Abstract
We present measurements of the weak gravitational lensing shear power spectrum based on
$450 \deg ^2$
of imaging data from the Kilo Degree Survey. We employ a quadratic estimator in two and ...three redshift bins and extract band powers of redshift autocorrelation and cross-correlation spectra in the multipole range 76 ≤ ℓ ≤ 1310. The cosmological interpretation of the measured shear power spectra is performed in a Bayesian framework assuming a ΛCDM model with spatially flat geometry, while accounting for small residual uncertainties in the shear calibration and redshift distributions as well as marginalizing over intrinsic alignments, baryon feedback and an excess-noise power model. Moreover, massive neutrinos are included in the modelling. The cosmological main result is expressed in terms of the parameter combination
$S_8 \equiv \sigma _8 \sqrt{\Omega _{\rm m}/0.3}$
yielding S
8 = 0.651 ± 0.058 (three z-bins), confirming the recently reported tension in this parameter with constraints from Planck at 3.2σ (three z-bins). We cross-check the results of the three z-bin analysis with the weaker constraints from the two z-bin analysis and find them to be consistent. The high-level data products of this analysis, such as the band power measurements, covariance matrices, redshift distributions and likelihood evaluation chains are available at http://kids.strw.leidenuniv.nl.
Summary
Background
Screening overweight and obese children for non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is recommended by paediatric and endocrinology societies. However, gastroenterology societies ...have called for more data before making a formal recommendation.
Aim
To determine whether the detection of suspected NAFLD in overweight and obese children through screening in primary care and referral to paediatric gastroenterology resulted in a correct diagnosis of NAFLD.
Methods
Information generated in the clinical evaluation of 347 children identified with suspected NAFLD through screening in primary care and referral to paediatric gastroenterology was captured prospectively. Diagnostic outcomes were reported. The diagnostic performance of two times the upper limit of normal (ULN) for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was assessed.
Results
Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed in 55% of children identified by screening and referral. Liver disease other than NAFLD was present in 18% of those referred. Autoimmune hepatitis was the most common alternative diagnosis. Children with NAFLD had significantly (P < 0.05) higher screening ALT (98 ± 95) than children with liver disease other than NAFLD (86 ± 74). Advanced fibrosis was present in 11% of children. For the diagnosis of NAFLD, screening ALT two times the clinical ULN had a sensitivity of 57% and a specificity of 71%.
Conclusions
Screening of overweight and obese children in primary care for NAFLD with referral to paediatric gastroenterology has the potential to identify clinically relevant liver pathology. Consensus is needed on how to value the risk and rewards of screening and referral, to identify children with liver disease in the most appropriate manner.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Chinese patients with prostate cancer against the general population and patients with colorectal ...cancer, breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and leukemia.
Methods
Chinese male patients (
n
= 291) with a confirmed diagnosis of prostate cancer were recruited from a urological specialist outpatient clinic in Hong Kong. HRQOL was measured by a condition-specific Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P) and a generic Chinese (HK) SF-12 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2) questionnaire. Mean HRQOL scores of condition-specific and generic questionnaires were compared to available scores derived from other cancers and age-matched male general population, respectively.
Results
Chinese patients with prostate cancer had lower general health and vitality domains and lower mental component summary scores than the age-matched Hong Kong normative population. Patients with prostate cancer reported better condition-specific HRQOL (physical well-being, emotional well-being and function well-being) when compared to general cancer population, patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and leukemia in Hong Kong.
Conclusions
Patients with prostate cancer substantially perceived their HRQOL to be better, compared to patients with other cancers, with overall health, energy, and mental health below of Hong Kong general population. Interventions should target at these domains in order to improve the HRQOL of patients with prostate cancer. It is reassuring to find that prostate cancer had less negative impact on HRQOL than other cancer types did.
