow genotypes were grown at two replicated field sites in southeast England and west Wales, UK. Above and below ground biomass was intensively measured over two two-year rotations. Significant genotypic differences in biomass allocation were identified, with below ground allocation differing by up to 10% between genotypes. Importantly, the genotype with the highest below ground biomass also had the highest above ground yield. Furthermore, leaf area was found to be a good predictor of below ground biomass. Growth environment significantly impacted allocation; the willow genotypes grown in west Wales had up to 94% more biomass below ground by the end of the second rotation. A single investigation into fine roots showed the same pattern with double the volume of fine roots present. This greater below ground allocation may be attributed primarily to higher wind speeds, plus differences in humidity and soil characteristics. These results demonstrate that the capacity exists to breed plants with both high yields and high potential for C accumulation
Towards the high-accuracy determination of the U-238 fission cross section at the threshold region at CERN - n_TOF

The U-238 fission cross section is an international standard beyond 2 MeV where the fission plateau starts. However, due to its importance in fission reactors, this cross-section should be very accurately known also in the threshold region below 2 MeV. The U-238 fission cross section has been measured relative to the U-235 fission cross section at CERN - n_TOF with different detection systems. These datasets have been collected and suitably combined to increase the counting statistics in the threshold region from about 300 keV up to 3 MeV. The results are compared with other experimental data, evaluated libraries, and the IAEA standards.Postprint (published version
Coupled ocean–land millennial-scale changes 1.26millionyears ago, recorded at Site U1385 off Portugal

AbstractWhile a growing body of evidence indicates that North Atlantic millennial-scale climate variability extends to the Early Pleistocene, its impact on terrestrial ecosystems has not been established. Here we present ultra-high resolution (70–140year) joint foraminiferal isotopic and pollen analyses from IODP Site U1385 off Portugal, focusing on a short glacial section of Marine Isotope Stage 38, ~1.26millionyears ago. Our records reveal the presence of millennial-scale variability in the coupled ocean–atmosphere–land system in the North Atlantic and provide the first direct evidence for the response of western Iberian vegetation to abrupt climate changes in the Early Pleistocene. The magnitude and pacing of changes bear significant similarities to Dansgaard–Oeschger variability of the last two glacials
Complete Versus Lesion-Only Primary PCI The Randomized Cardiovascular MR CvLPRIT Substudy

AbstractBackgroundComplete revascularization may improve outcomes compared with an infarct-related artery (IRA)-only strategy in patients being treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) who have multivessel disease presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, there is concern that non-IRA PCI may cause additional non-IRA myocardial infarction (MI).ObjectivesThis study sought to determine whether in-hospital complete revascularization was associated with increased total infarct size compared with an IRA-only strategy.MethodsThis multicenter prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint clinical trial evaluated STEMI patients with multivessel disease having PPCI within 12 h of symptom onset. Patients were randomized to either IRA-only PCI or complete in-hospital revascularization. Contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) was performed following PPCI (median day 3) and stress CMR at 9 months. The pre-specified primary endpoint was infarct size on pre-discharge CMR. The study had 80% power to detect a 4% difference in infarct size with 100 patients per group.ResultsOf the 296 patients in the main trial, 205 participated in the CMR substudy, and 203 patients (98 complete revascularization and 105 IRA-only) completed the pre-discharge CMR. The groups were well-matched. Total infarct size (median, interquartile range) was similar to IRA-only revascularization: 13.5% (6.2% to 21.9%) versus complete revascularization, 12.6% (7.2% to 22.6%) of left ventricular mass, p = 0.57 (95% confidence interval for difference in geometric means 0.82 to 1.41). The complete revascularization group had an increase in non-IRA MI on the pre-discharge CMR (22 of 98 vs. 11 of 105, p = 0.02). There was no difference in total infarct size or ischemic burden between treatment groups at follow-up CMR.ConclusionsMultivessel PCI in the setting of STEMI leads to a small increase in CMR-detected non-IRA MI, but total infarct size was not significantly different from an IRA-only revascularization strategy. (Complete Versus Lesion-Only Primary PCI Pilot Study [CvLPRIT]; ISRCTN70913605
Decay constants of pseudoscalar D-mesons in lattice QCD with domain-wall fermion

AbstractWe present the first study of the masses and decay constants of the pseudoscalar D mesons in two flavors lattice QCD with domain-wall fermion. The gauge ensembles are generated on the 243×48 lattice with the extent Ns=16 in the fifth dimension, and the plaquette gauge action at β=6.10, for three sea-quark masses with corresponding pion masses in the range 260–475 MeV. We compute the point-to-point quark propagators, and measure the time-correlation functions of the pseudoscalar and vector mesons. The inverse lattice spacing is determined by the Wilson flow, while the strange and the charm quark masses by the masses of the vector mesons ϕ(1020) and J/ψ(3097) respectively. Using heavy meson chiral perturbation theory (HMChPT) to extrapolate to the physical pion mass, we obtain fD=202.3(2.2)(2.6) MeV and fDs=258.7(1.1)(2.9) MeV
Asymptotic regularity conditions for the strong convergence towards weak limit sets and weak attractors of the 3D Navier–Stokes equations

