bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of handheld tools in lieu of colposcopy for cervical neoplasia and female genital schistosomiasis
Authors: Søfteland Solrun , Sebitloane Motshedisi Hannah , Taylor Myra , Roald Borghild Barth , Holmen Sigve , Galappaththi‐Arachchige Hashini Nilushika , Gundersen Svein Gunnar , Kjetland Eyrun Floerecke
Published: December 2020

Background

Visualization of the lesions in the lower genital tract is the mainstay for diagnosis of the four lesions found in female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), but colposcopes are generally not available in low‐resource settings.

Objective

We sought to review handheld devices that could potentially be used for FGS diagnosis.

Search strategy

We searched Medline and Embase 2015–2019 for handheld devices used in cervical cancer screening and FGS diagnosis.

Selection criteria

We excluded studies that did not compare the device to standard‐of‐care colposcopes or histopathology.

Main results and conclusion

In 11 studies, four handheld colposcopes, two smartphones, and one compact digital camera were evaluated. Two handheld colposcopes were found to be potentially adequate for FGS diagnosis, namely Gynocular and Mobile ODT. The smartphones and digital camera did not have sufficient magnification to diagnose grainy sandy patches, one of the FGS lesion types. Customized software should be made to support the diagnosis of both FGS and cervical neoplasia. Real‐time postgraduate training and quality control should be considered in future studies of handheld colposcopes. For patients from schistosomiasis endemic areas, we recommend that handheld devices are used for FGS. Studies are needed to determine which of the two devices is most adequate for FGS diagnosis in schistosomiasis endemic areas.
Skeletal Protection and Promotion of Microbiome Diversity by Dietary Boosting of the Endogenous Antioxidant Response
Authors: Sato Amy Y , Pellegrini Gretel G , Cregor Meloney , McAndrews Kevin , Choi Roy B , Maiz Maria , Johnson Olivia , McCabe Linda D , McCabe George P , Ferruzzi Mario G , Lila Mary A , Peacock Munro , Burr David B , Nakatsu Cindy H , Weaver Connie M , Bellido Teresita
Published: December 2020

There is an unmet need for interventions with better compliance that prevent the adverse effects of sex steroid deficiency on the musculoskeletal system. We identified a blueberry cultivar (Montgomerym [Mont]) that added to the diet protects female mice from musculoskeletal loss and body weight changes induced by ovariectomy. Mont, but not other blueberries, increased the endogenous antioxidant response by bypassing the traditional antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2 and without activating estrogen receptor canonical signaling. Remarkably, Mont did not protect the male skeleton from androgen-induced bone loss. Moreover, Mont increased the variety of bacterial communities in the gut microbiome (α-diversity) more in female than in male mice; shifted the phylogenetic relatedness of bacterial communities (β-diversity) further in females than males; and increased the prevalence of the taxon Ruminococcus1 in females but not males. Therefore, this nonpharmacologic intervention (i) protects from estrogen but not androgen deficiency; (ii) preserves bone, skeletal muscle, and body composition; (iii) elicits antioxidant defense responses independently of classical antioxidant/estrogenic signaling; and (iv) increases gut microbiome diversity toward a healthier signature. These findings highlight the impact of nutrition on musculoskeletal and gut microbiome homeostasis and support the precision medicine principle of tailoring dietary interventions to patient individualities, like sex. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Alternative splicing transitions associate with emerging atrophy phenotype during denervation‐induced skeletal muscle atrophy
Authors: Qiu Jiaying , Wu Liucheng , Chang Yan , Sun Hualin , Sun Junjie
Published: December 2020

Alternative splicing (AS) presents a key posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism associated with numerous physiological processes. However, little is known about its role in skeletal muscle atrophy. In this study, we used a rat model of denervated skeletal muscle atrophy and performed RNA‐sequencing to analyze transcriptome profiling of tibialis anterior muscle at multiple time points following denervation. We found that AS is a novel mechanism involving muscle atrophy, which is independent changes at the transcript level. Bioinformatics analysis further revealed that AS transitions are associated with the appearance of the atrophic phenotype. Moreover, we found that the inclusion of multiple highly conserved exons of Obscn markedly increased at 3 days after denervation. In addition, we confirmed that this newly transcript inhibited C2C12 cell proliferation and exacerbated myotube atrophy. Finally, our study revealed that a large number of RNA‐binding proteins were upregulated when the atrophy phenotype appeared. Our data emphasize the importance of AS in this process.
Distinct effects of pharmacological inhibition of stromelysin1 on endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and myofibroblast differentiation
Authors: Alharthi Ahlam , Verma Arti , Sabbineni Harika , Adil Mir S. , Somanath Payaningal R.
Published: December 2020

Endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and fibroblast‐to‐myofibroblast (FibroMF) differentiation are frequently reported in organ fibrosis. Stromelysin1, a matrix metalloprotease‐3 (MMP3) has been indicated in vascular pathologies and organ injuries that often lead to fibrosis. In the current study, we investigated the role of stromelysin1 in EndMT and FibroMF differentiation, which is currently unknown. In our results, whereas TGFβ2 treatment of endothelial cells (ECs) induced EndMT associated with increased expression of stromelysin1 and mesenchymal markers such as α‐smooth muscle actin (αSMA), N‐cadherin, and activin linked kinase‐5 (ALK5), inhibition of stromelysin1 blunted TGFβ2‐induced EndMT. In contrast, treatment of NIH‐3T3 fibroblasts with TGFβ1 promoted FibroMF differentiation accompanied by increased expression of αSMA, N‐cadherin, and ALK5. Intriguingly, stromelysin1 inhibition in TGFβ1‐stimulated myofibroblasts further exacerbated fibroproliferation with increased FibroMF marker expression. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data analysis indicated increased stromelysin1 expression associated with EndMT and decreased stromelysin1 expression in human pulmonary fibrosis fibroblasts. In conclusion, our study has identified that EndMT and FibroMF differentiation are reciprocally regulated by stromelysin1.
Establishing equivalence–equivalence analogical relations via tact and listener training
Authors: Cordeiro Maria Clara , Zhirnova Tatiana , Miguel Caio F.
Published: December 2020

We investigated the role of verbal behavior on the emergence of analogy‐type responding as measured via equivalence–equivalence relations. In Experiment 1, 8 college students learned to label arbitrary stimuli as, “vek,” “zog,” and “paf”, and in Experiment 2, 8 additional participants learned to select these stimuli when hearing their names in an auditory–visual matching‐to‐sample (MTS) task. Experimenters tested for the emergence of relational tacts (i.e., “same” and “different”) and equivalence–equivalence relations (analogy tests) via visual–visual MTS. Half of the participants were exposed to a think‐aloud procedure. Even though they all passed analogy tests while tacting stimuli relationally, only participants exposed to tact training (Experiment 1) did so without the need for remediation. The results of these experiments confirm that individual discriminative and relational control of stimuli established through verbal behavior training is sufficient to produce equivalence–equivalence analogical responding, advancing the analysis of complex cognitive (problem‐solving) phenomena.
Outcomes of genetic test disclosure and genetic counseling in a large Parkinson's disease research study
Authors: Verbrugge Jennifer , Cook Lola , Miller Mandy , Rumbaugh Malia , Schulze Jeanine , Heathers Laura , Wetherill Leah , Foroud Tatiana
Published: December 2020

Genetic testing for Parkinson's disease (PD) is growing as interventional clinical trials begin to enroll participants with PD who carry pathogenic variants in the LRRK2 or GBA genes. However, the impact of receiving genetic test results and the satisfaction with receiving genetic counseling among PD populations have not yet been studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate (1) the psychological impact of genetic testing for PD and (2) satisfaction with genetic counseling. Surveyed participants (N = 875) were individuals with PD or at risk of developing PD, initially recruited for the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) study and currently enrolled in the Widespread Recruitment Initiative (WRI) at Indiana University. Individuals were surveyed following genetic test disclosure and genetic counseling regarding results from targeted testing for pathogenic variants in the LRRK2 and GBA genes. Participants were surveyed via two tools: a modified version of the Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment Survey (M‐MICRA), which measured the psychological impact of genetic testing and the Genetic Counseling Satisfaction Survey (GCSS). Participants were divided into affected/unaffected and variant positive/negative groups for subset analyses. The majority of participants had favorable M‐MICRA scores and were satisfied with the disclosure of the genetic test results and genetic counseling for PD. However, participants with PD and those with pathogenic variants had less favorable M‐MICRA scores and lower satisfaction scores compared to those without disease or pathogenic variants. This information is valuable to providers performing genetic testing of and genetic counseling to people and families affected with PD. Individuals with PD and individuals with pathogenic variants may benefit from additional interventions.
Antifungal activity of an allicin derivative against Penicillium expansum via induction of oxidative stress
Authors: Ding Lei , Wu Jian , Tang Ning , Tao Liming , Xu Wenping , Lu Zhou , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2020

The application of natural preservatives has become an attractive method for controlling postharvest decay of fruits and vegetables. Allicin, the main active ingredient of allium plants, has broad‐spectrum antifungal activity. However, the unstable properties of allicin limit its wide application. In this study, 1‐[(R)‐ethylsulfinyl]sulfanylethane, a structurally stable derivative of allicin, was used to explore its antifungal activity and potential mechanism on the expansion of Penicillium expansum. We demonstrated the antifungal activity of 1‐[(R)‐ethylsulfinyl]sulfanylethane through in vitro antifungal experiments. At the concentration is 2 mg/L, 1‐[((R)‐ethylsulfinyl]sulfanyl]ethane can completely inhibit spore germination and mycelial growth, whereas the concentration of allicin needs to reach 16 mg/L. Fungal Biochemical assay indicated that decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential, overgeneration of reactive oxygen species, decrease of adenosine triphosphate and glutathione content, increase of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and malondialdehyde content. The results revealed that 1‐[(R)‐ethylsulfinyl]sulfanylethane induced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in P. expansum. Due to its excellent antifungal activity, 1‐[((R)‐ethylsulfinyl]sulfanyl]ethane might be developed as a substitute for fungicides against P. expansum in postharvest fruit storage.
Comparison of physicochemical and biochemical properties of natural and arginine‐modified melanin from medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum
Authors: Xu Lijing , Li Jun , Chang Mingchang , Cheng Yanfen , Geng Xueran , Meng Junlong , Zhu Mengjuan
Published: December 2020

