bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Food additive safety
Authors: Pressman Peter , Clemens Roger , Hayes Wally , Reddy Chada
Published: September 2017

Food is a very common source of toxicant exposure to humans. An unknown number of naturally occurring contaminants find their way into food. The most ominous are products of mold growth called mycotoxins, which include the carcinogenic aflatoxins. On the other hand, more than 2500 chemical substances are added to foods to modify or impart flavor, color, stability, and texture, to fortify or enrich nutritive value, or to reduce cost. In addition, an estimated 12,000 substances are used in such a way that they may unintentionally enter the food supply. The term “food additive” is a regulatory term that encompasses any functional substance that is normally neither consumed as a food itself, but is intentionally added to food (usually in small quantities) to augment its processing or to improve aroma, color, consistency, taste, texture, or shelf life. Additives are not considered “nutritional” even if they possess nutritive value. The purpose of the present review is to give an overview of the approaches to, and procedures involved in ensuring the safety of the US food supply in the context of food additives, with particular reference to the existing and emerging scientific and regulatory landscape and consumer perceptions.
A miRNA catalogue and ncRNA annotation of the short-living fish Nothobranchius furzeri
Authors: Baumgart Mario , Barth Emanuel , Savino Aurora , Groth Marco , Koch Philipp , Petzold Andreas , Arisi Ivan , Platzer Matthias , Marz Manja , Cellerino Alessandro
Published: September 2017

Background

The short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri is the shortest-lived vertebrate that can be cultured in captivity and was recently established as a model organism for aging research. Small non-coding RNAs, especially miRNAs, are implicated in age dependent control of gene expression.

Results

Here, we present a comprehensive catalogue of miRNAs and several other non-coding RNA classes (ncRNAs) for Nothobranchius furzeri. Analyzing multiple small RNA-Seq libraries, we show most of these identified miRNAs are expressed in at least one of seven Nothobranchius species. Additionally, duplication and clustering of N. furzeri miRNAs was analyzed and compared to the four fish species Danio rerio, Oryzias latipes, Gasterosteus aculeatus and Takifugu rubripes. A peculiar characteristic of N. furzeri, as compared to other teleosts, was a duplication of the miR-29 cluster.

Conclusion

The completeness of the catalogue we provide is comparable to that of the zebrafish. This catalogue represents a basis to investigate the role of miRNAs in aging and development in this species.
Three-dimensional automated reporter quantification (3D-ARQ) technology enables quantitative screening in retinal organoids
Authors: Vergara M. Natalia , Flores-Bellver Miguel , Aparicio-Domingo Silvia , McNally Minda , Wahlin Karl J. , Saxena Meera T. , Mumm Jeff S. , Canto-Soler M. Valeria
Published: September 2017

The advent of stem cell-derived retinal organoids has brought forth unprecedented opportunities for developmental and physiological studies, while presenting new therapeutic promise for retinal degenerative diseases. From a translational perspective, organoid systems provide exciting new prospects for drug discovery, offering the possibility to perform compound screening in a three-dimensional (3D) human tissue context that resembles the native histoarchitecture and to some extent recapitulates cellular interactions. However, inherent variability issues and a general lack of robust quantitative technologies for analyzing organoids on a large scale pose severe limitations for their use in translational applications. To address this need, we have developed a screening platform that enables accurate quantification of fluorescent reporters in complex human iPSC-derived retinal organoids. This platform incorporates a fluorescence microplate reader that allows xyz-dimensional detection and fine-tuned wavelength selection. We have established optimal parameters for fluorescent reporter signal detection, devised methods to compensate for organoid size variability, evaluated performance and sensitivity parameters, and validated this technology for functional applications.
A fluorescent toolkit for spatiotemporal tracking of apoptotic cells in living Drosophila tissues
Authors: Schott Sonia , Ambrosini Arnaud , Barbaste Audrey , Benassayag Corinne , Gracia Mélanie , Proag Amsha , Rayer Mégane , Monier Bruno , Suzanne Magali
Published: September 2017

Far from being passive, apoptotic cells influence their environment. For example, they promote tissue folding, myoblast fusion and modulate tumor growth. Understanding the role of apoptotic cells necessitates their efficient tracking within living tissues, a task that is currently challenging. In order to easily spot apoptotic cells in developing Drosophila tissues, we generated a series of fly lines expressing different fluorescent sensors of caspase activity. We show that three of these reporters (GFP-, Cerulean- and Venus-derived molecules) are detected specifically in apoptotic cells and throughout the whole process of programmed cell death. These reporters allow the specific visualization of apoptotic cells directly within living tissues, without any post-acquisition processing. They overcome the limitations of other apoptosis detection methods developed so far and, notably, they can be combined with any kind of fluorophore.
Cell migration, intercalation and growth regulate mammalian cochlear extension
Authors: Driver Elizabeth Carroll , Northrop Amy , Kelley Matthew W.
Published: September 2017

