bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L2 vocabulary learning from educational media: The influence of screen‐based scaffolds on the incidental–intentional continuum
Authors: Wong Kevin M. , Flynn Rachel M. , Neuman Susan B.
Published: November 2021

This study examines the potential of educational media to provide preschool‐aged dual language learners (DLLs) with vocabulary in a new language. Drawing from dual‐coding theory, the current study investigated how three distinct instructional contexts with varying degrees of incidental–intentional vocabulary exposure on screen might facilitate second language (L2) vocabulary development. Instructional contexts included participatory contexts that engaged viewer attention and elicited viewer response surrounding a vocabulary word (least incidental, most intentional), expository contexts that provided explicit visual‐auditory vocabulary scaffolds (somewhat incidental, somewhat intentional), and narrative contexts that embedded vocabulary words in conversations within a storyline (most incidental, least intentional). The study used a within‐subjects design with 50 preschool‐aged DLLs. Children watched nine 2‐minute video clips, followed by vocabulary knowledge assessments. Findings indicate that instructional contexts were differentially facilitative in helping DLLs identify words in a new language, F(1, 47) = 11.003,p= .002. Moreover, L2 proficiency moderated the influence of instructional contexts on vocabulary identification but not word meaning. Results suggest that media programs with relatively intentional exposure to vocabulary words on the incidental–intentional continuum may scaffold L2 word learning better than incidental exposures. Implications on the critical role of incidental vocabulary exposure in media learning environments for preschoolers are discussed.
Low concentrations of 17β‐estradiol exacerbate tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer treatment through membrane estrogen receptor‐mediated signaling pathways
Authors: Xu Zhixiang , Zhao Dimeng , Zheng Xianyao , Huang Bin , Pan Xuejun , Xia Xueshan
Published: November 2021

The present study aims to discover the influences of tamoxifen and 17β‐estradiol (E2) on tamoxifen‐resistant (TamR) patients in vitro. Herein, we established a stabilized TamR MCF‐7 cell line at 1 μM via gradient concentrations of tamoxifen cultivation. The expression changes of four ER subtypes (ERα66, ERβ, ERα36 and GPR30) were found to bring about tamoxifen resistance. Moreover, the generation of tamoxifen resistance involved in apoptosis escape via a reactive oxygen species‐regulated p53 signaling pathway. Interestingly, E2 at environmental concentrations (0.1–10 nM) could activate the expression of both ERα36 and GPR30, and then stimulate the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt, resulting in cell growth promotion. Cell migration and invasion promotion, apoptosis inhibition, and cell cycle G1‐S progression are involved in such proliferative effects. Conversely, the application of specific antagonists of ERα36 and GPR30 could restore tamoxifen's sensitivity as well as partially offset E2‐mediated proliferation. In short, overexpression of ERα36 and GPR30 not only ablate tamoxifen responsiveness but also could promote tumor progression of TamR breast cancer under estrogen conditions. These results provided novel insights into underlying mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance and the negative effects of steroid estrogens at environmental concentrations on TamR MCF‐7 cells, thus generating new thoughts for future management of ER‐positive breast cancer.
Inhibition of Ras protein activator like 2 produces antitumor effects in gastric cancer via the suppression of YAP1 activation
Authors: Hu Yuan , Zhang Pengchuang , Shi Yu , Dong Xuyuan , Wu Yinying , Dong Danfeng , Li Enxiao , Fan Yangwei
Published: November 2021

Ras protein activator like 2 (RASAL2) has a cancer‐related function, but plays inconsistent roles in different malignancies. This project was designed to determine the role of RASAL2 in carcinogenesis in gastric cancer. The Cancer Genome Atlas data revealed high levels of RASAL2 in gastric cancer tissue, which was confirmed in clinical specimens of gastric cancer via real‐time quantitative PCR and western blotting assays. High RASAL2 was correlated with a reduced survival rate in gastric cancer patients. In gastric cancer cell lines, the silencing of RASAL2 restrained cellular proliferation, invasion and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, while enhancing chemosensitivity to cisplatin. Mechanistically, the silencing of RASAL2 was found to inhibit the activation of Yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1), a pro‐oncogenic protein in gastric cancer, and decrease the expression of YAP1 target genes. The re‐expression of constitutively active YAP1 substantially reversed RASAL2‐silencing‐produced antitumor effects. Moreover, treatment with YAP1 inhibitors could diminish RASAL2‐overexpression‐evoked oncogenic effects in gastric cancer cells. Additionally, gastric cancer cells with RASAL2 silencing exhibited a reduced ability to form xenograft tumors in nude mice. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the silencing of RASAL2 has noteworthy antitumor effects in gastric cancer cells via the suppression of YAP1 activation. This project underscores a vital role of the RASAL2/YAP1 axis in gastric progression and indicates that targeting this oncogenic axis may be applied as a potential therapeutic option for gastric cancer.
The spectre of widening inequality
Authors: Kirby Roger
Published: November 2021

In this editorial, Professor Roger Kirby, Editor‐in‐Chief of Trends in Urology and Men's Health, discusses the potential for positive change following the covid pandemic
Amoebiasis, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis
Authors: Brightman Christopher
Published: November 2021

