julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Current Understanding of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Doped and Loaded Semiconducting Metal-Oxide-Based Gas Sensing Materials
2019-07-31

Introducing additives in semiconducting metal oxides includes, besides the use of filters, dynamic operation procedures and chemometric approaches, the most common way of tuning the sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of chemoresitsive gas sensors. For the vast majority of commercially used gas sensing materials, the introduction of additives is essential and is one of the longest lasting topics in gas sensor research. This Review discusses the different chemical and electrical sensitization mechanisms of additives as well as the role of different structures. Based on state-of-the-art experimental findings, this Review revises and updates the concepts that are used to explain the mechanisms through which the additives influence the performance of typical gas sensing materials, i.e., oxide nanoparticles arranged in a porous layer. The first sections classify the different additive structures, namely, doped or loaded oxides as well as mixtures of oxides, and describe the basic working principle of pristine semiconducting metal oxide gas sensors. The subsequent sections discuss different chemical and/or electrical contributions to the sensitization by additive structures, their mutual influence on each other, and the way they impact the sensing properties. The presented concepts and models are essential for understanding the complex role of additives and provide the basis for a knowledge-based design of gas sensors based on semiconducting metal oxide nanoparticles, which is outlined in a separate section.
Amplicon-based microbiome study highlights the loss of diversity and the establishment of a set of species in patients with dentin caries
2019-07-31

The presented investigation adds knowledge to the still not fully comprehended patterns of oral microbiomes in caries compared with oral health. By analysing the genetics of biofilm samples from oral health and severe tooth decay we found distinct discriminating species which could be targets for future therapeutic approaches.
Reprogramming of Urine-Derived Renal Epithelial Cells into iPSCs Using srRNA and Consecutive Differentiation into Beating Cardiomyocytes
2019-07-31

The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patient's somatic cells and the subsequent differentiation into desired cell types opens up numerous possibilities in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Adult cardiomyocytes have limited self-renewal capacity; thus, the efficient, safe, and clinically applicable generation of autologous cardiomyocytes is of great interest for the treatment of damaged myocardium. In this study, footprint-free iPSCs were successfully generated from urine-derived renal epithelial cells through a single application of self-replicating RNA (srRNA). The expression of pluripotency markers and the in vitro as well as in vivo trilineage differentiation were demonstrated. Furthermore, the resulting iPSCs contained no residual srRNA, and the karyotyping analysis demonstrated no detectable anomalies. The cardiac differentiation of these iPSCs resulted in autologous contracting cardiomyocytes after 10 days. We anticipate that the use of urine as a non-invasive cell source to obtain patient cells and the use of srRNA for reprogramming into iPSCs will greatly improve the future production of clinically applicable cardiomyocytes and other cell types. This could allow the regeneration of tissues by generating sufficient quantities of autologous cells without the risk of immune rejection.
Gut Bacterial Metabolite Urolithin A (UA) Mitigates Ca2+ Entry in T Cells by Regulating miR-10a-5p
2019-07-31

The gut microbiota influences several biological functions including immune responses. Inflammatory bowel disease is favorably influenced by consumption of several dietary natural plant products such as pomegranate, walnuts, and berries containing polyphenolic compounds such as ellagitannins and ellagic acid. The gut microbiota metabolizes ellagic acid resulting in the formation of bioactive urolithins A, B, C, and D. Urolithin A (UA) is the most active and effective gut metabolite and acts as a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agent. However, whether gut metabolite UA affects the function of immune cells remains incompletely understood. T cell proliferation is stimulated by store operated Ca<sup>2+</sup> entry (SOCE) resulting from stimulation of Orai1 by STIM1/STIM2. We show here that treatment of murine CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells with UA (10 μM, 3 days) significantly blunted SOCE in CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells, an effect paralleled by significant downregulation of Orai1 and STIM1/2 transcript levels and protein abundance. UA treatment further increased miR-10a-5p abundance in CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells in a dose dependent fashion. Overexpression of miR-10a-5p significantly decreased STIM1/2 and Orai1 mRNA and protein levels as well as SOCE in CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells. UA further decreased CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell proliferation. Thus, the gut bacterial metabolite UA increases miR-10a-5p levels thereby downregulating Orai1/STIM1/STIM2 expression, store operated Ca<sup>2+</sup> entry, and proliferation of murine CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells.
The role of socioeconomic background and prior achievement for students’ perception of teacher support
2019-07-31

