1. |
|
|
2. |
- Epp, L. S., et al.
(författare)
-
New environmental metabarcodes for analysing soil DNA: potential for studying past and present ecosystems
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Molecular Ecology. - 0962-1083. ; 21:8, s. 1821-1833
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Metabarcoding approaches use total and typically degraded DNA from environmental samples to analyse biotic assemblages and can potentially be carried out for any kinds of organisms in an ecosystem. These analyses rely on specific markers, here called metabarcodes, which should be optimized for taxonomic resolution, minimal bias in amplification of the target organism group and short sequence length. Using bioinformatic tools, we developed metabarcodes for several groups of organisms: fungi, bryophytes, enchytraeids, beetles and birds. The ability of these metabarcodes to amplify the target groups was systematically evaluated by (i) in silico PCRs using all standard sequences in the EMBL public database as templates, (ii) in vitro PCRs of DNA extracts from surface soil samples from a site in Varanger, northern Norway and (iii) in vitro PCRs of DNA extracts from permanently frozen sediment samples of late-Pleistocene age (similar to 16 00050 000 years bp) from two Siberian sites, Duvanny Yar and Main River. Comparison of the results from the in silico PCR with those obtained in vitro showed that the in silico approach offered a reliable estimate of the suitability of a marker. All target groups were detected in the environmental DNA, but we found large variation in the level of detection among the groups and between modern and ancient samples. Success rates for the Pleistocene samples were highest for fungal DNA, whereas bryophyte, beetle and bird sequences could also be retrieved, but to a much lesser degree. The metabarcoding approach has considerable potential for biodiversity screening of modern samples and also as a palaeoecological tool.
|
|
3. |
- Schadendorf, D., et al.
(författare)
-
Functional and symptom impact of trametinib versus chemotherapy in BRAF V600E advanced or metastatic melanoma : quality-of-life analyses of the METRIC study
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Annals of Oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0923-7534 .- 1569-8041. ; 25:3, s. 700-706
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the first quality-of-life assessment of a MEK inhibitor in metastatic melanoma from a phase III study. Trametinib prolonged progression-free survival and improved overall survival versus chemotherapy in patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive melanoma. Less functional impairment, smaller declines in health status, and less exacerbation of symptoms were observed with trametinib.In a randomized phase III study, trametinib prolonged progression-free survival and improved overall survival versus chemotherapy in patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive melanoma. Patients' quality of life (QOL) was assessed at baseline and follow-up visits using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core QOL questionnaire. In the primary efficacy population (BRAF V600E+, no brain metastases) from baseline to weeks 6 and 12, patients' global health status scores worsened by 4-5 points with chemotherapy but improved by 2-3 points with trametinib. Rapid and substantive reductions in QOL functionality (e.g. role functioning, 8-11 points at weeks 6 and 12) and symptom exacerbation (e.g. fatigue, 4-8 points; nausea and vomiting, 5 points, both at weeks 6 and 12) were observed in chemotherapy-treated patients. In contrast, trametinib-treated patients reported small improvements or slight worsening from baseline at week 12, depending on the functional dimension and symptom. The mean symptom-scale scores for chemotherapy-treated patients increased from baseline (symptoms worsened) for seven of eight symptoms at week 6 (except insomnia) and six of eight symptoms at week 12 (except dyspnea and insomnia). In contrast, at weeks 6 and 12, the mean symptom-scale scores for trametinib decreased from baseline (symptoms improved) for pain (11-12 points), insomnia (10-12 points), and appetite loss (1-5 points), whereas those for diarrhea worsened (15-16 points). Mixed-model repeated-measures analyses showed significant (P < 0.05) and/or clinically meaningful improvements (small to moderate) from baseline in favor of trametinib for global health; physical, role, and social functioning; fatigue; pain; insomnia; nausea and vomiting; constipation; dyspnea; and appetite at weeks 6 and/or 12. QOL results for the intent-to-treat population were consistent. This first QOL assessment for a MEK inhibitor in metastatic melanoma demonstrated that trametinib was associated with less functional impairment, smaller declines in health status, and less exacerbation of symptoms versus chemotherapy.
|
|
4. |
- Gerin, M., et al.
(författare)
-
Interstellar CH absorption in the diffuse interstellar medium along the sight-lines to G10.6-0.4 (W31C), W49N, and W51
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 521:1, s. Article Number: L16-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the detection of the ground state N, J = 1, 3/2 -> 1, 1/2 doublet of the methylidyne radical CH at similar to 532 GHz and similar to 536 GHz with the Herschel/ HIFI instrument along the sight-line to the massive star-forming regions G10.6-0.4 (W31C), W49N, and W51. While the molecular cores associated with these massive star-forming regions show emission lines, clouds in the diffuse interstellar medium are detected in absorption against the strong submillimeter background. The combination of hyperfine structure with emission and absorption results in complex profiles, with overlap of the different hyperfine components. The opacities of most of the CH absorption features are linearly correlated with those of CCH, CN, and HCO+ in the same velocity intervals. In specific narrow velocity intervals, the opacities of CN and HCO+ deviate from the mean trends, giving rise to more opaque absorption features. We propose that CCH can be used as another tracer of the molecular gas in the absence of better tracers, with [CCH]/[H2] similar to 3.2 +/- 1.1 x 10-8. The observed [CN]/[CH], [CCH]/[CH] abundance ratios suggest that the bulk of the diffuse matter along the lines of sight has gas densities nH = n(H) + 2n(H2) ranging between 100 and 1000 cm-3).
|
|
5. |
- Grigoras, K., et al.
