Pr Samples Research Articles

Optimization and Spectrum-Effect Analysis of Ultrasonically Extracted Antioxidant Flavonoids from Persicae Ramulus.

The objectives of this study were to optimize the ultrasonic-assisted flavonoid extraction process from PR and to establish fingerprints in order to analyze the spectrum-effect relationship of antioxidant activity. The ultrasonic-assisted flavonoid extraction process from PR was optimized using RSM, and the fingerprints of twenty-eight batches of flavonoids from PR were established using UHPLC. Meanwhile, the in vitro antioxidant activity of PR was evaluated in DPPH and ABTS free radical-scavenging experiments. Then, the peaks of the effective antioxidant components were screened using the spectrum-effect relationships. The results show that the optimal extraction yield of flavonoids from PR was 3.24 ± 0.01 mg/g when using 53% ethanol, a 1:26 (g/mL) solid-liquid ratio, and 60 min of ultrasonic extraction. Additionally, the clearance of two antioxidant indices by the flavonoids extracted from PR had different degrees of correlation and showed concentration dependence. Simultaneously, the similarity of the UHPLC fingerprints of twenty-eight batches of PR samples ranged from 0.801 to 0.949, and four characteristic peaks, namely peaks 4, 12, 21, and 24, were screened as the peaks of the components responsible for the antioxidant effect of PR using a GRA, a Pearson correlation analysis, and a PLS-DA. In this study, characteristic peaks of the antioxidant effects of PR were screened in an investigation of the spectrum-effect relationship to provide a scientific basis for the study of pharmacodynamic substances and the elucidation of the mechanism of action of the antioxidant effect of PR.

Investigating miR-6880-5p in extracellular vesicle from plasma as a prognostic biomarker in endocrine therapy-treated castration-resistant prostate cancer

BackgroundAdvancements in the diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have progressed considerably, but a new biomarker that combines existing clinical and pathological data could be useful for a more precise diagnosis and prognosis. Some investigations have found that extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived miRNAs play crucial roles in various types of malignant tumors. The objective of this study was to explore EV miRNA and identify its biologic function as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRPC.MethodsPlasma samples were collected from five healthy donors (Control, CT) and 17 CRPC patients, categorizing into two groups based on their endocrine treatment response: partial response (PR; n = 10) and progressive disease (PD; n = 7). Candidate extracellular vesicle (EV) miRNAs were identified using miRNA microarray and RT-qPCR. The biological functions of the selected miRNAs were evaluated using the MTT assay, wound healing assay, trans-well assay, and RNA sequencing in CRPC cells after transient miRNA expression.ResultsMicroarray analysis revealed a significant downregulation of EV-miR-6880-5p in the PD samples compared to both CT and PR samples (p < 0.01). The expression of EV-miR-6880-5p in CRPC patients was decreased compared with that CT group (p = 0.0336) using RT-qPCR. In the PR group, EV-miR-6880-5p was increased at follow-up compared with the baseline (p = 0.2803), while in the PD group, it decreased at follow-up compared with the baseline samples (p = 0.4356). Furthermore, overexpression of miR-6880-5p hampered cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, downregulated pathways associated with tumor progression, and simultaneously upregulated pathways associated with cell growth and apoptosis in CRPC cells.ConclusionsEV-miR-6880-5p shows promise as a prognostic biomarker in patients with CRPC. Further, prospective validations are necessary to evaluate the potential of these candidate miRNAs.