Building on the sociological work by Lareau, this study examined the association between students' socioeconomic background, prior achievement and the perception of teacher support within the classroom. We expected that students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds would be more critical about the support they receive in the classroom and rate their teachers more negatively, while those with higher prior achievement would perceive teacher support more positively. Multilevel models confirmed that there is a negative association between wealth and students' perception of two dimensions of teacher support, and a negative association between parental educational attainment and one dimension of teacher support. Our findings were in line with the 'sense of entitlement' theory by Lareau. Having higher prior achievement was associated with a more positive perception of teacher support, but did not seem to interact with socioeconomic background.
NDRA: A single route model of response times in the reading aloud task based on discriminative learning
2019-07-31

We present the Naive Discriminative Reading Aloud (ndra) model. The ndra differs from existing models of response times in the reading aloud task in two ways. First, a single lexical architecture is responsible for both word and non-word naming. As such, the model differs from dual-route models, which consist of both a lexical route and a sub-lexical route that directly maps orthographic units onto phonological units. Second, the linguistic core of the ndra exclusively operates on the basis of the equilibrium equations for the well-established general human learning algorithm provided by the Rescorla-Wagner model. The model therefore does not posit language-specific processing mechanisms and avoids the problems of psychological and neurobiological implausibility associated with alternative computational implementations. We demonstrate that the single-route discriminative learning architecture of the ndra captures a wide range of effects documented in the experimental reading aloud literature and that the overall fit of the model is at least as good as that of state-of-the-art dual-route models.
Direct measurement of the Higgs self-coupling in e+e− → ZH
2019-07-31

A new method to measure the trilinear Higgs self-coupling in a\\nsingle Higgs production process is proposed. Time-reversal-odd (T-odd)\\nasymmetries in the process , are computed\\nfrom the absorptive part of the electroweak one-loop amplitude. Since the T-odd\\nasymmetries measure the tree-level -channel scattering, they can\\nbe direct probes of . The proposed method is quite challenging; a\\nrelatively large statistics and polarized beams are demanded.\\nHowever, this is probably the only approach to directly measure \\nin collisions, when a beam energy above the production\\nthreshold is not available.\\n
International knowledge transfer in religious education? The example of Germany and South Africa as test case
2019-07-31

Prof. Dr Friedrich Schweitzer&#13;\\nis participating in the&#13;\\nresearch project ‘Gender&#13;\\nStudies and Practical&#13;\\nTheology Theory Formation’,&#13;\\ndirected by Prof. Dr Yolanda&#13;\\nDreyer, Department of&#13;\\nPractical Theology, Faculty&#13;\\nof Theology, University of&#13;\\nPretoria.
Machine Learning to Detect Alzheimer’s Disease from Circulating Non-Coding RNAs
2019-08-01

Abstract Blood-borne small non-coding (sncRNAs) are among the prominent candidates for blood-based diagnostic tests. Often, high-throughput approaches are applied to discover biomarker signatures. These have to be validated in larger cohorts and evaluated by adequate statistical learning approaches. Previously, we published high-throughput sequencing based microRNA (miRNA) signatures in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients in the United States (US) and Germany. Here, we determined abundance levels of 21 known circulating miRNAs in 465 individuals encompassing AD patients and controls by RT-qPCR. We computed models to assess the relation between miRNA expression and phenotypes, gender, age, or disease severity (Mini-Mental State Examination; MMSE). Of the 21 miRNAs, expression levels of 20 miRNAs were consistently de-regulated in the US and German cohorts. 18 miRNAs were significantly correlated with neurodegeneration (Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted P &amp;lt; 0.05) with highest significance for miR-532-5p (Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted P = 4.8 × 10−30). Machine learning models reached an area under the curve (AUC) value of 87.6% in differentiating AD patients from controls. Further, ten miRNAs were significantly correlated with MMSE, in particular miR-26a/26b-5p (adjusted P = 0.0002). Interestingly, the miRNAs with lower abundance in AD were enriched in monocytes and T-helper cells, while those up-regulated in AD were enriched in serum, exosomes, cytotoxic t-cells, and B-cells. Our study represents the next important step in translational research for a miRNA-based AD test.
Deprotonation of Organogermanium and Organotin Trihydrides
2019-08-01

