bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Prediabetes
Authors: Agarwal Ashish , Hegde Anupama , Ahmad Afzal , Yadav Charu , Manjrekar Poornima A. , Rukmini M. S.
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Prediabetes is associated with dysglycemia, endothelial dysfunction, obesity and inflammation, placing them at an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with prediabetes by estimation of serum interleukin-6, myeloperoxidase and urine microalbumin and their correlation with fasting plasma glucose and anthropometric measurements.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at Department of Biochemistry, Kasturba Medical College Hospitals, Mangaluru between 2014 and 2015.

Methodology: Eighty subjects were categorised into prediabetes and healthy controls based on their fasting plasma glucose values. Anthropometric data (weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio from all subjects were recorded. Interleukin-6 & myeloperoxidase were estimated in serum sample whereas microalbumin was estimated in random urine sample.

Results: The mean anthropometric measurements and cardiovascular disease risk markers (interleukin-6, myeloperoxidase and urine microalbumin) were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) in prediabetes group. Myeloperoxidase had significant correlation with fasting plasma glucose (r-0.388) in the prediabetes group. Interleukin-6 and myeloperoxidase also showed a positive correlation with body mass index (r - 0.339, r - 0.327), waist circumference (r - 484, r - 0.493) and waist-to-hip ratio (r - 0.430, r - 0.493) while urine microalbumin did not correlate with fasting plasma glucose and anthropometric measurements in prediabetes group.

Conclusion: This study suggests that prediabetes is associated with central adiposity and have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Reflective Practice: Perceived Expectations of Parental Involvement in Underserved and Under-resourced Communities and the Development of Viable Strategies and Partnerships
Authors: Mansur Fatima
Published: March 2020

This paper explores the concept of school and community partnerships and their impact on positive student outcomes. My primary focus as a reflective practitioner was to examine the role of parents in this school–community dynamic. School and community are not two separate entities but interwoven through the commitment and support of the children and families they serve. There is a need to identify strategies to assist and empower parents to become more effective learning partners. Friends of Bright Minds Community Prep (FBMCP) sought to address some of the concerns by developing a Parent Academic Coaching Empowerment (PACE) Curriculum; which utilized authentic and holistic approaches rooted in empirical research conducted by Dr. Joyce Epstein’s, involving the six types of parental involvement. It is incumbent for schools and communities (specifically through community-based organizations) to create viable partnerships with the goal of student achievement within the school setting. As a practicing scholar, there is an opportunity for ongoing inquiry, reflection, and discovery.
Comparative Gamification Practices for Information Literacy Instruction in Higher Education
Authors: Squire Nikki
Published: March 2020

Due to the recent call for the need to change information literacy instruction for 21st century skills, many scholars, educators, and librarians are exploring gamification as a teaching and learning pedagogy for information literacy instruction, design, and assessment for student learning. The research literature provides an overview of various information literacy tools, teaching methods, and pedagogies suggested by scholars and educators for improving information literacy instruction and student learning. Based on results from empirical studies, to improve information literacy outcomes for undergraduate students, especially literacy gains for at-risk or underperforming students, gamification can be used as a conceptual framework for pedagogy assessment for teaching and learning.
The CDCAS Framework: Integrating the Stages of Change Model and the INCOME Framework to Inform Treatment of Individuals with a Substance Use Disorder and Disability
Authors: Lucas Terri
Published: March 2020

Employment has been indicated as a contributor to positive outcomes for both people with substance use disorders and those with disabilities. However, there is a disconnect between vocational rehabilitation services and substance use treatment. This paper will present a new theoretical framework for working with individuals with both a substance use disorder and a disability. This new framework (The CDCAS Framework) integrates the Stages of Change Model for working with individuals with addictions and the INCOME framework for working with individuals with disability to inform a new treatment modality for people with a substance use disorder and a disability.
Clinical validation of an optimized multimodal neurocognitive assessment of chronic mild TBI
Authors: Ettenhofer Mark L. , Gimbel Sarah I. , Cordero Evelyn
Published: March 2020

Objective

Previous laboratory‐based studies have shown that neurocognitive eye‐tracking metrics are sensitive to chronic effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), even in individuals with normal performance on traditional neuropsychological measures. In this study, we sought to replicate and extend these findings in a military medical environment. We expected that metrics from the multimodal Fusion n‐Back test would successfully distinguish chronic mTBI participants from controls, particularly eye movement metrics from the more cognitively challenging “1‐Back” subtest.

Methods

We compared performance of participants with chronic mTBI (n = 46) and controls (n = 33) on the Fusion n‐Back test and a battery of conventional neuropsychological tests. Additionally, we examined test reliability and the impact of potential confounds to neurocognitive assessment.

Results

Our results supported hypotheses; Fusion 1‐Back metrics were successful in multimodal (saccadic and manual) classification of chronic mTBI versus control. In contrast, conventional neuropsychological measures could not distinguish these groups. Additional findings demonstrated the reliability of Fusion n‐Back test metrics and provided evidence that saccadic metrics are resistant to confounding influences of age, intelligence, and psychiatric symptoms.

