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A growing number of papers are published in the area of superconducting materials science. However, novel text and data mining (TDM) processes are still needed to efficiently access and exploit this accumulated knowledge, paving the way towards data-driven materials design. Herein, we present SuperMat (Superconductor Materials), an annotated corpus of linked data derived from scientific publications on superconductors, which comprises 142 articles, 16052 entities, and 1398 links that are characterised into six categories: the names, classes, and properties of materials; links to their respective superconducting critical temperature (Tc); and parametric conditions such as applied pressure or measurement methods. The construction of SuperMat resulted from a fruitful collaboration between computer scientists and material scientists, and its high quality is ensured through validation by domain experts. The quality of the annotation guidelines was ensured by satisfactory Inter Annotator Agreement (IAA) between the annotators and the domain experts. SuperMat includes the dataset, annotation guidelines, and annotation support tools that use automatic suggestions to help minimise human errors., Luca Foppiano, Sae Dieb, Akira Suzuki, Pedro Baptista de Castro, Suguru Iwasaki, et al.. SuperMat: Construction of a linked annotated dataset from superconductors-related publications. 2021. ⟨hal-03101177v3⟩

The efficacy of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) has been well established for postoperative residual and recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs). However, the risk of visual impairment due to SRT for lesions adjacent to the optic pathways remains a topic of debate. Herein, we evaluated the long-term clinical outcomes of hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HFSRT) for perioptic NFPAs. From December 2002 to November 2015, 32 patients (18 males and 14 females; median age 63 years; range, 36–83 years) with residual or recurrent NFPAs abutting or displacing the optic nerve and/or chiasm (ONC) were treated with HFSRT. The median marginal dose was 31.3 Gy (range, 17.2–39.6) in 8 fractions (range, 6–15). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and visual and hormonal examinations were performed before and after HFSRT. The median follow-up period was 99.5 months (range, 9–191). According to MRI findings at the last follow-up, the tumor size had decreased in 28 (88%) of 32 patients, was unchanged in 3 (9%), and had increased in 1 (3%). The successful tumor size control rate was 97%. Visual functions remained unchanged in 19 (60%) out of 32 patients, improved in 11 (34%), and deteriorated in 2 (6%). Two patients had deteriorated visual functions; no complications occurred because of the HFSRT. One patient developed hypopituitarism that required hormone replacement therapy. The result of this long-term follow-up study suggests that HFSRT is safe and effective for the treatment of NFPAs occurring adjacent to the ONC.

The Hippo‐YAP pathway regulates organ size, tissue homeostasis, and tumorigenesis in mammals. In response to cell density, external mechanical pressure, and/or other stimuli, the Hippo core complex controls the translocation of YAP1/TAZ proteins to the nucleus and thereby regulates cell growth. Abnormal upregulation or nuclear localization of YAP1/TAZ occurs in many human malignancies and promotes their formation, progression, and metastasis. A key example is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) genesis. Many risk factors and crucial signals associated with SCC development in various tissues accelerate YAP1/TAZ accumulation, and mice possessing constitutively activated YAP1/TAZ show immediate carcinoma in situ (CIS) formation in these tissues. Because CIS onset is so rapid in these mutants, we propose that many SCCs initiate and progress when YAP1 activity is sustained and exceeds a certain oncogenic threshold. In this review, we summarize the latest findings on the roles of YAP1/TAZ in several types of SCCs. We also discuss whether targeting aberrant YAP1/TAZ activation might be a promising strategy for SCC treatment., We summarize the latest findings on the roles of YAP1/TAZ in several types of SCCs, proposing that many SCCs initiate and progress when YAP1 activity is sustained and exceeds a certain oncogenic threshold.