A number of protozoa are known to cause bowel disease in humans. Here the author discusses the clinical features, diagnosis and management of those more likely to be encountered by doctors in temperate zones.
Intersex goats show different gene expression levels in the hypothalamus and pituitary compared with non‐intersex goats based on RNA‐Seq
Authors: Han Haoyuan , Yang Shuai , Li Jun , Zhao Jinyan , Wei Hongfang , Ha Si , Li Wantao , Li Congcong , Quan Kai
Published: November 2021

The conditions for sex reversal in vertebrate species have been extensively studied, and the results highlighted numerous key factors involved in sex differentiation. However, the transcriptomes in hypothalamic and pituitary tissues from intersex goats have rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to screen candidate genes and signalling pathways related to sex reversal in Huai goats by analyzing gene expression in hypothalamic and pituitary tissues via transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses. In total, 612 and 139 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the intersex and non‐intersex groups in the hypothalamus and pituitary, respectively. The DEGs in the hypothalamus and pituitary were significantly enriched in 41 and 16 signalling pathways, respectively, including the calcium signalling pathway, neuroactive ligand‐receptor interaction signalling pathway, and oestrogen signalling pathway, which might be related to intersex sex development disorders. A candidate gene from the tachykinin family (TACR1) was significantly enriched in the calcium signalling pathway. Thirty‐one DEGs were shared between these two comparisons and were enriched in several acetyl‐CoA‐related processes and the oestrogen signalling pathway. The results of the real‐time PCR analysis show that the transcriptome sequencing results were reliable. The transcriptome data indicate that the regulation of various physiological systems is involved in intersex goat development. Therefore, these results provide helpful data enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying intersex syndrome in goats.
COVID‐19 and water demand: A review of literature and research evidence
Authors: Cahill Joseph , Hoolohan Claire , Lawson Rob , Browne Alison L.
Published: November 2021

COVID‐19 has had unprecedented impacts across the international community, with complex and far‐reaching consequences. Measures to prevent transmission have led to substantial changes to everyday life, with lockdowns, stay‐at‐home orders and guidance leading to an increase in people staying indoors. This movement of activity had profound impacts on daily practices, affecting the consumption of resources including water. Likewise, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices and infrastructure are crucial tools for the management of disease. Therefore, this review seeks to assess the current literature on the impact of COVID‐19 on domestic water use. A web‐based rapid evidence review was undertaken to assess and synthesize the theories, methods and empirical evidence emerging across a multidisciplinary body of research to understand how COVID‐19 effects everyday water use. Key themes around increased water consumption and changing daily consumption patterns emerged. There was a distinct lack of social science concepts and methodologies in use to understand changing water demand, and the methodological focus was largely quantitative. Key insights and reflections were lacking as a result, for example, there was little research on how the water‐related practices, consumption, and demand patterns differed among households. This article makes the case for further qualitative and mixed‐method research using social theories, illustrating how social practice theories, as one example, contribute to understanding the dynamics of everyday life during the pandemic. This research would generate deeper understandings of the impacts of COVID‐19 on domestic water use as well as an evaluation of the implications these findings could have post‐pandemic.

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Methods

Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation

Engineering Water > Planning Water
Climate ethics and population policy: A review of recent philosophical work
Authors: Cafaro Philip
Published: November 2021

It is well‐established that human population growth is a leading cause of increased greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating global climate change. After decades of neglect, philosophical ethicists have, over the past decade, taken up the issue of climate change and population policy and there are now numerous articles and books which explore the subject. Both rights‐based and consequentialist approaches seek to balance reproductive rights against other human rights and interests threatened by overpopulation and ecological degradation. While biocentric ethicists have additional reasons to advocate for smaller human populations, even anthropocentrists affirm the need to balance reproductive rights against reproductive responsibilities in order to promote the well‐being of future generations. There is a particularly strong consensus on the value of choice‐enhancing population policies that reduce fertility voluntarily, such as securing universal access to modern contraception and promoting equal rights and opportunities for women. There is strong support for government policies that incentivize smaller families, some support for policies that disincentivize larger ones, and little to no support for punitive policies. Many ethicists warn that failure to enact reasonable population policies now may necessitate harsher policies in the future, a common theme in climate ethics generally.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, Nature, and Ethics > Ethics and Climate Change
Non‐coding RNAs and their cross‐talks impacting reproductive health of women
Authors: Jain Neha , Gupta Pooja , Sahoo Swapnil , Mallick Bibekanand
Published: November 2021

Non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) work as crucial posttranscriptional modulators of gene expression regulating a wide array of biological processes that impact normal physiology, including reproductive health. The health of women, especially reproductive health, is now a prime focus of society that ensures the females' overall physical, social, and mental well‐being. Furthermore, there has been a growing cognizance of ncRNAs' possible applications in diagnostics and therapeutics of dreaded diseases. Hence, understanding the functions and mode of actions of ncRNAs in the context of women's health will allow us to develop effective prognostic and therapeutic strategies that will enhance the quality of life of women. Herein, we summarize recent progress on ncRNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), and their implications in reproductive health by tying the knot with lifestyle factors that affect fertility complications, pregnancy outcomes, and so forth. We also discourse the interplay among the RNA species, especially miRNAs, lncRNAs, and protein‐coding RNAs, through the competing endogenous RNA regulations in diseases of women associated with maternal and fetal health. This review provides new perspectives correlating ncRNAs, lifestyle, and reproductive health of women, which will attract future studies to improve women's lives.

