bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why has the authorization of microbial biological control agents been slower in the EU than in comparable jurisdictions?
Authors: Sundh Ingvar , Eilenberg Jørgen
Published: November 2020

The aim of this study was to identify reasons why the authorization of microbial pest control agents is lengthier under regulatory frameworks of the European Union (EU) than in comparable jurisdictions. A main conclusion is that although the EUʼs regulatory processes have strong scientific foundations, the most appropriate scientific concepts, knowledge and expertise have not been applied in the safety assessment of microorganisms and biological control. Tradition and conceptual legacies from assessments of conventional chemical pesticides have likely contributed to this by steering the evaluations of microorganisms in less appropriate directions. According to our investigation, the current framework for microbial plant protection products complies poorly with the principles that legislation should have legal predictability, proportionality, and that it should be non‐discriminative, for instance in comparison to corresponding regulations in comparable jurisdictions. We also found that existing possibilities to take non‐safety and ethical considerations into account can probably be used more. To rationalize the EUʼs authorization of microbial control products, both the basic legislation and the evaluations of agents and products need stronger rooting in fundamental microbiological science. © 2020 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Identification of the Aedes aegypti nAChR gene family and molecular target of spinosad
Authors: Lan Jianqiang , Wang Zihe , Chen Zhaohui , Zhang Lei , Zhao Jianguo , Guan Qingfeng , Liao Chenghong , Liu Nannan , Han Qian
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Spinosad is an insecticide with unique mode of action (MOA) of disrupting nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and is efficacious against many insect species. Mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α6 subunit have been identified that are associated with levels of spinosad resistance, but the molecular characterization of the nAChR gene family and a causative association between nAChR α6 and resistance to spinosad in Aedes aegypti, a primary vector of many arboviruses, have not yet been reported.

RESULTS

In this study, we identified 10 candidate nAChR subunits in Ae. Aegypti, nAChRα1–α9 and nAChRβ1, showing similarly orthologous relationships with Anopheles gambiae. With the application of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system, we introduced a 32‐bp deletion at the 5′ end of the Aaeα6 (Ae. aegypti nAChR α6) gene in a homozygous mutant strain (Aaeα6‐KO). The mutation produced two successive pre‐mature stop codons, resulting in loss of function in the target receptor. The Aaeα6‐KO mutant strain exhibited a 320‐fold level of resistance to spinosad compared with wildtype. A recessive mode of inheritance for spinosad resistance was found in the Aaeα6‐KO strain.

CONCLUSION

CRISPR/Cas9 introduced truncated Aaeα6 receptor in Ae. aegypti resulted in an increased level of resistance to spinosad, suggesting that the conserved nAChR α6 subunit is the target for spinosad insecticide. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Analyses of structural dynamics revealed flexible binding mechanism for the Agrilus mali odorant binding protein 8 towards plant volatiles
Authors: Li Dexian , Li Chunbo , Liu Deguang
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Volatiles from host plants are an important source of insect pest attractants and repellents. Insect odorant binding proteins (OBPs) have been widely characterized, but the molecular binding dynamics and underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. Thus, we characterized binding characteristics of AmalOBP8 from the apple buprestid beetle (Agrilus mali Matsumura), an unprecedented serious threat to rare apple germplasm resources and local ecosystems.

RESULTS

Fluorescence studies demonstrated that the quenching mechanism was clearly static. AmalOBP8 was found to bind with both volatiles at single independent sites. Negative thermodynamic parameters suggested that binding interactions between AmalOBP8 and both volatiles could occur spontaneously. Hydrogen bonding was the key force in AmalOBP8's binding to geranyl formate, for which the amino acid residue Trp106 played a critical role in the binding pocket. Multiple Leu residues in AmalOBP8 created a strong hydrophobic environment, and formed the binding pocket for (Z)‐3‐hexenyl hexanoate. Compared to classic OBPs, in addition to lack of one disulfide bridge, AmalOBP8 had a small α‐helix (α7) at the C‐terminus, resulting in greater flexibility and adaptability for this protein to bind with different compound molecules.

CONCLUSION

Key residues of AmalOBP8 in binding interactions with plant volatiles were clarified. AmalOPB8 had a large ligand binding spectrum and great flexibility in binding with plant volatiles, providing good molecular targets for screening insect attractants and repellents. Our results can promote understanding of insects' perception of various odorants, and establish a foundation for discovery of new pest control agents. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
A Personalized Medicine Approach Using Clinical Utility Index and Exposure‐Response Modeling Informed by Patient Preferences Data
Authors: Winzenborg Insa , Soliman Ahmed M. , Shebley Mohamad
Published: November 2020

