| 1. |
- Guo, Jing, et al.
(författare)
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Prediction of variability of precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin under the climate change conditions based on automated statistical downscaling
- 2012
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Ingår i: Stochastic environmental research and risk assessment (Print). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1436-3240 .- 1436-3259. ; 26:2, s. 157-176
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many impact studies require climate change information at a finer resolution than that provided by general circulation models (GCMs). Therefore the outputs from GCMs have to be downscaled to obtain the finer resolution climate change scenarios. In this study, an automated statistical downscaling (ASD) regression-based approach is proposed for predicting the daily precipitation of 138 main meteorological stations in the Yangtze River basin for 2010-2099 by statistical downscaling of the outputs of general circulation model (HadCM3) under A2 and B2 scenarios. After that, the spatial-temporal changes of the amount and the extremes of predicted precipitation in the Yangtze River basin are investigated by Mann-Kendall trend test and spatial interpolation. The results showed that: (1) the amount and the change pattern of precipitation could be reasonably simulated by ASD; (2) the predicted annual precipitation will decrease in all sub-catchments during 2020s, while increase in all sub-catchments of the Yangtze River Basin during 2050s and during 2080s, respectively, under A2 scenario. However, they have mix-trend in each sub-catchment of Yangtze River basin during 2020s, but increase in all sub-catchments during 2050s and 2080s, except for Hanjiang River region during 2080s, as far as B2 scenario is concerned; and (3) the significant increasing trend of the precipitation intensity and maximum precipitation are mainly occurred in the northwest upper part and the middle part of the Yangtze River basin for the whole year and summer under both climate change scenarios and the middle of 2040-2060 can be regarded as the starting point for pattern change of precipitation maxima.
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| 2. |
- Gossas, Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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The advantage of biosensor analysis over enzyme inhibition studies for slow dissociating inhibitors : characterization of hydroxamate-based matrix metalloproteinase-12 inhibitors
- 2013
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Ingår i: MedChemComm. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2040-2503 .- 2040-2511. ; 4:2, s. 432-442
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The kinetic characteristics of hydroxamate-based inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-12 were explored using an SPR biosensor-based assay and enzyme inhibition analysis. These high-affinity inhibitors were shown to dissociate very slowly from the enzyme-inhibitor complex while a carboxylate analogue had a much faster dissociation rate, verifying the importance of the hydroxamate group for the slow dissociation. Progress curve enzyme inhibition analysis confirmed that the hydroxamate compounds but not the carboxylate compound acted as time-dependent inhibitors. The slow dissociation excluded steady-state estimation of IC50-values and K-i values but also made K-i values from progress curve analysis unreliable. Although a full characterization of the inhibitors using biosensor analysis was limited by slow dissociation, it provided kinetic and mechanistic information of relevance for MMP drug discovery and avoided some pitfalls of conventional enzyme inhibition assays.
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| 3. |
- Hua, Chen, et al.
(författare)
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Downscaling GCMs using the Smooth Support Vector Machine method to predict daily precipitation in the Hanjiang Basin
- 2010
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Ingår i: Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0256-1530 .- 1861-9533. ; 27:2, s. 274-284
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- General circulation models (GCMs) are often used in assessing the impact of climate change at global and continental scales. However, the climatic factors simulated by GCMs are inconsistent at comparatively smaller scales, such as individual river basins. In this study, a statistical downscaling approach based on the Smooth Support Vector Machine (SSVM) method was constructed to predict daily precipitation of the changed climate in the Hanjiang Basin. NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data were used to establish the statistical relationship between the larger scale climate predictors and observed precipitation. The relationship obtained was used to project future precipitation from two GCMs (CGCM2 and HadCM3) for the A2 emission scenario. The results obtained using SSVM were compared with those from an artificial neural network (ANN). The comparisons showed that SSVM is suitable for conducting climate impact studies as a statistical downscaling tool in this region. The temporal trends projected by SSVM based on the A2 emission scenario for CGCM2 and HadCM3 were for rainfall to decrease during the period 2011-2040 in the upper basin and to increase after 2071 in the whole of Hanjiang Basin.
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| 4. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(författare)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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Ingår i: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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| 5. |
- Tang, Ting-Ting, et al.
(författare)
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Impaired thymic export and apoptosis contribute to regulatory T-cell defects in patients with chronic heart failure.
