bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells link inflammation and damage response after trauma
Authors: Li Xinyao , Liu Jingping , Xing Zhe , Tang Jian , Sun Hengbiao , Zhang Xiaogang , Lv Shuaijun , Chen Ziyang , Shi Mengyu , Chen Meiqi , Zuo Shaowen , Lyu Xiaoming , He Yumei
Published: October 2021

Elimination of the posttraumatic inflammatory response and recovery of homeostasis are crucial for the positive prognosis of trauma patients. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are known to play a regulatory role in the posttraumatic immune response in mice, but their induction source and involved potential mechanism are poorly understood. Here, we report that polymorphonuclear MDSCs (PMN-MDSCs) are activated after trauma and are closely associated with the progression of the posttraumatic inflammatory response. In humans, lectin-type oxidized LDL receptor 1 (LOX1) was used to specifically characterize LOX1+ PMN-MDSCs. Trauma patients showed high intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as well as activation of LOX1+ PMN-MDSCs. These MDSCs contribute to the anti-inflammatory immune response by regulating the Treg/Th17 and Th2/Th1 balances after trauma, increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory factors, and decreasing the levels of proinflammatory factors. The number of LOX1+ PMN-MDSCs was positively correlated with the positive clinical prognosis of trauma patients with infection. Activation of LOX1+ PMN-MDSCs is mediated by NF-κB signal, and TGF-β1 may be as an important inducer for LOX1+ PMN-MDSCs in the posttraumatic cytokine environment. In a pseudofracture trauma mouse model, we also observed the activation of PMN-MDSCs, accompanying high levels of intracellular ROS production, NF-κB phosphorylation, and changes in the inflammatory environment, in particularly by regulating the Treg/Th17 and Th2/Th1 balance. And more significantly, posttraumatic inflammation was alleviated in mice after transferring trauma-derived PMN-MDSCs, but aggravated after injecting with Gr1 agonistic antibody. These findings provide evidence for the specific role of PMN-MDSCs in the regulation of posttraumatic inflammation.
Nomogram to predict overall survival of patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei of appendiceal origin: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Bai Mingjian , Wang Shilong , Ma Ruiqing , Cai Ying , Lu Yiyan , Hou Nianzong , Liang Guowei , Xu Hongbin , Zhang Man
Published: October 2021

Background

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare disease, with the rate of overall survival (OS) influenced by many factors. The present study aimed to define independent predictors and establish a nomogram for individual risk prediction in PMP patients.

Methods

One hundred forty‐seven PMP patients were consecutively included between June 1, 2013, and November 22, 2019. The log‐rank test was used to compare the OS rate between groups; subsequently, variables with p < .10 were subjected to multivariate Cox modeling for defining independent prediction indicators. Finally, a nomogram was established based on independent prognosticators and assessed for internal validation.

Results

Multivariate Cox analysis showed that D‐dimer level, carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 level, CA 19‐9 level, degree of radical surgery, and histological grade were all independently associated with OS in PMP patients. A nomogram was plotted and underwent internal validation. The discrimination ability of the nomogram revealed a good predictive ability as indicated by the C‐index value (0.825), and calibration plots confirmed good consistency between the predicted and observed survival probabilities.

Conclusions

Five independent prognostic factors for predicting the survival of PMP patients were identified, and the nomogram based on these independent indicators showed a reasonable discrimination ability for individual risk prediction.
Long‐term stability and storage of meta‐cresol purple solutions for seawaterpHmeasurements
Authors: Woosley Ryan J.
Published: October 2021

Changes in seawater pH resulting from anthropogenic influence, termed ocean acidification, have significant implications. Monitoring and evaluating ocean acidification requires highly precise measurements comparable among many laboratories over decades. Short‐term repeatability can be achieved with spectrophotometric methods, but comparability among studies is much less certain. The indicator used plays an important role in measurement quality. Meta‐cresol purple (mCp), which is used for most seawater pH measurements, is known to break down under exposure to ultraviolet light, which can impact the long‐term stability of the indicator, and thus the quality of the measurements. Here, certified reference material and 2‐hydroxymethyl‐1,3‐propanediol (TRIS) buffers were used to assess the long‐term stability of mCp solutions. Purified indicator solutions were found to be stable (within 0.0025) at room temperature in a dark container for at least 5.3 years. Uncertainties in unpurified indicators made the stability assessment inconclusive. Such long‐term stability minimizes one potential source of uncertainty when comparing measurements and can reduce costs and waste by not prematurely disposing of indicator solutions that remain useable. Changes in the pH of the indicator solution indicate the indicator perturbation correction should be regularly determined. TheA434impcorrection method for determining impurities could be used as a quality assurance measure by making measurements over the life of the indicator solution to monitor for changes in the solution. However, the choice of molar absorptivities required for the calculation impacts the magnitude of the correction and thus warrants further study to improve best practices for making corrections to impure indicators.
Development of Antibacterial and Hemostatic PCL/Zein/ZnO‐Quaternary Ammonium Salts NPs Composite Mats as Wound Dressings
Authors: Wang Yang , Ying Maoli , Zhang Meng , Ren Xuehong , Kim Ick Soo
Published: October 2021

