julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism Before and After RBC Transfusion in Infants Following Major Surgical Procedures
2018-02-06

Objective: Although infants following major surgery frequently require RBC transfusions, there is still controversy concerning the best definition for requirement of transfusion in the individual patient. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of RBC transfusion on cerebral oxygen metabolism in noncardiac and cardiac postsurgical infants. Design: Prospective observational cohort study. Setting: Pediatric critical care unit of a tertiary referral center. Patients: Fifty-eight infants (15 after pediatric surgery and 43 after cardiac surgery) with anemia requiring RBC transfusion were included. Interventions: RBC transfusion. Measurements and Main Results: We measured noninvasively regional cerebral oxygen saturation and microperfusion (relative cerebral blood flow) using tissue spectrometry and laser Doppler flowmetry before and after RBC transfusion. Cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction and approximated cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen were calculated. Fifty-eight RBC transfusions in 58 patients were monitored (15 after general surgery, 24 after cardiac surgery resulting in acyanotic biventricular physiology and 19 in functionally univentricular hearts including hypoplastic left heart following neonatal palliation). The posttransfusion hemoglobin concentrations increased significantly (9.7 g/dL vs 12.8 g/dL; 9.7 g/dL vs 13.8 g/dL; 13.1 g/dL vs 15.6 g/dL; p &lt; 0.001, respectively). Posttransfusion cerebral oxygen saturation was significantly higher than pretransfusion (61% [51–78] vs 72% [59–89]; p &lt; 0.001; 58% [35–77] vs 71% [57–88]; p &lt; 0.001; 51% [37–61] vs 58% [42–73]; p = 0.007). Cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction decreased posttransfusion significantly 0.37 (0.16–0.47) and 0.27 (0.07–039), p = 0.002; 0.40 (0.2–0.62) vs 0.26 (0.11–0.57), p = 0.001; 0.42 (0.23–0.52) vs 0.32 (0.1–0.42), p = 0.017. Cerebral blood flow and approximated cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen showed no significant change during the observation period. The increase in cerebral oxygen saturation and the decrease in cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction were most pronounced in patients after cardiac surgery with a pretransfusion cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction greater than or equal to 0.4. Conclusion: Following RBC transfusion, cerebral oxygen saturation increases and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction decreases. The data suggest that cerebral oxygenation in postoperative infants with cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction greater than or equal to 0.4 may be at risk in instable hemodynamic or respiratory situations.
(Non-)Sense in note-taking for consecutive interpreting
2018-02-06

The paper applies cognitive theories of text and language processing, and in particular relevance theory, to the analysis of notes in consecutive interpreting. In contrast to the pre-cognitive view, in which note-taking is seen mainly as a memory-supporting technique, the process of note-taking is described as the reception and production of a notation text. Adding the relevance-theoretical constructs of explicature and implicature to the general account of cognitive text processing as coherence building and the construction of a mental representation at local and global levels, this approach allows for the comparison of source, notation and target texts with respect to the underlying propositional representation, and shows how the sense of highly fragmentary notation texts is recovered in consecutive interpreting. The paper is based on an empirical study involving consecutive interpretations (English-German) by five trainee interpreters. The analysis shows that the interpreters operate relatively closely along micropropositional lines when processing the source, notation and target texts, with the explicature regularly having the same propositional form as the corresponding proposition in the source text.
Microplastics Reduce Short-Term Effects of Environmental Contaminants. Part II: Polyethylene Particles Decrease the Effect of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Microorganisms
2018-02-07