Selection of a personalized dose for an individual patient can be informed by the patient’s preferences, translated as weights on each of the clinically relevant safety and efficacy drug attributes, based on results from a brief patient preference elicitation questionnaire. In this analysis, the weighted attributes were simulated to represent various endometriosis patient profiles. Exposure‐response simulations were performed for elagolix, a drug approved for management of moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis, across a range of plasma exposures corresponding to a range of doses. The results were combined to calculate a personalized clinical utility index. An interactive user‐friendly online application was developed and envisioned as a physician’s desk tool to personalize the dose selection process based on individual patient preferences. This demonstration should serve as an example of how patient/physician conversation can be facilitated with quantitative tools for personalizing the dose.
Bain Deformation Mechanism and Lifshitz Transition in Magnesium under High Pressure
Authors: Tsuppayakorn-aek Prutthipong , Zhang Jianbo , Luo Wei , Ding Yang , Ahuja Rajeev , Bovornratanaraks Thiti
Published: November 2020

The body‐centered cubic (bcc) to face‐centered cubic (fcc) phase transition of magnesium is explained by Bain deformation using ﬁrst‐principles calculations. It is shown that the bcc structure transforms into the fcc structure at a pressure of 489 GPa. The electronic band structure of the bcc structure exhibits the Lifshitz transition. The projected density of states of the bcc structure displays the s–d hybridization near the Fermi energy under high pressure. This remarkable structural feature shows the unique pathway leading to a common bcc–fcc Bain deformation mechanism among alkaline‐earth metals.
Information theory and Wigner crystallization: A model perspective
Authors: Thompson David C. , Anderson James S. M. , Sen K. D.
Published: November 2020

Accurate restricted Hartree‐Fock (RHF) wave‐functions are used to investigate information theoretic properties of the model problem of two interacting electrons confined within an infinite spherical potential of radius R. Benchmark quality calculations are performed to characterize this system via a range of information measures as a function of the tunable parameter R, across the full electron correlation regime (low to high correlation; small R to large R). Both the Shannon information entropy and a statistical complexity measure provide quantitative insight regarding the onset of the formation of a “Wigner molecule” state for this system.
Acute eosinophilic pneumonia accompanied with COVID‐19: a case report
Authors: Murao Koutaro , Saito Atsushi , Kuronuma Koji , Fujiya Yoshihiro , Takahashi Satoshi , Chiba Hirofumi
Published: November 2020

We report a case of acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) triggered by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection. A 77‐year‐old man experienced left‐sided chest pain and shortness of breath. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) revealed a positive result, and he was treated with favipiravir, ciclesonide, and lascufloxacin, but he showed poor improvement. On the other hand, computed tomography (CT) images were atypical for COVID‐19 infection, and the elevation of eosinophil was found in blood and the fluid obtained by bronchoscopy. So, we clinically diagnosed this case as AEP. Administration of prednisolone dramatically improved the patient's clinical condition and chest radiograph findings, which were consistent with the clinical course of AEP. This case suggests the importance of considering the complications of AEP when treating patients with COVID‐19 infection.
Development and application of the average pelvic shape in virtual pelvic fracture reconstruction
Authors: Ead Maha S. , Palizi Mehrdad , Jaremko Jacob L. , Westover Lindsey , Duke Kajsa K.
Published: November 2020

Background

With unilateral pelvic fractures, the contralateral hemipelvis can be used as a template in virtual reconstruction; however, this cannot be applied for bilateral fractures. Therefore, statistical shape modelling was used to build average pelvic shapes that can serve as templates when reconstructing bilaterally fractured pelvises.

Methods

Four average shape models were created for male and female, left and right hemipelves from 20 male and 20 female subjects. They were used as templates to reconstruct eight unilaterally fractured pelvises.

Results

The average root‐mean‐square of deviations between the reconstructed and intact hemipelves was 1.46 ± 0.32 mm, which is less than the 2 mm threshold for causing hip joint complications.

Conclusion

This indicates that the reconstructions are reliable and the average shape models can be used to reconstruct bilaterally fractured pelvises. The proposed technique can potentially provide quick and accurate treatment plans for pelvic fracture patients, which is necessary for recovery.
An in situ exploration of subsurface defect migration to a liquid water‐exposed rutile TiO2(110) surface by XPS
Authors: Ahmed M. H. Mesbah , Temperton Robert H. , O'Shea James N.
Published: November 2020

The ability of titanium dioixide to split water into OH− and H+ species is heavily dependent on the behaviour of defects in the crystal structure at or near the surface. We present an in situ study of defect migration in rutile TiO2(110) conducted using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). First, surface and subsurface defects were created in the crystal by argon ion sputtering. Subsequent in situ exposure of the defective crystal to liquid water healed the surface defects, whereas the subsurface remained defective. The sample was then annealed while XPS was used to monitor the concentration of titanium defects. At low annealing temperatures, Ti3+ was observed to migrate from the subsurface to the surface. Further annealing gradually restored the surface and subsurface to the defect‐free Ti4+ form, during which the changes in abundance of Ti1+, Ti2+ and Ti3+ defects are discussed.
Bioinspired Assembly of Double Honeycomb‐Like Hierarchical Capsule Confined Encapsulation with Functional Micro/Nanocrystals
Authors: Qin Lei , Gao Mingzhen , Zhang Mengyuan , Li Xiong , Ru Rui , Luo Huili , Zhang Guoliang
Published: November 2020

