julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
The Heteroleptic Cluster Cation [(W6I8)I3(CH3CN)3]+
2020-11-04

The iodide‐rich compound [(W 6 I 8 )I 3 (CH 3 CN) 3 ]I 9 was synthesized solvothermally from W 6 I 22 and I 2 in acetonitrile. The refined crystal structure reveals the presence of the novel heteroleptic cluster cation [(W 6 I 8 )I 3 (CH 3 CN) 3 ] + containing the [W 6 I 8 ] 4+ cluster with an octahedral tungsten cluster core, coordinated by three apical iodido and three acetonitrile ligands via cluster vertices. The iodide‐rich starting material W 6 I 22 with the addition of I 2 , produces the heptaiodide ion (I 7 ) – that is present in the structure of [(W 6 I 8 )I 3 (CH 3 CN) 3 ](I 7 ) · I 2 . The novelty of this compound is based on the cationic nature of the [(W 6 I 8 )I 3 (CH 3 CN) 3 ] + cluster after anionic [(W 6 I 8 )I 6 ] 2– clusters and their ligand (L) substituted derivatives [(W 6 I 8 )L 6 ] 2– have been widely reported for their versatile photophysical properties.
A novel LysR‐type regulator negatively affects biosynthesis of the immunosuppressant brasilicardin
2020-11-04

Abstract Brasilicardin A (BraA) is a promising immunosuppressive compound produced naturally by the pathogenic bacterium Nocardia terpenica IFM 0406. Heterologous host expression of brasilicardin gene cluster showed to be efficient to bypass the safety issues, low production levels and lack of genetic tools related with the use of native producer. Further improvement of production yields requires better understanding of gene expression regulation within the BraA biosynthetic gene cluster (Bra‐BGC); however, the only so far known regulator of this gene cluster is Bra12. In this study, we discovered the protein LysRNt, a novel member of the LysR‐type transcriptional regulator family, as a regulator of the Bra‐BGC. Using in vitro approaches, we identified the gene promoters which are controlled by LysRNt within the Bra‐BGC. Corresponding genes encode enzymes involved in BraA biosynthesis as well as the key Bra‐BGC regulator Bra12. Importantly, we provide in vivo evidence that LysRNt negatively affects production of brasilicardin congeners in the heterologous host Amycolatopsis japonicum . Finally, we demonstrate that some of the pathway related metabolites, and their chemical analogs, can interact with LysRNt which in turn affects its DNA‐binding activity.
Development and Pilot Validation of an Instrument Assessing Sensorimotor Skills for Percutaneous Gastral Puncture
2020-11-04

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Introduction:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The acquisition of sensorimotor skills, so-called “technical skills”, plays an essential part in the professional and continuing educational training of medical and nursing staff. Facilities turn to simulator training to promote the safe and accurate performance of endoscopic examinations. Thus, this study aimed to develop and pilot-test a corresponding assessment instrument to monitor necessary sensorimotor or “technical” skills of the examiner for a safe percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (AS-PEG). &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Instrument development and pilot validation involved four stages: identification of potential items and initial draft of the AS-PEG; expert panel with 11 experts (content validity index [CVI] calculated); empirical validation using a quasi-experimental intervention on simulators; revision of the pilot AS-PEG taking expert assessment, and empirical testing into consideration. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The initial instrument yielded 13 categories and 44 items describing the PEG procedure. Experts rated 30 out of 44 items (68%) extremely or very important for the safety of the puncture of the stomach. Initial item-CVIs ranged from 0.00 to 1.00; scale-CVI was 0.61. Twenty-four trainees (7 physicians, 17 nurses) participated in the pilot simulation study. On average, 8:25 min were required for PEG placement (min–max 5:59–13:38 min, SD = 1:43). The revised AS-PEG version was reduced to 14 items with a range of the item CVI from 0.8 to 1.0, and a scale-CVI of 0.90. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The AS-PEG instrument facilitates the evaluation of sensorimotor skills during percutaneous gastric puncture procedures within the context of PEG placement, across professions and without relating to the number of procedures previously performed. The instrument is economical and shows satisfying content validity.
Connection “Stripes” in the Primate Insula
2020-11-04