This article is categorized under:

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs
Public Discourses on (Sectoral) Energy Policy in Switzerland
Authors: Schaffer Lena Maria , Levis Alessio
Published: November 2021

Energy transitions are based upon policy choices of sovereign nation states. Hence, politics plays a role in determining which policies governments implement and which sectors are targeted. Our chapter looks at the evolution of public discourse on energy policy as one important factor reflecting policy discussion and contestation within the political arena. Our descriptive and explorative analysis of the early public discourse in Swiss energy policy between 1997 and 2011 contributes to three main issues. First, it makes a case for the disaggregation of energy policy and its public perception to add to our understanding of energy transition pathways. We argue that looking at sectoral discourses as well as sectoral policy outputs allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the idiosyncrasies of Swiss energy policy regarding temporal as well as sectoral variation. Second, an increased politicization of energy policy may affect future policy choice, and thus any account on energy transition policy needs to scrutinize potential feedback effects from policies that manifest via policy discourse. Third, and on a more methodological stance, we argue that our approach to use news media as a representation of the public discourse via structural topic models can help to explore and explain the evolving national policy priorities regarding energy transition.
Swiss Climate Change Law
Authors: Hänni Julia , Ma Tienmu
Published: November 2021

This chapter explores the relationship between Swiss climate change law and the international and European climate change regimes. At the international level, the chapter reviews the three major international agreements regulating the field: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, and the Paris Agreement. And at the national and regional levels, the chapter briefly describes the CO2Act—often considered the heart of Swiss climate change policy—and questions whether it will prove effective in achieving its explicitly stated emissions reduction targets. The chapter then reviews the most significant recent innovation in the evolution of Swiss climate change policy: joining the Emissions Trading System (ETS) established by the European Union. Due to long-standing problems afflicting the ETS, the authors raise doubts about whether Switzerland’s joining the scheme will lead to meaningful reductions in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. As an alternative to an ETS-centric approach, the authors refer to an approach centered on human rights. Drawing on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the major international climate change agreements, other sources of international law, and the recentUrgendadecision of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, the authors argue that under the human rights approach, Switzerland would be obligated to take stronger measures to reduce emissions than it could hope to achieve through the ETS and the CO2Act alone.
Governance of Energy Innovations
Authors: Schreiber Markus
Published: November 2021

Innovation plays an important role in the transition towards a more sustainable energy system. The law is often thought of as an inhibiting factor for innovation. However, legal provisions may also serve to promote innovation. Laws which stipulate favourable conditions for renewable energy sources are an obvious example. Finally, existing laws will often not be suited to accommodate a new technology or business model, and the legislator may be slow in reacting to these new challenges. This increases the importance of government agencies as well as non-state governance.

Therefore, a closer look at the governance of innovations in the energy sector seems warranted. This chapter will investigate how the legislator, regulatory agencies and private standard-setting bodies are responding to three different energy innovations: new renewable energy sources, new storage systems and smart grids. This chapter will serve not only to analyse commonalities and differences in the approach, but also to identify best practices.
Belastung von Eltern mit Kindern im Schulalter während verschiedener Phasen der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland: Eine Analyse der COVID-19-Snapshot-Monitoring-(COSMO‑)Daten
Authors: Rabe Julia Elisabeth , Schillok Hannah , Merkel Christina , Voss Stephan , Coenen Michaela , De Bock Freia , von Rüden Ursula , Bramesfeld Anke , Jung-Sievers Caroline ,   COSMO-Gruppe, Betsch Cornelia , Korn Lars , Felgendreff Lisa , Eitze Sarah , Schmid Philipp , Sprengholz Philipp , Wieler Lothar , Schmich Patrick , Thaiss Heidrun , De Bock Freia , von Rüden Ursula , Merkel Christina , Orth Boris , Stollorz Volker , Ramharter Michael , Bosnjak Michael , Omer Saad
Published: November 2021

Hintergrund

Eltern stehen während der COVID-19-Pandemie vor einer Vielzahl persönlicher Herausforderungen, während sie gleichzeitig mit schulbezogenen Maßnahmen zur Pandemieeindämmung konfrontiert werden.

Zielsetzung

Dieser Beitrag fokussiert auf die Belastung von Eltern mit Kindern im Schulalter über verschiedene Phasen der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland und identifiziert besonders vulnerable Subgruppen.

Methoden

Die COSMO-Studie ist eine repetitive Querschnittsstudie zur Erfassung der psychosozialen Lage der Bevölkerung in Deutschland während der Pandemie, mit einer Stichprobengröße von ca. n = 1000 Befragten pro Erhebungswelle. COSMO-Daten zur allgemeinen und elternspezifischen Belastung wurden von März 2020 bis Januar 2021 quantitativ analysiert.