Inspired by “micro/nanoreactor” effect of cellular organelle on specific biochemical reactions, a double honeycomb‐like hierarchical capsule confined encapsulation with functional micro/nanocrystals is designed. The bioinspired hierarchical capsules derived from polymeric composite microspheres are successfully fabricated through a combination of selective chemical etching and pyrolysis. In situ introduction of functional guests (including organometallic molecules, tetraethoxysilane, or metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)) into internal cellular structure of microspheres is first put forward by phase inversion method. The development of selective etching creates honeycomb‐like structure on the outside surface of capsule and allows sulfur to homogeneously distribute into matrix. With the novel approach, the hierarchical channels (micro–meso–macropore) of composite capsule enhance transportation of reactants and dispersion of active sites, and thus exhibit superior photocatalytic oxidation and electromagnetic absorbing. The promising strategy will be applied more generally to encapsulate different species into hierarchical capsule with tailored properties and functionalities.
Complex Nucleic Acid Hybridization Reactions inside Capillary‐Driven Microfluidic Chips
Authors: Salva Marie L. , Rocca Marco , Hu Yong , Delamarche Emmanuel , Niemeyer Christof M.
Published: November 2020

Nucleic acid hybridization reactions play an important role in many (bio)chemical fields, for example, for the development of portable point‐of‐care diagnostics, and often such applications require nucleic acid‐based reaction systems that ideally run without enzymes under isothermal conditions. The use of novel capillary‐driven microfluidic chips to perform two isothermal nucleic acid hybridization reactions, the simple opening of molecular beacon structures and the complex reaction cascade of a clamped‐hybridization chain reaction (C‐HCR), is reported here. For this purpose, reagents are arranged in a self‐coalescence module (SCM) of a passive silicon microfluidic chip using inkjet spotting. The SCM occupies a footprint of ≈7 mm2 of a ≈0.4 × 2 cm2 microfluidic chip. By means of fluorophore‐labeled DNA probes, the hybridization reactions can be analyzed in just ≈2 min and using only ≈3 µL of the sample. Furthermore, the SCM chip offers a variety of reagent delivery options, allowing, for example, the influence of the initiator concentration on the kinetics of C‐HCR to be investigated systematically with minimal sample and time requirements. These results suggest that self‐powered microfluidic chips equipped with a SCM provide a powerful platform for performing and investigating complex reaction systems.
Revealing the Atomic Structures of Exposed Lateral Surfaces for Polymorphic Manganese Dioxide Nanowires
Authors: Yuan Yifei , Yao Wentao , Byles Bryan W. , Pomerantseva Ekaterina , Amine Khalil , Shahbazian‐Yassar Reza , Lu Jun
Published: November 2020

Polymorphic 1D MnO2 nanostructures are widely applied in fields such as catalysis, sensing, and energy storage with the functionality mainly determined by the atomic patterns of their laterally exposed facets, which largely remain unclear so far. Herein, by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging directly along their axial directions, the atomic structures of the outmost lateral facets of polymorphic MnO2 nanowires are disclosed. To generalize the findings, four most commonly seen phases with characteristic tunnel structures are targeted, i.e., β‐, γ‐, α‐, and todorokite(t)‐MnO2, which are synthesized conventionally using a hydrothermal method reported in the literature. Axially imaging these MnO2 nanowires via HRTEM, the {hkl} facets covering the lateral surfaces are accurately indexed, the atomic pattern of each {hkl} facet is revealed, and it is further coupled with the outmost tunnel configuration that can significantly affect the physicochemical property of MnO2 materials via tunnel‐driven mass adsorption/transport. This work provides a reliable reference for atomic modeling of MnO2 to benefit the pursuit of its structure–property relationship; in addition, it can benefit surface engineering strategies to better rationalize the facet growth control with optimized functionality.
Torsional strengthening of tubular type RC beams with NSM technique: Structural performance and cracking process using DIC
Authors: Gowda Chandan C. , Barros Joaquim A. O. , Guadagnini Maurizio , Pereira Eduardo
Published: November 2020

Despite the key role of thin‐walled tubular reinforced concrete (RC) members in major critical infrastructure projects, for example, bridges, their torsional performance is still not well understood and the effectiveness of strengthening systems cannot be easily assessed, especially when using innovative strengthening materials. With a large part of critical infrastructure approaching its design service life, these issues are becoming more and more important. This paper examines the torsional behavior of thin‐walled tubular RC beams and evaluates the contribution of different strengthening configurations using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcement applied according to the near surface mounted (NSM) technique. Six strengthened specimens are tested with different amounts of CFRP laminates in the longitudinal and transverse direction. Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to gain a deeper understanding of the contribution of the NSM CFRP laminates to the fracture process and overall deformation behavior of the RC elements. The crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) of the critical crack is compared to those of the other cracks, and the torsional crack evolution is assessed against the strain evolution in the CFRP laminates. The results confirm the effectiveness of NSM CFRP strengthening solutions for thin‐walled RC members, and provide clear evidence that torsional performance can be improved in terms of torsional moment carrying capacity, torsional stiffness, torsional angle of rotation and limiting the crack width propagation, which improves the aggregate interlock shear resisting mechanism.
Transdisciplinary soil hydrology
Authors: Hopmans Jan W.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, I present an evolutional pathway from disciplinary towards transdisciplinary science and research and offer contemporary examples of interdisciplinary research in soil hydrology. I further explore exciting opportunities that can lead to transdisciplinary research (TDres), as society demands for our science expertise to be increasingly involved in developing solutions in global issues of sustainability, food and water security, as well as in the decision‐making process. By way of TDres involvement in public policy, the scientist is going to be working in the trans‐science domains for which (s)he is likely not very prepared. Recommendations are presented to better train students and early‐career scientists so that they can be effective in participating in TDres and communicating their scientific knowledge to relevant stakeholders, the public, and decision makers as part of the policy‐making process.
Optimal design of passive‐adaptive pendulum tuned mass damper for the global vibration control of offshore wind turbines
Authors: Bertollucci Colherinhas Gino , Petrini Francesco , de Morais Marcus Vinícius Girão , Bontempi Franco
Published: November 2020

