julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
#fighteverycrisis: Pandemic Shifts in Fridays for Future’s Protest Communication Frames
2021-08-12

This qualitative social media framing analysis captures the discursive engagement with COVID-19 in Fridays for Future’s (FFF) digital protest communication on Facebook. In offering comparative insights from 457 posts across 29 public pages from FFF collectives in the European Union, this study offers the first analysis of social movement frames employed by FFF during the pandemic. By coding all Corona-related messages across collectives, we chart three framing processes: adaptation (compliance, solidarity), reframing (reclaiming the crisis, nexus between climate and health), and mobilization (sustained involvement, digital protest alternatives). We discuss our findings alongside social movement framing theory, including frame bridging and scope enlargement to accommodate the pandemic topicality into FFF’s environmental master frame, and frame development by FFF movement leaders. This study thus provides key insights into discursive shifts in social movements brought on by external crises that threaten to marginalize the cause and demobilize adherents.
FGF-Receptors and PD-L1 in Anaplastic and Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Evaluation of the Preclinical Rationale
2021-08-12

Background Treatment options for poorly differentiated (PDTC) and anaplastic (ATC) thyroid carcinoma are unsatisfactory and prognosis is generally poor. Lenvatinib (LEN), a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) 1-4 is approved for advanced radioiodine refractory thyroid carcinoma, but response to single agent is poor in ATC. Recent reports of combining LEN with PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab (PEM) are promising. Materials and Methods Primary ATC (n=93) and PDTC (n=47) tissue samples diagnosed 1997-2019 at five German tertiary care centers were assessed for PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry using Tumor Proportion Score (TPS). FGFR 1-4 mRNA was quantified in 31 ATC and 14 PDTC with RNAscope in-situ hybridization. Normal thyroid tissue (NT) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) served as controls. Disease specific survival (DSS) was the primary outcome variable. Results PD-L1 TPS≥50% was observed in 42% of ATC and 26% of PDTC specimens. Mean PD-L1 expression was significantly higher in ATC (TPS 30%) than in PDTC (5%; p&amp;lt;0.01) and NT (0%, p&amp;lt;0.001). 53% of PDTC samples had PD-L1 expression ≤5%. FGFR mRNA expression was generally low in all samples but combined FGFR1-4 expression was significantly higher in PDTC and ATC compared to NT (each p&amp;lt;0.001). No impact of PD-L1 and FGFR 1-4 expression was observed on DSS. Conclusion High tumoral expression of PD-L1 in a large proportion of ATCs and a subgroup of PDTCs provides a rationale for immune checkpoint inhibition. FGFR expression is low thyroid tumor cells. The clinically observed synergism of PEM with LEN may be caused by immune modulation.
When academic achievement (also) reflects personality: Using the personality-achievement saturation hypothesis (PASH) to explain differential associations between achievement measures and personality traits.
2021-08-12

Students' academic achievement is a key predictor of various life outcomes and is commonly used for selection as well as for educational monitoring and accountability. With regard to achievement indicators, a differentiation has traditionally been drawn between grades and standardized tests. There is initial, albeit inconclusive, evidence that these indicators might differentially reflect students' personality as encapsulated in the Big Five personality traits as well as measures of cognitive abilities. In this article, we propose the personality-achievement saturation hypothesis (PASH) as an overarching model that describes the association between achievement indicators and personality. The PASH suggests that the differentiation between grades and tests is too simplistic and that associations between personality and achievement instead vary across five main features of the achievement measures that are used: level of standardization, relevance for the student, curricular validity, instructional sensitivity, and cognitive ability saturation. On the basis of findings from prior studies, we focused in particular on conscientiousness and openness to test the PASH. We used data from three large-scale studies (total N = 14,953) and aggregated our findings across these studies. In line with the PASH, the Big Five trait of conscientiousness was most strongly related to measures that were less standardized and less saturated with cognitive ability but higher on curriculum validity, relevance, and instructional sensitivity. In addition, openness was most strongly related to measures that were higher on standardization and cognitive ability saturation but lower on relevance, curriculum validity, and instructional sensitivity in English. Educational Impact and Implications Statement Achievement measures are of central importance for student selection, employment, and educational policy, and according to a widely shared belief, they involve intellectual abilities as well as aspects of personality such as effort and persistence. Up to now, prior research has remained rather inconclusive about why achievement measures vary in their degree of personality saturation. In this study, we developed and successfully tested a new framework (the PASH), which categorizes achievement measures along five main features and thereby contributes to a better explanation of differential associations between personality traits and different achievement measures.
Nanoparticles: Promising Auxiliary Agents for Diagnosis and Therapy of Thyroid Cancers
2021-08-12

