julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Mathematical Modelling Based on In Vivo Imaging Suggests CD137-Stimulated Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Exert Superior Tumour Control Due to an Enhanced Antimitotic Effect on Tumour Cells
2021-05-24

Several immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancer are under development. Two prominent strategies are adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of CTLs and modulation of CTL function with immune checkpoint inhibitors or with costimulatory antibodies. Despite some success with these approaches, there remains a lack of detailed and quantitative descriptions of the events following CTL transfer and the impact of immunomodulation. Here, we have applied ordinary differential equation models to two photon imaging data derived from a B16F10 murine melanoma. Models were parameterised with data from two different treatment conditions: either ACT-only, or ACT with intratumoural costimulation using a CD137 targeted antibody. Model dynamics and best fitting parameters were compared, in order to assess the mode of action of the CTLs and examine how the CD137 antibody influenced their activities. We found that the cytolytic activity of the transferred CTLs was minimal without CD137 costimulation, and that the CD137 targeted antibody did not enhance the per-capita killing ability of the transferred CTLs. Instead, the results of our modelling study suggest that an antiproliferative effect of CTLs exerted upon the tumour likely accounted for the majority of the reduction in tumour growth after CTL transfer. Moreover, we found that CD137 most likely improved tumour control via enhancement of this antiproliferative effect, as well as prolonging the period in which CTLs were inside the tumour, leading to a sustained duration of their antitumour effects following CD137 stimulation.
The immune response to the SLActive titanium dental implant surface in vitro is predominantly driven by innate immune cells
2021-05-24

Biomaterial characteristics such as topography and wettability have been shown to influence the immune response to implanted medical devices. Thus, appropriate surface design considering the immune system has moved more into focus. Previous in vitro studies have commonly employed simplistic immune models and as such, the role of different immune cell populations, particularly those of the adaptive immune system, is still poorly understood. Here, we employed a biologically complex human-based in vitro model consisting of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to examine interactions between cells of the innate and adaptive immune system in the context of clinically used implants. To achieve this, five differently treated titanium surfaces were characterised in terms of physicochemical properties using contact angle measurement, XPS and confocal scanning microscopy. Cytokine analysis revealed different material surface properties to result in different immune responses with SLActive surface showing low levels of IL-6 and IL-8 but high levels of MCP-1. Cytokine and surface marker analysis in isolated populations of monocytes and lymphocytes and defined ratios revealed lymphocytes alone to be unaffected by the SLActive biomaterial and except for a slight effect on HLA-DR expression indicated no activation of monocytes by lymphoid cells. On lymphocytes, CD16 and HLA-DR expression was unaffected by monocytes under physiological conditions but was elevated with high levels of monocytes present. Intracellular cytokine staining in whole PBMC cultures confirmed monocytes to be responsible for the observed immune response, with minimal involvement of lymphocytes. Expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and TNF-α in monocytes peaked 12 h after biomaterial contact, while the expression of surface markers HLA-DR and CD86 continued to rise 72 h following contact. These results collectively suggest the immune response to titanium biomaterials in the first 72 h in vitro to be almost exclusively driven by the innate rather than the adaptive immune system.
Multi‐echo gradient‐recalled‐echo phase unwrapping using a Nyquist sampled virtual echo train in the presence of high‐field gradients
2021-05-24

Purpose To develop a spatio‐temporal approach to accurately unwrap multi‐echo gradient‐recalled echo phase in the presence of high‐field gradients. Theory and Methods Using the virtual echo–based Nyquist sampled (VENyS) algorithm, the temporal unwrapping procedure is modified by introduction of one or more virtual echoes between the first lower and the immediate higher echo, so as to reinstate the Nyquist condition at locations with high‐field gradients. An iterative extension of the VENyS algorithm maintains spatial continuity by adjusting the phase rotations to make the neighborhood phase differences less than π. The algorithm is evaluated using simulated data, Gadolinium contrast‐doped phantom, and in vivo brain, abdomen, and chest data sets acquired at 3 T and 9.4 T. The unwrapping performance is compared with the standard temporal unwrapping algorithm used in the morphology‐enabled dipole inversion–QSM pipeline as a benchmark for validation. Results Quantitative evaluation using numerical phantom showed significant reduction in unwrapping errors in regions of large field gradients, and the unwrapped phase revealed an exact match with the linear concentration profile of vials in a gadolinium contrast–doped phantom data acquired at 9.4 T. Without the need for additional spatial unwrapping, the iterative VENyS algorithm was able to generate spatially continuous phase images. Application to in vivo data resulted in better unwrapping performance, especially in regions with large susceptibility changes such as the air/tissue interface. Conclusion The iterative VENyS algorithm serves as a robust unwrapping method for multi‐echo gradient‐recalled echo phase in the presence of high‐field gradients.
“This Nothing of a Voice”: Kafka’s Josefine Narrative as a Modern Reflection on Revelation and Language
2021-05-24