This paper presents an optimal design procedure for a pendulum tuned mass damper (PTMD) to mitigate the global structural vibrations of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) in the fore–aft and side–side directions. The procedure is tested to the design of a PTMD to be applied to the 5‐MW benchmark baseline monopile wind turbine proposed by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The computation of wind and wave spectra, as well as the evaluation of the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic loads, is conducted by using an in‐house built MATLAB® routine working together with an ANSYS® 3‐D finite element (FE) global model for evaluating the resultant peak displacement response at the OWT hub by a power spectral density (PSD) analysis. In order to validate the OWT FEM model, a result comparison is made with the NREL OpenFAST, finding good matches between the two codes. An in‐house built genetic algorithm (GA) toolbox, coded in MATLAB®, is then used to optimally design the parameters of a PTMD with a simplified 2‐degrees‐of‐freedom (2DOF) model. The chosen GA fitness function targets the minimization of the peak response of the primary structure as evaluated by the 2DOF model. The design parameters of the PTMD are the flexural rigidity and damping, the mass ratio and pendulum length. After the 3‐D FE model of the OWT without any control device has been validated, and the PTMD has been optimized by the simplified 2DOF model, the performances of the PTMD are examined on a 3‐D global FE OWT + PTMD model in ANSYS®.
Closely related budding yeast species respond to different ecological signals for spore activation
Authors: Plante Samuel , Landry Christian R.
Published: November 2020

Spore activation is one of the most important developmental decisions in fungi as it initiates the transition from dormant and stress‐resistant cells to vegetative cells. Because in many species mating follows spore activation and germination, signals that trigger this developmental transition can also contribute to species reproductive barriers. Here, we examine the biochemical signals triggering spore activation in a natural species complex of budding yeast, Saccharomyces paradoxus (lineages SpA, SpB, SpC and SpC*). We first demonstrate that we can quantitatively monitor spore activation in these closely related lineages. Second, we dissect the composition of culture media to identify components necessary and/or sufficient to activate spores in the four lineages. We show that, contrary to expectation, glucose is necessary but not sufficient to trigger spore activation. We also show that two of the North American lineages (SpC and SpC*) diverge from the other North American (SpB) and European (SpA) lineages in terms of germination signal as their spore activation requires inorganic phosphate. Our results show that the way budding yeast interpret environmental conditions during spore activation diverged among closely related and incipient species, which means that it may play a role in their ecological differentiation and reproductive isolation.

Take Away

Sensing of multiple compounds allows spore activation in non‐domesticated budding yeast.

Spore activation cues differ among Saccharomyces paradoxus lineages.

Dextrose and phosphate signal activation in SpC and SpC* spores.
Heterotic backgrounds via generalised geometry: moment maps and moduli
Authors: Ashmore Anthony , Strickland-Constable Charles , Tennyson David , Waldram Daniel
Published: November 2020

Abstract

We describe the geometry of generic heterotic backgrounds preserving minimal supersymmetry in four dimensions using the language of generalised geometry. They are characterised by an SU(3) × Spin(6 + n) structure within O(6, 6 + n) × ℝ+ generalised geometry. Supersymmetry of the background is encoded in the existence of an involutive subbundle of the generalised tangent bundle and the vanishing of a moment map for the action of diffeomorphisms and gauge symmetries. We give both the superpotential and the Kähler potential for a generic background, showing that the latter defines a natural Hitchin functional for heterotic geometries. Intriguingly, this formulation suggests new connections to geometric invariant theory and an extended notion of stability. Finally we show that the analysis of infinitesimal deformations of these geometric structures naturally reproduces the known cohomologies that count the massless moduli of supersymmetric heterotic backgrounds.
Dual S-matrix bootstrap. Part I. 2D theory
Authors: Guerrieri Andrea L. , Homrich Alexandre , Vieira Pedro
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Using duality in optimization theory we formulate a dual approach to the S-matrix bootstrap that provides rigorous bounds to 2D QFT observables as a consequence of unitarity, crossing symmetry and analyticity of the scattering matrix. We then explain how to optimize such bounds numerically, and prove that they provide the same bounds obtained from the usual primal formulation of the S-matrix Bootstrap, at least once convergence is attained from both perspectives. These techniques are then applied to the study of a gapped system with two stable particles of different masses, which serves as a toy model for bootstrapping popular physical systems.
Intersections of loci of admissible covers with tautological classes
Authors: Schmitt Johannes , van Zelm Jason
Published: November 2020