Ergebnisse

Während der ersten COVID-19-Welle waren Eltern mit Kindern im Schulalter – verglichen mit der allgemeinen Studienpopulation – signifikant stärker belastet. Die Belastung nahm jedoch von März/April bis Juni 2020 deutlich ab. Während der zweiten COVID-19-Welle im Januar 2021 war die Belastung über alle Gruppen hinweg homogen hoch. Folgende Faktoren waren mit einer höheren Belastung assoziiert: Alleinerziehendenstatus, niedriges Haushaltseinkommen, eine chronische Erkrankung, eine COVID-19-Infektion sowie ein Migrationshintergrund; wobei diese Faktoren nicht über alle Erhebungswellen hinweg signifikant waren. Mütter gaben an, stärker von elternspezifischen Belastungen betroffen zu sein als Väter.

Schlussfolgerung

Schulbasierte Maßnahmen zur Infektionskontrolle müssen sorgfältig gegen die Auswirkungen auf die elterliche Belastung mit nachfolgenden negativen Auswirkungen auf das Familiensystem abgewogen werden.
Lokal fortgeschrittene oder oligometastasierte Blasenkarzinome – Stellenwert der Lokaltherapie von Primärtumor und Metastasen
Authors: Rebhan Katharina , Gust Kilian M.
Published: November 2021

Hintergrund

Das muskelinvasive Blasenkarzinom stellt in seiner Behandlung eine besondere Herausforderung dar, da die Therapie mit signifikanten Nebenwirkungen und Komplikationsraten einhergeht, insbesondere bei Patienten mit relevanten Begleiterkrankungen. Im metastasierten Stadium besteht der Therapiezweck in der Palliation, wobei das Vorliegen einer Oligometastasierung eine gesonderte Rolle einnimmt. In diesem Stadium kann auch die Therapie des Primärtumors relevant sein, wenn die Metastasen neben einer systemischen Therapie ebenso lokal behandelt werden können – insbesondere auch in Hinblick auf die über die letzten Jahre die Therapielandschaft erweiternden neuen medikamentösen Möglichkeiten.

Ziel der Arbeit

In diesem Reviewartikel sollen die Einflüsse einer definitiven Therapie des Primärtumors bei Patienten mit oligometastasiertem Urothelkarzinom der Harnblase dargelegt werden.

Material und Methoden

Basierend auf einer nicht-systemischen Literaturrecherche soll ein Überblick über bestehende Ergebnisse zur Therapie des oligometastasierten Blasenkarzinoms in Hinblick auf den Einfluss der Therapie des Primärtumors geben, wobei die Daten meist auf retrospektiven Studien und Metaanalysen bestehen.

Schlussfolgerung

Eine Lokaltherapie des Primärtumors im Rahmen eines multimodalen Therapiekonzepts kann bei selektionierten Patienten mit lymphogen metastasiertem und oligometastasiertem Blasenkarzinom einen positiven Einfluss auf Überleben, Lebensqualität und Vermeidung von Lokalkomplikationen nehmen, wobei für die Wahl der lokalen Therapie dieselben Kriterien angewendet werden sollten wie im nicht-metastasierten Stadium.
One‐Year Outcomes Following Emergency Laparotomy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ng Zi Qin , Weber Dieter
Published: November 2021

Background

Emergency laparotomies (EL) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. To date, 30‐day mortality has been predominately reported, and been the focus of various national emergency laparotomy audits. Only a few studies have reported on the long‐term mortality associated with EL. The aim of this study was to review the one‐year mortality following EL.

Method

A systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines to identify studies published in the last 10 years reporting on long‐term mortality associated with EL. The data abstracted included: patient demographics, pathology or type of operation performed for EL, post‐operative mortality at 7‐day, 30‐day, 90‐day, 1‐year, beyond 1‐year and inpatient, functional outcomes and risk factors associated with mortality. A quality assessment of included studies was performed.

Results

Fifteen studies reporting long‐term outcomes associated with EL were identified, including the results of 48,023 patients. The indications and/or pathologies for ELs varied. The 30‐day mortality after EL ranged from 5.3% to 21.8%, and the one‐year mortality ranged from 15.1 to 47%. The mortality in the six studies focusing on elderly patients ranged from 30 to 47%.

Conclusion

The long‐term mortality rate associated with EL is substantial. Further study is required to understand the 1‐year mortality described in the studies and translate these findings for meaningful application into the clinical care of these patients.
Exogenous and Endogenous Triggers Differentially Stimulate Pigr Expression and Antibacterial Secretory Immunity in the Murine Respiratory Tract
Authors: Pausder Alexander , Fricke Jennifer , Schughart Klaus , Schreiber Jens , Strowig Till , Bruder Dunja , Boehme Julia D.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Transport of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) through the airway epithelial cell barrier into the mucosal lumen by the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is an important mechanism of respiratory mucosal host defense. Identification of immunomodulating substances that regulate secretory immunity might have therapeutic implications with regard to an improved immune exclusion.

Thus, we sought to analyze secretory immunity under homeostatic and immunomodulating conditions in different compartments of the murine upper and lower respiratory tract (URT&LRT).

Methods

Pigrgene expression in lung, trachea, and nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) of germ-free mice, specific pathogen-free mice, mice with an undefined microbiome, as well as LPS- and IFN-γ-treated mice was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. IgA levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), nasal lavage (NAL), and serum were determined by ELISA. LPS- and IFN-γ-treated mice were colonized withStreptococcus pneumoniaeand bacterial CFUs were determined in URT and LRT.

