bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Plasmazellüberleben wird durch extrinsische Signale reguliert
Authors: Cornelis Rebecca , Radbruch Andreas , Chang Hyun-Dong 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSecreted antibodies form the basis for protective vaccination, the most effective method of disease control to date. Plasma cells are the main producers of antibodies. A single plasma cell can secrete thousands of antibodies per second and thus forms the basis of humoral immunity of the body. While this function plays an important role to protect the body from recurring pathogens, autoreactive plasma cells secreting autoantibodies can lead to severe organ damage in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Kultivierung und Analyse von Biofilmen durch automatisierte Mikrosysteme
Authors: Lemke Phillip , Klein Edina , Gescher Johannes , Niemeyer Christof M. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBiofilms are the most abundant growth form of microorganisms in nature. To exploit these living systems for applications in biotechnology, we have developed a microfluidic cultivation platform with an integrated automatic sampling robot that enables the characterization of biofilms with high spatiotemporal resolution. Moreover, in situ imaging and anoxic or gas-consumption based cultivation can be applied. Biocatalytic productivity can be assessed using a spectrum of analytical technologies.
Yin und Yang beim Lernen im jungen Gehirn: Balance von PSD-95 und PSD-93
Authors: Löwel Siegrid 
Published: March 2020

AbstractDuring development, there are restricted time windows (critical periods) in which the juvenile brain is particularly plastic and gets optimized in an activity-dependent way. The balance between two signalling scaffold proteins of excitatory synapses with opposing functions is essential for both synapse maturation and the timing of critical periods. We hope that our new results will help to develop strategies for rehabilitation after brain lesions and for treating neurodevelopmental disorders.
Untersuchung von miRNAs mithilfe getrockneter Blutstropfen
Authors: Diener Caroline , Keller Andreas , Meese Eckart 
Published: March 2020

AbstractDue to their connection to a great diversity of diseases and their prevalence in blood, microRNAs (miRNAs) are envisaged as biomarkers in liquid biopsy diagnostics. Utilizing dried blood spots (DBS) for the isolation of miRNAs greatly facilitates both the sample collection and the storage in comparison to liquid blood. MiRNAs isolated from DBS can be used for the analysis of individual miRNAs and for high-throughput analyses of the entire miRNome.
Facilitating Episodic Simulation in Anxiety: Role of Sensory Scaffolding and Scenario Modality
Authors: Ji Julie L. , Meyer M. Joseph , Teachman Bethany A. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractCognitive bias modification of interpretation style (CBM-I) is a family of cognitive training programs that seek to reduce anxious thinking by training people to assign relatively more positive meanings to ambiguous situations. CBM-I’s effects may be enhanced by encouraging more vivid imagery-based episodic simulation of events and by increasing engagement with the training materials. This study investigated the role of sensory scaffolding (whether pictures, or pictures + sound were added) and verbal scenario modality (whether scenarios were delivered visually or aurally) on episodic simulation (Vivid; Plausible; Changing Perspective ratings) and user engagement (Relatable, Comprehensible, Enjoyable ratings). Amazon Mechanical Turk workers (N = 187) with varied anxiety symptom severity read or listened to brief scenarios that varied by sensory scaffolding and verbal scenario modality. Results were somewhat mixed. Generally, picture scaffolding tended to facilitate both episodic simulation and user engagement (relative to no scaffolding), irrespective of scenario modality and anxiety level.
National survey of emergency physicians on the risk stratification and acceptable miss rate of acute aortic syndrome
Authors: Ohle Robert , McIsaac Sarah , Yan Justin , Yadav Krishan , Eagles Debra , Perry Jeffrey J. 
Published: March 2020