Abstract In reference to the paradoxical classification of art in Kafka’s Josefine story, religious aspects of the artist’s performances and their effect on the audience are scrutinized. The leading question is to what extent it evokes an allusion to the primal scene of divine revelation, following Stéphane Mosès’ commentary in his readings of the Bible. Josefine’s singing with a “nothing of a voice”, reduced to “the slightest of nullities”, the zero-point of signification, nevertheless affects an experience of presence and community that touches the listeners’ entire being. From the perspective of the artist, her song recitals are manifestations of supreme art of which she claims a soteriological significance in respect of her audience who belongs in Kafka’s portrayal obviously to the Jewish people. Around such a tension between maximal restraint of an utterance (the voice onset of the aleph of the word anokhi/I) and all-encompassing meaning (the name of God and all Commandments whose acceptance is constitutive for the Jewish people) circle the theological exegeses of the Sinai-scene (esp. Ex. 20,1) in the tradition of Rashi and Maimonides, in modernity e.g. of Gershom Scholem in dispute with Walter Benjamin on Kafka. It will be shown that the depicted paradoxes of Josefine’s art performances unfold the mentioned tension as an original literary reflection on revelation and language under the conditions of modernity.
Immune response to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in vaccinated individuals
2021-05-25

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is evolving with mutations in the receptor binding domain (RBD) being of particular concern. It is important to know how much cross-protection is offered between strains following vaccination or infection. Here, we obtain serum and saliva samples from groups of vaccinated (Pfizer BNT-162b2), infected and uninfected individuals and characterize the antibody response to RBD mutant strains. Vaccinated individuals have a robust humoral response after the second dose and have high IgG antibody titers in the saliva. Antibody responses however show considerable differences in binding to RBD mutants of emerging variants of concern and substantial reduction in RBD binding and neutralization is observed against a patient-isolated South African variant. Taken together our data reinforce the importance of the second dose of Pfizer BNT-162b2 to acquire high levels of neutralizing antibodies and high antibody titers in saliva suggest that vaccinated individuals may have reduced transmission potential. Substantially reduced neutralization for the South African variant further highlights the importance of surveillance strategies to detect new variants and targeting these in future vaccines.
Increased tibial tubercle‐trochlear groove and patellar height indicate a higher risk of recurrent patellar dislocation following medial reefing
2021-05-25

