bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a highly sensitive magneto-enzyme lateral flow immunoassay for dengue NS1 detection
Authors: Tran Tien V. , Nguyen Ba V. , Nguyen Thao T.P. , Tran Tung T. , Pham Khanh G. , Le Quang B. , Do Binh N. , Pham Hung N. , Nguyen Chuyen V. , Dinh Duong P.H. , Ha Van T. , Doan Trang H.T. , Le Hoa Q.
Published: September 2019

Background

Dengue infection represents a global health issue of growing importance. Dengue non-structural protein 1 (NS1) plays a central role in the early detection of the disease. The most common method for NS1 detection is testing by lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) with varying sensitivity. In this study, we present a highly sensitive magneto-enzyme LFIA for prompt diagnosis of dengue.

Methods

We have demonstrated the development of a magneto-enzyme LFIA combining super-paramagnetic nanoparticles as labels and Biotin–Streptavidin signal amplification strategy to detect dengue NS1. Factors affecting the test performance including antibody pair, super-paramagnetic nanoparticle size, nitrocellulose membrane type, amounts of detection and capture antibodies, and amounts of Streptavidin-polyHRP were optimized. Analytical sensitivity and cross-reactivity were determined. Clinical performance of the novel assay was evaluated using a panel of 120 clinical sera.

Results

This newly developed assay could detect NS1 of all four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV). The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be as low as 0.25 ng ml−1for DENV-1 and DENV-3, 0.1 ng ml−1for DENV-2, and 1.0 ng ml−1for DENV-4. The LOD for DENV-2 was a 50-fold improvement over the best values previously reported. There was an absence of cross-reactivity with Zika NS1, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus. The sensitivity and specificity of the novel assay were 100% when tested on clinical samples.

Conclusions

We have successfully developed a magneto-enzyme LFIA, allowing rapid and highly sensitive detection of dengue NS1, which is essential for proper management of patients infected with DENV.
Combined Decarbonization of Electrical Energy Generation and Production of Synthetic Fuels by Renewable Energies and Fossil Fuels
Authors: Maaß Hans-Jürgen , Möckel Hans-Otto
Published: September 2019

Power generation from renewable energy sources and fossil fuels are integrated into one system. A combination of technologies in the form of a carbon capture utilization (CCU)‐combined power station is proposed. The technology is based on energy generation from fossil fuels by a coal power plant with CO2 recovery from exhaust gases, and pyrolysis of natural gas to hydrogen and carbon, completed by reverse water‐gas shift for the conversion of CO2 to CO, which will react with hydrogen in a Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis for synthetic diesel. The carbon from the pyrolysis can replace other fossil carbon or can be sequestered. This technology offers significant CO2 savings compared to the current state of technology and makes an environmentally friendly use of fossil fuels for electricity and fuel sectors possible.
Clinical Evaluation of the Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Azilsartan, a Potent Angiotensin Receptor Blocker, in Healthy Chinese Subjects
Authors: Li Xiaojiao , Liu Jingrui , Sheng Changcheng , Chen Hong , Cui Dongyang , Chen Guiling , Zhang Hong , Zhu Xiaoxue , Wu Min , Li Cuiyun , Shen Zhenwei , Guo Yingjie , Ding Yanhua , Jiao Zheng
Published: September 2019

Azilsartan (AZL), the active metabolite of azilsartan medoxomil, is the newest angiotensin receptor blocker that has been approved for the treatment of hypertension in 2012 in Japan. The present study aimed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic properties of AZL in healthy Chinese subjects. We performed 2 phase 1 studies to investigate the pharmacokinetics and safety of AZL in healthy Chinese adults after a single dose (20 mg or 40 mg) or multiple doses of AZL (40 mg/d for 7 days; Study I) and after a single 40‐mg dose under the fasted and fed conditions (Study II). Noncompartmental analysis and nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling were used to analyze the pharmacokinetic properties of AZL. Twenty‐seven healthy volunteers (14 men and 13 women) aged 20‐32 years were enrolled and completed the study. During single dosing of AZL, the pharmacokinetics of AZL exhibited a linear profile between dosage and area under the concentration‐time curve. There is no AZL accumulation after multiple doses. Food had no effect on the pharmacokinetic characteristics of AZL. AZL concentrations were best fit with a 2‐compartment model, and the typical value of clearance was 1.63 L/h. Body weight had an impact on both the apparent clearance and peripheral volume of distribution. The pharmacokinetic parameters were consistent with previous studies in non‐Chinese subjects. Model‐based simulations indicated that a 45‐kg subject would have approximately double the AZL exposure of a 90‐kg subject. Whether the exposure difference has clinical significance needs to be confirmed in further studies among patients.
Fundamental alteration practices in the age of anxiety
Authors: Masinter Michael R.
Published: September 2019