ABSTRACTObjectivesOne in four cases of acute aortic syndrome are missed. This national survey examined Canadian Emergency physicians’ opinion on risk stratification, the need for a clinical decision aid to risk stratify patients, and the required sensitivity of such a tool.MethodsWe surveyed 1,556 members of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. We used a modified Dillman technique with a prenotification email and up to three survey attempts using electronic mail. Physicians were asked 21 questions about demographics, importance of certain high-risk features, investigation options, threshold for investigation, and if a clinical decision tool is requiredResultsWe had a response rate of 32%. Respondents were 66% male, and 49% practicing >10 years, with 59% in an academic teaching hospital. A total of 93% reported a need for a clinical decision aid to risk stratify for acute aortic syndrome. A total of 99.6% of physicians were pragmatic accepting a non-zero miss-rate, two-thirds accepting <1%, and the remaining accepting a higher miss-rate.ConclusionsOur national survey determined that emergency physicians would use a highly sensitive clinical decision aid to determine which patients are at low, medium, or high-risk for acute aortic syndrome. The majority of clinicians have a low threshold (<1%) for investigating for acute aortic syndrome, but accept that a zero miss-rate is not feasible.
Reducing unnecessary testing in the emergency department: The case for INR and aPTT
Authors: Tawadrous Davy , Detombe Sarah , Thompson Drew , Columbus Melanie , Van Aarsen Kristine , Skoretz Terry 
Published: March 2020

ABSTRACTObjectiveRoutine coagulation testing is rarely indicated in the emergency department. Our goal is to determine the combined effects of uncoupling routine coagulation testing (i.e., international normalized ratio [INR]; activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT]), disseminating an educational module, and implementing a clinical decision support system (CDSS) on coagulation testing rates in two academic emergency departments.MethodsA prospective pre-post study of INR-aPTT uncoupling, educational module distribution, and CDSS implementation in two academic emergency departments. All patients ages 18 years and older undergoing evaluation and treatment during the period of August 1, 2015, to November 30, 2017, were included. Primary outcome was coagulation testing utilization during the emergency department encounter. Secondary outcomes included associated costs, frequency of downstream testing, and frequency of blood transfusions.ResultsUncoupling INR-aPTT testing combined with educational module distribution and CDSS implementation resulted in significantly decreased coupled INR-aPTT testing, with significantly increased selective INR and aPTT testing. Overall, the aggregate rate of coagulation testing declined for both INR and aPTT testing (48 tests/100 patients/day to 26 tests/100 patients/day). There was a significant decrease in associated daily costs (median cost per day: $1048.32 v. $601.68), realizing estimated annual savings of $163,023 Canadian dollars (CAD). There was no signal of increased downstream testing or patient blood product requirements.ConclusionCompared to baseline practice patterns, our multimodal initiative significantly decreased coagulation testing, with meaningful cost savings and without evidence of patient harm. Clinicians and administrators now have a growing toolkit to target the plethora of low-value tests and treatments in emergency medicine.
The barking dogs: junior coalition partners and military operations abroad in Italy
Authors: Vignoli Valerio 
Published: March 2020

AbstractVarious studies explored under which conditions junior coalition partners are able to have an impact on foreign policy outcomes. However, these parties do not always manage to get what they want. In this situation, they face a dilemma: defecting or staying? In the Italian context, as far as Military Operations Abroad (MOA) are concerned, the latter option has invariably prevailed. In particular, Italy's involvement in Operation Allied Force in Kosovo (1999) and Operation Unified Protector in Libya (2011) raised considerable contestation from junior partners that did not result in the termination of the respective cabinets. Employing extensive qualitative data, including a set of original interviews with relevant policymakers, this article aims to understand why junior partners did not defect in these two cases. The empirical findings highlight a variation in parties' motivations according to their ideological leaning: while extreme-left parties were afraid of being punished by their own voters for leaving the cabinet because of the participation in the operation in Kosovo, the far-right and autonomist Lega Nord did not consider opposition to the military intervention in Libya as a salient issue. Therefore, the article has considerable implications for the research agendas on the party politics of military interventions and government termination.
Effects of gut microbiota on leptin expression and body weight are lessened by high-fat diet in mice
Authors: Yao Hongyang , Fan Chaonan , Fan Xiuqin , Lu Yuanyuan , Wang Yuanyuan , Wang Rui , Tang Tiantian , Qi Kemin 
Published: March 2020