- 2011
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 6:9, s. e24272-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Animal studies suggest that regulatory T (T(reg)) cells play a beneficial role in ventricular remodeling and our previous data have demonstrated defects of T(reg) cells in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the mechanisms behind T(reg-)cell defects remained unknown. We here sought to elucidate the mechanism of T(reg-)cell defects in CHF patients.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Berndt, Sonja I., et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies 11 new loci for anthropometric traits and provides insights into genetic architecture
- 2013
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 45:5, s. 501-U69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Approaches exploiting trait distribution extremes may be used to identify loci associated with common traits, but it is unknown whether these loci are generalizable to the broader population. In a genome-wide search for loci associated with the upper versus the lower 5th percentiles of body mass index, height and waist-to-hip ratio, as well as clinical classes of obesity, including up to 263,407 individuals of European ancestry, we identified 4 new loci (IGFBP4, H6PD, RSRC1 and PPP2R2A) influencing height detected in the distribution tails and 7 new loci (HNF4G, RPTOR, GNAT2, MRPS33P4, ADCY9, HS6ST3 and ZZZ3) for clinical classes of obesity. Further, we find a large overlap in genetic structure and the distribution of variants between traits based on extremes and the general population and little etiological heterogeneity between obesity subgroups.
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| 8. |
- Chen, Long, et al.
(författare)
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5,6-Bis(octyloxy)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole-Bridged Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with High Open-Circuit Voltage Performance
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Organic Chemistry. - : Wiley. - 1434-193X .- 1099-0690. ; :9, s. 1770-1780
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Three new metal-free dyes with a 5,6-bis(octyloxy) benzo[c][1,2,5] thiadiazole core (DOBT-I-III) have been designed and synthesized for use as DSSCs. Their absorption properties and electrochemical and photovoltaic performances have been investigated systematically. The DSSCs based on DOBT-I-III show high open-circuit voltages (V-oc) of 829, 818, and 784 mV, respectively. Of the three dyes, DOBT-III, which contains a thiophene-bridging linker, exhibits the best photovoltaic performance: a short-circuit photocurrent density (J(sc)) of 12.74 mA cm(-2) and a fill factor (FF) of 0.73, which corresponds to an overall conversion efficiency of 7.29% under standard global AM 1.5 solar conditions.
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| 9. |
- Duan, Chen, et al.
(författare)
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Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles between primary knee osteoarthritis and an osteoarthritis endemic to Northwestern China, Kashin-Beck disease.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 62:3, s. 771-780
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in gene expression profiles of adult articular cartilage from patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) versus those with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA).METHODS: The messenger RNA expression profiles of articular cartilage from patients with KBD, diagnosed according to the clinical criteria for KBD in China, were compared with those of cartilage from patients with OA, diagnosed according to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index. Total RNA was isolated separately from 4 pairs of the KBD and OA cartilage samples, and the expression profiles were evaluated by Agilent 4x44k Whole Human Genome density oligonucleotide microarray analysis. The microarray data for selected transcripts were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification.RESULTS: For 1.2 x 10(4) transcripts, corresponding to 58.4% of the expressed transcripts, 2-fold changes in differential expression were revealed. Expression levels higher in KBD than in OA samples were observed in a mean + or - SD 6,439 + or - 1,041 (14.6 + or - 2.4%) of the transcripts, and expression levels were lower in KBD than in OA samples in 6,147 + or - 1,222 (14.2 + or - 2.8%) of the transcripts. After application of the selection criteria, 1.85% of the differentially expressed genes (P < 0.001 between groups) were detected. These included 233 genes, of which 195 (0.4%) were expressed at higher levels and 38 (0.08%) were expressed at lower levels in KBD than in OA cartilage. Comparisons of the quantitative RT-PCR data supported the validity of our microarray data.CONCLUSION: Differences between KBD and OA cartilage exhibited a similar pattern among all 4 of the pairs examined, indicating the presence of disease mechanisms, mainly chondrocyte matrix metabolism, cartilage degeneration, and apoptosis induction pathways, which contribute to cartilage destruction in KBD.
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| 10. |
- Koettgen, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association analyses identify 18 new loci associated with serum urate concentrations
- 2013
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 45:2, s. 145-154
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Elevated serum urate concentrations can cause gout, a prevalent and painful inflammatory arthritis. By combining data from >140,000 individuals of European ancestry within the Global Urate Genetics Consortium (GUGC), we identified and replicated 28 genome-wide significant loci in association with serum urate concentrations (18 new regions in or near TRIM46, INHBB, SEMBT1, TMEM171, VEGFA, BAZ1B, PRKAG2, STC1, HNF4G, A1CF, ATXN2, UBE2Q2, IGF1R, NFAT5, MAF, HLF, ACVR1B-ACVRL1 and B3GNT4). Associations for many of the loci were of similar magnitude in individuals of non-European ancestry. We further characterized these loci for associations with gout, transcript expression and the fractional excretion of urate. Network analyses implicate the inhibins-activins signaling pathways and glucose metabolism in systemic urate control. New candidate genes for serum urate concentration highlight the importance of metabolic control of urate production and excretion, which may have implications for the treatment and prevention of gout.