Terphenyltin and terphenylgermanium trihydrides were deprotonated in reaction with strong bases, such as LiMe, LDA, or KBn. In the solid state, the Li salts of the germate anion <b>4</b> and <b>4a</b> exhibit a Li-Ge contact. In the Li salt of the dihydridostannate anion <b>6a</b>, the Li cation is not coordinated at the tin atom instead an interaction of the Li cation with the hydride substituents was found. Evidenced by <sup>1</sup>H-<sup>7</sup>Li-HOESY NMR spectroscopy the Li-salt of the deprotonated tin hydride <b>6a</b> exhibits in toluene solution a contact between Li cation and hydride substituents, whereas in the <sup>1</sup>H-<sup>7</sup>Li-HOESY NMR spectrum of the homologous germate salt <b>4a</b>, no crosspeak between hydride and Li signals was found. The organodihydridogermate and -stannate react as nucleophiles with low-valent Group 14 electrophiles. Thus, three compounds were synthesized: Ar-Ë'-EH<sub>2</sub>-Ar (E', E = Sn, Ge; Pb, Ge; Pb, Sn; Ar = Ar', Ar*). Following an alternative synthesis Ar'SnH<sub>2</sub>PbAr* was synthesized in reaction between [(Ar*PbH)<sub>2</sub>] and [(Ar'SnH)<sub>4</sub>] generated in situ. In reaction between low-valent organotin hydride [(Ar*SnH)<sub>2</sub>] and organdihydridostannate [Ar*SnH<sub>2</sub>]<sup>-</sup> formation of distannate [Ar*<sub>2</sub>Sn<sub>2</sub>H<sub>3</sub>]<sup>-</sup> was found.
Multicenter Validation Study of a Diagnostic Algorithm to Detect NASH and Fibrosis in NAFLD Patients With Low NAFLD Fibrosis Score or Liver Stiffness
2019-08-01

OBJECTIVES: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis play critical roles for the prognosis of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Identification of patients at risk of NASH and fibrosis is therefore critical for disease management. NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) and transient elastography (TE) have been suggested to exclude advanced fibrosis. However, there is increasing evidence that also patients with NASH and early fibrosis are at risk of disease progression and complications, emphasizing the need for improved noninvasive risk stratification in NAFLD. METHODS: Because hepatocyte apoptosis plays an early role in NASH pathogenesis, we evaluated whether the apoptosis biomarker M30 might identify NAFLD patients who are at risk of NASH and fibrosis despite low NFS or TE values. Serum M30 levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in combination with NFS and/or TE in an exploration (n = 103) and validation (n = 100) cohort of patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. RESULTS: Most patients with low NFS (cutoff value &lt; −1.455) revealed increased M30 levels (&gt;200 U/L) in the exploration (62%) and validation (67%) cohort, and more than 70% of them had NASH, mostly with histological fibrosis. Vice versa , most patients with NFS &lt; −1.455 but nonelevated M30 levels showed no NASH. NASH was also detected in most patients with indeterminate NFS (−1.455 to 0.676) but elevated M30 levels, from which ∼90% showed fibrosis. Similar results were obtained when using TE instead of NFS. DISCUSSION: The combination of the M30 biomarker with NFS or TE enables a more reliable identification of patients with an increased risk of progressed NAFLD and improves patient stratification.
Gricean Expectations in Online Sentence Comprehension: An ERP Study on the Processing of Scalar Inferences
2019-08-01