Ed Roberts insisted that the University of California, Berkeley admit him despite his disability, opening the door in 1962 for the thousands of U.S. students who otherwise would have been excluded from the college of their choice because of their disability. But we sometimes forget that his demand could be distilled to three words: Let me in. He did not seek to modify the curriculum or its academic requirements, but rather to have equal access to it. The Section 504 regulations, finally issued in 1977, enshrined equal access into law, but simultaneously made clear that Section 504 did not require academic adjustments to modify “requirements essential to the academic instruction being pursued.” Similarly, the Americans With Disabilities Act excluded otherwise reasonable modifications that can be shown to fundamentally alter a school's academic program.
Know how to manage office controversies to protect reputation of institution, yourself
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: September 2019

“They don't teach us in grad school what to do when embroiled in a controversy or litigation,” said Jason A. Laker, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Counselor Education at San Jose State University, where he previously served as VP of Student Affairs. “My story is one of a whistleblower. There will be times in the course of your work that you will witness something you weren't looking for necessarily, and you have some decisions to make,” he said.
Multi-objective Pareto and GAs nonlinear optimization approach for flyback transformer
Authors: Barg Sobhi , Bertilsson Kent
Published: September 2019

Design and optimization of high-frequency inductive components is a complex task because of the huge number of variables to manipulate, the strong interdependence and the interaction between variables, the nonlinear variation of some design variables as well as the problem nonlinearity. This paper proposes a multi-objective design methodology of a 200-W flyback transformer in continuous conduction mode using genetic algorithms and Pareto optimality concept. The objective is to minimize loss, volume and cost of the transformer. Design variables such as the duty cycle, the winding configuration and the core shape, which have great effects on the former objectives but were neglected in previous works, are considered in this paper. The optimization is performed in discrete research space at different switching frequencies. In total, 24 magnetic materials, 6 core shapes and 2 winding configurations are considered in the database. Accurate volume and cost models are also developed to deal with the optimization in the discrete research space. The bi-objective (loss–volume) and tri-objective (loss–volume–cost) optimization results are presented, and the variations of the design variables are analyzed for the case of 60 kHz. An example of a design (30 kHz) is experimentally verified. The registered efficiency is 88% at full load.
GO-modified flexible polymer nanocomposites fabricated via 3D stereolithography
Authors: Tsang Chi Him Alpha , Zhakeyev Adilet , Leung Dennis Y. C. , Xuan Jin
Published: September 2019

Graphene oxide (GO) induced enhancement of elastomer properties showed a great deal of potential in recent years, but it is still limited by the barrier of the complicated synthesis processes. Stereolithography (SLA), used in fabrication of thermosets and very recently in “flexible” polymers with elastomeric properties, presents itself as simple and user-friendly method for integration of GO into elastomers. In this work, it was first time demonstrated that GO loadings can be incorporated into commercial flexible photopolymer resins to successfully fabricate GO/elastomer nanocomposites via readily accessible, consumer-oriented SLA printer. The material properties of the resulting polymer was characterized and tested. The mechanical strength, stiffness, and the elongation of the resulting polymer decreased with the addition of GO. The thermal properties were also adversely affected upon the increase in the GO content based on differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis results. It was proposed that the GO agglomerates within the 3D printed composites, can result in significant change in both mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting nanocomposites. This study demonstrated the possibility for the development of the GO/elastomer nanocomposites after the optimization of the GO/“flexible” photoreactive resin formulation for SLA with suitable annealing process of the composite in future.
Predictors of antiproliferative effect of lanreotide autogel in advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms
Authors: Laskaratos Faidon-Marios , Armeni Eleni , Shah Heer , Megapanou Maria , Papantoniou Dimitrios , Hayes Aimee R , Navalkissoor Shaunak , Gnanasegaran Gopinath , von Stempel Conrad , Phillips Edward , Furnace Myles , Kamieniarz Lukasz , Kousteni Margarita , Luong Tu Vinh , Watkins Jennifer , Mandair Dalvinder , Caplin Martyn , Toumpanakis Christos
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The antiproliferative properties of lanreotide autogel (LAN) in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP NENs) were demonstrated in the CLARINET study. However, there is limited literature regarding factors that affect progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with GEP NENs treated with LAN.

Methods

We identified a total of 191 treatment-naive patients with advanced GEP NENs and positive SSTR uptake on imaging (Octreoscan or 68Gallium DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography [68GaPET]) who received first-line LAN monotherapy, albeit at various starting doses (60, 90 or 120 mg/month). A group of 102 patients who initiated treatment at the standard dose of 120 mg/month were included in the study and further evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses to identify predictors of PFS.

Results

The location of tumour primary was in the small bowel in 63 (62%), pancreas in 31 (30%) and colon/rectum in 8 patients (8%). The tumours were well-differentiated, and the majority were grade 1 (52%), or 2 (38%). About 60% of cases had progressive disease at the time of treatment initiation. Most patients with available pretreatment nuclear medicine imaging (Octreoscan or 68Ga PET) had a Krenning score of 3 (44%) or 4 (50%). The median PFS for the entire cohort was 19 months (95% CI 12, 26 months). The univariate analysis demonstrated that grade 2 tumours, progressive disease at baseline and metastatic liver disease were associated with a significantly shorter PFS, while other evaluated variables did not affect PFS at a statistically significant level. However, at multivariate analysis only the tumour grade remained statistically significant.