Structural, magnetic and impedance dynamics of multiferroic high entropy garnet ceramics

We have synthesized (Gd0.2Y0.2Nd0.2Dy0.2R0.2)3Fe5O12(R=Er,Sm and Pr) high entropy garnet ceramic samples via solid-state reaction route for the first time. All the samples are formed in a single phase and exhibit a simple cubic crystal structure with an Ia3‾d space group. The lattice constant of these samples varies as per the ionic radii of the substituted element and ranges in between 12.4458Å to 12.5062Å. The morphology and elemental contributions are also investigated for all the high entropy samples. Additionally, magnetization data reveal a similar value of room temperature saturation magnetization i.e., ∼16emu/g for (Gd0.2Y0.2Nd0.2Dy0.2R0.2)3Fe5O12(R=Sm and Pr) samples and it becomes 13.67emu/g for Er doped sample. This variation is understood with Dionne's sublattice magnetization model where the molecular weight of the substituent will affect the saturation magnetization. Furthermore, a deviation from ideal Debye-type relaxation behavior is noticed in room temperature Nyquist plots for all three samples. An anomaly in the dielectric plot around ferrimagnetic transition temperature indicates the multiferroic behavior of these high entropy ceramic materials.

Quasi-2D Bi0.775Ln0.225O1.5 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu): reversible iodine intercalation and their evaluation as the anode in the lithium-ion battery system.

Layered materials with a robust structure and reversible intercalation behavior are highly sought-after in applications involving energy conversion and storage systems, energy converting devices, supercapacitors, batteries, superconductors, photonic materials, and catalysis involving hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), solar cells and sensors. In the current study, quasi-2D rhombohedral Bi0.775Ln0.225O1.5 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) samples, synthesized by a solution combustion route, have been demonstrated to intercalate iodine reversibly. A solid-vapor reaction was employed to intercalate iodine at moderate temperatures, and deintercalation occurred on heating at higher temperatures. Expansion of the rhombohedral c-axis by ∼10 Å occurred, and the iodine between the interlayers existed as triiodide ions (I3-) in an unsymmetrical fashion. The amount of intercalated iodide has been determined from thermogravimetric analysis. Electron microscopic analysis confirmed these systems' intercalation and subsequent lattice expansion. In the diffuse reflectance spectra, charge transfer from the triiodide ions to the host oxide was noticed, and it caused the absorption edge to fall beyond the visible region for the intercalated samples. XPS analysis of iodine intercalated Bi0.775Pr0.225O1.5 has shown the mixed valence states for Pr and the existence of I3- along with some IO3- species. The quasi-2D structure was stable during the thermal deintercalation process. The evaluation of iodine intercalated Bi0.775Ln0.225O1.5 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) samples as anode material in the lithium-ion battery system has given quite promising results, exhibiting fast Li+-ion diffusion, low charge transfer resistance, good reversible capacity, capacity retention (after cycling back to 10 mA g-1), and structural stability (after long cycles).

Discrimination of Polygonati Rhizoma Species: An Investigation Utilizing High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Fingerprints and Chemometrics.

Polygonati Rhizoma has been a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for two thousand years. It is increasingly being used not just as a traditional herbal medicine but also as a popular functional food. In this study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of PR from three different origins were initially performed using chemical fingerprint and chemometrics methods. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and Principal component analysis (PCA) were used to classify 60 PR samples from three different origins. The results revealed that the PR samples fell into three clusters related to the origins. In addition, pairwise comparison of varying PR and obtaining chemical markers between different species through the establishment of partial least squares discriminant analysis. Finally, chemical markers 9,13 and 17 were identified by LC/MS as disporopsin, 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxybenzyl)-6,8-dimethylchroman-4-one and (3R)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxybenzyl)-6-methylchroman-4-one or isomer, respectively. In conclusion, these methods can be applied to identify and distinguish the quality of PR with other original plants and provide novel ideas for evaluating herbal products used in TCM.

