julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Muslim:innenfeindlichkeit als Vorurteil und Herausforderung für interreligiöses Lernen – Konsequenzen für den christlichen Religionsunterricht
2023-03-07

Abstract This article addresses the question of how to deal with anti-Muslim prejudices and attitudes among pupils in Christian Religious Education, especially from the perspective of interreligious learning. Based on current empirical findings, in particular on corresponding prejudices and negative attitudes of young people and Christian pupils, the so far insufficient consideration of the problem of prejudice in concepts of interreligious learning is considered and the potentials of Religious Education for the reduction of hostility against Muslims and Islam are discussed. From there, and especially in orientation to the so-called contact hypothesis, tasks for the future of Religious Education practice and further research are outlined.
Kerpiç production and environmental dynamics in an early sedentary community: Micromorphological evidence from Aşıklı Höyük, Central Anatolia (Turkey)
2023-03-07

Abstract This article illustrates how changes in the sediment source, tempering strategies, and shaping process in early Neolithic earthen architecture in Aşıklı Höyük have a major impact on many aspects of techno-environmental know-how traces. Archaeological micromorphology analyses of sun-dried mudbricks (in Turkey, called a specific term: kerpiç ), mortars, daub, and their paleoenvironmental contexts were used to examine the tempo and modes of exploitation of the local environment, and chaîne opératoire of kerpiç and mortar recipes, and the possible reasons behind the relationships among material choices, building forms, and wall construction techniques of the earlier inhabitants in Central Anatolia during the establishment of the early settlement, i.e. 8400-7750 BCE. The nature of and changes in the built environment can be traced especially through the mortar recipes, that provide various insights into the agro-pastoral activities at the site, including middens, open areas, and penning deposits. During the early Neolithic occupation at Aşıklı Höyük, vegetal tempering occurs as a micro-invention was developed in relation with the management of fecal and domestic waste used in construction materials. Furthermore, the variability of tempering strategies can be regarded as a cognitive development that resulted from the long-term learning and experimentation background of the Aşıklı people in kerpiç production. The main motivation behind these changes and testing of the recipes was the need for more durable and long-lasting construction of earthen buildings as used by this early sedentary community in the region.
A saddle-shaped expanded porphyrinoid fitting C60
2023-03-07

We present the synthesis of a new type of an expanded porphyrinoid macrocycle with a saddle-shaped morphology and its complexation of C60 guest molecules. The new macrocycle contains four carbazole and four triazole moieties and can be readily synthesized via a copper-catalyzed click reaction. It shows specific photo-physical properties including fluorescence with a high quantum yield of 60 %. The combination of the saddle-shaped geometry with the expanded -system allows for host-guest interactions with C60 in a stacked polymer fashion. Evidence for the presence of a host-guest complex is provided both in solution by NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray structure analysis.
Giving a voice to adults with COVID-19: An analysis of open-ended comments from smell longhaulers and non-longhaulers
2023-03-07

Abstract Smell disorders are commonly reported with COVID-19 infection. Some patients show prolonged smell-related issues, even after the respiratory symptoms are resolved. To explore the concerns of patients, and to provide an overview for each specific smell disorder, we explored the longitudinal survey that was conducted by 1 , and contained self-reports on the changes of smell that participants experienced at two time points. People who still suffered from smell disorders at the second time point, hence named ‘longhaulers’, were compared to those who were not, hence named ‘non-longhaulers’. Specifically, three aims were pursued in this study. First, to classify smell disorders based on the participants’ self-reports. Second, to classify the sentiment of each self-report using a machine learning approach, and third, to find specific keywords that best describe the smell dysfunction in those self-reports. We found that the prevalence of parosmia and hyposmia was higher in longhaulers than in non-longhaulers. Furthermore, the results suggest that longhaulers stated self-reports with more negative sentiment than non-longhaulers. Finally, we found specific keywords that were more typical for either longhaulers compared to non-longhaulers. Taken together, our work shows consistent findings with previous studies, while at the same time, provides new insights for future studies investigating smell disorders.
Revisiting “Importance of domain-specific metacognition for explaining beliefs about politicized science: The case of climate change“ – Evidence from a cross-cultural sample
2023-03-07