Cancers of the endocrine system are rare. The majority are not highly malignant tumors. Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine cancer, with differentiated papillary and follicular tumors occurring more frequently than the more aggressive poorly differentiated and anaplastic TC. Nanoparticles (NP) (mainly mesoporous silica, gold, carbon, or liposomes) have been developed to improve the detection of biomarkers and routine laboratory parameters (e.g., thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroglobulin, and calcitonin), tumor imaging, and drug delivery in TC. The majority of drug-loaded nanocarriers to be used for treatment was developed for anaplastic tumors because current treatments are suboptimal. Further, doxorubicin, sorafenib, and gemcitabine treatment can be improved by nanotherapy due to decreased adverse effects. Selective delivery of retinoic acid to TC cells might improve the re-differentiation of de-differentiated TC. The use of carbon NPs for the prevention of parathyroid damage during TC surgery does not show a clear benefit. Certain technologies less suitable for the treatment of deeply located cancers may have some potential for unresectable anaplastic carcinomas, namely those based on low-intensity focused ultrasound and near-infrared irradiation. Although some of these approaches yielded promising results in animal studies, results from clinical trials are currently lacking.
The Biogenesis Process of VDAC – From Early Cytosolic Events to Its Final Membrane Integration
2021-08-12

Voltage dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) is the most abundant protein in the mitochondrial outer membrane. It is a membrane embedded β-barrel protein composed of 19 mostly anti-parallel β-strands that form a hydrophilic pore. Similar to the vast majority of mitochondrial proteins, VDAC is encoded by nuclear DNA, and synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes. The protein is then targeted to the mitochondria while being maintained in an import competent conformation by specific cytosolic factors. Recent studies, using yeast cells as a model system, have unearthed the long searched for mitochondrial targeting signal for VDAC and the role of cytosolic chaperones and mitochondrial import machineries in its proper biogenesis. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge regarding the early cytosolic stages of the biogenesis of VDAC molecules, the specific targeting of VDAC to the mitochondrial surface, and the subsequent integration of VDAC into the mitochondrial outer membrane by the TOM and TOB/SAM complexes.
Structural megadiversity in leaf litter predators - the head anatomy of Pselaphus heisei (Pselaphinae, Staphylinidae, Coleoptera)
2021-08-12

The head anatomy of Pselaphus heisei (Pselaphitae) is described and documented. The structural features are evaluated in comparison with findings presented in earlier studies on the subfamily, with a special focus on correlations with predacious habits and the groundplan of Pselaphinae. We found the tentorium, labrum, maxillary palps, shape of head, and a system of dorsal pits and sulci highly variable within the subfamily, reflecting multiple transformations, including many homoplasious changes. The following major characters are identified as groundplan features of Pselaphinae: falciform mandibles; small mola; semiglobular neck; ventrolateral antennal articulation; steep clypeal region; setiform labial palpomere 3; tentorium with nearly vertical main branches and lacking laminatentoria; separation of tentorial bridge from tentorial arms; fusion of dorsal tentorial arms with the head capsule; large brain placed in the posterior third of the head; and a triple cluster of well-developed cephalic glands. The last feature supports a hypothesis that multiple and independent cases of adaptations to myrmecophilous habits observed in various lineages of Pselaphinae were possible by re-programming already existing glands to produce appeasement secretions. The cephalic muscle apparatus of P. heisei is similar to what is found in other staphylinoid groups, with some exceptions, whereas it is strongly modified in the myrmecophile Claviger testaceus . We propose that the unparalleled structural megadiversity in Pselaphinae is primarily linked with life in the upper soil layers combined with specialized carnivorous habits, with small and agile or mechanically protected arthropods as prey. Within the group, various specialized life habits have evolved, including myrmecophily, termitophily, and also life in deep soil or caves, each with unique morphological adaptations.
Value of 18F-PSMA-PET/MRI for Assessment of Recurring Ranula
2021-08-12

We report the case of a 6-year-old patient with suspected recurrence of a plunging ranula in clinical and ultrasonographic examination. Surgical resection of the left submandibular and sublingual glands had already been performed. Since persistent glandular tissue could not be excluded with certainty via MRI, we expanded diagnostics by performing a PET/MRI using a head and neck imaging protocol and the radiotracer 18F-PSMA-1007, which is physiologically expressed by salivary gland tissue. The 18F-PSMA-PET/MRI provided evidence of a cystically transformed, diminishing seroma in the left retro-/submandibular region. No 18F-PSMA expressing glandular tissue could be detected in the area of resection, excluding a relapse of a plunging ranula. As a consequence, we opted for a conservative treatment without further surgical intervention. We conclude that a simultaneous 18F-PSMA-PET/MRI is a comprehensive imaging modality, which can help to rule out persistent salivary tissue and recurring plunging ranula. It is a useful tool to facilitate the decision making of surgical interventions.
What sixty years of research says about the effectiveness of patient education on health: a second order meta-analysis
2021-08-13