For a finite groupG, let$$\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }$$H¯g,G,ξbe the stack of admissibleG-covers$$C\rightarrow D$$C→Dof stable curves with ramification data$$\xi $$ξ,$$g(C)=g$$g(C)=gand$$g(D)=g'$$g(D)=g′. There are source and target morphisms$$\phi :\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }\rightarrow \overline{\mathcal {M}}_{g,r}$$ϕ:H¯g,G,ξ→M¯g,rand$$\delta :\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }\rightarrow \overline{\mathcal {M}}_{g',b}$$δ:H¯g,G,ξ→M¯g′,b, remembering the curvesCandDtogether with the ramification or branch points of the cover respectively. In this paper we study admissible cover cycles, i.e. cycles of the form$$\phi _* [\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }]$$ϕ∗[H¯g,G,ξ]. Examples include the fundamental classes of the loci of hyperelliptic or bielliptic curvesCwith marked ramification points. The two main results of this paper are as follows: firstly, for the gluing morphism$$\xi _A:\overline{\mathcal {M}}_A\rightarrow \overline{\mathcal {M}}_{g,r}$$ξA:M¯A→M¯g,rassociated to a stable graphAwe give a combinatorial formula for the pullback$$\xi ^*_A \phi _*[\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }]$$ξA∗ϕ∗[H¯g,G,ξ]in terms of spaces of admissibleG-covers and$$\psi $$ψclasses. This allows us to describe the intersection of the cycles$$\phi _*[\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }]$$ϕ∗[H¯g,G,ξ]with tautological classes. Secondly, the pull–push$$\delta _*\phi ^*$$δ∗ϕ∗sends tautological classes to tautological classes and we give an explicit combinatorial description of this map. We show how to use the pullbacks to algorithmically compute tautological expressions for cycles of the form$$\phi _* [\overline{\mathcal {H}}_{g,G,\xi }]$$ϕ∗[H¯g,G,ξ]. In particular, we compute the classes "Equation missing"and "Equation missing"of the hyperelliptic loci in$$\overline{\mathcal {M}}_5$$M¯5and$$\overline{\mathcal {M}}_6$$M¯6and the class "Equation missing"of the bielliptic locus in$$\overline{\mathcal {M}}_4$$M¯4.
Zementembolie in die V. cava nach Pedikelschraubenaugmentation
Authors: David S. , Kleber F. X.
Published: November 2020

Eine 52-jährige Frau erlitt nach einem Sturz neben einer stabilen Fraktur von Brustwirbelkörper (BWK) 12 eine instabile Fraktur von Lendenwirbelkörper (LWK) 3 ohne neurologische Ausfälle. Neben der Ballonkyphoplastie von BWK 12 wurde die perkutane Fixateur-interne-Instrumentierung von LWK 2–4 mit zementaugmentierten Pedikelschrauben vorgenommen. Hierbei kam es zu Zementaustritten in die V. cava inferior. Diese Zementanteile wurden nach beginnender Ablösung endovaskulär entfernt. Der postinterventionelle Verlauf war unkompliziert.
Der juvenile Granulosazelltumor – der Hodentumor der Kleinsten
Authors: Haider Maximilian , Comploj Evi , Hofmann Aybike , Rösch Wolfgang H.
Published: November 2020

Der juvenile Granulosazelltumor (JGZT) des Hodens ist eine relevante Differentialdiagnose testikulärer Raumforderungen des Säuglingsalters. Es handelt sich um eine benigne Läsion, die Therapie ist rein chirurgisch. Metastasierungen oder Rezidive sind nicht bekannt. Am Beispiel von drei Kasuistiken wird das aktuelle diagnostische und therapeutische Management vorgestellt und diskutiert.
The Free-Fermion Eight-Vertex Model: Couplings, Bipartite Dimers and Z-Invariance
Authors: Melotti Paul
Published: November 2020

We study the eight-vertex model at its free-fermion point. We express a new “switching” symmetry of the model in several forms: partition functions, order-disorder variables, couplings, Kasteleyn matrices. This symmetry can be used to relate free-fermion 8V-models to free-fermion 6V-models, or bipartite dimers. We also define new solution of the Yang–Baxter equations in a “checkerboard” setting, and a corresponding Z-invariant model. Using the bipartite dimers of Boutillier et al. (Probab Theory Relat Fields 174:235–305, 2019), we give exact local formulas for edge correlations in the Z-invariant free-fermion 8V-model on lozenge graphs, and we deduce the construction of an ergodic Gibbs measure.
Analysis of astrovirus transmission pathways in a free-ranging fission-fusion colony of Natterer’s bats (Myotis nattereri)
Authors: Zeus Veronika M. , Köhler Arian , Reusch Christine , Fischer Kerstin , Balkema-Buschmann Anne , Kerth Gerald
Published: November 2020