Microplastic particles in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are currently discussed as an emerging persistent organic pollutant and as acting as a vector for hydrophobic chemicals. Microplastic particles may ultimately deposit and accumulate in soil as well as marine and freshwater sediments where they can be harmful to organisms. In this study, we tested the sensitivity of natural freshwater sediment bacterial communities (by genetic fingerprint) to exposure to microplastics (polyethylene, 2 and 20 mg/g sediment) and microplastics loaded with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, phenanthrene and anthracene), using a laboratory-based approach. After two weeks of incubation, the bacterial community composition from an unpolluted river section was altered by high concentrations of microplastics, whereas the community downstream of a wastewater treatment plant remained unchanged. Low microplastic concentrations loaded with phenanthrene or anthracene induced a less pronounced response in the sediment communities compared to the same total amount of phenanthrene or anthracene alone. In addition, biodegradation of the PAHs was reduced. This study shows, that microplastic can affect bacterial community composition in unpolluted freshwater sediments. Moreover, the results indicate that microplastics can serve as a vehicle for hydrophobic pollutants but bioavailability of the latter is reduced by the sorption to microplastics.
BACHD rats expressing full-length mutant huntingtin exhibit differences in social behavior compared to wild-type littermates
2018-02-07

Taken together, these results indicate deficits in several parameters representative of sociability. Altered BDNF expression in the ventral striatum may contribute to the deficits in sociability in 8 months old BACHD rats. These data support the validity of the BACHD rat model in mimicking features of certain social deficits that could be relevant to symptoms in patients.
Perceived Threat and Internet Use Predict Intentions to Get Bowel Cancer Screening (Colonoscopy): Longitudinal Questionnaire Study
2018-02-07

The results of this study suggest that health-related Internet use can facilitate emotion-regulatory processes. People who feel threatened by a possible (bowel) cancer diagnosis reported stronger colonoscopy intentions, especially when they used the Internet often. We propose that this is because people who experience threat are more likely to search for and process information that allows them to downregulate their aversive emotional state. In the present case of (bowel) cancer prevention, the most effective way to reduce threat is to get screened.
Cardioprotection by ischemic postconditioning and cyclic guanosine monophosphate-elevating agents involves cardiomyocyte nitric oxide-sensitive guanylyl cyclase
2018-02-08

These findings demonstrate an important role of CM NO-GC for the cardioprotective signalling following AMI in vivo. CM NO-GC function is essential for the beneficial effects on infarct size elicited by iPost and pharmacological elevation of cGMP; however, lack of CM NO-GC does not seem to disrupt the cardioprotection mediated by the BK opener NS11021.
Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer EMMPRIN (CD147) in Cardiovascular Disease
2018-02-08

The receptor EMMPRIN is involved in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases and in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction. There are several binding partners of EMMPRIN mediating the effects of EMMPRIN in cardiovascular diseases. EMMPRIN interaction with most binding partners leads to disease progression by mediating cytokine or chemokine release, the activation of platelets and monocytes, as well as the formation of monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPAs). EMMPRIN is also involved in atherosclerosis by mediating the infiltration of pro-inflammatory cells. There is also evidence that EMMPRIN controls energy metabolism of cells and that EMMPRIN binding partners modulate intracellular glycosylation and trafficking of EMMPRIN towards the cell membrane. In this review, we systematically discuss these multifaceted roles of EMMPRIN and its interaction partners, such as Cyclophilins, in cardiovascular disease.
Magnetic fields at the onset of high-mass star formation
2018-02-08

Context. The importance of magnetic fields at the onset of star formation related to the early fragmentation and collapse processes is largely unexplored today. Aims. We want to understand the magnetic field properties at the earliest evolutionary stages of high-mass star formation. Methods. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array is used at 1.3 mm wavelength in full polarization mode to study the polarized emission, and, using this, the magnetic field morphologies and strengths of the high-mass starless region IRDC 18310-4. Results. Polarized emission is clearly detected in four sub-cores of the region; in general it shows a smooth distribution, also along elongated cores. Estimating the magnetic field strength via the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method and following a structure function analysis, we find comparably large magnetic field strengths between ~0.3–5.3 mG. Comparing the data to spectral line observations, the turbulent-to-magnetic energy ratio is low, indicating that turbulence does not significantly contribute to the stability of the gas clump. A mass-to-flux ratio around the critical value 1.0 – depending on column density – indicates that the region starts to collapse, which is consistent with the previous spectral line analysis of the region. Conclusions. While this high-mass region is collapsing and thus at the verge of star formation, the high magnetic field values and the smooth spatial structure indicate that the magnetic field is important for the fragmentation and collapse process. This single case study can only be the starting point for larger sample studies of magnetic fields at the onset of star formation.
The Absence of Sensory Axon Bifurcation Affects Nociception and Termination Fields of Afferents in the Spinal Cord
2018-02-08