Although meta-analyses have examined the association between patient education and health, the validity and quality of this evidence have not been comprehensively assessed. This second order meta-analysis combined previous meta-analyses that examined the effectiveness of patient education on health outcomes as an overall weighted grand mean <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mover><mml:mrow><mml:mover><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mo> ̄</mml:mo></mml:mover></mml:mrow><mml:mo> ̄</mml:mo></mml:mover></mml:mrow></mml:math>. Further, measures of methodological quality, meaningful variability across first order meta-analyses, and evidence for publication bias were examined. Forty meta-analyses were identified, investigating 156 associations between patient education and health summarizing data from over 776 studies including more than 74.947 patients. Quantitative analyses showed that patient education positively affects health outcomes with <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mover><mml:mrow><mml:mover><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mo> ̄</mml:mo></mml:mover></mml:mrow><mml:mo> ̄</mml:mo></mml:mover></mml:mrow></mml:math> = 0.316 (95% CI [0.304, 0.329]). Summarizing data exclusively from randomized controlled trials indicated a causal effect. Patient education was effective for patients with neoplasms, diabetes, mental and behavioral disorders, diseases of the circulatory system, the respiratory system, and the musculoskeletal system. Patient education was effective in the reduction of medication use, pain, and visits to medical facilities, and significantly improved physiological, physical, psychological outcomes, and patients' general function. Overall, the findings reveal firm evidence for the effectiveness of patient education on health outcomes. However, theory-based interventions are lacking and need to be implemented to enable a successful transfer from theory to practice.
A systems‐level analysis highlights microglial activation as a modifying factor in common epilepsies
2021-08-13

Abstract Aims The causes of distinct patterns of reduced cortical thickness in the common human epilepsies, detectable on neuroimaging and with important clinical consequences, are unknown. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of cortical thinning using a systems‐level analysis. Methods Imaging‐based cortical structural maps from a large‐scale epilepsy neuroimaging study were overlaid with highly spatially resolved human brain gene expression data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas. Cell‐type deconvolution, differential expression analysis and cell‐type enrichment analyses were used to identify differences in cell‐type distribution. These differences were followed up in post‐mortem brain tissue from humans with epilepsy using Iba1 immunolabelling. Furthermore, to investigate a causal effect in cortical thinning, cell‐type‐specific depletion was used in a murine model of acquired epilepsy. Results We identified elevated fractions of microglia and endothelial cells in regions of reduced cortical thickness. Differentially expressed genes showed enrichment for microglial markers and, in particular, activated microglial states. Analysis of post‐mortem brain tissue from humans with epilepsy confirmed excess activated microglia. In the murine model, transient depletion of activated microglia during the early phase of the disease development prevented cortical thinning and neuronal cell loss in the temporal cortex. Although the development of chronic seizures was unaffected, the epileptic mice with early depletion of activated microglia did not develop deficits in a non‐spatial memory test seen in epileptic mice not depleted of microglia. Conclusions These convergent data strongly implicate activated microglia in cortical thinning, representing a new dimension for concern and disease modification in the epilepsies, potentially distinct from seizure control.
CFH Loss in Human RPE Cells Leads to Inflammation and Complement System Dysregulation via the NF-κB Pathway
2021-08-13

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly, is a degenerative disease of the macula, where retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are damaged in the early stages of the disease, and chronic inflammatory processes may be involved. Besides aging and lifestyle factors as drivers of AMD, a strong genetic association to AMD is found in genes of the complement system, with a single polymorphism in the complement factor H gene (CFH), accounting for the majority of AMD risk. However, the exact mechanism of CFH dysregulation confers such a great risk for AMD and its role in RPE cell homeostasis is unclear. To explore the role of endogenous CFH locally in RPE cells, we silenced CFH in human hTERT-RPE1 cells. We demonstrate that endogenously expressed CFH in RPE cells modulates inflammatory cytokine production and complement regulation, independent of external complement sources, or stressors. We show that loss of the factor H protein (FH) results in increased levels of inflammatory mediators (e.g., IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF) and altered levels of complement proteins (e.g., C3, CFB upregulation, and C5 downregulation) that are known to play a role in AMD. Moreover, our results identify the NF-κB pathway as the major pathway involved in regulating these inflammatory and complement factors. Our findings suggest that in RPE cells, FH and the NF-κB pathway work in synergy to maintain inflammatory and complement balance, and in case either one of them is dysregulated, the RPE microenvironment changes towards a proinflammatory AMD-like phenotype.
Daily Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) In Prostate Cancer Patients During MR-Guided Radiotherapy—A Multicenter Study
2021-08-13

