bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of potential allosteric binding sites in cathepsin K based on intramolecular communication
Authors: Rocha Gisele V. , Bastos Leonardo S. , Costa Mauricio G. S.
Published: July 2020

Network theory methods and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are accepted tools to study allosteric regulation. Indeed, dynamic networks built upon correlation analysis of MD trajectories provide detailed information about communication paths between distant sites. In this context, we aimed to understand whether the efficiency of intramolecular communication could be used to predict the allosteric potential of a given site. To this end, we performed MD simulations and network theory analyses in cathepsin K (catK), whose allosteric sites are well defined. To obtain a quantitative measure of the efficiency of communication, we designed a new protocol that enables the comparison between properties related to ensembles of communication paths obtained from different sites. Further, we applied our strategy to evaluate the allosteric potential of different catK cavities not yet considered for drug design. Our predictions of the allosteric potential based on intramolecular communication correlate well with previous catK experimental and theoretical data. We also discuss the possibility of applying our approach to other proteins from the same family.
Thermal‐Oxidative Growth of Substoichiometric WO3–x Nanowires at Mild Conditions
Authors: Spanu Davide , Recchia Sandro , Schmuki Patrik , Altomare Marco
Published: July 2020

Herein, the growth of substoichiometric tungsten oxide (WO3–x) nanowires (NWs) via thermal oxidation of W films (a few 10 to a few 100 nm thick) deposited by Ar‐plasma sputtering on fluorine‐doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates is reported. A thermal treatment at relatively low temperature (525–550 °C) in Ar at atmospheric pressure leads to the conversion of the W films into W suboxide (WO3–x) NW arrays. Such NWs have a length of ≈500 nm and their diameter ranges from 10 to 40 nm depending on the duration of the annealing process. These growth conditions for the formation of WO3–x NWs are significantly milder and more straightforward than those reported in previous literature. This avoids high temperatures (e.g., above 600 °C), vacuum conditions, or the addition of catalysts. A thermal‐oxidative approach of these sputtered films is suitable to directly form WO3–x NWs on various surfaces, including conductive substrates to fabricate photoelectrodes or large‐scale supports, e.g., for smart windows.
Structure, Thermal Stability, and Magnetism of Ni4N Thin Films
Authors: Pandey Nidhi , Gupta Mukul , Stahn Jochen
Published: July 2020

Herein, the synthesis, structure, thermal stability, and magnetic properties of Ni4N thin films are studied. Ni4N is difficult to synthesize in the correct chemical order and stoichiometry due to unfavorable thermodynamics. During the synthesis of Ni–N thin films, it is found that the substrate temperature (Ts) is a critical parameter affecting the growth of a Ni4N phase. The Ni4N phase transforms into an amalgamation of [Ni+Ni3N] phases even if the Ts rises just above 300 K. These results elucidate a correlation between atomic diffusion and Ts. N self‐diffusion measurements carried out using secondary‐ion mass spectroscopy indicate that substantial N self‐diffusion is occurring at low Ts. A comparison of N self‐diffusion coefficients in Fe–N, Co–N, and Ni–N indicates that N self‐diffusion in Ni–N lies between that of Fe–N and Co–N and exhibits a greater correlation with the enthalpy of formation. A transformation from the cubic–to‐tetragonal deformation in the Ni4N crystal lattice as a function of increasing N concentration is evident from the X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy measurements. Magnetization measurements confirm a nonferromagnetic state of Ni4N at 300 K, which transforms into a ferromagnetic state at 15 K.
Overestimated acceleration of the advective Brewer–Dobson circulation due to stratospheric cooling
Authors: Eichinger Roland , Šácha Petr
Published: July 2020

Tropospheric warming and stratospheric cooling influence the vertical structure of the atmosphere. Numerous studies have analysed the thermal expansion of the troposphere, however, stratospheric cooling reverses the sign of this shift in the middle stratosphere, causing a downward shift in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. This is a robust feature in transient climate model simulations, but its impact is commonly unappreciated. Here, we quantify the trend difference of the residual mean vertical velocity (), a proxy for diagnosing the advective Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC) strength, which arises from implicit neglect of the shrinking distance between stratospheric pressure levels in the CCMI‐1 (Chemistry‐Climate Model Initiative part 1) data request. There, a log‐pressure formula with constant scale height is recommended to compute . However, stratospheric cooling in transient climate simulations causes a reduction of the geometrical distance between pressure levels and thereby also the scale height significantly decreases over time. Using the general scale height definition for the transformation, the trends are therefore smaller. In both cases, the units are m·s−1, but in the latter case it is the constant measure of length geopotential metres and not log‐pressure metres. We quantify that, due to the temperature dependence of log‐pressure metres, past studies that based trend analyses on log‐pressure overestimated the advective BDC acceleration by ∼ 20%. This result is consistent among the CCMI‐1 projections over the 1960–2100 period. We highlight that other diagnostics can also be affected by the neglect of the declining stratospheric pressure level distance. A detailed description of the diagnostics is necessary for consistent assessments of trends. Data processing tools should generally not include the constant scale height assumption if the data are used for trend analyses.
DevOpRET: Continuous reliability testing in DevOps
Authors: Bertolino Antonia , Angelis Guglielmo De , Guerriero Antonio , Miranda Breno , Pietrantuono Roberto , Russo Stefano
Published: July 2020