Developmental remodeling of the sensory epithelium of the cochlea is required for the formation of an elongated, tonotopically organized auditory organ, but the cellular processes that mediate these events are largely unknown. We used both morphological assessments of cellular rearrangements and time-lapse imaging to visualize cochlear remodeling in mouse. Analysis of cell redistribution showed that the cochlea extends through a combination of radial intercalation and cell growth. Live imaging demonstrated that concomitant cellular intercalation results in a brief period of epithelial convergence, although subsequent changes in cell size lead to medial-lateral spreading. Supporting cells, which retain contact with the basement membrane, exhibit biased protrusive activity and directed movement along the axis of extension. By contrast, hair cells lose contact with the basement membrane, but contribute to continued outgrowth through increased cell size. Regulation of cellular protrusions, movement and intercalation within the cochlea all require myosin II. These results establish, for the first time, many of the cellular processes that drive the distribution of sensory cells along the tonotopic axis of the cochlea.
Axonal localization of neuritin/CPG15 mRNA is limited by competition for HuD binding
Authors: Gomes Cynthia , Lee Seung Joon , Gardiner Amy S. , Smith Terika , Sahoo Pabitra K. , Patel Priyanka , Thames Elizabeth , Rodriguez Reycel , Taylor Ross , Yoo Soonmoon , Heise Tilman , Kar Amar N. , Perrone-Bizzozero Nora , Twiss Jeffery L.
Published: September 2017

HuD protein (also known as ELAVL4) has been shown to stabilize mRNAs with AU-rich elements (ARE) in their 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs), including Gap43, which has been linked to axon growth. HuD also binds to neuritin (Nrn1) mRNA, whose 3′UTR contains ARE sequences. Although the Nrn1 3′UTR has been shown to mediate its axonal localization in embryonic hippocampal neurons, it is not active in adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Here, we asked why the 3′UTR is not sufficient to mediate the axonal localization of Nrn1 mRNA in DRG neurons. HuD overexpression increases the ability of the Nrn1 3′UTR to mediate axonal localizing in DRG neurons. HuD binds directly to the Nrn1 ARE with about a two-fold higher affinity than to the Gap43 ARE. Although the Nrn1 ARE can displace the Gap43 ARE from HuD binding, HuD binds to the full 3′UTR of Gap43 with higher affinity, such that higher levels of Nrn1 are needed to displace the Gap43 3′UTR. The Nrn1 3′UTR can mediate a higher level of axonal localization when endogenous Gap43 is depleted from DRG neurons. Taken together, our data indicate that endogenous Nrn1 and Gap43 mRNAs compete for binding to HuD for their axonal localization and activity of the Nrn1 3′UTR.
An emerging case for membrane pore formation as a common mechanism for the unconventional secretion of FGF2 and IL-1β
Authors: Brough David , Pelegrin Pablo , Nickel Walter
Published: September 2017

Extracellular proteins with important signalling roles in processes, such as inflammation and angiogenesis, are known to employ unconventional routes of protein secretion. Although mechanisms of unconventional protein secretion are beginning to emerge, the precise molecular details have remained elusive for the majority of cargo proteins secreted by unconventional means. Recent findings suggest that for two examples of unconventionally secreted proteins, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), the common molecular principle of pore formation may be shared. Under specific experimental conditions, secretion of IL-1β and FGF2 is triggered by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2]-dependent formation of pores across the plasma membrane. However, the underlying mechanisms are different, with FGF2 known to directly interact with PI(4,5)P2, whereas in the case of IL-1β secretion, it is proposed that the N-terminal fragment of gasdermin D interacts with PI(4,5)P2 to form the pore. Thus, although implemented in different ways, these findings suggest that pore formation may be shared by the unconventional secretion mechanisms for FGF2 and IL-1β in at least some cases. In this Opinion article, we discuss the unconventional mechanisms of FGF2 and IL-1β release with a particular emphasis on recent discoveries suggesting the importance of pore formation on the plasma membrane.
LPP3 mediates self-generation of chemotactic LPA gradients by melanoma cells
Authors: Susanto Olivia , Koh Yvette W. H. , Morrice Nick , Tumanov Sergey , Thomason Peter A. , Nielson Matthew , Tweedy Luke , Muinonen-Martin Andrew J. , Kamphorst Jurre J. , Mackay Gillian M. , Insall Robert H.
Published: September 2017

Melanoma cells steer out of tumours using self-generated lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) gradients. The cells break down LPA, which is present at high levels around the tumours, creating a dynamic gradient that is low in the tumour and high outside. They then migrate up this gradient, creating a complex and evolving outward chemotactic stimulus. Here, we introduce a new assay for self-generated chemotaxis, and show that raising LPA levels causes a delay in migration rather than loss of chemotactic efficiency. Knockdown of the lipid phosphatase LPP3 – but not of its homologues LPP1 or LPP2 – diminishes the cell's ability to break down LPA. This is specific for chemotactically active LPAs, such as the 18:1 and 20:4 species. Inhibition of autotaxin-mediated LPA production does not diminish outward chemotaxis, but loss of LPP3-mediated LPA breakdown blocks it. Similarly, in both 2D and 3D invasion assays, knockdown of LPP3 diminishes the ability of melanoma cells to invade. Our results demonstrate that LPP3 is the key enzyme in the breakdown of LPA by melanoma cells, and confirm the importance of attractant breakdown in LPA-mediated cell steering.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Single-Molecule Analysis Methods Using Nanogap Electrodes and Their Application to DNA Sequencing Technologies
Authors: Taniguchi Masateru
Published: September 2017

