bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rewarded placebo analgesia: A new mechanism of placebo effects based on operant conditioning
Authors: Adamczyk Wacław M. , Wiercioch‐Kuzianik Karolina , Bajcar Elżbieta A. , Bąbel Przemysław 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBackgroundPlacebo analgesia is explained by two learning processes: classical conditioning and observational learning. A third learning process, operant conditioning, has not previously been investigated as a mechanism of placebo effects. We aimed to induce placebo analgesia by operant conditioning.MethodsThree groups of participants received electrocutaneous pain stimuli of the same intensity, preceded by either an orange or blue stimulus. In the conditioning phase of the study, participants from the experimental group were rewarded for low pain responses following one of the colour stimuli (placebo) and for high pain responses following the other colour stimuli (non‐placebo). Moreover, they were punished when their pain responses were high following placebo stimuli and low following non‐placebo stimuli. To investigate the role of contingency, that is dependent relation between rewards/punishers and pain responses, the random‐control group received rewards and punishers in a non‐contingent manner. The colour‐control group did not receive any rewards or punishers to control for nonassociative learning. Pain intensity ratings were used as an outcome measure, and verbal feedback on pain ratings was used as rewards/punishers.ResultsWhen rewarding and punishment were stopped, only participants from the experimental group experienced less pain following the placebo than following the non‐placebo stimuli; that is, placebo analgesia was found in this group. This effect was not extinguished during the study.ConclusionsPlacebo analgesia can be induced by operant conditioning, which should be considered a third mechanism for producing placebo effects. Moreover, the contingency between pain responses and rewards/punishers is crucial to induce placebo analgesia through operant conditioning.SignificanceAccording to the current placebo literature, placebo analgesia can be explained by two learning processes: classical conditioning and observational learning. A third learning process, operant conditioning, has not previously been investigated as a mechanism of placebo effects. Our study reveals that patients can learn placebo analgesia as a result of operant conditioning, suggesting that randomized controlled trials could be improved by controlling the reinforcement that might occur spontaneously when patients interact with, for example, medical personnel.
Bioavailability of mercury in contaminated soils assessed by the diffusive gradient in thin film technique in relation to uptake by Miscanthus × giganteus
Authors: Ridošková Andrea , Pelfrêne Aurélie , Douay Francis , Pelcová Pavlína , Smolíková Vendula , Adam Vojtěch 
Published: January 2019

Abstract

We assessed the relationship between the diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) technique using the new ion-exchange resin Ambersep GT74 and the uptake of mercury (Hg) by a model plant cultivated on metal-contaminated agricultural soils under greenhouse conditions. Based on the total Hg content, 0.37 to 1.17% of the Hg passed to the soil porewater from the solid phase, and 2.18 to 9.18% of the Hg is DGT-available. These results were confirmed by calculating the R value (the ratio of the concentrations of bioavailable Hg measured by DGT and soil solution), which illustrated the strong bonding of Hg to the solid phase of soil and its extremely low mobility. Only inorganic Hg2+ species were found in the metal-contaminated agricultural soils, as determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography–cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry speciation analysis. The Hg was distributed in Miscanthus × giganteus organs in the following order for all sampling sites: roots (55–82%) &gt;&gt; leaves (8–27%) &gt; stems (7–16%) &gt; rhizomes (4–7%). Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:321–328. © 2018 SETAC
Gonadosomatic index as a confounding variable in fish-based screening assays for the detection of anti-estrogens and nonaromatizable androgens
Authors: Roush Kyle S. , Jeffries Marlo K. Sellin 
Published: January 2019

Abstract

The presence of reproductive endocrine-disrupting compounds (REDCs) in the environment poses a potential threat to fish and wildlife, because exposures are capable of altering sexual development, reproductive success, and behavior. Fish-based screening assays are often utilized to screen for the presence of REDCs in surface waters and to assess single chemicals for potential endocrine-disrupting activity. In an effort to improve such screening assays, the goal of the present study was to determine whether the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), as assessed via external characteristics, influences their response to REDC exposure. Specifically, we sought to determine whether low-GSI females differed from high-GSI females in their responses to the model anti-estrogen fadrozole and the model androgen 17β-trenbolone, and whether there was a preferable classification in the context of REDC screening. Low-GSI females were more sensitive to fadrozole at the lower concentration of fadrozole (5 µg/L) and to the higher concentration of trenbolone (50 ng/L), whereas high-GSI females were more sensitive at the lower concentration of trenbolone (5 ng/L). The differential response of low- and high-GSI females to REDCs indicates that GSI influences exposure outcome, and should subsequently be taken into consideration in the implementation of screening assays, as failure to utilize fish of the appropriate reproductive status may skew the test results. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:603–615. © 2019 SETAC
Experimental and numerical analysis of the influence of cable tray arrangements on the resulting mass loss rate and fire spreading
Authors: Siemon Matthias , Riese Olaf , Forell Burkhard , Krönung Dominic , Klein‐Heßling Walter 
Published: January 2019