Interpretation

The Fusion n‐Back test could provide advantages in differential diagnosis for complex brain injury populations. Additionally, the rapid administration of this test could be valuable for screening patients in clinical settings where longer test batteries are not feasible.
Ultrasound Responsive Noble Gas Microbubbles for Applications in Image‐Guided Gas Delivery
Authors: Chattaraj Rajarshi , Hwang Misun , Zemerov Serge D. , Dmochowski Ivan J. , Hammer Daniel A. , Lee Daeyeon , Sehgal Chandra M.
Published: March 2020

Noble gases, especially xenon (Xe), have been shown to have antiapoptotic effects in treating hypoxia ischemia related injuries. Currently, in vivo gas delivery is systemic and performed through inhalation, leading to reduced efficacy at the injury site. This report provides a first demonstration of the encapsulation of pure Xe, Ar, or He in phospholipid‐coated sub‐10 µm microbubbles, without the necessity of stabilizing perfluorocarbon additives. Optimization of shell compositions and preparation techniques show that distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) with DSPE‐PEG5000 can produce stable microbubbles upon shaking, while dibehenoylphosphatidylcholine (DBPC) blended with either DSPE‐PEG2000 or DSPE‐PEG5000 produces a high yield of microbubbles via a sonication/centrifugation method. Xe and Ar concentrations released into the microbubble suspension headspace are measured using GC‐MS, while Xe released directly in solution is detected by the fluorescence quenching of a Xe‐sensitive cryptophane molecule. Bubble production is found to be amenable to scale‐up while maintaining their size distribution and stability. Excellent ultrasound contrast is observed in a phantom for several minutes under physiological conditions, while an intravenous administration of a bolus of pure Xe microbubbles provides significant contrast in a mouse in pre‐ and post‐lung settings (heart and kidney, respectively), paving the way for image‐guided, localized gas delivery for theranostic applications.
Spin‐Dependent Thermoelectric Transport in Cobalt‐Based Heusler Alloys
Authors: Hu Junfeng , Granville Simon , Yu Haiming
Published: March 2020

Sitting at the intersection of spintronics and thermoelectricity, research investigating the coupling of thermoelectric, magnetic, and electrical transport properties in materials has recently found that the ferromagnetic Heusler alloys are the ideal testbeds. These materials have attracted a lot of attention due to their useful magnetotransport properties and the possibility of tailoring these properties by modifying their composition or producing heterostructures. With the diverse range of interesting phenomena in the Heusler alloys, ferromagnetic Heusler alloys are also ideal candidates for engineering spin caloritronic devices that can take advantage of the interplay of the physics of heat flow, magnetism, and electric potential. The fundamental physical concepts important to spin‐dependent thermoelectrics research are introduced and recent studies of several ferromagnetic Heusler compounds are reviewed, highlighting some exceptional latest experiments on half‐metallic Co2TiSn and the ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Co2MnGa. Furthermore, the potential to generate useful magnetothermoelectric voltages in electronic devices based on the anomalous Nernst effect is discussed.
A Long Cycle‐Life High‐Voltage Spinel Lithium‐Ion Battery Electrode Achieved by Site‐Selective Doping
Authors: Liang Gemeng , Wu Zhibin , Didier Christophe , Zhang Wenchao , Cuan Jing , Li Baohua , Ko Kuan‐Yu , Hung Po‐Yang , Lu Cheng‐Zhang , Chen Yuanzhen , Leniec Grzegorz , Kaczmarek Sławomir Maksymilian , Johannessen Bernt , Thomsen Lars , Peterson Vanessa K. , Pang Wei Kong , Guo Zaiping
Published: March 2020

Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) is a promising cathode candidate for the next‐generation high energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Unfortunately, the application of LNMO is hindered by its poor cycle stability. Now, site‐selectively doped LNMO electrode is prepared with exceptional durability. In this work, Mg is selectively doped onto both tetrahedral (8a) and octahedral (16c) sites in the Fd
m structure. This site‐selective doping not only suppresses unfavorable two‐phase reactions and stabilizes the LNMO structure against structural deformation, but also mitigates the dissolution of Mn during cycling. Mg‐doped LNMOs exhibit extraordinarily stable electrochemical performance in both half‐cells and prototype full‐batteries with novel TiNb2O7 counter‐electrodes. This work pioneers an atomic‐doping engineering strategy for electrode materials that could be extended to other energy materials to create high‐performance devices.
Isolierung und strukturelle Charakterisierung der achtfach protonierten Octacyanometallate [M(CNH)8]4+ (M=MoIV,WIV) aus Supersäuren
Authors: Sellin Malte , Marvaud Valérie , Malischewski Moritz
Published: March 2020

Die Octacyanometallate K4[Mo(CN)8] und K4[W(CN)8] werden in der supersauren Mischung von wasserfreiem Fluorwasserstoff und Antimonpentafluorid vollständig protoniert. Die dabei entstandenen Komplexe [Mo(CNH)8]4+[SbF6]−4 und [W(CNH)8]4+[SbF6]−4 sind die ersten Beispiele für achtfach koordinierte homoleptische Komplexe mit Isoblausäure‐Liganden (CNH). Diese Verbindungen wurden kristallographisch untersucht und zeigen Netzwerke aus Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen mit kurzen N⋅⋅⋅H⋅⋅⋅F‐Kontakten. Tieftemperatur‐NMR‐Messungen in HF bestätigen einen schnellen Protonenaustausch sogar bei −40 °C. Durch die Protonierung steigt die Wellenzahl der ν(C≡N)‐Schwingung um etwa 50 cm−1, was im Einklang mit DFT‐Rechnungen steht.
IUBMB/PSBMB 2019 Conference/Plenary: Mentoring in biochemical education and research: Traditional, structured, and institutional
Authors: Tecson‐Mendoza Evelyn Mae
Published: March 2020