Melanin is a hydrophobic biomolecule produced widely in fungi. Compared with other fungi, health benefits have been associated with medicinal mushrooms, which may provide an excellent source of natural melanin. Nevertheless, the hydrophobicity of melanin may limit its applications. Consequently, the present study was carried out on isolation of melanin from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (GLM) and modification with arginine to improve its solubility. The physicochemical and biochemical properties of melanin were evaluated including structural characterization, solubility, stability, antioxidant activities, and inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase activity. Arginine‐modified melanin showed better solubility, higher color value, stronger antioxidant activity, and stronger inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro than GLM. In addition, both have good stability in the dark and natural light. These results opened possibilities for providing an excellent source of natural melanin in health food or food additives fields.
Conductive and Tough Smart Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogels Hybridized by Green Deep Eutectic Solvent
Authors: Zhang Hangjing , Gao Tianyuan , Zhang Shuai , Zhang Peng , Li Rui , Ma Ning , Wei Hao , Zhang Xinyue
Published: December 2020

Conductive smart hydrogels with several virtues such as similar characters to biological tissues, sensitive response to ambient variations, have shown their excellent talents in the field of flexible electrical sensors, biomedical devices and directional transportation. However, complex preparing approaches or the instable inner structures have not only been time‐consuming, but also broken up the performance and reliability of the smart hydrogel‐based devices. In this work, a facile one‐step method is put forward to synthesize a kind of conductive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel doped by a new green solvent of deep eutectic solvent (DES) containing choline chloride (ChCl) and acrylic acid (AA). Through the copolymerization of AA and NIPAM, the mechanical strength of the DES‐doped PNIPAM hydrogels is drastically improved compared to the pure PNIPAM gels, and some doped hydrogels lost the typical phase transition temperature of PNIPAM. Moreover, due to the ionic property of DES, the hybrid hydrogels also present the thermal‐depending conductivity as well as sensitive deformation response, which can be used as a smart switch in a circuit or a sensing element with environmental response ability. The cost‐effective preparation and the attractive performance of the DES‐doped hydrogels offer a new avenue to construct multi‐functional materials.
Variable degree of mosaicism for tetrasomy 18p in phenotypically discordant monozygotic twins—Diagnostic implications
Authors: Rydzanicz Małgorzata , Olszewski Pawel , Kedra Darek , Davies Hanna , Filipowicz Natalia , Bruhn‐Olszewska Bozena , Cavalli Marco , Szczałuba Krzysztof , Młynek Marlena , Machnicki Marcin M. , Stawiński Piotr , Kostrzewa Grażyna , Krajewski Paweł , Śladowski Dariusz , Chrzanowska Krystyna , Dumanski Jan P. , Płoski Rafał
Published: December 2020

Background

Phenotypically discordant monozygotic twins (PDMZTs) offer a unique opportunity to study post‐zygotic genetic variation and provide insights into the linkage between genotype and phenotype. We report a comprehensive analysis of a pair of PDMZTs.

Methods

Dysmorphic features and delayed neuro‐motor development were observed in the proband, whereas her twin sister was phenotypically normal. Four tissues (blood, skin, hair follicles, and buccal mucosa) from both twins were studied using four complementary methods, including whole‐exome sequencing, karyotyping, array CGH, and SNP array.

Results

In the proband, tetrasomy 18p affecting all studied tissues except for blood was identified. Karyotyping of fibroblasts revealed isochromosome 18p [i(18p)] in all metaphases. The corresponding analysis of the phenotypically normal sister surprisingly revealed low‐level mosaicism (5.4%) for i(18p) in fibroblasts.

Conclusion

We emphasize that when mosaicism is suspected, multiple tissues should be studied and we highlight the usefulness of non‐invasive sampling of hair follicles and buccal mucosa as a convenient source of non‐mesoderm‐derived DNA, which complements the analysis of mesoderm using blood. Moreover, low‐level mosaic tetrasomy 18p is well tolerated and such low‐level mosaicism, readily detected by karyotyping, can be missed by other methods. Finally, mosaicism for low‐level tetrasomy 18p might be more common in the general population than it is currently recognized, due to detection limitations.
Optimal control for nonlocal reaction‐diffusion system describing calcium dynamics in cardiac cell
Authors: Bendahmane Mostafa , Erraji Elmahdi , Karami Fahd
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an optimal control for a nonlocal calcium dynamic model in a cardiac cell acting on ryanodine receptors. The optimal control problem is considered as a coupled nonlocal reaction‐diffusion system with a transmission boundary condition covering the sarcoplasmic reticulum and cytosolic domain. We establish the well‐posedness result of the adjoint problem using Faedo‐Galerkin approximation, a priori estimates, and compactness arguments. The numerical discretization of direct and adjoint problems is realized by using the implicit Euler method in time and the finite element for spatial discretization. Moreover, we obtain the stability result in the L2‐norm for the direct and the adjoint discrete problems. Finally, in order to illustrate the control of our calcium dynamic model, we present some numerical experiments devoted to constant and nonlocal diffusions using the proposed numerical scheme.
Description of an mHealth tool for breastfeeding support: LactApp. Analysis of how lactating mothers seek support at critical breastfeeding points and according to their infant's age
Authors: Padró‐Arocas Alba , Quifer‐Rada Paola , Aguilar‐Camprubí Laia , Mena‐Tudela Desirée
Published: December 2020