Single-molecule analysis methods facilitate the investigation of the properties of single-molecule junctions (SMJs), in which single molecules are connected between a pair of nanoelectrodes that use nanogap electrodes having a spacing of less than several nanometers. Various methods have been developed to investigate numerous useful parameters for SMJs; for example, the number of molecules connected between a pair of nanoelectrodes can be determined, the types and structures of single molecules can be revealed, localized temperatures within SMJs can be evaluated, and the Seebeck coefficient and the bond strength between single molecules and electrodes can be ascertained. Single-molecule analysis methods have also been used to analyze biopolymers in solutions, and this has resulted in single-molecule sequencing technologies being developed that can determine sequences of base molecules in DNA and RNA along with sequences of amino acids in peptides. Single-molecule analysis methods are expected to develop into digital analysis techniques that can be used to investigate the physical and chemical properties of molecules at single-molecule resolutions.
Supporting evidence-based analysis for modified risk tobacco products through a toxicology data-sharing infrastructure
Authors: Boué Stéphanie , Exner Thomas , Ghosh Samik , Belcastro Vincenzo , Dokler Joh , Page David , Boda Akash , Bonjour Filipe , Hardy Barry , Vanscheeuwijck Patrick , Hoeng Julia , Peitsch Manuel
Published: September 2017

The US FDA defines modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs) as products that aim to reduce harm or the risk of tobacco-related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products.  Establishing a product’s potential as an MRTP requires scientific substantiation including toxicity studies and measures of disease risk relative to those of cigarette smoking.  Best practices encourage verification of the data from such studies through sharing and open standards. Building on the experience gained from the OpenTox project, a proof-of-concept database and website (INTERVALS) has been developed to share results from both in vivo inhalation studies and in vitro studies conducted by Philip Morris International R&D to assess candidate MRTPs. As datasets are often generated by diverse methods and standards, they need to be traceable, curated, and the methods used well described so that knowledge can be gained using data science principles and tools. The data-management framework described here accounts for the latest standards of data sharing and research reproducibility. Curated data and methods descriptions have been prepared in ISA-Tab format and stored in a database accessible via a search portal on the INTERVALS website. The portal allows users to browse the data by study or mechanism (e.g., inflammation, oxidative stress) and obtain information relevant to study design, methods, and the most important results. Given the successful development of the initial infrastructure, the goal is to grow this initiative and establish a public repository for 21st-century preclinical systems toxicology MRTP assessment data and results that supports open data principles.
The unhappy postdoc: a survey based study
Authors: Grinstein Amir , Treister Roi
Published: September 2017

Background: The emerging public discourse about the “broken” postdoc system is mostly conceptual. The current work offers an attempt to quantify postdocs’ perceptions, goals, and well-being.

Methods: A survey of 190 postdocs in North America.

Results: This article first reveals a surprisingly unhappy postdoc community with low satisfaction with life scores. Second, it demonstrates how over the course of the fellowship many postdocs lose interest in the goal of pursuing a tenure track academic position (~20%) or in recommending the postdoc track to others (~30%). Finally, we find that among a large number of factors that can enhance satisfaction with life for postdocs (e.g., publication productivity, resources available to them) only one factor stood out as significant: the degree to which atmosphere in the lab is pleasant and collegial.

Conclusions: Our findings can stimulate policy, managerial, and career development improvements in the context of the postdoc system.
Geographic-genetic analysis of Plasmodium falciparum parasite populations from surveys of primary school children in Western Kenya
Authors: Omedo Irene , Mogeni Polycarp , Rockett Kirk , Kamau Alice , Hubbart Christina , Jeffreys Anna , Ochola-Oyier Lynette Isabella , de Villiers Etienne P. , Gitonga Caroline W. , Noor Abdisalan M. , Snow Robert W. , Kwiatkowski Dominic , Bejon Philip
Published: September 2017

Background. Malaria control, and finally malaria elimination, requires the identification and targeting of residual foci or hotspots of transmission. However, the level of parasite mixing within and between geographical locations is likely to impact the effectiveness and durability of control interventions and thus should be taken into consideration when developing control programs.

Methods. In order to determine the geographic-genetic patterns of Plasmodium falciparum parasite populations at a sub-national level in Kenya, we used the Sequenom platform to genotype 111 genome-wide distributed single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) positions in 2486 isolates collected from children in 95 primary schools in western Kenya. We analysed these parasite genotypes for genetic structure using principal component analysis and assessed local and global clustering using statistical measures of spatial autocorrelation. We further examined the region for spatial barriers to parasite movement as well as directionality in the patterns of parasite movement.

Results. We found no evidence of population structure and little evidence of spatial autocorrelation of parasite genotypes (correlation coefficients <0.03 among parasite pairs in distance classes of 1km, 2km and 5km; p value<0.01). An analysis of the geographical distribution of allele frequencies showed weak evidence of variation in distribution of alleles, with clusters representing a higher than expected number of samples with the major allele being identified for 5 SNPs. Furthermore, we found no evidence of the existence of spatial barriers to parasite movement within the region, but observed directional movement of parasites among schools in two separate sections of the region studied.

