bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Registration of PR1572‐19 and PR1572‐26 pinto bean germplasm lines with broad resistance to rust, BGYMV, BCMV, and BCMNV
Authors: Beaver J. S. , González A. , Godoy‐Lutz G. , Rosas J. C. , Hurtado‐Gonzales O. P. , Pastor‐Corrales M. A. , Porch T. G.
Published: August 2020

Common bean rust, Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV), Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) are devastating diseases of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Central America and the Caribbean. The development of dry bean cultivars with enhanced levels of genetic resistance to these and other diseases is an important goal of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and other dry bean breeding programs in Central America and the Caribbean. PR1572‐19 (Reg. no. GP‐308, PI 692976) and PR1572‐26 (Reg. no. GP‐307, PI 692975) are multiple virus‐ and rust‐resistant pinto bean germplasm lines adapted to the humid tropics that were developed and released cooperatively in 2019 by the UPR Agricultural Experiment Station, the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales, and the USDA–ARS. Both PR1572‐19 and PR1572‐26 possess the bgm‐1 gene for resistance to BGYMV, the I and bc‐3 loci that provide broad resistance to all strains of BCMV and BCMNV in the United States and the Caribbean, and the Ur‐3 and Ur‐11 loci that confer comprehensive resistance to all known races of the bean rust pathogen. PR1572‐26 also has the SW12 quantitative trait locus marker associated with resistance to BGYMV. PR1572‐19 and PR1572‐26 produced mean seed yields similar to the check cultivar ‘Santa Fe’ in trials conducted in Puerto Rico and mean seed yields comparable to the pinto cultivar ‘La Paz’ in the Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery conducted in Puerto Rico. Both lines should serve as useful sources of resistance to BGYMV, BCMV, BCMNV, and bean rust for common beans of the Durango race that includes the pinto and great northern market classes.
Analyzing Ribosome Remodeling in Health and Disease
Authors: Petelski Aleksandra A. , Slavov Nikolai
Published: August 2020

Increasing evidence suggests that ribosomes actively regulate protein synthesis. However, much of this evidence is indirect, leaving this layer of gene regulation largely unexplored, in part due to methodological limitations. Indeed, evidence is reviewed demonstrating that commonly used methods, such as transcriptomics, are inadequate because the variability in mRNAs coding for ribosomal proteins (RP) does not necessarily correspond to RP variability. Thus protein remodeling of ribosomes should be investigated by methods that allow direct quantification of RPs, ideally of isolated ribosomes. Such methods are reviewed, focusing on mass spectrometry and emphasizing method‐specific biases and approaches to control these biases. It is argued that using multiple complementary methods can help reduce the danger of interpreting reproducible systematic biases as evidence for ribosome remodeling.
Comparing the binding properties of peptides mimicking the Envelope protein of SARS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2 to the PDZ domain of the tight junction‐associated PALS1 protein
Authors: Toto Angelo , Ma Sana , Malagrinò Francesca , Visconti Lorenzo , Pagano Livia , Stromgaard Kristian , Gianni Stefano
Published: August 2020

The Envelope protein (E) is one of the four structural proteins encoded by the genome of SARS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2 Coronaviruses. It is an integral membrane protein, highly expressed in the host cell, which is known to have an important role in Coronaviruses maturation, assembly and virulence. The E protein presents a PDZ‐binding motif at its C‐terminus. One of the key interactors of the E protein in the intracellular environment is the PDZ containing protein PALS1. This interaction is known to play a key role in the SARS‐CoV pathology and suspected to affect the integrity of the lung epithelia. In this paper we measured and compared the affinity of peptides mimicking the E protein from SARS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2 for the PDZ domain of PALS1, through equilibrium and kinetic binding experiments. Our results support the hypothesis that the increased virulence of SARS‐CoV‐2 compared to SARS‐CoV may rely on the increased affinity of its Envelope protein for PALS1.
Effects of rotational degree of freedom on calculations of photoassociation of HeH+ systems
Authors: Wang Bin‐Bin
Published: August 2020

The role of rotational degree of freedom in calculations of photoassociation (PA) and the accompanying phenomena, that is, multiphoton transitions and above‐threshold dissociations (PA‐ATDs), of HeH+ systems is investigated by comparing the numerical results of the one‐dimensional (1D) and three‐dimensional (3D) models in the framework of the time‐dependent quantum wave packet method. It was found that the PA probability of the target state predicted by the 3D model is much smaller than that predicted by the 1D model. In addition, as the bound energies of interaction potential can be shifted by the inclusion of the rotational degree of freedom, the amplitude and frequency of optimized laser pulses obtained based on the 1D model should be changed to some extent to obtain maximal PA probability of the target state in realistic systems. The multiphoton transitions in the 3D case tend to be much easier to be excited. The variational behaviors of the PA‐ATD probability vs the initial relative momentum of the two colliding particles, calculated in the 3D model using the optimized laser pulses obtained based on the 1D and 3D models, are found to be nearly coincident with each other, which implies that the continuum‐continuum transitions from the initial wave packet tend to be the major dynamics in the PA‐ATD process.
Robust adaptive model predictive control: Performance and parameter estimation
Authors: Lu Xiaonan , Cannon Mark , Koksal‐Rivet Denis
Published: August 2020