AbstractAberration in leptin expression is one of the most frequent features in the onset and progression of obesity, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear and need to be clarified. This study investigated the effects of the absence of gut microbiota on body weight and the expression and promoter methylation of the leptin. Male C57 BL/6 J germ-free (GF) and conventional (CV) mice (aged 4–5 weeks) were fed either a normal-fat diet (NFD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks. Six to eight mice from each group, at 15 weeks, were administered exogenous leptin for 7 d. Leptin expression and body weight gain in GF mice were increased by NFD with more CpG sites hypermethylated at the leptin promoter, whereas there was no change with HFD, compared with CV mice. Adipose or hepatic expression of genes associated with fat synthesis (Acc1, Fas and Srebp-1c), hydrolysis and oxidation (Atgl, Cpt1a, Cpt1c, Ppar-α and Pgc-1α) was lower, and hypothalamus expression of Pomc and Socs3 was higher in GF mice than levels in CV mice, particularly with NFD feeding. Exogenous leptin reduced body weight in both types of mice, with a greater effect on CV mice with NFD. Adipose Lep-R expression was up-regulated, and hepatic Fas and hypothalamic Socs3 were down-regulated in both types of mice. Expression of fat hydrolysis and oxidative genes (Atgl, Hsl, Cpt1a, Cpt1c, Ppar-α and Pgc-1α) was up-regulated in CV mice. Therefore, the effects of gut microbiota on the leptin expression and body weight were affected by dietary fat intake.
In Appreciation of Our 2019 Peer Reviewers
Authors: Montési Laurent G. J. , Hauck Steven A. , Baratoux David , Määttänen Anni , Rogers A. Deanne , Stanley Sabine 
Published: March 2020

AbstractScience is at its best when shared widely both within the scientific community and to the broader public. To maintain trust in science while simultaneously maximizing openness, it is important that every paper is carefully vetted. For this we rely on many volunteers, especially our peer reviewers. Their work is key for maintaining the integrity of scientific journals and to ensure the highest standards of scientific rigor. Reviewers verify that the assumptions, the methods, and the inferences made in our papers are sound. Many spend hours going over derivations, analyses, and evaluating the novelty and significance of the submitted manuscript. In 2019, JGR Planets benefited from 901 reviews provided by 584 unique reviewers. On behalf of the entire editorial board of JGR Planets and the entire planetary science community, we want to express here our most heartfelt gratitude to all of you. Thank you!
Diagnostic and predictive value of Doppler ultrasound for evaluation of the brain circulation in preterm infants: a systematic review
Authors:   eurUS.brain group, Camfferman Fleur A. , de Goederen Robbin , Govaert Paul , Dudink Jeroen , van Bel Frank , Pellicer Adelina , Cools Filip 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIntroductionVery and extremely preterm infants frequently have brain injury-related long-term neurodevelopmental problems. Altered perfusion, for example, seen in the context of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), has been linked to injury of the immature brain. However, a direct relation with outcome has not been reviewed systematically.MethodsA systematic review was conducted to provide an overview of the value of different cerebral arterial blood flow parameters assessed by Doppler ultrasound, in relation to brain injury, to predict long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants.ResultsIn total, 23 studies were included. Because of heterogeneity of studies, a meta-analysis of results was not possible. All included studies on resistance index (RI) showed significantly higher values in subjects with a hemodynamically significant PDA. However, absolute differences in RI values were small. Studies using Doppler parameters to predict brain injury and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome were inconsistent.DiscussionThere is no clear evidence to support the routine determination of RI or other Doppler parameters in the cerebral arteries to predict brain injury and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in the preterm infant. However, there is evidence that elevated RI can point to the presence of a hemodynamically significant PDA.
The globus pallidus orchestrates abnormal network dynamics in a model of Parkinsonism
Authors: Crompe Brice de la , Aristieta Asier , Leblois Arthur , Elsherbiny Salma , Boraud Thomas , Mallet Nicolas P. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe dynamical properties of cortico-basal ganglia (CBG) circuits are dramatically altered following the loss of dopamine in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The neural circuit dysfunctions associated with PD include spike-rate alteration concomitant with excessive oscillatory spike-synchronization in the beta frequency range (12–30 Hz). Which neuronal circuits orchestrate and propagate these abnormal neural dynamics in CBG remains unknown. In this work, we combine in vivo electrophysiological recordings with advanced optogenetic manipulations in normal and 6-OHDA rats to shed light on the mechanistic principle underlying circuit dysfunction in PD. Our results show that abnormal neural dynamics present in a rat model of PD do not rely on cortical or subthalamic nucleus activity but critically dependent on globus pallidus (GP) integrity. Our findings highlight the pivotal role played by the GP which operates as a hub nucleus capable of orchestrating firing rate and synchronization changes across CBG circuits both in normal and pathological conditions.
Vascularized cardiac tissue construction with orientation by layer-by-layer method and 3D printer
Authors: Tsukamoto Yoshinari , Akagi Takami , Akashi Mitsuru 
Published: March 2020