Conclusions. Our findings illustrate a pattern of high parasite mixing within the study region. If this mixing is due to rapid gene flow, then “one-off” targeted interventions may not be currently effective at the sub-national scale in Western Kenya, due to the high parasite movement that is likely to lead to re-introduction of infection from surrounding regions. However repeated targeted interventions may reduce transmission in the surrounding regions.
MINERAL BALANCE IN HEALTHY AND ILL PEOPLE OF BLAGOVESHCHENSK CITY
Authors: Катола Виктор , Katola Viktor
Published: September 2017

The mineral status of healthy and ill citizens of Blagoveshchensk was studied with the help of atomic absorption spectroscopy. It was found out that in the whole blood of healthy people from Blagoveshchensk in comparison with some average standard rates given in literature, there was a bigger (p<0.001) concentration of Co (3.5 and more times), of Cs (15 times more), of Li (4.5 times more), of Mn (34.3 times more), of Ni (4 times more), and there was significantly less of Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Na, Mg, Rb, Zn. At focal tuberculosis the deficit of Ca and Mg and the excess of Cd, Cr, Cs, Hg, K, Li and Pb were registered. And the other way round, under fibrous-cavernous type in the blood there was a low level of Ca, Mg, Mn and Ni (p<0.001), approximately normal contents of Cu, Fe and Zn, and a high (p<0.001) concentration of Cd, Cr, Cs, Hg, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb. Moreover, in the blood of people with lung tuberculosis the contents of Hg were 3-5 times more than in healthy people. Under the peptic ulcer disease the mineral imbalance was revealed through the decrease in the blood of Ca and Mg level (p<0.001) and the increase of (p<0.001) Cd, Cr, Cs, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni and Pb concentration.
All Properties are Divine or God Exists - The Sacred Thesis and its Ontological Argument
Authors: Bjørdal Frode Alfson
Published: September 2017

A metaphysical system engendered by a third order quantified modal logic S5 plus impredicative comprehension principles is used to isolate a third order predicate D, and by being able to impredicatively take a second order predicate G to hold of an individual just if the individual necessarily has all second order properties which are D we in Section 2 derive the thesis (40) that all properties are D or some individual is G. In Section 3 theorems 1 to 3 suggest a sufficient kinship to Gödelian ontological arguments so as to think of thesis (40) in terms of divine property and Godly being; divine replaces positive with Gödel and others. Thesis (40), the sacred thesis, supports the ontological argument that God exists because some property is not divine. In Section 4 a fixed point analysis is used as diagnosis so that atheists may settle for the minimal fixed point. Theorem 3 shows it consistent to postulate theistic fixed points, and a monotheistic result follows if one assumes theism and that it is divine to be identical with a deity. Theorem 4 (the Monotheorem) states that if Gg and it is divine to be identical with g, then necessarily all objects which are G are identical with g. The impredicative origin of D suggests weakened Gaunilo-like objections that offer related theses for other second order properties and their associated diverse presumptive individual bearers. Nevertheless, in the last section we finesse these Gaunilo-like objections by adopting what we call an apathiatheistic opinion which suggest that the best concepts `God’ allow thorough indifference as to whether God exists or not.
Two-Armed Restless Bandits with Imperfect Information: Stochastic Control and Indexability
Authors: Fryer Roland , Harms Philipp
Published: September 2017

We present a two-armed bandit model of decision making under uncertainty where the expected return to investing in the “risky arm” increases when choosing that arm and decreases when choosing the “safe” arm. These dynamics are natural in applications such as human capital development, job search, and occupational choice. Using new insights from stochastic control, along with a monotonicity condition on the payoff dynamics, we show that optimal strategies in our model are stopping rules that can be characterized by an index which formally coincides with Gittins’ index. Our result implies the indexability of a new class of restless bandit models.
ADAPT: A Price-Stabilizing Compliance Policy for Renewable Energy Certificates: The Case of SREC Markets
Authors: Khazaei Javad , Coulon Michael , Powell Warren B.
Published: September 2017

Currently, most Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) markets are defined based on targets that create an artificial step demand function resembling a cliff. This target policy produces volatile prices that can make investing in renewables a risky proposition. In this paper, we propose an alternative policy called Adjustable Dynamic Assignment of Penalties and Targets (ADAPT) that uses a sloped compliance penalty and a self-regulating requirement schedule, both designed to stabilize REC prices, helping to alleviate a common weakness of environmental markets. To capture market behavior, we model the market as a stochastic dynamic programming problem to understand how the market might balance the decision to use a REC now versus holding it for future periods (in the face of uncertain new supply). Then, we present and prove some of the properties of this market, and finally we show that this mechanism reduces the volatility of REC prices, which should stabilize the market and encourage long-term investment in renewables.
TeenBP: Development and Piloting of an EHR-linked Clinical Decision Support System
to Improve Recognition of Hypertension in Adolescents
Authors: Kharbanda Elyse O. , Nordin James D. , Sinaiko Alan R. , Ekstrom Heidi L. , Stultz Jerry M. , Sherwood Nancy E. , Fontaine Patricia L. , Asche Steve E. , Dehmer Steven P. , Amundson Jerry H. , Appana Deepika X. , Bergdall Anna R. , Hayes Marcia G. , O'Connor Patrick J.
Published: September 2017