Enhancing the optoelectronic properties of low-cost nebulizer spray pyrolysis (NSP) prepared ZnS thin film through praseodymium doping for photodetector applications

In this report, ZnS and ZnS:Pr (1, 3, and 5 wt% of Pr) thin films were coated onto the glass substrates by using the low-cost nebulizer spray pyrolysis (NSP) technique. Various characterization techniques were employed to analyze the structural, morphological, optical, and photosensing properties of the prepared samples. The X-ray diffraction results show that the ZnS and ZnS:Pr samples exhibit hexagonal wurtzite structure having preferential growth along the (002) plane which belongs to the P63mc space group. No secondary phases were detected in all the coated thin film samples. The maximum crystallite size of 36 nm was observed for ZnS:Pr1% sample. The SEM analysis revealed that the samples exhibit agglomerated grains and the EDX spectrum of the ZnS:Pr(1 %) sample showed the presence of Zn, S, and Pr elements. The UV–vis absorption spectrum of the ZnS:Pr1% sample revealed that it has higher absorption in the UV region and a decrease in bandgap is noticed among the fabricated samples. The PL spectra showed a highly intense emission line of around 489 nm and a weak UV emission of around 385 nm for all the films. The I-V characteristics of the prepared thin films show that the ZnS:Pr1% sample has higher photosensing properties of responsivity, photoresponse, External Quantum Efficiency (EQE), and the detectivity values of 5.30 × 10-3 AW−1, 5.27, 1.70 %, and 3.76 × 109 Jones, respectively suggesting the sample might be well suited for the UV photodetector applications.

Novel optical temperature sensors based on the emission of the Pr3+ ions doped Ca3(M,Ga)5O12 (M5+ = Nb, Ta) garnet phosphors

Pr3+-doped Ca3(Nb,Ga)5O12 (Pr:CNGG) and Ca3(Ta,Ga)5O12 (Pr:CTGG) phosphors with garnet structure have been systematically investigated as optical thermometric materials for potential applications in the field of sensing technology, for the first time to our knowledge. The ceramic samples of Pr:CNGG and Pr:CTGG with different concentrations of Pr3+ ions have been obtained by the solid-state reaction method. A comparative analysis to evidence the influence of the position of the inter-valence charge transfer (IVCT) states on the excited-state dynamics of Pr3+ ions in CNGG and CTGG materials is presented. The optical thermometric properties of the Pr:CNGG and Pr:CTGG samples were studied. The luminescence thermal quenching mechanisms of the 3P0 and 1D2 levels were investigated in detail based on the luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) of 1D2→3H4 / 3P0→3H4 (I606/I487) transitions over an extended temperature range (10–700 K). The maximum relative sensitivities were determined to be 1.64% K−1 at 10 K for 7 at% Pr:CTGG and 2.4% K−1 at 430 K for 1 at% Pr:CNGG, thus proving their potential as high-sensitivity temperature sensors in cryogenic and high-temperature domains, respectively.

P352 HEALTH SURVEILLANCE FOR ENTRY INTO THE CARDIOLOGY DEPARTMENT IN TIMES OF SARS–COV2 PANDEMIC

IntroductionThe SARS–Cov2 pandemic has made it necessary to implement drastic measures to contain the infection and at the same time start a regulated process of protection of health workers (OS) and hospitalized patients (PR).ObjectiveTo verify the effectiveness of the health surveillance measures for SARS–COoV2 infection put in place to protect the OS and PR in the Cardiology of the Gubbio–Gualdo Tadino Hospital (AUSL Umbria 1).Material and methodswe conducted a retrospective analysis, in the period 1 April 2020– 30 November 2021, on OS and PR in our Cardiology–UTIC OU. The protocols used for health surveillance provided, in all phases of the pandemic, the well–known general prevention measures (PPE, hand hygiene, distancing, per–triage). In phase 1 of the pandemic, molecular swabs were also carried out every 14 days at the OS and only at the entrance to the PR, in phase 2 antigenic tests every 5 days at the OS and molecular swabs at the entrance and after 48 hours at the PR while in the current phase 3 an antigenic test every 10 days at the OS and PR a molecular swab at T0 and T2 and an antigenic test at the 5th day and subsequently every 5 days.ResultsA total of 320 subjects, a sample of PR (300, 15 patients month) and all OS (20) were analyzed. A total of 2658 swabs were carried out (1088 molecular and 1570 antigenic) and only two positive OS were found in phase 1 of the pandemic alone, while in phase 2 and 3 no OS or PR was positive.ConclusionsThe application of the general rules for the prevention of SARS–Cov2 infection and the definition of precise intra–hospital pathways, together with the application of a hospital health surveillance protocol, has made it possible to significantly limit infections within the OU. In addition, the rapid identification of positive OS allowed for rapid isolation avoiding the spread of infection to PR and other OS. Bibliography: COVID and gender resources. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html ISS, National Survey on COVID–19 contagion in residential and social health structures, 30 March 2020; Guidelines for health activities in phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3 of the pandemic. Umbria Region.

