julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Increase in coercive measures in psychiatric hospitals in Germany during the COVID-19 Pandemic
2022-02-05

Abstract Objective To examine whether the pandemic in 2020 caused changes in psychiatric hospital cases, the percentage of patients exposed to coercive interventions, and aggressive incidents. Methods We used the case registry for coercive measures of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, comprising case-related data on mechanical restraint, seclusion, physical restraint, and forced medication in each of the State’s 31 licensed hospitals treating adults, to compare data from 2019 and 2020. Results The number of cases in adult psychiatry decreased by 7.6% from 105,782 to 97,761. The percentage of involuntary cases increased from 12.3 to 14.1%, and the absolute number of coercive measures increased by 4.7% from 26,269 to 27,514. The percentage of cases exposed to any kind of coercive measure increased by 24.6% from 6.5 to 8.1%, and the median cumulative duration per affected case increased by 13.1% from 12.2 to 13.8 hrs, where seclusion increased more than mechanical restraint. The percentage of patients with aggressive incidents, collected in 10 hospitals, remained unchanged. Conclusions While voluntary cases decreased considerably during the pandemic, involuntary cases increased slightly. However, the increased percentage of patients exposed to coercion is not only due to a decreased percentage of voluntary patients, as the duration of coercive measures per case also increased. The changes that indicate a deterioration in treatment quality were probably caused by the multitude of measures to manage the pandemic. The focus of attention has shifted from prevention of coercion to prevention of infection.
Reading Network Diagrams by Using Contour Lines and Word Clouds
2022-02-05

This text aims to discuss the problem of scalability that severely affects networks that are characterized by millions or even billions of nodes and edges, producing what is commonly known as the spaghetti effect. The idea hereby presented is simple and can be summarized by the question, “do we really need to visualize links to make network diagrams meaningful?”
Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons
2022-02-06

Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule associated protein, essential for correct central nervous system development and lamination in the mammalian cortex. It has been demonstrated to be expressed in developing—but not in mature—neurons. The teleost visual system is an ideal model to study mechanisms of adult neurogenesis due to its continuous life-long growth. Here, we report immunohistochemical, in silico, and western blot analysis to detect the DCX protein in the visual system of teleost fish. We clearly determined the expression of DCX in newly generated cells in the retina of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni, but not in the cyprinid fish Danio rerio. Here, we show that DCX is not associated with migrating cells but could be related to axonal growth. This work brings to light the high conservation of DCX sequences between different evolutionary groups, which make it an ideal marker for maturing neurons in various species. The results from different techniques corroborate the absence of DCX expression in zebrafish. In A. burtoni, DCX is very useful for identifying new neurons in the transition zone of the retina. In addition, this marker can be applied to follow axons from maturing neurons through the neural fiber layer, optic nerve head, and optic nerve.
Transcription regulation of iron carrier transport genes by ECF sigma factors through signaling from the cell surface into the cytoplasm
2022-02-07

Abstract Bacteria are usually iron-deficient because the Fe3+ in their environment is insoluble or is incorporated into proteins. To overcome their natural iron limitation, bacteria have developed sophisticated iron transport and regulation systems. In gram-negative bacteria, these include iron carriers, such as citrate, siderophores, and heme, which when loaded with Fe3+ adsorb with high specificity and affinity to outer membrane proteins. Binding of the iron carriers to the cell surface elicits a signal that initiates transcription of iron carrier transport and synthesis genes, referred to as “cell surface signaling”. Transcriptional regulation is not coupled to transport. Outer membrane proteins with signaling functions contain an additional N-terminal domain that in the periplasm makes contact with an anti-sigma factor regulatory protein that extends from the outer membrane into the cytoplasm. Binding of the iron carriers to the outer membrane receptors elicits proteolysis of the anti-sigma factor by two different proteases, Prc in the periplasm, and RseP in the cytoplasmic membrane, inactivates the anti-sigma function or results in the generation of an N-terminal peptide of ∼50 residues with pro-sigma activity yielding an active extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factor. Signal recognition and signal transmission into the cytoplasm is discussed herein.
Cell-free tumor DNA, CA125 and HE4 for the objective assessment of tumor burden in patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer
2022-02-07

