bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Extra-platelet low-molecular-mass thiols mediate the inhibitory action of S-nitrosoalbumin on human platelet aggregation via S-transnitrosylation of the platelet surface
Authors: Tsikas Dimitrios 
Published: February 2021

AbstractNitrosylation of sulfhydryl (SH) groups of cysteine (Cys) moieties is an important post-translational modification (PTM), often on a par with phosphorylation. S-Nitrosoalbumin (ALB-Cys34SNO; SNALB) in plasma and S-nitrosohemoglobin (Hb-Cysβ93SNO; HbSNO) in red blood cells are considered the most abundant high-molecular-mass pools of nitric oxide (NO) bioactivity in the human circulation. SNALB per se is not an NO donor. Yet, it acts as a vasodilator and an inhibitor of platelet aggregation. SNALB can be formed by nitrosation of the sole reduced Cys group of albumin (Cys34) by nitrosating species such as nitrous acid (HONO) and nitrous anhydride (N2O3), two unstable intermediates of NO autoxidation. SNALB can also be formed by the transfer (S-transnitrosylation) of the nitrosyl group (NO+) of a low-molecular-mass (LMM) S-nitrosothiol (RSNO) to ALB-Cys34SH. In the present study, the effects of LMM thiols on the inhibitory potential of ALB-Cys34SNO on human washed platelets were investigated. ALB-Cys34SNO was prepared by reacting n-butylnitrite with albumin after selective extraction from plasma of a healthy donor on HiTrapBlue Sepharose cartridges. ALB-Cys34SNO was used in platelet aggregation measurements after extended purification on HiTrapBlue Sepharose and enrichment by ultrafiltration (cutoff, 20 kDa). All tested LMM cysteinyl thiols (R-CysSH) including l-cysteine and L-homocysteine (at 10 µM) were found to mediate the collagen-induced (1 µg/mL) aggregation of human washed platelets by SNALB (range, 0–10 µM) by cGMP-dependent and cGMP-independent mechanisms. The LMM thiols themselves did not affect platelet aggregation. It is assumed that the underlying mechanism involves S-transnitrosylation of SH groups of the platelet surface by LMM RSNO formed through the reaction of SNALB with the thiols: ALB-Cys34SNO + R-CysSH ↔ ALB-Cys34SH + R-CysSNO. Such S-transnitrosylation reactions may be accompanied by release of NO finally resulting in cGMP-dependent and cGMP-independent mechanisms.
Optimizing carbon coating parameters for obtaining SiO2/C anodes with improved electrochemical performance
Authors: Blanco Maria Valeria , Renman Viktor , Zhu Jiefang , Vullum-Bruer Fride , Svensson Ann Mari 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn this work, we present a comprehensive and systematic study on the use of low-cost and highly abundant carbon precursors to obtain SiO2/C anodes with superior electrochemical performance towards Li-ions. Different SiO2/C composites are prepared by soaking silica nanoparticles in solutions containing 20 wt%, 40 wt%, or 60 wt% of glucose, sucrose, or cornstarch, followed by thermal decomposition of the carbohydrates at 850 °C or 1200 °C. Structural, microstructural, and textural differences on the composites derived from the different carbon coating treatments are related to the electrochemical performance of the anodes. Composites containing final carbon contents close to 15 wt% show a complete coverage of the SiO2 particles with a nanometric carbon layer and exhibit the best electrochemical results. The increase in the annealing temperature from 850 to 1200 °C reduces the porosity of the carbon layer and increases its level of ordering, both having positive effects on the overall electrochemical performance of the electrodes. SiO2/C composites coated with 40 wt% sucrose and heat treated at 1200 °C display the best electrochemical performance, delivering a reversible specific capacity of 723 mAhg−1 at 50 mAg−1 after 100 cycles, which is considerably higher than the reversible capacity of 233 mAhg−1 obtained with the uncoated material cycled under the same conditions.