Context: Blood pressure (BP) is routinely measured in children and adolescents
during primary care visits. However, elevated BP or hypertension is frequently not
diagnosed or evaluated further by primary care providers. Barriers to recognition
include lack of clinician buy-in, competing priorities, and complexity of the standard
BP tables.Case Description: We have developed and piloted TeenBP— a web-based,
electronic health record (EHR) linked system designed to improve recognition of
prehypertension and hypertension in adolescents during primary care visits.Major
Themes: Important steps in developing TeenBP included the following: review of national
BP guidelines, consideration of clinic workflow, engagement of clinical leaders, and
evaluation of the impact on clinical sites. Use of a web-based platform has facilitated
updates to the TeenBP algorithm and to the message content. In addition, the web-based
platform has allowed for development of a sophisticated display of patient-specific
information at the point of care. In the TeenBP pilot, conducted at a single pediatric
and family practice site with six clinicians, over a five-month period, more than half
of BPs in the hypertensive range were clinically recognized. Furthermore, in this small
pilot the TeenBP clinical decision support (CDS) was accepted by providers and clinical
staff. Effectiveness of the TeenBP CDS will be determined in a two-year
cluster-randomized clinical trial, currently underway at 20 primary care
sites.Conclusion: Use of technology to extract and display clinically relevant data
stored within the EHR may be a useful tool for improving recognition of adolescent
hypertension during busy primary care visits. In the future, the methods developed
specifically for TeenBP are likely to be translatable to a wide range of acute and
chronic issues affecting children and adolescents.
‘Black Duck Feathers’ or becoming-perfect
Authors: Bucci Alessandro
Published: September 2017

This article offers a study of one singular dress created by fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen, namely, the ‘Black Duck Feathers’. Consisting of preternaturally oversized shoulders and hips and of black feathers covering the entire figure, this specific dress emblematically served to turn an indistinct female body into a romantic, yet melancholic black bird of prey. While ‘Black Duck Feathers’ has been interpreted within the frame of Romanticism in exhibitions at the MET and the V&A, this article makes the dress the starting point of a dialogue between Alexander McQueen’s creative process and Deleuze and Guattari’s complex philosophical theory of becoming, which they develop in A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. The aim is to highlight the possibility for an artefact to be a tool for illuminating philosophical theories and concepts and to be the trigger of innumerable and complex considerations. This is in contrast to the way in which critical theory is traditionally used, which is to say, to analyse phenomena, cultural processes and expressions of material culture. The choice of making theory the real object of study in this article is inspired by the very idea of metamorphosis and openness of the body that shapes ‘Black Duck Feathers’ and that seems to characterize Alexander McQueen’s poetics. Metamorphosis of the body, of fields and of theories can be used to study fashion, and is understood here as a way of playing on the edge and among frontiers and as a desire and a need to exceed their borders.
Dress, body and experiences of victimization
Authors: Reilly Andrew , Johnson Kim K. P.
Published: September 2017

Our research purpose was to uncover perceived relationships between aspects of appearance (i.e., body, dress) and experiences of any form of victimization from the perspective of survivors. We addressed three research questions: (1) what connection, if any, did survivors draw between their appearance and their experience of victimization?; (2) what changes, if any, did survivors make to their appearance after their experience(s)?; and (3) what advice, if any, would survivors give to others on appearance as a result of their experience? Five women and three men completed interviews. Participants identified appearance cues as a stimulus evoking others’ behaviours towards them. Both general appearance attributes and specific attributes were credited with eliciting negative behaviours. Experiences with victimization often occurred when the individual was attempting to move into a culture that was new to them. Most participants altered or made adjustments to their appearance as a result of their victimization experience.
It’s Ok to Fall
Authors: Iohe Taey
Published: September 2017

This piece of art writing imagines gravity and falling as quotidian experiences. There are two main characters: Muni (the name can be translated as Patterns, from the Korean original) and Garu (meaning Dust in Korean). Muni is undertaking a journey to a zero-gravity training facility in the small town of Shankill, Ireland; Garu works as a community-based psychologist. I chart her investigation of falling by taking a series of photographs and creating an installation. The installation is a room dusted with white powder, in which is hand-written a paragraph from a novel. This piece of art writing was exhibited as Language but No Words at the Space Mom Museum in Chungju, Korea in 2012.
Misserfolg statt Musterbeispiel?
Authors: Vogelpohl Thomas , Hirschl Bernd
Published: September 2017

Als vor fünf Jahren die Nachhaltigkeitszertifizierung für Biokraftstoffe auf EU-Ebene verabschiedet wurde, galt dies als ein wichtiger Schritt für einen nachhaltigeren Verkehrs- und Agrarsektor. Inzwischen ist die Euphorie jedoch einer Ernüchterung gewichen. Eine kritische Zwischenbilanz.
Internet using status and perceived stress level of university students
Üniversite öğrencilerinin internet kullanım durumları ve algıladıkları stres düzeyleri
Authors: Işık Çalışkan Zehra , Caner Nuray , Evgin Derya , Kaplan Bahriye
Published: September 2017