Conclusions

The current study showed that, of many evaluated variables, only the tumour grade was predictive of PFS duration and this should be considered during patient selection for treatment.
Early postoperative HPA-axis testing after pituitary tumor surgery: reliability and safety of basal cortisol and CRH test
Authors: de Vries Friso , Lobatto Daniel J. , Bakker Leontine E. H. , van Furth Wouter R. , Biermasz Nienke R. , Pereira Alberto M.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To assess the reliability and safety of a postsurgical evaluation strategy of adrenal function using CRH stimulation and basal cortisol concentrations after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery from 2010 to 2017, in whom early postoperative basal cortisol and/or CRH-stimulated cortisol secretion were available, including confirmation of adrenal function during follow-up. Patients with Cushing’s disease were excluded. Optimal test performances were assessed using ROC analysis.

Results

A total of 156 patients were included. Sensitivity and specificity of the CRH test were 78% and 90%, respectively, and 86% and 92% for basal cortisol, respectively, using an optimal cutoff of 220 nmol/L. Eight patients had false-negative test results with the CRH test (normal test but adrenal insufficient at follow-up), and six patients with basal cortisol, the majority of which had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies and fluid imbalances. No clinical adverse events occurred in patients with false-negative test results. The diagnostic performance of a single basal cortisol measurement was superior to the CRH test.

Conclusions

The early postoperative basal cortisol is a safe and simple measurement to guide (dis)continuation of hydrocortisone replacement. However, disturbing factors, e.g., sodium balance disorders, contraceptives, untreated hypopituitarism, and illness impact the interpretation and in those cases this measure is unreliable. We propose an algorithm in which hydrocortisone replacement at discharge is based on basal cortisol <220 nmol/L on postoperative day 2 or 3 in a stable condition.
Inertia Controlled Capillary Pressure at the Juncture between Converging and Uniform Channels
Authors: Rabbani Harris Sajjad , Seers Thomas Daniel
Published: September 2019

In this research, we reveal the transient behavior of capillary pressure as the fluid-fluid interface travels across the juncture between a converging and uniform capillary, via high-resolution CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations. Simulations were performed at different wetting conditions (strong-wet and intermediate-wet) and capillary wall convergence angles. Our results demonstrate that as the angle of convergence increases, capillary pressure at the junction decreases commensurately. Moreover, in contrast to strong-wet conditions, the profile of capillary pressure at the converging-uniform capillary juncture under intermediate-wet conditions is highly non-monotonic, being characterized by a parabola-like form. This non-monotonic behavior is a manifestation of strong inertial forces governing dynamic fluid-fluid interface morphology. This yields conditions that promote the advancement of the fluid-fluid interface, as inertial forces partially nullify the capillary pressure required for the immiscible interface to enter the uniform capillary. In addition to numerical analysis detailed above, a novel theoretical stability criteria that is capable of distinguishing between stable (capillary dominated) and unstable (inertia dominated) interfacial regimes at the converging-uniform capillary juncture is also proposed. In summary, this fundamental study offers new insights into the interface invasion protocol, and paves the way for the re-evaluation of capillary junction controlled interfacial dynamics.
Voluntary Generation of Hyperchaotic Visuo-Motor Patterns
Authors: Wilson Hugh R.
Published: September 2019

Unpredictable escape behaviour is an integral part of the repertoire of many prey species. Many social species, including humans, also employ unpredictability to enhance their chances of success in social interactions with conspecifics. However, it is unclear what mechanisms provide the behavioural and neural bases of this unpredictability, which might result either from randomness or from chaotic dynamics. A novel paradigm described here demonstrates that unpredictable behaviour generated voluntarily in a simple visuomotor task represents high dimensional chaos, or hyperchaos, but not randomness. The exponential decay of predictability was also shown to be longer in older adults. As chaos has been observed among cortical neurons, this provides a plausible neural basis for hyperchaos. These results thus provide evidence that voluntary unpredictable behaviour can result from neural hyperchaos. This work has implications for the study of autism, aftereffects of concussions, early dementia, and the concept of free will.
On the reaction mechanism of an endoperoxide ring formation by fumitremorgin B endoperoxidase. The right arrangement makes a difference
Authors: Miłaczewska Anna , Borowski Tomasz
Published: September 2019

Computations suggest how the substrate binds within the active site and what is the mechanism of an endoperoxide ring formation.
Brightly phosphorescent tetranuclear copper(i) pyrazolates
Authors: Dias H. V. Rasika , Diyabalanage Himashinie V. K. , Ghimire Mukunda M. , Hudson Joshua M. , Parasar Devaborniny , Palehepitiya Gamage Chammi S. , Li Shan , Omary Mohammad A.
Published: September 2019