Results

RespiratoryPigrexpression and IgA levels were dependent on the degree of exposure to environmental microbial stimuli. While immunostimulation with LPS and IFN-γ differentially impacts respiratoryPigrexpression and IgA in URTvs. LRT, only prophylactic IFN-γ treatment reduces nasal colonization withS. pneumoniae.

Conclusion

Airway-associated secretory immunity can be partly modulated by exposure to microbial ligands and proinflammatory stimuli. Prophylactic IFN-γ-treatment modestly improves antibacterial immunity in the URT, but this does not appear to be mediated by SIgA or pIgR.
Interaction of surfactants with barley leaf surfaces: time-dependent recovery of contact angles is due to foliar uptake of surfactants
Authors: Baales Johanna , Zeisler-Diehl Viktoria V. , Malkowsky Yaron , Schreiber Lukas
Published: November 2021

Main conclusion

Time-dependent contact angle measurements of pure water on barley leaf surfaces allow quantifying the kinetics of surfactant diffusion into the leaf.

Barley leaf surfaces were sprayed with three different aqueous concentrations (0.1, 1.0 and 10%) of a monodisperse (tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether) and a polydisperse alcohol ethoxylate (BrijL4). After 10 min, the surfactant solutions on the leaf surfaces were dry leading to surfactant coverages of 1, 10 and 63 µg cm−2, respectively. The highest surfactant coverage (63 µg cm−2) affected leaf physiology (photosynthesis and water loss) rapidly and irreversibly and leaves were dying within 2–6 h. These effects on leaf physiology did not occur with the lower surfactant coverages (1 and 10 µg cm−2). Directly after spraying of 0.1 and 1.0% surfactant solution and complete drying (10 min), leaf surfaces were fully wettable for pure water and contact angles were 0°. Within 60 min (0.1% surfactant) and 6 h (1.0% surfactant), leaf surfaces were non-wettable again and contact angles of pure water were identical to control leaves. Scanning electron microscopy investigations directly performed after surfactant spraying and drying indicated that leaf surface wax crystallites were partially or fully covered by surfactants. Wax platelets with unaltered microstructure were fully visible again within 2 to 6 h after treatment with 0.1% surfactant solutions. Gas chromatographic analysis showed that surfactant amounts on leaf surfaces continuously disappeared over time. Our results indicate that surfactants, applied at realistic coverages between 1 and 10 µg cm−2 to barley leaf surfaces, leading to total wetting (contact angles of 0°) of leaf surfaces, are rapidly taken up by the leaves. As a consequence, leaf surface non-wettability is fully reappearing. An irreversible damage of the leaf surface fine structure leading to enhanced wetting and increased foliar transpiration seems highly unlikely at low surfactant coverages of 1 µg cm−2.
Perspectives, past, present and future: the proline cycle/proline-collagen regulatory axis
Authors: Phang James M.
Published: November 2021

In the 35 years since the introduction of the “proline cycle”, its relevance to human tumors has been widely established. These connections are based on a variety of mechanisms discovered by many laboratories and have stimulated the search for small molecule inhibitors to treat cancer or metastases. In addition, the multi-layered connections of the proline cycle and the role of proline and hydroxyproline in collagen provide an important regulatory link between the extracellular matrix and metabolism.
Die “history of safe use” im europäischen Gentechnikrecht
Authors: Spranger Tade Matthias
Published: November 2021

Die “grüne” Gentechnik ist seit jeher ein spannungsreiches Feld: Während die
Befürworter im Interesse hehrer Ziele eine “technikfreundlichere” Regulierung fordern und
sozioökonomischen Bedenken die Existenzberechtigung absprechen, verweisen Kritiker auf mögliche
Risiken für Mensch und Umwelt, aber auch darauf, dass Gentechnik oftmals als Projektionsfläche
für nicht eingelöste Heilsversprechen genutzt wird. Mit der Erfindung der Genom-Editierung hat
der ohnehin recht offensiv geführte Diskurs nochmals an Schärfe gewonnen. Das 2018 ergangene
Urteil des EuGH in der Rechtssache C-528/16 hat zwar grundlegende Weichenstellungen für eine möglichst
umfassende Gentechnik-Regulierung vorgenommen, bietet aber auch Anlass zur Entwicklung von Umgehungsstrategien.
Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht den in diesem Kontext besonders wichtigen Terminus der “history
of safe use”.
Synchronous development in open-source projects: A higher-level perspective
Authors: Bock Thomas , Hunsen Claus , Joblin Mitchell , Apel Sven
Published: November 2021