Wound dressings are usually employed to maintain suitable conditions around the injured skin to accelerate wound healing. This paper aims to report functional composite dressings combined with polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers, self‐assembly zein coating and modified ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) for wound management. The synthetic compounds and prepared composite dressings are characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. Meanwhile, the water vapor transmission rate, hemostatic performance, antibacterial activity, and cytocompatibility of the composite dressings are systematically tested to evaluate their applicability in wound treatment. The results show that the multilayer dressings can retain moisture and prevent excessive dehydration of wound. In vitro hemostatic test is conducted, and the enhanced blood clotting capacity and the activation of platelets indicate that the desired dressings are able to control hemorrhaging from wound. Meanwhile, the composite dressings with excellent biocidal efficacy against Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (6.01 Log within 30 min) and Gram‐negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 (6.04 Log within 30 min) can effectively prevent wound infection. Furthermore, the dressings show no toxicity which are evidenced in hemolysis and cytocompatibility evaluation, and have potential application for wound healing.
Preparation of Poly(thiol‐urethane) Covalent Adaptable Networks Based on Multiple‐Types Dynamic Motifs
Authors: Xue Ying , Li Chunmei , Wang Wenyan , Liu Zongxu , Guo Zijian , Tan Jiaojun , Zhang Qiuyu
Published: October 2021

To solve the issue of polymeric materials recycling, developing intrinsic self‐healing materials containing dynamic bonds has attracted many researchers’ highly concerning. However, the tradeoff between their mechanical strength and stretchability always does not avoid. Herein, to surmount the above tradeoff, metal–ligand (Cu2+–S) interactions are introduced into the cross‐linking polythiourethane covalent adaptable networks (PTU CANs) with three kinds of dynamic motifs (thiourethane, disulfide, and hydrogen bonds). When the molar ratio of Cu2+ to S is 6.37%, the break strength (9.41 ± 0.34 MPa) and Young's modulus (26.02 ± 0.55 MPa) of the metal–ligand coordination complex PTU (Cu2+‐PTU‐3) dramatically increase, whereas the peak strain almost does not decline (454.44 ± 3.95%). To conduct the repairing, Cu2+‐PTU‐3 is further confirmed excellent repairing capability. Therefore, these new PTU CANs have significant potential for the new self‐healing materials.
Scaling Behavior and Structure–Property Relationships of Multifunctional Ternary‐Hydrogels Based on N‐Alkyl Methacrylate Esters: Property Tunability through Versatile Synthesis
Authors: Bozbay Rabia , Orakdogen Nermin
Published: October 2021

Scaling behavior relating the synthesis conditions with swelling degree, preparation concentration and crosslinking density of multifunctional ternary‐gels consisting of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) is reported. Swelling is controlled by DMAEMA portion of terpolymers and DMAEMA‐rich gels tended to swell more than GMA‐rich gels and increase in GMA increase polymer‐solvent interaction parameter,χCritical conditions required for terpolymers to show phase transition are calculated asχ1=0.4993 andχ2=0.2959. Dependence of swelling degreeϕVon gel preparation concentration as a function of solvent quality is examined. Good solvent prediction of indicates a crossover between entanglement‐dominated case and strongly cross‐linked case corresponding to low and moderate degrees of swelling. Swelling of ternary‐gels in different solvents shows that cyclohexanol is a good solvent and solubility parameter is 23.7 (MPa)1/2. Addition of hydrophobic GMA leads to a significant increase in stiffness of terpolymer gels. Increase in elastic modulus as‐prepared state is not monotonic and can be controlled by adjusting DMAEMA/GMA ratio since tertiary amine groups triggers cascading epoxy ring‐opening reaction. Reduced modulusGrdecreased with increasing swelling degree and scaling relation between modulus and swelling is found asGr≈ (ϕV)−0.66which indicates that ternary‐hydrogels, limited to weak stretching regime, obey Gaussian statistics.
Numerical strategies for variational updates in large strain inelasticity with incompressibility constraint
Authors: Sielenkämper Marian , Dittmann Jan , Wulfinghoff Stephan
Published: October 2021

In finite deformation inelasticity, one often has to deal with the incompressibility constraint. In the past, this was dealt with using, for example, an exponential mapping approach, which yields exact volume preservation in plastic deformations. In this article however, the special‐linear update approach by Hurtado et al. The special‐linear update: An application of differential manifold theory to the update of isochoric plasticity flow rules, Int J Numer Methods Eng. 2014;97(4):298‐312, which utilizes a projection method to fulfill the incompressibility constraint is used. The model is applied to isotropic plasticity by a novel approximation of the logarithm and treats kinematic hardening without losing the symmetry of the internal variables. The model results are compared to models utilizing an exponential mapping approach in numerical experiments.
Is gamma knife radiosurgery for skull base meningiomas with carotid artery encasement supported by efficacy and safety outcomes?
Authors: Ampil Federico L. , Sin Anthony H. , Smith Donald R.
Published: October 2021

Clinical outcomes were reviewed in 30 patients treated by gamma knife radiosurgery for skull base meningiomas with carotid artery encasement (SKBM‐CAE). The overall clinical improvement rate after treatment was 46%. At a median imaging follow‐up of 49 months, tumor volumes were unchanged, were larger, and were smaller or had resolved in 70%, 23%, and 7% of cases, respectively. The crude survival rate at 10 years was 20% and the complication (new cranial nerve deficit not accompanied by imaging‐shown tumor growth) rate was 10%. SKBM‐CAE is amenable to being effectively and safely controlled with the application of gamma knife radiosurgery.
Insecticidal and growth inhibitory effects of some thymol derivatives on the beet armyworm,Spodoptera exigua(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and their impact on detoxification enzymes
Authors: Pengsook Anchulee , Tharamak Sorachat , Keosaeng Kanta , Koul Opender , Bullangpoti Vasakorn , Kumrungsee Nutchaya , Pluempanupat Wanchai
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

Thymol is a known natural product with insecticidal activity against several insect species. A recent study on structural modifications of thymol to thymyl esters and their efficacy againstSpodoptera liturasuggested that such an approach could develop generalized novel insecticides/insect growth inhibitors and requires further studies to establish the efficacy against lepidopterans.