To enter the production stage, in DevOps practices candidate software releases have to pass quality gates, where they are assessed to meet established target values for key indicators of interest. We believe software reliability should be an important such indicator, as it greatly contributes to the end‐user satisfaction. We propose DevOpRET, an approach for reliability testing as part of the acceptance testing stage in DevOps. DevOpRET relies on operational‐profile–based testing, a common reliability assessment technique. DevOpRET leverages usage and failure data monitored in operations to continuously refine its estimate. We evaluate accuracy and efficiency of DevOpRET through controlled experiments with a real‐world open source platform and with a microservice architectures benchmark. The results show that DevOpRET provides accurate and efficient estimates of the true reliability over subsequent DevOps cycles.
Industry 4.0 in systems thinking: From a narrow to a broad spectrum
Authors: Oliveira Bruno Garcia , Liboni Lara Bartocci , Cezarino Luciana Oranges , Stefanelli Nelson Oliveira , Miura Irene Kazumi
Published: July 2020

Industry 4.0 has been changing technological reality in manufacturing. The smart industry arises as a new pattern of digital systems, information technology and internet solutions. Impacts of Industry 4.0 are multifaceted and complex for all organizations and economies. Beyond changes, Industry 4.0 brings new organizational dynamics: less operational processes implying in new labour competences and more efficient results. From system thinking, it is possible to look at a transformation as a whole, and system perspective can propose a real understanding of impacts, allowing the development of strategies and policies that contemplate new needs and demands of this paradigm. By analysing interconnected dimensions, this work aims to discuss the relevance of systems thinking to an extensive look at the consequences of this industrial paradigm. As a result, a framework of main impacts and relations of Industry 4.0 by systems thinking was developed.
Implementing Patient‐Centred Behavioural Health Integration into Primary Care Using Model‐Based Systems Engineering
Authors: Khayal Inas S. , McGovern Mark P.
Published: July 2020

Psychiatric and substance use disorders, such as depression and/or opioid use disorders, are categorized as behavioural health conditions. In the United States, approximately one in four adults suffers from a behavioural health condition in any given year. These conditions are prevalent and costly. The current delivery of behavioural health services follows a primary to specialty referral practice, which has led to poor treatment initiation outcomes. These poor outcomes stem from a care delivery model that does not fully cater to the needs of patients. Patients prefer to receive both physical and mental health care within a single primary care setting. In response, healthcare delivery systems developed clinical models and approaches for behavioural health integration into primary care. These clinical models portray a sense of integration. However, these clinical models lack the necessary detail to describe the key components of a system and instead focus heavily on describing the system's physical form. By doing so, clinical models lack the ability to incorporate a broader range of patient needs and the details to describe a system to ensure it produces its intended outcomes. These limitations lead to variations in implementation success. Systematic approaches, including the development of system models, have been used to describe and develop complex systems. In this paper, we detail the design considerations for a patient‐centred system model and describe its utilization in an implementation of a patient‐centered behavioural health integration into primary care.
Effect of Nitrogen‐Substituted Carbon on Thermal Stability of Cr‐Mo‐V Hot‐Working Die Steel
Authors: Li Lihao , Zhang Wei , Gu Jinbo , Li Wang , Xu Fanghong , Li Jingyuan
Published: July 2020

To extend service life of Cr‐Mo‐V hot‐working die steel, a method of alloying with nitrogen‐substituted carbon is proposed. The mechanical properties of the test steels in the long‐time heating and holding process are measured. The effect of nitrogen‐substituted carbon on thermal stability is characterized and analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Thermo‐Calc. The results show that the ratio of N in V(C,N) can be increased by nitrogen‐substituted carbon at high temperature, which significantly improves its stability. As a result, it can not only refine the grain but also broaden the austenitizing temperature range and promote the complete solution of alloy elements such as Cr, Mo. In the process of long‐term heating and insulation, nitrogen‐substituted carbon can effectively reduce the precipitation of harmful carbides and the coarsening rate by raising the activation energy of tempering transformation with 20.0 kJ mol−1, and increase the precipitation of the main strengthening phase V(C,N). Nitrogen‐substituted carbon, as an effective alloying method, innovatively improves thermal stability and service life of Cr‐Mo‐V hot‐working die steel.
Magnetic iron oxide nanomaterials: A key player in cancer nanomedicine
Authors: Liang Chen , Zhang Xinglin , Cheng Zijin , Yang Mengsu , Huang Wei , Dong Xiaochen
Published: July 2020

