bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tadashi Suzuki’s The Trojan Women as Cross-Cultural Theatre
Authors: Montanini Lorenzo
Published: December 2020

This article analyzes Suzuki Tadashi’s version of Euripides’ The Trojan Women, staged multiple times during the past forty years. While this cross-cultural production carries specific socio-cultural signs and juxtaposes different traditional Japanese styles (Noh, Kabuki, and Shingeki), it aims to create a third object that does not belong specifically to any of these traditions but is composed of the sum of their specificities. It argues that The Trojan Women was created by Suzuki and his company as a response to the state of culture and society in Japan during the 1970s, breaking with old and new fashions in an effort to revitalize Japanese contemporary theatre. Offering a socio-cultural analysis and drawing on the writings of Michael Bakhtin and Pierre Bourdieu, it sheds light on Suzuki’s humanistic quest for a universalism pursued through the re-discovery and transformation of traditional styles together with an appropriation of Western texts. Lorenzo Montanini is a theatre director whose work investigates the boundaries of theatre and live performance in a multicultural context. He has taught for more than fifteen years in universities in Italy, including RomaTre, Università di Macerata, and Università l’Orientale di Napoli.
The Place of “The Liberty of Thought and Discussion” inOn Liberty
Authors: Miller Dale E.
Published: December 2020

I consider whether Mill intends for us to see the arguments that constitute his defense of the “Liberty of Thought and Discussion” in chapter 2 ofOn Libertyas a part of his larger case for the “harm” or “liberty” principle (LP). Several commentators depict this chapter as a digression that interrupts the flow between his introduction of this principle in the first chapter and his exposition and defense of it in the final three. I will argue instead for a reading ofOn Libertyon which chapter 2 is well integrated with the rest of the essay and is in fact where Mill starts constructing his case for LP.
Survival rates and reproductive ecology of a reintroduced population of the Asian Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon in Shaanxi Qianhu National Wetland Park, China
Authors: LI MIN , YE XINPING , DONG RONG , ZHANG XUEJING , ZHANG HU , YU XIAOPING
Published: December 2020

Reintroductions aim to re-establish a viable population within the indigenous range of living organisms, especially of threatened species. The population of the Asian Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon, a well-known ‘Endangered’ bird species, has increased over 100 times since wild populations were rediscovered in 1981, and several reintroduction projects were subsequently carried out in its former range. An experimental release of the Asian Crested Ibis was conducted in Qianhu National Wetland Park located in the southern part of the Loess Plateau, China. It is vitally important to monitor released birds (at least their survival and breeding), to inform subsequent releases in other suitable sites. During extensive post-release monitoring, data on capture-recapture and reproductive status were obtained using banding, radiotelemetry, and field observations. Using the Cormack-Jolly-Seber (C-J-S) model, the average annual survival rates were estimated to be 0.569 (95% CI: 0.353–0.762) for released individuals and 0.643 (95% CI: 0.038–0.987) for all individuals. From 2014 to 2018, a total of 14 breeding pairs produced 28 eggs and 10 fledglings with successful reproduction of the second generation. The mean clutch size was 2.07 ± 0.25 (n = 29), and the breeding success was 34.5%. Predation and poor habitat quality have been shown to be the main factors affecting the reintroduced population at establishment stage. Some management suggestions at the metapopulation and ecosystem levels, including further release, predator control and habitat improvement, have been proposed.
Seed germination ecology of meadow knapweed (Centaurea × moncktonii) populations in New York State, USA
Authors: DiTommaso Antonio , Milbrath Lindsey R. , Marschner Caroline A. , Morris Scott H. , Westbrook Anna S.
Published: December 2020