A 5-carboxyuracil (caU) nucleobase was found to pair not only with A (caU-A) by hydrogen bonding but also with other DNA nucleobases by metal coordination bonding. Metal-dependent formation of caU-CuII-caU, caU-HgII-T, caU-AgI-C, and caU-CuII-G pairs was demonstrated by duplex melting analysis and mass spectrometry. The duplexes containing caU-X (X = caU, T, C, and G) were significantly stabilized in the presence of the corresponding metal ions, while the DNA duplexes containing the caU-A pairs were destabilized by the addition of CuII. These results suggest that the hybridization partner of caU-containing DNA strands can be altered by metal complexation. As a result, this study provides a new direction to integrate caU nucleobases to construct diverse metallo-DNA supramolecules and metal-responsive DNA devices.

Purpose Self-stigma negatively influences self-esteem, quality of life, self-efficacy, treatment adherence, and recovery in psychiatric patients. By revealing personality traits that influence self-stigma, we can gain useful knowledge for the management of self-stigma. A previous meta-analysis indicated that patients with schizophrenia have higher scores on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) than healthy controls. However, the relationship between autistic symptoms and self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to reveal the association between autistic symptoms and self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Patients and methods We recruited 127 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and delusional disorder). We assessed participants' self-stigma and autistic symptoms using the Internalized Stigma for Mental Illness (ISMI) scale and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), respectively. The differences in the scores of ISMI and AQ according to patient characteristics were investigated. Multiple regression analysis controlling for age and gender was performed to determine the relationship between the total scores on the AQ and IMSI scale. Results Female patients showed a higher level of self-stigma than males. Unmarried patients showed a significantly higher score on the AQ than married patients. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age and gender indicated that the total score on AQ might be a predictor of the overall rating on ISMI in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Conclusion This study is the first to reveal the association between autistic symptoms and self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Our results highlight the importance of considering autistic symptoms in the assessment and management of self-stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Given a k-coloring of a graph G, a Kempe-change for two colors a and b produces another k-coloring of G, as follows: first choose a connected component in the subgraph of G induced by the two color classes of a and b, and then swap the colors a and b in the component. Two k-colorings are called Kempe-equivalent if one can be transformed into the other by a sequence of Kempe-changes. We consider two problems, defined as follows: First, given two k-colorings of a graph G, Kempe Reachability asks whether they are Kempe-equivalent; and second, given a graph G and a positive integer k, Kempe Connectivity asks whether any two k-colorings of G are Kempe-equivalent. We analyze the complexity of these problems from the viewpoint of graph classes. We prove that Kempe Reachability is PSPACE-complete for any fixed \(k \ge 3\), and that it remains PSPACE-complete even when restricted to three colors and planar graphs of maximum degree six. Furthermore, we show that both problems admit polynomial-time algorithms on chordal graphs, bipartite graphs, and cographs. For each of these graph classes, we give a non-trivial upper bound on the number of Kempe-changes needed in order to certify that two k-colorings are Kempe-equivalent.

Cervical cancer (CC) is usually initiated by infection with high‐risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV E6 and E7 proteins target p53 and RB, respectively, but other cellular targets likely exist. We generated uterus‐specific MOB1A/B double KO (uMob1DKO) mice, which immediately developed cervical squamous cell carcinoma in situ. Mutant cervical epithelial cells showed YAP1‐dependent hyperproliferation, altered self‐renewal, impaired contact inhibition, and chromosomal instability. p53 activation was increased in uMob1DKO cells, and additional p53 loss in uMob1DKO mice accelerated tumor invasion. In human CC, strong YAP1 activation was observed from the precancerous stage. Human cells overexpressing HPV16 E6/E7 showed inactivation of not only p53 and RB but also PTPN14, boosting YAP1 activation. Estrogen, cigarette smoke condensate, and PI3K hyperactivation all increased YAP1 activity in human cervical epithelial cells, and PTPN14 depletion along with PI3K activation or estrogen treatment further enhanced YAP1. Thus, immediate CC onset may initiate when YAP1 activity exceeds an oncogenic threshold, making Hippo‐YAP1 signaling a major CC driver., We generated uterus‐specific MOB1A/B double KO (uMob1DKO) mice, which immediately developed cervical squamous cell carcinoma in situ. Cervical cancer (CC) onset may initiate when YAP1 activity exceeds an oncogenic threshold, making Hippo‐YAP1 signaling a major CC driver. p53 activation was increased in uMob1DKO cells, and additional p53 loss in uMob1DKO mice accelerated tumor invasion.

