The symmetry energy describes how the energy of nuclear matter rises as one goes away from equal numbers of neutrons and protons. This is very important to describe neutron rich matter in ...astrophysics. This article reviews our knowledge of the symmetry energy from theoretical calculations, nuclear structure measurements, heavy-ion collisions, and astronomical observations. We then present a roadmap to make progress in areas of relevance to the symmetry energy that promotes collaboration between the astrophysics and the nuclear physics communities.
Surface enhanced absorption is a plasmonic effect parenting to surface enhanced fluorescence and Raman scattering, and it was clearly reported to occur in the infrared region of the spectrum of ...light. In this paper, we unambiguously show that it also occurs in the visible region of the spectrum by using a dye; i.e. an azo-dye, which exhibits a good light absorption in that region, and gold nanoparticles, which act as plasmonic nanoantennas that capture and re-radiate light, when the azo-dyes and the nanoparticles are incorporated in the bulk of solid films of polymer. In such a configuration, it is possible to use a dye concentration much larger than that of the nanoparticles and absorption path lengths much larger than those of the molecularly thin layers used in surface enhanced effects studies. In addition, the dye undergoes shape and orientation change; i.e. isomerization and reorientation, upon polarized light absorption; and the observation of surface enhanced visible absorption is done by two separate experiments; i.e. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and photo-induced birefringence, since the signals detected from both experiments are directly proportional to the extinction coefficient of the dye. Both the dye's absorption and photoorientation are enhanced by the presence of the nanoparticles.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
According to many pundits and cultural commentators, the U.S. is enjoying a post-racial age, thanks in part to Barack Obama's rise to the presidency. This high gloss of optimism fails, however, to ...recognize that racism remains ever present and alive, spread by channels of media and circulated even in colloquial speech in ways that can be difficult to analyze. In this groundbreaking collection edited by Michael G. Lacy and Kent A. Ono, scholars seek to examine this complicated and contradictory terrain while moving the field of communication in a more intellectually productive direction. An outstanding group of contributors from a range of academic backgrounds challenges traditional definitions and applications of rhetoric. From the troubling media representations of black looters after Hurricane Katrina and rhetoric in news coverage about the Columbine and Virginia Tech massacres to cinematic representations of race in Crash, Blood Diamond, and Quentin Tarantino's films, these essays reveal complex intersections and constructions of racialized bodies and discourses, critiquing race in innovative and exciting ways. Critical Rhetorics of Race seeks not only to understand and navigate a world fraught with racism, but to change it, one word at a time.
A series of structural polytypes formed in an Mg-1 at.%Zn-2 at.%Y alloy has been identified, which are reasonably viewed as long-period stacking derivatives of the hexagonal-close-packed Mg structure ...with alternate AB stacking of the close-packed atomic layers. Atomic-resolution Z-contrast imaging clearly revealed that the structures are long-period chemical-ordered as well as stacking-ordered; unique chemical order along the stacking direction occurs as being synchronized with a local faulted stacking of AB′C′A, where B′ and C′ layers are commonly enriched by Zn/Y atoms.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In this largest phase II trial with advanced thymic carcinoma (TC), carboplatin and paclitaxel (CbP) showed promising efficacy in advanced TC when compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, ...which is the current standard treatment of TC. Our results established that CbP, one of the standard treatments for non-small-cell lung cancer, might be an option as a chemotherapy regimen for TC.
Thymic carcinoma (TC) is an exceptionally rare tumor, which has a very poor prognosis differing from thymoma. Till date, there has been no report of any results of clinical trials focusing on TC. The role of non-anthracycline-based chemotherapy has not been elucidated since the previous studies included a relatively small number of TC patients. This single-arm study evaluated carboplatin and paclitaxel (CbP) in chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced TC.
The study treatment consisted of carboplatin (area under the curve 6) and paclitaxel (200 mg/m2) every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) by independent review. The secondary end points included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety. Based on the SWOG 2-stage design, the planned sample size of 40 patients was determined to reject the ORR of 20% under the expectation of 40% with a power of 0.85 and a type I error of 0.05.
Forty patients from 21 centers were enrolled for this study from May 2008 to November 2010. Of the 39 patients evaluable for analysis, 36 were pathologically diagnosed by independent review, and 97% patients were eventually TC. There was 1/13 complete/partial responses with an ORR of 36% (95% confidence interval 21%–53%; P = 0.031). The median PFS was 7.5 (6.2–12.3) months, while OS did not reach the median value. Major adverse event was grade 3–4 neutropenia in 34 patients (87%). There was no treatment-related death.
