Proposal for a two-channel quantum dot setup: Prediction for the capacitance lineshape

We have made a detailed proposal for a two-channel quantum dot setup. The energy scales in the problem are such that we are able to make connection with the two-channel Anderson model, which, in spite of being well-known in the context of heavy-Fermion systems remained theoretically elusive until recently and lacked a mesoscopic realization. Verification of our precise and robust predictions for the differential capacitance lineshape of the dot will provide an experimental signature of the two-channel behavior.Comment: Proceedings for SCES conference (2005

Convergence of Targeted and Immune Therapies for the Treatment of Oncogene-Driven Cancers

Summary: In this issue, Hattori and colleagues capitalized on targeted small-molecule covalent inhibitors of one KRAS mutant with a G12C substitution and of other oncoproteins to create drug–peptide conjugates that serve as cancer neoantigens that prompt an immune response to oncogene-mutant cancer cells. This immunotherapy strategy can serve as an effective approach to overcome the treatment-induced resistance that limits the effectiveness of essentially all small molecule–based targeted anticancer drugs

A recent rebuilding of most spirals ?

Re-examination of the properties of distant galaxies leads to the evidence that most present-day spirals have built up half of their stellar masses during the last 8 Gyr, mostly during several intense phases of star formation during which they took the appearance of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). Distant galaxy morphologies encompass all of the expected stages of galaxy merging, central core formation and disk growth, while their cores are much bluer than those of present-day bulges. We have tested a spiral rebuilding scenario, for which 75+/-25% of spirals have experienced their last major merger event less than 8 Gyr ago. It accounts for the simultaneous decreases, during that period, of the cosmic star formation density, of the merger rate, of the number densities of LIRGs and of compact galaxies, while the densities of ellipticals and large spirals are essentially unaffected.Comment: (1) GEPI, Obs. Meudon, France ;(2)Max-Planck Institut fuer Astronomie, Germany (3) National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, China. Five pages, 1 figure. To be published in "Starbursts: From 30 Doradus to Lyman Break Galaxies", held in Cambridge, ed. R. de Grijs & R. M. Gonzalez Delgado (Dordrecht: Kluwer

Surface Turbulent Fluxes From the MOSAiC Campaign Predicted by Machine Learning

Reliable boundary-layer turbulence parametrizations for polar conditions are needed to reduce uncertainty in projections of Arctic sea ice melting rate and its potential global repercussions. Surface turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat are typically represented in weather/climate models using bulk formulae based on the Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory, sometimes finely tuned to high stability conditions and the potential presence of sea ice. In this study, we test the performance of new, machine-learning (ML) flux parametrizations, using an advanced polar-specific bulk algorithm as a baseline. Neural networks, trained on observations from previous Arctic campaigns, are used to predict surface turbulent fluxes measured over sea ice as part of the recent MOSAiC expedition. The ML parametrizations outperform the bulk at the MOSAiC sites, with RMSE reductions of up to 70 percent. We provide a plug-in Fortran implementation of the neural networks for use in models

There’s more to Pradaxa’s problems than meets the eye

Pharmaceutical companies don’t have a particularly good reputation, for some very good reasons. But we can’t let suspicions about the motives of such companies cloud our assessments of drug safety because patients may also suffer. People with abnormal heart rhythms and other diseases that cause blood clots (thromboses) often require blood-thinning (anticoagulation) medications. For many decades, warfarin has been the most widely used such drug but it’s associated with a risk of bleeding (including fatal haemorrhage) and requires regular blood tests to monitor safety and efficacy. So the advent of new oral anticoagulant drugs was heralded as a major advance by both patients and clinicians – principally on the grounds that they appeared as effective as warfarin, may be associated with a lower risk of serious bleeding, and are cost-effective because patients don’t need ongoing blood monitoring. For these reasons, a number of these new drugs, including dabigatran (Pradaxa) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto) were fast-tracked through the regulatory approval processes in the United States and in New Zealand. Emerging problems But reports now suggest Pradaxa might be less safe than it appeared to be in clinical trials. Specifically, it’s claimed the drug may be responsible for higher-than-expected levels of abnormal bleeding, including hemorrhagic strokes, and that it may, in fact, be less safe than warfarin

A BCL2 promoter polymorphism rs2279115 is not associated with BCL2 protein expression or patient survival in breast cancer patients

The B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) gene family encodes pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins that are critical regulators of programmed cell death. Higher levels of BCL2 expression in breast tumours have been shown to be an independent prognostic factor for improved survival from breast cancer. The promoter single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2279115 has been associated with both BCL2 expression and patient survival. The aim of this study was to attempt to replicate these observations in a cohort of 1015 UK women with breast cancer, and to compare genotype frequencies in cases and controls. In this study, 1015 breast cancer cases and 1034 control subjects were genotyped for the rs2279115 SNP by 5’ nuclease PCR. Paraffin embedded tumour tissue for 342 case subjects was assembled into tissue microarrays, and the level of expression of BCL2 was established by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan Meier survival curves and Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to examine the effect of genotype on patient survival. The effect of SNP genotype on tumour BCL2 protein levels and breast cancer susceptibility was assessed by logistic regression. In this study higher BCL2 expression was significantly associated with improved survival from breast cancer (p = 0.015), in keeping with previous reports. The SNP rs2279115 was not found to be associated with tumour expression of BCL2, (p = 0.77), and neither was it associated with case/control status (p = 0.25). There was no significant association between the SNP and overall survival (p = 0.75). In conclusion, we found that higher tumour BCL2 expression is associated with improved survival from breast cancer, in keeping with previous studies. However, in contrast to a previous report, the promoter SNP rs2279115 was not associated with BCL2 expression or overall survival from breast cancer

Enhancement of spin Seebeck effect in Fe3O4/Pt thin films with α-Fe nanodroplets

In this study, we demonstrate an enhancement of the measured spin Seebeck coefficient in Fe3O4/Pt bilayer films due to an increase in Fe nanodroplets formed by pulsed laser deposition. Four bilayer films were deposited at the same time from a highly textured target, resulting in a general increase in droplet formation that was confirmed to be Fe rich by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Of these four films, there were two distinct groupings with differing density of α-Fe droplets, where the bilayer with higher droplet density exhibited a 64% increase in the measured spin Seebeck coefficient from 38 to 63 nV m/W