Pr(H3BNMe2BH3)3 and Pr(thd)3 as Volatile Carriers for Actinium-225. Deposition of Actinium-Doped Praseodymium Boride Thin Films for Potential Use in Brachytherapy.

Here we show that the praseodymium N,N-dimethylaminodiboranate complex Pr(H3BNMe2BH3)3 and the 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate complex Pr(thd)3 can serve as volatile carriers for 225Ac. The actinium coordination complexes Ac(H3BNMe2BH3)3 and Ac(thd)3 are the likely species subliming with the carrier material. A sample of 225Ac-doped Pr(H3BNMe2BH3)3 was used to deposit amorphous 225Ac-doped praseodymium boride films on glass and Si(100) at 300 °C. The α emission spectra of the refractory films are well-resolved, suggesting that they could be used as radioactive implants for brachytherapy and related treatments.

Comprehensive determination of the processing level of rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum by macroscopic, micromorphological, and microscopic characterizations.

The rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum Red. (PR, Huangjing in Chinese) has served as traditional medicine and foodstuff in China for over 2000 years. However, due to its irritating effect on the throat, Huangjing must be processed before clinical use. People have been exploring to determine the processing level of traditional Chinese medicine in an accurate tool. The evaluation of PR processing levels based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics has not yet been performed. This study aimed to provide a convenient method to determine the level of PR processing by monitoring the changes in color and crystal inclusion. According to the Chinese Pharmacopeia (2020 edition), macroscopic, micromorphological, and microscopic observations were performed with a polarized light microscope. Color quantization based on the CIE L* a* b* color system using a CM-2300d colorimeter. Color parameters h° , L* , and ΔE* had a significant influence on the differentiation ability. The inner transverse section of PR samples gradually turned into moist black with specular luster, which was consistent with the traditional identification of "brightness like oil and color like black lacquer." The change rate of the needle crystal morphology increased with the processing level, and the change rate of the needle crystal of the fifth product was over 90%. Combined with the correlation analysis, needle-like crystals were related to color parameters and could be used as an alternative marker to discriminate PR samples from different processing levels. The results confirmed the potential applicability of macroscopic and microscopic features for the classification of PR samples with different processing levels. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Color parameters h° , L* , and ΔE* had a significant influence on the differentiation ability. Micromorphological results were consistent with the traditional identification. High correlations were found between color parameters and needle-like crystals.

Characterization, Classification, and Authentication of Polygonatum sibiricum Samples by Volatile Profiles and Flavor Properties.

The importance of monitoring key aroma compounds as food characteristics to solve sample classification and authentication is increasing. The rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum (PR, Huangjing in Chinese) has great potential to serve as an ingredient of functional foods owing to its tonic effect and flavor properties. In this study, we aimed to characterize and classify PR samples obtained from different processing levels through their volatile profiles and flavor properties by using electronic nose, electronic tongue, and headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Nine flavor indicators (four odor indicators and five taste indicators) had a strong influence on the classification ability, and a total of 54 volatile compounds were identified in all samples. The traditional Chinese processing method significantly decreased the contents of aldehydes and alkanes, while more ketones, nitrogen heterocycles, alcohols, terpenoids, sulfides, and furans/pyrans were generated in the processing cycle. The results confirmed the potential applicability of volatile profiles and flavor properties for classification of PR samples, and this study provided new insights for determining the processing level in food and pharmaceutical industries based on samples with specific flavor characteristics.

Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Immunoprofiling Reveals T Cell Clonal Dynamics That Correlate with Disease Activity: A Novel Molecular “Biomarker”?

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is the main cause of morbidity and transplant-related mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT), however effective treatment options are limited. Lack of objective surrogates (biomarkers) for treatment response has hindered progress in this respect. T cells are considered the major effectors of cGVHD, yet the respective repertoires are insufficiently charted. Here, we investigated the dynamic architecture of T-cell repertoires in cGVHD by exploiting next-generation sequencing (NGS), aiming to uncover immunogenetic signatures linked with cGHVD occurrence and response to treatment.We analyzed 53 blood samples from 15 patients with hematological malignancies who underwent alloHSCT, with an intended bias towards patients who developed cGVHD (n=12). The remaining 3 patients had no cGVHD (control group). Patients with cGVHD were analyzed at cGVHD onset and/or prior to a new line of treatment (n=17 samples) as well as at clinically relevant timepoints following treatment: (i) partial response (PR, n=8), (ii) complete response (CR, n=3), (iii) stable disease (SD, n=18), (iv) progression (PD, n=1). Treatment modalities involved corticosteroids, mycophenolate myfetil, extracorporeal phototherapy, ruxolitinib and ibrutinib. Patients with no cGVHD were analyzed at 3 months (+3mo) and 6 months (+6mo) post-alloHSCT (n=6 samples). Starting material was PB mononuclear cells. TRBV-TRBD-TRBJ gene rearrangements were RT-PCR amplified and subjected to paired-end NGS and detailed bioinformatics analysis. Only productive TRBV-TRBD-TRBJ rearrangements were evaluated (n= 13,059,730, 89.9% of filtered-in sequences, median 219,063/sample). For repertoire characterization, clonotypes (i.e., TRB rearrangements with identical TRBV gene usage and amino acid complementarity-determining region 3 sequence) were considered (median 9,725 distinct clonotypes/sample). The 10 most frequent clonotypes/sample were defined as “major”. To purge T cell clones expanded secondary to viruses common in the alloHSCT setting, we compared all major clonotypes against the GenBank TRB sequence database (n=18,402), as well as an extensive TR repertoire dataset from a previous study by our group, profiling tri-virus-specific (CMV, EBV, BK) T cell products generated from immunocompetent donors (n=947,298).Overall, we identified 289 unique major clonotypes; 38 were excluded due to match within the tri-VST database (no match within GenBank). All cases with cGVHD displayed significant clonal T cell expansions both pre- and post-treatment (overall median cumulative frequency of the 6 most expanded T cell clonotypes/sample 32.4%). However, clonality tended to decrease in PR samples compared to pre-treatment (19.8% vs 33.9%, respectively), although not reaching statistical significance possibly due to small sample size (p=0.06). Patients with no cGVHD, on the other hand, consistently displayed a clonality decrease overtime (31.8% at +3mo vs 18.4% at +6mo, p=0.02). Importantly, patients with no GVHD displayed TR repertoire reconstitution with few major T cell clones of the +3mo timepoint persisting at +6mo (median 20%). In clear contrast, cGVHD T cell repertoires were dominated by clones which persisted overtime (median 60%). In fact, repertoire persistence was most evident in SD (median 66.7%) and significantly lower in PR and CR (33.3% and 10.0%, respectively, p<0.05), suggesting that the persisting T cell clones are implicated in cGVHD pathogenesis. Notably, repertoire comparisons across patients in our cohort revealed 6 “public” clonotypes [5 clonotypes shared among a single pair of patients (Pt1 and Pt2) and 1 clonotype shared among the same pair plus an additional patient, Pt3], suggesting the existence of a common antigenic trigger.In conclusion, NGS immunoprofiling in cGVHD reveals expanded T cell clones with clonal dynamics that correlate with clinical response, indicating a causal relationship to cGVHD pathogenesis. Identification and longitudinal tracking of T cell clones associated with cGHVD could serve as a molecular surrogate marker for disease activity, with evident benefits for cGVHD monitoring and evaluation of response to various treatments. DisclosuresAnagnostopoulos: Abbvie: Other: clinical trials; Sanofi: Other: clinical trials ; Ocopeptides: Other: clinical trials ; GSK: Other: clinical trials; Incyte: Other: clinical trials ; Takeda: Other: clinical trials ; Amgen: Other: clinical trials ; Janssen: Other: clinical trials; novartis: Other: clinical trials; Celgene: Other: clinical trials; Roche: Other: clinical trials; Astellas: Other: clinical trials . Chatzidimitriou: Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Effect of La and Pr substitution on structure and magnetic properties of Pechini synthesized BiFeO3