Abstract The insula has been classically divided into vast granular, dysgranular and agranular sectors. Over the years, several distinct studies proposed subdivisions of these sectors, with however no consensus. We recently proposed a cyto- and myelo-architectonic partition in which each sector contained sharply delimited areas (Evrard et al. 2014 J Comp Neurol 522: 64-97). Some of these areas were further divided into distinct subareas with obvious functional implications. Here, we examined the spatial relationship between architectonic boundaries and tract-tracing labeling in the insula in the macaque monkey. Injections of neuronal tracers in distinct areas of the prefrontal or anterior cingulate cortices produced heterogeneous and discontinuous patterns of anterograde and retrograde labeling in the insula. These patterns were made of sharply delimited patches forming anteroposterior stripes across consecutive coronal sections. While the overall pattern of labeling varied with the injection site, the patches systematically coincided with specific architectonic subareas, particularly in the dysgranular insula. This unequivocally validates our prior architectonic partition and strongly supports the idea of a refined modular Bauplan of the primate insula. This modular organization may underlie a serial stream of integration of interoception with ‘self-agency’ and ‘social’ activities across distinct insulo-prefrontal processing units that need to be explored.
Altered cortical thickness development in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and association with psychotic symptoms
2020-11-04

Abstract Schizophrenia has been extensively associated with reduced cortical thickness (CT), and its neurodevelopmental origin is increasingly acknowledged. However, the exact timing and extent of alterations occurring in preclinical phases remain unclear. With a high prevalence of psychosis, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurogenetic disorder that represents a unique opportunity to examine brain maturation in high-risk individuals. In this study, we quantified trajectories of CT maturation in 22q11DS and examined the association of CT development with the emergence of psychotic symptoms. Longitudinal structural MRI data with 1-6 time points were collected from 324 participants aged 5-35 years (N=148 22q11DS, N=176 controls), resulting in a total of 636 scans (N=334 22q11DS, N=302 controls). Mixed model regression analyses were used to compare CT trajectories between participants with 22q11DS and controls. Further, CT trajectories were compared between participants with 22q11DS who developed (N=61, 146 scans), or remained exempt of (N=47; 98 scans) positive psychotic symptoms during development. Compared to controls, participants with 22q11DS showed widespread increased CT, focal reductions in the posterior cingulate gyrus and superior temporal gyrus (STG), and accelerated cortical thinning during adolescence, mainly in fronto-temporal regions. Within 22q11DS, individuals who developed psychotic symptoms showed exacerbated cortical thinning in the right STG. Together, these findings suggest that genetic predisposition for psychosis is associated with increased CT starting from childhood and altered maturational trajectories of CT during adolescence, affecting predominantly fronto-temporal regions. In addition, accelerated thinning in the STG may represent an early biomarker associated with the emergence of psychotic symptoms.
The Perfect
2020-11-04

The analytic perfect is found in Germanic and Romance languages, as well as in a couple of Slavic languages. Based on data from parallel corpora, we address the role of the perfect between tense and aspect, and show how its meaning is composed from aspectual properties of the participle and the tense marking on the auxiliary. Since the perfect is concerned with temporal relations, we focus on the interaction of the construction with temporal adverbials.
Quantifiers, Scope, and Pseudo‐Scope
2020-11-04

Generalized Quantifier Theory (GQT) is discussed as an analysis of quantifying expression (QE) in natural language. According to that theory, a quantifier denotes a relation between sets, and quantifying DPs are QEs that are defined as sets of sets. Such QEs require quantifier raising (QR) and an additional mechanism that provides for the binding of bound variable pronouns. Various restrictions for scope taking in sentences with two or more quantifiers seem to apply; an alternative to scope taking via QR is scope independence, which can be modeled by choice functions or Skolem functions and is informally described in terms of game theory. Various data seem to require scope extension in the sense that semantic scope is wider than syntactic scope via c‐command. Such extensions are Discourse Representation Theory (DRT) and dynamic logic. Further extensions of GQT deal with pluralities.
Epistemic Modality
2020-11-04