Mentoring to many is the informal highly unstructured teaching, advising, and nurturing which we receive from various individuals during our school years and professional lives and then give back to our students and more junior colleagues. However, with the advances in science and technology, the increasing competitiveness in the workplace, fast pace of life, and globalization, the importance of proper mentoring in the training of science professionals has gained the attention of and has been discussed and studied by higher institutions of learning and national academies of science. During the past two decades, efforts toward making mentoring more structured by national academies of sciences and academic and professional institutions have produced guidelines, mentoring programs for mentors and mentees, faculty, students, scholarly research publications on mentoring, and related aspects. This article attempts to discuss the various aspects and concerns of traditional, structured, and institutional mentoring.
Molecular profiling of gastric cancer in a population with high HIV prevalence reveals a shift to MLH1 loss but not the EBV subtype
Authors: Kayamba Violet , Butt Julia , Waterboer Tim , Besa Ellen , Choudhry Naheed , Hamasuku Anglin , Julius Peter , Heimburger Douglas C. , Atadzhanov Masharip , Kelly Paul
Published: March 2020

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic heavily affects sub‐Saharan Africa. It is associated with persistently active Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) infection. To determine if this translates into increased frequency of EBV‐associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC), we evaluated molecular profiles of gastric cancer (GC) in Zambia. Patients with GC or premalignant gastric lesions were enrolled in Lusaka, Zambia. We used patients without any of these lesions as a control group. Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) on tumor tissue was used to identify EBVaGC. To identify the microsatellite unstable subtype, immunofluorescence staining for MutL homolog 1 (MLH1) was used. Exposure to EBV and HIV was assessed serologically. We enrolled 369 patients (median age 52 years [IQR 41‐65]; 198 (54%) female). Of these, 72 (20%) had GC and 35 (9%) had gastric premalignant lesions (PL). CISH identified EBVaGC in 5/44 (11%) of those with adequate tissue, while MLH1 loss was identified in 29/45 (64%). Both GC and PL were associated with the highest titers of antibodies to Early antigen‐diffuse (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0‐6.1, P = .048 and OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.1‐12.9, P = .03, respectively) at high concentrations. Human immunodeficiency virus infection was associated with a range of antibodies to EBV, but not with any cancer subtype. Despite the association of HIV with persistent EBV, the proportion of EBVaGC in Zambia is similar to populations with a low prevalence of HIV infection. The proportion of microsatellite unstable tumors may be higher than other populations.
The CH–π Interaction in Protein–Carbohydrate Binding: Bioinformatics and In Vitro Quantification
Authors: Houser Josef , Kozmon Stanislav , Mishra Deepti , Hammerová Zuzana , Wimmerová Michaela , Koča Jaroslav
Published: March 2020

The molecular recognition of carbohydrates by proteins plays a key role in many biological processes including immune response, pathogen entry into a cell, and cell–cell adhesion (e.g., in cancer metastasis). Carbohydrates interact with proteins mainly through hydrogen bonding, metal‐ion‐mediated interaction, and non‐polar dispersion interactions. The role of dispersion‐driven CH–π interactions (stacking) in protein–carbohydrate recognition has been underestimated for a long time considering the polar interactions to be the main forces for saccharide interactions. However, over the last few years it turns out that non‐polar interactions are equally important. In this study, we analyzed the CH–π interactions employing bioinformatics (data mining, structural analysis), several experimental (isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), X‐ray crystallography), and computational techniques. The Protein Data Bank (PDB) has been used as a source of structural data. The PDB contains over 12 000 protein complexes with carbohydrates. Stacking interactions are very frequently present in such complexes (about 39 % of identified structures). The calculations and the ITC measurement results suggest that the CH–π stacking contribution to the overall binding energy ranges from 4 up to 8 kcal mol−1. All the results show that the stacking CH–π interactions in protein–carbohydrate complexes can be considered to be a driving force of the binding in such complexes.
An “orientation sphere” visualization for examining animal head movements
Authors: Wilson Rory P. , Williams Hannah J. , Holton Mark D. , di Virgilio Agustina , Börger Luca , Potts Jonathan R. , Gunner Richard , Arkwright Alex , Fahlman Andreas , Bennett Nigel C. , Alagaili Abdulaziz , Cole Nik C. , Duarte Carlos M. , Scantlebury David M.
Published: March 2020

Animal behavior is elicited, in part, in response to external conditions, but understanding how animals perceive the environment and make the decisions that bring about these behavioral responses is challenging.

Animal heads often move during specific behaviors and, additionally, typically have sensory systems (notably vision, smell, and hearing) sampling in defined arcs (normally to the front of their heads). As such, head‐mounted electronic sensors consisting of accelerometers and magnetometers, which can be used to determine the movement and directionality of animal heads (where head “movement” is defined here as changes in heading [azimuth] and/or pitch [elevation angle]), can potentially provide information both on behaviors in general and also clarify which parts of the environment the animals might be prioritizing (“environmental framing”).

We propose a new approach to visualize the data of such head‐mounted tags that combines the instantaneous outputs of head heading and pitch in a single intuitive spherical plot. This sphere has magnetic heading denoted by “longitude” position and head pitch by “latitude” on this “orientation sphere” (O‐sphere).

We construct the O‐sphere for the head rotations of a number of vertebrates with contrasting body shape and ecology (oryx, sheep, tortoises, and turtles), illustrating various behaviors, including foraging, walking, and environmental scanning. We also propose correcting head orientations for body orientations to highlight specific heading‐independent head rotation, and propose the derivation of O‐sphere‐metrics, such as angular speed across the sphere. This should help identify the functions of various head behaviors.