For systems with uncertain linear models, bounded additive disturbances and state and control constraints, a robust model predictive control (MPC) algorithm incorporating online model adaptation is proposed. Sets of model parameters are identified online and employed in a robust tube MPC strategy with a nominal cost. The algorithm is shown to be recursively feasible and input‐to‐state stable. Computational tractability is ensured by using polytopic sets of fixed complexity to bound parameter sets and predicted states. Convex conditions for persistence of excitation are derived and are related to probabilistic rates of convergence and asymptotic bounds on parameter set estimates. We discuss how to balance conflicting requirements on control signals for achieving good tracking performance and parameter set estimate accuracy. Conditions for convergence of the estimated parameter set are discussed for the case of fixed complexity parameter set estimates, inexact disturbance bounds, and noisy measurements.
Coronavirus disease 2019: A tissue engineering and regenerative medicine perspective
Authors: Shafiee Abbas , Moradi Lida , Lim Mayasari , Brown Jason
Published: August 2020

Current therapies for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are generally used to manage rather than cure this highly infective disease. Therefore, there is a significant unmet medical need for a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19. Inflammation is the driving force behind coronavirus infections, and the majority of deaths caused by COVID-19 are the result of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is crucial to control the inflammation as early as possible. To date, numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) products, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and their derivatives (eg, exosomes) for coronavirus infections, which could be applied for the COVID-19. In this review, first, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the present and future of TERM research and products are briefly presented. Then, the recent clinical trials and the therapeutic benefits of MSCs in coronavirus-induced ARDS are critically reviewed. Last, recent advances in the field of tissue engineering relevant to coronavirus infections, including three-dimensional platforms to study the disease progression and test the effects of antiviral agents, are described. Moreover, the application of biomaterials for vaccine technology and drug delivery are highlighted. Despite promising results in the preclinical and clinical applications of MSC therapy for coronavirus infections, controversy still exists, and thus further investigation is required to understand the efficacy of these therapies.
Sample size requirements for detecting treatment effect heterogeneity in cluster randomized trials
Authors: Yang Siyun , Li Fan , Starks Monique A. , Hernandez Adrian F. , Mentz Robert J. , Choudhury Kingshuk R.
Published: August 2020

Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) refer to experiments with randomization carried out at the cluster or the group level. While numerous statistical methods have been developed for the design and analysis of CRTs, most of the existing methods focused on testing the overall treatment effect across the population characteristics, with few discussions on the differential treatment effect among subpopulations. In addition, the sample size and power requirements for detecting differential treatment effect in CRTs remain unclear, but are helpful for studies planned with such an objective. In this article, we develop a new sample size formula for detecting treatment effect heterogeneity in two‐level CRTs for continuous outcomes, continuous or binary covariates measured at cluster or individual level. We also investigate the roles of two intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs): the adjusted ICC for the outcome of interest and the marginal ICC for the covariate of interest. We further derive a closed‐form design effect formula to facilitate the application of the proposed method, and provide extensions to accommodate multiple covariates. Extensive simulations are carried out to validate the proposed formula in finite samples. We find that the empirical power agrees well with the prediction across a range of parameter constellations, when data are analyzed by a linear mixed effects model with a treatment‐by‐covariate interaction. Finally, we use data from the HF‐ACTION study to illustrate the proposed sample size procedure for detecting heterogeneous treatment effects.
Co‐Induced Electronic Optimization of Hierarchical NiFe LDH for Oxygen Evolution
Authors: Lin Yanping , Wang Hao , Peng Chun‐Kuo , Bu Liangmin , Chiang Chao‐Lung , Tian Kai , Zhao Yue , Zhao Jianqing , Lin Yan‐Gu , Lee Jong‐Min , Gao Lijun
Published: August 2020

Developing efficient and stable non‐noble electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains challenging for practical applications. While nickel–iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe‐LDH) are emerging as prominent candidates with promising OER activity, their catalytic performance is still restricted by the limited active sites, poor conductivity and durability. Herein, hierarchical nickel–iron–cobalt LDH nanosheets/carbon fibers (NiFeCo‐LDH/CF) are synthesized through solvent‐thermal treatment of ZIF‐67/CF. Extended X‐ray adsorption fine structure analyses reveal that the Co substitution can stabilize the Fe local coordination environment and facilitate the π‐symmetry bonding orbital in NiFeCo‐LDH/CF, thus modifying the electronic structures. Coupling with the structural advantages, including the largely exposed active surface sites and facilitated charge transfer pathway ensured by CF, the resultant NiFeCo‐LDH/CF exhibits excellent OER activity with an overpotential of 249 mV at 10 mA cm−1 as well as robust stability over 20 h.
Estimation of productivity and markups with price dispersion: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing during economic transition
Authors: Zhao Shunan , Qian Bing , Kumbhakar Subal C.
Published: August 2020