Abstract Objective: Internet and online technologies as well as present opportunities that make easy the life, they could bring some negativity. This study was conducted to determine using internet statutes of university students at a Health College and stress levels that they perceived, as descriptive.  Method: The study was conducted with 296 students in 2013-2014 education session by taking consent from the institute and students.  Data was collected by Individual Information From and Perceived Stress Scale. Results: It is determined that of the students; 37.3% spent time with internet 4 hours and more daily, and of these students; 70.3% had got stress as moderate level, with increase in staying time at internet environment, moderate and high level stress increased (p<0.05). Also, academic success level decreased with increase in staying time at internet but there wasn’t any significant difference between them (p>0.05). Conclusion: It is seen that staying time at internet could affect the perceived stress level. It is suggested that the students should be given education and counseling about more conscient using of internet and effective coping strategies with stress.Extended English abstract is in the end of PDF (TURKISH) file.ÖzetAmaç: İnternet ve online teknolojiler yaşamı kolaylaştıracak pek çok imkan sunarken, beraberinde bazı olumsuzlukları da getirmiştir. Bu çalışma, bir üniversitenin Sağlık Yüksekokulu öğrencilerinin internet kullanım durumları ve algıladıkları stres düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla tanımlayıcı olarak yapılmıştır. Yöntem: Çalışma, 2013-2014 eğitim öğretim döneminde,  kurum ve öğrenci onamı alınarak, 296 öğrenciyle yürütülmüştür. Veriler, Kişisel Bilgi Formu ve Algılanan Stres Ölçeği ile toplanmıştır. Bulgular: Öğrencilerin %37.3’ünün, günlük 4 saat ve daha fazla süreyle internete bağlandığı, günlük 4 saat ve daha fazla süreyle internete bağlı kalan öğrencilerin %70.3’ünün orta stres düzeyinde olduğu, internette kalma süresi arttıkça öğrencilerin orta ve yüksek stres düzeyi oranlarında artış olduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0.05). Ayrıca öğrencilerin internette kalma süreleri arttıkça akademik başarı oranlarının düştüğü ancak farkın önemli olmadığı bulunmuştur (p>0.05). Sonuç:İnternette kalma süresinin algılanan stres düzeyini etkileyebileceği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Öğrencilere; internet ve online teknolojileri daha bilinçli kullanma ve stresle etkin başedebilme yollarıyla ilgili eğitim ve danışmanlık verilmesi önerilmektedir.// // Annotate Highlight
Influence of Late-Antique (ca. 200–800 A.D.) Prolegomena to Aristotle’s Categories on Arabic Doctrines of the Subject Matter of Logic: Alfarabi (d. ca. 950 A.D.), Baghdad Peripatetics, Avicenna (d. 1037 A.D.)
Authors: Karimullah Kamran I.
Published: September 2017

In this article, I explore how Avicenna’s (d. 1037) views about the subject matter of logic relate to earlier debates about Aristotle’s Categories among Aristotle’s Platonist commentators and the Baghdad Peripatetics, chief among them being Alfarabi (d. ca. 950). I argue that Alfarabi invents the idea of secondary intelligibles (or “second intentions”). I show, however, that under the influence of the middle and late Platonist commentary tradition on the Categories, he insists that primary intelligibles, not secondary intelligibles, are the subject matter of logic. While Avicenna thus takes over the idea of secondary intelligibles from Alfarabi, I show that Avicenna rejects Alfarabi’s view that primary intelligibles are the subject matter of logic. I conclude that what motivated Avicenna to hold that secondary intelligibles are the subject matter of logic was his belief that logic is a discipline of philosophy and not merely an instrument of it.
‘Archetypes without Patterns’: Locke on Relations and Mixed Modes
Authors: Ott Walter
Published: September 2017

John Locke’s claims about relations (such as cause and effect) and mixed modes (such as beauty and murder) have been controversial since the publication of theEssay. His earliest critics read him as a thoroughgoing anti-realist who denies that such things exist. More charitable readers have sought to read Locke’s claims away. Against both, I argue that Locke is making ontological claims, but that his views do not have the absurd consequences his defenders fear. By examining Locke’s texts, as well as the intellectual context in which they were written, I show that Locke’s position is at once radical and thoroughly traditional.
A selective fluorescence probe based on benzothiazole for the detection of Cr3+
Authors: Lv Ren-Gang , Chen Shu-Wen , Gao Yan
Published: September 2017

A novel benzothiazole-functionalized Schiff-base derivative L was prepared and its metal-ion sensing properties were investigated. Sensor L displays selective naked-eye color change from yellow to green in the presence of Cr3+ in aqueous solution at pH 7.2, while other cations do not interfere with the recognition of Cr3+. The proposed mechanism is supported by Job’s plot evaluation, IR and ESI-MS studies. The association constant and detection limit of sensor L to Cr3+ are 5.73×104
m
−1 and 2.1×10−8
m, respectively. A B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) basis set was employed for optimization of L and L-Cr3+ complex.
Combining Wavelet Texture Features and Deep Neural Network for Tumor Detection and Segmentation Over MRI
Authors: Preethi Srinivasalu , Aishwarya Palaniappan
Published: September 2017