This chapter starts by introducing the notion of epistemic modality and then briefly discusses the diachronic relations between epistemic and other modal words. It proceeds to review the major families of theoretical approaches to epistemic modality and what is known about the syntactic position and semantic scope possibilities for epistemics, focusing on data from English. Finally, it addresses the issue of embedding epistemic markers under attitude verbs.
Extraordinary Tumor Growth Rates in Bilateral Meningioma-Vestibular Schwannoma Collision Tumors in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 2: Case Report and Literature Review
2020-11-04

Abstract Collision tumors seem to be an extraordinary pathology with unusual features. We sought to report the management of very fast-growing bilateral meningioma-vestibular schwannoma collision tumors in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 2. Both meningiomas and both vestibular schwannoma, when analyzed by volumetry, showed a very rapid growth rate (0.476–0.833 cm 3 per month) in comparison with two meningiomas of other locations (0.132–0.233 cm 3 per month). To the best of our knowledge, the growth rates of both vestibular schwannomas in the present case are the fastest that have been described in literature for a vestibular schwannoma so far.
Conceptual Spaces and Semantic Similarities of Colors
2020-11-04

This chapter presents a statistical evaluation of the typological data about color naming systems across the languages of the world that have been obtained by the World Color Survey. In a first step, we discuss a singular value decomposition of the categorization data that led to a small set of easily interpretable features dominant in color categorization. These features were used for a dimensionality reduction of the categorization data. Using the categorization data thus preprocessed, we proceed to show that the available typological data support the hypothesis by the cognitive scientist Peter Gärdenfors that the extensions of color category are convex sets in the CIELab space in the languages of the world.
Decomposition
2020-11-04

The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of the different accounts of decomposition. After briefly describing the binary feature approach to nouns we concentrate on the decomposition of verbs. We describe several semantic formula approaches that have been developed since the time of generative semantics. Besides being used as a proper means to give a compilation of a verb's semantic properties they are often considered to have a substantial impact on linguistic theory, in particular on the syntax–semantics interface. Decomposition plays a prominent role for many linking theories; that is, for the mapping of semantic arguments to syntactic positions. Beyond that, early approaches such as generative semantics and recent syntactic theories such as distributed morphology propose that lexical decomposition itself is completely projected to syntactic structures. We argue that this claim is supported by the syntacto‐semantic properties of adverbs.
Nicotinamide (NA) Treatment Improves Response to G-CSF in Severe Congenital Neutropenia (SCN) Patients
2020-11-04

Background: SCN is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome with markedly reduced granulocyte numbers and functions that often manifests with life-threatening bacterial infections. G-CSF treatment is the primary therapeutic approach, yet some SCN patients require high doses of G-CSF which increases the risk of acute myeloid leukemia development, or do not respond to GCSF at al. We have demonstrated that nicotinamide (NA) treatment increases granulocyte numbers in healthy volunteers. Aim: To asses the effect of NA treatment in SCN and cyclic neutropenia (CyN) patients. Methods: 15 SCN and three CyN patients ages 0.5 to 31 (M-5.47) years were orally treated with 20 mg/kg/day of NA in addition to G-CSF therapy. G-CSF dose varied between 0.6 and 50.8 μg/kg/day before start of NA treatment. Results: After three months of NA treatment, absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) increased from median 0.80 x 109/l (Q1 0.61, Q3 1.29 x 109/l) to 1.77 x 109/l (Q1 1.49, Q3 2.33 x 109/l) (p &amp;lt; 0.001). This allowed G-CSF dose reduction from 15 μg/kg/day (Q1 5, Q3 25 μg/kg/day) to 10 μg/kg/day (Q1 1.77, Q3 15.16 μg/kg/day) in 17 patients, and complete G-CSF tapering in one patient. After one year of observations, ANC were 1.50 x 109/l (Q1 0.99, Q3 2.86 x 109/l), median increase of ANC from start of therapy was 0.89 x 109/l fold (Q1 0.39, Q3 1.57; р = 0.004). NA was well tolerated, without severe adverse events. We also observed a marked reduction of the frequency and severity of bacterial infections upon combination of NA and G-CSF. Conclusions: In our group of SCN/CyN patients, NA treatment led to increased neutrophil counts and decreased required G-CSF doses with continuous clinical and laboratory responses. We also observed a reduction of the frequency and severity of bacterial infections. Therefore, the use of NA in combination with a reduced dose of G-CSF for the treatment of SCN and CyN patients is promising and should be further investigated in a larger cohort of patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
OBSERVING GRBS WITH THE LOFT WIDE FIELD MONITOR
2020-11-04