Interventions in mHealth have had positive effects on establishing and maintaining breastfeeding, but we still do not know what content women consult when downloading a breastfeeding mobile application. We conducted an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study using the data recorded by LactApp in 2019. The most frequently consulted topics were those related to breastfeeding technique, infant sleep, human milk management and storage, breastfeeding myths, breastfeeding stages, complementary feeding, infant care, and returning to work. Our study results suggest that LactApp's support seems to develop with mothers' needs according to their infant's development stage. The first breastfeeding days include more physiological answers. Between 15 days and 3 months, mothers look for support in topics like breastfeeding crisis/complications and returning to work. At 3 months to 1 year, answers are related to complementary feeding and weaning. When the user's infant is 1 year of age, mothers seek support for weaning, weaning management, and tandem breastfeeding.
The concealed interment of a first‐trimester foetus in Gällared Parish Church (1831), Sweden: Age estimation and reconstructed taphonomy
Authors: Maltin Emma , Turner‐Walker Gordon , Tegnhed Stina , Peacock Elizabeth E.
Published: December 2020

In 2015, during architectural restoration works on the parish church (1831) in Gällared, Sweden, a small wooden box was discovered beneath the floorboards. Unaware of the possible significance of the box and its contents, workers on site removed its lid, revealing a piece of folded cloth. This was later found to be wrapped around fragments of human foetal remains. Although largely forgotten now, concealed interment of foetuses in, and around, churches was formally a well‐known custom in Nordic Europe. Osteological and archaeological examinations of these are rare because the containers are recognised as a form of mortuary ritual and are thus neither removed from the church nor investigated for obvious ethical reasons. The occasion of this providentially found concealed interment provided an opportunity to undertake a systematic study of the coffin and its contents prior to it being reinterred. This paper focuses on the foetal remains: their identification, assessment of age at death and the taphonomic circumstances leading to their preservation, as well as the broader insights this funerary behaviour sheds on the meanings of personhood, infant death and grief. Visual and microscopic analyses conclude that the foetus was miscarried in its first trimester, in Week 9, making it possibly one of the youngest ever reported to be recovered from an archaeological context. Examination of the skeletal elements highlights both the difficulty in ageing early‐stage archaeological foetal skeletons and the paucity of comparative foetal bone size material. The onset of ossification and the development of the mandible as ageing indicators show significant potential. Detailed examination of the wooden coffin, cotton burial shroud and insect fauna, together with an understanding of foetal body chemistry and the circumstances of interment, support the hypothesis that the bones' survival was facilitated by a process of natural mummification prior to becoming fully skeletonised by insects.
Isothermal kinetics of ethanolic extraction of total hypericin from pre‐extracted Hypericum perforatum flowers
Authors: Adnadjevic Borivoj , Koturevic Biljana , Jovanovic Jelena
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Hypericum perforatum L., Hypericaceae (St John's wort) is a highly familiar plant in the medicinal community which recently showed good antiviral activities including against some types of coronavirus.

Objective

Establishing the kinetics of isothermal extraction of total hypericin (TH) from the pre‐extracted flowers of H. perforatum flowers.

Methods

The solvent extraction of TH from the remaining solid residue after the pre‐extraction procedure was performed providing isothermal conditions at the temperature of 313 K, 323 K, and 328 K (±1 K) using ethanol as a solvent. The feasibility of mathematical modelling of the isothermal kinetics of TH extraction was explored applying some of the frequently used kinetic models of solvent extraction: first‐order reaction model, film theory model, unsteady‐state diffusion model, parabolic diffusion model, Elovich's equation. The kinetic complexity was examined using the differential isoconversional method.

Results

The kinetics of isothermal solvent extraction of TH is a kinetic elementary process with the unique rate‐determining step. It was found that the kinetics of isothermal extraction of TH can be best described employing the theoretical Jander three‐dimensional (3D) diffusional model and its suitability for modelling the investigated extraction was confirmed with statistical parameters [adjusted linear correlation coefficient (R2adj) = 0.998–0.999 and the standard error (SE) = 0.005–0.006]. The values of the model kinetic parameters (rate constant (kM/min‐1), activation energy (Ea = 21.0 ± 4.9 kJ/mol) and pre‐exponential factor (lnA = 3.1 ± 2.2 min‐1) were calculated.