We estimate firm productivity and markups in the presence of heterogeneous output and input prices. We assume that firms are monopolistically competitive in the output market and that state firms are favored and pay lower prices for inputs due to political connections. The proxy‐variable (or called the control‐function‐based) approach of structurally identifying production functions and productivity is customized to our new setting. Our approach solves the underidentification problem inherent in the standard proxy‐variable method. We investigate the Chinese transportation equipment industry and find evidence against perfect competition and price homogeneity. We also find that productivity and markup differentials and dynamics are consistent with the market‐oriented reforms in China.
Influences of different stone powders on pervious concrete strength
Authors: Abdulwahid Mohanad Yaseen
Published: August 2020

This paper focuses on the effect of different types of stone powders as a partial replacement of coarse aggregate on the strength and porosity of pervious concrete. The used stones in this study were gathered from the foothill of Haibat–Sultan Mountain of Koya city located in Kurdistan region of Iraq. Four types of stones were used; mudstone, sandstone, marlstone, and limestone as 7% partial replacement of coarse aggregate. For all mixes, the same mix proportion of 1:4.5:0.4 by weight for cement, coarse aggregate, and water, respectively, was used. The test results have shown a noticeable decrease of porosity for all types of mixes, with an increase in the compressive and splitting tensile strength. The results displayed also the great role played by the fineness of stone filler in improving the strength of pervious concrete with acceptable porosity. Besides, they indicated that the sandstone and marlstone powders are effective filler in improving the strength of pervious concrete.
Exploring Enzymatic Activity in Multiparameter Space: Cosolvents, Macromolecular Crowders and Pressure
Authors: Jaworek Michel W. , Winter Roland
Published: August 2020

The use of cosolutes and high hydrostatic pressure has been described as an efficient means to modulate the stability of enzymes and their catalytic activity. Cosolvents and pressure can lead to increased reaction rates without compromising the stability of the enzyme. Inspired by the multi‐component nature of the crowded cellular milieu of biological cells of piezophiles, we studied the combined effects of macromolecular crowding agents, different types of cosolvents and pressure in concert on a hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by α‐chymotrypsin. We have seen that crowding agents and cosolvents can have very diverse effects on enzymatic activity. Addition of the deep‐sea osmolyte trimethylamine‐N‐oxide displays by far the most positive effect on the catalytic efficiency, keff, of the reaction, which is even markedly enhanced at high pressures. Addition of the chaotropic agent urea leads to the reverse effect, and PEG and dextran as two representative crowding agents of a different nature show nearly similar values for keff compared to the pure buffer data. Such information may not only be relevant for understanding life processes in extreme environments, but also for the use of enzymes in industrial processing, which often requires harsh conditions as well.
Genetic identification against traffic in human beings
Authors: Lorente Jose A. , Saiz Maria , Haarkötter Christian , Robles‐Fernandez Inmaculada , Alvarez‐Cubero Maria J. , Galvez Xiomara , Martinez‐Gonzalez Luis J. , Lorente‐Remon Begona , Alvarez Juan C.
Published: August 2020

The trafficking of human beings is one of the most heinous crimes on earth. Shamefully, human trafficking remains a lucrative business in 2020, just as it was thousands of years ago. The estimated astonishing number of victims would most likely surprise nonexperts. The prosecution of human trafficking is often difficult and requires the identification of victims. The fields of forensic anthropology and forensic odontology are of the highest value for this purpose. Forensic genetics is also of interest and can be applied not only to solving crimes but also to preventing them. At the University of Granada, we aim to pioneer the application of these technologies to both solve and prevent human trafficking. In 1999, we introduced the first national missing persons genetic identification program, the Spanish Phoenix Program; in 2004, we created and launched DNA‐PROKIDS, designed to deter child trafficking; and in 2016, we created DNA‐ProORGAN, a program that is currently being developed to identify transplanted organs, by obtaining DNA samples from the donor, the transplanted organ, and the recipient, to track transplants and identify illegal activities. Several tasks remain, despite existing technological advances and international cooperation. National missing persons databases must be enlarged, and new ones must be created, to facilitate the generation of reliable data. Specific legislation, at the national level, can be enacted to support database development and promote international interactions. These advances would help solve crimes and prevent them, representing the primary challenge faced by forensic science community in the 21st century.

This article is categorized under:

Forensic Biology > DNA Databases and Biometrics
The incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in patients receiving voriconazole therapy for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: Kosmidis Chris , Mackenzie Anna , Harris Chris , Hashad Rola , Lynch Fiona , Denning David W.
Published: August 2020

Voriconazole has been associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in transplant patients but less is known about the risk in less severely immunosuppressed patients. Our aim was to estimate the incidence of cSCC after voriconazole exposure in patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis on a background of chronic lung disease. The notes of patients seen at a tertiary referral centre from 2009 to 2019 with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis were reviewed for the diagnosis of cSCC and voriconazole use documented. Among 1111 patients, 668 (60.1%) received voriconazole for longer than 28 days. Twelve patients received a diagnosis of cSCC; nine had used voriconazole. Mean duration of voriconazole use was 36.7 months. The crude incidence rate was 4.88 in 1000 person/years in those who had voriconazole and 2.79 in 1000 patient/years in those who did not receive voriconazole for longer than 28 days. On Cox regression, age (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.16, p = 0.01) and male gender (HR 3.97, 95% CI 0.84–18.90, p = 0.082) were associated with cSCC. Voriconazole use was associated with a slightly increased risk, which was not significant (HR 1.35, 95% CI 0.35–5.20, p = 0.659). Voriconazole use beyond 28 days did not lead to a significantly increased risk of cSCC in a large cohort of patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis.
Automated MRI perfusion-diffusion mismatch estimation may be significantly different in individual patients when using different software packages
Authors: Deutschmann Hannes , Hinteregger Nicole , Wießpeiner Ulrike , Kneihsl Markus , Fandler-Höfler Simon , Michenthaler Manuela , Enzinger Christian , Hassler Eva , Leber Stefan , Reishofer Gernot
Published: August 2020

