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| 2. |
- Librado, P., et al.
(author)
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The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes
- 2021
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 598, s. 634-640
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Analysis of 273 ancient horse genomes reveals that modern domestic horses originated in the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region. Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare(1). However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling(2-4) at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc(3). Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia(5) and Anatolia(6), have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association(7) between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc(8,9) driving the spread of Indo-European languages(10). This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture(11,12).
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Tomar, AS, et al.
(author)
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Retinoblastoma seeds: impact on American Joint Committee on Cancer clinical staging
- 2023
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In: The British journal of ophthalmology. - : BMJ. - 1468-2079 .- 0007-1161. ; 107:1, s. 127-132
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To investigate whether the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical category cT2b needs to be subclassified by the type and distribution of retinoblastoma (RB) seeding.MethodsMulticentre, international registry-based data were collected from RB centres enrolled between January 2001 and December 2013. 1054 RB eyes with vitreous or subretinal seeds from 18 ophthalmic oncology centres, in 13 countries within six continents were analysed. Local treatment failure was defined as the use of secondary enucleation or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method.ResultsClinical category cT2b included 1054 eyes. Median age at presentation was 16.0 months. Of these, 428 (40.6%) eyes were salvaged, and 430 (40.8%) were treated with primary and 196 (18.6%) with secondary enucleation. Of the 592 eyes that had complete data for globe salvage analysis, the distribution of seeds was focal in 143 (24.2%) and diffuse in 449 (75.8%). The 5-year Kaplan-Meier cumulative globe-salvage (without EBRT) was 78% and 49% for eyes with focal and diffuse RB seeding, respectively. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis confirmed a higher local treatment failure risk with diffuse seeds as compared with focal seeds (hazard rate: 2.8; p<0.001). There was insufficient evidence to prove or disprove an association between vitreous seed type and local treatment failure risk(p=0.06).ConclusionThis international, multicentre, registry-based analysis of RB eyes affirmed that eyes with diffuse intraocular distribution of RB seeds at diagnosis had a higher risk of local treatment failure when compared with focal seeds. Subclassification of AJCC RB category cT2b into focal vs diffuse seeds will improve prognostication for eye salvage.
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| 5. |
- Asmolov, V.G., et al.
(author)
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Partitioning of Zr, U and FP between Molten Oxidic and Metallic Corium
- 2004
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In: Proceeding of MASCA Seminar.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Interaction of molten corium and liquid iron/stainless steel has been studied in different tests of theMASCA-1 program. These tests utilized the technology of induction melting in a cold crucible. Themasses of tested corium were approximately 0.5, 2 and 100 kg. Representative quantities of Mo, Ru,SrO, BaO, CeO2 and La2O3 served as fission product simulants.After the suboxidized melt - steel interaction U and Zr have been found in the metallic phase.To quantify the partitioning of Zr, U and fission products an extensive experimental program has beenperformed. The following key parameters have been identified: oxygen potential in the melt (degree ofZr-oxidation), the corium/steel mass ratio and U/Zr ratio. The paper discusses the influence of theseparameters on the partitioning of the main species.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Bechta, Sevostian, et al.
(author)
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Corium phase equilibria based on MASCA, METCOR and CORPHAD results
- 2008
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In: Nuclear Engineering and Design. - : Elsevier BV. - 0029-5493 .- 1872-759X. ; 238:10, s. 2761-2771
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Experimental data on component partitioning between suboxidized corium melt and steel in the invessel melt retention (IVR) conditions are compared. The data are produced within the OECD MASCAprogram and the ISTC CORPHAD project under close-to-isothermal conditions and in the ISTC METCORproject under thermal gradient conditions. Chemical equilibrium in the U–Zr–Fe(Cr,Ni,. . .)–O system isreached in all experiments. In MASCA tests the molten pool formed under inert atmosphere has twoimmiscible liquids, oxygen-enriched (oxidic) and oxygen-depleted (metallic), resulting of the miscibilitygap of the mentioned system. Sub-system data of the U–Zr–Fe(Cr,Ni,. . .)–O phase diagram investigatedwithin the ISTC CORPHAD project are interpreted in relation with the MASCA results. In METCOR teststhe equilibrium is established between oxidic liquid and mushy metallic part of the system. Results ofcomparison are discussed and the implications for IVR noted.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Bechta, Sevostian, et al.
(author)
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Influence of corium oxidation on fission product release from molten pool
- 2010
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In: Nuclear Engineering and Design. - : Elsevier BV. - 0029-5493 .- 1872-759X. ; 240:5, s. 1229-1241
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Qualitative and quantitative determination of the release of low-volatile fission products and core materialsfrom molten oxidic corium was investigated in the EVAN project under the auspices of ISTC. Theexperiments carried out in a cold crucible with induction heating and RASPLAV test facility are described.The results are discussed in terms of reactor application; in particular, pool configuration, melt oxidationkinetics, critical influence of melt surface temperature and oxidation index on the fission productrelease rate, aerosol particle composition and size distribution. The relevance of measured high releaseof Sr from the molten pool for the reactor application is highlighted. Comparisons of the experimentaldata with those from the COLIMA CA-U3 test and the VERCORS tests, as well as with predictions fromIVTANTHERMO and GEMINI/NUCLEA codes are made. Recommendations for further investigations areproposed following the major observations and discussions.