Light-emitting tetramers of copper(i) supported by pyrazolates with remarkable photophysical properties conducive to potential use in optoelectronic devices and/or sensors are reported.
Metal β-diketonate complexes as highly efficient catalysts for chemical fixation of CO2 into cyclic carbonates under mild conditions
Authors: Wang Hongmei , Zhang Zulei , Wang Hailong , Guo Liping , Li Lei
Published: September 2019

Metal β-diketonate complexes could efficiently catalyze the chemical fixation of CO2 at 1 atm and near room temperature.
The Biophysics Collaboration for research at FAIR and other new accelerator facilities
Authors: Durante Marco , Prezado Yolanda , Patera Vincenzo
Published: September 2019

Applied nuclear physics is ubiquitous in our lives, and is a field in fast and exponential growth. Biomedical application at particle accelerators are particular important, and many current accelerators in Europe built for nuclear physics (e.g. GSI in Germany, KVI in The Netherlands, GANIL in France, INFN-LNS in Italy) have intense and productive biomedical programs covering topics such as radiotherapy with charged particles and radiation protection in space [1].
Multiples Myelom
Authors: Arnheim Katharina
Published: September 2019

Die subkutane Gabe von Daratumumab ist ebenso effektiv wie die i.v.-Applikation. Sie ist für Patienten wegen der verkürzten Infusionsdauer und der geringeren Rate an Infusionsreaktionen auch angenehmer.
Metastasiertes Nierenzellkarzinom
Authors: Schmale Ine
Published: September 2019

Die Immuntherapie mit Checkpoint-Inhibitoren hat sich in der Behandlung des fortgeschrittenen Nierenzellkarzinoms (RCC) etabliert. Wann und bei welchen Patienten der optimale Einsatz einer Immuntherapie ist, war Gegenstand zweier Studien bei der diesjährigen ASCO-Jahrestagung.
Consensus without focus
Authors: Edy Jill A. , Meirick Patrick C.
Published: September 2019

Generating public consensus on issue priorities is one of the most important functions of news agenda setting. However, the nature of that consensus is not well understood. Agenda setting might build a public consensus focused on a limited set of priorities, but it also has potential to build a consensus that broadens the public’s issue agenda by generating shared concerns about problems beyond the bounds of personal experience. Evidence shows that from 1968–2010, broadcast news’ agenda-setting effect tended to broaden the public agenda rather than focus it. This tendency of news agenda setting to broaden the public agenda is not affected by the news agenda’s breadth or by which issues dominate the news, although issue-level agenda setting effects may, under some circumstances, focus the public agenda. If broadcast news does not focus the public agenda, it is unlikely a focused agenda will be generated by a more fragmented media ecology.
High temperature susceptibility of sexual reproduction in crop plants
Authors: Lohani Neeta , Singh Mohan B , Bhalla Prem L
Published: September 2019

Climate change-induced increases in the frequency of extreme weather events, particularly heatwaves, are a serious threat to crop productivity. The productivity of grain crops is dependent on the success of sexual reproduction, which is very sensitive to heat stress. Male gametophyte development has been identified as the most heat-vulnerable stage. This review outlines the susceptibility of the various stages of sexual reproduction in flowering plants from the time of floral transition to double fertilization. We summarize current knowledge concerning the molecular mechanisms underpinning the heat stress-induced aberrations and abnormalities at flowering, male reproductive development, female reproductive development, and fertilization. We highlight the stage-specific bottlenecks in sexual reproduction, which regulate seed set and final yields under high-temperature conditions, together with the outstanding research questions concerning genotypic and species-specific differences in thermotolerance observed in crops. This knowledge is essential for trait selection and genetic modification strategies for the development of heat-tolerant genotypes and high-temperature-resilient crops.
LAZY3 plays a pivotal role in positive root gravitropism in Lotus japonicus
Authors: Chen Yaping , Xu Shaoming , Tian Lu , Liu Leru , Huang Mingchao , Xu Xinlan , Song Guanying , Wu Pingzhi , Sato Shusei , Jiang Huawu , Wu Guojiang
Published: September 2019

LAZY3, polarly localized to the plasma membrane in root stele cells, is involved in rootward polar auxin transport in roots and required for positive root gravitropism in Lotus japonicus.
Cicero's Pro Archia
Authors: Sillett Andrew
Published: September 2019

In 62 bce, the aging poet Aulus Licinius Archias was arraigned before the Praetor on a charge of having spent almost a quarter of a century fraudulently claiming to be a Roman citizen, thus breaking the Lex Papia de Peregrinis. Archias, who first arrived in Rome in 102 bce, had, since the conclusion of the Social War in 89 bce, been living as a Roman citizen and enjoying all of its attendant privileges. Archias’s defense was undertaken by a former pupil of his, the previous year’s Consul, Marcus Tullius Cicero. Cicero’s defense of Archias follows a two-pronged argument. After providing the jury with the legal foundations of Archias’s citizenship, he proceeds to argue that even if reasonable doubt were to surround Archias’s claim to be a Roman citizen, he should nevertheless be considered worthy of inclusion in the citizen body as a result of the contribution his poetry has made to the Republic. Although there is no direct evidence that this speech was a success, a later letter to Atticus suggests that Archias was indeed acquitted and remained a part of life at Rome. The text which Cicero later published as his Pro Archia attracts most scholarly attention for the so-called “Encomium of Literature” that Cicero delivers to convince the jury that Archias has contributed more than enough to the Republic to earn his citizenship. However, it also provides an invaluable insight into the early stages of Cicero’s senior statesman persona. Beyond this, the speech also offers readers a glimpse at the complicated procedures involved in spreading Roman citizenship throughout the Italian peninsula.
Private Military and Security Companies
Authors: Voetelink Joop
Published: September 2019