Abstract There is substantial support for the general idea that a formalization of comprehenders' expectations about the likely next word in a sentence helps explaining data related to online sentence processing. While much research has focused on syntactic, semantic, and discourse expectations, the present event‐related potentials (ERPs) study investigates neurolinguistic correlates of pragmatic expectations, which arise when comprehenders expect a sentence to conform to Gricean Maxims of Conversation. For predicting brain responses associated with pragmatic processing, we introduce a formal model of such Gricean pragmatic expectations, using an idealized incremental interpreter. We examine whether pragmatic expectancies derived from this model modulate the amplitude of the N400, a component that has been associated with predictive processing. As part of its parameterization, the model distinguishes genuine pragmatic interpreters, who expect maximally informative true utterances, from literal interpreters, who only expect truthfulness. We explore the model's non‐trivial predictions for an experimental setup which uses picture‐sentence verification with ERPs recorded at several critical positions in sentences containing the scalar implicature trigger some . We find that Gricean expectations indeed affect the N400, largely in line with the predictions of our model, but also discuss discrepancies between model predictions and observations critically.
Primaquine and Chloroquine Fumardiamides as Promising Antiplasmodial Agents
2019-08-01

This paper describes a continuation of our efforts in the pursuit of novel antiplasmodial agents with optimized properties. Following our previous discovery of biologically potent asymmetric primaquine (PQ) and halogenaniline fumardiamides (1–6), we now report their significant in vitro activity against the hepatic stages of Plasmodium parasites. Furthermore, we successfully prepared chloroquine (CQ) analogue derivatives (11–16) and evaluated their activity against both the hepatic and erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium. Our results have shown that PQ fumardiamides (1–6) exert both higher activity against P. berghei hepatic stages and lower toxicity against human hepatoma cells than the parent drug and CQ derivatives (11–16). The favourable cytotoxicity profile of the most active compounds, 5 and 6, was corroborated by assays performed on human cells (human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and non-tumour embryonic kidney cells (HEK293T)), even when glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) was inhibited. The activity of CQ fumardiamides on P. falciparum erythrocytic stages was higher than that of PQ derivatives, comparable to CQ against CQ-resistant strain PfDd2, but lower than CQ when tested on the CQ-sensitive strain Pf3D7. In addition, both sets of compounds showed favourable drug-like properties. Hence, quinoline fumardiamides could serve as a starting point towards the development of safer and more effective antiplasmodial agents.
A new class of Volterra-type integral equations from relativistic quantum physics
2019-08-01

We study a new kind of linear integral equations for a relativistic quantum-mechanical two-particle wave function , where are spacetime points. In the case of retarded interaction, these integral equations are of Volterra-type in the in the time variables, i.e., they involve a time integration from 0 to . They are interesting not only in view of their applications in physics, but also because of the following mathematical features: (a) time and space variables are more interrelated than in normal time-dependent problems, (b) the integral kernels are singular, and the structure of these singularities is non-trivial, (c) they feature time delay. We formulate a number of examples of such equations for scalar wave functions and prove existence and uniqueness of solutions for them. We also point out open mathematical problems.
Three-fluorophore FRET enables the analysis of ternary protein association in living plant cells
2019-08-01

Abstract Protein-protein interaction studies provide valuable insights into cellular signaling. The well-studied brassinosteroid (BR) signaling is initiated by the hormone-binding receptor Brassinosteroid Insensitive 1 (BRI1) and its co-receptor BRI1 Associated Kinase 1 (BAK1). BRI1 and BAK1 were shown to interact independently with the Receptor-Like Protein 44 (RLP44), which is implicated in BRI1/BAK1-dependent cell wall integrity perception. To demonstrate the proposed complex formation of BRI1, BAK1 and RLP44, we established three-fluorophore intensity-based spectral Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and FRET-fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for living plant cells. Our evidence indicates that RLP44, BRI1 and BAK1 form a ternary complex in a distinct plasma membrane nanodomain. In contrast, although the immune receptor Flagellin Sensing 2 (FLS2) also forms a heteromer with BAK1, the FLS2/BAK1 complexes are localized in other nanodomains. In general, our three-fluorophore FRET approaches provide a feasible basis for studying the interaction and sub-compartmentalization of proteins in great detail.
Distributed sources as a cause of abrupt amplitude decrease in cubic distortion-product otoacoustic emissions at high stimulus intensities
2019-08-01