RESULTS

Thymol and structurally modified eight esters were evaluated against beet armyworm,Spodoptera exiguausing the topical application. Thymyl butanoate was the most toxic compound with a median lethal dose (LD50) of 2.33 and 1.62 μg/larva after 24 and 48 h posttreatment, respectively. All thymyl esters were potentially better than the parent compound thymol, except thymyl dibromoacetate, in their efficacy againstSpodoptera exigua. Essentially, there were three levels of activityvis‐à‐visthe compounds used, that is, with the LD50range of 1.5 to 5.0, 7.0 to 15.0, and > 20 μg/larva, respectively. Ovicidal activity and reduction in larval growth were also determined by treating third instars at sub‐lethal doses, that is, LD50doses of second instars. Thymyl butanoate treated larvae inhibited glutathioneS‐transferase, carboxylesterase, and acetylcholinesterase activities, whereas the other thymyl esters induced these enzymes.

CONCLUSION

Thymyl butanoate exhibited higher toxicity againstSpodoptera exiguaand is the first to report about > 15.5× more toxicity than thymol and > 6.5× than thymyl cinnamate, which suggests that the efficacy was species‐specificversusthe chemical structural variation of the esters. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
A conceptual framework studying transnational immigrant family experiences: The phenomenon of Chinese seasonal parents/grandparents in New Zealand
Authors: Liu Liangni Sally , Ran Guanyu Jason
Published: October 2021

Despite heightened scholarly attention paid to transnational immigrant families since the 1990s, a systematic analysis framework explaining the formation of these family experiences has been absent. Building on a 3‐year qualitative research project (2017–2020) investigating the multigenerational dynamics of new Chinese immigrant families from the People's Republic of China living in New Zealand, through exploring the formation of the seasonal parents/grandparents phenomenon within those families, this paper introduces an analysis framework to systematically interrogate the factors shaping diverse transnational family experiences. The proposed analysis framework builds upon an inclusive paradigm, which allows the future investigation of transnational family experience to trace multilevel impact factors behind its formation (i.e., microlevel family dynamics, mesolevel living environment and macrolevel institutional foundations). Additionally, it also highlights the interactivity of those diverse impact factors within and across different levels, as well as the spatial and temporal dimensions of transnational family lives.
High‐dimensional classification based on nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation under unknown and inhomogeneous variances
Authors: Park Hoyoung , Baek Seungchul , Park Junyong
Published: October 2021

We propose a new method in high‐dimensional classification based on estimation of high‐dimensional mean vector under unknown and unequal variances. Our proposed method is based on a semi‐parametric model that combines nonparametric and parametric models for mean and variance, respectively. Our proposed method is designed to be robust to the structure of the mean vector, while most existing methods are developed for some specific cases such as either sparse or non‐sparse case of the mean vector. In addition, we also consider estimating mean and variance separately under nonparametric empirical Bayes framework that has advantage over existing nonparametric empirical Bayes classifiers based on standardization. We present simulation studies showing that our proposed method outperforms a variety of existing methods. Application to real data sets demonstrates robustness of our method to various types of data sets, while all other methods produce either sensitive or poor results for different data sets.
Quasi‐Isotropically Thermal Conductive, Highly Transparent, Insulating and Super‐Flexible Polymer Films Achieved by Cross Linked 2D Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets
Authors: An Lulu , Gu Rong , Zhong Bo , Wang Jilin , Zhang Junyan , Yu Yuanlie
Published: October 2021

Polymer‐based thermal management materials (TIMs) show great potentials as TIMs due to their excellent properties, such as high insulation, easy processing, and good flexibility. However, the limited thermal conductivity seriously hinders their practical applications in high heat generation devices. Herein, highly transparent, insulating, and super‐flexible cellulose reinforced polyvinyl alcohol/nylon12 modified hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet (PVA/(CNC/PA‐BNNS)) films with quasi‐isotropic thermal conductivity are successfully fabricated through a vacuum filtration and subsequent self‐assembly process. A special structure composed of horizontal stacked hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h‐BNNSs) connected by their warping edges in longitudinal direction, which is strengthened by cellulose nanocrystals, is formed in PVA matrix during self‐assembly process. This special structure makes the PVA/(CNC/PA‐BNNS) films show excellent thermal conductivity with an in‐plane thermal conductivity of 14.21 W m−1 K−1 and a through‐plane thermal conductivity of 7.29 W m−1 K−1. Additionally, the thermal conductive anisotropic constants of the as‐obtained PVA/(CNC/PA‐BNNS) films are in the range of 1 to 4 when the h‐BNNS contents change from 0 to 60 wt%, exhibiting quasi‐isotropic thermal conductivity. More importantly, the PVA/(CNC/PA‐BNNS) films exhibit excellent transparency, super flexibility, outstanding mechanical strength, and electric insulation, making them very promising as TIMs for highly efficient heat dissipation of diverse electronic devices.
Increasing the Energy Gap between Band‐Edge and Trap States Slows Down Picosecond Carrier Trapping in Highly Luminescent InP/ZnSe/ZnS Quantum Dots
Authors: Sung Young Mo , Kim Tae‐Gon , Yun Dong‐Jin , Lim Mihye , Ko Dong‐Su , Jung Changhoon , Won Nayoun , Park Sungjun , Jeon Woo Sung , Lee Hyo Sug , Kim Jung‐Hwa , Jun Shinae , Sul Soohwan , Hwang Sungwoo
Published: October 2021