AbstractHerein, we report the fabrication of native organ-like three-dimensional (3D) cardiac tissue with an oriented structure and vascular network using a layer-by-layer (LbL), cell accumulation and 3D printing technique for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical applications. We firstly evaluated the 3D shaping ability of hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC), a thermoresponsive polymer, by using a robotic dispensing 3D printer. Next, we tried to fabricate orientation-controlled 3D cardiac tissue using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) and normal human cardiac fibroblasts (NHCF) coated with extracellular matrix (ECM) nanofilms by layer-by-layer technique. These cells were seeded in the fabricated rectangular shape HBC gel frame. After cultivation of the fabricated tissue, fluorescence staining of the cytoskeleton revealed that hiPSC-CM and NHCF were aligned in one direction. Moreover, we were able to measure its contractile behavior using a video image analysis system. These results indicate that orientation-controlled cardiac tissue has more remarkable contractile function than uncontrolled cardiac tissue. Finally, co-culture with human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) successfully provided a vascular network in orientation-controlled 3D cardiac tissue. The constructed 3D cardiac tissue with an oriented structure and vascular network would be a useful tool for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical applications.
Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects of Aromatics on the Agglomeration of Gas Hydrates
Authors: Bui Tai , Monteiro Deepak , Vo Loan , Striolo Alberto 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSurfactants are often used to stabilize aqueous dispersions. For example, surfactants can be used to prevent hydrate particles from forming large plugs that can clog, and sometimes rupture pipelines. Changes in oil composition, however dramatically affect the performance of said surfactants. In this work we demonstrate that aromatic compounds, dissolved in the hydrocarbon phase, can have both synergistic and antagonistic effects, depending on their molecular structure, with respect to surfactants developed to prevent hydrate agglomerations. While monocyclic aromatics such as benzene were found to disrupt the structure of surfactant films at low surfactant density, they are expelled from the interfacial film at high surfactant density. On the other hand, polycyclic aromatics, in particular pyrene, are found to induce order and stabilize the surfactant films both at low and high surfactant density. Based on our simulation results, polycyclic aromatics could behave as natural anti-agglomerants and enhance the performance of the specific surfactants considered here, while monocyclic aromatics could, in some cases, negatively affect performance. Although limited to the conditions chosen for the present simulations, the results, explained in terms of molecular features, could be valuable for better understanding synergistic and antagonistic effects relevant for stabilizing aqueous dispersions used in diverse applications, ranging from foodstuff to processing of nanomaterials and advanced manufacturing.
Multimodal Phenotyping of Alzheimer’s Disease with Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Cognitive Function Data
Authors: Kim Yejin , Jiang Xiaoqian , Giancardo Luca , Pena Danilo , Bukhbinder Avram S. , Amran Albert Y. , Schulz Paul E. ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: March 2020

