Uncooled bolometer response of a low noise La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 thin film

We report measurements of the optical responses of a La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 (LSMO) sample at a wavelength of 533 nm in the 300-400 K range. The 200 nm thick film was grown by pulsed laser deposition on (100) SrTiO3 substrate and showed remarkably low noise. At 335 K the temperature coefficient of the resistance of a 100 micrometers wide 300 micrometers long LSMO line was 0.017 K-1 and the normalized Hooge parameter was 9 e-30 m3, which is among the lowest reported values. We then measured an optical sensitivity at I = 5 mA of 10.4 V.W-1 and corresponding noise equivalent power (NEP) values of 8.1 e-10 W.Hz-1/2 and 3.3 e-10 W. Hz-1/2 at 30 Hz and above 1kHz, respectively. Simple considerations on bias current conditions and thermal conductance G are finally given for further sensitivity improvements using LSMO films. The performances were indeed demonstrated on bulk substrates with G of 10-3 W.K-1. One could expect a NEP reduction by three orders of magnitude if a membrane-type geometry was used, which makes this LSMO device competitive against commercially available uncooled bolometers.Comment: 15 pages. Accepted for publication in Appl. Phys. Let

Statin use and non-melanoma skin cancer risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies

Background Existing evidence of the association between statin use and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) risk has been inconsistent. Objective To maximize statistical power to synthesize prospective evidence on this relationship. Materials and Methods PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrial.gov were systematically searched up to December 11, 2016. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to calculate summary estimates. Results Our meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 63,157 subjects showed no significant association between statin use and NMSC risk (RR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.85–1.39). However, meta-analysis of four observational studies including 1,528,215 participants showed significantly increased risk of NMSC among statin users compared to non-users (RR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.02–1.22). Furthermore, ever using lipophilic statins (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.04–1.24) or lower-potency statins (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.03–1.26), as well as usage of any statin longer than one year (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.09–1.18) were significantly associated with increased NMSC risk based on observational studies. Conclusions Evidence from observational studies supported an association between statin use and increased NMSC risk. This finding should be interpreted with caution due to modest number of included studies, possible between-study heterogeneity and inherent limitations of observational studies

Examining the Antecedents of Repurchase Intention in Convenience Stores: A Perspective of Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory

The density of convenience stores in Taiwan is the highest in the world. In a convenience store context, this study attempts to examine the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and repurchase intention, as well as the impact of customer familiarity with employees on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. The result indicated that expectation had direct effect on service quality. The result also showed that service quality was positively related to disconfirmation. As expected, there were interrelationships among service quality, satisfaction, and repurchase intention. Moreover, customer familiarity with employees had positive, direct influence on both satisfaction and repurchase intentions

Energy level statistics of the two-dimensional Hubbard model at low filling

The energy level statistics of the Hubbard model for $L \times L$ square lattices (L=3,4,5,6) at low filling (four electrons) is studied numerically for a wide range of the coupling strength. All known symmetries of the model (space, spin and pseudospin symmetry) have been taken into account explicitly from the beginning of the calculation by projecting into symmetry invariant subspaces. The details of this group theoretical treatment are presented with special attention to the nongeneric case of L=4, where a particular complicated space group appears. For all the lattices studied, a significant amount of levels within each symmetry invariant subspaces remains degenerated, but except for L=4 the ground state is nondegenerate. We explain the remaining degeneracies, which occur only for very specific interaction independent states, and we disregard these states in the statistical spectral analysis. The intricate structure of the Hubbard spectra necessitates a careful unfolding procedure, which is thoroughly discussed. Finally, we present our results for the level spacing distribution, the number variance $\Sigma^2$, and the spectral rigidity $\Delta_3$, which essentially all are close to the corresponding statistics for random matrices of the Gaussian ensemble independent of the lattice size and the coupling strength. Even very small coupling strengths approaching the integrable zero coupling limit lead to the Gaussian ensemble statistics stressing the nonperturbative nature of the Hubbard model.Comment: 31 pages (1 Revtex file and 10 postscript figures

Controlling collapse in Bose-Einstein condensates by temporal modulation of the scattering length

We consider, by means of the variational approximation (VA) and direct numerical simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation, the dynamics of 2D and 3D condensates with a scattering length containing constant and harmonically varying parts, which can be achieved with an ac magnetic field tuned to the Feshbach resonance. For a rapid time modulation, we develop an approach based on the direct averaging of the GP equation,without using the VA. In the 2D case, both VA and direct simulations, as well as the averaging method, reveal the existence of stable self-confined condensates without an external trap, in agreement with qualitatively similar results recently reported for spatial solitons in nonlinear optics. In the 3D case, the VA again predicts the existence of a stable self-confined condensate without a trap. In this case, direct simulations demonstrate that the stability is limited in time, eventually switching into collapse, even though the constant part of the scattering length is positive (but not too large). Thus a spatially uniform ac magnetic field, resonantly tuned to control the scattering length, may play the role of an effective trap confining the condensate, and sometimes causing its collapse.Comment: 7 figure