The amplitudes of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) may abruptly decrease even though the stimulus level is relatively high. These notches observed in the DPOAE input/output functions or distortion-product grams have been hypothesized to be due to destructive interference between wavelets generated by distributed sources of the nonlinear-distortion component of DPOAEs. In this paper, simulations with a smooth cochlear model and its analytical solution support the hypothesis that destructive interference between individual wavelets may lead to the amplitude notches and explain the cause for onset and offset amplitude overshoots in the DPOAE signal measured for intensity pairs in the notches.
Humanistic Management Performativity ‘in the Wild’: The Role of Performative Bundles of Practices
2019-08-01

Humanistic management practices are often perceived as ‘unrealistic’, as they stand in steep contrast to ‘normal’ business reality shaped by the commercial logic of neoclassic economics. The conceptual lens of performative practices focuses on how practices that appear to be unrealistic can be ‘made real’ through their enactment. This paper studies such performative humanistic practices of the three companies Greyston (USA), Good-Ark (China), and Allsafe (Germany). Through a thematic template analysis, we identify two distinct types of accompanying practices that enable the performativity of the core humanistic management practices studied. Enabling practices favored the initial performativity the humanistic practices by providing a local ‘proof of concept’. Disseminating practices aided performativity by spreading humanistic practices and therefore increasing practices’ global verisimilitude.
HbA1c target achievement in the elderly: results of the Titration and Optimization trial for initiation of insulin glargine 100 U/mL in patients with type 2 diabetes poorly controlled on oral antidiabetic drugs
2019-08-01

Objectives To identify real-world, age-related trends in the use of insulin glargine 100 U/mL (Gla-100) as part of basal-supported oral therapy (BOT). Research design and methods The prospective, observational Titration and Optimization registry enrolled patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus initiated on Gla-100 BOT. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with capillary fasting blood glucose (FBG) ≤110 mg/dL on ≥2 occasions and/or who met their individual HbA1c target within 12 months. Results 2462 patients were analyzed (&lt;65 years: n=1122; 65–74 years: n=771; ≥75 years: n=569). Diabetes duration (6.8, 8.9, and 11.2 years, p&lt;0.0001) and proportion of women (40.7%, 47.9%, and 55.7%, p&lt;0.0001) increased with age. Baseline HbA1c was highest in &lt;65-year-olds (8.6% vs 8.4% and 8.5%, p&lt;0.0001). Gla-100 up-titration until 12 months was highest in &lt;65-year-olds (+11.6 U/day), compared with 65–74 (+10.2 U/day) and ≥75 years (+8.8; p&lt;0.0001) but similar by units per kilogram, as was the decrease in FBG (&lt;65: −64.1 mg/dL; 65–74: −56.1 mg/dL; ≥75: −53.4 mg/dL) and HbA1c (&lt;65: −1.47%; 65–74: −1.31%; ≥75: −1.22%, p&lt;0.0001). At 12 months, 65.9% of participants met the primary endpoint, with no significant difference between age groups. The proportion achieving their individual HbA1c target was lower for &lt;65-year-olds (46.0% vs 54.3% and 54.7%; p&lt;0.02). Symptomatic hypoglycemia incidence was more common in the ≥75-year-old group (3.4% vs 1.4% and 1.4%; p=0.0126). Conclusions BOT with Gla-100 results in similar improvements of glycemic values with low risk of hypoglycemia across age groups. Given the link between HbA1c and long-term cardiovascular risk, ensuring appropriately stringent target-setting, intensification of basal insulin and making sure hypoglycemia is avoided is of paramount importance. Trial registration number Database: https://awbdb.bfarm.de ; Identifier: 1641; Date of registration: September 23, 2013
Motion Planning for Multi-Mobile-Manipulator Payload Transport Systems
2019-08-01

In this paper, a kinematic motion planning algorithm for cooperative spatial payload manipulation is presented. A hierarchical approach is introduced to compute real-time collision-free motion plans for a formation of mobile manipulator robots. Initially, collision-free configurations of a deformable 2-D virtual bounding box are identified, over a planning horizon, to define a convex workspace for the entire system. Then, 3-D payload configurations whose projections lie within the defined convex workspace are computed. Finally, a convex decentralized model-predictive controller is formulated to plan collision-free trajectories for the formation of mobile manipulators. This approach facilitates real-time motion planning for the system and is scalable in the number of robots. The algorithm is validated in simulated dynamic environments. Simulation video: https://youtu.be/9EKj7RwRs_4.