When state armed forces are deployed in the context of armed conflict situations or crisis management operations it has become fairly common that they are accompanied and supported by employees of private business entities, often referred to as Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs). The name notwithstanding, PMSCs do not have a military status, but are private businesses contracted to perform a wide array of functions that traditionally were carried out by active duty military. These functions include training; logistic support, such as transport, maintenance and repair; base support; and even operational duties, such as collecting and analyzing intelligence and providing armed security services. Although civilians accompanying the armed forces are not a new phenomenon, reliance on the private sector to support military operations has steadily increased since the end of the Cold War. The presence of so many civilians in the area of military operations, working closely together with the military without actually being part of the armed forces, has led to incidents raising a number of legal concerns that have received wide academic attention. Notwithstanding these questions, the private sector has a critical role to play in supporting contemporary military operations. The military’s reliance on this sector is, therefore, today’s reality and is not expected to change in the near future. In early modern Europe it was common practice for territorial entities to strengthen their armies by hiring often foreign fighters in times of tension. With the rise of the nation-state the role of hired forces had gradually diminished and at the start of the 19th century states almost fully relied on national armed forces. In that same period international law further developed focusing on the nation-state as the principal subject of international law. Because involvement of civilians with the armed forces in conflict situations was negligible then, there was no need to regulate in great detail the status of civilians supporting and accompanying armed forces in times of conflict. When the phenomenon of hired fighters reemerged in the post–World War II decolonization period in Africa, efforts were made to fill the gap by addressing the use and conduct of these ‘Mercenaries.’ This process resulted in rather specific rules, which were ill suited to address the consequences of the unexpected rise some decades later of business entities providing military services. While in the literature of the late 1990s and early 2000s attention was first focused on this perceived legal gap, more recent work analyzes the applicability of the existing international legal framework and explores new initiatives to regulate the private sector. The focus of this article is on the latter.
Managerial Discretion
Authors: Wangrow David , Schloemer Hilary
Published: September 2019

Managerial discretion is the latitude of action afforded to a manager. This literature, classically focused at the executive level, reconciles population ecology’s assertion that executives ultimately have little influence over firm-level outcomes and strategic choice theory’s assertion that executives make strategic decisions and thus have considerable influence over firm-level outcomes. Though generally viewed in the management literature as an opportunity for executives to positively affect performance and increase value, the literature in finance and economics argues that managerial discretion represents a cost to shareholders from potential opportunism or other self-serving behaviors. Within the management literature, scholars posit three categories (i.e., forces) that constrain or enable executives: (1) the task environment (i.e., industry-level factors), (2) the internal organization (i.e., firm-level factors), and (3) managerial characteristics (i.e., individual-level factors). Recently, a fourth category, national institutions (i.e., country-level factors), was added to the managerial discretion model. While the managerial discretion literature has typically focused on upper echelons, scholars are increasing their examination of mid-level managers’ discretion since many of the construct’s enabling and constraining factors are also relevant for managers who are subordinate to senior executives. The potential for issue selling and strategic planning activities by mid-level managers to influence executives’ perceived discretion is an example of phenomena studied by scholars attempting to improve our understanding of discretion afforded to mid-level managers.
Participatory Action Research
Authors: Halvorsen Sam
Published: September 2019

Participatory action research (PAR) is an approach that strives to take seriously the ethics and politics of the processes and outcomes of doing research. As implied in its name, PAR is oriented toward collaboration at various moments in the research cycle and holds social and environmental change as a key objective, combining individual agency and structural transformation. PAR draws from diverse historical and geographical experiences, including North American action research and Brazilian radical pedagogy, to promote a research approach that collaborates with participants to identify and attempt to address particular situated issue(s). It thus brings to the fore questions of unequal power relations between those involved in research (e.g., participants, researchers, communities) in order to directly and collaboratively tackle them, in turn providing a more ethically sensitive and politically relevant approach. PAR draws on both established methods (e.g., interviews) and sometimes develops novel methods (e.g., participatory video and diagramming). PAR has also provided fruitful ground for dialogue with radical (e.g., postcolonial) epistemologies concerned with addressing the power hierarchies implicit in research practices and in promoting social and environmental justice. Nevertheless, there exist numerous criticisms and warnings over the limits to the collaborative and transformational claims of PAR, and the discourse of “participation” has proven susceptible to rapid co-optation from above (e.g., neoliberal development discourse). This has led some to focus exclusively on social change and “militant” research, while others drop claims of action and remain focused on methods of participation. I am grateful to Kye Askins, Mike Kesby, Sara Kindon, and two anonymous reviewers for their comments on a draft version, many of which have been incorporated into the final text. The entry would not exist without the tireless work of PAR activists and scholars to which its sole authorship does no justice.
Art of Medieval Iberia
Authors: Nickson Tom
Published: September 2019