SummaryIn the context of industrial buildings and power plants, electrical installations and cable trays represent a main fuel load and a potential initial fire source due to possible short circuits or comparable malfunction. Furthermore, a fire can spread from one tray to additional trays mounted above and/or horizontally on one tray. Because of the high significance of cable fires, several research projects have been carried out, investigating the fire behaviour of cables from small‐scale tests, eg, the cone calorimeter, up to large‐scale tests, analysing complete cable tray constructions. The goal of the work presented in this paper is the extension of the knowledge regarding the influence of geometrical parameters like the packing density and tray distance on the burning behaviour and fire spread of cable tray installations. The results are considered, together with test results from the literature, to quantify the main physical parameters describing the burning behaviour. In a next step, the general applicability of these parameters as input data for the parametrization of the source term of numerical simulations is shown. The test results show that the burning behaviour and the fire spreading highly depend on the cable arrangement of the cables on the cable tray, in combination with other boundary conditions. By applying the results as input for a fire simulation, the mass loss rate is considered appropriately.
Die wahren Abenteuer liegen woanders
Authors: Griem Julika 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWissenschaftskommunikation ist in aller Munde. Doch Storytelling und Eventisierung allein werden der Realität und Komplexität der Wissenschaften nicht gerecht. Gefragt ist eine Vermittlung, die aus Konflikten, Widersprüchen und Perspektivenvielfalt Funken schlagen lässt. Dazu braucht es Handwerk und Haltung zugleich.
Früchte der Tiefsee
Authors: Erbacher Jochen 
Published: January 2019

AbstractInternational Ocean Discovery Program: Der weltweit größte geowissenschaftliche Forschungsverbund feiert seinen 50. Geburtstag. Wissenschaftlich und finanziell unter maßgeblicher deutscher Beteiligung, liefern die IODP‐Expeditionen und ihre Bohrkerne grundlegende Einsichten in Erdaufbau und Klimageschichte.
Liberal oder restriktiv?
Authors: Simon Stephan , Helbling Marc 
Published: January 2019

AbstractIn den hitzigen Einwanderungsdebatten in Politik, Medien und Öffentlichkeit sind Zahlen und Fakten mehr denn je gefragt. Sozialwissenschaftler haben die Migrationspolitik in 33 OECD‐Staaten zwischen 1980 und 2010 im Vergleich untersucht. Die so entstandene Datenbank soll mit verschiedensten Kennzahlen auch die künftige Forschung erleichtern.
The Spanish Mediterranean Fishing Guilds (Cofradías): An Example of Collaborative Management with a Key Role in Sustainable Fisheries
Authors: Herrera-Racionero Paloma , Lizcano Emmánuel , Miret-Pastor Lluis , Mascarell Yesmina 
Published: January 2019

Abstract
The management of Spanish coastal fisheries is based on a mixed model where the centralised action of the government is combined with the self-organisation of fishers in cofradías (guilds). These institutions have economic and political functions, intermediating between the State and the fishing sector and mediating in the conflicts that may occur. They also have welfare and mutualist tasks. This original and traditional co-management model is part of the social capital of traditional Spanish fishing. The aim of this article is to explore the possibilities of these Spanish fishers’ organisations in order to improve the legitimacy of the fishery system and the sustainability of fisheries. Our hypothesis is that updating and adapting some aspects of the cofradías model could produce efficient forms of collaborative management and lead to improvements in the sustainability of fisheries. To validate this hypothesis the study analysed 69 face-to-face interviews in 21 Spanish–Mediterranean guilds. The analysis focused on three core aspects: the control of fishing resources; the integration of fishing knowledge in the management system; and, finally, the guilds contribution to the legitimacy of the system in the eyes of the fishers.
A simple and accurate method to determine genomewide significance for association tests in sequencing studies
Authors: Lin Dan‐Yu 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWhole‐exome sequencing (WES) and whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) studies are underway to investigate the impact of genetic variants on complex diseases and traits. It is customary to perform single‐variant association tests for common variants and region‐based association tests for rare variants. The latter may target variants with similar or opposite effects, interrogate variants with different frequencies or different functional annotations, and examine a variety of regions. The large number of tests that are performed necessitates adjustment for multiple testing. The conventional Bonferroni correction is overly conservative as the test statistics are correlated. To address this challenge, we propose a simple and accurate method based on parametric bootstrap to assess genomewide significance. We show that the correlations of the test statistics are determined primarily by the genotypes, such that the same significance threshold can be used in different studies that share a common sequencing platform. We demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method with WES data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Exome Sequencing Project and WGS data from the 1000 Genomes Project. We recommend the p value of as the genomewide significance threshold for testing all common and low‐frequency variants (MAFs 0.1%) in the human genome.
A simple approximation to the bias of gene–environment interactions in case–control studies with silent disease
Authors: Lobach Iryna , Sampson Joshua , Lobach Siarhei , Alekseyenko Alexander , Piryatinska Alexandra , He Tao , Zhang Li 
Published: January 2019