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| 11. |
- Blanco, Fabiana, et al.
(author)
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In vivo inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T-cells leads to atherosclerotic plaque regression in IGF-II/LDLR -/-ApoB100/100 mice
- 2018
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In: Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research. - : SAGE Publications. - 1752-8984 .- 1479-1641. ; 15:4, s. 302-313
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: Despite vast clinical experience linking diabetes and atherosclerosis, the molecular mechanisms leading to accelerated vascular damage are still unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of nuclear factor of activated T-cells inhibition on plaque burden in a novel mouse model of type 2 diabetes that better replicates human disease.METHODS & RESULTS: IGF-II/LDLR-/-ApoB100/100mice were generated by crossbreeding low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice that synthesize only apolipoprotein B100 (LDLR-/-ApoB100/100) with transgenic mice overexpressing insulin-like growth factor-II in pancreatic β cells. Mice have mild hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia and develop complex atherosclerotic lesions. In vivo treatment with the nuclear factor of activated T-cells blocker A-285222 for 4 weeks reduced atherosclerotic plaque area and degree of stenosis in the brachiocephalic artery of IGF-II/LDLR-/-ApoB100/100mice, as assessed non-invasively using ultrasound biomicroscopy prior and after treatment, and histologically after termination. Treatment had no impact on plaque composition (i.e. muscle, collagen, macrophages). The reduced plaque area could not be explained by effects of A-285222 on plasma glucose, insulin or lipids. Inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T-cells was associated with increased expression of atheroprotective NOX4 and of the anti-oxidant enzyme catalase in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells.CONCLUSION: Targeting the nuclear factor of activated T-cells signalling pathway may be an attractive approach for the treatment of diabetic macrovascular complications.
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| 12. |
- Bustamante, M, et al.
(author)
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Insulin potentiates AVP-induced AQP2 expression in cultured renal collecting duct principal cells
- 2005
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In: American journal of physiology. Renal physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 1931-857X .- 1522-1466. ; 288:2, s. F334-F344
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the renal collecting duct (CD), water reabsorption depends on the presence of aquaporin-2 (AQP2) in the apical membrane of principal cells. AQP2 expression and subcellular repartition are under the control of AVP. Some pieces of experimental evidence indicate that additional hormonal factors, including insulin, may also control AQP2 expression and thereby CD water permeability. We have previously shown that AVP induces endogenous AQP2 expression in cultured mouse mpkCCDcl4CD principal cells ( 23 ). In the present study, we investigated the effect of insulin on AQP2 expression in mpkCCDcl4cells. Addition of insulin to the basal medium of cells grown on filters slightly increased AQP2 mRNA and protein expression, whereas insulin potentiated the effect of AVP. The potentiation of AVP-induced AQP2 expression by insulin was abolished by actinomycin D, a transcriptional inhibitor. Analysis of AQP2 protein expression under conditions of AVP washout and/or in the presence of chloroquine, a lysosomal degradation inhibitor, revealed that insulin did not significantly alter AQP2 protein degradation. Inhibition of ERK, p38 kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI 3-kinase) activities prevented the insulin-induced stimulation of AQP2 expression, whereas inhibition of PKC has no effect. Taken together, our results indicate that insulin increased AQP2 protein expression mostly through increased AQP2 mRNA levels in cultured mpkCCDcl4cells. This effect most likely relies on increased AQP2 gene transcription in response to MAPK and PI 3-kinase activation.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Glynn, A., et al.