Bats are a diverse and widespread order of mammals. They fulfill critical ecosystem roles but may also act as reservoirs and spreaders for zoonotic agents. Consequently, many recent studies have focused on the potential of bats to spread diseases to other animals and to humans. However, virus transmission networks within bat colonies remain largely unexplored. We studied the detection rate and transmission pathway of astroviruses in a free-ranging Natterer’s bat colony (Myotis nattereri) that exhibits a high fission-fusion dynamic. Based on automatic roost monitoring data of radio-frequency identification tagged bats, we assessed the impact of the strength of an individual’s roosting associations with all other colony members (weighted degree), and the number of roost sites (bat boxes) an individual used—both being proxies for individual exposure risk—on the detected presence of astrovirus-related nucleic acid in individual swab samples. Moreover, we tested to which degree astrovirus sequence types were shared between individuals that frequently roosted together, as proxy for direct transmission risk, and between bats sharing the same roost sites in close temporal succession, as proxy for indirect transmission risk. Neither roosting associations nor the number of different roost sites had an effect on detected virus presence in individual bats. Transmission network data suggest that astroviruses are transmitted both via direct and indirect contact, implying that roost sites pose a risk of astrovirus infection for several days after the bats leave them. Our study offers novel insights in the presence and transmission of viruses within social networks of bat colonies.

Significance statement

Bats provide many ecosystem services but have moved into the focus of virological research as potential carriers of zoonotic disease agents. However, the sparse information available about virus transmission within bat colonies is solely based on simulated transmission data. In this field study, we examined the daily roosting behavior in a wild bat colony in relation to the presence of viruses in individual colony members. Our findings suggest that astroviruses are transmitted by direct contact and via contaminated roost sites. Bats typically defecate in their roost sites, and astroviruses can remain infectious in feces for several days. The here observed virus diversity and roosting behavior suggest that bats can contract astroviruses even if they use contaminated roost sites days after infected individuals have left. This study provides first-time insights in the transmission of astroviruses within bat colonies in the wild.
Genetic background influences expression and function of the cation channel TRPM4 in the mouse heart
Authors: Medert Rebekka , Pironet Andy , Bacmeister Lucas , Segin Sebastian , Londoño Juan E. Camacho , Vennekens Rudi , Freichel Marc
Published: November 2020

Transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) cation channels act in cardiomyocytes as a negative modulator of the L-type Ca2+ current. Ubiquitous Trpm4 deletion in mice leads to an increased β-adrenergic inotropy in healthy mice as well as after myocardial infarction. In this study, we set out to investigate cardiac inotropy in mice with cardiomyocyte-specific Trpm4 deletion. The results guided us to investigate the relevance of TRPM4 for catecholamine-evoked Ca2+ signaling in cardiomyocytes and inotropy in vivo in TRPM4-deficient mouse models of different genetic background. Cardiac hemodynamics were investigated using pressure–volume analysis. Surprisingly, an increased β-adrenergic inotropy was observed in global TRPM4-deficient mice on a 129SvJ genetic background, but the inotropic response was unaltered in mice with global and cardiomyocyte-specific TRPM4 deletion on the C57Bl/6N background. We found that the expression of TRPM4 proteins is about 78 ± 10% higher in wild-type mice on the 129SvJ versus C57Bl/6N background. In accordance with contractility measurements, our analysis of the intracellular Ca2+ transients revealed an increase in ISO-evoked Ca2+ rise in Trpm4-deficient cardiomyocytes of the 129SvJ strain, but not of the C57Bl/6N strain. No significant differences were observed between the two mouse strains in the expression of other regulators of cardiomyocyte Ca2+ homeostasis. We conclude that the relevance of TRPM4 for cardiac contractility depends on homeostatic TRPM4 expression levels or the genetic endowment in different mouse strains as well as on the health/disease status. Therefore, the concept of inhibiting TRPM4 channels to improve cardiac contractility needs to be carefully explored in specific strains and species and prospectively in different genetically diverse populations of patients.
Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Leishmania infantum in dogs in Sardinia (Italy), an endemic island for leishmaniasis
Authors: Tamponi Claudia , Scarpa Fabio , Carta Silvia , Knoll Stephane , Sanna Daria , Gai Carolina , Pipia Anna Paola , Dessì Giorgia , Casu Marco , Varcasia Antonio , Scala Antonio
Published: November 2020