Magnetic iron oxide nanomaterials are among the most widely studied candidates for cancer nanomedicine, because of not only their great biocompatibility and abundance of raw materials, but also their diverse physicochemical properties and biological effects. Represented by magnetite and maghemite, various iron oxide‐based magnetic nanomaterials have been developed for cancer diagnosis and treatment. This mini review presents an up‐to‐date overview of magnetic iron oxide‐based cancer nanomedicines with an emphasis on bioimaging and therapy.
Investigating invertebrate biodiversity around large wood: taxonomic vs functional metrics
Authors: Magliozzi Chiara , Meyer Albin , Usseglio-Polatera Philippe , Robertson Anne , Grabowski Robert C.
Published: July 2020

Large wood is a key component of river channels that affects numerous hydrological, physical and geomorphological processes. It promotes a diversity of benthic habitats in-channel and has shown to support more abundant and diverse benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in previous ecological studies. However, the effects of large wood on the structural and functional diversities of hyporheic invertebrates are less well studied, and simultaneous examination of these diversity metrics on hyporheic and benthic compartments of the stream bed has not been conducted previously. Therefore, this study investigates the taxonomic and functional diversities of hyporheic and benthic invertebrate assemblages around natural accumulations of large wood in a British lowland river. Taxonomic and functional diversities were partitioned (into alpha, beta, and gamma diversities) and examined in reaches with and without large wood (control). We found that functional diversity is often decoupled from taxonomic diversity, demonstrating a functional redundancy of the macroinvertebrate assemblage for both hyporheic and benthic zones. Moreover, the highest functional variability at alpha-scale was observed in large wood habitats, which suggests that taxonomic diversity is enhanced by the small-scale environmental heterogeneity around large wood. To this end, this study contributes empirical evidence of functional and structural responses of invertebrates to large wood accumulation. Such information could be used to better understand the ecological implications of restoration works in lowland rivers and guide more effective management strategies.
Tap dancers in the wild: field observations of multimodal courtship displays in socially monogamous songbirds
Authors: Ota Nao
Published: July 2020

Multimodal signaling systems are shaped not only by a signaler’s physical abilities but also by external factors such as the position of signal receivers and the properties of the medium through which the signals are transmitted. To fully understand the evolution and function of multimodal communication, it is essential to investigate the behavior in the wild. Here, I present evidence that socially monogamous songbirds perform complex courtship displays that can produce multimodal and multicomponent signals in wild conditions. Cordon-bleus (Uraeginthus spp.) are socially monogamous songbirds from East Africa. Both sexes of cordon-bleus perform multimodal courtship displays by holding a piece of nest material, bobbing up and down, and singing. My previous laboratory study using high-speed video cameras revealed that courtship bobbing includes multiple rapid steps similar to human tap-dancing, which presumably contributes to producing non-vocal sounds and/or vibrations in addition to visual signals. As a result of field observation and behavioral analysis, I found that wild cordon-bleus perform tap-dance like displays just as captive cordon-bleus. I also observed that wild cordon-bleus produced non-vocal sounds and shook branches during courtship, which can contribute to multimodal signal production (i.e., visual, acoustic, and vibrational signals). My findings imply that the courtship displays of cordon-bleus are an ideal candidate for investigating the role and function of multimodal communication in animals, and demonstrate the importance of further quantitative studies in both laboratory and field.
Scanning electrochemical microscopy and its potential for studying biofilms and antimicrobial coatings
Authors: Caniglia Giada , Kranz Christine
Published: July 2020

Biofilms are known to be well-organized microbial communities embedded in an extracellular polymeric matrix, which supplies bacterial protection against external stressors. Biofilms are widespread and diverse, and despite the considerable large number of publications and efforts reported regarding composition, structure and cell-to-cell communication within biofilms in the last decades, the mechanisms of biofilm formation, the interaction and communication between bacteria are still not fully understood. This knowledge is required to understand why biofilms form and how we can combat them or how we can take advantage of these sessile communities, e.g. in biofuel cells. Therefore, in situ and real-time monitoring of nutrients, metabolites and quorum sensing molecules is of high importance, which may help to fill that knowledge gap. This review focuses on the potential of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) as a versatile method for in situ studies providing temporal and lateral resolution in order to elucidate cell-to-cell communication, microbial metabolism and antimicrobial impact, e.g. of antimicrobial coatings through the study of electrochemical active molecules. Given the complexity and diversity of biofilms, challenges and limitations will be also discussed.
The Geometry of the Space of BPS Vortex–Antivortex Pairs
Authors: Romão N. M. , Speight J. M.
Published: July 2020