Conclusions

Based on the model mechanism of the kinetics of the investigated extraction a new mathematical model is suggested and the controlling step of the overall process was found.
Revisiting creep test on polyethylene pipe—Data analysis and deformation mechanisms
Authors: Jar Pean‐Yue Ben
Published: December 2020

Creep tests have long been used to determine long‐term hydrostatic strength (LTHS) for polyethylene (PE) pipe. In view that current standard requires some long‐term creep tests of over 9000 h to determine LTHS, this paper explores the possibility of using relatively short‐term creep tests for the same purpose. The study found that trend line for applied stress versus failure time changes at the failure time around 10 h, and the data trend in the low‐stress regime is consistent with that from the standard test. The trend line change is believed to be caused by the change of the involvement of amorphous and crystalline phases in PE in the deformation process, that is, sequential involvement of the amorphous phase first and then the crystalline phase in the low‐stress regime, and simultaneous involvement of both phases from the beginning in the high‐stress regime. Activation energies based on the Eyring's model and the Norton power law are determined to examine the proposed concept. Both models suggest that additional activation energy is needed for deformation in the high‐stress regime, which provides some support to the proposed concept and the possibility of using short‐term creep tests to determine LTHS.
Stress and sleep in college students prior to and during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Benham Grant
Published: December 2020

Within the short timeframe of the COVID‐19 pandemic, there has been increasing interest in its potential impact on psychological stress and sleep. Using standardized self‐report measures, we examined differences in stress and sleep by comparing responses from three independent samples of undergraduates in the United States. Samples were obtained prior to COVID‐19 (Spring 2019) and at two periods during the pandemic (Spring 2020 and Summer 2020) which corresponded to an increasing impact of COVID‐19 at the local level. Within the combined sample of 1222 students, 94% identified as Hispanic. Contrary to our hypotheses, stress, sleep quality and insomnia were not significantly higher in the samples collected during the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, in support of our hypotheses, bedtime and waketime were significantly later during the pandemic, and sleep duration was significantly longer. Although scores on the global measure of sleep quality did not differ across semesters, supplemental exploratory analyses demonstrated a more complex picture of differences in sleep variables. Among the findings, there was evidence of greater sleep latency, greater sleep medication use and poorer sleep efficiency during the pandemic. Our results suggest that, within the US college student population, COVID‐19's impact on stress and sleep may not be entirely negative.
2D van der Waals Molecular Crystal β‐HgI2: Economical, Rapid, and Substrate‐Free Liquid‐Phase Synthesis and Strong In‐Plane Optical Anisotropy
Authors: Lin Zeguo , Ding Ying , Zheng Wei , Zhu Yanming , Zhu Siqi , Huang Feng
Published: December 2020

2D materials have a great potential for wide‐range applications due to their adjustable bandgap characteristics and special crystal structures. β‐HgI2 is a new 2D van der Waals inorganic molecular crystal material with a wide bandgap of 4.03 eV, on whose preparation and properties there are few relevant reports due to the feature of instability of molecular crystals. Here, an economical method to control the synthesis of large‐size 2D β‐HgI2 single crystal by using a mineralizer‐assisted solution is reported. According to angle‐resolved polarization Raman spectroscopy and first‐principles optical absorption calculation, 2D β‐HgI2 flake has a strong in‐plane anisotropic light scattering characteristic and high optical absorption dichroism (az/ay = 3.4), which is due to a low in‐plane symmetry of the orthorhombic structure of β‐HgI2. More importantly, due to the molecular crystal structure of β‐HgI2, its sensitivity to temperature is less than that of 2D materials such as MoS2, which has been confirmed by temperature‐dependent Raman spectroscopy. In the work, more 2D inorganic molecular crystals are studied in the aspect of growth, which provides a theoretical basis for 2D molecular crystal optoelectronic devices’ potential applications.
Enacting Gustatory Pleasure on Behalf of Another: The Multimodal Coordination of Infant Tasting Practices
Authors: Wiggins Sally , Keevallik Leelo
Published: December 2020

Tasting as a social practice can be enacted on behalf of others through precisely positioned nonlexical vocalizations as gustatory mmms. This paper uses multimodal interaction analysis to detail the coordination of parents and infants while starting to feed solid foods; data are from families in Scotland. The analysis focuses on the organization of parental mmms in relation to eye gaze, sequentiality, and the temporal coordination of hands, food, and mouths to demonstrate their use in beginning, continuing, and refocusing on taste. The paper proposes that in order to fully understand the sociality of tasting, infant feeding research should include real‐time vocal and embodied behavior, which is also key to the functional analysis of sensoriality‐related vocalizations at the margins of language.
The evolution of polymer conjugation and drug targeting for the delivery of proteins and bioactive molecules
Authors: Grigoletto Antonella , Tedeschini Tommaso , Canato Elena , Pasut Gianfranco
Published: December 2020