Non‐toxic InP‐based nanocrystals have been developed for promising candidates for commercial optoelectronic applications and they still require further improvement on photophysical properties, compared to Cd‐based quantum dots (QDs), for better device efficiency and long‐term stability. It is, therefore, essential to understand the precise mechanism of carrier trapping even in the state‐of‐the‐art InP‐based QD with near‐unity luminescence. Here, it is shown that using time‐resolved spectroscopic measurements of systematically size‐controlled InP/ZnSe/ZnS core/shell/shell QDs with the quantum yield close to one, carrier trapping decreases with increasing the energy difference between band‐edge and trap states, indicating that the process follows the energy gap law, well known in molecular photochemistry for nonradiative internal conversion between two electronic states. Similar to the molecular view of the energy gap law, it is found that the energy gap between the band‐edge and trap states is closely associated with ZnSe phonons that assist carrier trapping into defects in highly luminescent InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs. These findings represent a striking departure from the generally accepted view of carrier trapping mechanism in QDs in the Marcus normal region, providing a step forward understanding how excitons in nanocrystals interact with traps, and offering valuable guidance for making highly efficient and stable InP‐based QDs.
Enhancing Li‐Ion Affinity of Molybdenum Dioxide/Carbon Fabric to Achieve High Pseudocapacitance
Authors: Liu Qiyu , Zhang Haozhe , Yang Fan , Geng Hongbo , Liu Xiaoqing , Yu Yanxia , Lu Xihong
Published: October 2021

High‐energy electrodes at high mass loadings (usually >8.0 mg cm−2) are desired for aqueous pseudocapacitors. Yet, how to overcome the thickness‐dependent resistance increase of ion/electron transport in pseudocapacitive materials is still challenging. Herein, a high‐performance electrode (denoted as AMC) adapted to high mass loading is achieved by promoting the Li‐ion affinity of 3D MoO2/carbon fabric. The experimental results and corresponding computational results reveal that the oxygen‐activated surface of AMC, combined with the wettability and conductivity superiority of 3D graphite network, significantly facilitates the Li‐ion adsorption and diffusion at the electrode/electrolyte interface, even at large thicknesses. Consequently, even at a high mass loading up to 8.1 mg cm−2, the AMC electrode also displays an impressive specific capacity (567.5 C g−1 at 2.5 A g−1), substantially superior to most advanced pseudocapacitive electrodes. The strategy of boosting energy characteristic by enhancing the affinity of charge carriers is applicable to other pseudocapacitive electrodes.
Improved Mechanical Property and Corrosion Resistance of SAF2507 Duplex Stainless Steel with Heterogeneous Lamella Structure
Authors: He Jing-Sheng , Chen Ming , Li Jian-Sheng , Wang Cheng-Xi , Xing Shi-Long , Liu Qi
Published: October 2021

Severe cold rolling and subsequent annealing are implemented on ferrite and austenite duplex stainless steel (DSS). The microstructure and mechanical properties of the processed sample are investigated systematically. The results show that the heterogeneous lamella (HL) structure can be generated in the cold‐rolled DSS by an appropriate annealing strategy. After annealing at 900 °C for 2 min, the HL‐structured sample with an alternative distribution of micrograined lamellae in ferrite and ultrafine‐grained lamellae in austenite obtains a unique combination of high strength and good ductility; the corresponding yield strength and uniform tensile elongation are ≈730 MPa and ≈23%, respectively. In addition, the corrosion behavior of the DSS in different processing states is investigated by the electrochemical method. The HL‐structured DSS possesses a superior corrosion resistance compared with other counterparts, which is attributed to the formation of a more stable passive layer on the surface. The precipitation of the sigma phase after long‐term annealing leads to deterioration of corrosion performance and mechanical properties.
Procyanidin protects human retinal pigment epithelial cells from high glucose by inhibiting autophagy
Authors: Li Rong , Li Hongsong , Zhang Qian
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The damage of hyperglycemia to the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a critical event in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Procyanidin (PC), a kind of polyphenol compounds, has shown to be effective in preventing and treating diabetes as well as its complications, in which autophagy disorder is involved in the pathological mechanism. However, it remains unclear whether PC can play a protective role in DR by regulating the autophagy of RPE. Here, the effect of PC on RPE under high glucose conditions and the role of autophagy were investigated.

Materials and Methods

The cell viability of ARPE‐19, a human RPE cell line, was detected by cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) and the apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry. The protein expressions of apoptosis markers, including Bax, Bcl‐2, and Caspase‐3, as well as autophagy markers including LC3, p62, p53, and mTOR were detected by Western blotting. Autophagic flux in ARPE‐19 cells was detected by transfection with Ad‐mCherry‐GFP‐LC3B.