The gauged sigma model with target$${\mathbb {P}}^1$$P1, defined on a Riemann surface$$\Sigma $$Σ, supports static solutions in which$$k_{+}$$k+vortices coexist in stable equilibrium with$$k_{-}$$k-antivortices. Their moduli space is a noncompact complex manifold$${\textsf {M}}_{(k_{+},k_{-})}(\Sigma )$$M(k+,k-)(Σ)of dimension$$k_{+}+k_{-}$$k++k-which inherits a natural Kähler metric$$g_{L^2}$$gL2governing the model’s low energy dynamics. This paper presents the first detailed study of$$g_{L^2}$$gL2, focussing on the geometry close to the boundary divisor$$D=\partial \, {\textsf {M}}_{(k_{+},k_{-})}(\Sigma )$$D=∂M(k+,k-)(Σ). On$$\Sigma =S^2$$Σ=S2, rigorous estimates of$$g_{L^2}$$gL2close toDare obtained which imply that$${\textsf {M}}_{(1,1)}(S^2)$$M(1,1)(S2)has finite volume and is geodesically incomplete. On$$\Sigma ={\mathbb {R}}^2$$Σ=R2, careful numerical analysis and a point-vortex formalism are used to conjecture asymptotic formulae for$$g_{L^2}$$gL2in the limits of small and large separation. All these results make use of a localization formula, expressing$$g_{L^2}$$gL2in terms of data at the (anti)vortex positions, which is established for general$${\textsf {M}}_{(k_{+},k_{-})}(\Sigma )$$M(k+,k-)(Σ). For arbitrary compact$$\Sigma $$Σ, a natural compactification of the space$${{\textsf {M}}}_{(k_{+},k_{-})}(\Sigma )$$M(k+,k-)(Σ)is proposed in terms of a certain limit of gauged linear sigma models, leading to formulae for its volume and total scalar curvature. The volume formula agrees with the result established for$$\mathrm{Vol}(\mathsf{M}_{(1,1)}(S^2))$$Vol(M(1,1)(S2)), and allows for a detailed study of the thermodynamics of vortex-antivortex gas mixtures. It is found that the equation of state is independent of the genus of$$\Sigma $$Σ, and that the entropy of mixing is always positive.
Internal Fixation Method Using EZ-Tcon for
Transconjunctival Fat Repositioning: Clinical Outcomes and Efficacy
Authors: Chang Cheol Ho , Bae Juyoung , Cha Myung Kyu , Bang Sa Ik , Lee Kyeong-Tae
Published: July 2020

Background

Transconjunctival fat repositioning is the gold standard for the
correction of tear trough deformity. For fixation of fat pedicle, the internal
fixation (IF) and externalized percutaneous suture (EPS) techniques are used, which
have their own advantages and disadvantages. The present study aimed to introduce a
new IF technique using a devised needle (EZ-Tcon) and to compare its outcomes with
those of the conventional EPS technique.

Methods

Patients with primary tear trough deformity who underwent
transconjunctival fat repositioning were reviewed and categorized into two cohorts
according to the fixation technique: cohort 1 consisted of patients treated using the
conventional EPS technique and cohort 2 consisted of those in whom the new IF
technique using EZ-Tcon was adopted. Post-operative complications and aesthetic
outcomes were assessed using a four-scale grading system.

Results

A total of 545 patients, 211 from cohort 1 and 344 from cohort 2 were
evaluated with a median follow-up of 70 days. Compared to cohort 1, cohort 2 showed
significantly lower rates of long-standing conspicuous scars on lower eyelid,
re-operation and overall complications. In the analysis of aesthetic outcomes, 88.9
percent of cohort 2 showed grade 0 (no deformity) or I (mild deformity)
post-operatively. The rate of excellent outcomes (improvements of ≥ two grades) was
significantly higher in cohort 2 than in cohort 1 (p-value < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our technique using EZ-Tcon could possess advantages of the conventional
IF and EPS techniques, showing lower complication rates and aesthetically
satisfactory outcomes, and could be a safe and reliable method of transconjunctival
fat repositioning.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors
assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these
Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online
Instructions to Authors
www.springer.com/00266.
The past determines the future: sugar source history and transcriptional memory
Authors: Bheda Poonam , Kirmizis Antonis , Schneider Robert
Published: July 2020

Transcriptional reinduction memory is a phenomenon whereby cells “remember” their transcriptional response to a previous stimulus such that subsequent encounters with the same stimulus can result in altered gene expression kinetics. Chromatin structure is thought to play a role in certain transcriptional memory mechanisms, leading to questions as to whether and how memory can be actively maintained and inherited to progeny through cell division. Here we summarize efforts towards dissecting chromatin-based transcriptional memory inheritance of GAL genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We focus on methods and analyses of GAL (as well as MAL and INO) memory in single cells and discuss the challenges in unraveling the underlying mechanisms in yeast and higher eukaryotes.
Validation of the revised 2018 AAST-OIS classification and the CT severity index for prediction of operative management and survival in patients with blunt spleen and liver injuries
Authors: Morell-Hofert Dagmar , Primavesi Florian , Fodor Margot , Gassner Eva , Kranebitter Veronika , Braunwarth Eva , Haselbacher Matthias , Nitsche Ulrich Peter , Schmid Stefan , Blauth Michael , Öfner Dietmar , Stättner Stefan
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Non-operative management (NOM) is increasingly utilised in blunt abdominal trauma. The 1994 American Association of Surgery of Trauma grading (1994-AAST) is applied for clinical decision-making in many institutions. Recently, classifications incorporating contrast extravasation such as the CT severity index (CTSI) and 2018 update of the liver and spleen AAST were proposed to predict outcome and guide treatment, but validation is pending.