Polymer conjugation can be considered one of the leading approaches within the vast field of nanotechnology‐based drug delivery systems. In fact, such technology can be exploited for delivering an active molecule, such as a small drug, a protein, or genetic material, or it can be applied to other drug delivery systems as a strategy to improve their in vivo behavior or pharmacokinetic activities such as prolonging the half‐life of a drug, conferring stealth properties, providing external stimuli responsiveness, and so on. If on the one hand, polymer conjugation with biotech drug is considered the linchpin of the protein delivery field boasting several products in clinical use, on the other, despite dedicated research, conjugation with low molecular weight drugs has not yet achieved the milestone of the first clinical approval. Some of the primary reasons for this debacle are the difficulties connected to achieving selective targeting to diseased tissue, organs, or cells, which is the main goal not only of polymer conjugation but of all delivery systems of small drugs. In light of the need to achieve better drug targeting, researchers are striving to identify more sophisticated, biocompatible delivery approaches and to open new horizons for drug targeting methodologies leading to successful clinical applications.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Regulatory and Policy Issues in Nanomedicine
Equity and Justice in Climate Change Adaptation: Policy and Practical Implication in Nigeria
Authors: Oramah Chinwe Philomina , Olsen Odd Einar
Published: December 2020

Over the past decade, justice and equity have become a quasi-universal answer to problems of environmental governance. The principles of justice and equity emerged as a useful entry point in global governance to explore the responsibilities, distribution, and procedures required for just climate change adaptation. These principles are designed primarily through the establishment of funding mechanisms, top-down guides, and frameworks for adaptation, and other adaptation instruments from the UNFCCC process, to ensure effective adaptation for vulnerable countries like Nigeria that have contributed least to the issue of climate change but lack adaptive capacity. Global adaptation instruments have been acknowledged for adaptation in Nigeria. Climate change has a detrimental impact on Nigeria as a nation, with the burden falling disproportionately on the local government areas. As Nigeria develop national plans and policies to adapt to the consequences of climate change, these plans will have significant consequences for local government areas where adaptation practices occur. Although the local government’s adaptation burden raises the prospects for justice and equity, its policy and practical implication remains less explored. This chapter explores the principles of justice and equity in national adaptation policy and adaptation practices in eight local government areas in southeast Nigeria. The chapter argues that some factors make it challenging to achieve equity and justice in local adaptation practices. With the use of a qualitative approach (interview (n = 52), observation, and document analysis), this chapter identified some of the factors that constraints equity and justice in local government adaptation in southeast Nigeria.
Introduction: Literary Advice from Quill to Keyboard
Authors: Masschelein Anneleen
Published: December 2020

This chapter presents a brief history of the dominant, Anglo-American literary advice tradition from the nineteenth century to the present as well as a state of the art of the existing scholarship on literary advice. We focus on several key moments for literary advice in the USA and in the UK: Edgar Allan Poe’s “Philosophy of Composition” (1846), the debate between Sir Walter Besant and Henry James surrounding “The Art of Fiction” (1884), the era of the handbook (1880s–1930s), the “program era” (McGurl 2009) and postwar literary advice, the rise of the “advice author” in the 1980s and 1990s, and finally advice in the “digital literary sphere” (Murray 2018). The overview captures both the remarkable consistency and the transformations of advice, against the background of changes in the literary system, the rise of creative writing, changes in the publishing world, and the rise of the Internet and self-publishing. It highlights the role of some specific actors in the literary advice industry, such as moguls, women, and gurus, and draws attention to a number of subgenres (genre handbooks, self-help literary advice, and the writing memoir),  as well as to counter-reactions and resistance to advice in literary works and in avant-garde manuals. Advice is regarded both in the context of the professionalization of authorship in a literary culture shaped by cultural and creative industries, and of the exponential increase of amateur creativity.
“If You Can Read, You Can Write, or Can You, Really?”
Authors: Collins Jim
Published: December 2020

The popular literary culture that emerged in the late 1990 s depended on a number of interdependent factors that formed a unique media ecology—book clubs (actual, online, televisual) literary bestsellers, Amazon.com, high-concept adaptation films, “superstore” bookstore chains, etc. The reading cultures generated by that media ecology were unified by certain overarching values, none more significant than the empowerment of amateur readers who were driven by the conviction that passionate reading was equal, if not superior to the bloodless close reading of professionalized readers. While the latter required a long apprenticeship, the former was guided by a self-imaging process that was fueled by a reading advice industry that provided confidence-building measures to validate that reading. The empowerment of readers depended on knowing where to look for both expertise and validation. Or, to put it another way, quality reading depended less on native intelligence, or a university education, and more on the ability to search and filter. Many of the factors that led to a fundamental recalibration of the relationship between amateur and professionalized reading have also changed the relationship between amateur and professional writing. I want to focus on the deeply conflicted perspectives concerning how the craft of writing is taught, or even can be taught, that have emerged over the past year in North American Literary cultures, in three contemporary novels, Tommy Orange’s There There (2018), Sigrid Nunez’s The Friend (2018) and Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous (2019).
“Do You Use a Pencil or a Pen?”: Author Interviews as Literary Advice
Authors: Roach Rebecca
Published: December 2020

This chapter examines the relationship between author interviews and literary advice across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It draws on case studies in the form of two interview series: the interwar “How Writers Work” series, published in the British periodical Everyman, and the “Art of Fiction” series, published in the American magazine The Paris Review from 1953 onward. It also discusses the explosion of author interviews in the era of online media. The chapter argues that the author interview is an expansive form, encouraging readers of all types to bring their own agendas and reading styles to the text, including but not limited to reading for advice. The very ambiguity of the relationship between author interviews and literary advice has in fact worked in the former’s favor: enabling it to gain both popularity and prestige in an era of professionalized literary studies.
The “Ready-Made-Writer” in a Selection of Contemporary Francophone Literary Advice Manuals
Authors: Grauby Françoise
Published: December 2020