Objective

To compare two established software applications in terms of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) lesion volumes, volume of critically hypoperfused brain tissue, and calculated volumes of perfusion-diffusion mismatch in brain MRI of patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods

Brain MRI examinations of 81 patients with acute stroke due to large vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation were analyzed. The volume of hypoperfused brain tissue, ADC volume, and the volume of perfusion-diffusion mismatch were calculated automatically with two different software packages. The calculated parameters were compared quantitatively using formal statistics.

Results

Significant difference was found for the volume of hypoperfused tissue (median 91.0 ml vs. 102.2 ml; p < 0.05) and the ADC volume (median 30.0 ml vs. 23.9 ml; p < 0.05) between different software packages. The volume of the perfusion-diffusion mismatch differed significantly (median 47.0 ml vs. 67.2 ml; p < 0.05). Evaluation of the results on a single-subject basis revealed a mean absolute difference of 20.5 ml for hypoperfused tissue, 10.8 ml for ADC volumes, and 27.6 ml for mismatch volumes, respectively. Application of the DEFUSE 3 threshold of 70 ml infarction core would have resulted in dissenting treatment decisions in 6/81 (7.4%) patients.

Conclusion

Volume segmentation in different software products may lead to significantly different results in the individual patient and may thus seriously influence the decision for or against mechanical thrombectomy.

Key Points

• Automated calculation of MRI perfusion-diffusion mismatch helps clinicians to apply inclusion and exclusion criteria derived from randomized trials.

• Infarct volume segmentation plays a crucial role and lead to significantly different result for different computer programs.

• Perfusion-diffusion mismatch estimation from different computer programs may influence the decision for or against mechanical thrombectomy.
Divergence exists in the subcellular distribution of intramuscular triglyceride in human skeletal muscle dependent on the choice of lipid dye
Authors: Strauss Juliette A. , Shepherd Daisy A. , Macey Myfanwy , Jevons Emily F. P. , Shepherd Sam O.
Published: August 2020

Despite over 50 years of research, a comprehensive understanding of how intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) is stored in skeletal muscle and its contribution as a fuel during exercise is lacking. Immunohistochemical techniques provide information on IMTG content and lipid droplet (LD) morphology on a fibre type and subcellular-specific basis, and the lipid dye Oil Red O (ORO) is commonly used to achieve this. BODIPY 493/503 (BODIPY) is an alternative lipid dye with lower background staining and narrower emission spectra. Here we provide the first quantitative comparison of BODIPY and ORO for investigating exercise-induced changes in IMTG content and LD morphology on a fibre type and subcellular-specific basis. Estimates of IMTG content were greater when using BODIPY, which was predominantly due to BODIPY detecting a larger number of LDs, compared to ORO. The subcellular distribution of intramuscular lipid was also dependent on the lipid dye used; ORO detects a greater proportion of IMTG in the periphery (5 μm below cell membrane) of the fibre, whereas IMTG content was higher in the central region using BODIPY. In response to 60 min moderate-intensity cycling exercise, IMTG content was reduced in both the peripheral (− 24%) and central region (− 29%) of type I fibres (P < 0.05) using BODIPY, whereas using ORO, IMTG content was only reduced in the peripheral region of type I fibres (− 31%; P < 0.05). As well as highlighting some methodological considerations herein, our investigation demonstrates that important differences exist between BODIPY and ORO for detecting and quantifying IMTG on a fibre type and subcellular-specific basis.
Imaging lung regeneration by light sheet microscopy
Authors: Salwig Isabelle , Spitznagel Birgit , Wiesnet Marion , Braun Thomas
Published: August 2020