Methods

CT images of patients admitted 2000–2016 with blunt splenic and hepatic injury were systematically re-evaluated for 1994/2018-AAST and CTSI grading. Diagnostic accuracy, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for prediction of in-hospital mortality. Correlation with treatment strategy was assessed by Cramer V statistics.

Results

Seven hundred and three patients were analysed, 271 with splenic, 352 with hepatic and 80 with hepatosplenic injury. Primary NOM was applied in 83% of patients; mortality was 4.8%. Comparing prediction of mortality in mild and severe splenic injuries, the CTSI (3.1% vs. 10.3%; diagnostic accuracy = 75.4%; DOR = 3.66;p = 0.006) and 1994-AAST (3.3% vs. 10.5%; diagnostic accuracy = 77.9%; DOR = 3.45;p = 0.010) were more accurate compared with the 2018-AAST (3.4% vs. 8%; diagnostic accuracy = 68.2%; DOR = 2.50;p = 0.059). In hepatic injuries, the CTSI was superior to both AAST classifications in terms of diagnostic accuracy (88.7% vs. 77.1% and 77.3%, respectively). CTSI and 2018-AAST correlated better with the need for surgery in severe vs. mild hepatic (Cramer V = 0.464 and 0.498) and splenic injuries (Cramer V = 0.273 and 0.293) compared with 1994-AAST (Cramer V = 0.389 and 0.255; allp < 0.001).

Conclusions

The 2018-AAST and CTSI are superior to the 1994-AAST in correlation with operative treatment in splenic and hepatic trauma. The CTSI outperforms the 2018-AAST in mortality prediction.

Key Points

• Non-operative management of blunt abdominal trauma is increasingly applied and correct patient stratification is crucial.

• CT-based scoring systems are used to assess injury severity and guide clinical decision-making, whereby the 1994 version of the American Association of Surgery of Trauma Organ Injury Scale (AAST-OIS) is currently most commonly utilised.

• Including contrast media extravasation in CT-based grading improves management and outcome prediction. While the 2018-AAST classification and the CT-severity-index (CTSI) better correlate with need for surgery compared to the 1994-AAST, the CTSI is superior in outcome-prediction to the 2018-AAST.
Frontal–striatal connectivity and positive symptoms of schizophrenia: implications for the mechanistic basis of prefrontal rTMS
Authors: Limongi Roberto , Mackinley Michael , Dempster Kara , Khan Ali R. , Gati Joseph S. , Palaniyappan Lena
Published: July 2020

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), when applied to left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC), reduces negative symptoms of schizophrenia, but has no effect on positive symptoms. In a small number of cases, it appears to worsen the severity of positive symptoms. It has been hypothesized that high-frequency rTMS of the LDLPFC might increase the dopaminergic neurotransmission by driving the activity of the left striatum in the basal ganglia (LSTR)—increasing striatal dopaminergic activity. This hypothesis relies on the assumption that either the frontal–striatal connection or the intrinsic frontal and/or striatal connections covary with the severity of positive symptoms. The current work aimed to evaluate this assumption by studying the association between positive and negative symptoms severity and the effective connectivity within the frontal and striatal network using dynamic causal modeling of resting state fMRI in a sample of 19 first episode psychosis subjects. We found that the total score of positive symptoms of schizophrenia is strongly associated with the frontostriatal circuitry. Stronger intrinsic inhibitory tone of LDLPFC and LSTR, as well as decreased bidirectional excitatory influence between the LDLPFC and the LSTR is related to the severity of positive symptoms, especially delusions. We interpret that an increase in striatal dopaminergic tone that underlies positive symptoms is likely associated with increased prefrontal inhibitory tone, strengthening the frontostriatal ‘brake’. Furthermore, based on our model, we propose that lessening of positive symptoms could be achieved by means of continuous theta-burst or low-frequency (1 Hz) rTMS of the prefrontal area.
Lymph node involvement by enteropathy-like indolent NK-cell proliferation
Authors: Dargent Jean-Louis , Tinton Nicolas , Trimech Mounir , de Leval Laurence
Published: July 2020

Natural killer (NK)-cell enteropathy (NKCE) and lymphomatoid gastropathy (LG) are closely related lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) composed of mature and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-negative NK-cells. Although these uncommon and indolent lymphoid proliferations mostly arise within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as their designations implies, a few cases have been reported outside the GI tract. We hereby describe a unique case of lymph node infiltration by such EBV-negative NK-cell proliferation fortuitously found during routine examination of a gallbladder resected for biliary lithiasis. The histologic, phenotypic, and molecular features of this NK-cell proliferation, which were very similar if not identical to those previously reported in NKCE or LG, suggest that similar indolent EBV-negative NK-cell LPDs may also occasionally involve lymph nodes.
Orofacial skin inflammation increases the number of macrophages in the maxillary subregion of the rat trigeminal ganglion in a corticosteroid-reversible manner
Authors: Legradi Adam , Dulka Karolina , Jancsó Gábor , Gulya Karoly
Published: July 2020