The introduced meadow knapweed (Centaurea × moncktonii C.E. Britton), a hybrid of black (Centaurea nigra L.) and brown (Centaurea jacea L.) knapweeds, is increasingly common in pastures, meadows, and waste areas across many U.S. states, including New York. We evaluated the effects of temperature, light, seed stratification, scarification, and population on percent germination in four experiments over 2 yr. Percent germination ranged from 3% to 100% across treatment combinations. Higher temperatures (30:20, 25:15, and sometimes 20:10 C day:night regimes compared with 15:5 C) promoted germination, especially when combined with the stimulatory effect of light (14:10 h L:D compared with continuous darkness). Under the three lowest temperature treatments, light increased percent germination by 15% to 86%. Cold-wet seed stratification also increased germination rates, especially at lower germination temperatures, but was not a prerequisite for germination. Scarification did not increase percent germination. Differences between C. × moncktonii populations were generally less significant than differences between temperature, light, and stratification treatments. Taken together, these results indicate that C. × moncktonii is capable of germinating under a broad range of environments, which may have facilitated this species’ range expansion in recent decades. However, C. × moncktonii also shows evidence of germination polymorphism: some seeds will germinate under suboptimal conditions, while others may remain dormant until the abiotic environment improves. Subtle differences in dormancy mechanisms and their relative frequencies may affect phenological traits like the timing of seedling emergence and ultimately shape the sizes and ranges of C. × moncktonii populations.
Risikoeinschätzung für depressive Syndrome anhand eines Screenings psychologischer Variablen
Authors: Nixdorf Raphael , Beckmann Jürgen , Nixdorf Insa
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die Prävention von psychischen Krankheiten wie etwa Depressionen im Leistungssport sind ein wichtiges Ziel in der empirischen und angewandten Sportpsychologie. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht in diesem Kontext, inwieweit sich anhand der Messung von psychologischen Variablen eine Einschätzung des Risikos für das Vorliegen einer depressiven Symptomatik bestimmen lässt. Zur Umsetzung wurde auf der Datengrundlage eines vorangegangenen Projektes ein Schätzmodell aufgestellt. Anhand der im Projekt ermittelten, signifikanten Dispositionen (Stressverarbeitungsstrategie Resignation, dysfunktionale Einstellungen und Erholung) wurde in einer logistischen Regression das Vorliegen einer erhöhten depressiven Symptomatik geschätzt. Im zweiten Teil wurden diese Erkenntnisse auf Daten von 216 Sportlerinnen und Sportler eines bestehenden online-Angebotes zur Prävention von Burnout und Depression angewandt. Die Ergebnisse weisen für 15% der Nutzer eine erhöhte Wahrscheinlichkeit für das Vorliegen einer depressiven Symptomatik auf. Die Ergebnisse zeigen weiter, dass ein indirektes Screening durch die Erfassung wichtiger, psychologischer Variablen sinnvoll sein kann und in der Praxis wertvolle Informationen bereitstellt.
Eine systemisch-lösungsorientierte Intervention zur Förderung der psychischen Gesundheit bei einem Spitzensportler
Authors: Ruchti Erika , Röthlin Philipp , Fankhauser Karin , Birrer Daniel
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. Spitzensportlerinnen und Spitzensportler sind nebst Alltagsstressoren zahlreichen sportspezifischen Stressfaktoren ausgesetzt ( Jones & Tenenbaum, 2009 ). Bei vulnerablen Personen kann diese Kombination den Ausbruch einer psychischen Störung begünstigen. Dies insbesondere, wenn wichtige Ressourcen wie ein sicheres soziales Netzwerk fehlen. Im Spitzensport ist dieses soziale Netz oftmals nicht persönlich anwesend. Durch die Anwendung von systemisch-lösungsorientierten Interventionen können Sichtweisen von nicht Anwesenden in die Lösungsfindung miteinbezogen werden (Levold & Wirsching, 2014). Deshalb eignen sich multiperspektivische Ansätze auch in sportpsychologischen Beratungen. Die vorliegende Fallstudie beschreibt die Anwendung von systemisch-lösungsorientierten Interventionen bei einem 21-jährigen Spitzensportler. Aufgrund familiärer Vorbelastungen kann von einer Vulnerabilität ausgegangen werden. Verletzungen, ein Konflikt zwischen Cheftrainer und Trainer, zugleich Vater, sowie Transitionen sind die Hauptstressoren im Fall. Mittels einer Beratungssequenz aus sechs Interventionen wird illustriert, wie mit systemisch-lösungsorientierten Techniken Anpassungsprozesse in der Beratung begleitet werden können. Zudem werden die Erfahrungen, Prozesse und Ergebnisse der Beratungen zur Förderung und Erhaltung der psychischen Gesundheit des Athleten reflektiert.
A Census of Snowdrifts in Northern Alaska
Authors: Shultz David
Published: December 2020

Snowdrifts prove less ephemeral than they might seem, occurring in the same places year after year.
Theoretical Constraints on Fe Reduction Rates in Upland Soils as a Function of Hydroclimatic Conditions
Authors: Calabrese Salvatore , Barcellos Diego , Thompson Aaron , Porporato Amilcare
Published: December 2020

Periods of high soil wetness promote anaerobic processes such as iron (Fe) reduction within soil microsites, with implications for organic matter decomposition, the fate of pollutants, and nutrient cycling. Here we discuss potential Fe reduction rates emerging from an interplay between the timescales of the internal reactions (Fe oxidation and reduction) and external forcings (length of oxic vs. anoxic conditions), and under no organic substrate and microbial population limitations. We compute the upper bound on Fe reduction and the theoretical maximum reduction rate, which would be reached under “resonant conditions,” whereby the timescales of external forcings match the internal timescales of the redox reactions. The variability of soil oxygen is then linked to rainfall frequency and intensity through soil moisture dynamics, allowing us to determine the hydroclimatic conditions that generate oxic/anoxic cycles that most favor Fe reduction. These predictions are applied to an aseasonal tropical (Luquillo, Puerto Rico, USA) and a seasonal subtropical (Calhoun, SC, USA) humid forests. We show that the tropical site maintains a high potential for Fe reduction throughout the year, due to rapid and frequent transitions between predicted oxic and anoxic microsite conditions, with a potential to reduce up to 1,800 mmol kg−1 soil of Fe per year, while a less humid and seasonal climate in the subtropical site limits maximum reduction rates to 60 mmol kg−1 year−1. This analysis paves the way for a global identification of hot spots of potential Fe reduction using readily available hydroclimatic observations.
Evolutionary and structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 specific evasion of host immunity
Authors: Hussain Irfan , Pervaiz Nashaiman , Khan Abbas , Saleem Shoaib , Shireen Huma , Wei Dong-Qing , Labrie Viviane , Bao Yiming , Abbasi Amir Ali
Published: December 2020