Optical clearing combined with deep imaging of large biological specimen allows organ-wide visualization of cells in three dimensions (3D) to explore regenerative processes in a spatial context. Here, we investigate the dynamics of airway regeneration following toxin-mediated epithelial injury in cleared whole lung preparations by light sheet microscopy. We use a recently developed knock-in mouse strain labeling bronchiolar Club cells (Scgb1a1-mCherry) to define an optimal clearing procedure that efficiently preserves genetically encoded fluorophores. Dehydration in pH-adjusted tert-butanol followed by clearing in ethyl cinnamate maintained maximum mCherry fluorescence while preventing unfavorable background fluorescence. We apply this technique to depict the course of bronchiolar epithelial renewal from an acute injury phase to early and late recovery stages. 3D reconstructions of whole lungs demonstrate near-complete loss of secretory Club cells throughout the entire respiratory tract 3 days post naphthalene (dpn). Multiple foci of regenerating Club cells emerge at 7 dpn, predominantly at airway bifurcations and in distal terminal bronchioles—anatomical regions assumed to harbor distinct stem/progenitor cells subsets. At 21 dpn, clusters of newly formed Club cells have largely expanded, although the bronchiolar epithelial lining continues to regenerate. This study identifies regional stem cell niches as starting points for epithelial recovery, underscores the enormous regenerative capacity of the respiratory epithelium and demonstrates the power of whole lung 3D imaging for evaluating the extent of pulmonary damage and subsequent repair processes.
Spatio-temporal distribution of tubulin-binding cofactors and posttranslational modifications of tubulin in the cochlea of mice
Authors: Juergens Lukas , Bieniussa Linda , Voelker Johannes , Hagen Rudolf , Rak Kristen
Published: August 2020

The five tubulin-binding cofactors (TBC) are involved in tubulin synthesis and the formation of microtubules. Their importance is highlighted by various diseases and syndromes caused by dysfunction or mutation of these proteins. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of tubulin promote different characteristics, including stability-creating subpopulations of tubulin. Cell- and time-specific distribution of PTMs has only been investigated in the organ of Corti in gerbils. The aim of the presented study was to investigate the cell type-specific and time-specific expression patterns of TBC proteins and PTMs for the first time in murine cochleae over several developmental stages. For this, murine cochleae were investigated at the postnatal (P) age P1, P7 and P14 by immunofluorescence analysis. The investigations revealed several profound interspecies differences in the distribution of PTMs between gerbil and mouse. Furthermore, this is the first study to describe the spatio-temporal distribution of TBCs in any tissue ever showing a volatile pattern of expression. The expression analysis of TBC proteins and PTMs of tubulin reveals that these proteins play a role in the physiological development of the cochlea and might be essential for hearing.
Critical assessment of staining properties of a new visualization technology: a novel, rapid and powerful immunohistochemical detection approach
Authors: Seidl M. , Weinhold B. , Jacobsen L. , Rasmussen O. F. , Werner M. , Aumann Konrad
Published: August 2020

Immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections is a vital technique in pathological diagnostics and theranostics. Several kinds of detection systems are available—each of them with their advantages and disadvantages. Here we present the results of a study assessing a prototype immunohistochemical detection technology (PIDT) for visualization of antigens in tissue sections. Different tumor tissues (n = 11) were stained with selected antibodies (n = 30) and a subset of these under different fixation conditions. The staining properties were assessed according to six staining quality parameters (signal distribution, intensity, tissue and slide background, acutance, clarity of details, and subcellular morphological details), and the results were compared with those of a well-established detection system (EnVision FLEX). Overall, both detection methods revealed good to optimal results regarding the evaluated parameters even under unfavorable fixation conditions. However, with the prototype detection technology a quicker turnaround time was reached primarily due to shorter primary antibody incubation times. Moreover, PIDT-stained tissues showed higher signal intensity and a uniform signal distribution over the tissue slide, still, with well-preserved tissue morphology and without impairing the gradation of staining intensity of different cell types. In particular, the prototype detection technology performed better in poorly or delayed fixed tissue. In situations where rapid and profound results are in demand, and particularly in the context of a small laboratory setting, this prototype detection technology could be a useful addition to the established detection systems.
Verlorenes Glück — Zufriedenheitsverluste in der Corona-Krise
Authors: Ahlheim Michael , Bruckmeyer Stefan , Konrad Kai A. , Windsteiger Lisa
Published: August 2020

Die Corona-Krise betrifft die Bevölkerung vor allem auf der wirtschaftlichen Ebene. Aber auch die psychosozialen und gesellschaftlichen Kosten sind beträchtlich. Der Umfang der Verluste an Lebenszufriedenheit wird auf Basis einer repräsentativen Studie aus dem April 2020 untersucht. Diese Verluste treten vor allem bei Selbständigen auf, insbesondere bei Solo-Selbständigen und Unternehmerinnen, deren Tätigkeit ohnehin mit größeren Unsicherheiten und einer geringeren sozialen Absicherung verbunden ist.
Wie nachhaltig sind die gesetzliche Kranken- und Pflegeversicherung finanziert?
Authors: Breyer Friedrich , Lorenz Normann
Published: August 2020

Sollten die Ausgaben der gesetzlichen Kranken- und der sozialen Pflegeversicherung langfristig stark steigen, werden sowohl die jüngere Generation durch höhere Beiträge als auch die Älteren durch mögliche Leistungseinschränkungen belastet. Auf Grundlage einer neueren nichtparametrischen Schätzung wird eine Simulation der zukünftigen Entwicklung der Beitragssätze in den beiden Zweigen der deutschen Sozialversicherung vorgestellt. Abhängig von verschiedenen Annahmen über das künftige Wachstum des BIP pro Arbeitnehmer ergibt sich dabei ein Gesamtsozialversicherungsbeitragssatz bis 2040 von nahe 50 %. Damit ist die Tragfähigkeit des deutschen Sozialversicherungssystems stark gefährdet.
Länderfinanzausgleich 2020: Neue Form — alte Probleme
Authors: Scherf Wolfgang
Published: August 2020