Visualizations of the O‐sphere provide an intuitive representation of animal behavior manifest via head orientation and rotation. This has ramifications for quantifying and understanding behaviors ranging from navigation through vigilance to feeding and, when used in tandem with body movement, should provide an important link between perception of the environment and response to it in free‐ranging animals.
QM and QM/MM umbrella sampling MD study of the formation of Hg(II)–thymine bond: Model for evaluation of the reaction energy profiles in solutions with constant pH
Authors: Šebesta Filip , Šebera Jakub , Sychrovský Vladimír , Tanaka Yoshiyuki , Burda Jaroslav V.
Published: March 2020

The formation of the Hg–N3(T) bond between the 1‐methylthymine (T) molecule and the hydrated Hg2+ cation was explored with the combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method including Free Energy Perturbation corrections. The thermodynamic properties were determined in the whole pH range, when these systems were explicitly investigated and considered as the QM part: (1) T + [Hg(H2O)6]2+, (2) T + [Hg(H2O)5(OH)]+, (3) T + Hg(H2O)4(OH)2, and (4) N3‐deprotonated T + Hg(H2O)4(OH)2. The MM part contained only solvent molecules and counterions. As a result, the dependence of Gibbs‐Alberty reaction free energy on pH was obtained along the reaction coordinate. We found that an endoergic reaction in acidic condition up to pH < 4–5 becomes exoergic for a higher pH corresponding to neutral and basic solutions. The migration of the Hg2+ cation between N3 and O4/2 positions in dependence on pH is discussed as well. For the verification, DFT calculations of stationary points were performed confirming the qualitative trends of QM/MM MD simulations and NMR parameters were determined for them.
An enzymatic on/off switch‐mediated assay for KRAS hotspot point mutation detection of circulating tumor DNA
Authors: Wang Qing‐lin , Zhou Cui‐lan , Yin Yu‐fang , Xiao Li , Wang Yuan , Li Kai
Published: March 2020

Background

To detect the mutations of KRAS gene in colorectal cancer patients and other cancer patients, it is of value to develop non‐invasive, sensitive, specific, easy, and low‐cost assays.

Methods

Templates harboring hotspot mutations of the KRAS gene were constructed, and primers were designed for evaluation of the specificity, and sensitivity of detection system consisted of exonuclease polymerase‐mediated on/off switch; then, gel electrophoresis and real‐time PCR were performed for verification. The assay was verified by testing the DNA pool of normal controls and circulating DNA (ctDNA) samples from 14 tumor patients, as compared to Sanger sequencing.

Results

A specific and sensitive assay consisted of exonuclease polymerase‐mediated on/off switch, and multiplex real‐time PCR method has been established. This assay could detect <100 copies of KRAS mutation in more than 10 million copies of wild‐type KRAS gene fragments. This assay was applied to test KRAS gene mutations in three cases of fourteen ctDNA samples, and the results were consistent with Sanger sequencing. However, this PCR‐based assay was more sensitive and easier to be interpreted.

Conclusion

This assay can detect the presence of KRAS hotspot mutations in clinical circulating tumor DNA samples. The assay has a potential to be used in early diagnosis of colorectal cancer as well as other types of cancer.
Parallel hierarchical decomposition of finite element method with block diagonal symmetric Gauss‐Seidel preconditioner for solving 3D problems with over ten billion unknowns
Authors: Liu Rui‐Qing , Yang Ming‐Lin , Wu Bi‐Yi , Sheng Xin‐Qing
Published: March 2020

We present in this paper an efficient parallelization approach of the finite element domain decomposition method (FEM‐DDM) for solving large‐scale 3D scattering problems with over ten billion unknowns. In this parallel FEM‐DDM, the whole solution domain is decomposed in a two‐level hierarchical way to minimize the inter process communication. A communication‐avoided block diagonal symmetric Gauss‐Seidel (BD‐SGS) preconditioner is specially designed to accelerate the iterative solution of the interface problem from FEM‐DDM and reduce the CPU time, as well as the peak memory. Besides, a communication strategy is carefully designed to make computation and communication overlapped via nonblocking sending and receiving to further improve the parallel scalability. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy, scalability, and capability of the proposed parallel FEM‐DDM algorithm. The solutions of scattering by a practical aircraft model with a three‐layer antenna radome on its nose section is presented, which are discretized with more than ten billion unknowns. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest number of unknowns solved by parallel FEM‐DDM in computational electromagnetics to date, for this type of simulation.
Management in a complex scenario: World Cup, alternative stadiums and demand for tickets
Authors: Gasparetto Thadeu , Barajas Angel
Published: March 2020

This paper analyses a particular managerial problem that sports clubs face from time to time. The aim is to identify the effects that alternative stadiums and stadiums' features have in ticket prices and demand. Simultaneous equations models by three‐stage least square estimator using instrumental variables is the method employed. The findings evidence that alternative stadiums negatively impact attendances, but clubs can offset this effect playing at high‐quality alternative stadiums. Results also evidence that fans care about security levels. Some policies for football leagues are discussed as limits in the use of alternative stadiums, league fixtures and hard requirements concerning security.
Fasciculations demonstrate daytime consistency in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Bashford James , Masood Urooba , Wickham Aidan , Iniesta Raquel , Drakakis Emmanuel , Boutelle Martyn , Mills Kerry , Shaw Chris
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Fasciculations represent early neuronal hyperexcitability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To aid calibration as a disease biomarker, we set out to characterize the daytime variability of fasciculation firing.

