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- Abe, K., et al.
(author)
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J-PARC Neutrino Beamline Upgrade Technical Design Report
- 2019
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Reports (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this document, technical details of the upgrade plan of the J-PARC neutrino beamline for the extension of the T2K experiment are described. T2K has proposed to accumulate data corresponding to 2×1022 protons-on-target in the next decade, aiming at an initial observation of CP violation with 3σ or higher significance in the case of maximal CP violation. Methods to increase the neutrino beam intensity, which are necessary to achieve the proposed data increase, are described.
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- Sugai, H., et al.
(author)
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Updated Design of the CMB Polarization Experiment Satellite LiteBIRD
- 2020
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In: Journal of Low Temperature Physics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0022-2291 .- 1573-7357. ; 199:3-4, s. 1107-1117
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent developments of transition-edge sensors (TESs), based on extensive experience in ground-based experiments, have been making the sensor techniques mature enough for their application on future satellite cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization experiments. LiteBIRD is in the most advanced phase among such future satellites, targeting its launch in Japanese Fiscal Year 2027 (2027FY) with JAXA's H3 rocket. It will accommodate more than 4000 TESs in focal planes of reflective low-frequency and refractive medium-and-high-frequency telescopes in order to detect a signature imprinted on the CMB by the primordial gravitational waves predicted in cosmic inflation. The total wide frequency coverage between 34 and 448 GHz enables us to extract such weak spiral polarization patterns through the precise subtraction of our Galaxy's foreground emission by using spectral differences among CMB and foreground signals. Telescopes are cooled down to 5 K for suppressing thermal noise and contain polarization modulators with transmissive half-wave plates at individual apertures for separating sky polarization signals from artificial polarization and for mitigating from instrumental 1/f noise. Passive cooling by using V-grooves supports active cooling with mechanical coolers as well as adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators. Sky observations from the second Sun-Earth Lagrangian point, L2, are planned for 3 years. An international collaboration between Japan, the USA, Canada, and Europe is sharing various roles. In May 2019, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, selected LiteBIRD as the strategic large mission No. 2.
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- Carninci, P, et al.
(author)
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The transcriptional landscape of the mammalian genome
- 2005
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In: Science (New York, N.Y.). - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 309:5740, s. 1559-1563
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study describes comprehensive polling of transcription start and termination sites and analysis of previously unidentified full-length complementary DNAs derived from the mouse genome. We identify the 5′ and 3′ boundaries of 181,047 transcripts with extensive variation in transcripts arising from alternative promoter usage, splicing, and polyadenylation. There are 16,247 new mouse protein-coding transcripts, including 5154 encoding previously unidentified proteins. Genomic mapping of the transcriptome reveals transcriptional forests, with overlapping transcription on both strands, separated by deserts in which few transcripts are observed. The data provide a comprehensive platform for the comparative analysis of mammalian transcriptional regulation in differentiation and development.
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- Donkervoort, S., et al.
(author)
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Pathogenic Variants in the Myosin Chaperone UNC-45B Cause Progressive Myopathy with Eccentric Cores
- 2020
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In: American Journal of Human Genetics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9297. ; 107:6, s. 1078-1095
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The myosin-directed chaperone UNC-45B is essential for sarcomeric organization and muscle function from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans. The pathological impact of UNC-45B in muscle disease remained elusive. We report ten individuals with bi-allelic variants in UNC45B who exhibit childhood-onset progressive muscle weakness. We identified a common UNC45B variant that acts as a complex hypomorph splice variant. Purified UNC-45B mutants showed changes in folding and solubility. In situ localization studies further demonstrated reduced expression of mutant UNC-45B in muscle combined with abnormal localization away from the A-band towards the Z-disk of the sarcomere. The physiological relevance of these observations was investigated in C. elegans by transgenic expression of conserved UNC-45 missense variants, which showed impaired myosin binding for one and defective muscle function for three. Together, our results demonstrate that UNC-45B impairment manifests as a chaperonopathy with progressive muscle pathology, which discovers the previously unknown conserved role of UNC-45B in myofibrillar organization.
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- Yarza, P., et al.