A cGMP signaling cascade composed of C-type natriuretic peptide, the guanylyl cyclase receptor Npr2 and cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (cGKI) controls the bifurcation of sensory axons upon entering the spinal cord during embryonic development. However, the impact of axon bifurcation on sensory processing in adulthood remains poorly understood. To investigate the functional consequences of impaired axon bifurcation during adult stages we generated conditional mouse mutants of Npr2 and cGKI (<i>Npr2</i><sup><i>fl</i>/<i>fl</i></sup><i>;Wnt1</i><sup><i>Cre</i></sup> and <i>cGKI</i><sup><i>KO</i>/<i>fl</i></sup><i>;Wnt1</i><sup><i>Cre</i></sup> ) that lack sensory axon bifurcation in the absence of additional phenotypes observed in the global knockout mice. Cholera toxin labeling in digits of the hind paw demonstrated an altered shape of sensory neuron termination fields in the spinal cord of conditional Npr2 mouse mutants. Behavioral testing of both sexes indicated that noxious heat sensation and nociception induced by chemical irritants are impaired in the mutants, whereas responses to cold sensation, mechanical stimulation, and motor coordination are not affected. Recordings from C-fiber nociceptors in the hind limb skin showed that Npr2 function was not required to maintain normal heat sensitivity of peripheral nociceptors. Thus, the altered behavioral responses to noxious heat found in <i>Npr2</i><sup><i>fl</i>/<i>fl</i></sup><i>;Wnt1</i><sup><i>Cre</i></sup> mice is not due to an impaired C-fiber function. Overall, these data point to a critical role of axonal bifurcation for the processing of pain induced by heat or chemical stimuli.
QCD constituent counting rules for neutral vector mesons
2018-02-08

QCD constituent counting rules define the scaling behavior of exclusive hadronic scattering and electromagnetic scattering amplitudes at high momentum transfer in terms of the total number of fundamental constituents in the initial and final states participating in the hard subprocess. The scaling laws reflect the twist of the leading Fock state for each hadron and hence the leading operator that creates the composite state from the vacuum. Thus, the constituent counting scaling laws can be used to identify the twist of exotic hadronic candidates such as tetraquarks and pentaquarks. Effective field theories must consistently implement the scaling rules in order to be consistent with the fundamental theory. Here in this paper, we examine how one can apply constituent counting rules for the exclusive production of one or two neutral vector mesons V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt; in e &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; e &lt;sup&gt;-&lt;/sup&gt; annihilation, processes in which the V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt; can couple via intermediate photons. In the case of a (narrow) real V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt;, the photon virtuality is fixed to a precise value s&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; = m2V&lt;sub&gt;0&lt;/sub&gt;, thus treating the V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt; as a single fundamental particle. Each real V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt; thus contributes to the constituent counting rules with NV0 = 1 . In effect, the leading operator underlying the V 0 has twist 1. Thus, in the specific physical case of single or double on-shell V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt; production via intermediate photons, the predicted scaling from counting rules coincides with vector-meson dominance (VMD), an effective theory that treats V 0 as an elementary field. However, the VMD prediction fails in the general case where the V&lt;sup&gt;0&lt;/sup&gt; is not coupled through an elementary photon field, and then the leading-twist interpolating operator has twist NV&lt;sub&gt;0&lt;/sub&gt; = 2 . Analogous effects appear in pp scattering processes.
Npom‐Protected NONOate Enables Light‐Triggered NO/cGMP Signalling in Primary Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
2018-02-08

