1. |
- Barausse, Enrico, et al.
(author)
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Prospects for fundamental physics with LISA
- 2020
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In: General Relativity and Gravitation. - : SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS. - 0001-7701 .- 1572-9532. ; 52:8
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In this paper, which is of programmatic rather than quantitative nature, we aim to further delineate and sharpen the future potential of the LISA mission in the area of fundamental physics. Given the very broad range of topics that might be relevant to LISA,we present here a sample of what we view as particularly promising fundamental physics directions. We organize these directions through a "science-first" approach that allows us to classify how LISA data can inform theoretical physics in a variety of areas. For each of these theoretical physics classes, we identify the sources that are currently expected to provide the principal contribution to our knowledge, and the areas that need further development. The classification presented here should not be thought of as cast in stone, but rather as a fluid framework that is amenable to change with the flow of new insights in theoretical physics.
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2. |
- Rise, H. H., et al.
(author)
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Brain disconnectome mapping derived from white matter lesions and serum neurofilament light levels in multiple sclerosis: A longitudinal multicenter study
- 2022
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In: Neuroimage-Clinical. - : Elsevier BV. - 2213-1582. ; 35
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Objectives: Connectivity-based approaches incorporating the distribution and magnitude of the extended brain network aberrations caused by lesions may offer higher sensitivity for axonal damage in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) than conventional lesion characteristics. Using individual brain disconnectome mapping, we tested the longitudinal associations between putative imaging-based brain network aberrations and levels of serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a neuroaxonal injury biomarker. Methods: MS patients (n = 312, mean age 42.9 years, 71 % female) and healthy controls (HC) (n = 59, mean age 39.9 years, 78 % female) were prospectively enrolled at four European MS centres, and reassessed after two years (MS, n = 242; HC, n = 30). Post-processing of 3 Tesla (3 T) MRI data was performed at one centre using a harmonized pipeline, and disconnectome maps were calculated using BCBtoolkit based on individual lesion maps. Global disconnectivity (GD) was defined as the average disconnectome probability in each patient's white matter. Serum NfL concentrations were measured by single molecule array (Simoa). Robust linear mixed models (rLMM) with GD or T2-lesion volume (T2LV) as dependent variables, patient as a random factor, serum NfL, age, sex, timepoint for visit, diagnosis, treatment, and center as fixed factors were run. Results: rLMM revealed significant associations between GD and serum NfL (t = 2.94, p = 0.003), age (t = 4.21, p = 2.5 x 10(-5)), and longitudinal changes in NfL (t =-2.29, p = 0.02), but not for sex (t = 0.63, p = 0.53) or treatments (t = 0.80-0.83, p = 0.41-0.42). Voxel-wise analyses revealed significant associations between dysconnectivity in cerebellar and brainstem regions and serum NfL (t = 7.03, p < 0.001). Discussion: In our prospective multi-site MS cohort, rLMMs demonstrated that the extent of global and regional brain disconnectivity is sensitive to a systemic biomarker of axonal damage, serum NfL, in patients with MS. These findings provide a neuroaxonal correlate of advanced disconnectome mapping and provide a platform for further investigations of the functional and potential clinical relevance of brain disconnectome mapping in patients with brain disorders.
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3. |
- Zhao, H., et al.
(author)
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Hot Hydrocarbon-Solvent Slot-Die Coating Enables High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cells with Temperature-Dependent Aggregation Behavior
- 2020
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In: Advanced Materials. - : Wiley-VCH Verlag. - 0935-9648 .- 1521-4095. ; 32:39
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Organic solar cells (OSCs) have made rapid progress in terms of their development as a sustainable energy source. However, record-breaking devices have not shown compatibility with large-scale production via solution processing in particular due to the use of halogenated environment-threatening solvents. Here, slot-die fabrication with processing involving hydrocarbon-based solvents is used to realize highly efficient and environmentally friendly OSCs. Highly compatible slot-die coating with roll-to-roll processing using halogenated (chlorobenzene (CB)) and hydrocarbon solvents (1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (TMB) and ortho-xylene (o-XY)) is used to fabricate photoactive films. Controlled solution and substrate temperatures enable similar aggregation states in the solution and similar kinetics processes during film formation. The optimized blend film nanostructures for different solvents in the highly efficient PM6:Y6 blend is adopted to show a similar morphology, which results in device efficiencies of 15.2%, 15.4%, and 15.6% for CB, TMB, and o-XY solvents. This approach is successfully extended to other donor–acceptor combinations to demonstrate the excellent universality of this method. The results combine a method to optimize the aggregation state and film formation kinetics with the fabrication of OSCs with environmentally friendly solvents by slot-die coating, which is a critical finding for the future development of OSCs in terms of their scalable production and high-performance.
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4. |
- de Boniface, J., et al.