Results

Under high glucose conditions, the viability of ARPE‐19 was decreased and the apoptosis rate increased, the protein expressions of Bax, Caspase‐3, LC3‐II/LC3‐I, and p‐p53 were all increased and the expressions of Bcl‐2, p62, and p‐mTOR decreased, and autophagic flux was increased compared with that of the controls. Treatment with PC weakened all these changes caused by high glucose. When rapamycin (RPM), an autophagy agonist was added, the cell viability of ARPE‐19 by PC treatment was decreased while the apoptosis was increased.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that through the p53/mTOR autophagy pathway, PC may protect RPE cells from high glucose‐induced injury.
Microwave‐assisted production of biochar from oil palm mesocarp fiber and its dye removal properties
Authors: Aziz Muhammad Fakhrul Syukri Abd , Musa Nur Fashya , Sedran Ulises , Pujro Richard , Zakaria Zainul Akmar
Published: October 2021

Malaysia is one of the largest producers of palm oil in the world, which inevitably would also result in huge production of oil palm biomass. Without proper management, this biomass could pose serious environmental problems. Oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) is one type of oil palm biomass which can be processed further for useful application such as dye removal from water. In the present study, OPMF was thermally treated using microwave‐assisted pyrolysis. The sample was characterized (proximate, ultimate, lignin content, BET, FTIR, and SEM) and investigated using thermogravimetric analyzer. The activation energy and pre‐exponential factor achieved from the Kissinger, Kissinger‐Akahira‐Sunose (KAS) and Ozawa‐Flynn‐Wall (OFW) methods were 159.74, 161.90, 163.29 kJ mol−1, and 1.02 × 10−10, 1.90 × 10−13, 3.79 × 10−17 min−1, respectively. The dye removal performance was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) with parameters of initial concentration of MB, contact time, biochar dosage, temperature and pH. The kinetics of MB removal by OPMF was best described using the pseudo‐second order kinetic model, followed by Elovich, pseudo‐first order and Weber‐Morris. As a conclusion, OPMF generated from oil palm processing has the potential to be used as alternative raw materials to produce biochar for dye removal application.
Creating a Classroom Vision for Teaching Writing
Authors: Graham Steve
Published: October 2021

If children are to receive the writing instruction they need and deserve, it is essential that teachers develop a coherent and well‐constructed vision for teaching writing. This article provides an example of how such a vision can be created. It is based on three assumptions. One, developing a vision for teaching writing should be guided by theory. This provides a framework for thinking about how writing instruction should proceed. Two, visions for teaching writing should be informed by the best scientific evidence available. This increases the likelihood that the resulting vision is an effective plan. Three, theory and evidence‐based writing practices are necessary but not sufficient for developing classroom visions for teaching writing. Teachers need to bring their own knowledge, gained through experience, to this process. Collectively, these three ingredients make it possible for teachers to make informed, judicious, and intelligent decisions when constructing a vision for teaching writing.
Transient atrial fibrillation following total pneumonectomy for the treatment of a primary pulmonary chondrosarcoma, managed with one‐lung ventilation in a dog
Authors: Szewczyk Anna Maria , Merlin Tristan , Norgate Daisy
Published: October 2021

An 8‐year and 2‐month‐old 37.2 kg crossbreed dog was presented with a persistent cough. Thoracic computed tomography was performed and identified a large lobar mass sitting within the left main stem bronchus. The mass was deemed operable, but considering the unique technical challenges associated with the surgery (need for specific ventilation strategies and risk of major haemorrhage) a guarded prognosis was given. A total left‐sided pneumonectomy via a lateral thoracotomy was performed. One‐lung ventilation was required in order to allow surgical access. During the surgery, the dog suddenly developed atrial fibrillation, which converted back to a normal sinus rhythm (SR) during the recovery period. The dog recovered uneventfully following the return to SR and was discharged 72 hours after the surgery. Histopathological results of the lung mass concluded to a primary pulmonary chondrosarcoma.
Long‐term reproductive evaluation of a bitch neonatally treated with a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist
Authors: Marchetti Cynthia , Faya Marcela , Priotto Marcelo , Grisolia‐Romero Mariela , Gobello Cristina
Published: October 2021

In mammals, high concentrations of gonadotropins are necessary early in life to reach a full‐sized pool of ovarian follicles at the age of puberty. This case report describes the reproductive status of a 28‐month‐old, 9.1 kg, crossbred bitch (Bitch 1) which had been treated neonatally with 18.8 deslorelin acetate subcutaneously for contraceptive purposes. The female had just passed pubertal oestrus when hormones were measured and then spayed. The ovaries were histologically assessed. Two crossbred bitches were used for comparisons. Bitch 1's anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and progesterone serum concentrations were 0.35 and 16.7 ng/ml, respectively. The total number of ovarian follicles and proportions were normal and the number of primary and antral follicles was increased. These findings might suggest an enhanced recruitment of the follicle pool to the growing population which could be related to the relatively low AMH concentrations.
(Politik-)didaktische Handlungsempfehlungen
Authors: Straub Sarah , Baumgardt Iris , Lange Dirk
Published: October 2021