(author)
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Determinants of serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in school children and the contribution of low-level PFAA-contaminated drinking water
- 2020
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In: Environmental Science-Processes & Impacts. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2050-7887 .- 2050-7895. ; 22:4, s. 930-944
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Little is known about the demographic/life-style/physiological determinants explaining the variation of serum perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) concentrations in children. We identified significant determinants in children and investigated the influence of low-level PFAA-contaminated drinking water (DW) (<10 ng L(-1)of single PFAAs) on serum concentrations. Four perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) and 11 perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were analyzed in serum from 5(th)grade children from 11 Swedish schools (N= 200; average age: 12 years) using liquid chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry. Data on demography and life-style/physiological factors were obtained by questionnaires. PFAA concentrations in raw and drinking water (DW) were obtained from the water works supplying DW to the schools. In multiple regression analyses school was the determinant contributing most to the variation in PFAA concentrations, with the lowest contribution for PFHpA (10%) and the highest for PFHxS (81%). Girls had lower adjusted mean concentrations of PFHxS, PFOS, PFNA and PFDA than boys, but a higher concentration of PFHxA. Girls reporting onset of menstruation had lower PFHxS and PFOA concentrations than other girls, suggesting menstrual bleeding elimination. Children born by mothers from less industrialized countries had lower mean concentrations of both PFSAs and PFCAs than children with mothers from highly industrialized countries, suggesting differences in early-life exposure. Life-style factors associated with paternal education levels appeared to influence PFAA concentrations differently than maternal education level. Already at an average DW PFHxS concentration of 2 ng L-1, children had a significantly higher adjusted mean serum PFHxS concentration than at an average DW concentration of <1.6 ng PFHxS L-1. Similar results were observed for PFOS and PFOA. The DW variable explained 16% (PFOA) to 78% (PFHxS) of the variation in serum PFAA concentrations, suggesting that low-level-contaminated DW is a significant source of exposure for children in Sweden. Although some of the associations, especially those with menstruation and maternal birth country, should be interpreted with extra caution due to the small size of the study, the results contribute to future work on identifying populations of children at risk of elevated PFAA exposures.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Khabensky, V. B., et al.
(author)
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Effect of temperature gradient on chemical element partitioning in corium pool during in-vessel retention
- 2018
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In: Nuclear Engineering and Design. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0029-5493 .- 1872-759X. ; 327, s. 82-91
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper presents some results of the ISTC (International Science and Technology Center)-financed project ‘Investigation of Corium Melt Interaction with NPP Reactor Vessel Steel’ (METCOR). In the METCOR experiments the metallic phase of a two-liquid system was produced by the interaction between hot suboxidized corium and cooled VVER vessel steel, with the steel being corroded. Models of corrosion mechanisms in the considered conditions are used to systematize data on the limiting temperature of corrosion/(dissolution) of the vessel steel. A considerable influence of thermal gradient conditions is shown, which has to be taken into account in the analysis of molten pool behaviour.
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| 17. |
- Nosikov, I. A., et al.
(author)
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Testing the method of transverse displacements for calculating paths of the HF radio wave propagation in three dimensional inhomogeneous media
- 2015
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In: 2015 1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 9789090086286
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences (WD IZMIRAN), Kaliningrad, Russia There are two approaches for radio wave ray tracing when the endpoints of the ray are fixed. The standard approach is the shooting method where a ray is sent out in some direction and its landing point is used to modify the shooting direction and obtain the desired endpoint. However, there is no systematic, universal algorithm for refining the shooting direction. Another approach is based on direct utilization of the variational principle for the optical path (Fermat’s principle). The idea is to transform an arbitrary trajectory to an optimal one, while the endpoints of the trajectory are kept fixed according to the boundary conditions.
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| 18. |
- Sarris, Theodore E., et al.
(author)
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Daedalus MASE (mission assessment through simulation exercise): A toolset for analysis of in situ missions and for processing global circulation model outputs in the lower thermosphere-ionosphere
- 2023
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In: Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-987X. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Daedalus MASE (Mission Assessment through Simulation Exercise) is an open-source package of scientific analysis tools aimed at research in the Lower Thermosphere-Ionosphere (LTI). It was created with the purpose to assess the performance and demonstrate closure of the mission objectives of Daedalus, a mission concept targeting to perform in-situ measurements in the LTI. However, through its successful usage as a mission-simulator toolset, Daedalus MASE has evolved to encompass numerous capabilities related to LTI science and modeling. Inputs are geophysical observables in the LTI, which can be obtained either through in-situ measurements from spacecraft and rockets, or through Global Circulation Models (GCM). These include ion, neutral and electron densities, ion and neutral composition, ion, electron and neutral temperatures, ion drifts, neutral winds, electric field, and magnetic field. In the examples presented, these geophysical observables are obtained through NCAR’s Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model. Capabilities of Daedalus MASE include: 1) Calculations of products that are derived from the above geophysical observables, such as Joule heating, energy transfer rates between species, electrical currents, electrical conductivity, ion-neutral collision frequencies between all combinations of species, as well as height-integrations of derived products. 2) Calculation and cross-comparison of collision frequencies and estimates of the effect of using different models of collision frequencies into derived products. 3) Calculation of the uncertainties of derived products based on the uncertainties of the geophysical observables, due to instrument errors or to uncertainties in measurement techniques. 4) Routines for the along-orbit interpolation within gridded datasets of GCMs. 5) Routines for the calculation of the global coverage of an in situ mission in regions of interest and for various conditions of solar and geomagnetic activity. 6) Calculations of the statistical significance of obtaining the primary and derived products throughout an in situ mission’s lifetime. 7) Routines for the visualization of 3D datasets of GCMs and of measurements along orbit. Daedalus MASE code is accompanied by a set of Jupyter Notebooks, incorporating all required theory, references, codes and plotting in a user-friendly environment. Daedalus MASE is developed and maintained at the Department for Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace, with key contributions from several partner institutions.
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| 19. |
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