(author)
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Sequencing orphan species initiative (SOS): Filling the gaps in the 16S rRNA gene sequence database for all species with validly published names
- 2013
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In: Systematic and Applied Microbiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0723-2020. ; 36:1, s. 69-73
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High quality 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences from the type strains of all species with validly published names, as defined by the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria, are a prerequisite for their accurate affiliations within the global genealogical classification and for the recognition of potential new taxa. During the last few years, the Living Tree Project (LTP) has taken care to create a high quality, aligned 16S and 23S rRNA gene sequence database of all type strains. However, the manual curation of the sequence dataset and type strain information revealed that a total of 552 “orphan” species (about 5.7% of the currently classified species) had to be excluded from the reference trees. Among them, 322 type strains were not represented by an SSU entry in the public sequence repositories. The remaining 230 type strains had to be discarded due to bad sequence quality. Since 2010, the LTP team has coordinated a network of researchers and culture collections in order to improve the situation by (re)-sequencing the type strains of these “orphan” species. As a result, we can now report 351 16S rRNA gene sequences of type strains. Nevertheless, 201 species could not be sequenced because cultivable type strains were not available (121), the cultures had either been lost or were never deposited in the first place (66), or it was not possible due to other constraints (14). The International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria provides a number of mechanisms to deal with the problem of missing type strains and we recommend that due consideration be given to the appropriate mechanisms in order to help solve some of these issues.
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- Lahesmaa, M., et al.
(author)
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Hyperthyroidism increases brown fat metabolism in humans
- 2014
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In: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : The Endocrine Society. - 0021-972X .- 1945-7197. ; 99:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context: Thyroid hormones are important regulators of brown adipose tissue (BAT) development and function. In rodents, BAT metabolism is up-regulated by thyroid hormones. Objective: The purpose of this article was to investigate the impact of hyperthyroidism on BAT metabolism in humans. Design: This was a follow-up study using positron emission tomography imaging. Main Outcome Measures: Glucose uptake (GU) and perfusion of BAT, white adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and thyroid gland were measured using [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D- glucose and [15O]H2Oand positron emission tomography in 10 patients with overt hyperthyroidism and in 8 healthy participants. Five of the hyperthyroid patients were restudied after restoration of euthyroidism. Supraclavicular BAT was quantified with magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography and energy expenditure (EE) with indirect calorimetry. Results: Compared with healthy participants, hyperthyroid participants had 3-fold higher BAT GU (2.7 ± 2.3 vs 0.9 ± 0.1 ±mol/100 g/min, P = .0013), 90% higher skeletal muscle GU (P < .005), 45% higher EE (P<.005), and a 70% higher lipid oxidation rate (P = .001). These changes were reversible after restoration of euthyroidism. During hyperthyroidism, serum free T4 and free T3 were strongly associated with EE and lipid oxidation rates (P < .001). TSH correlated inversely with BAT and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism (P < .001). Hyperthyroidism had no effect on BAT perfusion, whereas it stimulated skeletal muscle perfusion (P = .04). Thyroid gland GU did not differ between hyperthyroid and euthyroid study subjects. Conclusions: Hyperthyroidism increases GU in BAT independently of BAT perfusion. Hyperthyroid patients are characterized by increased skeletal muscle metabolism and lipid oxidation rates. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 99: E28-E35, 2014). © Copyright 2014 by The Endocrine Society.
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- Abdel-Khalik, Jonas, et al.
(author)
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Bile acid biosynthesis in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome bypassing cholesterol: Potential importance of pathway intermediates.
- 2021
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In: The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1220 .- 0960-0760. ; 206
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bile acids are the end products of cholesterol metabolism secreted into bile. They are essential for the absorption of lipids and lipid soluble compounds from the intestine. Here we have identified a series of unusual Δ5-unsaturated bile acids in plasma and urine of patients with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), a defect in cholesterol biosynthesis resulting in elevated levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), an immediate precursor of cholesterol. Using liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC-MS) we have uncovered a pathway of bile acid biosynthesis in SLOS avoiding cholesterol starting with 7-DHC and proceeding through 7-oxo and 7β-hydroxy intermediates. This pathway also occurs to a minor extent in healthy humans, but elevated levels of pathway intermediates could be responsible for some of the features SLOS. The pathway is also active in SLOS affected pregnancies as revealed by analysis of amniotic fluid. Importantly, intermediates in the pathway, 25-hydroxy-7-oxocholesterol, (25R)26-hydroxy-7-oxocholesterol, 3β-hydroxy-7-oxocholest-5-en-(25R)26-oic acid and the analogous 7β-hydroxysterols are modulators of the activity of Smoothened (Smo), an oncoprotein that mediates Hedgehog (Hh) signalling across membranes during embryogenesis and in the regeneration of postembryonic tissue. Computational docking of the 7-oxo and 7β-hydroxy compounds to the extracellular cysteine rich domain of Smo reveals that they bind in the same groove as both 20S-hydroxycholesterol and cholesterol, known activators of the Hh pathway.