The BiFeO3 is a multiferroic material of great interest in various research fields. In this research, we studied the effect of La and Pr on the structure and magnetic response of BiFeO3. A pure phase was obtained for the synthesized samples. The overlapping of the diffraction peaks, their shifts and the changes in the Raman modes indicate a structural distortion, inducing a phase transition, especially in the Pr samples. These structural effects result in different magnetic responses between samples doped with Pr and La: the remanent magnetization and the maximum magnetization increase with the Pr percent. The above is explained by the structural analysis: the Pr inclusion decreases significantly the percent of the rhombohedral phase characteristic of BFO, modifying considerably its magnetic response.

Antisite Defect and Magnetic Frustration in Double Perovskite Ln2CuRuO6 (Ln = La, Pr) Compounds

Magnetism in double perovskite oxides of the formula A2BB'O6 has been a subject of great interest and intensive research in condensed matter physics. In this paper, Ln2CuRuO6 (A = La, Pr) samples were synthesized by solid-state reaction method, and we investigated their structural and magnetic properties. The new double perovskite compound Pr2CuRuO6 stabilizes in the monoclinic P21/n structure with an antisite defect fraction of ~ 3% between Cu and Ru sites. Our structural analysis indicates the severe deformation of Cu-O-Ru bond angle, as La3+ is replaced by the smaller rare earth ion Pr3+. For Pr2CuRuO6, the observed ferromagnetic transition temperature (Tc = 32 K) is higher than that of La2CuRuO6 (Tc = 15 K), which may be possibly associated with the enhanced magnetic interaction due to the distorted Cu-O-Ru bond angle. In addition, the anomalous phenomenon of ZFC susceptibility at low temperature suggests a degree of magnetic frustration and can be attributable to the intrinsic antisite defect in Pr2CuRuO6. The first principle calculations confirm a ferromagnetic Cu-Ru exchange interaction in Pr2CuRuO6, which is different from the antiferromagnetic case for La2CuRuO6.

Expresión del marcador óseo CD44 en hueso alveolar previamente injertado.

Objetive: To determine the expressions of the bone surface marker CD44 in samples of alveolar bone pr iously regenerated with allograft, xenograft, and mixed, using the technique of guided bone regeneration. Material and Methods: This exploratory study was approved by the institutional research and ethics committee. By means of intentional sampling and after obtaining informed consent for tissue donation, 20 samples of alveolar bone previously regenerated with guided bone regeneration therapy with particulate bone graft and membrane were taken during implant placement. The samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histological analysis, and by immunohistochemistry for the detection of CD44. Results: Sections with hematoxylin-eosin showed bone tissue with the presence of osteoid matrix and mature bone matrix of usual appearance. Of the CD44+ samples, 80% were allograft and 20% xenograft. The samples with allograft-xenograft were negative. There were no differences in the intensity of CD44 expression between the positive samples. The marker was expressed in osteocytes, stromal cells, mononuclear infiltrate, and some histiocytes. Eighty percent of the CD44+ samples and 100% of the samples in which 60 or more cells were labelled corresponded to allografts (p=0.000). A total of 67% of the samples from the anterior sector, and 40% from the posterior sector were CD44+ (p=0.689). Conclusion: This study shows for the first time that guided bone regeneration using allografts is more efficient for the generation of mature bone determined by the expression of CD44, compared to the use of xenografts and mixed allograft-xenograft, regardless of the regenerated anatomical area.