Having accurate knowledge about climate change has been shown to influence climatechange attitudes and behavior. However, due to an increase in online mediaconsumption, people are also confronted with much misinformation about climatechange. It is thus crucial that people use valid cues to infer whether information is trueor false, when to update their beliefs, and to make informed decisions. One such cuecould be meta-knowledge, usually measured as the confidence one has in one’sknowledge. Recent findings show that higher confidence in knowledge about climatechange is associated with stronger beliefs that humans are causing climate changeand with perceptions that climate change is risky. We aim to extend and replicate thisfinding with improved methods (larger sample sizes, four instead of only two attitudes,U.S. and German samples), allowing us not only to put previous findings on a firmerbasis, but also to conduct cross-cultural comparative analyses.To this end, weassessed whether confidence in climate change knowledge as well as metacognitivesensitivity (insight into the accuracy of one’s knowledge), is related to climate changeattitudes for Germany (N = 1110, representative) and the US (N = 898, representative).Results show that, rather than confidence, higher insight into the accuracy of one’sknowledge was positively related to the climate change attitudes for the Germansample. In contrast, for the US, higher confidence was predictive of climate changeattitudes but only for participants with above-chance performance in the climatechange knowledge test. Our results emphasize the important role of metacognitiveabilities as predictor of climate change attitudes while also highlighting cross-culturaldifferences.
Using preregistration as a tool for transparent fNIRS study design
2023-03-08

Our guide introduces these open science tools to the fNIRS community, providing researchers with an overview of key design aspects and specification recommendations for comprehensive study planning. As such it can be used as a template to preregister fNIRS studies or merely as a tool for transparent fNIRS study design.
Compact High-Tc Superconducting Terahertz Emitter with Tunable Frequency from 0.15 to 1 THz
2023-03-08

A compact cryogenic terahertz emitter is highly desired for applications in terahertz astronomy with a broad frequency range of emissions and relatively high emission power. In this paper, we report on a terahertz emitter based on Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 + δ (BSCCO) intrinsic Josephson junctions, with a frequency range from 0.15 to 1.01 THz. The emitter is a square gold-BSCCO-gold mesa on a sapphire substrate fabricated by a simple and efficient method. The highest emission power of 5.62 μW at 0.35 THz was observed at 50 K. A record low emission frequency of 0.15 THz was achieved at 85 K, extending the applicability of BSCCO terahertz emitters in the low-frequency range.
Elevated SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibody Levels in Patients with Post-COVID Syndrome
2023-03-08

With the routine use of effective severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines, the number of life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) courses have largely been reduced. However, multiple COVID-19 convalescents, even after asymptomatic to moderate disease, suffer from post-COVID syndrome, with relevant limitations in daily life. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of post-COVID syndrome are still elusive, with dysregulation of the immune system suggested as a central mechanism. Here, we assessed COVID-19 post-infectious symptoms (5–6 months after PCR-confirmed acute infection) together with the humoral immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in non-hospitalized COVID-19 convalescents, early (5–6 weeks) and late (5–6 months) after their first positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR result. Convalescents reporting several post-infectious symptoms (&gt;3) showed higher anti-spike and anti-nucleocapsid antibody levels 5–6 weeks after PCR-confirmed infection with the latter remained increased 5–6 months after positive PCR. Likewise, a higher post-infectious symptom score was associated with increased antibody levels. Of note, convalescents displaying neuro-psychiatric symptoms such as restlessness, palpitations, irritability, and headache, as well as general symptoms such as fatigue/reduced power had higher SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels compared with asymptomatic cases. The increased humoral immune response in convalescents with post-COVID syndrome might be useful for the detection of individuals with an increased risk for post-COVID syndrome.
Novel ACE2 fusion protein with adapting activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in vitro
2023-03-08

Despite the successful development of vaccines and neutralizing antibodies to limit the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerging variants prolong the pandemic and emphasize the persistent need to develop effective antiviral treatment regimens. Recombinant antibodies directed to the original SARS-CoV-2 have been successfully used to treat established viral disease. However, emerging viral variants escape the recognition by those antibodies. Here we report the engineering of an optimized ACE2 fusion protein, designated ACE2-M, which comprises a human IgG1 Fc domain with abrogated Fc-receptor binding linked to a catalytically-inactive ACE2 extracellular domain that displays increased apparent affinity to the B.1 spike protein. The affinity and neutralization capacity of ACE2-M is unaffected or even enhanced by mutations present in the spike protein of viral variants. In contrast, a recombinant neutralizing reference antibody, as well as antibodies present in the sera of vaccinated individuals, lose activity against such variants. With its potential to resist viral immune escape ACE2-M appears to be particularly valuable in the context of pandemic preparedness towards newly emerging coronaviruses.
The role of FIBCD1 in response to Aspergillus fumigatus in lung epithelial cells
2023-03-08