Background The present prospective study aimed at determining the impact of cell-free tumor DNA (ct-DNA), CA125 and HE4 from blood and ascites for quantification of tumor burden in patients with advanced high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from tumor FFPE and ct-DNA from plasma before surgery and on subsequent post-surgical days. Extracted DNA was subjected to hybrid-capture based next generation sequencing. Blood and ascites were sampled before surgery and on subsequent post-surgical days. 20 patients (10 undergoing complete resection (TR0), 10 undergoing incomplete resection (TR&gt;0)) were included. Results The minor allele frequency (MAF) of TP53 mutations in ct-DNA of all patients with TR0 decreased significantly, compared to only one patient with TR&gt;0. It was not possible to distinguish between patients with TR0 and patients with TR&gt;0, using CA125 and HE4 from blood and ascites. Conclusions Based upon the present findings, ct-DNA assessment in patients with high-grade serous EOC might help to better determine disease burden compared to standard tumor markers. Further studies should prospectively evaluate whether this enhancement of accuracy can help to optimize management of patients with EOC.
Evaluation of an elective ultrasound course for medical students
2022-02-07

Abstract To evaluate the educational benefits of teaching ultrasound in an elective radiological course for medical students. We conducted a single‐center retrospective analysis of a one‐week elective ultrasound course in which 39 medical students (25 female; median age 25.8 ± 2.8 years, range 21–35, 4th and 5th years of undergraduate medical education) participated as part of their radiological training. The students completed a pre‐ and post‐course questionnaire using a five‐point Likert scale for self‐assessment of technical knowledge, confidence in the procedure regarding different organs, motivation for performing ultrasound, and the importance of ultrasound in medical education. The students also assessed the value of ultrasound teaching in the context of their general medical degree. Pre‐test and post‐test scores showed significantly improved radiology knowledge ( p ≤ 0.001) concerning all abdominal organs (liver, spleen, gallbladder, kidney, urinary bladder, aorta and retroperitoneum). A significant improvement was registered in performing ultrasound of peripheral arteries and venous structures (each p = 0.001), and also of the thyroid gland ( p = 0.006). General surveys at the end of the elective were overwhelmingly positive, with constructive criticism and complimentary comments. Systematic training in ultrasound markedly improved the students' skills. This was especially pronounced for solid organ structures, while students requested more education regarding the retroperitoneum and vascular structures. Teaching ultrasound in an elective hands‐on training course improves anatomical understanding and practical skills associated with increased motivation. The results affirm the necessity and clinical relevance of the course during the radiological training of medical students.
Replacing vertical actions by mouse movements: a web-suited paradigm for investigating vertical spatial associations
2022-02-07

Abstract The number of web-based studies in experimental psychology has been growing tremendously throughout the last few years. However, a straightforward web-based implementation does not exist for all types of experimental paradigms. In the current paper, we focus on how vertical response movements—which play a crucial role in spatial cognition and language research—can be translated into a web-based setup. Specifically, we introduce a web-suited counterpart of the vertical Stroop task (e.g., Fox &amp; Shor, in Bull Psychon Soc 7:187–189, 1976; Lachmair et al., in Psychon Bull Rev 18:1180–1188, 2011; Thornton et al., in J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 39:964–973, 2013). We employed nouns referring to entities typically located in lower or upper vertical space (e.g., “worm” and “bird”, respectively) in Experiments 1 and 2, and emotional valence words associated with a crouched or an upward bodily posture (e.g., “sadness” and “excitement”, respectively) in Experiment 3. Depending on the font color, our participants used their mouse to drag the words to the lower or upper screen location. Across all experiments, we consistently observed congruency effects analogous to those obtained with the lab paradigm using actual vertical arm movements. Consequently, we conclude that our web-suited paradigm establishes a reliable approach to examining vertical spatial associations.
A new variant of Abernethy malformation treated by transhepatic interventional closure: a case report
2022-02-07

Abstract Background Congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) are rare vascular malformations and can be classified into extrahepatic and intrahepatic shunts. Extrahepatic CPSS, also termed Abernethy malformations are associated with severe long-term complications including portopulmonary hypertension, liver atrophy, hyperammoniemia and hepatic encephalopathy. We report a hitherto undescribed variant of Abernethy malformation requiring an innovative approach for interventional treatment. Case presentation We describe a 31-year-old patient following surgical repair of atrioventricular septal defect at the age of 6 years. In the long-term follow-up he showed persistent pulmonary hypertension which deteriorated despite dual pulmonary vasodilative treatment. When he developed arterial desaturation and symptomatic hyperammoniemia detailed reassessment revealed as underlying cause a hitherto undescribed variant of Abernethy malformation connecting the portal vein with the right lower pulmonary vein. Following interdisciplinary discussions we opted for an interventional approach. Since the malformation was un-accessible to interventional closure via antegrade venous or retrograde arterial access, a transhepatic percutaneous puncture of the portal vein was performed. Temporary balloon occlusion of the malformation revealed only a slight increase in portal venous pressure. Interventional occlusion of the large vascular connection was achieved via this transhepatic approach by successive implantation of two large vascular occluding devices. The postinterventional course was unremarkable and both ammonia levels and arterial saturation normalized at follow-up of 12 months. Conclusions Portal vein anomalies should be included in the differential diagnoses of pulmonary hypertension or pulmonary arterio-venous malformations. Based on careful assessment of the anatomy and testing of portal vein hemodynamics interventional therapy of complex Abernethy malformations can be performed successfully in specialized centers.
What Longitudinal Research and Large-Scale Population Representative Studies Can Tell Us About Gifted Students and Education Policy 50 Years After the Marland Report
2022-02-07