Scintillation characteristics of YAlO3:Pr perovskite single crystals

Abstract The luminescence and scintillation characteristics of YAlO3:Pr (0.05, 0.51 and 1.1 mol%) single crystals were investigated. At 662 keV γ-rays, the light yield of 22,290 ± 1150, 13,070 ± 650 and 13,240 ± 650 ph/MeV was obtained, respectively, for YAP:Pr (0.05%), YAP:Pr (0.51%) and YAP:Pr (1.1%). In scintillation decays the intensity of fast component (9–12 ns) becomes enhanced with increasing Pr concentration in the crystals. The time resolution at 511 keV annihilation quanta was measured for YAP:Pr-PMT detector in coincidence experiment with a BaF2-PMT detector. The time resolution of 357 ± 19, 333 ± 18 and 268 ± 15 ps was obtained, respectively, for YAP:Pr (0.05%), YAP:Pr (0.51%) and YAP:Pr (1.1%). High concentration of shallow traps in both YAP:Pr (0.51%) and YAP:Pr (1.1%) samples was evidenced by means of thermoluminescence in the 20–350 K temperature range. The lower light yield obtained for YAP:Pr (0.51%) can be caused by the enhanced delayed radiative recombination at Pr3+ luminescence centers.

CeO2 and CeO2:Pr nanocrystalline powders prepared by the polymeric precursor method: Yellow and red pigments with tunable color

AbstractThe development of stable and reproducible inorganic pigments is noteworthy for industrial applications mainly considering more intense shades and low toxicity. Among the various candidates to substitute non‐hazardous red and yellow pigments, CeO2 and CeO2:Pr have been attracting attention because of their opacity and high‐temperature stability besides being environmental‐friendly and health‐friendly. In this study, nanostructured CeO2 and CeO2:Pr samples were synthesized using the polymeric precursor method and structural and optical characterizations were performed. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the morphology of CeO2 nanoparticles in which the particle size ranges from 22 to 28 nm as a function of the annealing temperature. Pr‐doping does not show influence on the particle size. XRD results show that CeO2 and CeO2:Pr samples crystallize in the cubic fluorite lattice with Fm3m space group. Raman spectra show the fluorite F2g mode, confirming the XRD results. With Pr‐doping and the annealing of the samples, two bands are observed between 550 and 600 cm−1, which are related to the defects in the fluorite structure associated with oxygen vacancies. XPS spectra reveal an increase in the ratio of Ce3+ ions depending on the annealing temperature and Pr‐doping. This increase is associated with the carbon removal from the lattice by annealing. This behavior causes a change in the hue of the powders as the annealing temperature increases. According to diffuse reflectance and colorimetric measurements, CeO2 shows a light‐yellow color due to the O 2p­Ce 4f transitions whose b* parameter mainly decreases with annealing, becoming almost white. The CeO2:Pr sample exhibits a red‐orange color because of the electronic transitions between 4f2 → 5d1 states of Pr3+. Upon annealing, L* and b* parameters decrease, resulting in a red‐brown shade. The charge compensation or charge transfer is responsible for the modification of the hue of these pigments.

Tumor genomic analysis for biomarker identification in a phase I trial of the Wee 1 inhibitor adavosertib (AZD1775).