Abstract Diazeniumdiolates (NONOates) are a class of nitric‐oxide‐releasing substances widely used in studies of NO/cGMP signalling. Because spatiotemporal control is highly desirable for such purposes, we have synthesised a new Npom‐caged pyrrolidine NONOate. A kinetic analysis together with a Griess assay showed the photodependent release of NO with high quantum yield (UV light). In primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), our compound was reliably able to induce fast increases in cGMP, as measured with a genetically encoded FRET‐based cGMP sensor and further validated by the phosphorylation of the downstream target vasodilator‐stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP). Thanks to their facile synthesis, good decaging kinetics and capability to activate cGMP signalling in a fast and efficient manner, Npom‐protected NONOates allow for improved spatiotemporal control of NO/cGMP signalling.
Is German discourse-configurational? Experimental evidence for a topic position
2018-02-08

Frey (2000; 2004) assumes that German is discourse-configurational regarding aboutness topics, namely that there is a special syntactic position for topics within the German middle field, directly above the base position of sentence adverbials. In this paper we will present two acceptability judgment studies and two reading time studies that provide support for a designated topic position in German. Based on assumptions regarding (non-)topicable noun phrases, i.e. phrases that are (not) able to serve as an aboutness topic (see e.g. Frey 2004; Endriss 2009), we manipulated the subject type (referential, quantified, non-referential) and the position of the subject (preceding and following a sentence adverbial). In a further experiment, we varied whether the referential subject is marked as a topic or not. In sum, we found convincing evidence for a syntactic topic position. We do not think that our results affirm the assumption of a TopP (topic phrase), but they at least suggest the existence of a topic position in a descriptive sense.
Body size estimation of self and others in females varying in BMI
2018-02-09

Previous literature suggests that a disturbed ability to accurately identify own body size may contribute to overweight. Here, we investigated the influence of personal body size, indexed by body mass index (BMI), on body size estimation in a non-clinical population of females varying in BMI. We attempted to disentangle general biases in body size estimates and attitudinal influences by manipulating whether participants believed the body stimuli (personalized avatars with realistic weight variations) represented their own body or that of another person. Our results show that the accuracy of own body size estimation is predicted by personal BMI, such that participants with lower BMI underestimated their body size and participants with higher BMI overestimated their body size. Further, participants with higher BMI were less likely to notice the same percentage of weight gain than participants with lower BMI. Importantly, these results were only apparent when participants were judging a virtual body that was their own identity (Experiment 1), but not when they estimated the size of a body with another identity and the same underlying body shape (Experiment 2a). The different influences of BMI on accuracy of body size estimation and sensitivity to weight change for self and other identity suggests that effects of BMI on visual body size estimation are self-specific and not generalizable to other bodies.
Gemcitabine alters the proteasome composition and immunopeptidome of tumour cells
2018-02-09

The antigenic makeup of tumour cells can have a profound effect on the progression of cancer and success of immunotherapies. Therefore, one strategy to improve the efficacy of cancer treatments is to augment the antigens displayed by tumours. The present study explores how the recognition of tumour cells may be altered by non-cytotoxic concentrations of gemcitabine (GEM). Testing a panel of chemotherapeutics in human cancer cell lines <i>in vitro</i>, it was found that GEM increased surface expression of HLA-A,B,C and that underlying this were specific increases in β-2-microglobulin and immunoproteasome subunit proteins. Furthermore, the peptide antigen repertoire displayed on HLA class I was altered, revealing a number of novel antigens, many of which that were derived from proteins involved in the DNA-damage response. Changes in the nature of the peptide antigens eluted from HLA-A,B,C after GEM treatment consisted of amino acid anchor-residue modifications and changes in peptide length which rendered peptides likely to favour alternative HLA-alleles and increased their predicted immunogenicity. Signalling through the MAPK/ERK and NFκB/RelB pathways was associated with these changes. These data may explain observations made in previous <i>in vivo</i> studies, advise as to which antigens should be used in future vaccination protocols and reinforce the idea that chemotherapy and immunotherapy could be used in combination.
Dynamic B0 shimming of the human brain at 9.4 T with a 16‐channel multi‐coil shim setup
2018-02-09