The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) operates Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) instruments at the Shimosato Hydrographic Observatory (SHO) in Wakayama Prefecture located at the southernmost area of the main island of Japan. SHO is a co-location site where SLR and GNSS can be linked by precisely measuring the local tie vector (relative position) between these two space geodetic techniques. In November 2020, JCG collaborated with the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) and performed a local tie survey to precisely determine the local tie vector between the stone marker of the GNSS station and the invariant point (IVP) of the SLR telescope. The IVP of the SLR telescope was determined by an indirect method, in which the reflector targets mounted on the SLR telescope were precisely observed from the surrounding temporary marks. The SLR telescope was rotated at a constant interval during the survey so that the observed target positions form arcs, from which we determined the azimuth and elevation axes; the orthogonal projection of the elevation axis onto the azimuth axis was determined as the IVP. The resulting local tie vector and its variance-covariance information were submitted for the development of the upcoming International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2020 (ITRF2020).

Suppose that we are given two independent sets I 0 and I r of a graph such that | I 0 | = | I r | , and imagine that a token is placed on each vertex in I 0 . Then, the token jumping problem is to determine whether there exists a sequence of independent sets which transforms I 0 into I r so that each independent set in the sequence results from the previous one by moving exactly one token to another vertex. Therefore, all independent sets in the sequence must be of the same cardinality. This problem is PSPACE-complete even for planar graphs with maximum degree three. In this paper, we first show that the problem is W[1]-hard when parameterized only by the number of tokens. We then give an FPT algorithm for general graphs when parameterized by both the number of tokens and the maximum degree. Our FPT algorithm can be modified so that it finds an actual sequence of independent sets between I 0 and I r with the minimum number of token movements. We finally show that one of the results for token jumping can be extended to a more generalized reconfiguration problem for independent sets, called token addition and removal .

Suppose that we are given an independent set \(I_0\) of a graph G, and an integer \(l\ge 0\). Then, we are asked to find an independent set of G having the maximum size among independent sets that are reachable from \(I_0\) by either adding or removing a single vertex at a time such that all intermediate independent sets are of size at least \(l\). We show that this problem is PSPACE-hard even for bounded pathwidth graphs, and remains NP-hard for planar graphs. On the other hand, we give a linear-time algorithm to solve the problem for chordal graphs. We also study the parameterized complexity of the problem with respect to the following three parameters: the degeneracy \(d\) of an input graph, a lower bound \(l\) on the size of independent sets, and a lower bound \(s\) on the size of a solution reachable from \(I_0\). We show that the problem is fixed-parameter intractable when only one of \(d\), \(l\), and \(s\) is taken as a parameter. On the other hand, we give a fixed-parameter algorithm when parameterized by \(s+d\); this result implies that the problem parameterized only by \(s\) is fixed-parameter tractable for planar graphs, and for bounded treewidth graphs.

Poly(L-glutamic acid)-co-poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymers (PLE-PEG) are here investigated as polymers for conjugation to therapeutic proteins such as granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and human growth hormone (hGH). PLE-PEG block copolymers are able to stabilize and protect proteins from degradation and to prolong their residence time in the blood stream, features that are made possible thanks to PEG's intrinsic properties and the simultaneous presence of the biodegradable anionic PLE moiety. When PLE-PEG copolymers are selectively tethered to the N-terminus of G-CSF and hGH, they yield homogeneous monoconjugates that preserve the protein's secondary structure. During the current study the pharmacokinetics of PLE10-PEG20k-G-CSF and PLE20-PEG20k-G-CSF derivatives and their ability to induce granulopoiesis were, respectively, assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats and in C57BL6 mice. Our results show that the bioavailability and bioactivity of the derivatives are comparable to or better than those of PEG20k-Nter-G-CSF (commercially known as Pegfilgrastim). The therapeutic effects of PLE10-PEG20k-hGH and PLE20-PEG20k-hGH derivatives tested in hypophysectomized rats demonstrate that the presence of a negatively charged PLE block enhances the biological properties of the conjugates additionally with respect to PEG20k-Nter-hGH.