3624 Background: Adavosertib, a first-in-class Wee1 kinase inhibitor, abrogates G2/M cell cycle arrest causing premature mitosis and DNA replication stress, yielding enhanced DNA damage. Here we report on potential biomarkers of response from tumor genomic analysis in patients (pts) with solid tumors treated with adavosertib. Methods: Adavosertib was administered once daily on days 1-5 and 8-12 of a 21-day cycle. RECIST 1.1 was used to evaluate clinical response. Paired tumor biopsies were obtained for RNASeq gene expression profiling (GEP) and for whole-exome sequencing (WES) to evaluate gene mutation and copy number amplification (CNA). Fold change (FC) was calculated to define gene overexpression. To identify the frequency of CNA and mRNA overexpression for the genomic biomarkers of interest, cBioPortal analysis using TCGA and MSK-IMPACT datasets was performed. Differential GEP analysis of tumor and paired normal tissue was performed using the gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) interface (Tang et al. 2017). Results: Out of 35 pts evaluable for response, 6 (17%) had partial response (PR; 4 ovarian carcinoma [OVC], 2 endometrial carcinoma [EC]). The median duration of response was 5.2 months (range 4.0-23.1). Eighteen pts (51.4%) had stable disease. Genomic analysis of tumor biopsies was available for 9 pts; 7 of these pts were evaluable for response, and 3 had PR (2 OVC, 1 EC). WES revealed TP53 mutations in 6 pts (66.6%; 3 pts with PR, 2 with progressive disease,1 not evaluable). On WES, tumor Cyclin E1 ( CCNE1) CNA was present in 1 of 3 PR pts while tumors from all 3 PR samples showed relatively high CCNE1 expression by RNAseq (FC = 4.07). In the MSK-IMPACT 2017 dataset, CCNE1 CNA was identified in 1.8% of pts (194 of 10336); of which, OVC (10.3%) and EC (8.7%) had the highest incidence of CCNE1 CNAs. In separate tumor-specific (OVC, EC) TCGA datasets having CCNE1 overexpression and/or CNA, overlap in CCNE1 overexpression with CCNE1 CNA was 35.5% (OVC) and 25.2% (EC). Compared to normal ovarian/ endometrial tissues, GEPIA analysis revealed significantly higher CCNE1 mRNA expression in OVC (FC = 3.5) and EC (FC = 3.8). Conclusions: CCNE1alterations (overexpression and/or CNA) tend to be enriched in OVC and EC with a limited fraction showing both overexpression and CNA. Tumor genomic analysis of additional OVC and EC pts treated with adavosertib is required to determine whether CCNE1 mRNA overexpression, regardless of CCNE1 CNA, is a potential biomarker of response to this drug in these tumor types. Funded by NCI contract No. HHSN261200800001E. Clinical trial information: NCT01748825 .

Microwave magnetoabsorption in R0.6Sr0.4MnO3 (R = Pr and Nd)

We report microwave (MW) magnetoabsorption (ΔP) at room temperature in R0.6Sr0.4MnO3 (R = Pr and Nd) samples. ΔP as a function of dc magnetic field (− 2.5 kOe ≤ Hdc ≤ 2.5 kOe) was measured for a broad frequency range ( f = 0.1–4 GHz) of an MW magnetic field using a vector network analyzer and a copper strip coil which encloses one of the above samples. As the external dc magnetic field decreased from the maximum value, ΔP initially increases and shows a maximum for a critical field and then decreases as the field approaches zero. The critical field value increases with increasing frequency of the MW signal. Line shape analysis of the obtained spectra suggests that the observed features in ΔP are caused by ferromagnetic resonance in R = Pr and electron paramagnetic resonance in R = Nd samples, which were later confirmed using a coplanar waveguide-based broadband magnetic resonance spectrometer.

Effect of Tb Content on The Electrical Properties of Double Perovskite Oxide Pr(2-X) Tbxcomno6

Polycrystalline samples of double perovskite oxide Pr(2-x) TbxCoMnO6 (x=0,0.05,0.1,0.15) were prepared by traditional high temperature solid phase reaction. The structure and electrical transport properties of the samples were investigated by the relationship between the XRD lines and the resistivity of the samples ( ρ -T curve). The results show that all the samples show good single-phase, belonging to monoclinic system, space group is P21/n; the samples are all semiconductor materials; the existence of magnetic field is not conducive to electrical conduction; compared with other samples, the samples with x=0.1 and x=0.15 had better conductivity. The samples in the measured temperature region all follow the way of electrical conduction of variable-range hopping.