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| 11. |
- Loth, Daan W, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association analysis identifies six new loci associated with forced vital capacity
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 46, s. 669-677
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forced vital capacity (FVC), a spirometric measure of pulmonary function, reflects lung volume and is used to diagnose and monitor lung diseases. We performed genome-wide association study meta-analysis of FVC in 52,253 individuals from 26 studies and followed up the top associations in 32,917 additional individuals of European ancestry. We found six new regions associated at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10(-8)) with FVC in or near EFEMP1, BMP6, MIR129-2-HSD17B12, PRDM11, WWOX and KCNJ2. Two loci previously associated with spirometric measures (GSTCD and PTCH1) were related to FVC. Newly implicated regions were followed up in samples from African-American, Korean, Chinese and Hispanic individuals. We detected transcripts for all six newly implicated genes in human lung tissue. The new loci may inform mechanisms involved in lung development and the pathogenesis of restrictive lung disease.
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| 12. |
- Ma, Ming-Guo, et al.
(författare)
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Microwave synthesis of cellulose/CuO nanocomposites in ionic liquid and its thermal transformation to CuO
- 2013
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Ingår i: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier BV. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 91:1, s. 162-168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to develop a green strategy to synthesize the cellulose-based nanocomposites and open a new avenue to the high value-added applications of biomass. Herein, we reported a microwave-assisted ionic liquid route to the preparation of cellulose/CuO nanocomposites, which combined three major green chemistry principles: using environmentally friendly method, greener solvents, and sustainable resources. The influences of the reaction parameters including the heating time and the ratio of cellulose solution to ionic liquid on the products were discussed by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy. The crystallinity of CuO increased and the CuO shape changed from nanosheets to bundles and to particles with increasing heating time. The ratio of cellulose solution to ionic liquid also affected the shapes of CuO in nanocomposites. Moreover, CuO crystals were obtained by thermal treatment of the cellulose/CuO nanocomposites at 800 degrees C for 3 h in air.
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| 13. |
- Tang, Wen, et al.
(författare)
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Bioactive Surface Modification of Metal Oxides via Catechol-Bearing Modular Peptides : Multivalent-Binding, Surface Retention, and Peptide Bioactivity
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 136:46, s. 16357-16367
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A series of multivalent dendrons containing a bioactive osteogenic growth peptide (OGP) domain and surface-binding catechol domains were obtained through solid phase synthesis, and their binding affinity to hydroxyapatite, TiO2, ZrO2, CeO2, Fe3O4 and gold was characterized using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-d). Using the distinct difference in binding affinity of the bioconjugate to the metal oxides, TiO2-coated glass slides were selectively patterned with bioactive peptides. Cell culture studies demonstrated the bioavailability of the OGP and that OGP remained on the surface for at least 2 weeks under in vitro cell culture conditions. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteocalcein (OCN) markers were upregulated 3-fold and 60-fold, respectively, relative to controls at 21 days. Similarly, 3-fold more calcium was deposited using the OGP tethered dendron compared to TiO2. These catechol-bearing dendrons provide a fast and efficient method to functionalize a wide range of inorganic materials with bioactive peptides and have the potential to be used in coating orthopaedic implants and fixation devices.
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| 14. |
- Teslovich, Tanya M., et al.
(författare)
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Biological, clinical and population relevance of 95 loci for blood lipids
- 2010
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 466:7307, s. 707-713
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides are among the most important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and are targets for therapeutic intervention. We screened the genome for common variants associated with plasma lipids in >100,000 individuals of European ancestry. Here we report 95 significantly associated loci (P<5 x 10(-8)), with 59 showing genome-wide significant association with lipid traits for the first time. The newly reported associations include single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near known lipid regulators (for example, CYP7A1, NPC1L1 and SCARB1) as well as in scores of loci not previously implicated in lipoprotein metabolism. The 95 loci contribute not only to normal variation in lipid traits but also to extreme lipid phenotypes and have an impact on lipid traits in three non-European populations (East Asians, South Asians and African Americans). Our results identify several novel loci associated with plasma lipids that are also associated with CAD. Finally, we validated three of the novel genes-GALNT2, PPP1R3B and TTC39B-with experiments in mouse models. Taken together, our findings provide the foundation to develop a broader biological understanding of lipoprotein metabolism and to identify new therapeutic opportunities for the prevention of CAD.
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| 15. |
- Wu, Yan, et al.