Inflammation of the cutaneous orofacial tissue can lead to a prolonged alteration of neuronal and nonneuronal cellular functions in trigeminal nociceptive pathways. In this study, we investigated the effects of experimentally induced skin inflammation by dithranol (anthralin) on macrophage activation in the rat trigeminal ganglion. Tissue localization and protein expression levels of ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1), a macrophage/microglia-specific marker, and proliferation/mitotic marker antigen identified by the monoclonal antibody Ki67 (Ki67), were quantitatively analyzed using immunohistochemistry and western blots in control, dithranol-treated, dithranol- and corticosteroid-treated, and corticosteroid-treated trigeminal ganglia. Chronic orofacial dithranol treatment elicited a strong pro-inflammatory effect in the ipsilateral trigeminal ganglion. Indeed, daily dithranol treatment of the orofacial skin for 3–5 days increased the number of macrophages and Iba1 protein expression in the maxillary subregion of the ipsilateral ganglion. In the affected ganglia, none of the Iba1-positive cells expressed Ki67. This absence of mitotically active cells suggested that the accumulation of macrophages in the ganglion was not the result of resident microglia proliferation but rather the extravasation of hematogenous monocytes from the periphery. Subsequently, when a 5-day-long anti-inflammatory corticosteroid therapy was employed on the previously dithranol-treated orofacial skin, Iba1 immunoreactivity was substantially reduced in the ipsilateral ganglion. Collectively, our findings indicate that both peripheral inflammation and subsequent anti-inflammatory therapy affect macrophage activity and thus interfere with the functioning of the affected sensory ganglion neurons.
Groundwater circulation and earthquake-related changes in hydrogeological karst environments: a case study of the Sibillini Mountains (central Italy) involving artificial tracers
Authors: Nanni T. , Vivalda P. M. , Palpacelli S. , Marcellini M. , Tazioli A.
Published: July 2020

Using artificial tracer tests, this study confirms the presence of a single basal aquifer feeding the springs in the wide and complex hydrogeological boundary of the Sibillini Mountains of central Italy. The tracer was introduced into the sinkhole of the Castelluccio di Norcia plain. The tracer test results, observed at the studied springs, highlight the changes induced by the 2016/2017 earthquake in the water circulation of the aquifer system. In particular, the seismic events increased the hydraulic conductivity of the basal aquifer, with a consequent increase in the springs’ flow rates at the western hydrogeological boundary and a decrease in the flow rates at the eastern Adriatic hydrogeological boundary. This phenomenon is in accordance with the hydro-structural framework of the area. The study also investigated the relation between groundwater circulation and tracer behaviour in the springs during the pre- and post-earthquake periods. The tracer test results led to the formulation of hypotheses about water circulation of the area. The trend of the tracer breakthrough curves demonstrates that the upper portion of the basal aquifer is characterised by fast water circulation similar to that in the epiphreatic area of karst aquifers, while a slow circulation due to fissures with interconnected drains occurs in the deepest portion of the aquifers. The obtained results highlight how tectonics and karst can affect the hydrogeological setting of the Apennine carbonate chain; in particular, the seismicity of central Italy may alter groundwater circulation for a long period of time when great magnitude earthquakes occur.
Effects of coherent, integrated, and context-dependent adaptable user interfaces on operators’ situation awareness, performance, and workload
Authors: van Doorn Ellemieke , Horváth Imre , Rusák Zoltán
Published: July 2020

Nautical traffic management in The Netherlands is shifting from local traffic control to corridor traffic management. Current traffic management systems do not sufficiently support operators in perceptual and cognitive process to interpret and understand the large amounts of information needed for corridor traffic management. Newly developed user interface concepts aim to overcome deficiencies of current interface designs that insufficiently support situation awareness assessment. The effects of these new user interfaces, however, are insufficiently known due to the intricate relations between situation awareness, task performance, and workload. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the three previously developed user interface concepts on operators’ situation awareness, task performance, and workload to gain better insights into the benefits and limitations of the user interface design concepts. The effects were tested in a simulator environment. The results show that user interface features of an integrated user interface allowed operators to apply more effective information processing, which resulted in better task performance. Features of a context-dependent adaptable user interface triggered proactive behavior of operators, which resulted in better task performance for tasks in which operators require insight into future activities of the elements in the environment.
A sparse FFT approach for ODE with random coefficients
Authors: Bochmann Maximilian , Kämmerer Lutz , Potts Daniel
Published: July 2020