Global volatile signature and polyphenols patterns in Vespolina wines according to vintage

The global volatile signature of Vespolina wines from different vintages was established using solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-qMS). Wines were also characterised in terms of bioactive compounds (such as individual polyphenols, biogenic amines and their precursors) by high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). In addition, some physic ochemical parameters, such as the total phenolic content, total tannins and antioxidant capacity, were evaluated. Seventy-one volatile compounds and thirty-three bioactive compounds were identified in Ves polina wines. The application of multivariate analysis to the obtained data revealed that 2-phenylethyl acetate, ethyl nonanoate, 2-hexanol, isoamyl octanoate and ethyl 2-hydroxymethylbutanoate were the pri mary compounds responsible for Vespolina wines classification, mainly indicative for wines of 2015 and 2013 vintages. Conversely, wines from 2008 and 2009 vintages showed highest values of procyanidin B1, catechin, gallic acid, trans-piceid and trans-resveratrol.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Common Co-activation of AXL and CDCP1 in EGFR-mutation-positive Non-smallcell Lung Cancer Associated With Poor Prognosis.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutation-positive non-smallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) is incurable, despite high rates of response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). We investigated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), Src family kinases and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as genetic modifiers of innate resistance in EGFR-mutation-positive NSCLC. We performed gene expression analysis in two cohorts (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2) of EGFR-mutation-positive NSCLC patients treated with EGFR TKI. We evaluated the efficacy of gefitinib or osimertinib with the Src/FAK/Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) inhibitor, TPX0005 in vitro and in vivo. In Cohort 1, CUB domain-containing protein-1 (CDCP1) was an independent negative prognostic factor for progression-free survival (hazard ratio of 1.79, p=0.0407) and overall survival (hazard ratio of 2.23, p=0.0192). A two-gene model based on AXL and CDCP1 expression was strongly associated with the clinical outcome to EGFR TKIs, in both cohorts of patients. Our preclinical experiments revealed that several RTKs and non-RTKs, were up-regulated at baseline or after treatment with gefitinib or osimertinib. TPX-0005 plus EGFR TKI suppressed expression and activation of RTKs and downstream signaling intermediates. Co-expression of CDCP1 and AXL is often observed in EGFR-mutation-positive tumors, limiting the efficacy of EGFR TKIs. Co-treatment with EGFR TKI and TPX-0005 warrants testing

A shadowing problem in the detection of overlapping communities: lifting the resolution limit through a cascading procedure

Community detection is the process of assigning nodes and links in significant communities (e.g. clusters, function modules) and its development has led to a better understanding of complex networks. When applied to sizable networks, we argue that most detection algorithms correctly identify prominent communities, but fail to do so across multiple scales. As a result, a significant fraction of the network is left uncharted. We show that this problem stems from larger or denser communities overshadowing smaller or sparser ones, and that this effect accounts for most of the undetected communities and unassigned links. We propose a generic cascading approach to community detection that circumvents the problem. Using real and artificial network datasets with three widely used community detection algorithms, we show how a simple cascading procedure allows for the detection of the missing communities. This work highlights a new detection limit of community structure, and we hope that our approach can inspire better community detection algorithms.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures + supporting information (5 pages, 6 tables, 3 figures

Tumor-derived exosomes confer antigen-specific immunosuppression in a murine delayed-type hypersensitivity model

Exosomes are endosome-derived small membrane vesicles that are secreted by most cell types including tumor cells. Tumor-derived exosomes usually contain tumor antigens and have been used as a source of tumor antigens to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. However, many reports also suggest that tumor-derived exosomes can facilitate tumor immune evasion through different mechanisms, most of which are antigen-independent. In the present study we used a mouse model of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and demonstrated that local administration of tumor-derived exosomes carrying the model antigen chicken ovalbumin (OVA) resulted in the suppression of DTH response in an antigen-specific manner. Analysis of exosome trafficking demonstrated that following local injection, tumor-derived exosomes were internalized by CD11c+ cells and transported to the draining LN. Exosome-mediated DTH suppression is associated with increased mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and IL-4 in the draining LN. The tumor-derived exosomes examined were also found to inhibit DC maturation. Taken together, our results suggest a role for tumor-derived exosomes in inducing tumor antigen-specific immunosuppression, possibly by modulating the function of APCs. © 2011 Yang et al