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16. |
- Anderson, David, et al.
(author)
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Preface
- 2018
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In: Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Design. - 1612-2909 .- 1860-0824. ; 139, s. v-vi
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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17. |
- de Haan, Stefan, et al.
(author)
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Parametric imaging of myocardial viability using ¹⁵O-labelled water and PET/CT : comparison with late gadolinium-enhanced CMR
- 2012
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In: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1619-7070 .- 1619-7089. ; 39:8, s. 1240-1245
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeThe perfusable tissue index (PTI) is a marker of myocardial viability. Recent technological advances have made it possible to generate parametric PTI images from a single [15O]H2O PET/CT scan. The purpose of this study was to validate these parametric PTI images.MethodsThe study population comprised 46 patients with documented or suspected coronary artery disease who were studied with [15O]H2O PET and late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR).ResultsOf the 736 myocardial segments included, 364 showed some degree of LGE. PTI and perfusable tissue fraction (PTF) diminished with increasing LGE. The areas under the curve of the PTI and PTF, used to predict (near) transmural LGE on CMR, were 0.86 and 0.87, respectively. Optimal sensitivity and specificity were 91 % and 73 % for PTI and 69 % and 87 % for PTF, respectively.ConclusionPTI and PTF assessed with a single [15O]H2O scan can be utilized as markers of myocardial viability in patients with coronary artery disease.
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18. |
- Degrande, G., et al.
(author)
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Preface
- 2021
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In: Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Design. - 1612-2909 .- 1860-0824. ; 150, s. v-vi
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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19. |
- Einarsson, Emma, et al.
(author)
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Relating MR relaxation times of ex vivo meniscus to tissue degeneration through comparison with histopathology
- 2020
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In: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open. - : Elsevier BV. - 2665-9131. ; 2:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), e.g. relaxation parameter mapping, may be sensitive to structural and compositional tissue changes, and could potentially be used to non-invasively detect and monitor early meniscus degeneration related to knee osteoarthritis. Objective: To investigate MR relaxation times as potential biomarkers for meniscus degeneration through comparisons with histopathology. Methods: We measured MR relaxation parameters in the posterior horn of 40 menisci (medial and lateral) at a wide range of degenerative stages. T1, T2 and T2∗ were mapped using standard and ultrashort echo time sequences at 9.4 T and compared to gold standard histology using Pauli's histopathological scoring system, including assessment of surface integrity, collagen organization, cellularity and Safranin-O staining. Results: All three relaxation times increased with total Pauli score (mean difference per score (95% CI) for T2∗: 0.62 (0.37, 0.86), T2: 0.83 (0.53, 1.1) and T1: 24.7 (16.5, 32.8) ms/score). Clear associations were seen with scores of surface integrity (mean difference per score for T2∗: 3.0 (1.8, 4.2), T2: 4.0 (2.5, 5.5) and T1: 116 (75.6, 156) ms/score) and collagen organization (mean difference between highest and lowest score for T2∗: 5.3 (1.6, 8.9), T2: 6.1 (1.7, 11) and T1: 204 (75.9, 332) ms). The results were less clear for the remaining histopathological measures. Conclusions: MR relaxation times T1, T2 and T2∗ of ex vivo human menisci are associated with histologically verified degenerative processes, in particular related to surface integrity and collagen organization. If confirmed in vivo, MR relaxation times may thus be potential biomarkers for meniscus degeneration.
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20. |
- Finnilä, Mikko A J, et al.
