| 1. |
- van Cappellen, W., et al.
(author)
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Apertif: Phased array feeds for the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope: System overview and performance characteristics
- 2022
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 658
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe the APERture Tile In Focus (Apertif) system, a phased array feed (PAF) upgrade of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope that transforms this telescope into a high-sensitivity, wide-field-of-view L-band imaging and transient survey instrument. Using novel PAF technology, up to 40 partially overlapping beams are formed on the sky simultaneously, significantly increasing the survey speed of the telescope. With this upgraded instrument, an imaging survey covering an area of 2300 deg2 is being performed that will deliver both continuum and spectral line datasets, of which the first data have been publicly released. In addition, a time domain transient and pulsar survey covering 15 000 deg2 is in progress. An overview of the Apertif science drivers, hardware, and software of the upgraded telescope is presented, along with its key performance characteristics.
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| 2. |
- Wen, Qingfeng, et al.
(author)
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Lead-exposure associated miRNAs in humans and Alzheimer’s disease as potential biomarkers of the disease and disease processes
- 2022
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 12:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that eventually affects memory and behavior. The identification of biomarkers based on risk factors for AD provides insight into the disease since the exact cause of AD remains unknown. Several studies have proposed microRNAs (miRNAs) in blood as potential biomarkers for AD. Exposure to heavy metals is a potential risk factor for onset and development of AD. Blood cells of subjects that are exposed to lead detected in the circulatory system, potentially reflect molecular responses to this exposure that are similar to the response of neurons. In this study we analyzed blood cell-derived miRNAs derived from a general population as proxies of potentially AD-related mechanisms triggered by lead exposure. Subsequently, we analyzed these mechanisms in the brain tissue of AD subjects and controls. A total of four miRNAs were identified as lead exposure-associated with hsa-miR-3651, hsa-miR-150-5p and hsa-miR-664b-3p being negatively and hsa-miR-627 positively associated. In human brain derived from AD and AD control subjects all four miRNAs were detected. Moreover, two miRNAs (miR-3651, miR-664b-3p) showed significant differential expression in AD brains versus controls, in accordance with the change direction of lead exposure. The miRNAs’ gene targets were validated for expression in the human brain and were found enriched in AD-relevant pathways such as axon guidance. Moreover, we identified several AD relevant transcription factors such as CREB1 associated with the identified miRNAs. These findings suggest that the identified miRNAs are involved in the development of AD and might be useful in the development of new, less invasive biomarkers for monitoring of novel therapies or of processes involved in AD development.
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| 3. |
- Janssen, Julie M, et al.
(author)
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Longitudinal nonlinear mixed effects modeling of EGFR mutations in ctDNA as predictor of disease progression in treatment of EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.
- 2022
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In: Clinical and Translational Science. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1752-8054 .- 1752-8062. ; 15:8, s. 1916-1925
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Correlations between increasing concentrations of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma and disease progression have been shown. A nonlinear mixed effects model to describe the dynamics of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ctDNA data from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) combined with a parametric survival model were developed to evaluate the ability of these modeling techniques to describe ctDNA data. Repeated ctDNA measurements on L858R, exon19del, and T790M mutants were available from 54 patients with EGFR mutated NSCLC treated with erlotinib or gefitinib. Different dynamic models were tested to describe the longitudinal ctDNA concentrations of the driver and resistance mutations. Subsequently, a parametric time-to-event model for progression-free survival (PFS) was developed. Predicted L858R, exon19del, and T790M concentrations were used to evaluate their value as predictor for disease progression. The ctDNA dynamics were best described by a model consisting of a zero-order increase and first-order elimination (19.7/day, 95% confidence interval [CI] 14.9-23.6/day) of ctDNA concentrations. In addition, time-dependent development of resistance (5.0 × 10-4 , 95% CI 2.0 × 10-4 -7.0 × 10-4 /day) was included in the final model. Relative change in L858R and exon19del concentrations from baseline was identified as most significant predictor of disease progression (p = 0.001). The dynamic model for L858R, exon19del, and T790M concentrations in ctDNA and time-to-event model adequately described the observed concentrations and PFS data in our clinical cohort. In addition, it was shown that nonlinear mixed effects modeling is a valuable method for the analysis of longitudinal and heterogeneous biomarker datasets obtained from clinical practice.
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| 4. |
- Sahide, M. A. K., et al.
(author)
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Sequential power analysis framework in assessing social forestry outcomes
- 2020
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In: MethodsX. - : Elsevier BV. - 1258-780X .- 2215-0161. ; 7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We extend the Actor-Centred Power framework to consider dimensions beyond the life of community natural resource management partnership initiatives by examining social forestry partnership projects in Indonesia. We do this by examining how power constellations realign across the temporal phases that operationalize project partnerships. We propose a sequential power analysis framework that examines power in three parts. The framework first proposes a method for historicizing actors into their power background. Second, we present mode for examining the arrival of a partnership scheme, which we call the power delivery phase. Third, we highlight approaches for examining the way power relations are adjusted, whether reinforced or reconfigured, by introducing an approach for examining programmatic outcomes of social forestry partnership schemes. This article thus provides broadly applicable but targeted guide for the researchers collecting data and seeking to make sense of power relations on community forest partnership schemes in various contexts. This framework is particularly useful for analysing equity and justice dimensions by highlighting who benefits and who loses.•Sequential Power Analysis (SPA) methodology is rooted in interest based and historical power framework.•SPA is consisted of three parts: power background, power delivery, and power adjustment.•SPA framing provides a protocol for researchers to collect data.