AbstractOne of the most important research areas in case–control Genome‐Wide Association Studies is to determine how the effect of a genotype varies across the environment or to measure the gene–environment interaction (G × E). We consider the scenario when some of the “healthy” controls actually have the disease and when the frequency of these latent cases varies by the environmental variable of interest. In this scenario, performing logistic regression with the clinically diagnosed disease status as an outcome variable and will result in biased estimates of G × E interaction. Here, we derive a general theoretical approximation to the bias in the estimates of the G × E interaction and show, through extensive simulation, that this approximation is accurate in finite samples. Moreover, we apply this approximation to evaluate the bias in the effect estimates of the genetic variants related to mitochondrial proteins a large‐scale prostate cancer study.
Extracellular ATP and glutamate drive pyruvate production and energy demand to regulate mitochondrial respiration in astrocytes
Authors: Juaristi Inés , Llorente‐Folch Irene , Satrústegui Jorgina , del Arco Araceli 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAstrocytes respond to energetic demands by upregulating glycolysis, lactate production, and respiration. This study addresses the role of respiration and calcium regulation of respiration as part of the astrocyte response to the workloads caused by extracellular ATP and glutamate. Extracellular ATP (100 μM to 1 mM) causes a Ca2+‐dependent workload and fall of the cytosolic ATP/ADP ratio which acutely increases astrocytes respiration. Part of this increase is related to a Ca2+‐dependent upregulation of cytosolic pyruvate production. Conversely, glutamate (200 μM) causes a Na+, but not Ca2+, dependent workload even though glutamate‐induced Ca2+ signals readily reach mitochondria. The glutamate workload triggers a rapid fall in the cytosolic ATP/ADP ratio and stimulation of respiration. These effects are mimicked by D‐aspartate a nonmetabolized agonist of the glutamate transporter, but not by a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, indicating a major role of Na+‐dependent workload in stimulated respiration. Glutamate‐induced increase in respiration is linked to a rapid increase in glycolytic pyruvate production, suggesting that both glutamate and extracellular ATP cause an increase in astrocyte respiration fueled by workload‐induced increase in pyruvate production. However, glutamate‐induced pyruvate production is partly resistant to glycolysis blockers (iodoacetate), indicating that oxidative consumption of glutamate also contributes to stimulated respiration. As stimulation of respiration by ATP and glutamate are similar and pyruvate production smaller in the first case, the results suggest that the response to extracellular ATP is a Ca2+‐dependent upregulation of respiration added to glycolysis upregulation. The global contribution of astrocyte respiratory responses to brain oxygen consumption is an open question.
Effect of repetitive elbow holding tasks with low‐level muscular exertion on perceived muscle discomfort
Authors: Chihara Takanori , Nozawa Ayana , Seo Akihiko , Sakamoto Jiro 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the effect of task repetition on perceived muscle discomfort (PMD). The experimental trial consisted of fatigue and recovery periods. In the fatigue period, an elbow‐holding task was performed with an external load of 10%, 20%, and 30% of the premeasured maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) for 7.0, 4.5, and 3.0 min, respectively. In the recovery period, the participants released the load and rested until they felt no PMD. The trial was repeated six times sequentially (Trials 1–6). PMD at the end of the fatigue period increased with task repetition at all %MVCs. The interclass correlation coefficients between Trial 1 and the other trials were lower than those for the combinations of Trials 2–6, irrespective of %MVC. In the recovery period, the absolute sensitivity of PMD in the range of 0–10 (or the speed of recovery) of Trial 1 was faster than that of Trials 2–6. The findings of this study could lead to the development of work regimes that limit the risk of PMD in workers. Possible changes include allowing for a longer recovery time if the task requires a relatively large flexion angle, such as those performed in narrow spaces.
Confident and Understanding Parents (CUPs) – a child nutrition and active play pilot intervention for disadvantaged families attending Supported Playgroups in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Myers Judith , Riggs Elisha , Lee Ju‐Lin , Gibbons Kay , Naughton Geraldine 
Published: January 2019