A brain tumor is one of the main reasons for death among other kinds of cancer because the brain is a very sensitive, complex, and central portion of the body. Proper and timely diagnosis can prolong the life of a person to some extent. Consequently, in this paper, we have proposed a brain tumor classification scheme on the basis of combining wavelet texture features and deep neural networks (DNNs). Normally, the system comprises four modules: (i) feature extraction, (ii) feature selection, (iii) tumor classification, and (iv) segmentation. Primarily, we eliminate the noise from the image. Then, the feature matrix is produced by combining wavelet texture features [gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM)+wavelet GLCM]. Following that, we select the relevant features with the help of the oppositional flower pollination algorithm (OFPA) because a high number of features are major obstacles for classification. Then, we categorize the brain image based on the selected features using the DNN. After the classification procedure, the projected scheme extracts the tumor region from the tumor images with the help of the possibilistic fuzzy c-means clustering (PFCM) algorithm. The experimentation results show that the proposed system attains the better result associated with the available methods.
Lascaux oder Die Geburt der Ethik
Authors: Rauer Constantin
Published: September 2017

Lascaux gehört zu den ältesten Kultstätten der Menschheit und ist zugleich auch die Steinzeithöhle mit den meisten und sicherlich auch schönsten Malereien. Unter den etwa 2.000 Darstellungen befinden sich Bildgeschichten von mythischen Glaubensvorstellungen, Beschreibungen von Kulthandlungen sowie Bilder von ethischen Grundsätzen, die in diesem Beitrag analysiert werden sollen. Alsdann wird versucht, vermittels einer ikonografischen Entschlüsselung der mythischen, kultischen und ethischen Darstellungen die Urreligion der Steinzeit zu rekonstruieren. Dabei wird deutlich, dass Lascaux nach einem präzisen Plan gestaltet wurde, der das Leben im Ost-West-Gang und den Tod im Nord-Süd-Gang bipolar gegenüberstellt. Im Todesgang befinden sich auch die drei einzigen Menschen-Darstellungen der Höhle: zwei Magier (Steinzeitpriester) in der Apsis und im Schacht ein Jäger, der von einer Bisonkuh getötet wird. Die Magier inszenieren eine Magie der Wiedergeburt, die Menschen und Tieren zu einer Wiederauferstehung verhelfen soll. Einige blieben von dieser Magie allerdings ausgeschlossen: jene Jäger nämlich, die sich bei der Jagd falsch verhalten haben und dafür im Schacht, dem wohl ältesten Gefängnis der Menschheit, büßen mussten. Dort saßen sie vor der berühmten Schachtszene mit dem sterbenden Jäger, einem Gemälde, das ihnen die ethischen Grundsätze der Jagd eindringlich vor Augen führte.
Zu den germanischen Gesellschaftsstrukturen an der Unterelbe. Neue Untersuchungen der älterkaiserzeitlichen Gräberfelder von Hamburg-Langenbek und Hamburg-Marmstorf
Authors: Gupte O. , Reiss-Gupte J.
Published: September 2017

In der vorliegenden Untersuchung wurden die Gesellschaftsstrukturen von Sozietäten an der unteren Elbe am Beispiel der beiden benachbarten Gräberfelder von Hamburg-Langenbek und Hamburg-Marmstorf analysiert, die in ihrer kaiserzeitlichen Phase etwa von Christi Geburt bis in das erste Drittel des 2. Jahrhunderts belegt wurden. Darüber hinaus fanden detaillierte Untersuchungen zum in Hamburg-Marmstorf auftretenden römischen Import statt, deren Ergebnisse eine Neueinschätzung der einzelnen Importfunde erlauben, nicht zuletzt auch im Gesamtkontext beider Gräberfelder.
Evaluation of clinical chemistry tests in emergency laboratory by sigma metrics
Authors: Bozkaya Giray , Aksit Murat , Zeytinli Aksit Merve
Published: September 2017

Aim

Emergency department laboratories, besides from giving accurate results, should be quick enough in order not to delay patient care. Giving fast results doesn’t mean to ignore quality, rather it should always be improved to prevent erroneous results. Six sigma is a modern assessment of quality which is used to determine the analytical performance. Our aim was to evaluate the analytical performance of clinical chemistry tests in our emergency department laboratory by using sigma metrics.

Materials and methods

Our study was performed by using the internal and external quality assessment data of 13 clinical chemistry tests of emergency laboratory. Sigma levels were calculated using bias, coefficient of variation and total allowable error (TEa) ratios of CLIA, Ricos, Rilibak and Turkey.

Results

Sigma levels of various tests (CK, amylase, ALT, AST, urea, creatinine, total bilirubin, sodium and chloride) were found to be ≥6 according to different TEa’s, whereas the performance of sodium, potassium and chloride were unsatisfactory, according to TEa’s of CLIA, Ricos and Rilibak.