Der neue Länderfinanzausgleich wird erstmals 2020 praktiziert. Die Analyse seiner Funktionsweise und Wirkungen zeigt, dass gegenüber dem alten System große formale, aber nur geringe materielle Unterschiede bestehen. Die Reform hat vorhandene Defizite sogar noch verschärft. Der Autor schlägt eine Modifikation des Länderfinanzausgleichs vor, die auf eine Verbesserung der finanziellen Anreizeffekte zielt und die Grenzbelastungen deutlich reduziert.
Europa in der Vertrauenskrise?
Authors: Tichy Gunther
Published: August 2020

Die Europäische Union scheint sich in einer Vertrauenskrise zu befinden. Vor allem nach der Finanz- und Eurokrise kam es weiträumig zu langanhaltenden Vertrauensverlusten. Die Einschätzung wirtschaftspolitischer Probleme unterscheidet sich aber zwischen verschiedenen regionalen Gruppen deutlich. Auch die Erklärungsansätze für diese Unterschiede wurzeln in heterogenen historischen Entwicklungen. Allerdings ist weder eine generelle Gefährung der Demokratie noch eine grundsätzliche Skepsis der Bevölkerung gegenüber der Europäischen Union zu erkennen.
Previously undiscovered landslide deposits in Harrison Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Hughes K. E. , Geertsema M. , Kwoll E. , Koppes M. N. , Roberts N. J. , Clague J. J. , Rohland S.
Published: August 2020

A bathymetric survey of Harrison Lake in southwest British Columbia revealed deposits of three large landslides on the lake floor. The blocky and flow-like surface morphology of the deposits suggests rapid emplacement from subaerial sources. The multibeam survey, together with a subbottom acoustic survey, allowed us to estimate deposit volumes of 2.4 Mm3, 1.3 Mm3, and 0.2 Mm3for the Mount Douglas, Mount Breakenridge, and Silver Mountain landslides, respectively. The large volumes and inferred rapid emplacement of the Mount Douglas and Mount Breakenridge landslides suggest they were tsunamigenic. Because people live along the shoreline of Harrison Lake, our discovery and characterization of these landslide deposits and their tsunami-generating potential form an important foundation for further landslide-tsunami hazard analysis in the region.
Adapting cultural heritage to climate change impacts in the Netherlands: barriers, interdependencies, and strategies for overcoming them
Authors: Fatorić Sandra , Biesbroek Robbert
Published: August 2020

Climate change is currently impacting cultural heritage globally. Despite advances in the understanding of the relationship between climate change impacts and cultural heritage, there are significant barriers that hamper adaptation of cultural heritage to current and projected climate risks. This paper aims to advance the empirical understanding of barriers to adapting cultural heritage to climate-related impacts in the Netherlands by identifying different barriers, their interdependencies, and possible strategies to overcome these barriers. Using a web-based questionnaire with 57 experts, we find that the most frequently reported barriers are a lack of climate change adaptation policy for cultural heritage, and lack of climate vulnerability and risk assessments for diverse cultural heritage types. Our study finds that barriers are perceived to be interdependent and conjointly constrain adapting cultural heritage to climate change. Six actionable strategies are identified to navigate these barriers.
Protein, amino acids and obesity treatment
Authors: Simonson Mathilde , Boirie Yves , Guillet Christelle
Published: August 2020

Dietary proteins have been used for years to treat obesity. Body weight loss is beneficial when it concerns fat mass, but loss of fat free mass – especially muscle might be detrimental. This occurs because protein breakdown predominates over synthesis, thus administering anabolic dietary compounds like proteins might counter fat free mass loss while allowing for fat mass loss.

Indeed, varying the quantity of proteins will decrease muscle anabolic response and increase hyperphagia in rodents fed a low protein diet; but it will favor lean mass maintenance and promote satiety, in certain age groups of humans fed a high protein diet. Beyond protein quantity, protein source is an important metabolic regulator: whey protein and plant based diets exercize favorable effects on the risk of developing obesity, body composition, metabolic parameters or fat free mass preservation of obese patients. Specific amino-acids like branched chain amino acids (BCAA), methionine, tryptophan and its metabolites, and glutamate can also positively influence parameters and complications of obesity especially in rodent models, with less studies translating this in humans.

Tuning the quality and quantity of proteins or even specific amino-acids can thus be seen as a potential therapeutic intervention on the body composition, metabolic syndrome parameters and appetite regulation of obese patients. Since these effects vary across age groups and much of the data comes from murine models, long-term prospective studies modulating proteins and amino acids in the human diet are needed.
Effect of Regional Long-Term Care Service Supply on Choice of Care Arrangement in Old Age
Authors: Kuppler Matthias , Wagner Michael
Published: August 2020

