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- Abdesselam, A., et al.
(author)
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The ATLAS semiconductor tracker end-cap module
- 2007
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In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 575:3, s. 353-389
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The challenges for the tracking detector systems at the LHC are unprecedented in terms of the number of channels, the required read-out speed and the expected radiation levels. The ATLAS Semiconductor Tracker. (SCT) end-caps have a total of about 3 million electronics channels each reading out every 25 ns into its own on-chip 3.3 mu s buffer. The highest anticipated dose after 10 years operation is 1.4x10(14) cm(-2) in units of 1 MeV neutron equivalent (assuming the damage factors scale with the non-ionising energy loss). The forward tracker has 1976 double-sided modules, mostly of area similar to 70 cm(2), each having 2 x 768 strips read out by six ASICs per side. The requirement to achieve an average perpendicular radiation length of 1.5% X-0, while coping with up to 7 W dissipation per module (after irradiation), leads to stringent constraints on the thermal design. The additional requirement of 1500e(-) equivalent noise charge (ENC) rising to only 1800e(-) ENC after irradiation, provides stringent design constraints on both the high-density Cu/Polyimide flex read-out circuit and the ABCD3TA read-out ASICs. Finally, the accuracy of module assembly must not compromise the 16 mu m (r phi) resolution perpendicular to the strip directions or 580 mu m radial resolution coming from the 40 mrad front-back stereo angle. A total of 2210 modules were built to the tight tolerances and specifications required for the SCT. This was 234 more than the 1976 required and represents a yield of 93%. The component flow was at times tight, but the module production rate of 40-50 per week was maintained despite this. The distributed production was not found to be a major logistical problem and it allowed additional flexibility to take advantage of where the effort was available, including any spare capacity, for building the end-cap modules. The collaboration that produced the ATLAS SCT end-cap modules kept in close contact at all times so that the effects of shortages or stoppages at different sites could be rapidly resolved.
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- Guimond, S. E., et al.
(author)
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Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Mimetic Pixatimod (PG545) Potently Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by Disrupting the Spike-ACE2 Interaction
- 2022
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In: ACS Central Science. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2374-7943 .- 2374-7951. ; 8:5, s. 527-545
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heparan sulfate (HS) is a cell surface polysaccharide recently identified as a coreceptor with the ACE2 protein for the S1 spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 virus, providing a tractable new therapeutic target. Clinically used heparins demonstrate an inhibitory activity but have an anticoagulant activity and are supply-limited, necessitating alternative solutions. Here, we show that synthetic HS mimetic pixatimod (PG545), a cancer drug candidate, binds and destabilizes the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain and directly inhibits its binding to ACE2, consistent with molecular modeling identification of multiple molecular contacts and overlapping pixatimod and ACE2 binding sites. Assays with multiple clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2 virus show that pixatimod potently inhibits the infection of monkey Vero E6 cells and physiologically relevant human bronchial epithelial cells at safe therapeutic concentrations. Pixatimod also retained broad potency against variants of concern (VOC) including B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Furthermore, in a K18-hACE2 mouse model, pixatimod significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral titers in the upper respiratory tract and virus-induced weight loss. This demonstration of potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity tolerant to emerging mutations establishes proof-of-concept for targeting the HS-Spike protein-ACE2 axis with synthetic HS mimetics and provides a strong rationale for clinical investigation of pixatimod as a potential multimodal therapeutic for COVID-19.
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3. |
- Hayes, A. B., et al.