An edible ectomycorrhizal fungus Phlebopus spongiosus have been found in pomelo orchards (Citrus maxima). The culture broth of Ph. spongiosus became darker after ca. 3 weeks of inoculation. The dry production of culture broth extract (culture extract) was 0.30 ± 0.09 g per culture (20 ml broth in a 50 ml flask). Both 5% and 10% solution of the culture extract shows the antibacterial activities on growth of all tested Gram positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis and a Gram negative bacterium Gluconobacter oxydans but not on the other Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Asaia bogorensis. On PDA plates, Ph. spongiosus showed the inhibition on the growth of soil fungi Penicillium citrinum and Aspergillus niger, whereas it was invaded by that of a mycoparasite Trichoderma viride. Further studies on physiological and ecological characteristics and principal components for the activities of culture exudates in laboratory is necessary to find the applicable profits from this fungus.

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare type of lung cancer, accounting for 3% of all lung cancers. The prognosis is poor and the standard therapy has not been well established. Herein, we report a case of advanced LCNEC of the lung that responded to nivolumab. The patient was a 62-year old man with stage IVB LCNEC of the lung. The disease progressed following the administration of second-line chemotherapy, and he was treated with nivolumab 3 mg/kg as the third-line treatment. Although treatment was ceased after two cycles due to interstitial pneumonia, the disease remained stable for approximately six months under observation. There was no other adverse event related to nivolumab. Following patient mortality from tumor progression, PD-L1 expression was observed to be negative (tumor proportion score

Cell competition is a biological process by which unfit cells are eliminated from "cell society." We previously showed that cultured mammalian epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells expressing constitutively active YAP were eliminated by apical extrusion when surrounded by "normal" MDCK cells. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the elimination of active YAP-expressing cells was unknown. Here, we used high-throughput chemical compound screening to identify cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as a key molecule triggering cell competition. Our work shows that COX-2-mediated PGE2 secretion engages its receptor EP2 on abnormal and nearby normal cells. This engagement of EP2 triggers downstream signaling via an adenylyl cyclase-cyclic AMP-PKA pathway that, in the presence of active YAP, induces E-cadherin internalization leading to apical extrusion. Thus, COX-2-induced PGE(2) appears a warning signal to both abnormal and surrounding normal cells to drive cell competition.

It is proposed a representation of the basic laws (i.e. the zeroth, first, second and third laws) in thermodynamics for quantum systems in the pure and mixed ensembles, respectively. We show that the basic laws are represented by parameters that specify respective quantum states. The parameters are the elements of the thermodynamic state space Mθ and the state space Mϑ of the mixed ensemble for quantum systems. The introduction of such parameters is based on a probabilistic nature of quantum theory. Consistency between quantum theory and classical thermodynamics is preserved throughout the formulation for the representation of the thermodynamical laws in quantum systems (quantum thermodynamics). The present theory gives the mathematical foundations of quantum thermodynamics.

The Izumi Plain in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, is a major wintering ground for wild cranes. Between October 2009 and March 2016, a total of 204 Hooded Cranes Grus monacha and White-naped Cranes G. vipio were found dead or in a weak condition in the plane. Of these, 56 cranes had bone fractures. The rate of incidence of fracture was considered to be higher in White-naped than in Hooded Cranes. Tibia fractures were the most common. The leg and wing fracture numbers were almost equal. Forty six percent of the fracture cases were believed to be caused by collisions with the power line.