LOFT (Large Observatory For X-ray Timing) is one of the four candidate missions currently under assessment study for the M3 mission in ESAs Cosmic Vision program to be launched in 2024.LOFT will carry two instruments with prime sensitivity in the 2-30 keV range: a 10 m 2 class large area detector (LAD) with a <1 • collimated field of view and a wide field monitor (WFM) instrument.The WFM is based on the coded mask principle, and 5 camera units will provide coverage of more than 1/3 of the sky.The prime goal of the WFM is to detect transient sources to be observed by the LAD.With its wide field of view and good energy resolution of <500 eV, the WFM will be an excellent instrument for detecting and studying GRBs and X-ray flashes.The WFM will be able to detect ∼150 gamma ray bursts per year, and a burst alert system will enable the distribution of ∼100 GRB positions per year with a ∼1 arcmin location accuracy within 30 s of the burst.
Supporting SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease Drug Discovery: In silico Methods and Benchmarking
2020-11-05

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a rapidly growing pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Its papain-like protease (SARS-CoV-2 PLpro) is a crucial target to halt virus replication. SARS-CoV PLpro and SARS-CoV-2 PLpro share an 82.9% sequence identity and a 100% sequence identity for the binding site reported to accommodate small molecules in SARS-CoV. The flexible key binding site residues Tyr269 and Gln270 for small-molecule recognition in SARS-CoV PLpro exist also in SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. This inspired us to use the reported small-molecule binders to SARS-CoV PLpro to generate a high-quality DEKOIS 2.0 benchmark set. Accordingly, we used them in a cross-benchmarking study against SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. As there is no SARS-CoV-2 PLpro structure complexed with a small-molecule ligand publicly available at the time of manuscript submission, we built a homology model based on the ligand-bound SARS-CoV structure for benchmarking and docking purposes. Three publicly available docking tools FRED, AutoDock Vina, and PLANTS were benchmarked. All showed better-than-random performances, with FRED performing best against the built model. Detailed performance analysis via pROC-Chemotype plots showed a strong enrichment of the most potent bioactives in the early docking ranks. Cross-benchmarking against the X-ray structure complexed with a peptide-like inhibitor confirmed that FRED is the best-performing tool. Furthermore, we performed cross-benchmarking against the newly introduced X-ray structure complexed with a small-molecule ligand. Interestingly, its benchmarking profile and chemotype enrichment were comparable to the built model. Accordingly, we used FRED in a prospective virtual screen of the DrugBank database. In conclusion, this study provides an example of how to harness a custom-made DEKOIS 2.0 benchmark set as an approach to enhance the virtual screening success rate against a vital target of the rapidly emerging pandemic.
The Routledge Handbook of Critical European Studies
2020-11-05

Critical Social Theory (CST), in its broadest sense, is a transdisciplinary approach to the social sciences that applies critique to the status quo in order to emancipate humans and the planet from the negative consequences of modernity. The development of CST as a critical theoretical approach to European integration grew through the 1990s, with an increasing concern for understanding and challenging the social production of knowledge; for historicising and contextualising subjectivity; and a commitment to progress and emancipation as the goals of research. The chapter examines in more detail a selection of contributions that CST has made to the understanding of European integration. These contributions demonstrate both the transdisciplinary and holistic approach of CST by asking questions and demanding answers that open up European integration to historical context, political consequences, and public scrutiny beyond disciplinary domains. The chapter reflects on being critical of the critical, before arguing how CST imagines ‘another Europe is possible’.
Multiple insecticide resistance and Plasmodium infection in the principal malaria vectors Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae in a forested locality close to the Yaoundé airport, Cameroon
2020-11-05