Chitin, a polysaccharide, is ubiquitously found in nature and has been known to be an active immunogen in mammals, and interacts with Toll-like, mannose and glucan receptors, to induce cytokine and chemokine secretions. FIBCD1 is a tetrameric type II transmembrane endocytic vertebrate receptor that binds chitin, is found in human lung epithelium and modulates lung epithelial inflammatory responses to A . fumigatus cell wall polysaccharides. We previously reported the detrimental role of FIBCD1 in a murine model of pulmonary invasive aspergillosis. However, the effect that chitin and chitin-containing A . fumigatus conidia exerts on lung epithelium following exposure through FIBCD1 is not yet fully explored. Using both in vitro and in vivo strategies, we examined how lung and lung epithelial gene expression are modified after exposure to fungal conidia or chitin fragments in the presence or absence of FIBCD1. FIBCD1 expression was associated with a decrease in inflammatory cytokines with increasing size of chitin (dimer-oligomer). Thus, our results demonstrate that FIBCD1 expression modulates cytokine and chemokine expression in response to A . fumigatus conidia that is modified by the presence of chitin particles.
Change in practice: a framework for analysing the transformation of post-conflict masculinities
2023-03-08

This article addresses two shortcomings in the existing research on masculinities during or after armed conflict: a strong focus on violent masculinities and a lack of approaches to analysing the transformation of masculinities, especially in the context of peace processes. We suggest understanding masculinities through context-specific masculinity practices and differentiate between societal, institutional, and individual practices. Based on this, we reconceptualize militarized, military, and hypermasculinity as concepts that capture violent masculinity practices at different analytical levels. This offers an intriguing way of grasping masculinities, both violence-centred ones and those that are more conducive to peace, without essentialising them and allows for the fine-grained analysis of even small-scale changes in those practices and the masculinities they perform. For this, we synthesize the existing literature and suggest a way of ordering it as part of an analytical framework. This framework conceptualizes violence-centred masculinities and their peace-conducive counterparts through the masculinity practices performed in societies, security sector institutions, and by individuals. We then identify examples of those masculinity practices and cluster them according to their shared meaning in what we call continua of practices. We thus offer a framework for structuring the plethora of potentially observable masculinity practices in post-conflict contexts. Furthermore, this framework facilitates analysing the transformation of post-conflict masculinities, allowing to situate observed practices somewhere on the continua we identified. As a result, we transcend the understanding of masculinities as static, violent and inherently problematic.
Exploring the effects of ventilation and air-conditioned environments, on droplet and airborne transmission of SARS-COV-2
2023-03-08

To assess the implications of air conditioning and ventilation on droplet and airborne transmission of SARS-COV-2, several scientific research databases were searched and cross-referenced. Then, an analysis was conducted on the findings pertinent to interaction between several environmental variables affected by HVAC systems and their effect on Virus transmission. The results suggest that airflow velocity may interfere with the trajectories of large respiratory droplets and aerosols. Lower relative humidity provided suitable conditions for virus survival whereas higher temperatures increased aerosol formation, but were detrimental to virus survival. Suboptimal temperatures and humidity can compromise pathogen filtration functions in the nose, while proper use of HVAC functions can help preserve them. Transmission of SARS-COV-2 is not affected solely by the virus’s internal properties. Ambient conditions, whether natural or modified by HVAC systems can have a significant effect on the transmissibility and virulence of both the virus and virus-related sickness. The current infection prevention measures, such as social distancing, need to be revised in certain scenarios where natural ventilation or HVAC systems are involved. This will offer, hopefully, higher protection from infections with SARS-COV-2 and similar pathogens.
Platelet-Derived MicroRNAs Regulate Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Ischemia
2023-03-09

Background: Platelets can infiltrate ischemic myocardium and are increasingly recognized as critical regulators of inflammatory processes during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Platelets contain a broad repertoire of microRNAs (miRNAs), which, under certain conditions such as myocardial ischemia, may be transferred to surrounding cells or released into the microenvironment. Recent studies could demonstrate that platelets contribute substantially to the circulating miRNA pool holding the potential for so far undiscovered regulatory functions. The present study aimed to determine the role of platelet-derived miRNAs in myocardial injury and repair following myocardial I/R. Methods: In vivo model of myocardial I/R, multimodal in vivo and ex vivo imaging approaches (light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, speckle-tracking echocardiography) of myocardial inflammation and remodeling, and next-generation deep sequencing analysis of platelet miRNA expression. Results: In mice with a megakaryocyte/platelet-specific knockout of pre-miRNA processing ribonuclease Dicer , the present study discloses a key role of platelet-derived miRNAs in the tightly regulated cellular processes orchestrating left ventricular remodeling after myocardial I/R following transient left coronary artery ligation. Disruption of the miRNA processing machinery in platelets by deletion of Dicer resulted in increased myocardial inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, and accelerated development of cardiac fibrosis, culminating in an increased infarct size by d7 that persisted through d28 of myocardial I/R. Worsened cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction in mice with a platelet-specific Dicer deletion resulted in an increased fibrotic scar formation and distinguishably increased perfusion defect of the apical and anterolateral wall at day 28 post-myocardial infarction. Altogether, these observations culminated in an impaired left ventricular function and hampered long-term cardiac recovery after experimental myocardial infarction and reperfusion therapy. Treatment with the P2Y 12 (P2Y purinoceptor 12) antagonist ticagrelor completely reversed increased myocardial damage and adverse cardiac remodeling observed in Dicer Pf4∆/Pf4∆ mice. Conclusions: The present study discloses a critical role of platelet-derived miRNA in myocardial inflammation and structural remodeling processes following myocardial I/R.
Biology and Regulation of Staphylococcal Biofilm
2023-03-09