The paper presents a general strategy to solve ordinary differential equations (ODE), where some coefficient depend on the spatial variable and on additional random variables. The approach is based on the application of a recently developed dimension-incremental sparse fast Fourier transform. Since such algorithms require periodic signals, we discuss periodization strategies and associated necessary deperiodization modifications within the occurring solution steps. The computed approximate solutions of the ODE depend on the spatial variable and on the random variables as well. Certainly, one of the crucial challenges of the high-dimensional approximation process is to rate the influence of each variable on the solution as well as the determination of the relations and couplings within the set of variables. The suggested approach meets these challenges in a full automatic manner with reasonable computational costs, i.e., in contrast to already existing approaches, one does not need to seriously restrict the used set of ansatz functions in advance.
Restorative Justice Policy in Context: A Legal-Archaeological Analysis
Authors: Maglione Giuseppe
Published: July 2020

This paper provides an original, in-depth analysis of English and Welsh criminal and penal policy on restorative justice. By using a historically-discursive approach—legal archaeology—this study firstly outlines the overarching representations of restorative justice within policy, unpacking their internal organisation. Then, it interprets such patterns of knowledge in light of specific cultural, political and professional transformations involving the Anglo-Welsh criminal justice field over the last 30 years. Along these lines, it generates a historically documented policy map whilst problematising the taken-for-granted images of restorative justice which populate regulations, codes and laws. This has implications for the study of the relationships between restorative justice policy and practice and for future research on the institutionalisation of this ‘new’ frontier of penality. More generally, the exploration of (unexpected) links between policy, politics and culture, provides material for a critical assessment of how state agencies appropriate community-based and practice-led forms of justice.
Examining the effectiveness of brief interventions to strengthen a positive implicit relation between women and STEM across two timepoints
Authors: Farrell Lynn , Nearchou Finiki , McHugh Louise
Published: July 2020

The current study assessed the impact of three brief interventions aimed at influencing implicit gender bias in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. The reduction of this bias is a key consideration as it remains a major barrier to gender equality in STEM. The interventions (psychoeducation, exposure to positive counter-stereotypical exemplars and perspective-taking) were compared to a control group at two timepoints. Gender-STEM bias was assessed at the implicit level (via the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure; IRAP) and the explicit level (via rating scales). Two hundred and ten adults (58.1% women) completed one of the four study conditions. Results indicated that implicit gender-STEM bias is malleable, at least in the short term. At Time 1, intervention groups showed higher levels of implicit pro-Women-STEM bias and lower levels of pro-Men-STEM bias than the Control group. Psychoeducation appeared most effective, followed by exposure to positive counter-stereotypical exemplars. Results from Time 2 presented a more complex picture of implicit bias change, as the control group exhibited an increased pro-Women-STEM bias that was unexpected. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to refining the interventions, the malleability of gender-STEM bias and the measurement of implicit bias across contexts.
Thermo-Optical Property Degradation of ITO-Coated Aluminized Polyimide Thin Films Under VUV and Low-Energy Proton Radiation
Authors: Dembska Marta , Renger Thomas , Sznajder Maciej
Published: July 2020

We studied thermo-optical property degradation of indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated aluminized polyimide thin films under exposure to vacuum ultraviolet radiation and low-energy (3 and 5 keV) protons during ground tests using the Complex Irradiation Facility at the DLR site in Bremen. Changes in solar absorption and thermal emission coefficients caused by the irradiation were analyzed. We report a significant increase in solar absorptance of the samples irradiated by protons. We also attempted to identify any defects on the surface of the samples. The study was motivated by a unique opportunity that is provided by the Complex Irradiation Facility to study the degradation effects induced by exposure to protons with an energy below 10 keV and short-wavelength light below 115 nm.
Machine Learning Against Terrorism: How Big Data Collection and Analysis Influences the Privacy-Security Dilemma
Authors: Verhelst H. M. , Stannat A. W. , Mecacci G.
Published: July 2020

Rapid advancements in machine learning techniques allow mass surveillance to be applied on larger scales and utilize more and more personal data. These developments demand reconsideration of the privacy-security dilemma, which describes the tradeoffs between national security interests and individual privacy concerns. By investigating mass surveillance techniques that use bulk data collection and machine learning algorithms, we show why these methods are unlikely to pinpoint terrorists in order to prevent attacks. The diverse characteristics of terrorist attacks—especially when considering lone-wolf terrorism—lead to irregular and isolated (digital) footprints. The irregularity of data affects the accuracy of machine learning algorithms and the mass surveillance that depends on them which can be explained by three kinds of known problems encountered in machine learning theory: class imbalance, the curse of dimensionality, and spurious correlations. Proponents of mass surveillance often invoke the distinction between collecting data and metadata, in which the latter is understood as a lesser breach of privacy. Their arguments commonly overlook the ambiguity in the definitions of data and metadata and ignore the ability of machine learning techniques to infer the former from the latter. Given the sparsity of datasets used for machine learning in counterterrorism and the privacy risks attendant with bulk data collection, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders should critically re-evaluate the likelihood of success of the algorithms and the collection of data on which they depend.
Present-Day Mass Tourism: its Imaginaries and Nightmare Scenarios
Authors: Kroes Rob
Published: July 2020