Anhand der empirischen Ergebnisse werden didaktische Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet. Diese zielen darauf ab, Jugendliche besser in ihrer Bildungs- bzw. Berufsentscheidung zu unterstützen. Dafür wird die Erweiterung der schulischen Berufsorientierungsangebote und Elternbildung: oder beispielsweise eine reflektierende Berufsorientierung mit Fokus auf Gendergerechtigkeit angestrebt. Darüber hinaus wird Berufsorientierung als Inhalt der Lehrer*innenbildung vorgestellt.
Conclusio
Authors: Straub Sarah , Baumgardt Iris , Lange Dirk
Published: October 2021

Die empirische Studie zeigt, dass das soziale Umfeld den größten Einfluss auf Bildungs- und Berufsaspirationen hat. Als Berufsorientierungsmaßnahme steht die Praxiserfahrung im Mittelpunkt, denn Vorbilder und Erfahrungsberichte aus der Praxis werden von den Viertklässler*innen der Sek I in Wien als ausschlaggebend für die Berufswahl betrachtet. Eine subjektorientierte Berufsorientierung in der Pflichtschule, die den individuellen Lernprozess der Schüler*innen berücksichtigt, wird als richtungsweisend für künftige didaktische Überlegungen und eine Ausrichtung der Berufsorientierung gesehen. Die Berufsorientierung nimmt dabei eine wichtige Rolle innerhalb der politischen Bildung ein, da sie die Grundlage für eine aktive Teilhabe am sozialen und ökonomischen Leben darstellt.
Demographische Entwicklungen im Kontext der Entwicklungen von AAL-Technologien
Authors: Sailer Marcel
Published: October 2021

Der demographische Wandel stellt die wohl nachhaltigsten Anforderungen an die Gesellschaft und deren Sozialsysteme, respektive auch an das Gesundheitssystem. Nicht zuletzt deshalb werden demographische Entwicklungen initial zu allen gesundheitspolitischen Herausforderungen referenziert.
AAL in Anwendungsszenarien
Authors: Hänisch Till
Published: October 2021

Die Beiträge dieses Kapitels wurden von Studierenden der DHBW Heidenheim im Rahmen eines Integrationsseminars geschrieben (Anm.: bis auf den Artikel zum Thema Digitale Phänotypisierung, der im Rahmen einer ähnlichen Veranstaltung an der Hochschule Aalen entstanden ist). Das Integrationsseminar, eine Besonderheit der Dualen Hochschule, hat diesen Namen, weil es – auf mehreren Ebenen – zusammenbringt, was sonst leider oft mehr oder weniger getrennt bleibt.
Lösungsansätze
Authors: Sailer Marcel , Mahr Andreas , Reichstein Christopher , Härting Ralf-Christian , Häfner Felix , Steiner Barbara , Zenker Marc , Stechow Richard , Blotenberg Britta , Seeling Stefanie
Published: October 2021

Kap. 6 beschäftigt sich auf Basis der identifizierten Herausforderungen und dargestellten Anwendungsszenarien mit theoretischen und praktischen Lösungsansätzen. Hierzu gehört, dass kunden- und marktorientierte AAL-Systeme (Beitrag 6.1) geschaffen werden, welche „Nutzen“ erzeugen.
The universe from a single particle. Part II
Authors: Freedman Michael , Zini Modjtaba Shokrian
Published: October 2021

Abstract

We continue to explore, in the context of a toy model, the hypothesis that the interacting universe we see around us could result from single particle (undergraduate) quantum mechanics via a novel spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) acting at the level of probability distributions on Hamiltonians (rather than on states as is familiar from both Ginzburg-Landau superconductivity and the Higgs mechanism). In an earlier paper [1] we saw qubit structure emerge spontaneously on ℂ4 and ℂ8, and in this work we see ℂ6 spontaneously decomposing as ℂ2 ⊗ ℂ3 and very curiously ℂ5 (and ℂ7) splitting off one (one or three) directions and then factoring. This evidence provides additional support for the broad hypothesis: Nature will seek out tensor decompositions where none are present. We consider how this finding may form a basis for the origins of interaction and ask if it can be related to established foundational discussions such as string theory.
Long-term Follow-up and Histological Correlation of Peripheral Nervous System Alterations in Neurofibromatosis Type 2
Authors: Godel Tim , Bäumer Philipp , Farschtschi Said , Püschel Klaus , Hofstadler Barbara , Heiland Sabine , Gelderblom Mathias , Bendszus Martin , Hagel Christian , Mautner Victor-Felix
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To examine long-term alterations of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the peripheral nerve in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) by in vivo high-resolution magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) and their correlation to histology.

Methods

In this prospective study the lumbosacral DRG, the right sciatic, tibial, and peroneal nerves were examined in 6 patients diagnosed with NF2 and associated polyneuropathy (PNP) by a standardized MRN protocol at 3 T. Volumes of DRG L3–S2 as well as peripheral nerve lesions were assessed and compared to follow-up examinations after 14–100 months. In one patient, imaging findings were further correlated to histology.

Results

Follow-up MRN examination showed a non-significant increase of volume for the DRG L3: +0.41% (p = 0.10), L4: +22.41% (p = 0.23), L5: +3.38% (p = 0.09), S1: +10.63% (p = 0.05) and S2: +1.17% (p = 0.57). Likewise, peripheral nerve lesions were not significantly increased regarding size (2.18 mm2 vs. 2.15 mm2, p = 0.89) and number (9.00 vs. 9.33, p = 0.36). Histological analyses identified schwannomas as the major correlate of both DRG hyperplasia and peripheral nerve lesions. For peripheral nerve microlesions additionally clusters of onion-bulb formations were identified.