Methods

Fasciculation awareness scores were compiled from 19 ALS patients. In addition, 10 ALS patients prospectively underwent high‐density surface electromyographic (HDSEMG) recordings from biceps and gastrocnemius at three time‐points during a single day.

Results

Daytime fasciculation awareness scores were low (mean: 0.28 muscle groups), demonstrating significant variability (coefficient of variation: 303%). Biceps HDSEMG recordings were highly consistent for fasciculation potential frequency (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 95%, n = 19) and the interquartile range of fasciculation potential amplitude (ICC = 95%, n = 19). These parameters exhibited robustness to observed fluctuations in data quality parameters. Gastrocnemius demonstrated more modest levels of consistency overall (44% to 62%, n = 20).

Discussion

There was remarkable daytime consistency of fasciculation firing in the biceps of ALS patients, despite sparse and intermittent awareness among patients’ accounts.
Reibungsminderer aus dem Meer
Authors: Koch Thomas , Gläbe Ralf , Saka Yvonne , Nentwig Nina , Filser Juliane , Siol Antje , Köser Jan , Thoeming Jorg , Mesing Shannon , Larek Roland , Mannott Insa , Gavalás‐Olea Antonio , Lang Imke
Published: March 2020

Schmierstoffe für die Metallverarbeitung enthalten in der Regel Additive auf Mineralölbasis. Eine alternative Rohstoffquelle sind Mikroalgen. Denn sie produzieren Substanzen, die in ihrer Wirkung den konventionellen Zusatzstoffen ähneln.
Silikonchemie: Tröpfchen für Tröpfchen
Authors: Liesener Florian , Seitz Vera
Published: March 2020

Ein neues 3‐D‐Druckverfahren liefert komplex strukturierte Silikonelastomerartikel – vom Prototyp bis zu Kleinserien. Chemisch entsprechen die gedruckten Formteile spritzgegossenen Produkten. Beispiele sind anatomische Organmodelle und Bauteile von Robotergreifern.
Batterien: Ölbasierte Binder statt Polyvinylchlorid
Authors: Jeske Helene , Kandula Maja W.
Published: March 2020

Für die Elektrodenbeschichtung bei Lithiumionenakkus lässt sich auf nachwachsende Rohstoffe zurückgreifen. Damit sind handelsübliche halogenbasierte Bindersysteme zu ersetzen und neue ökologisch sowie ökonomisch zu produzieren.
Rohstoff für eine neue Chemie
Authors: Offermanns Heribert , Retzlaff Frank
Published: March 2020

Die Weltgeltung der deutschen Chemie beruht auf den Firmengründungen des 19. Jahrhunderts. Holz‐ und Teerchemie bildeten die Rohstoffbasis vor dem Erdölzeitalter. Der typische und wichtigste Chemierohstoff der damaligen Zeit war Steinkohlenteer.
Bilanz 2019: Sanofi
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: March 2020

Das Pharmaunternehmen Sanofi erhielt im Jahr 2019 einen neuen Vorstandsvorsitzenden und in Deutschland einen neuen Geschäftsführer. Die Umsätze sind im vergangenen Jahr gestiegen.
Michael Groß auf der Suche nach dem verlorenen Sinn
Authors: Groß Michael
Published: March 2020

Vor 20 Jahren, im April 2000, erschien die erste meiner inzwischen zahllosen Glossen unter dem Rubriktitel „Ausgeforscht”. Erlauben Sie mir daher einen Blick zurück im Spaß, damit ich die wichtigen Fragen klären kann: Erstens, wie das alles begann, und zweitens, was die absurdesten Blüten der Wissenschaft waren, die ich in den letzten zwei Jahrzehnten durch den Kakao gezogen habe.
Investigating the stationarity hypothesis of Gross Domestic Product per capita in Central and Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent State countries: Evidence using Fourier based panel KPSS test
Authors: Tiwari Aviral Kumar , Padhan Hemachandra , Alhassan Abdulkareem , Bekun Festus Victor
Published: March 2020

Using annual data from 1985 to 2016, the study conducts a robust panel stationarity analysis by accounting for cross‐sectional dependency, sharp breaks and gradual structural shifts for per capita Gross Domestic Product (PCGDP) of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS) countries. The empirical finding reveals that PCGDP at different Fourier frequency and model structure (trend or constant) for both CEE and CIS countries are unit root process. Moreover, the PCGDP of CEE and CIS countries are nonmean reverting in the presence of cross‐sectional dependence and gradual structural shifts which previous studies using well‐known panel stationarity estimators fail to find. Policy insights are highlighted in the conclusion section.
The multiplicity of challenges faced by South African borders: A case of Limpopo Province
Authors: Mamokhere John , Chauke Khensani R.
Published: March 2020