(author)
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Mineral Crystal Thickness in Calcified Cartilage and Subchondral Bone in Healthy and Osteoarthritic Human Knees
- 2022
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In: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. - : Wiley. - 1523-4681 .- 0884-0431. ; 37:9, s. 1700-1710
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, where articular cartilage degradation is often accompanied with sclerosis of the subchondral bone. However, the association between OA and tissue mineralization at the nanostructural level is currently not understood. In particular, it is technically challenging to study calcified cartilage, where relevant but poorly understood pathological processes such as tidemark multiplication and advancement occur. Here, we used state-of-the-art microfocus small-angle X-ray scattering with a 5-μm spatial resolution to determine the size and organization of the mineral crystals at the nanostructural level in human subchondral bone and calcified cartilage. Specimens with a wide spectrum of OA severities were acquired from both medial and lateral compartments of medial compartment knee OA patients (n = 15) and cadaver knees (n = 10). Opposing the common notion, we found that calcified cartilage has thicker and more mutually aligned mineral crystals than adjoining bone. In addition, we, for the first time, identified a well-defined layer of calcified cartilage associated with pathological tidemark multiplication, containing 0.32 nm thicker crystals compared to the rest of calcified cartilage. Finally, we found 0.2 nm thicker mineral crystals in both tissues of the lateral compartment in OA compared with healthy knees, indicating a loading-related disease process because the lateral compartment is typically less loaded in medial compartment knee OA. In summary, we report novel changes in mineral crystal thickness during OA. Our data suggest that unloading in the knee might be involved with the growth of mineral crystals, which is especially evident in the calcified cartilage.
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- McFiggans, Gordon, et al.
(author)
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Secondary organic aerosol reduced by mixture of atmospheric vapours
- 2019
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 565:7741, s. 587-593
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Secondary organic aerosol contributes to the atmospheric particle burden with implications for air quality and climate. Biogenic volatile organic compounds such as terpenoids emitted from plants are important secondary organic aerosol precursors with isoprene dominating the emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds globally. However, the particle mass from isoprene oxidation is generally modest compared to that of other terpenoids. Here we show that isoprene, carbon monoxide and methane can each suppress the instantaneous mass and the overall mass yield derived from monoterpenes in mixtures of atmospheric vapours. We find that isoprene 'scavenges' hydroxyl radicals, preventing their reaction with monoterpenes, and the resulting isoprene peroxy radicals scavenge highly oxygenated monoterpene products. These effects reduce the yield of low-volatility products that would otherwise form secondary organic aerosol. Global model calculations indicate that oxidant and product scavenging can operate effectively in the real atmosphere. Thus highly reactive compounds (such as isoprene) that produce a modest amount of aerosol are not necessarily net producers of secondary organic particle mass and their oxidation in mixtures of atmospheric vapours can suppress both particle number and mass of secondary organic aerosol. We suggest that formation mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol in the atmosphere need to be considered more realistically, accounting for mechanistic interactions between the products of oxidizing precursor molecules (as is recognized to be necessary when modelling ozone production).
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31. |
- Shakya, Bijay Ratna, et al.
(author)
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Prevalence and classification of meniscal calcifications in the human knee
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In: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. - 1063-4584.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occurrence of meniscal calcifications in individuals with and without knee osteoarthritis (OA). Additionally, we aim to identify the specific types of calcifications: basic calcium phosphate (BCP) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPP).METHOD: We analysed 82 meniscal posterior horn samples (medial and lateral) collected from 41 human subjects. Among them, 20 individuals underwent total knee replacement due to medial compartment OA, while 21 deceased donors had no known knee OA. The assessment of meniscal calcifications and Pauli's histopathological scoring was conducted using histological sections. Furthermore, adjacent sections underwent measurement using Raman spectroscopy to characterize BCP and CPP calcifications based on their distinct spectral fingerprints.RESULTS: All OA individuals exhibited calcifications in at least one meniscus, compared to 9.5% (95%CI 1%, 30%) of donors. Among 35 OA menisci with calcifications, 28(80%) had BCP, 5(14%) had CPP and 2(6%) had both types. In 4 donor menisci, 3(75%) had CPP while 1(25%) had both types. We estimated the association between Pauli score and presence of BCP in OA individuals, yielding an odds ratio of 2.1 (95%CI 0.8, 5.3) per 1 Pauli score. The association between Pauli score and presence of CPP (in whole study sample) seemed weaker, with odds ratio of 1.3 (95%CI 1.1, 1.7).CONCLUSION: The presence of BCP was predominant in menisci of OA individuals, whereas CPP exhibited similar prevalence in individuals with and without OA. The formation of BCP crystals in menisci may represent an important and specific characteristic of OA disease process that warrants further attention.