This chapter explores the concepts of discursive and non-discursive ethos, as well as the notion of authorial stance (posture) as defined by Jerôme Meizoz (2007; 2011) in order to analyze the figure of the “ready-made-writer” in French manuals and writing guides at the beginning of the twenty-first century. “Authorial stance,” “ethos,” and “persona” are all terms that take stock of the way in which authors declare themselves writers in the literary field. For Meizoz,posturebegins at the moment of publication, that is, at the moment of the official recognition of the author. A close reading of some recent French writing manuals, however, reveals the outline of an implicit portrait of the author budding into a legitimate artist and credible writer, and contains indications on how to carve out a space of creation for oneself. The identities presented by the manuals are shaped by literary models and invested by a collective imaginary. They conform to culturally accepted archetypes, because “becoming a writer, and doing the work of a writer are part of the same phantasm” (Ducas 2002). Learning the craft of writing thus also entails acquiring a corporeal dramaturgy or an “auctorial scenography” (Diaz 2009) which is a prerequisite for creation. This can be achieved by going through various authorial stances, from “visionary” to “apprentice” and “manager of one’s own small enterprise.”
The Development of Mental Actions and the Orienting Basis of Actions
Authors: Engeness Irina
Published: December 2020

This lecture introduces the Study of the Development of Human Mental Activity. Galperin argues that to plan an action, it is necessary to create an image of an action. Any human action (both real and ideal) has a binary structure comprised of orienting and executive parts. Therefore, planning an action should include the creation of both its orienting and the executive parts.
Soziale Arbeit als massgebliche Kraft in der interprofessionellen Suchthilfe?
Authors: Sommerfeld Peter
Published: December 2020

Der Kontext, in dem das vorliegende Buch und somit auch dieser Beitrag steht, ist gekennzeichnet durch eine Reihe von Einflüssen, welchen die Praxen der Sozialen Arbeit in der Suchthilfe seit einiger Zeit bereits ausgesetzt sind. Diese Einflüsse werden im Beitrag der HerausgeberInnen sowie in dem von Savary et al. näher beschrieben. Deshalb ist es nicht nötig, hier im Detail noch einmal darauf einzugehen.
Soziale Arbeit: Eine wichtige Profession in der suchtmedizinischen Tagesklinik Arbeitsfeld Teilstationäre Therapie
Authors: König‐Hauri Rahel
Published: December 2020

Die Tagesklinik Lenzburg gehört zur Klinik im Hasel AG und bietet ein teilstationäres Therapie‐ und Beratungsangebot für erwachsene Menschen mit einer Abhängigkeitserkrankung an. Der Kompetenzschwerpunkt liegt auf der integrierten Behandlung von Sucht‐ und Traumafolgestörungen. Es werden sowohl substanzgebundene als auch Verhaltenssüchte behandelt, wobei erstere deutlich überwiegen. Voraussetzung für einen Aufenthalt in der Tagesklinik sind eine stabile Wohnsituation und bei Bedarf ein Entzug.
Soziale Arbeit – Dreh‐ und Angelpunkt der stationären Suchttherapie Arbeitsfeld Stationäre Sozialtherapie
Authors: Forster Peter , Müller Fabian , Villard Michel
Published: December 2020

Die casa fidelio – Institution für männerspezifische Suchtarbeit – wurde im Jahr 1993 gegründet. Träger der therapeutischen Gemeinschaft ist der politisch und konfessionell unabhängige, neutrale und gemeinnützige Verein «casa fidelio» mit Sitz in Niederbuchsiten (SO). Wir bieten maximal 25 suchtmittelabhängigen (Drogen‐, Alkohol‐, Medikamenten‐ und Spielsucht) erwachsenen Männern die Möglichkeit, ihre Sucht in einer stationären Therapie anzugehen.
Raus aus der Isolation durch soziale Integration Arbeitsfeld Tagesstruktur und Soziale Integration
Authors: Kaspar Andrea , Leimgruber Stefan
Published: December 2020

Der Treffpunkt Azzurro in Bern wurde 2000 mit dem Ziel eröffnet, einen bedeutenden Beitrag zur sozialen Integration und zur Stabilisierung der psychosozialen Gesundheit von suchtgefährdeten und/oder desintegrierten Personen zu leisten. Mittels verschiedener Angebote soll zudem die Durchmischung aller Bevölkerungsschichten gefördert und der Entmischung (Segregation) von unterschiedlichen Personengruppen (religiösen, ethnischen, etc.) entgegengewirkt werden. Träger dieses Angebotes ist das Blaue Kreuz Bern‐Solothurn‐Freiburg, eine Organisation in der Suchthilfe, spezialisiert im Bereich Alkohol. Sie ist tätig in der Prävention/Gesundheitsförderung, Beratung/Therapie und Integration und ist politisch und konfessionell unabhäng.
CP violation in neutral lepton transition dipole moment
Authors: Balaji Shyam , Ramirez-Quezada Maura , Zhou Ye-Ling
Published: December 2020