Present-day mass tourism uncannily resembles an auto-immune disease. Yet, self-destructive as it may be, it is also self-regenerating, changing its appearance and purpose. They are two modes that stand in contrast to each other. We can see them as opposites that delimit a conceptual dimension ordering varieties of present-day mass tourism. The first pole calls forth tourism as a force leaving ruin and destruction in its wake or at best a sense of nostalgia for what has been lost, the other sees tourism as a force endlessly resuscitating and re-inventing itself. This paper article highlights both sides of the story. These times of the Covid-19 pandemic, with large swathes of public life emptied by social lock-down, remind us of a second, cross-cutting conceptual dimension, ranging from public space brimming with human life to its post-apocalyptic opposite eerily empty and silent. The final part of my argument will touch on imagined evocations of precisely such dystopian landscapes.
Social Distancing, Safe Spaces and the Demand for Quarantine
Authors: Furedi Frank
Published: July 2020

Social distance has been a topic of interest in sociology for more than a century before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas in the past it referred to the distance between groups in more recent times it signifies the space between individuals. The aspiration for safe space and personal boundaries in recent years indicated that social distancing has acquired an increasingly individuated and privatised form. This article suggests that the demand for safe space can be interpreted as a demand for a quarantine from psychic threats. This pre-existing demand for a quarantine from criticism and pressure has seamlessly meshed with the imperative of social distancing in the COVID-19 era.
Microtubules and Vimentin Fiber Stability during Parabolic Flights
Authors: Wuest Simon L. , Arnold Jaro , Gander Sarah , Zumbühl Christoph , Jost Christian , Giger-Lange Christina , Cerretti Geraldine , Caliò Martina , Rattenbacher-Kiser Karin , Follonier Cindy , Schälli Othmar , Székely Gerhard S. , Egli Marcel , Ille Fabian
Published: July 2020

Adequate mechanical stimulation is essential for cellular health and tissue maintenance, including articular cartilage, which lines the articulating bones in joints. Chondrocytes, which are the sole cells found in articular cartilage, are responsible for matrix synthesis, maintenance and degradation. It is generally believed that chondrocytes require mechanical stimuli through daily physical activity for adequate cartilage homeostasis. However, to date, the molecular mechanisms of cellular force sensing (mechanotransduction) are not fully understood. Among other mechanisms, the cytoskeleton is thought to play a key role. Despite that gravity is a very small force at the cellular level, cytoskeletal adaptations have been observed under altered gravity conditions of a parabolic flight in multiple cell types. In this study, we developed a novel hardware which allowed to chemically fix primary bovine chondrocytes at 7 time points over the course of a 31-parabola flight. The samples were subsequently stained for the microtubules and vimentin network and microscopic images were acquired. The images showed a large heterogeneity among the cells in morphology as well as in the structure of both networks. In all, no changes or adaptions in cytoskeleton structure could be detected over the course of the parabolic flight.
The molecular mechanisms associated with the physiological responses to inflammation and oxidative stress in cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Zhazykbayeva Saltanat , Pabel Steffen , Mügge Andreas , Sossalla Samuel , Hamdani Nazha
Published: July 2020

The complex physiological signal transduction networks that respond to the dual challenges of inflammatory and oxidative stress are major factors that promote the development of cardiovascular pathologies. These signaling networks contribute to the development of age-related diseases, suggesting crosstalk between the development of aging and cardiovascular disease. Inhibition and/or attenuation of these signaling networks also delays the onset of disease. Therefore, a concept of targeting the signaling networks that are involved in inflammation and oxidative stress may represent a novel treatment paradigm for many types of heart disease. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms associated with the physiological responses to inflammation and oxidative stress especially in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and emphasize the nature of the crosstalk of these signaling processes as well as possible therapeutic implications for cardiovascular medicine.
Do All Roads Lead to Rome? Exploring the Relationship Between Social Referrals, Referral Propensity and Stickiness to Video-on-Demand Websites
Authors: Köster Antonia , Matt Christian , Hess Thomas
Published: July 2020

Content website providers have two main goals: They seek to attract consumers and to keep them on their websites as long as possible. To reach potential consumers, they can utilize several online channels, such as paid search results or advertisements on social media, all of which usually require a substantial marketing budget. However, with rising user numbers of online communication tools, website providers increasingly integrate social sharing buttons on their websites to encourage existing consumers to facilitate referrals to their social networks. While little is known about this social form of guiding consumers to a content website, the study proposes that the way in which consumers reach a website is related to their stickiness to the website and their propensity to refer content to others. By using a unique clickstream data set of a video-on-demand website, the study compares consumers referred by their social network to those consumers arriving at the website via organic search or social media advertisements in terms of stickiness to the website (e.g., visit length, number of page views, video starts) and referral likelihood. The results show that consumers referred through social referrals spend more time on the website, view more pages, and start more videos than consumers who respond to social media advertisements, but less than those coming through organic search. Concerning referral propensity, the results indicate that consumers attracted to a website through social referrals are more likely to refer content to others than those who came through organic search or social media advertisements. The study offers direct insights to managers and recommends an increase in their efforts to promote social referrals on their websites.