Foster Parents’ Parenting and the Social-Emotional Development and Adaptive Functioning of Children in Foster Care: A PRISMA-Guided Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chodura Sabrina , Lohaus Arnold , Symanzik Tabea , Heinrichs Nina , Konrad Kerstin 
Published: February 2021

AbstractChildren in foster care (CFC) are at increased risk for negative developmental outcomes. Given the potential influence of foster parents’ parenting on the development of CFC, this literature review and meta-analysis provide an initial overview of how parenting factors in foster families relate to CFC’s developmental outcomes. We aimed to explore (1) whether foster parents’ parenting conceptualizations are related differently to various CFC developmental outcome variables and (2) how characteristics of foster parents and CFC moderate these associations. Following the recommendations of the PRISMA statement, we searched four databases in 2017 (with an update in May 2020). Forty-three primary studies were coded manually. The interrater agreement was 92.1%. Parenting variables were specified as parenting behavior, style, and goals and were distinguished further into functional and dysfunctional parenting. CFC development was divided into adaptive (including cognitive) development and maladaptive development. Meta-analyses could be performed for foster parenting behavior and developmental outcomes, as well as for functional parenting goals and maladaptive socioemotional outcomes in CFC. Associations between functional parenting behavior and adaptive child development were positive and negative for maladaptive child development, respectively. For dysfunctional, parenting effects were in the opposite direction. All effects were small to moderate. Similar results were found descriptively in the associations of parenting style and child developmental outcomes. We found similar effect sizes and directions of the associations between parenting behavior in foster families and the child’s developmental outcomes as those previously reported for biological families. These findings provide strong support for the significant role of parenting in foster families regarding children’s development in foster care.
Conservation genetics of relict tropical species of Magnolia (section Macrophylla)
Authors: Chávez-Cortázar Angélica , Oyama Ken , Ochoa-Zavala Maried , Mata-Rosas Martín , Veltjen Emily , Samain Marie-Stéphanie , Quesada Mauricio 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSpecial conservation efforts should be made for relict species, as they usually have small population sizes and restricted distributions, placing them in critical extinction risk. To achieve conservation, information about genetic diversity distribution is needed. Here, using nine nuclear microsatellites, we analyzed 23 populations of five recently described species of Magnolia distributed in Mexico, which were previously assigned to Magnolia dealbata. We aimed to determine the level of genetic diversity and the distribution of genetic variation and proposed conservation measures. Compared to other endemic and relict species, we found a moderate level of genetic diversity in most populations; however, we identified two populations with no genetic variation. Additionally, we found evidence of positive values of inbreeding likely due to geitonogamy. We found a strong population structure, low effective population size, and no evidence of bottlenecks. Patterns of genetic differentiation did not support the morphological distinction of five species, so we hypothesized that the gene pools may instead represent well-differentiated populations of a single species. We argue that the pattern of genetic differentiation is explained by the natural fragmentation of the cloud forests after glaciation events, and the effects of genetic drift in small populations poorly connected by gene flow. Despite the moderate levels of genetic diversity, special attention is needed to guarantee conservation, with emphasis on the populations in the central region of the country as well as the valuable populations identified in the southwestern region.
A novel non-trichome based whitefly resistance QTL in Solanum galapagense
Authors: Santegoets Joris , Bovio Marcella , van’t Westende Wendy , Voorrips Roeland E. , Vosman Ben 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum is a major threat in tomato cultivation. In greenhouse grown tomatoes non-trichome based whitefly resistance may be better suited than glandular trichome based resistance as glandular trichomes may interfere with biocontrol, which is widely used. Analysis of a collection of recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum galapagense showed resistance to the whitefly T. vaporariorum on plants without glandular trichomes type IV. The resistance affected whitefly adult survival (AS), but not oviposition rate. This indicates that S. galapagense, in addition to trichome based resistance, also carries non-trichome based resistance components. The effectiveness of the non-trichome based resistance appeared to depend on the season in which the plants were grown. The resistance also had a small but significant effect on the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, but not on the thrips Frankliniella occidentalis. A segregating F2 population was created to map the non-trichome based resistance. Two Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for reduced AS of T. vaporariorum were mapped on chromosomes 12 and 7 (explaining 13.9% and 6.0% of the variance respectively). The QTL on chromosome 12 was validated in F3 lines.