Leishmaniasis is a widespread, vector-borne parasitosis causing clinical manifestations in animals and in humans. In dogs, Canine Leishmaniasis has been reported in as much as 50 countries and the Mediterranean basin is known to be one of the most affected zones. Within these areas, the Island of Sardinia (Italy) has long been considered endemic for leishmaniasis and the presence of two arthropod vectors has recently been reported there. Nevertheless, to date, no epidemiological surveys regarding CanL have been carried out on the island. Hence, for the first time, the seroprevalence and the risk factors were investigated. Blood samples, as well as clinical and general information from 1.147 dogs, were collected and analyzed. Dogs consisted of two distinct populations, namely “owned dogs” and “kennel dogs.” Anti-Leishmania IgG antibodies were detected using IFAT and samples were scored as positive at a cut-off dilution of 1:80. Data was analyzed using a Chi-squared test and bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Overall, 15.4% of dogs were found to be infected with CanL while only 44.1% of these animals exhibited clinical signs. Owned dogs (27.2%) were found to be infected more often than kennel dogs (10.6%); male dogs were found to be more frequently infected than female dogs and the number of infected animals increases with age. The present survey confirmed the endemic nature of leishmaniasis in Sardinia with a similar seroprevalence as mainland Italy. The results obtained serve as validation for the hypothesis that, in endemic areas, clinical CanL representations constitute only a fraction of the leishmaniasis cases.
Investigation of damage to the water network of Uki City from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake: derivation of damage functions and construction of infrastructure loss scenarios
Authors: Gehl Pierre , Matsushima Shinichi , Masuda Shunsuke
Published: November 2020

The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake (main-shock: Mw 7.0, April 16th) has induced a widespread disruption of lifeline systems across the affected area. In Uki City (Kumamoto prefecture, Japan), water supply had been intermittently cut off for several days: as a result, around 50 repair operations on various locations of the underground pipeline system have been carried out by municipal services. In order to better constrain the vulnerability of such infrastructure with respect to future earthquakes, the collected empirical data is exploited to derive repair-rate functions for ductile pipelines (ductile iron and polyvinyl chloride) of small diameter (less than 100 mm). Due to the relatively low number of data points over a limited range of seismic intensity, the derivation of purely empirical damage function appears to be subject to significant statistical biases. Therefore, a Bayesian updating framework is adopted, where prior information on the parameters of the repair-rate function is estimated from existing damage functions from the literature. Moreover, the uncertainty related to the characterization of the Peak Ground Velocity at the location of the pipelines is taken into account by: (i) the generation of shake-maps with different assumptions on ground-motion prediction equations or fault models, and (ii) the inclusion of a spatially correlated field of the intra-event shake-map error term (i.e., modelling of the inherent variability of the seismic intensity). The results show that the derived repair-rate equation is consistent with some existing functions for ductile and earthquake-resistant pipeline segments. The effect of specific land conditions (e.g., topographic/geological factors) is also investigated, with the possibility to further parametrize the repair-rate function. Finally, the developed damage functions are applied to stochastic simulations of the seismic performance of the water network, while keeping track of various sources of uncertainties and quantifying their impact on the system’s loss distribution.
Correction to: Alternative Splicing of Opioid Receptor Genes Shows a Conserved Pattern for 6TM Receptor Variants
Authors: Piltonen Marjo , Krokhotin Andrey , Parisien Marc , Bérubé Pierre , Djambazian Haig , Sladek Rob , Dokholyan Nikolay V. , Shabalina Svetlana A. , Diatchenko Luda
Published: November 2020

The article “Alternative Splicing of Opioid Receptor Genes Shows a Conserved Pattern for 6TM Receptor Variants”, written by Marjo Piltonen, Andrey Krokhotin, Marc Parisien, Pierre Bérubé, Haig Djambazian, Rob Sladek, Nikolay V. Dokholyan, Svetlana A. Shabalina and Luda Diatchenko was originally published electronically on the publisher’s internet portal on October 3, 2020 without open access. With the author(s)’ decision to opt for Open Choice the copyright of the article changed on October 27, 2020 to © The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Melting temperature versus crystallinity: new way for identification and analysis of multiple endotherms of poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Ronkay Ferenc , Molnár Béla , Nagy Dóra , Szarka Györgyi , Iván Béla , Kristály Ferenc , Mertinger Valéria , Bocz Katalin
Published: November 2020

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) materials with different molecular weights were isothermally crystallized from melt by systematically varying the temperature and duration of the treatment performed in the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Multiple endotherm peaks were observed on the subsequent heating thermograms that were separated from each other on the basis of their melting temperature versus crystallization temperature and melting temperature versus crystallinity function. By this new approach five sub-peak sets were identified and then comprehensively characterised. Wide-Angle X-Ray Diffraction (WAXD) analyses revealed that the identified sub-peak sets do not differ in crystalline forms. By analysing the crystallinity and the melting temperature of the sub-peak sets as a function of crystallization time, crystallization temperature and intrinsic viscosity, it was concluded that below the crystallization temperature of 460 K the sub-peak sets that were formed during primary or secondary crystallization transform partially or completely to a third sub-peak set during the heating run of the measurement, while above this temperature, the sub-peak set formed during primary crystallization gradually transforms to a more stable structure, with higher melting temperature. These formations and transformations are described with mathematically defined parameters as well.
The Association between Patient Activation and Outcomes among Severely Mentally Ill Patients
Authors: Forma Felicia , Clerie Jennifer , Davis Tigwa , Clovie Kelly , Ruetsch Charles
Published: November 2020