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading fast worldwide. There is a pressing need to understand how the virus counteracts host innate immune responses. Deleterious clinical manifestations of coronaviruses have been associated with virus-induced direct dysregulation of innate immune responses occurring via viral macrodomains located within nonstructural protein-3 (Nsp3). However, no substantial information is available concerning the relationship of macrodomains to the unusually high pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we show that structural evolution of macrodomains may impart a critical role to the unique pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2. Using sequence, structural, and phylogenetic analysis, we identify a specific set of historical substitutions that recapitulate the evolution of the macrodomains that counteract host immune response. These evolutionary substitutions may alter and reposition the secondary structural elements to create new intra-protein contacts and, thereby, may enhance the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to inhibit host immunity. Further, we find that the unusual virulence of this virus is potentially the consequence of Darwinian selection‐driven epistasis in protein evolution. Our findings warrant further characterization of macrodomain-specific evolutionary substitutions in in vitro and in vivo models to determine their inhibitory effects on the host immune system.
Identifying signals associated with psychiatric illness utilizing language and images posted to Facebook
Authors: Birnbaum Michael L. , Norel Raquel , Van Meter Anna , Ali Asra F. , Arenare Elizabeth , Eyigoz Elif , Agurto Carla , Germano Nicole , Kane John M. , Cecchi Guillermo A.
Published: December 2020

Prior research has identified associations between social media activity and psychiatric diagnoses; however, diagnoses are rarely clinically confirmed. Toward the goal of applying novel approaches to improve outcomes, research using real patient data is necessary. We collected 3,404,959 Facebook messages and 142,390 images across 223 participants (mean age = 23.7; 41.7% male) with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), mood disorders (MD), and healthy volunteers (HV). We analyzed features uploaded up to 18 months before the first hospitalization using machine learning and built classifiers that distinguished SSD and MD from HV, and SSD from MD. Classification achieved AUC of 0.77 (HV vs. MD), 0.76 (HV vs. SSD), and 0.72 (SSD vs. MD). SSD used more (P < 0.01) perception words (hear, see, feel) than MD or HV. SSD and MD used more (P < 0.01) swear words compared to HV. SSD were more likely to express negative emotions compared to HV (P < 0.01). MD used more words related to biological processes (blood/pain) compared to HV (P < 0.01). The height and width of photos posted by SSD and MD were smaller (P < 0.01) than HV. MD photos contained more blues and less yellows (P < 0.01). Closer to hospitalization, use of punctuation increased (SSD vs HV), use of negative emotion words increased (MD vs. HV), and use of swear words increased (P < 0.01) for SSD and MD compared to HV. Machine-learning algorithms are capable of differentiating SSD and MD using Facebook activity alone over a year in advance of hospitalization. Integrating Facebook data with clinical information could one day serve to inform clinical decision-making.
Lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma differential gene expression regulation through pathways of Notch, Hedgehog, Wnt, and ErbB signalling
Authors: Anusewicz Dorota , Orzechowska Magdalena , Bednarek Andrzej K.
Published: December 2020

Lung malignancies comprise lethal and aggressive tumours that remain the leading cancer-related death cause worldwide. Regarding histological classification, lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and adenocarcinoma (LUAD) account for the majority of cases. Surgical resection and various combinations of chemo- and radiation therapies are the golden standards in the treatment of lung cancers, although the five-year survival rate remains very poor. Notch, Hedgehog, Wnt and Erbb signalling are evolutionarily conserved pathways regulating pivotal cellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, and angiogenesis during embryogenesis and post-natal life. However, to date, there is no study comprehensively revealing signalling networks of these four pathways in LUSC and LUAD. Therefore, the aim of the present study was the investigation profiles of downstream target genes of pathways that differ between LUSC and LUAD biology. Our results showed a few co-expression modules, identified through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), which significantly differentiated downstream signaling of Notch, ErbB, Hedgehog, and Wnt in LUSC and LUAD. Among co-expressed genes essential regulators of the cell cycle, DNA damage response, apoptosis, and proliferation have been found. Most of them were upregulated in LUSC compared to LUAD. In conclusion, identified downstream networks revealed distinct biological mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression in LUSC and LUAD that may diversify the clinical outcome of the disease.
SkipGNN: predicting molecular interactions with skip-graph networks
Authors: Huang Kexin , Xiao Cao , Glass Lucas M. , Zitnik Marinka , Sun Jimeng
Published: December 2020

Molecular interaction networks are powerful resources for molecular discovery. They are increasingly used with machine learning methods to predict biologically meaningful interactions. While deep learning on graphs has dramatically advanced the prediction prowess, current graph neural network (GNN) methods are mainly optimized for prediction on the basis of direct similarity between interacting nodes. In biological networks, however, similarity between nodes that do not directly interact has proved incredibly useful in the last decade across a variety of interaction networks. Here, we present SkipGNN, a graph neural network approach for the prediction of molecular interactions. SkipGNN predicts molecular interactions by not only aggregating information from direct interactions but also from second-order interactions, which we call skip similarity. In contrast to existing GNNs, SkipGNN receives neural messages from two-hop neighbors as well as immediate neighbors in the interaction network and non-linearly transforms the messages to obtain useful information for prediction. To inject skip similarity into a GNN, we construct a modified version of the original network, called the skip graph. We then develop an iterative fusion scheme that optimizes a GNN using both the skip graph and the original graph. Experiments on four interaction networks, including drug–drug, drug–target, protein–protein, and gene–disease interactions, show that SkipGNN achieves superior and robust performance. Furthermore, we show that unlike popular GNNs, SkipGNN learns biologically meaningful embeddings and performs especially well on noisy, incomplete interaction networks.
Visual hallucinations in Parkinson’s disease are associated with thinning of the inner retina
Authors: Visser F. , Apostolov V. I. , Vlaar A. M. M. , Twisk J. W. R. , Weinstein H. C. , Berendse H. W.
Published: December 2020