Depending on their place of residence, older persons have unequal access to long-term care (LTC) services. This article investigates how the county-level supply of inpatient and outpatient LTC services influences individual-level LTC choices of older persons. Administrative data on LTC service supply from the German Care Statistic are combined with representative survey data on the LTC choices of N = 1303 persons aged 80+ from the German Federal State North Rhine-Westphalia. Random utility models are applied to model the choice among three care arrangements: receiving inpatient care in an institutional setting (e.g., nursing home), receiving outpatient care in the community, and living in the community without receiving inpatient or outpatient care. The main findings are: Higher inpatient service supply increases the probability that older persons leave the community and enter institutional LTC. Higher outpatient service supply increases the probability that older persons choose to receive outpatient care in the community instead of entering institutional LTC. The results suggest that policy makers must consider the county-level LTC service supply when designing equitable LTC systems that meet the needs of older persons in a cost-effective way.
Sociodemographic Characteristics and Health Status of Mindfulness Users in the United States
Authors: Simonsson Otto , Martin Maryanne , Fisher Stephen
Published: August 2020

Objectives

The aims of the present study are to provide population estimates for the prevalence of mindfulness use in the United States and to identify which groups are more likely to self-report mindfulness use.

Methods

Using data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the current study analyzed 26,742 responses from adults in the United States and estimated patterns in the likelihood of self-reported mindfulness use across groups using logistic regression models.

Results

The results suggest that 5% of adults in the United States in 2017 had used mindfulness over the prior year, which is significantly more than the finding that 2% of adults in the United States had used mindfulness during the 12 months prior to the 2012 NHIS interview. The logistic regression models show that self-reported mindfulness use was less likely among married adults and more likely among women, sexual minorities, young and middle-aged adults, white adults, employed adults, adults without minor children in the family, adults from the West of the United States, adults with access barriers to healthcare, adults with cost barriers to healthcare, adults with mental illness, and adults with physical pain. Most notably, mindfulness use was reported by substantial numbers of respondents with access barriers to healthcare (10%), cost barriers to healthcare (9%), mental illness (15%), or physical pain (7%).

Conclusions

The results of the present study suggest an unequal distribution of mindfulness use across groups in the United States.
A highly specific and sensitive serological assay detects SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in COVID-19 patients that correlate with neutralization
Authors: Peterhoff David , Glück Vivian , Vogel Matthias , Schuster Philipp , Schütz Anja , Neubert Philip , Albert Veruschka , Frisch Stefanie , Kiessling Mara , Pervan Philip , Werner Maren , Ritter Nicole , Babl Leon , Deichner Maria , Hanses Frank , Lubnow Matthias , Müller Thomas , Lunz Dirk , Hitzenbichler Florian , Audebert Franz , Hähnel Viola , Offner Robert , Müller Martina , Schmid Stephan , Burkhardt Ralph , Glück Thomas , Koller Michael , Niller Hans Helmut , Graf Bernhard , Salzberger Bernd , Wenzel Jürgen J. , Jantsch Jonathan , Gessner André , Schmidt Barbara , Wagner Ralf
Published: August 2020

Objective

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic challenges national health systems and the global economy. Monitoring of infection rates and seroprevalence can guide public health measures to combat the pandemic. This depends on reliable tests on active and former infections. Here, we set out to develop and validate a specific and sensitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels.

Methods

In our ELISA, we used SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and a stabilized version of the spike (S) ectodomain as antigens. We assessed sera from patients infected with seasonal coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 and controls. We determined and monitored IgM-, IgA- and IgG-antibody responses towards these antigens. In addition, for a panel of 22 sera, virus neutralization and ELISA parameters were measured and correlated.

Results

The RBD-based ELISA detected SARS-CoV-2-directed antibodies, did not cross-react with seasonal coronavirus antibodies and correlated with virus neutralization (R2 = 0.89). Seroconversion started at 5 days after symptom onset and led to robust antibody levels at 10 days after symptom onset. We demonstrate high specificity (99.3%;N = 1000) and sensitivity (92% for IgA, 96% for IgG and 98% for IgM; > 10 days after PCR-proven infection;N = 53) in serum.

Conclusions

With the described RBD-based ELISA protocol, we provide a reliable test for seroepidemiological surveys. Due to high specificity and strong correlation with virus neutralization, the RBD ELISA holds great potential to become a preferred tool to assess thresholds of protective immunity after infection and vaccination.
Copeptin – Stellenwert in der Diagnostik des Polyurie-Polydipsie-Syndroms
Authors: Christ-Crain Mirjam
Published: August 2020

Das Polyurie-Polydipsie-Syndrom beinhaltet drei verschiedene Entitäten, den zentralen Diabetes insipidus, den nephrogenen Diabetes insipidus und die primäre Polydipsie. Eine zuverlässige Unterscheidung ist essenziell, da die jeweilige Therapie unterschiedlich ist und eine unkorrekte Behandlung zu potenziell gefährlichen Komplikationen führen kann. Jahrzehntelang war der klassische Durstversuch der Goldstandard, hatte jedoch diverse Limitationen und eine eingeschränkte diagnostische Zuverlässigkeit.