Mailing lists are a major communication channel for supporting developer coordination in open-source software projects. In a recent study, researchers explored temporal relationships (e.g., synchronization) between developer activities on source code and on the mailing list, relying on simple heuristics of developer collaboration (e.g., co-editing files) and developer communication (e.g., sending e-mails to the mailing list). We propose two methods for studying synchronization between collaboration and communication activities from a higher-level perspective, which captures the complex activities and views of developers more precisely than the rather technical perspective of previous work. On the one hand, we explore developer collaboration at the level of features (not files), which are higher-level concepts of the domain and not mere technical artifacts. On the other hand, we lift the view of developer communication from a message-based model, which treats each e-mail individually, to a conversation-based model, which is semantically richer due to grouping e-mails that represent conceptually related discussions. By means of an empirical study, we investigate whether the different abstraction levels affect the observed relationship between commit activity and e-mail communication using state-of-the-art time-series analysis. For this purpose, we analyze a combined history of 40 years of data for three highly active and widely deployed open-source projects:QEMU,BusyBox, andOpenSSL. Overall, we found evidence that a higher-level view on the coordination of developers leads to identifying a stronger statistical dependence between the technical activities of developers than a less abstract and rather technical view.
Sharing Our Concepts with Machines
Authors: Butlin Patrick
Published: November 2021

As AI systems become increasingly competent language users, it is an apt moment to consider what it would take for machines to understand human languages. This paper considers whether either language models such as GPT-3 or chatbots might be able to understand language, focusing on the question of whether they could possess the relevant concepts. A significant obstacle is that systems of both kinds interact with the world only through text, and thus seem ill-suited to understanding utterances concerning the concrete objects and properties which human language often describes. Language models cannot understand human languages because they perform only linguistic tasks, and therefore cannot represent such objects and properties. However, chatbots may perform tasks concerning the non-linguistic world, so they are better candidates for understanding. Chatbots can also possess the concepts necessary to understand human languages, despite their lack of perceptual contact with the world, due to the language-mediated concept-sharing described by social externalism about mental content.
Quantitative and qualitative study of endogenous and exogenous growth regulators in eggplant (Solanum melongena) microspore cultures
Authors: Calabuig-Serna Antonio , Camacho-Fernández Carolina , Mir Ricardo , Porcel Rosa , Carrera Esther , López-Díaz Isabel , Seguí-Simarro Jose M.
Published: November 2021

In eggplant microspore embryogenesis, embryos are produced and then transformed into undifferentiated calli, instead of developing as true embryos. This is the main current bottleneck that precludes this process from being efficient. In this work we aimed to shed light on the factors involved in the successful in vitro development of eggplant haploid embryos by evaluating the role of growth regulators (GRs) in this process. We analyzed the endogenous levels of different GRs, including auxins, cytokinins and gibberelins, as well as salicylic, jasmonic and abscisic acid, in microspores and microspore-derived embryos at different culture stages. We also analyzed the same GR profiles in leaf and anther wall tissues of different eggplant backgrounds. Finally, we assessed the application of different GR combinations to the culture medium. Our results showed that in eggplant there are no genotype-specific endogenous GR profiles that can be associated to a high embryogenic response. Instead, the embryogenic response seems related to different GR accumulation patterns during in vitro culture. The changes observed in the endogenous levels of salicylic and abscisic acid were not related to the embryo transition. There were, however, changes in the levels of indole acetic acid and dihydrozeatin. The best GR combination to promote callus production was 0.5 mg/L 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). A 20% reduction of NAA and BAP reduced embryo production but produced structures more anatomically similar to embryos. These results shed light on the role of GRs during the development of microspore-derived embryos in eggplant microspore cultures.
Using chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy to fight glioblastoma multiforme: past, present and future developments
Authors: Soler David C. , Kerstetter-Fogle Amber , McCormick Thomas S. , Sloan Andrew E.
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) constitutes one of the deadliest tumors to afflict humans, although it is still considered an orphan disease. Despite testing multiple new and innovative therapies in ongoing clinical trials, the median survival for this type of malignancy is less than two years after initial diagnosis, regardless of therapy. One class of promising new therapies are chimeric antigen receptor T cells or CAR-T which have been shown to be very effective at treating refractory liquid tumors such as B-cell malignancies. However, CAR-T effectivity against solid tumors such as GBM has been limited thus far.

Methods

A Pubmed, Google Scholar, Directory of Open Access Journals, and Web of Science literature search using the terms chimeric antigen receptor or CAR-T, GBM, solid tumor immunotherapy, immunotherapy, and CAR-T combination was performed for publication dates between January 1987 and November 2021.

Results

In the current review, we present a comprehensive list of CAR-T cells developed to treat GBM, we describe new possible T-cell engineering strategies against GBM while presenting a short introductory history to the reader regarding the origin(s) of this cutting-edge therapy. We have also compiled a unique list of anti-GBM CAR-Ts with their specific protein sequences and their functions as well as an inventory of clinical trials involving CAR-T and GBM.