Continently, African countries are gradually facing overwhelming tasks of managing their borders in ways that safeguard their national sovereignty, ensures that they are bridges rather than barriers for cross‐border cooperation and regional integration, prevents illegal entries, xenophobic attack and exiting of people and goods while allowing natural movement of goods and people. In this manner, South Africa and other African countries are confronted with different challenges, which impact negatively on the economy and political arena. Therefore, the article aimed at examining the multiplicity of challenges faced by South African borders with specific reference to Limpopo Province. The article has determined the number of aggravating factors towards porous borders which contribute to the multiplicity of challenges, inter alia;an increase in corruption, porous borderlines and weak management systems. A desktop research approach was applied to collects historical materials to validate the arguments that African countries are faced with an epidemic xenophobic attack due to poor maintenance and control of national borders and security system. As a result, the article recommends that the government ought to intensify the visibility of South African Police Services on the borders to help curb crimes and illegal immigrants. The article also recommends effective outsourcing of certain government functions to the private sector, effective use of technology for detections of risks and deployment of skilled, experienced and trustworthy or ethical officials. In conclusion, this article outlines some of the solutions that may be applied to address the porous borders management challenges experienced at the South African borders.
A novel silk/PES hybrid nanofibrous scaffold promotes the in vitro proliferation and differentiation of adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells into insulin producing cells
Authors: Hosseini Motaharesadat , Dadashi‐Noshahr Karim , Islami Maryam , Saburi Ehsan , Nikpoor Amin R. , Mellati Amir , Mossahebi‐Mohammadi Majid , Soleimanifar Fatemeh , Enderami Seyed E.
Published: March 2020

Using stem cells to replace the lost beta cells is a hopeful strategy in the treatment of diabetic patients. Furthermore, during stem cell culture and therapy, it is a need to use a substrate to act as a supportive matrix to mimic 3D in vivo microenvironment. Therefore, in this study, human adipose‐derived stem cells were used to differentiate into insulin‐producing cells (IPCs) on a silk/polyethersulfone (PES) scaffold. After exposing to the differentiation media, 2D and 3D (silk/PES) cultured cells were gradually aggregated and formed spherical shaped clusters. The viability of cells was comparable in both 3D and 2D culture. As the results of gene expression assay in both RNA and protein level showed, the differentiation efficiency was higher in 3D culture. Furthermore, ELISA revealed that the release of C‐peptide and insulin was higher in 3D than 2D culture. It seems that silk/PES nanofibrous hybrid scaffold could provide an appropriate matrix to mimic in vivo microenvironment and therefore increases the IPC differentiation potency of stem cells.
Liver metastasis at diagnosis in children with nephroblastoma enrolled in SIOP2001 protocol: A French multicentric study
Authors: Liné Antoine , Sudour‐Bonnange Hélène , Languillat‐Fouquet Virginie , Brisse Hervé , Irtan Sabine , Verschuur Arnauld , Sarnacki Sabine , Thébaud Estelle , Coulomb‐L'Hermine Aurore , Notz‐Carrère Anne , Michon Jean , Tabone Marie‐Dominique , Boulanger Cécile , Pellier Isabelle , Freycon Claire , Audry Georges , Dijoud Frédérique , Morelle Magali , Bergeron Christophe , Pasqualini Claudia
Published: March 2020

Background

Liver metastases are rare in children with Wilms tumor (WT), and their impact on the outcome is unclear.

Patients and methods

The French cohort of patients with WT presenting liver metastases at diagnosis and enrolled in the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) 2001 study was reviewed.

Results

From 2002 to 2012, 906 French patients were enrolled in the SIOP2001 trial. Among them, 131 (14%) presented with stage IV WT and 18 (1.9%) had liver metastases at diagnosis. Isolated liver metastases were displayed in four of them. After preoperative chemotherapy, persistent liver disease was reported in 14/18 patients, and 13 of them underwent metastasectomy after nephrectomy. In resected liver lesions, the same histology of the primary tumor was reported for three patients, blastemal cells without anaplasia were identified in one patient with DA‐WT, and post‐chemotherapy necrosis/fibrosis was identified for the other 10 patients. For the four patients who had liver and lung surgery, both sites had nonviable cells with post‐chemotherapy necrosis/fibrosis. Six patients had hepatic radiotherapy. Sixteen patients achieved primary complete remission and were alive at the last follow‐up (median follow‐up: 6.4 years). The only two deceased patients presented diffuse anaplasia histology. The five‐year EFS and OS were 83% (60%‐94%) and 88% (66%‐97%), respectively.

Conclusion

Liver involvement does not appear to be an adverse prognostic factor in metastatic WT. The role of hepatic surgery and radiotherapy remains unclear, and should be carefully considered in case of persistent liver metastases, according to histology and radiological response to other metastatic sites.
Construct validity of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory‐2‐Restructured Form scale scores in correctional settings
Authors: Tylicki Jessica L. , Phillips Tasha R. , Ben‐Porath Yossef S. , Sellbom Martin
Published: March 2020

Limited research has examined the link between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory‐2‐Restructured Form (MMPI‐2‐RF) scales and contemporary personality and psychopathology models within correctional settings. This study focused on establishing construct validity of the MMPI‐2‐RF in offender samples from a broad personality framework. Two samples of incarcerated men and women completed a battery of broadband personality measures and narrowband measures that capture conceptually related constructs. To examine how MMPI‐2‐RF scale scores and criterion measures converged in a conjoint latent structure, we conducted a series of exploratory structural equation modelling analyses, which revealed factors similar to those of extant hierarchical personality models. At the broadband level, four factors (Positive Activation, Negative Affectivity, Inhibition and Agreeableness) were observed, whereas narrowband criteria yielded five factors (Behavioural Approach System, Disinhibition/Externalizing, Danger/Thrill Seeking, Self‐Assurance/Boldness, and Unemotionality/Coldheartedness). MMPI‐2‐RF scale scores converged with the personality/psychopathology models in a theoretically expected manner. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonparametric estimation of broad sense agreement between ordinal and censored continuous outcomes
Authors: Dai Tian , Guo Ying , Peng Limin , Manatunga Amita
Published: March 2020