The Thermal Diffusivity of Glass Sieves: I. Liquid Saturated Frits
Authors: Hammerschmidt Ulf , Abid Muhammad 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe thermal diffusivity of evacuated and liquid-saturated borosilicate glass sieves (frits) of porosities between 20 % and 48 % is presented as measured at room temperature. The saturants cover a range in thermal diffusivity from 0.091 mm2·s−1 to 0.143 mm2·s−1. The runs were carried out using a transient hot bridge (THB) measuring instrument of an expanded uncertainty of 5 % to 10 %. The experimental results are successfully fitted to a novel transient parallel-serial (TPSC) conduction model for the time-dependent composite heat transfer in porous media. The TPSC-model is an extension of the steady-state parallel-serial conduction (PSC) model to predict the thermal conductivity. The TPSC model confirms the so-called thermal porosity of the frits under test, a term that has been introduced in a former report on the thermal conductivity of the matrices (Hammerschmidt and Abid, Int J Thermophys 42:40, 2021). The experimental findings on the conductive transport of heat by glass sieves and their accurate mathematical description in the framework of the PSC and TPSC models might effectively support improving the thermal management of electronic devices and lithium-ion batteries.
Episodic Future Thinking in Autism Spectrum Disorder and 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Association with Anticipatory Pleasure and Social Functioning
Authors: Feller Clémence , Dubois Charlotte , Eliez Stephan , Schneider Maude 
Published: February 2021

AbstractEpisodic future thinking (EFT) has been suggested to underlie anticipatory pleasure (AP), itself known to play a crucial role in social functioning (SF). Both AP and SF are impaired in various clinical populations, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). Therefore, the relationship between EFT, AP and SF was investigated, as well as the potential role of projecting oneself in a social vs. non-social context. Seventy-seven participants [24 with 22q11DS, 20 with ASD, 33 typically developing controls (TDs)] (aged 12–25) were included. They were assessed with a future thinking task in which they were asked to recall a memory and produce a likely event. Narratives were rated based of specificity, richness and imaginability. Participants completed questionnaires assessing AP and SF. Narratives from ASD and 22q11DS participants were rated as less vivid compared to TDs. However, the characteristics of the narratives differed between ASD and 22q11DS participants in terms of specificity and level of details, as well as in reaction to social condition. Moreover, correlations were found between AP and EFT in both ASD and 22q11DS participants, and between SF and EFT in ASD participants. These results point towards impairments in EFT in both ASD and 22q11DS participants but with a specific profile in each condition. The observed associations between EFT and AP suggest that decreased autonoetic consciousness might underlie AP impairments. In ASD individuals, the association between SF and EFT highlights the need to better characterize EFT since EFT could be another mechanism contributing to social difficulties.
Robust PCA via Regularized Reaper with a Matrix-Free Proximal Algorithm
Authors: Beinert Robert , Steidl Gabriele 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPrincipal component analysis (PCA) is known to be sensitive to outliers, so that various robust PCA variants were proposed in the literature. A recent model, calledreaper, aims to find the principal components by solving a convex optimization problem. Usually the number of principal components must be determined in advance and the minimization is performed over symmetric positive semi-definite matrices having the size of the data, although the number of principal components is substantially smaller. This prohibits its use if the dimension of the data is large which is often the case in image processing. In this paper, we propose a regularized version ofreaperwhich enforces the sparsity of the number of principal components by penalizing the nuclear norm of the corresponding orthogonal projector. If only an upper bound on the number of principal components is available, our approach can be combined with theL-curve method to reconstruct the appropriate subspace. Our second contribution is a matrix-free algorithm to find a minimizer of the regularizedreaperwhich is also suited for high-dimensional data. The algorithm couples a primal-dual minimization approach with a thick-restarted Lanczos process. This appears to be the first efficient convex variational method for robust PCA that can handle high-dimensional data. As a side result, we discuss the topic of the bias in robust PCA. Numerical examples demonstrate the performance of our algorithm.