Visual hallucinations (VH) are common in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), yet the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are still unclear. We aimed to explore the association of the presence of VH with inner retinal thinning and, secondarily, with visual acuity. To this end, we included 40 PD patients in this exploratory study, of whom 14 had VH, and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants were interviewed for the presence of VH by a neurologist specialized in movement disorders and underwent a thorough ophthalmologic examination, including measurement of the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography to obtain macular scans of the combined ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer (GCL-IPL). Patients with VH had a thinner GCL-IPL than patients without VH, which persisted after correction for age, disease stage, levodopa equivalent daily dose (LED) and cognitive function. Furthermore, BCVA was lower in the PD group with VH than in the PD group without VH, although only a trend remained after correction for age, disease stage, LED and cognitive function. Taken together, in patients with PD, visual hallucinations appear to be associated with a thinning of the inner retinal layers and, possibly, with reduced visual acuity. Further research using a longitudinal design is necessary to confirm these findings and to establish the causality of these relationships.
Short-term Cudrania tricuspidata fruit vinegar administration attenuates obesity in high-fat diet-fed mice by improving fat accumulation and metabolic parameters
Authors: Choi Jun-Hui , Kim Myung-Kon , Yeo Soo-Hwan , Kim Seung
Published: December 2020

Previous studies have suggested that vinegar intake can help to reduce body fat and hyperglycemia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity efficacy of vinegar fermented using Cudrania tricuspidata fruits (CTFV) and its main phenolic constituents and to analyze its molecular mechanism and changes in obesity-related metabolizing enzymatic activities. We found that HFD significantly caused hepatic steatosis; increases in body fats, feed efficiency, liver mass, lipids, insulin, oxidative parameters, cardiovascular-associated risk indices, lipase and α-amylase activities, whereas CTFV efficaciously attenuated HFD-induced oxidant stress, fat accumulation, obesity-related enzymatic activity, and the activation or reduction of obesity-related molecular reactions via improving metabolic parameters including phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B, phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein, and fatty acid synthase; and decreases in adiponectin receptor 1, leptin receptor, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, subsequently ameliorating HFD-induced obesity. Therefore, CTFV might provide a functional food resource or nutraceutical product for reducing body fat accumulation.
Surgical outcome of upper extremity fractures in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Chou Te-Feng Arthur , Chang Chun-Yao , Wang Jung-Pan , Huang Yi-Chao , Chen Wei-Ming , Huang Tung-Fu
Published: December 2020

Patients with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have an increased risk for fractures. Currently, many studies have reported inferior outcomes in PD patients after orthopedic procedures. However, there are very few studies assessing the outcome of upper extremity fractures (UEF) in PD patients. In this study, we reviewed 40 patients with PD that received surgical intervention for an UEF. We retrospectively reviewed patients with PD that received surgical fixation for an UEF at a tertiary trauma center. The primary objective was to determine the treatment failure rate after surgical fixation. The secondary outcomes include mode of failure, time to treatment failure, length of hospital stay, readmission rate, reoperation rate, and postoperative complications. A total of 40 patients with PD (42 fractures) underwent surgery. The most common fracture type was radius fracture (n = 19), followed by humerus fracture (n = 15), metacarpal/phalangeal fracture (n = 5), clavicle fracture (n = 2) and olecranon fracture (n = 1). The overall treatment failure rate was 40.5% (n = 17). The time to treatment failure was 1.24 ± 3.1 months and length of hospital stay was 6 ± 3.9 days, the readmission rate within 30 days was 14% (n = 6), and reoperation rate was 14% (n = 6). The complication rate was 16.6% (n = 7) and patients with humeral fractures appeared to have the longest hospital stays (6.6 days) and increased complication rates (13%, n = 2). Patients with PD have high treatment failure rates despite surgical fixation of an UEF. These patients often have a frail status with multiple comorbidities which may complicate their postoperative course.

Level of evidence level 4 case series.
Within-session verbal learning slope is predictive of lifespan delayed recall, hippocampal volume, and memory training benefit, and is heritable
Authors: Walhovd Kristine B. , Bråthen Anne Cecilie Sjøli , Panizzon Matthew S. , Mowinckel Athanasia M. , Sørensen Øystein , de Lange Ann-Marie G. , Krogsrud Stine Kleppe , Håberg Asta , Franz Carol E. , Kremen William S. , Fjell Anders M.
Published: December 2020

Memory performance results from plasticity, the ability to change with experience. We show that benefit from practice over a few trials, learning slope, is predictive of long-term recall and hippocampal volume across a broad age range and a long period of time, relates to memory training benefit, and is heritable. First, in a healthy lifespan sample (n = 1825, age 4–93 years), comprising 3483 occasions of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and memory tests over a period of up to 11 years, learning slope across 5 trials was uniquely related to performance on a delayed free recall test, as well as hippocampal volume, independent from first trial memory or total memory performance across the five learning trials. Second, learning slope was predictive of benefit from memory training across ten weeks in an experimental subsample of adults (n = 155). Finally, in an independent sample of male twins (n = 1240, age 51–50 years), learning slope showed significant heritability. Within-session learning slope may be a useful marker beyond performance per se, being heritable and having unique predictive value for long-term memory function, hippocampal volume and training benefit across the human lifespan.
A process mineralogy approach to study the efficiency of milling of molybdenite circuit processing
Authors: Bahrami Ataallah , Abdollahi Morteza , Mirmohammadi Mirsaleh , Kazemi Fatemeh , Danesh Abolfazl , Shokrzadeh Maryam
Published: December 2020