The concept of broad sense agreement (BSA) has recently been proposed for studying the relationship between a continuous measurement and an ordinal measurement. They developed a nonparametric procedure for estimating the BSA index, which is only applicable to completely observed data. In this work, we consider the problem of evaluating BSA index when the continuous measurement is subject to censoring. We propose a nonparametric estimation method built upon a derivation of a new functional representation of the BSA index, which allows for accommodating censoring by plugging in the nonparametric survival function estimators. We establish the consistency and asymptotic normality for the proposed BSA estimator. We also investigate an alternative approach based on the strategy of multiple imputation, which is shown to have better empirical performance with small sample sizes than the plug‐in method. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to evaluate our proposals. We illustrate our methods via an application to a Surgical Intensive Care Unit study.
A potential alternative to traditional antibiotics in aquaculture: Yeast glycoprotein exhibits antimicrobial effect in vivo and in vitro on Aeromonas caviae isolated from Carassius auratus gibelio
Authors: Wu Ronghua , Shen Junyu , Tian Dandan , Yu Jiaqian , He Tao , Yi Jianhua , Li Yun
Published: March 2020

In aquaculture, antibiotics are commonly used to provide protection against pathogens; however, this practice has become controversial due to increased occurrences of microbial resistance, and alternatives are needed. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of yeast glycoprotein (YG) against Aeromonas caviae. Pathogens were isolated from liver of diseased Carassius auratus gibelio. Based on morphological and biochemical analysis, together with 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the isolated strains were identified as A. caviae and concluded as clones of a single strain and named L2. Further pathogenicity analysis revealed that A. caviae possessed β‐haemolysis, and its median lethal dose for C. gibelio was 1.33 × 106 CFU/ml. Hepatic adenylate kinase and pyruvate kinase activities of C. gibelio were inhibited post–A. caviae infection. Antimicrobial drug test suggested that A. caviae was a multidrug‐resistant organism but could be inhibited by YG in vitro. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration of YG was 83.3 mg/ml and 166.7 mg/ml, respectively. Microbiota sequencing results showed that YG supplement could obviously decrease the relative abundance of Aeromonas and increase the microbial diversity. Our study revealed that A. caviae from C. gibelio was a multidrug‐resistant bacteria strain, and could be significantly inhibited by YG in vivo and in vitro, thus providing important insights into ecological control and pathogenesis of A. caviae in aquaculture.
Dark matter clusters and time correlations in direct detection experiments
Authors: Nussinov Shmuel , Zhang Yongchao
Published: March 2020

Abstract

Assuming that dark matter (DM) efficiently clusters on various scales we analyse the possible impact on direct DM searches. For certain sizes and densities of DM clusters, mutual detector-cluster encounters may occur only once a year or every several years leading to the apparent failure of individual experiments searching for DM to discover it. If, however, encounters with Earth size and up to 104 times bigger clusters occur about once a year, then finding time correlations between events in different underground detectors can lead to DM discovery.
Entwicklung der Antibiotikaverordnungen im ambulanten pädiatrischen Sektor in Bielefeld 2015–2018
Authors: Bornemann Reinhard , Tillmann Roland
Published: March 2020

Hintergrund

Bei der Eindämmung bakterieller Resistenzen hat der rationale Einsatz von Antibiotika (Antibiotic Stewardship, ABS) einen hohen Stellenwert. Zur zielgerichteten Allokation von ABS-Maßnahmen ist eine tiefergehende Analyse der Antibiotikaverordnungen erforderlich. Im aus der ambulanten Pädiatrie hervorgehenden ABS-Projekt „AnTiB“ wurde eine Methodik zur lokalen Verordnungsanalyse entwickelt und umgesetzt.

Methodik

In einer Querschnittsstudie wurden die an die KVWL übermittelten Apothekenabrechnungsdaten der ambulant tätigen Bielefelder Pädiaterinnen und Pädiater der Jahre 2015–2018 ausgewertet. Einbezogen wurden alle Kinder und Jugendlichen bis 18 Jahre.

Ergebnisse

Im Studienzeitraum wurden von 28 PädiaterInnen insgesamt 28.677 Antibiotikaverordnungen für 20.868 individuelle Patienten eingelöst. Der Altersmedian betrug 5,0 Jahre (25- bzw. 75-Perzentile 2,6 bzw. 8,8 Jahre), Mädchen und Jungen nahezu 1:1 verteilt. 40 % der Verordnungen entfielen auf die Altersgruppe 2 bis <6 Jahre. Die Verordnungen waren im zeitlichen Ablauf sehr unterschiedlich verteilt. Es zeigte sich eine hohe Varianz der Verordnungsmuster einzelner Ärztinnen und Ärzte sowohl auf lokaler Ebene als auch im regionalen Vergleich innerhalb von Westfalen-Lippe.