Exploring Latent Profiles of Psychopathology in a Sample of Lonely People Seeking Treatment
Authors: Käll Anton , Shafran Roz , Andersson Gerhard 
Published: February 2021

AbstractLoneliness is a common experience in populations experiencing mental health problems. Associations with symptoms of psychopathology are prevalent, but little is known about the diversity of symptom profiles in people suffering from prolonged and distressing loneliness. The current study sought to investigate the existence of subgroups of loneliness and common forms of psychopathology in a sample of adults (n = 332) seeking treatment for their loneliness. Using latent profile analysis, five profiles were identified and differences in demographic factors were investigated. The profiles differed mainly in the severity of symptoms of depression, worry, and social anxiety, with the largest profile exhibiting minimal-to-mild symptoms (n = 109) across these indicators. The second largest group was characterized primarily by high ratings of social anxiety (n = 90). Overall, three of the five profiles, encompassing roughly half of the sample, scored at a clinical level on mental health symptom measures. Age was inversely related to symptom severity among the profiles, indicating that the older subgroups of the sample exhibited milder symptoms, particularly on social anxiety. The results provide insight into the heterogeneity of the clinical symptoms of people suffering from loneliness and add important knowledge that could help inform how to best intervene to help this population.
Is It Morally Legitimate to Punish the Late Stage Demented for Their Past Crimes?
Authors: Hallich Oliver 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAre we justified in keeping the demented in prison for crimes they committed when they were still healthy? The answer to this question is an issue of considerable practical importance. The problem arises in cases where very aged criminals exhibit symptoms of dementia while serving their sentence. In these cases, one may wonder whether lodging these criminals in penal institutions rather than in normal caretaking facilities is justifiable. In this paper, I argue that there are justificatory reasons for punishing the demented for their past crimes. In part 2, I examine three theories of punishment—retributivism, prevention theories and expressivism—with regard to the question of whether they provide justificatory reasons for punishing the demented. I argue that only expressivism provides these reasons. In part 3, I defend the view that expressivism, though not convincing as a general theory of punishment, is plausible if applied only to a specific subclass of punitive actions. More precisely, expressivism, or so I argue, is plausible with regard to those acts of punishment that consist in intending to inflict sufferingwithoutactually inflicting suffering. Since the punishment of demented patients falls within this class, it can be justified on an expressivist basis. In part 4, I discuss six objections to my view and rebut them.
Sexual Interactions and Sexual Infidelity
Authors: McQueen Paddy 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis paper establishes what constitutes a sexual interaction between two or more people. It does this by first defining a sexual activity as one in which the agent intends to satisfy a sexual desire (i.e. a desire for sexual pleasure). To understand what it means to engage in a sexual activity with another person, it draws from Bratman’s account of shared collaborative activity. A sexual interaction is defined as one in which two or more people engage in a sexual activity together, with the intention of satisfying a sexual desire (or some sexual desires) in a mutually responsive and mutually supportive way. The paper then uses this account to consider what things constitute sexual infidelity. The answer is a broad one: many things can count as sexual interactions and hence can be considered to be sexual infidelity. Contrary to what a lot of people think, this can include the private use of pornography.
A Full Systematic Review on the Effects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Mental Health Symptoms in Child Refugees
Authors: Lawton Katie , Spencer Angela 
Published: February 2021

AbstractGlobal conflict in 2019 created record numbers of displaced children. These children have experienced multiple traumas and subsequently suffer high levels of mental health symptoms. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is commonly used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, however the current evidence-base of CBT in child refugees is sparse, with mixed results. This study aimed to assess the effects of CBT on symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety in child refugees/AS. Ethics were reviewed and granted by the University of Manchester ethics committee. Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and CINAHL were systematically searched. Studies were included if CBT was delivered to refugee/AS children with pre and post-intervention measures of symptoms. Sixteen studies fulfilled criteria. In all studies, mental health symptom scores post-intervention had reduced, suggesting an improvement in mental health following CBT. This reduction was statistically significant in twelve studies (p < 0.001–0.5), clinically significant in eight studies and maintained at follow-up periods. No adverse effects of CBT were identified. This is the first systematic review to focus solely on CBT in child refugee populations, with unanimously positive results. Its use is cautiously recommended, however the need for more methodologically rigorous studies in this population is highlighted.