Cancer‐associated inflammation induces tumor progression to the metastatic stage, thus indicating that a chemo‐anti‐inflammatory strategy is of interest for the management of aggressive cancers. The ...platinum(IV) prodrug Platin‐A was designed to release cisplatin and aspirin to ameliorate the nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity caused by cisplatin. Platin‐A exhibited anticancer and anti‐inflammatory properties which are better than a combination of cisplatin and aspirin. These findings highlight the advantages of combining anti‐inflammatory treatment with chemotherapy when both the drugs are delivered in the form of a single prodrug.
The prodrug Platin‐A was designed to release cisplatin and aspirin to ameliorate the side effects of cisplatin. Platin‐A exhibits anticancer and anti‐inflammatory properties which are better than those for the combined use of cisplatin and aspirin. These findings highlight the advantages of combining anti‐inflammatory treatment with chemotherapy when both the drugs are delivered as a single prodrug.
In this paper, a nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis of high-performance hybrid system (HPHS) beam-column connections is presented. The detailed experimental results of the ten half-scale hybrid ...connections with limited seismic detailing have been discussed in a different paper. However, due to the inherent complexity of HPHS beam-column joints and the unique features of the tested specimens, the experimental study was not comprehensive enough. The new connection (HPHS) detail suggested in this study is characterized by ductile connection, steel connectors, and engineered cementitious composite (ECC) which is a kind of high-performance fiber reinforced cement composite with multiple fine cracks (HPFRCCs). Therefore, in this paper, FE analysis results are compared with experimental results from the cycle tests of the two specimens (RC and PC) to assess model accuracy, and detailed model descriptions are presented, including the determination of stiffness and strength. The critical parameters influencing the joint’s behavior are the axial load on column, beam connection steel plate length, inner bolt stress contribution, and plastic hinge area.
In November 2016, the American College of Physicians (ACP) published a clinical practice guideline on the management of acute and recurrent gout. This guideline differs substantially from the latest ...guidelines generated by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and 3e (Evidence, Expertise, Exchange) Initiative, despite reviewing largely the same body of evidence. The Gout, Hyperuricemia and Crystal-Associated Disease Network (G-CAN) convened an expert panel to review the methodology and conclusions of these four sets of guidelines and examine possible reasons for discordance between them. The G-CAN position, presented here, is that the fundamental pathophysiological knowledge underlying gout care, and evidence from clinical experience and clinical trials, supports a treat-to-target approach for gout aimed at lowering serum urate levels to below the saturation threshold at which monosodium urate crystals form. This practice, which is truly evidence-based and promotes the steady reduction in tissue urate crystal deposits, is promoted by the ACR, EULAR and 3e Initiative recommendations. By contrast, the ACP does not provide a clear recommendation for urate-lowering therapy (ULT) for patients with frequent, recurrent flares or those with tophi, nor does it recommend monitoring serum urate levels of patients prescribed ULT. Results from emerging clinical trials that have gout symptoms as the primary end point are expected to resolve this debate for all clinicians in the near term future.
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•GNP/UHMWPE nanocomposites were prepared by solution mixing followed by compression molding.•The electrical conductivity of GNP/UHMWPE nanocomposites shows percolation threshold at ...3.0 wt% of GNP.•The elastic modulus and yield strength increase by 30% and 21%, for the addition of 0.5 wt% and 1.0 wt% of GNP, respectively.•With the addition of 0.1 wt% CNT, lower percolation threshold was achieved for CNT0.1/GNPx/UHMWPE hybrid nanocomposites.
Here, we report the electrical, mechanical and thermal properties of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) nanocomposites reinforced with 0.1 wt% to 10 wt% of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP). The electrical conductivity of GNP/UHMWPE nanocomposites shows percolation threshold at 3.0 wt% of GNP. A significant increase in electrical conductivity from 10−15 S cm−1 for neat UHMWPE to 10−5 S cm−1 at 3.0 wt% GNP loading of GNP/UHMWPE nanocomposite (i.e. 10 orders of magnitude higher) is due to the formation of an almost three-dimensional conductive network. The highest value of electrical conductivity (1.09 S cm−1) is observed at 10.0 wt% of GNP loading. The elastic modulus and yield strength increase by 30% and 21%, for the addition of 0.5 wt% and 1.0 wt% of GNP, respectively, while fracture toughness and the ultimate tensile strength decrease significantly above 0.5 wt% GNP loading. This study demonstrates the fabrication of GNP/UHMWPE bio-nanocomposites, which exhibit electrical properties useful for smart biomedical implants.