This study is conducted with the aim of investigating the efficiency of open and closed-circuit molybdenite ore comminution processes (primary and secondary mill, respectively), through mineralogical study of mills feed and product. For this purpose, particle size distribution, minerals distribution, degree of liberation and interlocking of minerals in mills feed and product were studied. According to the results, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, pyrite and covellite constitute the major part of the mineral composition of open-circuit mill feed. Minerals at the mill product, in the order of abundance include liberated molybdenite particles, liberated chalcopyrite and interlocked chalcopyrite with pyrite, liberated and interlocked pyrite particles, and associated silicate gangues. The d50 values of the feed and product particles of the open-circuit mill are equal to 13.80 and 13.40 microns, respectively. Degree of liberation of molybdenite for the feed and product of this mill is almost the same and is equal to 98.0%. Closed-circuit mill feed includes, in order of is abundance, liberated molybdenite particles in the form of blades and irregular polygonal shapes, liberated and interlocked chalcopyrite, and liberated and interlocked pyrite particles with gangue minerals. Molybdenite particles in the mill product are almost completely liberated, and the degree of liberation values of chalcopyrite and pyrite are 84.40% and 91.40%, respectively. According to particles size distribution of the feed (d50 equal to 25.03 microns) and the product (d50 equal to 24.24 microns) of closed-circuit mill, it can be stated that comminution is not well-operated in closed-circuit mill due to the low solid percentage of closed-circuit mill feed and the inefficiency of hydrocyclone. Examination of Mo, Cu, and Fe grade variations for 10 days in both off and on modes of mill shows that closed-circuit mill does not have an impact on comminution process. It can even be concluded that the mill has a destructive effect the flotation process by producing slimes.
Dietary prebiotics promote intestinal Prevotella in association with a low-responding phenotype in a murine oxazolone-induced model of atopic dermatitis
Authors: Laigaard Ann , Krych Lukasz , Zachariassen Line F. , Ellegaard-Jensen Lea , Nielsen Dennis S. , Hansen Axel K. , Hansen Camilla H. F.
Published: December 2020

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic eczema commonly observed among children in Western countries. The gut microbiota is a significant factor in the pathogenesis, and ways to promote intestinal colonizers with anti-inflammatory capabilities are therefore favorable. The present study addressed the effects of a prebiotic, xylooligosaccharide (XOS), on the gut microbiota and ear inflammation in an oxazolone-induced dermatitis model in BALB/c mice. Mice were fed a XOS supplemented or a control diet throughout the experiment. Ear thickness and clinical skin inflammation were scored blindly after three weeks topical challenge with 0.4% oxazolone. The mice were divided into high and low responders to oxazolone-induced dermatitis based on clinical inflammation and histological evaluation of ear biopsies, and significantly fewer high responders were present in the XOS fed group. In addition, XOS fed mice had higher abundance of Prevotella spp. in their gut microbiota compared to the control fed mice. Serum IgE and ear tissue cytokine levels correlated significantly with the clinical scores, and with the abundance of Prevotella spp. The strong association between the low-responding phenotype and high abundance of Prevotella spp., indicates an alleviating effect of this intestinal colonizer in allergic sensitization. Prevotella should be considered as a relevant target for future microbiota-directed treatment strategies in atopic patients.
Ubiquitination of phytoene synthase 1 precursor modulates carotenoid biosynthesis in tomato
Authors: Wang Peiwen , Wang Yuying , Wang Weihao , Chen Tong , Tian Shiping , Qin Guozheng
Published: December 2020

Carotenoids are natural pigments that are indispensable to plants and humans, whereas the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis by post-translational modification remains elusive. Here, we show that a tomato E3 ubiquitin ligase, Plastid Protein Sensing RING E3 ligase 1 (PPSR1), is responsible for the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis. PPSR1 exhibits self-ubiquitination activity and loss of PPSR1 function leads to an increase in carotenoids in tomato fruit. PPSR1 affects the abundance of 288 proteins, including phytoene synthase 1 (PSY1), the key rate-limiting enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. PSY1 contains two ubiquitinated lysine residues (Lys380 and Lys406) as revealed by the global analysis and characterization of protein ubiquitination. We provide evidence that PPSR1 interacts with PSY1 precursor protein and mediates its degradation via ubiquitination, thereby affecting the steady-state level of PSY1 protein. Our findings not only uncover a regulatory mechanism for controlling carotenoid biosynthesis, but also provide a strategy for developing carotenoid-enriched horticultural crops.
Automated device for continuous stirring while sampling in liquid chromatography systems
Authors: Markovitch Omer , Ottelé Jim , Veldman Obe , Otto Sijbren
Published: December 2020

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography is a common analysis tool, and stirring is common in many laboratory setups. Here we show a device which enables continuous stirring of samples whilst inside an ultra-performance liquid chromatography system. Utilizing standard magnetic stirring bars that fit standard vials, the device allows for the automation of experimental setups that require stirring. The device is designed such that it can replace the standard sample holder and fits in its place, while being battery operated. The use of three-dimensional (3D) printing and commercially available parts enables low-effort and low-cost device production, as well as easy modifications. Testing the device was performed by video analysis and by following the kinetics of a dynamic combinatorial library that is known to be exquisitely sensitive to agitation, as a result of involving a fiber growth-breakage mechanism. Design files and schematics are provided.
Weakening of interaction networks with aging in tip-link protein induces hearing loss
Authors: Garg Surbhi , Sagar Amin , Singaraju Gayathri S. , Dani Rahul , Bari Naimat K. , Naganathan Athi N. , Rakshit Sabyasachi
Published: December 2020