Purpose A 16‐channel multi‐coil shimming setup was developed to mitigate severe B 0 field perturbations at ultrahigh field and improve data quality for human brain imaging and spectroscopy. Methods The shimming setup consisted of 16 circular B 0 coils that were positioned symmetrically on a cylinder with a diameter of 370 mm. The latter was large enough to house a shielded 18/32‐channel RF transceiver array. The shim performance was assessed via simulations and phantom as well as in vivo measurements at 9.4 T. The global and dynamic shimming performance of the multi‐coil setup was compared with the built‐in scanner shim system for EPI and single voxel spectroscopy. Results The presence of the multi‐coil shim did not influence the performance of the RF coil. The performance of the proposed setup was similar to a full third‐order spherical harmonic shim system in the case of global static and dynamic slice‐wise shimming. Dynamic slice‐wise shimming with the multi‐coil setup outperformed global static shimming with the scanner's second‐order spherical‐harmonic shim. The multi‐coil setup allowed mitigating geometric distortions for EPI. The combination of the multi‐coil shim setup with the zeroth and first‐order shim of the scanner further reduced the standard deviation of the B 0 field in the brain by 12% compared with the case in which multi‐coil was used exclusively. Conclusion The combination of a multi‐coil setup and the linear shim channels of the scanner provides a straightforward solution for implementing dynamic slice‐wise shimming without requiring an additional pre‐emphasis setup.
Effects of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate on serum lipids in patients with partial-onset seizures: Impact of concomitant statins and enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs
2018-02-09

These results suggest that ESL does not appear to have clinically significant effects on serum lipids, nor does the pharmacokinetic interaction between ESL and statins have an impact on serum lipid concentrations.
Attitudes towards telemedicine in pregnancy monitoring: A questionnaire survey among health care professionals in Germany (Preprint)
2018-02-11

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Pregnant women have a high demand for fetal monitoring and reassurance. Consequently, they use a variety of health applications in pregnancy and tend to visit emergency departments for objectively non-urgent consults. However, the potential of electronic Health (eHealth) and mobile Health (mHealth) solutions is clinically hardly used to prevent non-urgent emergency consultations. To implement modern care solutions a better understanding of the attitudes, fears and hopes of health care professionals towards eHealth and mHealth is needed. </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of health care professionals in obstetrics towards telemedicine. </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> A quantitative web based survey among health care professionals in Germany was conducted. The participants included nurses, midwives and physicians of all age groups and job positions working in hospitals with various level of care. The questionnaire comprised 24 questions capturing study population characteristics, views about emergency consultations in obstetrics, attitude towards telemedicine, job satisfaction and sleeping behavior. </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> 244 health care professionals participated in the online survey. In general, health care professionals are skeptical (72.9%; n=170) about the use of telemedicine in obstetrics, however, 55.8% (n=130) recognize its potential. Physicians are optimistic with 72% (n=62) considering the use of applications (apps) for pregnancy monitoring reasonable by contrast to just 36% (n=47) of non-physicians (P&lt;.001). Significantly more non-physicians reject such developments categorically, 58% (n=75) compared to 27% (n=24) of physicians (P&lt;.001). We also found, that obstetricians with more than ten years of work-experiences are more skeptical. 49% (n=18) of them believe that telemedicine could reduce non-urgent emergency consultations compared to 73.2% (n=106) among obstetricians with less than 5 years of experience (P=.006). Our survey revealed a high job satisfaction among health care professionals in obstetrics and a prevalence of regular sleeping problems of 46% (n=91). Surprisingly, both job satisfaction and sleeping problems were independent from the number of night shifts served per month (P=.77 and P=.99 respectively). Yet, 56.6% (n=112) of the survey participants thought they would be happier in their job if they had to work fewer night shifts per month. </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> Our study reveals an ambivalent attitude towards telemedicine among health care professionals in obstetrics. Efforts to promote the use of telemedicine should concentrate on nurses and midwives since this group is most skeptical about it in Germany. By contrast, particularly young physicians recognize the potential of apps for patient care and would like to use such technology in pregnancy monitoring. </sec>