The Marland Report included many correct observations about gifted education. Some findings, for example, were based on Project Talent, a large‐scale population representative longitudinal study of the US high school population. This paper uses the intersection of cognitive aptitudes and gifted education as a framework and synthesizes studies using prospective longitudinal data from numerous sources. Additional retrospective data on US high achievers are reviewed, as are longitudinal findings from other countries. All these sources will be used to reevaluate a selected set of claims made in the Marland Report. Specifically, we explore (a) the definition and understanding of gifted students; (b) the identification of and longitudinal research on gifted students; and (c) we briefly discuss the context of the Marland Report in the wider history of education policy and reform in the US, including how to best support talented students using information from the field of education policy.
Observational appearance of Kaluza-Klein black holes
2022-02-07

The optical properties of rotating black holes in Kaluza-Klein theory described by the total mass, spin, and electric and magnetic charges are investigated in detail. Using a developed general relativistic ray-tracing code to calculate the motion of photons, the numerous shadows of Kaluza-Klein black holes are generated. The properties of the black hole shadow and the light deflection angle around these black holes are also studied in order to put constraints on the parameters of Kaluza-Klein black holes using M87* shadow observations. The possibility of imposing constraints on Kaluza-Klein black holes using shadow observations is investigated. Moreover, we find that small charges (electric and magnetic) of the black hole can meet these constraints. We conclude that with the current precision of the M87* black hole shadow image observation by the EHT collaboration, the shadow observations of Kaluza-Klein black holes are indistinguishable from that of the Kerr black hole. Much better observational accuracy than the current capabilities of the EHT collaboration are required in order to place verified constraints on the parameters of modified theories of gravity in the strong field regime.
NamZ1 and NamZ2 from the Oral Pathogen Tannerella forsythia Are Peptidoglycan Processing Exo-β- N -Acetylmuramidases with Distinct Substrate Specificities
2022-02-07

Two exo- N -acetylmuramidases from T. forsythia belonging to glycosidase family GH171 ( www.cazy.org ) were shown to differ in their activities, thus revealing a functional diversity within this family: NamZ1 releases disaccharides (GlcNAc-MurNAc/GlcN-MurNAc) from the nonreducing ends of PGN glycans, whereas NamZ2 releases terminal MurNAc monosaccharides. This work provides a better understanding of how T. forsythia may acquire the essential growth factor MurNAc by the salvage of PGN from cohabiting bacteria in the oral microbiome, which may pave avenues for the development of anti-periodontal drugs.
Muscle pre-stimulation tunes viscous-like perturbation rejection in legged hopping
2022-02-07

Muscle fibres possess unique visco-elastic properties, capable of generating a stabilising zero-delay response to unexpected perturbations. This instantaneous response -- termed "preflex" -- is crucial in the presence of neuro-transmission delays, which are particularly hazardous during fast locomotion due to the short stance duration. While the elastic contribution to preflexes has been studied extensively, research on the role of fibre viscosity due to the force-velocity relation remains unexplored. Moreover, muscle models predict conditions with saturated force-velocity relations resulting in reduced viscous-like fibre engagement. The goal of our study is to isolate and quantify the preflex force produced by the force-velocity relation. We use our approach to analyse two perturbed vertical hopping conditions, differing in their viscosity engagement at touch-down. Both cases showed stable hopping patterns despite the reduced viscous-like response to ground perturbations in the saturated case. Moreover, the force-velocity relation was not the predominant factor driving energy adjustment to disturbance intensity. From a robotics perspective, our results suggest that already a simple, constant damper mounted in parallel to an actuator could provide stabilising preflexes at and shortly after impact.
Interscapular fat is associated with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance independent of visceral fat mass
2022-02-07

Abstract Dysregulated body fat distribution is a major determinant of various diseases. Adipose tissue in different localizations of the body appear to have protective or detrimental properties. Particularly increased visceral fat mass and ectopic lipids in the liver are linked to metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, interscapular fat is considered to be a non-classical, but metabolically active, fat compartment. In this study, we measured interscapular fat mass and investigated its relationship with glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in 822 subjects with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) and different glucose tolerance status. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify body fat depots and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to determine glucose metabolism. Elevated interscapular fat mass was positively associated with age, BMI, total body, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue mass. High interscapular fat mass associated with elevated fasting glucose levels, glucose levels at 2 hours during the OGTT, glycated hemoglobin, as well as with insulin resistance, independently of sex, age, total body and visceral fat mass. In conclusion, interscapular fat might be a highly specific fat compartment with potential impact on glucose metabolism and the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Since this depot is assessible by ultrasound, it could represent a feasible target to quantify metabolic risk in the future.
Neurofilament proteins as a potential biomarker in chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy
2022-02-08