Characterizing the Tumor Immune Microenvironment with Tyramide-Based Multiplex Immunofluorescence
Authors: Mori Hidetoshi , Bolen Jennifer , Schuetter Louis , Massion Pierre , Hoyt Clifford C. , VandenBerg Scott , Esserman Laura , Borowsky Alexander D. , Campbell Michael J. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMultiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) allows simultaneous antibody-based detection of multiple markers with a nuclear counterstain on a single tissue section. Recent studies have demonstrated that mIF is becoming an important tool for immune profiling the tumor microenvironment, further advancing our understanding of the interplay between cancer and the immune system, and identifying predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy. Expediting mIF discoveries is leading to improved diagnostic panels, whereas it is important that mIF protocols be standardized to facilitate their transition into clinical use. Manual processing of sections for mIF is time consuming and a potential source of variability across numerous samples. To increase reproducibility and throughput we demonstrate the use of an automated slide stainer for mIF incorporating tyramide signal amplification (TSA). We describe two panels aimed at characterizing the tumor immune microenvironment. Panel 1 included CD3, CD20, CD117, FOXP3, Ki67, pancytokeratins (CK), and DAPI, and Panel 2 included CD3, CD8, CD68, PD-1, PD-L1, CK, and DAPI. Primary antibodies were first tested by standard immunohistochemistry and single-plex IF, then multiplex panels were developed and images were obtained using a Vectra 3.0 multispectral imaging system. Various methods for image analysis (identifying cell types, determining cell densities, characterizing cell-cell associations) are outlined. These mIF protocols will be invaluable tools for immune profiling the tumor microenvironment.
COVID-19, Contagion, and Vaccine Optimism
Authors: McGuire Kelly 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSteven Soderbergh’s Contagion (2011) positions the vaccine as the end point of the arc of ​pandemic, marking both the containment of an elusive virus and ​the resumption of a life not fundamentally different from ​before the disease outbreak. ​The film reinforces the ​assumption that a pandemic will awaken ​all of us to the urgency of vaccination​, persuading us to put aside our reservations and anxieties ​and the idea that compliance is the inevitable outcome of quarantine. This article explores how pro-vaccination cultural products ​such as Contagion might in fact undermine public health efforts by promoting a false narrative, which simplifies the kind of vaccination campaign necessary for herd immunity to develop. An ethic of sacrifice and selflessness drives the public health messaging of the film but leaves intact certain individualistic tropes and plague narrative scapegoating tendencies, while the framing of the vaccine as “gift” takes it out of the realm of medical science altogether.
A synthetic peptide as an allosteric inhibitor of human arginase I and II
Authors: Gao Kai , Lunev Sergey , van den Berg Mariska P. M. , Al-Dahmani Zayana M. , Evans Stephen , Mertens Dyon A. L. J. , Meurs Herman , Gosens Reinoud , Groves Matthew R. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractArginine metabolism mediated by arginases plays a critical role in cell and tissue function. The arginine hydrolysis is deeply involved in the urea cycle, which helps the kidney excrete ammonia from blood. Upregulation of arginases affects microenvironment stability due to the presence of excess urea in blood. To regulate the arginase activities properly, a synthetic peptide based on the structure of human arginase I was designed and assessed. Preliminary data shows it inhibits human arginase I and II with an IC50 of 2.4 ± 0.3 and 1.8 ± 0.1 mmol, respectively. Our kinetic analysis indicates the inhibition is not competitive with substrate – suggesting an allosteric mechanism. This result provides a step towards specific inhibitors design.