Iberia’s medieval history has traditionally been understood in relation to a series of key events: 711–714, when Muslim forces from North Africa began their conquest of most of the Iberian Peninsula; 1031, when the Cordoban caliphate finally collapsed, and 1085, when Alfonso VI captured Islamic Toledo (Tulaytula), marking a significant shift in the balance of power in the peninsula; 1128–1179, when the kingdom of Portugal was founded and officially recognized; 1282, when Peter III of Aragon was crowned king of Sicily, cementing the political and mercantile power of Aragon-Catalonia in the Mediterranean; 1492, when Columbus first landed in the Americas, when Jews were expelled from Spain (and from Portugal in 1496), and when Ferdinand and Isabella of Aragon and Castile captured Nasrid Granada, Iberia’s last Islamic polity; and 1497–1499, when Vasco da Gama made his first sea voyage to India. In terms of its arts, however, Iberia’s medieval period may be pushed back to the 6th century, to the earliest Visigothic metalwork and architecture, and moved forward well into the 16th century, when gothic traditions mingled with Italianate motifs in Lisbon, Salamanca, and Palma, while Nasrid marquetry techniques (taracea) continued to flourish in Andalucia. Political, linguistic, and cultural borders shifted significantly in this period, and they continue to condition modern art-historical scholarship, whether divisions among Jewish, Islamic, and Christian/ “Western” art histories or the intense regionalism – reinforced by modern political and institutional structures—that has atomized art-historical studies on medieval Iberia. Insofar as the scholarship allows—and partly to complement it—this article thus deliberately resists traditional classifications by geography, confession, period, and medium. More focused bibliographies can be found in the Oxford Bibliographies in Art History articles, “Jewish Art, Medieval to Early Modern” and “Islamic Art and Architecture in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula”; and Oxford Bibliographies in Renaissance and Reformation article “Spanish Art.” This article, therefore, focuses broadly on resources rather than specific studies, with a preference for sources in English, when available.
Genetic Variation Explains Changes in Susceptibility in a Naïve Host Against an Invasive Forest Pathogen: The Case of Alder and thePhytophthora alniComplex
Authors: Redondo Miguel A. , Stenlid Jan , Oliva Jonàs
Published: September 2019

Predicting whether naïve tree populations have the potential to adapt to exotic pathogens is necessary owing to the increasing rate of invasions. Adaptation may occur as a result of natural selection when heritable variation in terms of susceptibility exists in the naïve population. We searched for signs of selection on black alder (Alnus glutinosa) stands growing on riverbanks invaded by two pathogens differing in aggressiveness, namely, Phytophthora uniformis (PU) and Phytophthora × alni (PA). We compared the survival and heritability measures from 72 families originating from six invaded and uninvaded (naïve) sites by performing in vitro inoculations. The results from the inoculations were used to assess the relative contribution of host genetic variation on natural selection. We found putative signs of natural selection on alder exerted by PU but not by PA. For PU, we found a higher survival in families originating from invaded sites compared with uninvaded sites. The narrow sense heritability of susceptibility to PU of uninvaded populations was significantly higher than to PA. Simulated data supported the role of heritable genetic variation on natural selection and discarded a high aggressiveness of PA decreasing the transmission rate as an alternative hypothesis for a slow natural selection. Our findings expand on previous attempts of using heritability as a predictor for the likelihood of natural adaptation of naïve tree populations to invasive pathogens. Measures of genetic variation can be useful for risk assessment purposes or when managing Phytophthora invasions.
Explicit Dialogue About the Purpose of Hospital Admission Is Essential: How Different Perspectives Affect Teamwork, Trust, and Patient Care
Authors: Baranova Katherina , Torti Jacqueline , Goldszmidt Mark
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The authors previously found that attending physicians conceptualize hospital admission purpose according to 3 perspectives: one focused dominantly on discharge, one on monitoring and managing chronic conditions, and one on optimizing overall patient health. Given implications of varying perspectives for patient care and team collaboration, this study explored how purpose of admission is negotiated and enacted within clinical teaching teams.

Method

Direct observations and field interviews took place in 2 internal medicine teaching units at 2 teaching hospitals in Ontario, Canada, in summer 2017. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to inform data collection and analysis.