BACKGROUNDPaclitaxel chemotherapy frequently induces dose-limiting sensory axonal polyneuropathy. Given that sensory symptoms are challenging to assess objectively in clinical practice, an easily accessible biomarker for chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy (CIPN) holds the potential to improve early diagnosis. Here, we describe neurofilament light chain (NFL), a marker for neuroaxonal damage, as a translational surrogate marker for CIPN.METHODSNFL concentrations were measured in an in vitro model of CIPN, exposing induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons (iPSC-DSNs) to paclitaxel. Patients with breast or ovarian cancer undergoing paclitaxel chemotherapy, breast cancer control patients without chemotherapy, and healthy controls were recruited in a cohort study and examined before chemotherapy (V1) and after 28 weeks (V2, after chemotherapy). CIPN was assessed by the validated Total Neuropathy Score reduced (TNSr), which combines patient-reported symptoms with data from clinical examinations. Serum NFL (NFLs) concentrations were measured at both visits with single-molecule array technology.RESULTSNFL was released from iPSC-DSNs upon paclitaxel incubation in a dose- and time-dependent manner and was inversely correlated with iPSC-DSN viability. NFLs strongly increased in paclitaxel-treated patients with CIPN, but not in patients receiving chemotherapy without CIPN or controls, resulting in an 86% sensitivity and 87% specificity. An NFLs increase of +36 pg/mL from baseline was associated with a predicted CIPN probability of more than 0.5.CONCLUSIONNFLs was correlated with CIPN development and severity, which may guide neurotoxic chemotherapy in the future.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov NCT02753036.FUNDINGDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (EXC 257 NeuroCure), BMBF (Center for Stroke Research Berlin, 01 EO 0801), Animalfree Research, EU Horizon 2020 Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking (TransBioLine, 821283), Charité 3R - Replace - Reduce - Refine.
Wood Ash as an Additive in Biomass Pyrolysis: Effects on Biochar Yield, Properties, and Agricultural Performance
2022-02-08

The use of wood ash as an additive in biochar production was shown to increase biochar yields and was suggested to improve the recycling of ash-derived nutrients. However, there is limited knowledge on the interaction of ash addition with pyrolysis conditions and their effects on biochar yield and properties. Here, we performed experimental pyrolysis in an auger reactor applying different ash concentrations, temperatures, and residence times. Biochar yield (dry and ash-free) increased by 26% and carbon-conversion efficiency of pyrolysis by 36% when 9 wt % ash was added to softwood. Up to this concentration, yield increase was correlated linearly, while higher ash concentrations did not further increase yield significantly. The ash-induced yield increase was lower at 400 °C than for 425–500 °C. Biochar's content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was not affected by ash addition. The content of polychlorinated organic pollutants increased with ash amendment but remained well below applicable thresholds. The electron exchange capacity of biochars was increased while the micropore specific surface area and thermal stability decreased with ash addition. The elevated potassium content of ash-amended biochars promoted sunflower growth. Biochar derived from ash-amended biomass is safe to be applied in soil and may be a promising approach for enhanced nutrient recycling and carbon sequestration.
Genetic Influences on Educational Achievement in Cross-National Perspective
2022-02-08

Abstract There is a growing interest in how social conditions moderate genetic influences on education [gene–environment interactions (GxE)]. Previous research has focused on the family, specifically parents’ social background, and has neglected the institutional environment. To assess the impact of macro-level influences, we compare genetic influences on educational achievement and their social stratification across Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. We combine well-established GxE-conceptualizations with the comparative stratification literature and propose that educational systems and welfare-state regimes affect the realization of genetic potential. We analyse population-representative survey data on twins (Germany and the United States) and twin registers (Norway and Sweden), and estimate genetically sensitive variance decomposition models. Our comparative design yields three main findings. First, Germany stands out with comparatively weak genetic influences on educational achievement suggesting that early tracking limits the realization thereof. Second, in the United States genetic influences are comparatively strong and similar in size compared to the Nordic countries. Third, in Sweden genetic influences are stronger among disadvantaged families supporting the expectation that challenging and uncertain circumstances promote genetic expression. This ideosyncratic finding must be related to features of Swedish social institutions or welfare-state arrangements that are not found in otherwise similar countries.