Crit II Electric, Magnetic, and Density Measurements Within an Ionizing Neutral Stream

Measurements from rocket borne sensors inside a high velocity neutral barium beam show a factor of six increasei n plasmad ensityi n a movingi onizingf ront. This region-wacso -locatedw ith intensef luctuatinge lectric fields( $E • 300m V/m) at frequenciewse llu ndert he lower hybrid frequency for a barium plasina. Large quasi-DC electric and magnetic field fluctuations were also detected with a large componento f the current and the electricf ield. parallelt o Bo. An Alfv6n wavew ith a finite electricf ield componentp arallel to the geomagneticfi eld was observed to propagatea longB o, wherei t wasd etectedb y ami nstrumented sub-payload

Neural network interpolation of the magnetic field for the LISA Pathfinder Diagnostics Subsystem

LISA Pathfinder is a science and technology demonstrator of the European Space Agency within the framework of its LISA mission, which aims to be the first space-borne gravitational wave observatory. The payload of LISA Pathfinder is the so-called LISA Technology Package, which is designed to measure relative accelerations between two test masses in nominal free fall. Its disturbances are monitored and dealt by the diagnostics subsystem. This subsystem consists of several modules, and one of these is the magnetic diagnostics system, which includes a set of four tri-axial fluxgate magnetometers, intended to measure with high precision the magnetic field at the positions of the test masses. However, since the magnetometers are located far from the positions of the test masses, the magnetic field at their positions must be interpolated. It has been recently shown that because there are not enough magnetic channels, classical interpolation methods fail to derive reliable measurements at the positions of the test masses, while neural network interpolation can provide the required measurements at the desired accuracy. In this paper we expand these studies and we assess the reliability and robustness of the neural network interpolation scheme for variations of the locations and possible offsets of the magnetometers, as well as for changes in environmental conditions. We find that neural networks are robust enough to derive accurate measurements of the magnetic field at the positions of the test masses in most circumstances

Impact of HPV-associated p16-expression on radiotherapy outcome in advanced oropharynx and non-oropharynx cancer

AbstractBackground and purposeHPV is found in head and neck cancer from all sites with a higher prevalence in oropharynx cancer (OPC) compared to non-OPC. HPV/p16-status has a significant impact on radiotherapy (RT) outcome in advanced OPC, but less is known about the influence in non-OPC. We analyzed HPV-associated p16-expression in a cohort of patients with stage III–IV pharynx and larynx cancer treated with primary, curatively intended (chemo-)RT, aiming to test the hypothesis that the impact of HPV/p16 also extends to tumors of non-oropharyngeal origin.Material and methods1294 patients enrolled in previously conducted DAHANCA-trials between 1992 and 2012 were identified. Tumors were evaluated by p16-immunohistochemistry and classified as positive in case of staining in >70% of tumors cells.ResultsThirty-eight percent (490/1294) of the tumors were p16-positive with a significantly higher frequency in OPC (425/815) than in non-OPC (65/479), p<.0001. In OPC p16-positivity significantly improved loco-regional control (LRC) (adjusted HR [95% CI]: 0.43 [0.32–0.57]), event-free survival (EFS) (HR 0.44 [0.35–0.56]), and overall survival (OS) (HR: 0.38 [0.29–0.49]), respectively, compared with p16-negativity. In non-OPC no prognostic impact of p16-status was found for either endpoint: LRC (HR: 1.13 [0.75–1.70]), EFS (HR: 1.06 [0.76–1.47]), and OS (HR: 0.82 [0.59–1.16]).ConclusionsThe independent influence of HPV-associated p16-expression in advanced OPC treated with primary RT was confirmed. However, RT-outcome in the group of non-OPC did not differ by tumor p16-status, indicating that the prognostic impact may be restricted to OPC only

Comparative analysis of discrete exosome fractions obtained by differential centrifugation

Background: Cells release a mixture of extracellular vesicles, amongst these exosomes, that differ in size, density and composition. The standard isolation method for exosomes is centrifugation of fluid samples, typically at 100,000×g or above. Knowledge of the effect of discrete ultracentrifugation speeds on the purification from different cell types, however, is limited. Methods: We examined the effect of applying differential centrifugation g-forces ranging from 33,000×g to 200,000×g on exosome yield and purity, using 2 unrelated human cell lines, embryonic kidney HEK293 cells and bladder carcinoma FL3 cells. The fractions were evaluated by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), total protein quantification and immunoblotting for CD81, TSG101, syntenin, VDAC1 and calreticulin. Results: NTA revealed the lowest background particle count in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium media devoid of phenol red and cleared by 200,000×g overnight centrifugation. The centrifugation tube fill level impacted the sedimentation efficacy. Comparative analysis by NTA, protein quantification, and detection of exosomal and contamination markers identified differences in vesicle size, concentration and composition of the obtained fractions. In addition, HEK293 and FL3 vesicles displayed marked differences in sedimentation characteristics. Exosomes were pelleted already at 33,000×g, a g-force which also removed most contaminating microsomes. Optimal vesicle-to-protein yield was obtained at 67,000×g for HEK293 cells but 100,000×g for FL3 cells. Relative expression of exosomal markers (TSG101, CD81, syntenin) suggested presence of exosome subpopulations with variable sedimentation characteristics. Conclusions: Specific g-force/k factor usage during differential centrifugation greatly influences the purity and yield of exosomes. The vesicle sedimentation profile differed between the 2 cell lines