Conclusion

Peripheral nervous system alterations seem to be constant or show only a minor increase in adult NF2. Thus, symptoms of PNP may not primarily attributed to the initial schwannoma growth but to secondary long-term processes, with symptoms only occurring if a certain threshold is exceeded. Histology identified grouped areas of Schwann cell proliferations as the correlate of DRG hyperplasia, while for peripheral nerve lesions different patterns could be found.
HIF-1 mediated activation of antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Mohanty Soumitra , Kamolvit Witchuda , Zambrana Silvia , Gonzales Eduardo , Tovi Jonas , Brismar Kerstin , Östenson Claes-Göran , Brauner Annelie
Published: October 2021

Infections are common in patients with diabetes, but increasing antibiotic resistance hampers successful bacterial clearance and calls for alternative treatment strategies. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is known to influence the innate immune defense and could therefore serve as a possible target. However, the impact of high glucose on HIF-1 has received little attention and merits closer investigation. Here, we show that higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines and CAMP, encoding for the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin, LL-37, correlate with HIF-1 in type 2 diabetic patients. Chemical activation of HIF-1 further enhanced LL-37, IL-1β, and IL-8 in human uroepithelial cells exposed to high glucose. Moreover, HIF-1 activation of transurethrally infected diabetic mice resulted in lower bacterial load. Drugs activating HIF-1 could therefore in the future potentially have a therapeutic role in clearing bacteria in diabetic patients with infections where antibiotic treatment failed.

Key messages

• Mohanty et al. “HIF-1 mediated activation of antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in type 2 diabetic patients.”

• Our study highlights induction of the antimicrobial peptide, LL-37, and strengthening of the innate immunity through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) in diabetes.

• Our key observations are:

1. HIF-1 activation increased LL-37 expression in human urothelial cells treated with high glucose. In line with that, we demonstrated that patients with type 2 diabetes living at high altitude had increased levels of the LL-37.

2. HIF-1 activation increased IL-1β and IL-8 in human uroepithelial cells treated with high glucose concentration.

3. Pharmacological activation of HIF-1 decreased bacterial load in the urinary bladder of mice with hereditary diabetes.

• We conclude that enhancing HIF-1 may along with antibiotics in the future contribute to the treatment in selected patient groups where traditional therapy is not possible.
Biochemical and structural characterization of beta-carbonic anhydrase from the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis
Authors: Urbański Linda J. , Angeli Andrea , Mykuliak Vasyl V. , Azizi Latifeh , Kuuslahti Marianne , Hytönen Vesa P. , Supuran Claudiu T. , Parkkila Seppo
Published: October 2021

Trichomonas vaginalis is a unicellular parasite and responsible for one of the most common sexually transmittable infections worldwide, trichomoniasis. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are enzymes found in all lifeforms and are known to play a vital role in many biochemical processes in organisms including the maintenance of acid–base homeostasis. To date, eight evolutionarily divergent but functionally convergent forms of CAs (α, β, γ, δ, ζ, η, θ, and ι) have been discovered. The human genome contains only α-CAs, whereas many clinically significant pathogens express only β-CAs and/or γ-CAs. The characterization of pathogenic β- and γ-CAs provides important knowledge for targeting these biomolecules to develop novel anti-invectives against trichomoniasis. Here, we report the recombinant production and characterization of the second β-CA of T. vaginalis (TvaCA2). Light scattering analysis revealed that TvaCA2 is a dimeric protein, which was further supported with in silico modeling, suggesting similar structures between TvaCA2 and the first β-CA of T. vaginalis (TvaCA1). TvaCA2 exhibited moderate catalytic activity with the following kinetic parameters: kcat of 3.8 × 105 s−1 and kcat/KM of 4.4 × 107 M−1 s−1. Enzyme activity inhibition was studied with a set of clinically used sulfonamides and sulfonamide derivates. Twenty-seven out of the 39 compounds resulted in inhibition with a nanomolar range. These initial results encourage for future work entailing the design of more potent inhibitors against TvaCA2, which may provide new assets to fight trichomoniasis.

Key messages

• Protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis has two β-carbonic anhydrases (TvaCA1/2).

• TvaCA1/TvaCA2 represents promising targets for antitrichomonal drug development.

• TvaCA2 is a dimer of 20.3 kDa and possesses moderate catalytic activity.

• The most efficient inhibitor was clinical drug acetazolamide with KI of 222.9 nM.

• The 39 tested sulfonamides form the basis for the design of more potent inhibitors.
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) anxiety test battery: comparison of behavioral responses in the novel tank diving and light–dark tasks following exposure to anxiogenic and anxiolytic compounds
Authors: Fontana Barbara D. , Alnassar Nancy , Parker Matthew O.
Published: October 2021

Rationale

Triangulation of approaches (i.e., using several tests of the same construct) can be extremely useful for increasing the robustness of the findings being widely used when working with behavioral testing, especially when using rodents as a translational model. Although zebrafish are widely used in neuropharmacology research due to their high-throughput screening potential for new therapeutic drugs, behavioral test battery effects following pharmacological manipulations are still unknown.