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| 5. |
- Bizzarri, N, et al.
(author)
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Quality of training in cervical cancer radical surgery: a survey from the European Network of Young Gynaecologic Oncologists (ENYGO)
- 2022
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In: International journal of gynecological cancer : official journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society. - : BMJ. - 1525-1438. ; 32:4, s. 494-501
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) and partners are committed to improving the training for gynecologic oncology fellows. The aim of this survey was to assess the type and level of training in cervical cancer surgery and to investigate whether the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer (LACC) trial results impacted training in radical surgery for gynecologic oncology fellows.MethodsIn June 2020, a 47-question electronic survey was shared with European Network of Young Gynaecologic Oncologists (ENYGO) members. Specialist fellows in obstetrics and gynecology, and gynecologic oncology, from high- and low-volume centers, who started training between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2020 or started before January 1, 2017 but finished their training at least 6 months after the LACC trial publication (October 2018), were included.Results81 of 125 (64.8%) respondents were included. The median time from the start of the fellowship to completion of the survey was 28 months (range 6–48). 56 (69.1%) respondents were still fellows-in-training. 6 of 56 (10.7%) and 14 of 25 (56.0%) respondents who were still in training and completed the fellowship, respectively, performed ≥10 radical hysterectomies during their training. Fellows trained in an ESGO accredited center had a higher chance to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy (60.4% vs 30.3%; p=0.027). There was no difference in the mean number of radical hysterectomies performed by fellows during fellowship before and after the LACC trial publication (8±12.0 vs 7±8.4, respectively; p=0.46). A significant reduction in number of minimally invasive radical hysterectomies was noted when comparing the period before and after the LACC trial (38.5% vs 13.8%, respectively; p<0.001).ConclusionExposure to radical surgery for cervical cancer among gynecologic oncology fellows is low. Centralization of cervical cancer cases to high-volume centers may provide an increase in fellows’ exposure to radical procedures. The LACC trial publication was associated with a decrease in minimally invasive radical hysterectomies performed by fellows.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Rudberg, David, et al.
(author)
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Diel Variability of CO2 Emissions From Northern Lakes
- 2021
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences. - Hoboken, United States : John Wiley & Sons. - 2169-8953 .- 2169-8961. ; 126:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lakes are generally supersaturated in carbon dioxide (CO2) and emitters of CO2 to the atmosphere. However, estimates of CO2 flux ((Formula presented.)) from lakes are seldom based on direct flux measurements and usually do not account for nighttime emissions, yielding risk of biased assessments. Here, we present direct (Formula presented.) measurements from automated floating chambers collected every 2–3 hr and spanning 115 24 hr periods in three boreal lakes during summer stratification and before and after autumn mixing in the most eutrophic lake of these. We observed 40%–67% higher mean (Formula presented.) in daytime during periods of surface water CO2 supersaturation in all lakes. Day-night differences in wind speed were correlated with the day-night (Formula presented.) differences in the two larger lakes, but in the smallest and most wind-sheltered lake peaks of (Formula presented.) coincided with low-winds at night. During stratification in the eutrophic lake, CO2 was near equilibrium and diel variability of (Formula presented.) insignificant, but after autumn mixing (Formula presented.) was high with distinct diel variability making this lake a net CO2 source on an annual basis. We found that extrapolating daytime measurements to 24 hr periods overestimated (Formula presented.) by up to 30%, whereas extrapolating measurements from the stratified period to annual rates in the eutrophic lake underestimated (Formula presented.) by 86%. This shows the importance of accounting for diel and seasonal variability in lake CO2 emission estimates.
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| 8. |
- Verheijen, Hendricus, et al.
(author)
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Magnitude and Origin of CO2 Evasion From High-Latitude Lakes
- 2022
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2169-8953 .- 2169-8961. ; 127:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lakes evade significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere; yet the magnitude and origin of the evasion are still poorly constrained. We quantified annual CO2 evasion and its origin (in-lake net ecosystem production vs. lateral inputs from terrestrial ecosystems) in 14 high-latitude lakes through high-frequency estimates of open water CO2 flux and ecosystem metabolism and inorganic carbon mass-balance before and after ice breakup. Annual CO2 evasion ranged from 1 to 25 g C m−2 yr−1 of which an average of 57% was evaded over a short period at ice-breakup. Annual internal CO2 production ranged from −6 to 21 g C m−2 yr−1, of which at least half was produced over winter. The contribution of internal versus external source contribution to annual CO2 evasion varied between lakes, ranging from fully internal to fully external with most lakes having over 75% of the evasion sustained through a single source. Overall, the study stresses the large variability in magnitude and control of CO2 evasion and suggests that environmental change impacts on CO2 evasion from high-latitude lakes are not uniform.
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