Abstract

The CP violation in the neutrino transition electromagnetic dipole moment is discussed in the context of the Standard Model with an arbitrary number of right-handed singlet neutrinos. A full one-loop calculation of the neutrino electromagnetic form factors is performed in the Feynman gauge. A non-zero CP asymmetry is generated by a required threshold condition for the neutrino masses along with non-vanishing CP violating phases in the lepton flavour mixing matrix. We follow the paradiagm of CP violation in neutrino oscillations to parametrise the flavour mixing contribution into a series of Jarlskog-like parameters. This formalism is then applied to a minimal seesaw model with two heavy right-handed neutrinos denoted N1 and N2. We observe that the CP asymmetries for decays into light neutrinos N → νγ are extremely suppressed, maximally around 10−17. However the CP asymmetry for N2→ N1γ can reach of order unity. Even if the Dirac CP phase δ is the only source of CP violation, a large CP asymmetry around 10−5–10−3 is comfortably achieved.
Investigating the effects of differently produced synthetic amorphous silica (E 551) on the integrity and functionality of the human intestinal barrier using an advanced in vitro co-culture model
Authors: Hempt Claudia , Hirsch Cordula , Hannig Yvette , Rippl Alexandra , Wick Peter , Buerki-Thurnherr Tina
Published: December 2020

E 551, also known as synthetic amorphous silica (SAS), is the second most produced food additive. However, according to the re-evaluation of E 551 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2018, the amount of available data on the oral toxicity of food grade E 551 is still insufficient for reliable risk assessment. To close this gap, this study aimed to investigate six food-grade SAS with distinct physicochemical properties on their interaction with the intestinal barrier using advanced in vitro intestinal co-cultures and to identify potential structure–activity relationships. A mucus-secreting Caco-2/HT-29/Raji co-culture model was treated with up to 50 µg/ml SAS for 48 h, which represents a dose range relevant to dietary exposure. No effects on cell viability, barrier integrity, microvilli function or the release of inflammatory cytokine were detected after acute exposure. Slight biological responses were observed for few SAS materials on iron uptake and gene expression levels of mucin 1 and G-protein coupled receptor 120 (GPR120). There was no clear correlation between SAS properties (single or combined) and the observed biological responses. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the short-term impact of food-relevant SAS with distinct characteristics on the intestinal epithelium including a range of intestine-specific functional endpoints. In addition, it highlights the importance of using advanced intestinal co-cultures embracing relevant cell types as well as a protective mucus barrier to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the biological response of food additives at the intestinal barrier in vitro.
In vitro single vesicle fusion assays based on pore-spanning membranes: merits and drawbacks
Authors: Mühlenbrock Peter , Sari Merve , Steinem Claudia
Published: December 2020

Neuronal fusion mediated by soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) is a fundamental cellular process by which two initially distinct membranes merge resulting in one interconnected structure to release neurotransmitters into the presynaptic cleft. To get access to the different stages of the fusion process, several in vitro assays have been developed. In this review, we provide a short overview of the current in vitro single vesicle fusion assays. Among those assays, we developed a single vesicle assay based on pore-spanning membranes (PSMs) on micrometre-sized pores in silicon, which might overcome some of the drawbacks associated with the other membrane architectures used for investigating fusion processes. Prepared by spreading of giant unilamellar vesicles with reconstituted t-SNAREs, PSMs provide an alternative tool to supported lipid bilayers to measure single vesicle fusion events by means of fluorescence microscopy. Here, we discuss the diffusive behaviour of the reconstituted membrane components as well as that of the fusing synthetic vesicles with reconstituted synaptobrevin 2 (v-SNARE). We compare our results with those obtained if the synthetic vesicles are replaced by natural chromaffin granules under otherwise identical conditions. The fusion efficiency as well as the different fusion states observable in this assay by means of both lipid mixing and content release are illuminated.
Hamiltonians Generated by Parseval Frames
Authors: Bagarello F. , Kużel S.
Published: December 2020

It is known that self-adjoint Hamiltonians with purely discrete eigenvalues can be written as (infinite) linear combination of mutually orthogonal projectors with eigenvalues as coefficients of the expansion. The projectors are defined by the eigenvectors of the Hamiltonians. In some recent papers, this expansion has been extended to the case in which these eigenvectors form a Riesz basis or, more recently, a ${\mathcal{D}}$
D
-quasi basis (Bagarello and Bellomonte in J. Phys. A 50:145203, 2017, Bagarello et al. in J. Math. Phys. 59:033506, 2018), rather than an orthonormal basis. Here we discuss what can be done when these sets are replaced by Parseval frames. This interest is motivated by physical reasons, and in particular by the fact that the mathematical Hilbert space where the physical system is originally defined, contains sometimes also states which cannot really be occupied by the physical system itself. In particular, we show what changes in the spectrum of the observables, when going from orthonormal bases to Parseval frames. In this perspective we propose the notion of $E$
E
-connection for observables. Several examples are discussed.