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a common condition in humans marking the gradual decrease in hearing with age. Perturbations in the tip-link protein cadherin-23 that absorbs the mechanical tension from sound and maintains the integrity of hearing is associated with ARHL. Here, in search of molecular origins for ARHL, we dissect the conformational behavior of cadherin-23 along with the mutant S47P that progresses the hearing loss drastically. Using an array of experimental and computational approaches, we highlight a lower thermodynamic stability, significant weakening in the hydrogen-bond network and inter-residue correlations among β-strands, due to the S47P mutation. The loss in correlated motions translates to not only a remarkable two orders of magnitude slower folding in the mutant but also to a proportionately complex unfolding mechanism. We thus propose that loss in correlated motions within cadherin-23 with aging may trigger ARHL, a molecular feature that likely holds true for other disease-mutations in β-strand-rich proteins.
Best served small: nano battles in the war against wound biofilm infections
Authors: Shepherd Joanna
Published: December 2020

The global challenge of antimicrobial resistance is of increasing concern, and alternatives to currently used antibiotics or methods to improve their stewardship are sought worldwide. Microbial biofilms, complex 3D communities of bacteria and/or fungi, are difficult to treat with antibiotics for several reasons. These include their protective coats of extracellular matrix proteins which are difficult for antibiotics to penetrate. Nanoparticles (NP) are one way to rise to this challenge; whilst they exist in many forms naturally there has been a profusion in synthesis of these small (<100 nm) particles for biomedical applications. Their small size allows them to penetrate the biofilm matrix, and as well as some NP being inherently antimicrobial, they also can be modified by doping with antimicrobial payloads or coated to increase their effectiveness. This mini-review examines the current role of NP in treating wound biofilms and the rise in multifunctionality of NP.
Structure design boosts concomitant enhancement of permittivity, breakdown strength, discharged energy density and efficiency in all‐organic dielectrics
Authors: Dan Zhenkang , Ren Weibin , Guo Mengfan , Shen Zhonghui , Zhang Tao , Jiang Jianyong , Nan Cewen , Shen Yang
Published: December 2020

Polymer‐based nanocomposites with excellent flexibility and intrinsic high breakdown strength are promising candidates for high energy density capacitors compared to ceramics counterparts. However, their energy density is relatively low due to the trade‐off between permittivity and breakdown strength. In this work, the authors proposed a ferroconcrete‐like structure for all‐organic nanocomposites via combinatorial electrospinning and hot‐pressing method. In this structure, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) serves as matrix while poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF‐HFP)) serves as reinforcement phase. This novel structure is highly effective in breaking the paradox of improved discharged energy density with decreased efficiency, as evidenced by the concurrently improved discharged energy density (∼12.15 J/cm3 compared to 8.82 J/cm3 of the matrix) and efficiency (∼81.7% compared to 76.8% of the matrix). Compared to conventional blending composite films, samples with ferroconcrete‐like structure exhibit higher permittivity, breakdown strength, discharged energy density and efficiency. The superior energy storage performance is attributed to large aspect ratio P(VDF‐HFP) fibres distributed perpendicularly to the external field, which brings about the extra enhancement of permittivity. Besides, mechanical properties are improved and restriction on carrier motion is facilitated, leading to enhanced breakdown strength and suppressed conduction. This work provides a new way to design dielectric composite for high energy density and efficiency applications.
Classification of human activity detection based on an intelligent regression model in video sequences
Authors: Kumaran Natarajan , Reddy Uyyala Srinivasulu
Published: December 2020

The most critical objective in security surveillance is abnormal event detection in public scenarios. A scheme is presented for detecting abnormal behaviours in the activities of human groups based on social behaviour analysis. This approach efficiently models group activities than some of the previous strategies that use independent local features. This paper presents a feature descriptor method to signify the movement by implementing the optical flow through covariance matrix coding. The multi‐RoI (region of interest) covariance matrix has some frames or patches which could represent the movement in high accuracy. Normal samples are plentiful in public surveillance videos, while there are only a few abnormal samples. For that, the model of a hybridised optical flow covariance matrix is represented in this paper. Optical flow (OF) in the temporal domain is measured as a critical feature of video streams. The logistic regression method is used to detect abnormal activities in a crowded scene. Finally, the behaviours of human crowds can be predicted using benchmark datasets such as UMN, UCSD as well as BEHAVE. The obtained experimental results show that the proposed approach can effectively detect abnormal events from the abandoned environment of surveillance videos.
Analysis of full microwave propagation and backpropagation for a complex asteroid analogue via single-point quasi-monostatic data
Authors: Sorsa Liisa-Ida , Pursiainen Sampsa , Eyraud Christelle
Published: December 2020

Context.Information carried by the full wave field is particularly important in applications involving wave propagation, backpropagation, and a sparse distribution of measurement points, such as in tomographic imaging of a small Solar System body.

Aims.With this study, our aim is to support the future mission and experiment design, such as for example ESA’sHera, by providing a complete mathematical and computational framework for the analysis of structural full-wave radar data obtained for an asteroid analogue model. We analyse the direct propagation and backpropagation of microwaves within a 3D printed analogue in order to distinguish its internal relative permittivity structure.

Methods.We simulate the full-wave interaction between an electromagnetic field and a three-dimensional scattering target with an arbitrary shape and structure. We apply the Born approximation and its backprojection (the adjoint operation) to evaluate and backpropagate the wave interaction at a given point within the target body. As the data modality can have a significant effect on the distinguishability of the internal details, we examine the demodulated wave and the wave amplitude as two alternative data modalities and perform full-wave simulations in frequency and time domain.