AbstractIssue addressedHealth and nutrition inequalities are prevalent among families from socio‐economically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, there is limited evidence of targeted early childhood nutrition and active play approaches due to the methodological challenges in engaging vulnerable families in research.MethodsThe aim of this paper was to report findings from a pilot intervention called Confident and Understanding Parents (CUPs). CUPs aims to improve child nutrition and active play‐related outcomes for children in vulnerable families. The intervention was delivered in six Supported Playgroups (SPs) in two disadvantaged locations in Victoria. Surveys incorporated knowledge and confidence measures and were administered pre‐ and post‐training of SP facilitators along with pre‐, immediately post and and 3 months postintervention to SP facilitators and parents. Qualitative data were collected via debriefing discussions with SP facilitators and ethnographic observations during SP sessions. Thematic analyses of qualitative data and statistical quantitative analyses were conducted.ResultsNine SP facilitators completed training, of whom six delivered CUPs in SPs with 64 parents of children aged 0 to 4 years from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. Forty‐three parents (66%) attended a minimum of 50% of SP sessions with CUPs delivery. SP facilitators and parents demonstrated improved knowledge and confidence following the pilot. Learnings for implementation were identified.ConclusionOverall, the CUPs intervention reached and engaged vulnerable families. A strength of the intervention is the flexibility offered to SP facilitators in selecting key messages and the strong focus on “local” translation of key child nutrition and active play messages within existing early childhood settings. A further strength was the adaptation of evaluation methodology to optimise the engagement of vulnerable families.So what?This pilot study provides insights about engaging vulnerable families in a nutrition and active play intervention to promote child health. These promising findings warrant further implementation and rigorous evaluation of CUPs.
Post‐stroke ankle‐foot orthoses: Examining referral trends in the Scottish multi‐disciplinary team
Authors: Morrow Eileen , Bowers Roy 
Published: January 2019

SummaryPurposeAs per the Best Practice Statement: Use of Ankle‐Foot Orthoses Following Stroke (BPS), members of the stroke multidisciplinary team should refer stroke patients with mobility problems to orthotics. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) assess awareness of the BPS; (2) assess referral patterns and trends; and (3) identify barriers to referral to the Orthotic Service in Scotland.MethodsAn online survey of the stroke MDT, working in Scotland, whose current role involves work with stroke patients. A survey was distributed via the Scottish Stroke Allied Health Professionals Forum, Scottish Stroke Nurses Forum, British Association of Stroke Physicians, and Scottish Stroke Managed Clinical Networks.ResultsStatistically significant association was found between:

Awareness of BPS and NHS Board Area;
Profession and whether clinicians have referred to orthotics;
Confidence in assessment criteria and profession;
Referral to departments other than Orthotics and profession.
ConclusionPhysiotherapists are relied upon by members of the Stroke MDT to identify mobility problems and refer to Orthotics. The BPS should be re‐disseminated, particularly to the East of Scotland and GPs, to improve awareness of referral criteria. Reduced waiting list times and joint physiotherapist‐orthotist clinics may reduce referral barriers to the Orthotic Service.
Applications of SNAP‐tag technology in skin cancer therapy
Authors: Padayachee Eden Rebecca , Adeola Henry Ademola , Van Wyk Jennifer Catherine , Nsole Biteghe Fleury Augustine , Chetty Shivan , Khumalo Nonhlanhla Patience , Barth Stefan 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBackgroundCancer treatment in the 21st century has seen immense advances in optical imaging and immunotherapy. Significant progress has been made in the bioengineering and production of immunoconjugates to achieve the goal of specifically targeting tumors.DiscussionIn the 21st century, antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have been the focus of immunotherapeutic strategies in cancer. ADCs combine the unique targeting of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the cancer killing ability of cytotoxic drugs. However, due to random conjugation methods of drug to antibody, ADCs are associated with poor antigen specificity and low cytotoxicity, resulting in a drug to antibody ratio (DAR) >1. This means that the cytotoxic drugs in ADCs are conjugated randomly to antibodies, by cysteine or lysine residues. This generates heterogeneous ADC populations with 0 to 8 drugs per an antibody, each with distinct pharmacokinetic, efficacy, and toxicity properties. Additionally, heterogeneity is created not only by different antibody to ligand ratios but also by different sites of conjugation. Hence, much effort has been made to find and establish antibody conjugation strategies that enable us to better control stoichiometry and site‐specificity. This includes utilizing protein self‐labeling tags as fusion partners to the original protein. Site‐specific conjugation is a significant characteristic of these engineered proteins. SNAP‐tag is one such engineered self‐labeling protein tag shown to have promising potential in cancer treatment. The SNAP‐tag is fused to an antibody of choice and covalently reacts specifically in a 1:1 ratio with benzylguanine (BG) substrates, eg, fluorophores or photosensitizers, to target skin cancer. This makes SNAP‐tag a versatile technique in optical imaging and photoimmunotherapy of skin cancer.ConclusionSNAP‐tag technology has the potential to contribute greatly to a broad range of molecular oncological applications because it combines efficacious tumor targeting, minimized local and systemic toxicity, and noninvasive assessment of diagnostic/prognostic molecular biomarkers of cancer.