(författare)
-
Qubit-Compatible Substrates With Superconducting Through-Silicon Vias
- 2022
-
Ingår i: IEEE Transactions on Quantum Engineering. - 2689-1808. ; 3
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We fabricate and characterize superconducting through-silicon vias and electrodes suitable for superconducting quantum processors. We measure internal quality factors of a million for test resonators excited at single-photon levels, on chips with superconducting vias used to stitch ground planes on the front and back sides of the chips. This resonator performance is on par with the state of the art for silicon-based planar solutions, despite the presence of vias. Via stitching of ground planes is an important enabling technology for increasing the physical size of quantum processor chips, and is a first step toward more complex quantum devices with three-dimensional integration.
|
|
6. |
- Guidetti, Roberto, et al.
(författare)
-
Diversity of the tardigrade communities in the Norwegian forests
- 2022
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Tardigrades are common in most habitats, however few studies have focused on large faunistic survey, specifically on tardigrade diversity in forests. Up to now, only 61 species have been recorded in different types of forest in Norway with an additional 25 found in limnic environments in forests. Although little is known about the ecological preferences of many species, previous studies have found that tardigrade diversity and community composition are significantly affected by ecological variables. In this study we associate georeferenced tardigrade species records with forest type, substrate type and substrate composition in order to see if tardigrade diversity and species communities can be associated with ecological characteristics of Norwegian forests. Methods: In total 390 moss, lichen and litter samples were collected from 12 forests in central and southern Norway in the summers of 2017 and 2018 and later stored in paper envelopes. For the identification modern literature and keys forspecific genera and groups of species were used. For statistical analyses, moss and lichen substrate of each sample was classified according to the main species, life form, growth forms and habitat of substrate and associated with each tardigrade identification and sample metadata. Results: A total of 17 407 specimens were identified, encompassing in total 132 species (including some new species). Species richness increases with precipitation, but does not change with temperature or precipitation seasonality. The distribution of species richness between life forms and forest types showed considerable variation within and among the variables. Disregarding variables with low sample numbers, among life forms only acrocarpous moss samples appeared to deviate with respect to species richness, containing less species than substrates with other life forms. Conclusions: Tardigrades in Norwegian forest are extremely abundant, frequent and diverse. Moreover, it appears that that certain species and/or entirecommunities prefer specific microhabitats.
|
|
7. |
- Guidetti, Roberto, et al.
(författare)
-
Tardigrade diversity and community composition across Norwegian boreal forests
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. - : Oxford University Press. - 0024-4082 .- 1096-3642.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tardigrades are common in many terrestrial environments and habitats. Although little is known on their ecological preferences, previous studies found diversity and community composition significantly affected by various variables. This study associated tardigrade species’ records with climatic variables, forest type, and substrate categories exploring tardigrade diversity and species communities to find associations with ecological characteristics of Norwegian forests. A total of 17 473 specimens were identified, encompassing 131 species (including putatively new species) from 305 samples of different substrates (leaf litter, bryophytes, and lichens). Bryophytes and lichens of samples were classified according to the main species, and growth form, and associated with tardigrade species and sample metadata. Tardigrade species’ richness was related to climatic variables and forest type, increased with precipitation, decreased with summer temperature, and not varied with precipitation seasonality. Although there was an unbalanced representation of substrate categories in the different forest types, some tendencies were detectable. Mixed oak and birch forests reached the highest species’ richness. Tardigrade community composition varied between substrate categories and, to a lesser degree, between forest types, but not with climatic variables. Our study highlights the importance of large-scale variables on tardigrade diversity, and substrate categories for tardigrade community composition.
|
|
8. |
- Hassel, Ivon, et al.
(författare)
-
Towards determination of local and overall displacements of the Vasa ship structure: Effect of its mechanical connections
- 2014
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The warship Vasa from the 17th century must be preserved for the future generations. There are many concerns currently being addressed by ongoing research efforts. The support structure is one of them, which needs to be re-designed. In order to do this, the local and overall deformation of the Ship’s structure must be identified. The earlier impregnation of PEG on the Vasa material is causing the material to creep significantly more than oak without PEG, resulting in an increasing deformation of the ship. In addition to this, the effect of the mechanical connections of the ship needs to be considered. Experimental tests were performed on a 1:1 scale replica of a representative section of the Vasa ship. Different load cases were applied in order to represent the current situation of the vessel’s connections. Linear displacement gauges as well as non-contacting image correlation systems were used as measurement methods to analyze the behaviour of the test sample. A validated computer model, using finite element method (FEM) simulations, with Vasa-material properties will be used to calculate the stiffness coefficients, which will be included in a simplified full-computer model of the entire vessel. Based on the latter, the overall and local displacements will be obtained. This is a necessary input in a full numerical model of the ship to optimize a new support structure.
|
|
9. |
|
|
10. |
- Kronast, F., et al.
(författare)
-
Element-specific magnetic hysteresis of individual 18 nm Fe nanocubes
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Nano Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6992 .- 1530-6984. ; 11:4, s. 1710-1715
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Correlating the electronic structure and magnetic response with the morphology and crystal structure of the same single ferromagnetic nanoparticle has been up to now an unresolved challenge. Here, we present measurements of the element-specific electronic structure and magnetic response as a function of magnetic field amplitude and orientation for chemically synthesized single Fe nanocubes with 18 nm edge length. Magnetic states and interactions of monomers, dimers, and trimers are analyzed by X-ray photoemission electron microscopy for different particle arrangements. The element-specific electronic structure can be probed and correlated with the changes of magnetic properties. This approach opens new possibilities for a deeper understanding of the collective response of magnetic nanohybrids in multifunctional materials and in nanomagnetic colloidal suspensions used in biomedical and engineering technologies. © 2011 American Chemical Society.
|
|