In this largest trial with TC, CbP showed promising efficacy in advanced TC when compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, which is the current standard treatment of thymic neoplasm. Our results established that CbP, one of the standard treatments for non-small-cell lung cancer, might be an option as a chemotherapy regimen for TC.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate cortical bone thickness in the buccal posterior region mesial and distal to the first molar, where mini-implants are often placed, and determine any ...differences according to location, age and sex. The subjects were 43 patients who had mini-implants placed in the posterior buccal alveolar bone as anchors for orthodontic treatment. Computed tomography was used for diagnostic imaging of the area surrounding the site of implant placement. Cortical bone thickness was measured from 1 to 15 mm below the alveolar crest at 1-mm intervals. The average cortical bone thicknesses ranged from 1.09 to 2.12 mm in the maxilla and 1.59 to 3.03 mm in the mandible. The greater the height, the thicker the cortical bone tended to be, and the mandibular cortical bone was significantly thicker than that of the maxilla. The cortical bone was thinner in females than in males in the region of attached gingiva in the maxilla mesial to the first molar. The mandible suffices as a preparation site for mini-implants, while the maxilla might be insufficient at shallow locations. Regardless of age, the initial stability of mini-implants in shallow locations in the maxilla of women should be considered.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
HIV-1 particle production occurs in a series of steps promoted by the viral Gag protein. Although it is well established that assembly and release take place at the plasma membrane, the nature of ...membrane assembly sites remains poorly understood. We show here that Gag specifically associates with cholesterol-enriched microdomains ("rafts") at the plasma membrane. Kinetic studies demonstrate that raft association follows membrane binding, and the analysis of Gag mutants reveals that, whereas the N terminus of Gag mediates raft binding, this association is greatly enhanced by Gag-Gag interaction domains. We observe that depletion of cellular cholesterol markedly and specifically reduces HIV-1 particle production. Furthermore, treatment of virus-producing cells or virus particles with raft-disrupting agents significantly impairs virus infectivity. These results identify the association of Gag with plasma membrane rafts as an important step in HIV-1 replication. These findings may lead to novel strategies for suppressing HIV-1 replication in vivo.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
BACKGROUND: Removal of radioactive substances, such as cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr), has become an emerging issue after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster. It has been reported that ...hydroxyapatite (HA) and aluminosilicate composite powders can be used to remove Cs and Sr. However, the film type of these materials for the removal of Cs and Sr has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of using HA, aluminosilicate, and aluminosilicate/HA composites for the removal of Cs and Sr radioactive substances. METHODS: Aluminosilicate films and HA films were fabricated using a sputtering technique with diatomaceous earth and HA targets, respectively. The aluminosilicate film was observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A comb-shaped HA/aluminosilicate composite film was prepared to take advantage of the adsorption properties of the HA and the aluminosilicate films. The Cs and Sr adsorption on these films were also evaluated. RESULTS: In the XRD patterns, the film sputtered from a diatomaceous earth target under 5.0 Pa of Ar pressure showed aluminosilicate peaks (Na1.82(Al2Si3O10) and Al2SiO5) after 8 h of vapor-phase hydrothermal treatment. The film showed higher adsorption of Cs than Sr in Cs and Sr solutions, while the HA film adsorbed far more Sr than Cs. A HA/aluminosilicate composite film was successfully fabricated, and the SEM images showed that the width of the HA region was 230–260 μm, and that of the aluminosilicate region was 170–200 μm. The HA/aluminosilicate composite film showed 84.8 ± 11.5% Cs adsorption and 28.3 ± 1.4% Sr adsorption in a mixed solution of Cs and Sr. CONCLUSION: This study shows the feasibility of using HA films, aluminosilicate films, and HA/aluminosilicate composite films for the removal of radioactive substances such as Cs and Sr.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
We report observations from space using ultraviolet (UV) radiance for significant enhancement of ozone in the lower troposphere over central and eastern China (CEC). The recent retrieval products of ...the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura satellite revealed the spatial and temporal variation of ozone distributions in multiple layers in the troposphere. We compared the OMI-derived ozone over Beijing with airborne measurements by the Measurement of Ozone and Water Vapor by Airbus In-Service Aircraft (MOZAIC) program. The correlation between OMI and MOZAIC ozone in the lower troposphere was reasonable, which assured the reliability of OMI ozone retrievals in the lower troposphere under enhanced ozone conditions. The ozone enhancement was clearly observed over CEC, with Shandong Province as its center, and was most notable in June in any given year. Similar seasonal variations were observed throughout the 9-year OMI measurement period of 2005 to 2013. A considerable part of this ozone enhancement could be attributed to the emissions of ozone precursors from industrial activities and automobiles, and possibly from open crop residue burning (OCRB) after the winter wheat harvest. The ozone distribution presented in this study is also consistent with some model studies. The lower tropospheric ozone distribution is first shown from OMI retrieval in this study, and the results will be useful in clarifying any unknown factors that influence ozone distribution by comparison with model simulations.
This paper presents a combined shear-compression impact test for soft cellular materials designed in order to investigate their behavior under impact multiaxial loadings. A large-diameter Nylon Split ...Hopkinson Pressure Bar system (SHPB) with beveled ends of different angles is used to apply the desired shear-compression combinations. The data processing methods are studied and validated by virtual testing data generated with FEM simulations. A series of experiments on an aluminum honeycomb were performed at the impact velocity of about 15
m/s with the loading angles ranging from 0° (corresponding to the pure compression) to 60°. It shows a strong effect of the additional shear loading because both the initial peak and the crush strength decrease with increasing loading angles. The quasi-static shear-compression experiments were also performed using the same beveled ends on a universal INSTRON machine and a notable strength enhancement under impact loading is observed. Images captured during quasi-static and impact tests permit for the determination of the two co-existing deforming patterns under combined shear-compression and reveal the influence of the loading rate on the occurrence of these two patterns.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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