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) varies a great deal cognitively regarding symptoms, test findings, the rate of progression, and neuroradiologically in terms of atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We hypothesized that an unbiased analysis of the progression of AD, regarding clinical and MRI features, will reveal a number of AD phenotypes. Our objective is to develop and use a computational method for multi-modal analysis of changes in cognitive scores and MRI volumes to test for there being multiple AD phenotypes. In this retrospective cohort study with a total of 857 subjects from the AD (n = 213), MCI (n = 322), and control (CN, n = 322) groups, we used structural MRI data and neuropsychological assessments to develop a novel computational phenotyping method that groups brain regions from MRI and subsets of neuropsychological assessments in a non-biased fashion. The phenotyping method was built based on coupled nonnegative matrix factorization (C-NMF). As a result, the computational phenotyping method found four phenotypes with different combination and progression of neuropsychologic and neuroradiologic features. Identifying distinct AD phenotypes here could help explain why only a subset of AD patients typically respond to any single treatment. This, in turn, will help us target treatments more specifically to certain responsive phenotypes.
Using questionnaires and task-related EEG signals to reveal hindered reappraisal and biased suppression in individuals with high schizotypal traits
Authors: Pan Dong-ni , Hoid Delhii , Wang Zhen-hao , Wang Yi , Li Xuebing 
Published: March 2020

AbstractAlthough impaired ability to regulate emotion is commonly reported in schizophrenic patients, the exact pattern of regulation of negative emotions in high-risk individuals remains unclear. In the current study, 26 high-schizotypy individuals paired with 26 controls completed an emotion regulation questionnaire (ERQ) and a laboratory emotion regulation task with electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. Two emotion regulation strategies, namely, reappraisal and expression suppression, were concurrently examined. The late positive potential (LPP) and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) were selected as two independent neural indicators of the emotion regulation effect. In the ERQ questionnaire, individuals in the high schizotypy group reported higher habitual use of suppression than the controls. During the emotion regulation task, the high schizotypy group showed no early LPP reduction in reappraisal compared with the control group and exhibited a general negative FAA pattern (left-biased alpha). In conclusion, we found that individuals with high schizotypy exhibited maladaptive regulation of negative emotions, manifested in hindered reappraisal and biased suppression; this may exacerbate the negative affect of such emotions and further serve as a risk factor for psychosis conversion. Early interventions targeting the regulation of negative emotions may be beneficial for individuals with high schizotypal traits.
Interlayer excitons in van der Waals heterostructures: Binding energy, Stark shift, and field-induced dissociation
Authors: Kamban Høgni C. , Pedersen Thomas G. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractPhotoexcited intralayer excitons in van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) with type-II band alignment have been observed to tunnel into interlayer excitons on ultrafast timescales. Such interlayer excitons have sufficiently long lifetimes that inducing dissociation with external in-plane electric fields becomes an attractive option of improving efficiency of photocurrent devices. In the present paper, we calculate interlayer exciton binding energies, Stark shifts, and dissociation rates for six different transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) vdWHs using a numerical procedure based on exterior complex scaling (ECS). We utilize an analytical bilayer Keldysh potential describing the interaction between the electron-hole pair, and validate its accuracy by comparing to the full multilayer Poisson equation. Based on this model, we obtain an analytical weak-field expression for the exciton dissociation rate. The heterostructures analysed are MoS2/MoSe2, MoS2/WS2, MoS2/WSe2, MoSe2/WSe2, WS2/MoSe2, and WS2/WSe2 in various dielectric environments. For weak electric fields, we find that WS2/WSe2 supports the fastest dissociation rates among the six structures. We, furthermore, observe that exciton dissociation rates in vdWHs are significantly larger than in their monolayer counterparts.