Results.The results obtained for a single-point quasi-monostatic measurement configuration show the effect of the direct and higher-order scattering phenomena on both the demodulated and amplitude data. The internal mantle and void of the analogue were found to be detectable based on backpropagated radar fields from this single spatial point, both in the time domain and in the frequency domain approaches, with minor differences due to the applied signal modality.

Conclusions.Our present findings reveal that it is feasible to observe and reconstruct the internal structure of an asteroid via scarce experimental data, and open up new possibilities for the development of advanced space radar applications such as tomography.
Apprentissage par problème en odontologie pédiatrique : une étude exploratoire évaluant la performance et la satisfaction des étudiants
Authors: Bousfiha Bouchra , Chlyah Amal , Hamza Mouna , Aljalil Zineb , Pelaccia Thierry
Published: December 2020

Contexte et objectif : L’apprentissage par problème (APP) représente l’une des innovations pédagogiques les plus marquantes en éducation des sciences de la santé au cours des cinq dernières décennies. Cette méthode a été adoptée à travers le monde par de nombreuses facultés de médecine et de médecine dentaire. À la Faculté de médecine dentaire de Casablanca nous avons introduit pour la première fois en 2010 l’APP dans la discipline d’odontologie pédiatrique. L’objectif de cette étude exploratoire est de documenter l’impact de cette méthode d’enseignement sur la performance académique, ainsi que la satisfaction des étudiants vis-à-vis de cette modalité. Méthodes : Les 85 étudiants de 4e année de la Faculté de médecine dentaire de Casablanca ont été divisés au cours de l’année universitaire 2011–2012 en deux groupes : un groupe ayant bénéficié de l’APP et un groupe contrôle exposé à un enseignement traditionnel. L’efficacité de l’APP a été mesurée en comparant le niveau de connaissances et la qualité du raisonnement des deux groupes. La satisfaction des étudiants a été mesurée à l’aide d’un questionnaire administré à la fin de la dernière séance d’APP. Résultats : La moyenne des scores était de 3,96/10 (écart type = 1,42) pour le groupe APP et de 3,23/10 (écart type = 1,38) pour le groupe contrôle (p < 0,05). La majorité des participants (90,9 %) ont trouvé les séances d’APP tout à fait intéressantes et presque tous (97 %) ont exprimé le souhait de l’étendre à d’autres cours. Pour la plupart des étudiants (90,9 %), les situations problèmes étaient claires et favorisaient les discussions de groupe. Conclusion : Les résultats de cette étude plaident en faveur du développement de l’enseignement par APP en odontologie pédiatrique.
Leinsamen in der Phytotherapie
Authors: Neufeld Tanja , Pfuhlmann Katrin , Rist Maike , Bauer Nina , Langhorst Jost
Published: December 2020

Leinsamen beinhalten viele gesundheitsförderliche Inhaltsstoffe und sind für die Anwendung bei milden gastrointestinalen Symptomen und Obstipation bereits gut etabliert 1,4. In diesem Artikel werden Veröffentlichungen zum Einsatz von Leinsamen bei Prostata- sowie Kopf- und Hals-Tumoren vorgestellt. Der Verzehr von Leinsamen ging bei Patienten mit Prostatakarzinom mit einer niedrigeren Tumorproliferationsrate 7, einer geringeren Veränderung des freien Androgen-Index und einer günstigeren prozentualen Veränderung des PSA-Wertes sowie des Verhältnisses von freiem zu Gesamt-PSA 8, im Vergleich zu den jeweiligen Kontrollgruppen, einher. Ob die im Leinsamen enthaltene α-Linolensäure (ALA) das Prostatakarzinomrisiko erhöht, bleibt widersprüchlich 15,17. Bei Patienten mit Tumoren im Kopf- oder Halsbereich konnte durch die Anwendung eines Speichelersatzpräparates auf Leinsamenbasis im Vergleich zur Anwendung eines Präparates auf Carboxymethylcellulose-Basis eine Verbesserung der Mundtrockenheit sowie von evtl. bestehenden Kau- und Schluckbeschwerden und von Geschmacks- und Sprachstörungen gezeigt werden 9. Weitere, großangelegte Studien von hoher Qualität sind notwendig, um die Wirksamkeit weiter zu überprüfen und bei ausreichender Evidenz die Implementierung von Leinsamen in der Onkologie zu fördern.
Neuraltherapie bei Schilddrüsenerkrankungen
Authors: Wander Rainer
Published: December 2020

Die Neuraltherapie der Schilddrüse ist eine einfach durchführbare und in vielen Fällen sehr hilfreiche Injektionstechnik. Die Schilddrüse ist hoch sympathisch und parasympathisch versorgt, das erklärt teilweise die eutonisierende Wirkung der Injektion von Lokalanästhetika in die Schilddrüse sowohl bei Hyper- als auch bei Hypothyreose.