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32. |
- Sihver, Lembit, 1962, et al.
(author)
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Current status of the "Hybrid Kurotama model" for total reaction cross sections
- 2014
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In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-583X. ; 334, s. 34-39
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To be able to calculate the nucleon + nucleus and nucleus + nucleus total reaction cross sections with precision is of great importance for studies of fundamental nuclear properties, e.g., the nuclear structure. This is also very important for particle and heavy ion transport calculations since in all particle and heavy ion transport codes, the probability function according to which a projectile particle will collide within a certain distance in a matter depends on the total reaction cross sections. This will also scale the calculated partial fragmentation cross sections. It is therefore crucial that accurate total reaction cross section models are used in the transport calculations. In this paper, a new general purpose total reaction cross section model/subroutine called "Hybrid Kurotama" is presented. The model has been tested against available p + He, p + nucleus, and nucleus + nucleus total reaction cross sections and an overall better agreement has been found than for earlier published models. This model is therefore very suitable to be used in any deterministic or Monte Carlo particle and heavy ion transport code.
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35. |
- Wahlgren, Weixiao Yuan, 1970, et al.
(author)
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Structural mechanism of signal transduction in a phytochrome histidine kinase
- 2022
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Phytochrome proteins detect red/far-red light to guide the growth, motion, development and reproduction in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Bacterial phytochromes commonly function as an entrance signal in two-component sensory systems. Despite the availability of three-dimensional structures of phytochromes and other two-component proteins, the conformational changes, which lead to activation of the protein, are not understood. We reveal cryo electron microscopy structures of the complete phytochrome from Deinoccocus radiodurans in its resting and photoactivated states at 3.6 Å and 3.5 Å resolution, respectively. Upon photoactivation, the photosensory core module hardly changes its tertiary domain arrangement, but the connector helices between the photosensory and the histidine kinase modules open up like a zipper, causing asymmetry and disorder in the effector domains. The structures provide a framework for atom-scale understanding of signaling in phytochromes, visualize allosteric communication over several nanometers, and suggest that disorder in the dimeric arrangement of the effector domains is important for phosphatase activity in a two-component system. The results have implications for the development of optogenetic applications.
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36. |
- Wang, Zheng, et al.
(author)
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Axial Spondylometaphyseal Dysplasia Is Caused by C21orf2 Mutations.
- 2016
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Axial spondylometaphyseal dysplasia (axial SMD) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by dysplasia of axial skeleton and retinal dystrophy. We conducted whole exome sequencing and identified C21orf2 (chromosome 21 open reading frame 2) as a disease gene for axial SMD. C21orf2 mutations have been recently found to cause isolated retinal degeneration and Jeune syndrome. We found a total of five biallelic C21orf2 mutations in six families out of nine: three missense and two splicing mutations in patients with various ethnic backgrounds. The pathogenic effects of the splicing (splice-site and branch-point) mutations were confirmed on RNA level, which showed complex patterns of abnormal splicing. C21orf2 mutations presented with a wide range of skeletal phenotypes, including cupped and flared anterior ends of ribs, lacy ilia and metaphyseal dysplasia of proximal femora. Analysis of patients without C21orf2 mutation indicated genetic heterogeneity of axial SMD. Functional data in chondrocyte suggest C21orf2 is implicated in cartilage differentiation. C21orf2 protein was localized to the connecting cilium of the cone and rod photoreceptors, confirming its significance in retinal function. Our study indicates that axial SMD is a member of a unique group of ciliopathy affecting skeleton and retina.
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37. |
- Xue, JY, et al.
(author)
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SLC4A2 Deficiency Causes a New Type of Osteopetrosis
- 2022
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In: Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. - : Wiley. - 1523-4681. ; 37:2, s. 226-235
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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