Results

The 54 participants included attendings, residents, and medical students. Management decisions were identified across 185 patients. Attendings and senior medical residents (second- and third-year residents) were each observed to enact one dominant perspective, while junior trainees (first-year residents and students) appeared less fixed in their perspectives. Teams were not observed discussing purpose of admission explicitly; however, differing perspectives were present and enacted. These differences became most noticeable when at the extremes (discharge focused vs optimization focused) or between senior medical residents and attendings. Attendings implicitly signaled and enforced their perspectives, using authority to shut down and redirect discussion. Trainees’ maneuvers for enacting their perspectives ranged from direct advocacy to covert manipulation (passive avoidance/forgetting and delaying until attending changeover).

Conclusions

Failing to negotiate and explicitly label perspectives on purpose of admission may lead to attendings and senior medical residents working at cross-purposes and to trainees participating in covert maneuvers, potentially affecting trust and professional identify development.
Drooping of
Gerbera
flower heads: mechanical and structural studies of a well-known phenomenon
Authors: Lehmann Laura-Sofie , Kampowski Tim , Caliaro Marco , Speck Thomas , Speck Olga
Published: September 2019

Gerbera
, one of the most loved cut flowers, is (in)famous for the drooping of its flower heads under dehydration. This effect has been quantified by analysing both fully turgescent and wilting peduncles of
Gerbera jamesonii
‘Nuance’. Wilting peduncles display pronounced bending in the region directly below the inflorescence after 24 h of dehydration, while the rest of the peduncle remains upright. Using anatomical measurements and three-point bending tests, we have analysed whether this phenomenon is caused by mechanical and/or geometrical alterations. We have found that both the flexural rigidity and the axial second moment of area are significantly decreased in the apical part of wilting peduncles, whereas the bending elastic modulus shows no significant change. Moreover, cross-sections of wilting peduncles ovalize significantly more than those of turgescent peduncles and exhibit considerable shrinkage of the parenchyma, taking up the majority of the cross-sectional area. Generally, the drooping of wilting
Gerbera
flowers can be regarded as a temporary instability of a rod-shaped cellular solid caused by anatomical differences (tissue arrangement, existence or the absence of a pith cavity) and geometrical changes (the decrease of axial second moment of area, cross-sectional ovalization, shrinkage of tissues) between the apical and basal regions of their peduncles.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between Epstein-Barr virus, Multiple Sclerosis, and other risk factors
Authors: Jacobs Benjamin M , Giovannoni Gavin , Cuzick Jack , Dobson Ruth
Published: September 2019

Background

EBV infection is thought to play a central role in the development of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). If causal, it represents a target for interventions to reduce MS risk.

Objective

To examine the evidence for interaction between EBV and other risk factors, and explore mechanisms via which EBV infection may influence MS risk.

Methods

Pubmed was searched using the terms “multiple sclerosis” AND “Epstein Barr virus”, “multiple sclerosis” AND EBV, “clinically isolated syndrome” AND “Epstein Barr virus” and “clinically isolated syndrome” AND EBV. All abstracts were reviewed for possible inclusion.

Results

262 full-text papers were reviewed. There was evidence of interaction on the additive scale between anti-EBV antibody titre and HLA genotype (AP 0.48, p<1×10−4; RERI 3.84, p<5×10−3; S 1.68, p=0.06). Previous IM was associated with increased OR of MS in HLA-DRB1*1501 positive but not HLA-DRB1*1501 negative persons. Smoking was associated with a greater risk of MS in those with high anti-EBV antibodies (OR 2.76) but not low anti-EBV antibodies (OR 1.16). No interaction between EBV and risk factors was found on a multiplicative scale.

Conclusions

EBV appears to interact with at least some established MS risk factors. The mechanism via which EBV influences MS risk remains unknown.
Proposal of a taxonomic nomenclature for theBacillus cereusgroup which reconciles genomic definitions of bacterial species with clinical and industrial phenotypes
Authors: Carroll Laura M. , Wiedmann Martin , Kovac Jasna
Published: September 2019

TheBacillus cereusgroup comprises numerous closely related species, including bioterrorism agentB. anthracis,foodborne pathogenB. cereus, and biopescticideB. thuringiensis. Differentiating organisms capable of causing illness or death from those used in industry is essential for risk assessment and outbreak preparedness. However, current species definitions facilitate species-phenotype incongruencies, particularly when horizontally acquired genes are responsible for a phenotype. Using all publicly availableB. cereusgroup genomes (n= 2,231), we show that current genomospecies definitions lead to overlapping species clusters, and that an average nucleotide identity (ANI) genomospecies threshold of ≈92.5 reflects a natural gap in core genome similarity. We propose a taxonomy for theB. cereusgroup which accounts for (i) genomospecies using separable species clusters formed at a threshold of ≈92.5 ANI, and (ii) phenotypes relevant to public health and industry. We anticipate that the proposed nomenclature will remain interpretable to clinicians, without sacrificing genomic species definitions, which can in turn aid in pathogen surveillance, early detection of emerging, high-risk genotypes, and outbreak preparedness. Furthermore, the nomenclatural framework outlined here serves as a model for genomics-based bacterial taxonomy which moves beyond arbitrarily set genomospecies thresholds, while maintaining congruence with phenotypes and historically important species names.
Taste of time: A porous-medium model for human tongue surface with implications for early taste perception
Authors: Wu Zhenxing , Zhao Kai
Published: September 2019