Phase-I analysis of historical data from a statistical process is a strategic problem in Statistical Process Monitoring and control. Before the establishment of process stability, it is challenging to model historical data. Consequently, a distribution-free approach is a natural choice in Phase-I monitoring. Existing distribution-free Phase-I control charts are suitable for detecting instability in location and scale parameters only and are often insensitive in complex processes involving skewness or shape parameters. A new Phase-I control chart is proposed to identify more general shifts, including location, scale and skewness. The proposed Phase-I scheme is efficient in such a situation. The proposed Phase-I scheme uses subsamples, and the plotting statistic is based on the omnibus multi-sample linear rank statistic corresponding to the location, scale and skewness shifts. The new scheme can identify subsamples that are not in control, and it can also indicate one or more process parameters where a deviation has occurred. The encouraging performance of the proposed scheme is established with a large-scale numerical study based on Monte-Carlo in detecting shifts of various nature in a comprehensive class of situations. An illustration based on monitoring the waiting time data from a customer service centre is given. Some concluding remarks and some future research problems are also offered.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are an established therapeutic entity in which potent cytotoxic drugs are conjugated to a monoclonal antibody. In parallel with the great emphasis put on novel site-specific bioconjugation technologies, future advancements in this field also rely on exploring novel linker-drug architectures that improve the efficacy and stability of ADCs. In this context, the use of hydrophilic linkers represents a valid strategy to mask or reduce the inherent hydrophobicity of the most used cytotoxic drugs and positively impact the physical stability and in vivo performance of ADCs. Here, we describe the use of linkers containing monodisperse poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties for the construction of highly-loaded lysine-conjugated ADCs. The studied ADCs differ in the positioning of PEG (linear or pendant), the bonding type with the antibody (amide or carbamate), and the drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR). These ADCs were first evaluated for their stability in solution under thermal stress, showing that both the drug-linker-polymer design and the nature of the antibody-linker bonding are of great importance for their physical and chemical stability. Amide-coupled ADCs bearing two pendant 12-unit poly(ethylene glycol) chains within the drug-linker structure were the best performing conjugates, distancing themselves from the ADCs obtained with a conventional linear 24-unit PEG oligomer or the linker of Kadcyla®. The pharmacokinetic profiles of amide-linked ADCs, with a linear or pendant configuration of the PEG, were tested in mice in comparison to Kadcyla®. Total antibody pharmacokinetics paralleled the trends in aggregation tendency, with slower clearance rates for the ADCs based on the pendant drug-linker format. The above-mentioned findings have provided important clues on the drug-linker design and revealed that the positioning and configuration of a PEG unit have to be carefully tuned to achieve ADCs with improved stability and pharmacokinetics.

In stroke patients, the assessment of gait ability over time is important. For quantitative gait assessment using measuring devices, the walking speed condition for measurement is generally based on the patient's preferred walking speed or the maximum walking speed at the time of measurement. However, because walking speed often increases during the convalescent stage, understanding the effects of change in walking speed on gait when comparing the course of recovery is necessary. Although several previous studies have reported the effects of change in walking speed on gait in stroke patients, the time-distance parameters described in these reports may not be generalizable because of the small case numbers. Therefore, we measured treadmill gait at the preferred walking speed (PWS) and 1.3 times the PWS (130% PWS) in 43 post-stroke hemiplegic patients and analyzed the effects of change in walking speed on time-distance parameters.Forty-three patients with hemiplegia after a first stroke, who were able to walk on a treadmill under supervision, were recruited as subjects. Using a three-dimensional motion analysis system, treadmill gait was assessed under two conditions: PWS and 130% PWS. The primary outcome measures were the time-distance parameters, which were compared between the PWS and 130% PWS conditions.Cadence, stride length, and step length of the affected and unaffected lower limbs increased significantly at 130% PWS compared with at PWS. In terms of actual time, single stance time and initial and terminal double stance time in both affected and unaffected limbs decreased significantly at 130% PWS. In terms of relative time (% of the gait cycle), compared with PWS, relative single stance time increased significantly, whereas relative initial and terminal double stance times decreased significantly at 130% PWS in both the affected and unaffected limbs.This study on treadmill gait in patients with hemiplegia after a first stroke confirmed the effects of change in walking speed on time-distance parameters. Our results will help in the interpretation of time-distance parameters measured under different walking speed conditions.