Copeptin ist ein stabiler und zuverlässiger Surrogatmarker von Vasopressin und spiegelt die Vasopressinkonzentration in der Zirkulation wider. Mit der Verfügbarkeit von Copeptinassays wurde die Differenzialdiagnose des Polyurie-Polydipsie-Syndroms neu evaluiert. Ein basaler Copeptinwert ohne vorheriges Dursten kann einen nephrogenen Diabetes insipidus diagnostizieren. Für die Unterscheidung eines zentralen Diabetes insipidus von einer primären Polydipsie braucht es eine osmotische (mittels hypertoner Kochsalzlösung) oder nichtosmotische (mittels Arginin) Stimulation. Beide Tests können mit höherer diagnostischer Zuverlässigkeit als der Durstversuch diese beiden Entitäten unterscheiden. Entsprechend sollte ein Copeptin-basierter Algorithmus als der neue Goldstandard für die Differenzialdiagnose des Polyurie-Polydipsie-Syndroms eingeführt werden.
Teachers’ Self-efficacy in Preventing and Intervening in School Bullying: a Systematic Review
Authors: Fischer Saskia M. , John Nancy , Bilz Ludwig
Published: August 2020

Self-efficacy, commonly seen as an important competence for teachers when intervening in bullying, is a heterogeneous construct. Differences in the specific kinds of self-efficacy under review, its assessment, theoretical foundations, and the samples used when researching it generate diverse results that can be hard to integrate. This systematic review surveys existing literature on the extent of teachers’ self-efficacy in managing bullying and its connection to the likelihood that teachers will intervene in bullying, to their intervention strategies, and the prevention measures they employ, as well as students’ bullying behavior and their experiences of victimization. Thirty-six relevant publications based on 33 studies were included. The quality of their results was assessed, and their findings were systematized and are discussed here. Many studies are of low quality because of incomplete descriptions of underlying theoretical as well as methodological foundations. Almost all results are based on descriptive study designs. Consistent findings show that teachers generally feel confident in managing bullying and that teachers who are more confident intervene more often. Findings were mixed on the connections between teachers’ self-efficacy and intervention strategies, and the prevention measures they used, as well as students’ bullying behavior and experiences of victimization. It was also discovered that the connections between teachers’ self-efficacy and their prevention measures, their students’ bullying behavior, and collective efficacy in general have rarely been addressed in the literature.
Book Review: Ortiz, P. (2018). An African American and Latinx History of the United States
Authors: DeRosier Judy
Published: August 2020

Paul Ortiz approaches the book from a historical perspective as he explores the relationships between Latin American, Caribbean, and American history. The author presented a kind of camaraderie and shared experiences between the oppressed people living in the United States, the Caribbean, Central, and South America.Throughout the book, he chronologically poses his arguments to explain the extraordinary journey individuals, groups, and agencies took to fight for emancipation in those places. Ortiz reveals the potential to form an international community aimed to overcome the residual effects of imperialism and colonialism.Ortiz begins by walking readers through various experiences that allowed him to claim his Latinx roots boldly. Moreover, he implores the reader to understand his use of the,sometimes, political terms “Black,” “Brown,” and Latinx. Certainly, Ortiz shows the potential kinships between African Americans and Latinx peoples that is worth exploring in the current social studies curriculum. Moreover, his use of “x” after the word “Latin” deliberately includes the LGBTQ+ community in this reenvisioned narrative of American history. While Ortiz uses the term Latinx throughout the book, there were no explicit narratives presented to outline LGBTQ+ contributions in the joint fight against imperialism in the Americas. While a missed opportunity, still, by entering “x” as the new terminology about Latinx thinkers, Ortiz helps to make the invisible,somewhat visible.
Updated Cariaco Basin14C Calibration Dataset from 0–60 cal kyr BP
Authors: Hughen Konrad A , Heaton Timothy J
Published: August 2020

We present new updates to the calendar and radiocarbon (14C) chronologies for the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela. Calendar ages were generated by tuning abrupt climate shifts in Cariaco Basin sediments to those in speleothems from Hulu Cave. After the original Cariaco-Hulu calendar age model was published, Hulu Cave δ18O records have been augmented with increased temporal resolution and a greater number of U/Th dates. These updated Hulu Cave records provide increased accuracy as well as precision in the final Cariaco calendar age model. The depth scale for the Ocean Drilling Program Site 1002D sediment core, the primary source of samples for14C dating, has been corrected to account for missing sediment from a core break, eliminating age-depth anomalies that afflicted the earlier calendar age models. Individual14C dates for the Cariaco Basin remain unchanged from previous papers, although detailed comparisons of the Cariaco calibration dataset to those from Hulu Cave and Lake Suigetsu suggest that the Cariaco marine reservoir age may have shifted systematically during the past. We describe these recent changes to the Cariaco datasets and provide the data in a comprehensive format that will facilitate use by the community.
Weber Revisited: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Nationalism
Authors: Kersting Felix , Wohnsiedler Iris , Wolf Nikolaus
Published: August 2020

We revisit Max Weber’s hypothesis on the role of Protestantism for economic development. We show that nationalism is crucial to both, the interpretation of Weber’s Protestant Ethic and empirical tests thereof. For late nineteenth-century century Prussia we reject Weber’s suggestion that Protestantism mattered due to an “ascetic compulsion to save.” Moreover, we find that income levels, savings, and literacy rates differed between Germans and Poles, not between Protestants and Catholics, using pooled OLS and IV regressions. We suggest that this result is due to anti-Polish discrimination.