Abstract Purpose Identifying anatomical risk factors on recurrent dislocation after medial reefing is important for deciding surgical treatment. The present study aimed to retrospectively analyze the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based parameters of patients treated with medial reefing and whether these parameters lead to a higher risk of recurrent dislocation. Methods Fifty‐five patients (18.6 ± 6.6 years) who underwent medial reefing after primary traumatic patellar dislocation (84% with medial patellofemoral ligament [MPFL] rupture) were included. Patients were followed up for at least 24 months postoperatively (3.8 ± 1.2 years) to assess the incidence of recurrent patellar dislocation. In patients without recurrent dislocation, the Kujala and subjective IKDC scores were assessed. Moreover, the tibial tubercle‐trochlear groove (TT‐TG), sulcus angle, patellar tilt, patellar shift, and lateral trochlea index (LTI) were measured. The patellar height was measured using the Caton‐Dechamps (CDI), Blackburne‐Peel (BPI), and Insall‐Salvati index (ISI). The cohort was subclassified into two groups with and without recurrent dislocation. Differences between groups were analyzed with respect to the MRI parameters. Results Forty percent had a pathological sulcus angle of &gt; 145°, 7.2% had an LTI of &lt; 11°, 47.3% had a patellar tilt of &gt; 20°, and 36.4% had a TT‐TG of ≥ 16 mm. Increased patellar height was observed in 34.5, 65.5, and 34.5% of the patients as per CDI, BPI, and ISI, respectively. Nineteen (34.5%) patients suffered from recurrent dislocation. Compared with patients without recurrent dislocation, those with recurrent dislocation had a significantly lower LTI ( p = 0.0467). All other parameters were not significantly different between the groups. Risk factor analysis showed higher odds ratios (OR &gt; 2), although not statistically significant, for MPFL rupture (OR 2.05 [95% confidence interval 0.38–11.03], LTI (6.6 [0.6–68.1]), TT‐TG (2.9 [0.9–9.2]), and patellar height according to ISI (2.3 [0.7–7.5]) and CDI (2.3 [0.7–7.5])). Patients without recurrent dislocation had a Kujala score of 93.7 ± 12.1 (42–100) points and an IKDC score of 90.6 ± 11.7 (55.2–100) points. Conclusion Anatomical, MRI‐based parameters should be considered before indicating medial reefing. A ruptured MPFL, an LTI &lt; 11°, a TT‐TG ≥ 16 mm, a patellar tilt &gt; 20 mm, and an increased patellar height according to ISI and CDI were found to be associated, although not significantly, with a higher risk (OR &gt; 2) of recurrent patellar dislocation after medial reefing. Thorough preoperative analysis is crucial to reduce the risk of recurrent dislocation in young patient cohorts. Level of evidence Level IV
Separated and overlapping neural coding of face and body identity
2021-05-25

Abstract Recognising a person's identity often relies on face and body information, and is tolerant to changes in low‐level visual input (e.g., viewpoint changes). Previous studies have suggested that face identity is disentangled from low‐level visual input in the anterior face‐responsive regions. It remains unclear which regions disentangle body identity from variations in viewpoint, and whether face and body identity are encoded separately or combined into a coherent person identity representation. We trained participants to recognise three identities, and then recorded their brain activity using fMRI while they viewed face and body images of these three identities from different viewpoints. Participants' task was to respond to either the stimulus identity or viewpoint. We found consistent decoding of body identity across viewpoint in the fusiform body area, right anterior temporal cortex, middle frontal gyrus and right insula. This finding demonstrates a similar function of fusiform and anterior temporal cortex for bodies as has previously been shown for faces, suggesting these regions may play a general role in extracting high‐level identity information. Moreover, we could decode identity across fMRI activity evoked by faces and bodies in the early visual cortex, right inferior occipital cortex, right parahippocampal cortex and right superior parietal cortex, revealing a distributed network that encodes person identity abstractly. Lastly, identity decoding was consistently better when participants attended to identity, indicating that attention to identity enhances its neural representation. These results offer new insights into how the brain develops an abstract neural coding of person identity, shared by faces and bodies.
Faces and Sounds Becoming One: Cross-Modal Integration of Facial and Auditory Cues in Judging Trustworthiness
2021-05-25

Face processing has mainly been investigated by presenting facial expressions without any contextual information. However, in everyday interactions with others, the sight of a face is often accompanied by contextual cues that are processed either visually or under different sensory modalities. Here, we tested whether the perceived trustworthiness of a face is influenced by the auditory context in which that face is embedded. In Experiment 1, participants evaluated trustworthiness from faces that were surrounded by either threatening or non-threatening auditory contexts. Results showed that faces were judged more untrustworthy when accompanied by threatening auditory information. Experiment 2 replicated the effect in a design that disentangled the effects of threatening contexts from negative contexts in general. Thus, perceiving facial trustworthiness involves a cross-modal integration of the face and the level of threat posed by the surrounding context.
A case study using 2019 pre-monsoon snow and stream chemistry in the Khumbu region, Nepal
2021-05-25