<ns4:p><ns4:bold>Background:</ns4:bold>Reducing the burden of malaria requires better understanding of vector populations, particularly in forested regions where the incidence remains elevated. Here, we characterized malaria vectors in a locality near the Yaoundé international airport, Cameroon, including species composition, abundance,<ns4:italic>Plasmodium</ns4:italic>infection rate, insecticide resistance profiles and underlying resistance mechanisms.</ns4:p><ns4:p><ns4:bold>Methods:</ns4:bold>Blood-fed adult mosquitoes resting indoors were aspirated from houses in April 2019 at Elende, a locality situated 2 km from the Yaoundé-Nsimalen airport. Female mosquitoes were forced to lay eggs to generate F<ns4:sub>1</ns4:sub>adults. Bioassays were performed to assess resistance profile to the four insecticides classes. The threshold of insecticide susceptibility was defined above 98% mortality rate and mortality rates below 90% were indicative of confirmed insecticide resistance. Furthermore, the molecular basis of resistance and<ns4:italic>Plasmodium</ns4:italic>infection rates were investigated.</ns4:p><ns4:p><ns4:bold>Results:</ns4:bold><ns4:italic>Anopheles funestus</ns4:italic>s.s. was the most abundant species in Elende (85%) followed by<ns4:italic>Anopheles gambiae</ns4:italic>s.s. (15%) with both having similar sporozoite rate. Both species exhibited high levels of resistance to the pyrethroids, permethrin and deltamethrin (&lt;40% mortality).<ns4:italic>An. gambiae</ns4:italic>s.s. was resistant to DDT (9.9% mortality) and bendiocarb (54% mortality) while susceptible to organophosphate.<ns4:italic>An. funestus</ns4:italic>s.s. was resistant to dieldrin (1% mortality), DDT (86% mortality) but susceptible to carbamates and organophosphates. The L119F-GSTe2 resistance allele (8%) and G119S<ns4:italic>ace</ns4:italic>-1 resistance allele (15%) were detected in<ns4:italic>An. funestus</ns4:italic>s.s. and<ns4:italic>An. gambiae</ns4:italic>s.s., respectively<ns4:italic>.</ns4:italic>Furthermore, the high pyrethroid/DDT resistances in<ns4:italic>An. gambiae</ns4:italic>corresponded with an increase frequency of 1014F<ns4:italic>kdr</ns4:italic>allele (95%). Transcriptional profiling of candidate cytochrome P450 genes reveals the over-expression of<ns4:italic>CYP6P5</ns4:italic>,<ns4:italic>CYP6P9a</ns4:italic>and<ns4:italic>CYP6P9b.</ns4:italic></ns4:p><ns4:p><ns4:bold>Conclusion:</ns4:bold>The resistance to multiple insecticide classes observed in these vector populations alongside the significant<ns4:italic>Plasmodium</ns4:italic>sporozoite rate highlights the challenges that vector control programs encounter in sustaining the regular benefits of contemporary insecticide-based control interventions in forested areas.</ns4:p>
Acyl-Ghrelin Influences Pancreatic β-Cell Function by Interference with KATP Channels
2020-11-05

The aim for this study was to elucidate how the hypothalamic hunger-inducing hormone acyl-ghrelin (AG), which is also produced in the pancreas, affects β-cell function, with particular attention to the role of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels and the exact site of action of the hormone. AG hyperpolarized the membrane potential and decreased cytoplasmic calcium concentration [Ca2+]c and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). These effects were abolished in β-cells from SUR1-knockout (KO) mice. AG increased KATP current but only in a configuration with intact metabolism. Unacylated ghrelin counteracted the effects of AG. The influence of AG on membrane potential and GSIS could only be averted in the combined presence of a ghrelin receptor (GHSR1a) antagonist and an inverse agonist. The inhibition of GSIS by AG could be prevented by dibutyryl cyclic–cAMP or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and the somatostatin (SST) receptor 2–5 antagonist H6056. These data indicate that AG indirectly opens KATP channels probably by interference with the cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathway, resulting in a decrease of [Ca2+]c and GSIS. The experiments with SUR1-KO β-cells point to a direct effect of AG on β-cells and not, as earlier suggested, to an exclusive effect by AG-induced SST release from δ-cells. Nevertheless, SST receptors may be involved in the effect of AG, possibly by heteromerization of AG and SST receptors.