Despite continuing progress in medical and surgical procedures, staphylococci remain the major Gram-positive bacterial pathogens that cause a wide spectrum of diseases, especially in patients requiring the utilization of indwelling catheters and prosthetic devices implanted temporarily or for prolonged periods of time. Within the genus, if Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis are prevalent species responsible for infections, several coagulase-negative species which are normal components of our microflora also constitute opportunistic pathogens that are able to infect patients. In such a clinical context, staphylococci producing biofilms show an increased resistance to antimicrobials and host immune defenses. Although the biochemical composition of the biofilm matrix has been extensively studied, the regulation of biofilm formation and the factors contributing to its stability and release are currently still being discovered. This review presents and discusses the composition and some regulation elements of biofilm development and describes its clinical importance. Finally, we summarize the numerous and various recent studies that address attempts to destroy an already-formed biofilm within the clinical context as a potential therapeutic strategy to avoid the removal of infected implant material, a critical event for patient convenience and health care costs.
Cerebellar and subcortical atrophy contribute to psychiatric symptoms in frontotemporal dementia
2023-03-09

Abstract Recent studies have reported early cerebellar and subcortical impact in the disease progression of genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) due to microtubule‐associated protein tau ( MAPT ), progranulin ( GRN ) and chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 ( C9orf72 ). However, the cerebello‐subcortical circuitry in FTD has been understudied despite its essential role in cognition and behaviors related to FTD symptomatology. The present study aims to investigate the association between cerebellar and subcortical atrophy, and neuropsychiatric symptoms across genetic mutations. Our study included 983 participants from the Genetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative including mutation carriers and noncarrier first‐degree relatives of known symptomatic carriers. Voxel‐wise analysis of the thalamus, striatum, globus pallidus, amygdala, and the cerebellum was performed, and partial least squares analyses (PLS) were used to link morphometry and behavior. In presymptomatic C9orf72 expansion carriers, thalamic atrophy was found compared to noncarriers, suggesting the importance of this structure in FTD prodromes. PLS analyses demonstrated that the cerebello‐subcortical circuitry is related to neuropsychiatric symptoms, with significant overlap in brain/behavior patterns, but also specificity for each genetic mutation group. The largest differences were in the cerebellar atrophy (larger extent in C9orf72 expansion group) and more prominent amygdalar volume reduction in the MAPT group. Brain scores in the C9orf72 expansion carriers and MAPT carriers demonstrated covariation patterns concordant with atrophy patterns detectable up to 20 years before expected symptom onset. Overall, these results demonstrated the important role of the subcortical structures in genetic FTD symptom expression, particularly the cerebellum in C9orf72 and the amygdala in MAPT carriers.
Pathophysiological Gaps, Diagnostic Challenges, and Uncertainties in Cardiac Sarcoidosis
2023-03-09

Cardiac sarcoidosis can mimic any cardiomyopathy in different stages. Noncaseating granulomatous inflammation can be missed, because of the nonhomogeneous distribution in the heart. The current diagnostic criteria show discrepancies and are partly nonspecific and insensitive. Besides the diagnostic pitfalls, there are controversies in the understanding of the causes, genetic and environmental background, and the natural evolution of the disease. Here, we review the current pathophysiological aspects and gaps that are relevant for future cardiac sarcoidosis diagnostics and research.
Electronic Structure of Colloidal 2H‐MoS2 Mono and Bilayers Determined by Spectroelectrochemistry
2023-03-09

Abstract The electronic structure of mono and bilayers of colloidal 2H‐MoS 2 nanosheets synthesized by wet‐chemistry using potential‐modulated absorption spectroscopy (EMAS), differential pulse voltammetry, and electrochemical gating measurements is investigated. The energetic positions of the conduction and valence band edges of the direct and indirect bandgap are reported and observe strong bandgap renormalization effects, charge screening of the exciton, as well as intrinsic n‐doping of the as‐synthesized material. Two distinct transitions in the spectral regime associated with the C exciton are found, which overlap into a broad signal upon filling the conduction band. In contrast to oxidation, the reduction of the nanosheets is largely reversible, enabling potential applications for reductive electrocatalysis. This work demonstrates that EMAS is a highly sensitive tool for determining the electronic structure of thin films with a few nanometer thicknesses and that colloidal chemistry affords high‐quality transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets with an electronic structure comparable to that of exfoliated samples.