Little is known about the association between patient activation, health, service utilization, and cost among mental health (MH) patients. Patients aged 18 to 64 with schizophrenia (Sz, n = 43), bipolar disorder (BD, n = 59), or major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 34) completed the Patient Activation Measure for Mental Health (PAM-MH), the Colorado Symptom Index, demographic, socioeconomic, treatment, and social support questionnaire items. Average PAM-MH score indicated BD patients the most activated (66.6 ± 17.5), Sz (57.4 ± 10.4) less activated, and MDD the least activated (55.4 ± 14.6). The MDD cohort had the highest ($27,616 ± 26,229) and the BD had the lowest total annual healthcare cost ($18,312 ± 25,091). PAM-MH score was inversely correlated with healthcare costs and regression analysis showed a PAM-MH score × gender interaction. The strongest negative relationship between PAM and cost was for males. These analyses support the inverse association between PAM-MH and healthcare service utilization and cost.
Cracking of Copper Brazed Steel Joints Due to Precipitation of MnS upon Cooling
Authors: Varanasi Dheeraj , Koncz-Horvath Daniel , Sycheva Anna , Baumli Peter , Kaptay George
Published: November 2020

The process of brazing of different steel grades by pure liquid copper foil was studied to reveal the critical conditions when cracks do or do not appear in the braze upon cooling without any external load. Steel grades C45 (S 0.030 wt.%, no Mn and no Cr), S103 (Mn 0.25 wt.% and S 0.020 wt.% with no Cr), CK60 (0.75 wt.% Mn, 0.07 wt.% S and 0.15 wt.% Cr) and EN 1.4034 (Cr 12 wt.%, Mn 1.0 wt.% and S 0.035 wt.%) are studied under identical conditions using copper foils of 70-microns-thick. The samples were held above the melting point of copper at 1100 °C under high vacuum for different time durations (between 180 and 3600 s) and then cooled spontaneously. The joints were found cracked during cooling after a certain critical holding time. This critical holding time for cracking was found to decrease with increasing the Mn content and the S content of steel. It is observed that cracking is due to the precipitation of a critical amount of MnS phase upon cooling. The MnS/Cu interface is the weakest interface in the joint (with adhesion ensured only by van-der-Waals bonds), which is broken/separated upon cooling due to difference in heat expansion coefficients of the sulfide and copper phases. Higher is the Mn and S content, shorter is the probable time required for crack to appear in the joint. The braze integrity diagram is constructed as function of solubility product of MnS in steel and holding time showing a stable crack-free technological region and an unstable technological region with high probability of crack formation.
The rise and fall of photosynthesis: hormetic dose response in plants
Authors: Agathokleous Evgenios
Published: November 2020

The recent recognition that low doses of herbicides, human and veterinary antibiotics, metallic elements, micro/nano-plastics, and various other types of environmental pollutants widely enhance chlorophylls in the framework of hormesis created the need to further evaluate the response of photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange to low doses of stresses. An analysis of about 370 values of maximum stimulatory response (MAX; percentage of control response, %) of chlorophylls in higher plants, algae and duckweeds, and other photosynthesizing organisms, mined from published literatures, revealed a greater MAX for higher plants (median = 139.2%) compared to algae and duckweeds (median = 119.6%). However, an analysis of about 50 mined values of MAX of carotenoids revealed no significant difference in the median MAX between higher plants (median = 133.0%) and algae-duckweeds (median = 138.1%). About 70 mined values of MAX were also concentrated for photosynthetic rate (median MAX = 129.2%) and stomatal conductance (median MAX = 124.7%) in higher plants. Within higher plants, there was no significant difference in the median MAX among chlorophylls, carotenoids, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the median MAX between chlorophylls and carotenoids of pooled algae and duckweeds. The results suggest that the MAX is typically below 160% and as a rule below 200% of control response, and does not differ among chlorophylls, carotenoids, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance. New research programs with improved experimental designs, in terms of number and spacing of doses within the “low-dose zone” of the hormetic dose–response relationship, are needed to study the molecular/genetic mechanisms underpinning the low-dose stimulation of photosynthesis and its ecological implications.
Finite-element-analysis of the mechanical behavior of high-frequency litz wire in flat coil winding
Authors: Weigelt Michael , Thoma Cornelius , Zheng Erdong , Franke Joerg
Published: November 2020

Numerous applications of daily life use flat coils, e.g. in the automotive area, in solar technology and in modern kitchens. One common property that all these applications share, is a flat coil made of high-frequency (HF) litz wires. The coil layout and the properties of the HF litz wire influence the winding process and the efficiency of the application. As a result, the HF litz wire must meet the complex technical requirements of the winding process and of the preferred mechanical, electromagnetic and thermal properties of the HF litz wire itself. Therefore, a reasonable configuration and optimization of HF litz wire has been developed with the help of a finite-element-analysis (FEA). In this work, it is first shown that the mechanical behavior of HF litz wire under tensile and bending stress can be simulated. Since the computational effort for modelling an HF litz wire at the single conductor level is hardly manageable, a suitable modelling strategy is developed and applied using geometric analogous models (GAM). By using such a model, HF litz wires can be designed for the specific application and their behavior in a winding process can be predicted.