Die Indikationen sind enorm vielgestaltig, sowohl bei Hyper- als auch bei Hypothyreose. Besonders bewährt hat sich die Schilddrüseninjektion bei unklaren Herzbeschwerden jeglicher Form, da Schilddrüse C 4 und die Funktionskette Th 4 in enger Verbindung stehen.
Selen und Jod bei Hashimoto-Thyreoiditis
Authors: Schomburg Lutz
Published: December 2020

In unserer Bevölkerung sind Autoimmunerkrankungen der Schilddrüse häufig, besonders bei erwachsenen Frauen. Dabei ist jede Thyreoiditis immer als individuelle Erkrankung anzusehen. Für die Schilddrüse ist Jod essenziell, dennoch wird weltweit von ca. 2 Milliarden Menschen mit unzureichender Jodversorgung ausgegangen, in Deutschland betrifft es etwa jeden Dritten bis Vierten. Der Beitrag geht auch auf die neuesten Forschungsergebnisse aus China ein, wo die seit 20 Jahren praktizierte landesweite Jodierung des Speisesalzes an 80 000 Erwachsenen untersucht wurde. In neuester Zeit richten sich die Forschungen auch immer mehr auf den Selenhaushalt der Bevölkerung, denn auch Selen wird in der Schilddrüse gezielt aufgenommen und verarbeitet. Lange Zeit wurde es als toxisch angesehen, aber aktuelle Studien verweisen auf die antioxidative Wirkung von Selen, die für Intensivpatienten und aufgrund der neuesten Entwicklungen auch für COVID-19-Patienten förderlich sein kann.
COVID-19-Update für Senioren: Die Anti-SARS-CoV-2-Eigenschaften ausgewählter Mikronährstoffe
Authors: Gröber Uwe
Published: December 2020

Ende 2019 nahm eine Coronavirus-Pandemie in der chinesischen Stadt Wuhan in der Provinz Hubei ihren Lauf. Der klinische Verlauf der durch SARS-CoV-2 ausgelösten Lungenerkrankung COVID-19 ist unterschiedlich: Einige Infizierte entwickeln nur leichte oder überhaupt keine Symptome. Bei anderen kommt es rasch zu einem akuten Lungenversagen und zum Tod. COVID-19-Erkrankungen treten v. a. bei älteren Menschen mit Grunderkrankungen auf. Neben entsprechenden Hygienemaßnahmen und dem individuellen Sozialverhalten erfolgt derzeit seitens des Gesundheitsministeriums, der Medien und Laienpresse seit Anfang der Pandemie im März 2020 kein Hinweis auf die physiologische Bedeutung immunrelevanter Mikronährstoffe, mit denen das Immunsystem gegen virale Atemwegserkrankungen unterstützt und Begleitkomplikationen verringert werden könnten. Deshalb sollte bei COVID-19-Patienten (v. a. Senioren) grundsätzlich nicht nur der Makronährstoff-, sondern auch der Mikronährstoff-Status labordiagnostisch objektiviert (z. B. 25(OH)D, Selen) und ggf. gezielt kompensiert werden.
Der Mineralstoff Magnesium in der Schwangerschaft
Authors: Kisters Klaus , Gröber Uwe
Published: December 2020

In der Gravidität ist der Magnesiumbedarf erhöht, Mangelsymptome bei Schwangeren sind häufig. Zahlreiche Studien zeigen positive Effekte der nebenwirkungsarmen Supplementierung. Spontanaborte, Frühgeburten, vorzeitige Wehen, Hypertonie und weitere Komplikationen traten unter oraler Magnesiumgabe seltener auf. Die i.-v.-Therapie bei Präeklampsie ist ebenfalls gut dokumentiert. Eine generelle Nahrungsergänzung vom Beginn der Schwangerschaft bis in die Stillzeit ist zu empfehlen.
Efficacy and safety of cold versus hot snare polypectomy for small (5–9 mm) colorectal polyps: a multicenter randomized controlled trial
Authors: de Benito Sanz Marina , Hernández Luis , Garcia Martinez María Isabel , Diez-Redondo Pilar , Joao Matias Diana , Gonzalez-Santiago Jesús M. , Ibáñez Mercedes , Núñez Rodríguez María Henar , Cimavilla Marta , Tafur Carla , Mata Laura , Guardiola-Arévalo Antonio , Feito Jorge , García-Alonso Francisco Javier ,   on behalf of the POLIPEC HOT-COLD Study Group
Published: December 2020

Background Resection techniques for small polyps include cold snare polypectomy (CSP) and hot snare polypectomy (HSP). This study compared CSP and HSP in 5–9 mm polyps in terms of complete resection and adverse events.

Methods This was a multicenter, randomized trial conducted in seven Spanish centers between February and November 2019. Patients with ≥ 1 5–9 mm polyp were randomized to CSP or HSP, regardless of morphology or pit pattern. After polypectomy, two marginal biopsies were submitted to a pathologist who was blinded to polyp histology. Complete resection was defined as normal mucosa or burn artifacts in the biopsies. Abdominal pain was only assessed in patients without < 5 mm or > 9 mm polyps.

Results 496 patients were randomized: 237 (394 polyps) to CSP and 259 (397 polyps) to HSP. Complete polypectomy rates were 92.5 % with CSP and 94.0 % with HSP (difference 1.5 %, 95 % confidence interval –1.9 % to 4.9 %). Intraprocedural bleeding occurred during three CSPs (0.8 %) and seven HSPs (1.8 %) (P = 0.34). One lesion per group (0.4 %) presented delayed hemorrhage. Post-colonoscopy abdominal pain presented similarly in both groups 1 hour after the procedure (CSP 18.8 % vs. HSP 18.4 %) but was higher in the HSP group after 5 hours (5.9 % vs. 16.5 %; P = 0.02). A higher proportion of patients were asymptomatic 24 hours after CSP than after HSP (97 % vs. 86.4 %; P = 0.01).

Conclusions We observed no differences in complete resection and bleeding rates between CSP and HSP. CSP reduced the intensity and duration of post-colonoscopy abdominal pain.