Diskussion

Die erprobte Methodik einer differenzierten lokalen Betrachtung des Antibiotikaeinsatzes von ambulant tätigen Pädiatern lässt sich auch auf andere Fachgruppen übertragen und kann mit dazu beitragen, die Datengrundlage für flächendeckende, aber fokussierte ABS-Ansätze im ambulanten Sektor zu generieren. Die Ursachen für das individuell recht variable Verordnungsverhalten sind vielgestaltig, lokale „Verordnungskulturen“ dürften jedoch eine relevante Rolle spielen. Diese Kulturen gilt es, gezielt zu identifizieren und im Sinne von ABS zu modifizieren.
State-of-the-art imaging for diagnosis of metastatic bone disease
Authors: Isaac Amanda , Dalili Danoob , Dalili Daniel , Weber Marc-André
Published: March 2020

Metastatic bone disease (MBD) is common—it is detected in up to 65–75% of patients with breast or prostate cancer, in over 35% of patients with lung cancer; and almost all patients with symptomatic multiple myeloma have focal lesions or a diffuse bone marrow infiltration. Metastatic bone disease can cause a variety of symptoms and is often associated with a poorer prognosis, with high social and health-care costs. Population-based cohort studies confirm significantly increased health-care utilization costs in patients presenting with cancer with MBD compared with those without MBD. The prolonged survival of patients with bone metastasis thanks to advances in therapy presents an opportunity for better treatments for this patient cohort. Early and accurate diagnosis of bone metastases is therefore crucial. The patterns and presentation of MBD are quite heterogeneous and necessitate good knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of each imaging modality. Here, we review the state-of-the-art imaging techniques, assess the need for evidence-based and cost-effective patient care pathways, and advocate multidisciplinary management based on collaborations between orthopedic surgeons, pathologists, oncologists, radiotherapists, and radiologists aimed at improving patient outcomes. Radiologists play a key role in this multidisciplinary approach to decision-making through correlating the tumor entity, the tumor biology, the impact on the surrounding tissues and progression, as well as the overall condition of the patient. This approach helps to choose the best patient-tailored imaging plan advocating a “choose wisely” strategy throughout the initial diagnosis, minimally invasive treatment procedures, as well as follow-up care plans.
Longitudinal mouse-PET imaging: a reliable method for estimating binding parameters without a reference region or blood sampling
Authors: Wimberley Catriona , Nguyen Duc Loc , Truillet Charles , Peyronneau Marie-Anne , Gulhan Zuhal , Tonietto Matteo , Boumezbeur Fawzi , Boisgard Raphael , Chalon Sylvie , Bouilleret Viviane , Buvat Irène
Published: March 2020

Longitudinal mouse PET imaging is becoming increasingly popular due to the large number of transgenic and disease models available but faces challenges. These challenges are related to the small size of the mouse brain and the limited spatial resolution of microPET scanners, along with the small blood volume making arterial blood sampling challenging and impossible for longitudinal studies. The ability to extract an input function directly from the image would be useful for quantification in longitudinal small animal studies where there is no true reference region available such as TSPO imaging.

Methods

Using dynamic, whole-body 18F-DPA-714 PET scans (60 min) in a mouse model of hippocampal sclerosis, we applied a factor analysis (FA) approach to extract an image-derived input function (IDIF). This mouse-specific IDIF was then used for 4D-resolution recovery and denoising (4D-RRD) that outputs a dynamic image with better spatial resolution and noise properties, and a map of the total volume of distribution (VT) was obtained using a basis function approach in a total of 9 mice with 4 longitudinal PET scans each. We also calculated percent injected dose (%ID) with and without 4D-RRD. The VT and %ID parameters were compared to quantified ex vivo autoradiography using regional correlations of the specific binding from autoradiography against VT and %ID parameters.

Results

The peaks of the IDIFs were strongly correlated with the injected dose (Pearson R = 0.79). The regional correlations between the %ID estimates and autoradiography were R = 0.53 without 4D-RRD and 0.72 with 4D-RRD over all mice and scans. The regional correlations between the VT estimates and autoradiography were R = 0.66 without 4D-RRD and 0.79 with application of 4D-RRD over all mice and scans.

Conclusion

We present a FA approach for IDIF extraction which is robust, reproducible and can be used in quantification methods for resolution recovery, denoising and parameter estimation. We demonstrated that the proposed quantification method yields parameter estimates closer to ex vivo measurements than semi-quantitative methods such as %ID and is immune to tracer binding in tissue unlike reference tissue methods. This approach allows for accurate quantification in longitudinal PET studies in mice while avoiding repeated blood sampling.
Ausgeprägter Wessely-Immunring bei Keratitis – ein Chamäleon
Authors: Weinstein Isabel , Fries Fabian N. , Szentmáry Nóra , Seitz Berthold , Daas Loay
Published: March 2020

Ein Wessely-Immunring kann bei verschiedenen kornealen Infektionen sowie bei nichtinfektiöser Ätiologie auftreten und differenzialdiagnostisch wegweisend, aber auch irreführend sein. Eine definitive Diagnosestellung kann nur in Gesamtschau der klinischen und mikrobiologischen Befunde erfolgen. Differenzialdiagnostische Überlegungen und Therapiestrategien werden im Kontext der Kasuistik eines 31 Jahre alten Kontaktlinsenträgers mit diffuser Endotheldekompensation bei fokalem mittelperipherem Infiltrat mit Wessely-Immunring exemplarisch erörtert und kritisch reflektiert.
A comparison of semiparametric tests for fractional cointegration
Authors: Leschinski Christian , Voges Michelle , Sibbertsen Philipp
Published: March 2020

There are various competing procedures to determine whether fractional cointegration is present in a multivariate time series, but no standard approach has emerged. We provide a synthesis of this literature and conduct a detailed comparative Monte Carlo study to guide empirical researchers in their choice of appropriate methodologies. Special attention is paid on empirically relevant issues such as assumptions about the form of the underlying process and the ability of the procedures to distinguish between short-run correlation and long-run equilibria. It is found that several approaches are severely oversized in presence of correlated short-run components and that the methods show different performance in terms of power when applied to common-component models instead of triangular systems.