Most sensory systems are remarkable in their temporal precision, reflected in such phrases as “a flash of light” or “a twig snap”. Yet, the temporal response of human taste perception is complicated by the transport and diffusion processes of the stimuli through the papillae, saliva, taste pore, etc., to reach the taste receptors, processes that are poorly understood. In this study, we addressed this knowledge gap by modeling the transport and diffusion processes within the tongue surface through a novel micro-fiber porous medium approach and found that time-concentration profiles within the papilla zone rises with significant delay that well match experimental ratings of perceived taste intensity for both rapid stimuli pulses and longer sip-and-hold exposures. Diffusivity of taste stimuli, determined mostly by molecular size, correlates greatly with time and slope to reach peak intensity: smaller molecular size may lead to quicker taste perception. Our study demonstrates the novelty of modeling the human tongue as a porous material to drastically simplify computational approaches and that peripheral transport processes may significantly affect the temporal profile of taste perception.
Development of c-type lectin oriented surfaces for high avidity glycoconjugates: towards mimicking multivalent interactions on the cell surface
Authors: Porkolab Vanessa , Pifferi Carlo , Sutkeviciute Ieva , Ordanini Stefania , Taouai Marwa , Thepaut Michel , Vivès Corinne , Benazza Mohammed , Bernardi Anna , Renaudet Olivier , Fieschi Franck
Published: September 2019

Multivalent interactions between complex carbohydrates and oligomeric C-type lectins govern a wide range of immune responses. Up to date, standard SPR (surface plasmon resonance) competitive assays have largely been to evaluate binding properties from monosaccharide units (low affinity, mM) to multivalent elemental antagonists (moderate affinity, µM). Herein, we report typical case-studies of SPR competitive assays showing that they underestimate the potency of glycoclusters to inhibit the interaction between DC-SIGN and immobilized glycoconjugates. This paper describes the design and implementation of a SPR direct interaction over DC-SIGN oriented surfaces, extendable to other C-type lectin surfaces as such Langerin. This setup provides a microscopic overview of intrinsic avidity generation emanating simultaneously from multivalent glycoclusters and from DC-SIGN tetramers that are organized in nanoclusters on the cell membrane. For this purpose, covalent biospecific capture of DC-SIGN via StreptagII /StrepTactin interaction offers the preservation of tetrameric DC-SIGN and the accessibility/functionality of all active sites. From the tested glycoclusters libraries, we demonstrated that the scaffold architecture, the valency and the glycomimetic-based ligand are crucial to reach nanomolar affinities for DC-SIGN. The glycocluster 3.D illustrates the tightest binding partner in this set for a DC-SIGN surface (Kd= 18 nM). Moreover, the selectivity at monovalent scale of glycomimetic D can be easily analyzed at multivalent scale comparing its binding over different C-type lectin immobilized surfaces. This approach may give rise to novel insights into the multivalent binding mechanisms responsible to avidity and make a major contribution to the full characterization of the binding potency of promising specific and multivalent immunomodulators.
Comparative transcriptome analysis of the ovary and testis of the lacustrine goby (Gobiopterus lacustris)
Authors: Dong Zhongdian , Huang Chengqin , Zhang Hairui , Huang Shunkai , Zhang Ning , Tian Changxu , Wang Zhongduo , Guo Yusong
Published: September 2019

ABSTRCT

Lacustrine goby (Gobiopterus lacustris) belongs to a genus of gobies that are small in size and endemic to freshwater, brackish waters or coastal environments around the Indian and Pacific oceans. To date, there are no genomic or transcriptomic studies on G. lacustris. Here, we constructed gonadal transcriptomes of G. lacustris for the first time and identified genes that may be involved in gonadal development and reproduction. In total, 60,657,644 and 52,016,136 clean reads were obtained from ovary and testis, respectively, using Illumina sequencing. Reads were assembled into 62,573 unigenes with N50 value of 3,082 bp and a mean length of 1,869 bp. A total of 47,891 (76.53%) unigenes were annotated in at least one of the seven databases that were used in this study. In addition, 38,550 SSRs (simple sequence repeat, microsatellite) were identified from 20,517 SSR containing sequences. Gene expression patterns in the testis and ovary were compared, and 10,954 DEGs (differentially expressed genes) were identified. Of these genes, 2,383 were up-regulated in the testis and 8,571 were up-regulated in the ovary. RT-qPCR analysis of 14 selected genes showed patterns consistent with the transcriptome results. Numerous DEGs involved in gonadal development and gametogenesis were identified, including foxl2, dmrt1, cyp19a1a, inha, inhb, sycp2, zglp1, tdrp, zps and esra. Using GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, pathways involving regulation of gonadal development and gametogenesis also identified. This work represents the first gonadal transcriptomic analysis of G. lacustris and provides a valuable dataset for future research on the genes involved in reproduction of G. lacustris.