(author)
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Coulomb excitation of a Am-242 isomeric target: E2 and E3 strengths, rotational alignment, and collective enhancement
- 2010
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In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 82:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A 98% pure Am-242m ( K = 5(-), t(1/2) = 141 years) isomeric target was Coulomb excited with a 170.5-MeV Ar-40 beam. The selectivity of Coulomb excitation, coupled with the sensitivity of Gammasphere plus CHICO, was sufficient to identify 46 new states up to spin 18h in at least four rotational bands; 11 of these new states lie in the isomer band, 13 in a previously unknown yrast K-pi = 6(-) rotational band, and 13 in a band tentatively identified as the predicted yrast K-pi = 5(+) band. The rotational bands based on the K-pi = 5- isomer and the 6(-) bandhead were populated by Coulomb excitation with unexpectedly equal cross sections. The gamma-ray yields are reproduced by Coulomb excitation calculations using a two-particle plus rotor model (PRM), implying nearly complete Delta K = 1 mixing of the two almost-degenerate rotational bands, but recovering the Alaga rule for the unperturbed states. The degeneracy of the 5(-) and 6(-) bands allows for precise determination of the mixing interaction strength V, which approaches the strong-mixing limit; this agrees with the 50% attenuation of the Coriolis matrix element assumed in the model calculations. The fractional admixture of the I-K(pi) = 6(6)(-) state in the nominal 6(5)(-) isomer band state is measured within the PRM as 45.6(-1.1)(+0.3)%. The E2 and M1 strengths coupling the 5(-) and 6(-) bands are enhanced significantly by the mixing, while E1 and E2 couplings to other low-K bands are not measurably enhanced. The yields of the 5(+) band are reproduced by an E3 strength of approximate to 15 W.u., competitive with the interband E2 strength. Alignments of the identified two-particle Nilsson states in Am-242 are compared with the single-particle alignments in Am-241.
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5. |
- Pfaller, M.A., et al.
(author)
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Twelve years of fluconazole in clinical practice : Global-trends in species distribution and fluconazole susceptibility of bloodstream isolates of Candida
- 2004
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In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 1198-743X .- 1469-0691. ; 10:SUPPL. 1, s. 11-23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We determined the species distribution and in-vitro susceptibility of 6082 bloodstream infection (BSI) isolates of Candida spp. collected from 250 medical centres in 32 nations over a 10-year period from 1992 through 2001. The species included 3401 C. albicans, 984 C. glabrata, 796 C. parapsilosis, 585 C. tropicalis, 153 C. krusei, 67 C. lusitaniae, 48 C. guilliermondii, 10 C. famata, 10 C. kefyr, six C. pelliculosa, five C. rugosa, four C. lipolytica, three C. dubliniensis, three C. inconspicua, two C. sake and one isolate each of C. lambica, C. norvegensis and C. zeylanoides. Minimum inhibitory concentration determinations were made using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards reference broth microdilution method. Variation in the rank order and frequency of the different species of Candida was observed over time and by geographic area. The proportion of BSI due to C. albicans and C. glabrata increased and C. parapsilosis decreased over time in Canada, the USA and Europe. C. glabrata was an infrequent cause of BSI in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. Very little variation in fluconazole susceptibility was observed among isolates of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis. These species accounted for 78% of all BSI and remained highly susceptible (91-100% susceptible) to fluconazole from 1992 to 2001 irrespective of geographic origin. The prevalence of fluconazole resistance among C. glabrata isolates was variable both over time and among the various countries and regions. Resistance to fluconazole among C. glabrata isolates was greatest in the USA and varied by US census region (range 0-23%). These observations are generally encouraging relative to the sustained usefulness of fluconazole as a systemically active antifungal agent for the treatment of candida BSI. © 2004 Copyright by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
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- Walker, M. D., et al.
(author)
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Plant community responses to experimental warming across the tundra biome
- 2006
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 103:5, s. 1342-1346
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent observations of changes in some tundra ecosystems appear to be responses to a warming climate. Several experimental studies have shown that tundra plants and ecosystems can respond strongly to environmental change, including warming; however, most studies were limited to a single location and were of short duration and based on a variety of experimental designs. In addition, comparisons among studies are difficult because a variety of techniques have been used to achieve experimental warming and different measurements have been used to assess responses. We used metaanalysis on plant community measurements from standardized warming experiments at 11 locations across the tundra biome involved in the International Tundra Experiment. The passive warming treatment increased plant-level air temperature by 1-3 degrees C, which is in the range of predicted and observed warming for tundra regions. Responses were rapid and detected in whole plant communities after only two growing seasons. Overall, warming increased height and cover of deciduous shrubs and graminoids, decreased cover of mosses and lichens, and decreased species diversity and evenness. These results predict that warming will cause a decline in biodiversity across a wide variety of tundra, at least in the short term. They also provide rigorous experimental evidence that recently observed increases in shrub cover in many tundra regions are in response to climate warming. These changes have important implications for processes and interactions within tundra ecosystems and between tundra and the atmosphere.
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