(author)
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Omitting axillary dissection in breast cancer with sentinel-node metastases
- 2024
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In: New England Journal of Medicine. - 0028-4793 .- 1533-4406. ; 390:13, s. 1163-1175
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND Trials evaluating the omission of completion axillary-lymph-node dissection in patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer and sentinel-lymph-node metastases have been compromised by limited statistical power, uncertain nodal radiotherapy target volumes, and a scarcity of data on relevant clinical subgroups.METHODS We conducted a noninferiority trial in which patients with clinically node-negative primary T1 to T3 breast cancer (tumor size, T1, ≤20 mm; T2, 21 to 50 mm; and T3, >50 mm in the largest dimension) with one or two sentinel-node macrometastases (metastasis size, >2 mm in the largest dimension) were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to completion axillary-lymph-node dissection or its omission (sentinel-node biopsy only). Adjuvant treatment and radiation therapy were used in accordance with national guidelines. The primary end point was overall survival. We report here the per-protocol and modified intention-to-treat analyses of the prespecified secondary end point of recurrence-free survival. To show noninferiority of sentinel-node biopsy only, the upper boundary of the confidence interval for the hazard ratio for recurrence or death had to be below 1.44.RESULTS Between January 2015 and December 2021, a total of 2766 patients were enrolled across five countries. The per-protocol population included 2540 patients, of whom 1335 were assigned to undergo sentinel-node biopsy only and 1205 to undergo completion axillary-lymph-node dissection (dissection group). Radiation therapy including nodal target volumes was administered to 1192 of 1326 patients (89.9%) in the sentinel-node biopsy–only group and to 1058 of 1197 (88.4%) in the dissection group. The median follow-up was 46.8 months (range, 1.5 to 94.5). Overall, 191 patients had recurrence or died. The estimated 5-year recurrence-free survival was 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.5 to 91.9) in the sentinel-node biopsy–only group and 88.7% (95% CI, 86.3 to 91.1) in the dissection group, with a country-adjusted hazard ratio for recurrence or death of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.66 to 1.19), which was significantly (P<0.001) below the prespecified noninferiority margin.CONCLUSIONS The omission of completion axillary-lymph-node dissection was noninferior to the more extensive surgery in patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer who had sentinel-node macrometastases, most of whom received nodal radiation therapy. (Funded by the Swedish Research Council and others; SENOMAC ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02240472.).
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5. |
- Mullari, Meeli, et al.
(author)
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Characterising the RNA-binding protein atlas of the mammalian brain uncovers RBM5 misregulation in mouse models of Huntington’s disease
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are key players regulating RNA processing and are associated with disorders ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration. Here, we present a proteomics workflow for large-scale identification of RBPs and their RNA-binding regions in the mammalian brain identifying 526 RBPs. Analysing brain tissue from males of the Huntington’s disease (HD) R6/2 mouse model uncovered differential RNA-binding of the alternative splicing regulator RBM5. Combining several omics workflows, we show that RBM5 binds differentially to transcripts enriched in pathways of neurodegeneration in R6/2 brain tissue. We further find these transcripts to undergo changes in splicing and demonstrate that RBM5 directly regulates these changes in human neurons derived from embryonic stem cells. Finally, we reveal that RBM5 interacts differently with several known huntingtin interactors and components of huntingtin aggregates. Collectively, we demonstrate the applicability of our method for capturing RNA interactor dynamics in the contexts of tissue and disease.
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7. |
- Brune, S., et al.
(author)
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Serum neurofilament light chain concentration predicts disease worsening in multiple sclerosis
- 2022
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In: Multiple Sclerosis Journal. - : SAGE Publications. - 1352-4585 .- 1477-0970. ; 28:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Serum neurofilament light (sNfL) chain is a promising biomarker reflecting neuro-axonal injury in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the ability of sNfL to predict outcomes in real-world MS cohorts requires further validation. Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the associations of sNfL concentration, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) markers with disease worsening in a longitudinal European multicentre MS cohort. Methods: MS patients (n = 309) were prospectively enrolled at four centres and re-examined after 2 years (n = 226). NfL concentration was measured by single molecule array assay in serum. The patients' phenotypes were thoroughly characterized with clinical examination, retinal OCT and MRI brain scans. The primary outcome was disease worsening at median 2-year follow-up. Results: Patients with high sNfL concentrations (> 8 pg/mL) at baseline had increased risk of disease worsening at median 2-year follow-up (odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.8 (1.5-5.3), p = 0.001). We found no significant associations of MRI or OCT measures at baseline with risk of disease worsening. Conclusion: Serum NfL concentration was the only factor associated with disease worsening, indicating that sNfL is a useful biomarker in MS that might be relevant in a clinical setting.
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8. |
- Guo, Renjun, et al.
(author)
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Degradation mechanisms of perovskite solar cells under vacuum and one atmosphere of nitrogen
- 2021
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In: Nature Energy. - : Springer Nature. - 2058-7546. ; 6:10, s. 977-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Extensive studies have focused on improving the operational stability of perovskite solar cells, but few have surveyed the fundamental degradation mechanisms. One aspect overlooked in earlier works is the effect of the atmosphere on device performance during operation. Here we investigate the degradation mechanisms of perovskite solar cells operated under vacuum and under a nitrogen atmosphere using synchrotron radiation-based operando grazing-incidence X-ray scattering methods. Unlike the observations described in previous reports, we find that light-induced phase segregation, lattice shrinkage and morphology deformation occur under vacuum. Under nitrogen, only lattice shrinkage appears during the operation of solar cells, resulting in better device stability. The different behaviour under nitrogen is attributed to a larger energy barrier for lattice distortion and phase segregation. Finally, we find that the migration of excessive PbI2 to the interface between the perovskite and the hole transport layer degrades the performance of devices under vacuum or under nitrogen. Understanding degradation mechanisms in perovskite solar cells is key to their development. Now, Guo et al. show a greater degradation of the perovskite structure and morphology for devices operated under vacuum than under nitrogen.
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