Purpose Daily quantitative MR imaging during radiotherapy of cancer patients has become feasible with MRI systems integrated with linear accelerators (MR-linacs). Quantitative images could be used for treatment response monitoring. With intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI, it is possible to acquire perfusion information without the use of contrast agents. In this multicenter study, daily IVIM measurements were performed in prostate cancer patients to identify changes that potentially reflect response to treatment. Materials and Methods Forty-three patients were included, treated with 20 fractions of 3 Gy on a 1.5 T MR-linac. IVIM measurements were performed on each treatment day. The diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion fraction (f), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were calculated based on the median signal intensities in the non-cancerous prostate and the tumor. Repeatability coefficients (RCs) were determined based on the first two treatment fractions. Separate linear mixed-effects models were constructed for the three IVIM parameters. Results In total, 726 fractions were analyzed. Pre-treatment average values, measured on the first fraction before irradiation, were 1.46 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, 0.086, and 28.7 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s in the non-cancerous prostate and 1.19 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, 0.088, and 28.9 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s in the tumor, for D, f, and D*, respectively. The repeatability coefficients for D, f, and D* in the non-cancerous prostate were 0.09 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, 0.05, and 15.3 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s. In the tumor, these values were 0.44 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, 0.16, and 76.4 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s. The mixed effects analysis showed an increase in D of the tumors over the course of treatment, while remaining stable in the non-cancerous prostate. The f and D* increased in both the non-cancerous prostate and tumor. Conclusions It is feasible to perform daily IVIM measurements on an MR-linac system. Although the repeatability coefficients were high, changes in IVIM perfusion parameters were measured on a group level, indicating that IVIM has potential for measuring treatment response.
ProFit‐1D—A 1D fitting software and open‐source validation data sets
2021-08-13

Purpose Accurate and precise MRS fitting is crucial for metabolite concentration quantification of 1 H‐MRS spectra. LCModel, a spectral fitting software, has shown to have certain limitations to perform advanced spectral fitting by previous literature. Herein, we propose an open‐source spectral fitting algorithm with adaptive spectral baseline determination and more complex cost functions. Theory The MRS spectra are characterized by several parameters, which reflect the environment of the contributing metabolites, properties of the acquisition sequence, or additional disturbances. Fitting parameters should accurately describe these parameters. Baselines are also a major contributor to MRS spectra, in which smoothness of the spline baselines used for fitting can be adjusted based on the properties of the spectra. Three different cost functions used for the minimization problem were also investigated. Methods The newly developed ProFit‐1D fitting algorithm is systematically evaluated for simulations of several types of possible in vivo parameter variations. Although accuracy and precision are tested with simulated spectra, spectra measured in vivo at 9.4 T are used for testing precision using subsets of averages. ProFit‐1D fitting results are also compared with LCModel. Results Both ProFit‐1D and LCModel fitted the spectra well with induced parameter and baseline variations. ProFit‐1D proved to be more accurate than LCModel for simulated spectra. However, LCModel showed a somewhat increased precision for some spectral simulations and for in vivo data. Conclusion The open‐source ProFit‐1D fitting algorithm demonstrated high accuracy while maintaining precise metabolite concentration quantification. Finally, through the newly proposed cost functions, new ways to improve fitting were shown.
Long-Term Continuous Extraction of Medium-Chain Carboxylates by Pertraction With Submerged Hollow-Fiber Membranes
2021-08-13

Medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs), which can be generated from organic waste and agro-industrial side streams through microbial chain elongation, are valuable chemicals with numerous industrial applications. Membrane-based liquid-liquid extraction (pertraction) as a downstream separation process to extract MCCAs has been applied successfully. Here, a novel pertraction system with submerged hollow-fiber membranes in the fermentation bioreactor was applied to increase the MCCA extraction rate and reduce the footprint. The highest average surface-corrected MCCA extraction rate of 655.2 ± 86.4 mmol C m −2 d −1 was obtained, which was higher than any other previous reports, albeit the relatively small surface area removed only 11.6% of the introduced carbon via pertraction. This submerged extraction system was able to continuously extract MCCAs with a high extraction rate for more than 8 months. The average extraction rate of MCCA by internal membrane was 3.0- to 4.7-fold higher than the external pertraction (traditional pertraction) in the same bioreactor. A broth upflow velocity of 7.6 m h −1 was more efficient to extract MCCAs when compared to periodic biogas recirculation operation as a means to prevent membrane fouling. An even higher broth upflow velocity of 40.5 m h −1 resulted in a significant increase in methane production, losing more than 30% of carbon conversion to methane due to a loss of H 2 , and a subsequent drop in the H 2 partial pressure. This resulted in the shift from a microbial community with chain elongators as the key functional group to methanogens, because the drop in H 2 partial pressure led to thermodynamic conditions that oxidizes ethanol and carboxylic acids to acetate and H 2 with methanogens as the syntrophic partner. Thus, operators of chain elongating systems should monitor the H 2 partial pressure when changes in operating conditions are made.