Conclusion

Since most of our sigma values were found to be over 3, the analytical performance of clinical chemistry tests was thought to be acceptable and our laboratory can be regarded as a qualified emergency laboratory.
Aberrant Cortical Activity in Multiple GCaMP6-Expressing Transgenic Mouse Lines
Authors: Steinmetz Nicholas A. , Buetfering Christina , Lecoq Jerome , Lee Christian R. , Peters Andrew J. , Jacobs Elina A. K. , Coen Philip , Ollerenshaw Douglas R. , Valley Matthew T. , de Vries Saskia E. J. , Garrett Marina , Zhuang Jun , Groblewski Peter A. , Manavi Sahar , Miles Jesse , White Casey , Lee Eric , Griffin Fiona , Larkin Joshua D. , Roll Kate , Cross Sissy , Nguyen Thuyanh V. , Larsen Rachael , Pendergraft Julie , Daigle Tanya , Tasic Bosiljka , Thompson Carol L. , Waters Jack , Olsen Shawn , Margolis David J. , Zeng Hongkui , Hausser Michael , Carandini Matteo , Harris Kenneth D.
Published: September 2017

Transgenic mouse lines are invaluable tools for neuroscience but, as with any technique, care must be taken to ensure that the tool itself does not unduly affect the system under study. Here we report aberrant electrical activity, similar to interictal spikes, and accompanying fluorescence events in some genotypes of transgenic mice expressing GCaMP6 genetically encoded calcium sensors. These epileptiform events have been observed particularly, but not exclusively, in mice with Emx1-Cre and Ai93 transgenes, of either sex, across multiple laboratories. The events occur at >0.1 Hz, are very large in amplitude (>1.0 mV local field potentials, >10% df/f widefield imaging signals), and typically cover large regions of cortex. Many properties of neuronal responses and behavior seem normal despite these events, although rare subjects exhibit overt generalized seizures. The underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain unclear, but we speculate about possible causes on the basis of diverse observations. We encourage researchers to be aware of these activity patterns while interpreting neuronal recordings from affected mouse lines and when considering which lines to study.
Identification of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type O (PTPRO) as a Synaptic Adhesion Molecule that Promotes Synapse Formation
Authors: Jiang Wei , Wei Mengping , Liu Mengna , Pan Yunlong , Cao Dong , Yang Xiaofei , Zhang Chen
Published: September 2017

The proper formation of synapses—specialized unitary structures formed between two neurons—is critical to mediating information flow in the brain. Synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are thought to participate in the initiation of the synapse formation process. However,in vivofunctional analysis demonstrates that most well known synaptic CAMs regulate synaptic maturation and plasticity rather than synapse formation, suggesting that either CAMs work synergistically in the process of forming synapses or more CAMs remain to be found. By screening for unknown CAMs using a co-culture system, we revealed that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO) is a potent CAM that induces the formation of artificial synapse clusters in co-cultures of human embryonic kidney 293 cells and hippocampal neurons cultured from newborn mice regardless of gender. PTPRO was enriched in the mouse brain and localized to postsynaptic sites at excitatory synapses. The overexpression of PTPRO in cultured hippocampal neurons increased the number of synapses and the frequency of miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs). The knock-down (KD) of PTPRO expression in cultured neurons by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) reduced the number of synapses and the frequencies of the mEPSCs. The effects of shRNA KD were rescued by expressing either full-length PTPRO or a truncated PTPRO lacking the cytoplasmic domain. Consistent with these results, the N-terminal extracellular domain of PTPRO was required for its synaptogenic activity in the co-culture assay. Our data show that PTPRO is a synaptic CAM that serves as a potent initiator of the formation of excitatory synapses.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe formation of synapses is critical for the brain to execute its function and synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) play essential roles in initiating the formation of synapses. By screening for unknown CAMs using a co-culture system, we revealed that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO) is a potent CAM that induces the formation of artificial synapse clusters. Using loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches, we show that PTPRO promotes the formation of excitatory synapses. The N-terminal extracellular domain of PTPRO was required for its synaptogenic activity in cultured hippocampal neurons and the co-culture assay. Together, our data show that PTPRO is a synaptic CAM that serves as a potent initiator of synapse formation.
Optimal follow-up strategies for adrenal incidentalomas: reappraisal of the 2016 ESE-ENSAT guidelines in real clinical practice
Authors: Hong A Ram , Kim Jung Hee , Park Kyeong Seon , Kim Kyong Young , Lee Ji Hyun , Kong Sung Hye , Lee Seo Young , Shin Chan Soo , Kim Sang Wan , Kim Seong Yeon
Published: September 2017

Objective

Recently, the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), in collaboration with the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors (ENSAT), asserted that adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) <4 cm and ≤10 Hounsfield units (HU) do not require further follow-up imaging. To validate the clinical application of the follow-up strategies suggested by the 2016 ESE-ENSAT guidelines, we explored the clinical characteristics and natural course of AIs in a single center over 13 years.

Design and methods

This retrospective cohort study included a total of 1149 patients diagnosed with AIs between 2000 and 2013 in a single tertiary center. Hormonal examination and radiological evaluations were performed at the initial diagnosis of AI and during the follow-up according to the appropriate guidelines.

Results

The mean age at diagnosis was 54.2 years, and the majority of AIs (68.0%) were nonfunctional lesions. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to discriminate malignant from benign lesions; the optimal cut-off value for mass size was 3.4 cm (sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 95.0%), and that for the pre-contrast HU was 19.9 (sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 67.4%). The majority of nonfunctional lesions did not change in size during the 4-year follow-up period. Applying a cut-off value of 1.8 μg/dL after a 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test, 28.0% of all nonfunctional AIs progressed to autonomous cortisol secretion during the follow-up period. However, we observed no development of overt Cushing’s syndrome in the study.

Conclusions

We advocate that no follow-up imaging is required if the detected adrenal mass is <4 cm and has clear benign features. However, prospective studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm the appropriate follow-up strategies.