Methods

Here, we tested the effects of an anxiety test battery and test time following pharmacological manipulations in zebrafish by using two behavioral tasks: the novel tank diving task (NTT) and the light–dark test (LDT). Fluoxetine and conspecific alarm substance (CAS) were chosen to induce anxiolytic and anxiogenic-like behavior, respectively.

Results

For non-drug-treated animals, no differences were observed for testing order (NTT → LDT or LDT → NTT) and there was a strong correlation between performances on the two behavioral tasks. However, we found that during drug treatment, NTT/LDT responses are affected by the tested order depending on the test time being fluoxetine effects higher at the second behavioral task (6 min later) and CAS effects lower across time.

Conclusions

Overall, our data supports the use of baseline behavior assessment using this anxiety test battery. However, when working with drug exposure, data analysis must carefully consider time-drug-response and data variability across behavioral tasks.
Preclinical characterization of [18F]T-008, a novel PET imaging radioligand for cholesterol 24-hydroxylase
Authors: Koike Tatsuki , Constantinescu Cristian C. , Ikeda Shuhei , Nishi Toshiya , Sunahara Eiji , Miyamoto Maki , Cole Patricia , Barret Olivier , Alagille David , Papin Caroline , Morley Thomas , Fowles Krista , Seibyl John , Tamagnan Gilles , Kuroita Takanobu
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CH24H) is a brain-specific enzyme that plays a major role in brain cholesterol homeostasis by converting cholesterol into 24S-hydroxycholesterol. The selective CH24H inhibitor soticlestat (TAK-935) is being pursued as a drug for treatment of seizures in developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Herein, we describe the successful discovery and the preclinical validation of the novel radiolabeled CH24H ligand (3-[18F]fluoroazetidin-1-yl){1-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)pyrimidin-5-yl]piperidin-4-yl}methanone ([18F]T-008) and its tritiated analog, [3H]T-008.

Methods

In vitro autoradiography (ARG) studies in the CH24H wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mouse brain sections were conducted using [3H]T-008. PET imaging was conducted in two adult rhesus macaques using [18F]T-008. Each macaque received two test–retest baseline scans and a series of two blocking doses of soticlestat administered prior to [18F]T-008 to determine the CH24H enzyme occupancy. PET data were analyzed with Logan graphical analysis using plasma input. A Lassen plot was applied to estimate CH24H enzyme occupancy by soticlestat.

Results

In ARG studies, binding of [3H]T-008 was specific to CH24H in the mouse brain sections, which was not observed in CH24H KO or in wild-type mice after pretreatment with soticlestat. In rhesus PET studies, the rank order of [18F]T-008 uptake was striatum > cortical regions > cerebellum, which was consistent with CH24H distribution in the brain. Pre-blocking with soticlestat reduced the maximum uptake and increased the washout in all brain regions in a dose-dependent manner. Calculated global occupancy values for soticlestat at a dose of 0.89 mg/kg were 97–98%, indicating maximum occupancy.

Conclusion

The preclinical in vitro and in vivo evaluation of labeled T-008 demonstrates that [18F]T-008 is suitable for imaging CH24H in the brain and warrants further studies in humans.

Graphical abstract
Spatial Tools for Integrated and Inclusive Landscape Governance: Toward a New Research Agenda
Authors: Ros-Tonen Mirjam A. F. , Willemen Louise , McCall Michael K.
Published: October 2021

Participatory spatial tools—community mapping, PGIS, and others—find increasing resonance among research and non-governmental organizations to make stakeholder claims and community perspectives explicit for more inclusive landscape governance. In this paper, we situate the use of participatory spatial tools in debates on integrated landscape approaches and inclusive development. We show that using such spatial tools is not new but argue that their application for inclusive landscape governance requires a new research agenda that focuses on expanding the scope of application of the tools, improving the inclusivity of the processes, and developing new technologies.
Cyclonic activity in the Mediterranean region from a high-resolution perspective using ECMWF ERA5 dataset
Authors: Aragão Leonardo , Porcù Federico
Published: October 2021

This study focuses on developing a new Cyclone Detection and Tracking Method (CDTM) to take advantage of the recent availability of a high-resolution reanalysis dataset of ECMWF ERA5. The proposed algorithm is used to perform a climatological analysis of the cyclonic activity in the Mediterranean Region (MR) into a 40-year window (1979–2018). The tuning of the new CDTM was based on the comparison with currently available CDTMs and verified through careful subjective analysis to fully exploit the finer details of MR cyclones features. The application of the new CDTM to the ERA5 high-resolution dataset resulted in an increase of 40% in the annual number of cyclones, mainly associated with subsynoptic and baroclinic driven lows. The main cyclogenetic areas and seasonal cycle were properly identified into the MR context, including areas often underestimated, such as the Aegean Sea, and emerging new ones with cyclogenetic potential such as the coast of Tunisia and Libya. The better cyclone features description defined three distinct periods of cyclonic activity in the MR with peculiar and persistent characteristics. In the first period (Apr–Jun), cyclones develop more frequently and present higher velocities and deepening rates. In the second (Jul–Sep), the cyclonic activity is governed by thermal lows spreading slowly over short tracks without reaching significant depths. In the last and longest season (Oct–Mar), cyclones become less frequent, but with the highest deepening rates and the lowest MSLP values, ranking this period as the most favourable to intense storms.