Convection and electrodynamic signatures in the vicinity of a Sun-aligned arc: Results from the Polar Acceleration Regions and Convection Study (Polar ARCS)

An experimental campaign designed to study high-latitude auroral arcs was conducted in Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland, on February 26, 1987. The Polar Acceleration Regions and Convection Study (Polar ARCS) consisted of a coordinated set of ground-based, airborne, and sounding rocket measurements of a weak, sun-aligned arc system within the duskside polar cap. A rocket-borne barium release experiment, two DMSP satellite overflights, all-sky photography, and incoherent scatter radar measurements provided information on the large-scale plasma convection over the polar cap region while a second rocket instrumented with a DC magnetometer, Langmuir and electric field probes, and an electron spectrometer provided measurements of small-scale electrodynamics. The large-scale data indicate that small, sun-aligned precipitation events formed within a region of antisunward convection between the duskside auroral oval and a large sun-aligned arc further poleward. This convection signature, used to assess the relationship of the sun-aligned arc to the large-scale magnetospheric configuration, is found to be consistent with either a model in which the arc formed on open field lines on the dusk side of a bifurcated polar cap or on closed field lines threading an expanded low-latitude boundary layer, but not a model in which the polar cap arc field lines map to an expanded plasma sheet. The antisunward convection signature may also be explained by a model in which the polar cap arc formed on long field lines recently reconnected through a highly skewed plasma sheet. The small-scale measurements indicate the rocket passed through three narrow (less than 20 km) regions of low-energy (less than 100 eV) electron precipitation in which the electric and magnetic field perturbations were well correlated. These precipitation events are shown to be associated with regions of downward Poynting flux and small-scale upward and downward field-aligned currents of 1-2 micro-A/sq m. The paired field-aligned currents are associated with velocity shears (higher and lower speed streams) embedded in the region of antisunward flow

Microsatellite alteration and immunohistochemical expression profile of chromosome 9p21 in patients with sporadic renal cell carcinoma following surgical resection.

BACKGROUND: Long-term prognostic significance of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 9p21 for localized renal cell carcinoma following surgery remains unreported. The study assessed the frequency of deletions of different loci of chromosome 9p along with immunohistochemical profile of proteins in surgically resected renal cancer tissue and correlated this with long-term outcomes. METHODS: DNA was extracted from renal tumours and corresponding normal kidney tissues in prospectively collected samples of 108 patients who underwent surgical resection for clinically localized disease between January 2001 and December 2005, providing a minimum of 9 years follow-up for each participant. After checking quality of DNA, amplified by PCR, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 9p was assessed using 6 microsatellite markers in 77 clear cell carcinoma. Only 5 of the markers showed LOH (D9S1814, D9S916, D9S974, D9S942, and D9S171). Protein expression of p15(INK4b), p16(INK4a), p14(ARF), CAIX, and adipose related protein (ADFP) were demonstrated by immunostaining in normal and cancer tissues. Loss of heterozygosity for microsatellite analysis was correlated with tumour characteristics, recurrence free, cancer specific, and overall survival, including significance of immunohistochemical profile of protein expressions. RESULTS: The main deletion was found at loci telomeric to CDKN2A region at D9S916. There was a significant correlation between frequency of LOH stage (p = 0.005) and metastases (p = 0.006) suggesting a higher LOH for advanced and aggressive renal cell carcinoma. Most commonly observed LOH in the 3 markers: D9S916, D9S974, and D9S942 were associated with poor survival, and were statistically significant on multivariate analysis. Immunohistochemical expression of p14, p15, and p16 proteins were either low or absent in cancer tissue compared to normal. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of heterozygosity of p921 chromosome is associated with aggressive tumours, and predicts cancer specific or recurrence free survival on long-term follow-up. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2514-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Gene expression profiling of noninvasive primary urothelial tumours using microarrays

At present, the mechanism leading to bladder cancer is still poorly understood, and our knowledge about early events in tumorigenesis is limited. This study describes the changes in gene expression occurring during the neoplastic transition from normal bladder urothelium to primary Ta tumours. Using DNA microarrays, we identified novel differentially expressed genes in Ta tumours compared to normal bladder, and genes that were altered in high-grade tumours. Among the mostly changed genes between normal bladder and Ta tumours, we found genes related to the cytoskeleton (keratin 7 and syndecan 1), and transcription (high mobility group AT-hook 1). Altered genes in high-grade tumours were related to cell cycle (cyclin-dependent kinase 4) and transcription (jun d proto-oncogene). Furthermore, we showed the presence of high keratin 7 transcript expression in bladder cancer, and Western blotting analysis revealed three major molecular isoforms of keratin 7 in the tissues. These could be detected in urine sediments from bladder tumour patients