AbstractThe asymptotic behavior of solutions of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations is considered on bounded smooth domains with no-slip boundary conditions and on periodic domains. Asymptotic regularity conditions are presented to ensure that the convergence of a Leray–Hopf weak solution to its weak ω-limit set (weak in the sense of the weak topology of the space H of square-integrable divergence-free velocity fields with the appropriate boundary conditions) are achieved also in the strong topology. It is proved that the weak ω-limit set is strongly compact and strongly attracts the corresponding solution if and only if all the solutions in the weak ω-limit set are continuous in the strong topology of H. Corresponding results for the strong convergence towards the weak global attractor of Foias and Temam are also presented. In this case, it is proved that the weak global attractor is strongly compact and strongly attracts the weak solutions, uniformly with respect to uniformly bounded sets of weak solutions, if and only if all the global weak solutions in the weak global attractor are strongly continuous in H
Measurement of the x- and Q2-dependence of the asymmetry A1 on the nucleon

AbstractWe report results for the virtual photon asymmetry A1 on the nucleon from new Jefferson Lab measurements. The experiment, which used the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer and longitudinally polarized proton (NH315) and deuteron (ND315) targets, collected data with a longitudinally polarized electron beam at energies between 1.6 GeV and 5.7 GeV. In the present Letter, we concentrate on our results for A1(x,Q2) and the related ratio g1/F1(x,Q2) in the resonance and the deep inelastic regions for our lowest and highest beam energies, covering a range in momentum transfer Q2 from 0.05 to 5.0(GeV/c)2 and in final-state invariant mass W up to about 3 GeV. Our data show detailed structure in the resonance region, which leads to a strong Q2-dependence of A1(x,Q2) for W below 2 GeV. At higher W, a smooth approach to the scaling limit, established by earlier experiments, can be seen, but A1(x,Q2) is not strictly Q2-independent. We add significantly to the world data set at high x, up to x=0.6. Our data exceed the SU(6)-symmetric quark model expectation for both the proton and the deuteron while being consistent with a negative d-quark polarization up to our highest x. This data set should improve next-to-leading order (NLO) pQCD fits of the parton polarization distributions
Cell-free protein synthesis of membrane (1,3)-β-d-glucan (curdlan) synthase: Co-translational insertion in liposomes and reconstitution in nanodiscs

AbstractA membrane-embedded curdlan synthase (CrdS) from Agrobacterium is believed to catalyse a repetitive addition of glucosyl residues from UDP-glucose to produce the (1,3)-β-d-glucan (curdlan) polymer. We report wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis (WG-CFPS) of full-length CrdS containing a 6xHis affinity tag and either Factor Xa or Tobacco Etch Virus proteolytic sites, using a variety of hydrophobic membrane-mimicking environments. Full-length CrdS was synthesised with no variations in primary structure, following analysis of tryptic fragments by MALDI-TOF/TOF Mass Spectrometry. Preparative scale WG-CFPS in dialysis mode with Brij-58 yielded CrdS in mg/ml quantities. Analysis of structural and functional properties of CrdS during protein synthesis showed that CrdS was co-translationally inserted in DMPC liposomes during WG-CFPS, and these liposomes could be purified in a single step by density gradient floatation. Incorporated CrdS exhibited a random orientation topology. Following affinity purification of CrdS, the protein was reconstituted in nanodiscs with Escherichia coli lipids or POPC and a membrane scaffold protein MSP1E3D1. CrdS nanodiscs were characterised by small-angle X-ray scattering using synchrotron radiation and the data obtained were consistent with insertion of CrdS into bilayers. We found CrdS synthesised in the presence of the Ac-AAAAAAD surfactant peptide or co-translationally inserted in liposomes made from E. coli lipids to be catalytically competent. Conversely, CrdS synthesised with only Brij-58 was inactive. Our findings pave the way for future structural studies of this industrially important catalytic membrane protein
Threshold anomalies in Horava–Lifshitz-type theories

AbstractRecently the study of threshold kinematic requirements for particle-production processes has played a very significant role in the phenomenology of theories with departures from Poincaré symmetry. We here specialize these threshold studies to the case of a class of violations of Poincaré symmetry which has been much discussed in the literature on Horava–Lifshitz scenarios. These involve modifications of the energy–momentum (“dispersion”) relation that may be different for different types of particles, but always involve even powers of energy–momentum in the correction terms. We establish the requirements for compatibility with the observed cosmic-ray spectrum, which is sensitive to the photopion-production threshold. We find that the implications for the electron–positron pair-production threshold are rather intriguing, in light of some recent studies of TeV emissions by Blazars. Our findings should also provide additional motivation for examining the fate of the law of energy–momentum conservation in Horava–Lifshitz-type theories
Anti-TB drug resistance in Tanga, Tanzania: A cross sectional facility-base prevalence among pulmonary TB patients

AbstractObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with drug resistance tuberculosis (TB) at facility-base level in Tanga, Tanzania.MethodsA total of 79 Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates included in the study were collected from among 372 (312 new and 60 previously treated) TB suspects self-referred to four TB clinics during a prospective study conducted from November 2012 to January 2013. Culture and drug susceptibility test of the isolates was performed at the institute of medical microbiology and epidemiology of infectious diseases, University hospital, Leipzig, Germany. Data on the patient's characteristics were obtained from structured questionnaire administered to the patients who gave informed verbal consent. Unadjusted bivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the risk factors for drug resistant-TB. The significance level was determined at P < 0.05.ResultsThe overall proportions of any drug resistance and MDR-TB were 12.7% and 6.3% respectively. The prevalence of any drug resistance and MDR-TB among new cases were 11.4% and 4.3% respectively, whereas among previously treated cases was 22.2% respectively. Previously treated patients were more likely to develop anti-TB drug resistance. There was no association between anti-TB drug resistances (including MDR-TB) with the risk factors analysed.ConclusionsHigh proportions of anti-TB drug resistance among new and previously treated cases observed in this study suggest that, additional efforts still need to be done in identifying individual cases at facility-base level for improved TB control programmes and drug resistance survey should continuously be monitored in the country