Recurrent Gout and Serum Urate—Reply McCormick, Natalie; Choi, Hyon K
JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association,
05/2024, Letnik:
331, Številka:
20
Journal Article
Rapid injection of MeV electrons associated with strong substorm dipolarization has been suggested as a potential explanation for some radiation belt enhancement events. However, it has been ...difficult to quantify the contribution of MeV electron injections to radiation belt enhancements. This paper presents two isolated MeV electron injection events for which we quite precisely quantify how the entire outer‐belt immediately changed with the injections. Tracking detailed outer‐belt evolution observed by Van Allen Probes, for both events, we identify large step‐like relativistic electron enhancements (roughly 1 order of magnitude increase for ∼2 MeV electron fluxes) for L ≳ 3.8 and L ≳ 4.6, respectively, that occurred on ∼30‐min time scales nearly instantaneously with the injections. The enhancements occurred almost simultaneously for 10s keV to multi‐MeV electrons, with the lowest L of enhancement region located farther out for higher energy. The outer‐belt stayed at these new levels for ≳several hours without substantial subsequent enhancements.
Plain Language Summary
Since the discovery of the Earth's radiation belts, the populations of energetic particles trapped by the magnetic fields, understanding the origin of radiation belt relativistic electrons has been one of the primary goals in space physics. One proposal for their source is that relativistic electrons are rapidly injected from outside the radiation belts associated with dramatic changes of the background magnetic field. To explore the importance of this process, we conduct a case study of two isolated injection events. With a new analysis technique, we quite precisely determine how the entire radiation belt electron population immediately changed with the injections. For both events, we find large, step‐like relativistic electron enhancements in a significant part of the outer radiation belt. The enhancements occurred promptly with the injections on extremely fast time scales that are comparable to the injection process. Furthermore, they occurred almost simultaneously for a wide energy range, showing an energy‐dependent feature that can be explained by injection process. After the enhancements, the outer‐belt relativistic electron intensities stayed at the enhanced levels for at least several hours without substantial subsequent enhancements, indicating that the enhancements occurred discretely with the injections.
Key Points
Quantitative determination of prompt and global outer‐belt responses for two MeV electron injection events
Large step‐like outer‐belt relativistic electron enhancements on ∼30‐min time scales nearly instantaneously with the injections
The extremely fast step‐like outer‐belt enhancements for the two events are most‐likely injection‐driven
Abstract
The prognostic and therapeutic relevance of molecular subtypes for the most aggressive isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (
IDH
) wild-type glioblastoma (GBM) is currently limited due to high ...molecular heterogeneity of the tumors that impedes patient stratification. Here, we describe a distinct binary classification of
IDH
wild-type GBM tumors derived from a quantitative proteomic analysis of 39
IDH
wild-type GBMs as well as
IDH
mutant and low-grade glioma controls. Specifically, GBM proteomic cluster 1 (GPC1) tumors exhibit Warburg-like features, neural stem-cell markers, immune checkpoint ligands, and a poor prognostic biomarker, FKBP prolyl isomerase 9 (
FKBP9
). Meanwhile, GPC2 tumors show elevated oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins, differentiated oligodendrocyte and astrocyte markers, and a favorable prognostic biomarker, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (
PHGDH
). Integrating these proteomic features with the pharmacological profiles of matched patient-derived cells (PDCs) reveals that the mTORC1/2 dual inhibitor AZD2014 is cytotoxic to the poor prognostic PDCs. Our analyses will guide GBM prognosis and precision treatment strategies.
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