Conclusions

The aim of this review is to introduce the reader to the field of T-cell engineering using CAR-Ts to treat GBM and describe the obstacles that may need to be addressed in order to significantly delay the relentless growth of GBM.
Attention to dividends, inattention to earnings?
Authors: Ham Charles G. , Kaplan Zachary R. , Utke Steven
Published: November 2021

We examine whether dividends serve as substitutes or complements to accounting information in firm valuation. Consistent with dividends substituting for earnings information, we find that dividend paying firms have 11%–15% lower earnings response coefficients (ERCs) than non-payers. We find more substitution when the dividend provides a stronger signal of permanent earnings: when the firm is less likely to cut the dividend, when the firm is likely to fund the dividend out of earnings rather than cash reserves, or when the dividend is larger. We then show that dividend payers have lower absolute returns, less trading volume, and fewer analyst forecasts at the earnings announcement (EA), suggesting that dividend payers attract less attention to their less informative EAs. Finally, we show that the lower EA attention translates into less earnings management and fewer earnings-related disclosures for dividend payers relative to non-payers. Collectively, this evidence suggests that dividends supply information about permanent earnings and, although costly, could be an efficient way for some firms to satisfy investors’ demand for earnings information.
Insurance decisions under nonperformance risk and ambiguity
Authors: Lambregts Timo R. , van Bruggen Paul , Bleichrodt Han
Published: November 2021

An important societal problem is that people underinsure against risks that are unlikely or occur in the far future, such as natural disasters and long-term care needs. One explanation is that uncertainty about the risk of non-reimbursement induces ambiguity averse and risk prudent decision makers to take out less insurance. We set up an insurance experiment to test this explanation. Consistent with the theoretical predictions, we find that the demand for insurance is lower when the nonperformance risk is ambiguous than when it is known and when decision makers are risk prudent. We cannot attribute the lower take-up of insurance to our measure of ambiguity aversion, probably because ambiguity attitudes are richer than aversion alone.
Impact of thrombus burden on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with either anterior or non-anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Scarparo Paola , van Gameren Menno , Wilschut Jeroen , Daemen Joost , Den Dekker Wijnand K. , Zijlstra Felix , Van Mieghem Nicolas M. , Diletti Roberto
Published: November 2021

Large thrombus burden (LTB) during ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) could translate into worse clinical outcomes. The impact of a LTB in terms of long-term clinical outcomes on different myocardial infarct territories has not yet been fully evaluated. From April 2002 to December 2004, consecutive patients with STEMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug eluting stent were evaluated. The study sample was stratified in two groups: anterior STEMI and non-anterior STEMI. LTB was considered as a thrombus larger than or equal to 2-vessel diameters, and small thrombus burden less than 2-vessel diameters. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were evaluated at 10-year and survival data were collected up to 15-year. A total of 812 patients were evaluated, 6 patients were excluded due to inadequate angiographic images, 410 (50.9%) had an anterior STEMI and 396 (49.1%) a non-anterior STEMI. Patients with LTB had higher rates of 10-year mortality (aHR 2.27, 95%CI 1.42–3.63; p = 0.001) and 10-year MACE (aHR 1.46, 95%CI 1.03–2.08; p = 0.033) in anterior STEMI, but not in non-anterior STEMI (aHR 0.78, 95%CI 0.49–1.24; p = 0.298; aHR 0.71, 95%CI 0.50–1.02; p = 0.062). LTB was associated with increased 30-day mortality (aHR 5.60, 95%CI 2.49–12.61; p < 0.001) and 30-day MACE (aHR 2.72, 95%CI 1.45–5.08; p = 0.002) in anterior STEMI, but not in non-anterior STEMI (aHR 0.39, 95%CI 0.15–1.06; p = 0.066; aHR 0.67, 95%CI 0.31–1.46; p = 0.316). Beyond 30-day, LTB had no impact on mortality and MACE in both groups. In anterior STEMI, LTB is associated with worse long-term clinical outcomes, this effect was driven by early events.
Exposure Assessment of methyl mercury from consumption of fish and seafood in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Ahmad Nurul Izzah , Mahiyuddin Wan Rozita Wan , Azmi Wan Nurul Farah Wan , Azlee Ruzanaz Syafira Ruzman , Shaharudin Rafiza , Sulaiman Lokman Hakim
Published: November 2021

The concentration of meHg in freshwater fish and seafood was investigated, as well as the consumption patterns of fish and seafood by different demographic groups (age, ethnicity, gender). A potential alarm for human health hazards was also assessed, and the results were compared to the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWIs) and the hazard quotient parameter (HQ). The results showed that meHg levels of 67 species ranged from 0.013 to 0.252 mg/kg of wet weight (WW) with significant differences between different fish and seafood groups (χ2KW = 49.09; p < 0.001). Median concentrations of meHg in fish and seafood groups in descending orders are as follows: demersal fish (0.1006 mg/kg WW) > pelagic fish (0.0686 mg/kg WW) > freshwater fish 0.045 mg/kg WW) > cephalopods (0.0405 mg/kg WW) crustaceans (0.0356 mg/kg WW). The results revealed that older population (> 40 years old) consumed significantly (p = 0.000) more fish compared to younger generations and the elderly consumed the highest amounts of fish (104.0 ± 113.0 g/day). The adolescents (10–17 years old) consumed more than double of amount for both cephalopod and crustacean compared to the older populations (p < 0.05). Malay ethnic (96.1 ± 99.6 g/day) consumed significantly (p = 0.000) higher amounts of fish and seafood compared to other ethnicities, similar to male subjects (95.2 ± 102 g/day; p = 0.026) when compared to the female (86 ± 96.3 g/day). The estimated weekly intake (EWI) values showed results below 1.6 µg/kg BW/week, the tolerable levels recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) for all different demographic factors except for higher consumers at 75th percentile and above. Consumption of marine fish contributed to a higher value of PTWI to all different demographic groups (the estimated weekly intake (EWI) range: 0.2988–0.6893 µg/kg BW/week) but for the adolescents, where from the consumption of crustaceans (0.3488 µg/kg BW/week or 21.8% of PTWI) and cephalopods (0.504 µg/kg BW/week or 31.5% of PTWI). The results from this study also revealed the HQ value for overall consumption of fish and seafood by the adolescents and elderly exceeded one. This was contributed from the consumption of demersal fish and cephalopods, thus indicating the nonacceptable level of noncarcinogenic adverse health effects.
A non-invasive, automated diagnosis of Menière’s disease using radiomics and machine learning on conventional magnetic resonance imaging: A multicentric, case-controlled feasibility study
Authors: van der Lubbe Marly F. J. A. , Vaidyanathan Akshayaa , de Wit Marjolein , van den Burg Elske L. , Postma Alida A. , Bruintjes Tjasse D. , Bilderbeek-Beckers Monique A. L. , Dammeijer Patrick F. M. , Bossche Stephanie Vanden , Van Rompaey Vincent , Lambin Philippe , van Hoof Marc , van de Berg Raymond
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This study investigated the feasibility of a new image analysis technique (radiomics) on conventional MRI for the computer-aided diagnosis of Menière’s disease.