(författare)
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Room Temperature Ferromagnetism and Fast Ultraviolet Photoresponse of Inkjet-Printed Mn-Doped ZnO Thin Films
- 2010
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Ingår i: IEEE transactions on magnetics. - 0018-9464 .- 1941-0069. ; 46:6, s. 2152-2155
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have synthesized Mn-doped ZnO thin films by inkjet printing using a two-step annealing process at 200 C for the decomposition of the organic compounds, and at various temperatures above 400 degrees C to tailor room temperature ferromagnetism. Highly c axis oriented 80 to 400 nm thin films on ( 001) Si substrates are obtained with a magnetic moment as large as 2.1 mu(B)/Mn2+. X-ray absorption and emission spectra measurements at the O K edge and the Mn L edge suggest strong p-d hybridization between the Mn2+ and O2-. Furthermore, Mn L edge XAS indicates the emergence of Mn3+ /Mn4+ mixed valence states for films annealed above 500 degrees C that leads to suppression of ferromagnetic ordering. All of these films show large and fast ultraviolet (UV) photoresponse with the decay times of about 0.5 ms, suggesting the potential for designing multifunctional UV sensors.
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| 16. |
- Yang, Jian, et al.
(författare)
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FTO genotype is associated with phenotypic variability of body mass index
- 2012
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 490:7419, s. 267-272
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is evidence across several species for genetic control of phenotypic variation of complex traits(1-4), such that the variance among phenotypes is genotype dependent. Understanding genetic control of variability is important in evolutionary biology, agricultural selection programmes and human medicine, yet for complex traits, no individual genetic variants associated with variance, as opposed to the mean, have been identified. Here we perform a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of phenotypic variation using similar to 170,000 samples on height and body mass index (BMI) in human populations. We report evidence that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7202116 at the FTO gene locus, which is known to be associated with obesity (as measured by mean BMI for each rs7202116 genotype)(5-7), is also associated with phenotypic variability. We show that the results are not due to scale effects or other artefacts, and find no other experiment-wise significant evidence for effects on variability, either at loci other than FTO for BMI or at any locus for height. The difference in variance for BMI among individuals with opposite homozygous genotypes at the FTO locus is approximately 7%, corresponding to a difference of similar to 0.5 kilograms in the standard deviation of weight. Our results indicate that genetic variants can be discovered that are associated with variability, and that between-person variability in obesity can partly be explained by the genotype at the FTO locus. The results are consistent with reported FTO by environment interactions for BMI8, possibly mediated by DNA methylation(9,10). Our BMI results for other SNPs and our height results for all SNPs suggest that most genetic variants, including those that influence mean height or mean BMI, are not associated with phenotypic variance, or that their effects on variability are too small to detect even with samples sizes greater than 100,000.
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| 17. |
- Ying, Weijiang, et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of new [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-c]pyridine-based organic Broadly absorbing sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells
- 2014
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Ingår i: Tetrahedron. - : Elsevier BV. - 0040-4020 .- 1464-5416. ; 70:25, s. 3901-3908
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, by introducing [1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-c]pyridine (PT) as an auxiliary acceptor into the molecular design of organic sensitizers, we have synthesized four new dyes (PT1 -P14) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with triphenylamine or N,N-diphenylthiophen-2-amine as the donor units and thiophene or benzene as the pi-bridges, respectively. All the structures, optical and electrochemical properties were fully characterized. Nanocrystalline TiO2 dye-sensitized solar cells were also fabricated using these dyes. Among them, PT2-based DSSCs showed the highest overall conversion efficiency of 6.11% with V-oc=668 mV, J(sc)=12.61 mA cm(-2) and a fill factor (FF)=0.74 after a chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) treatment under standard illumination condition (100 mW cm(-2) simulated AM 1.5 solar light).
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| 18. |
- Zhang, Xiaoyu, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of thiophene in bithiazole-bridged sensitizers on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nano. - 1793-2920. ; 9:5, s. 1440009-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we have designed and synthesized four bithiazole-bridged sensitizers (BT-T2, TBT-T2, BT-T3 and TBT-T3) with triphenylamine and indoline as the donor segment and applied them to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). For triphenylamine-based sensitizers as BT-T2 and TBT-T2, adding one thiophene unit between triphenylamine donor and bithiazole moiety not only led to bathochromic shift of the maximum absorption and increase of molar extinction coefficient, but also enhanced the photovoltaic conversion efficiency from 7.12% of BT-T2 to 7.51% of TBT-T2. But for indoline-based sensitizers as BT-T3 and TBT-T3, adding one thiophene unit between indoline donor and bithiazole moiety resulted in hypochromatic shift instead of bathochromic shift. We employed the density functional theory (DFT) calculations to further investigate the influence of the thiophene unit on their optical and electronic properties and photovoltaic performance of corresponding DSSC devices. Given the results, a reasonable explanation is the introduction of thiophene unit suppressed the intramolecular charge transfer and charge separation in the conjugation system of indoline-based sensitizer, which led to the hypochromatic shift of the maximum absorption wavelength and finally the low J(sc). Since the J(sc) dropped sharply from 15.26mAcm(-2) to 4.52mAcm(-2), the photovoltaic conversion efficiency decreased dramatically from 7.86% to 1.93%.
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