Materials and methods

A retrospective, multicentric diagnostic case–control study was performed. This study included 120 patients with unilateral or bilateral Menière’s disease and 140 controls from four centers in the Netherlands and Belgium. Multiple radiomic features were extracted from conventional MRI scans and used to train a machine learning-based, multi-layer perceptron classification model to distinguish patients with Menière’s disease from controls. The primary outcomes were accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the classification model.

Results

The classification accuracy of the machine learning model on the test set was 82%, with a sensitivity of 83%, and a specificity of 82%. The positive and negative predictive values were 71%, and 90%, respectively.

Conclusion

The multi-layer perceptron classification model yielded a precise, high-diagnostic performance in identifying patients with Menière’s disease based on radiomic features extracted from conventional T2-weighted MRI scans. In the future, radiomics might serve as a fast and noninvasive decision support system, next to clinical evaluation in the diagnosis of Menière’s disease.
LEDPatNet19: Automated Emotion Recognition Model based on Nonlinear LED Pattern Feature Extraction Function using EEG Signals
Authors: Tuncer Turker , Dogan Sengul , Subasi Abdulhamit
Published: November 2021

Electroencephalography (EEG) signals collected from human brains have generally been used to diagnose diseases. Moreover, EEG signals can be used in several areas such as emotion recognition, driving fatigue detection. This work presents a new emotion recognition model by using EEG signals. The primary aim of this model is to present a highly accurate emotion recognition framework by using both a hand-crafted feature generation and a deep classifier. The presented framework uses a multilevel fused feature generation network. This network has three primary phases, which are tunable Q-factor wavelet transform (TQWT), statistical feature generation, and nonlinear textural feature generation phases. TQWT is applied to the EEG data for decomposing signals into different sub-bands and create a multilevel feature generation network. In the nonlinear feature generation, an S-box of the LED block cipher is utilized to create a pattern, which is named as Led-Pattern. Moreover, statistical feature extraction is processed using the widely used statistical moments. The proposed LED pattern and statistical feature extraction functions are applied to 18 TQWT sub-bands and an original EEG signal. Therefore, the proposed hand-crafted learning model is named LEDPatNet19. To select the most informative features, ReliefF and iterative Chi2 (RFIChi2) feature selector is deployed. The proposed model has been developed on the two EEG emotion datasets, which are GAMEEMO and DREAMER datasets. Our proposed hand-crafted learning network achieved 94.58%, 92.86%, and 94.44% classification accuracies for arousal, dominance, and valance cases of the DREAMER dataset. Furthermore, the best classification accuracy of the proposed model for the GAMEEMO dataset is equal to 99.29%. These results clearly illustrate the success of the proposed LEDPatNet19.
Long-term emotional consequences of parental alienation exposure in children of divorced parents: A systematic review
Authors: Miralles Paloma , Godoy Carmen , Hidalgo María D.
Published: November 2021

Although the emotional consequences of childhood exposure to parental alienation behaviors in children and adolescents of divorced parents are known, there is scarce evidence on their long-term consequences in adulthood. Therefore, this work aims to conduct a systematic review of the state of research in this area and its main conclusions and identify gaps and limitations to guide future research. A search of the literature was performed in electronic databases PsycInfo, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, DART-Europe, ProQuest, Wiley, TESEO and Dialnet, and a secondary review of the bibliography; in February 2019 updated in December of the same year. Thirteen pieces of research were selected after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria; twelve published articles from journals and one doctoral thesis, both with qualitative and quantitative methodology. Children exposed to parental interference and alienation show in adulthood depression and anxiety symptoms, a higher risk of psychopathology, lower self-esteem and self-sufficiency. As well as, higher alcohol and drug use rates, parental relationship difficulties, insecure attachment, lower life quality, higher divorce rates, feelings of loss, abandonment and guilt. They also report repetition of these alienating behaviors on their children by their partner or their own children's grandparents. Some limitations of the study are described, and proposals are made for future research.