This case study provides a framework for future monitoring and evidence for human source pollution in the Khumbu region, Nepal. We analyzed the chemical composition (major ions, major/trace elements, black carbon, and stable water isotopes) of pre-monsoon stream water (4300-5250 m) and snow (5200-6665 m) samples collected from Mt. Everest, Mt. Lobuche, and the Imja Valley during the 2019 pre-monsoon season, in addition to a shallow ice core recovered from the Khumbu Glacier (5300 m). In agreement with previous work, pre-monsoon aerosol deposition is dominated by dust originating from western sources and less frequently by transport from southerly air mass sources as demonstrated by evidence of one of the strongest recorded pre-monsoon events emanating from the Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Fani. Elevated concentrations of human-sourced metals (e.g., Pb, Bi, As) are found in surface snow and stream chemistry collected in the Khumbu region. As the most comprehensive case study of environmental chemistry in the Khumbu region, this research offers sufficient evidence for increased monitoring in this watershed and surrounding areas.
Efficacy and tolerability of chemosaturation in patients with hepatic metastases from uveal melanoma
2021-05-25

Background Patients with hepatic metastatic uveal melanoma still have a poor outcome. Purpose To evaluate overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and response predictors in these patients treated with chemosaturation by percutaneous hepatic perfusion with melphalan (CS-PHP). Material and Methods Between June 2015 and March 2020, a total of 29 patients (median age 69.7 years; age range 30–81 years; 60% women; median BMI 25.7 kg/m 2 ; range 18.7–35.3kg/m 2 ; 1–6 procedures per patient) were treated with 53 CS-PHPs. All patients received cross-sectional imaging for initial and follow-up examinations. Baseline tumor load, extrahepatic tumor load, tumor response, PFS, and OS were assessed. Non-parametric statistics were used. Results After the initial CS-PHP, a partial response was observed in 11 patients (41%), stable disease in 12 patients (44%) and progressive disease in 4 patients (15%); two patients died before the response was evaluated. After initial CS-PHP, median OS was 12.9 ± 7.4 months and median PFS was 7.1 ± 7.4 months. OS after one year was 50%. After the second CS-PHP, median PFS was 7.9 ± 5.7 months. Seven patients had a liver tumor burden &gt;25%, associated with a significantly shorter OS (6.0 ± 2.4 vs. 14.1 ± 12.7 months; P = 0.008). At the time of first CS-PHP, 41% (12/29) of the patients had extrahepatic metastases that did not affect OS (11.1 ± 8.4 months vs. 12.9 ± 13.6 months; P = 0.66). Conclusion CS-PHP is a safe and effective treatment for the hepatic metastatic uveal melanoma, especially for patients with a hepatic tumor burden &lt;25%.
Efficient Hydrophilic Small Molecule Delivery To Retinal Cell Lines Using Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Containing Gel Core
2021-05-25

Abstract In this study, we developed a novel solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) formulation for drug delivery of small hydrophilic cargo to the retina. The new formulation, based on a gel core and composite shell, allowed up to two times increase in the encapsulation efficiency. The type of hydrophobic polyester used in the composite shell mixture affects the particle surface charge, colloidal stability, and cell internalization profile. We validated the SLN capability as a drug delivery system by performing encapsulation of a hydrophilic neuroprotective cyclic guanosine monophosphate analogue, previously demonstrated to hold retinoprotective properties, and the best formulation resulted in particles with size of ± 250nm, anionic charge &gt; -20 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency value of ±60%, criteria that are suitable for retinal delivery. In vitro studies using ARPE-19 and 661W retinal cell lines revealed a relatively low SLN toxicity, even when high particle concentration was used. More importantly, SLN could be uptaken by the cells and the release of the hydrophilic cargo in the cytoplasm was visually demonstrated. These findings suggest that the newly developed SLN with a gel core and composite polymer/lipid shell holds all characteristics suitable for drug delivery of small hydrophilic active molecules into retinal cell.
Preservation and Distributions of Covalently Bound Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons in Ancient Biogenic Kerogens and Insoluble Organic Macromolecules
2021-05-25

The likelihood of finding pristine molecular biosignatures preserved in Earth's oldest rocks or on other planetary bodies is low, and new approaches are needed to assess the origins of highly altered and recalcitrant organic matter. In this study, we aim to understand the distributions and systematics of preservation of ancient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as both free hydrocarbons and bound within insoluble macromolecules. We report the distributions of bound PAHs generated by catalytic hydropyrolysis from ancient biogenic kerogens and from insoluble organic matter (IOM) in high-temperature carbonaceous residues from pyrobitumens and synthetic coke. For biogenic kerogens, the degree of thermal maturity exerts the primary control on the preservation and distributions of the major five-ring and six-ring PAH compounds. This holds for both Precambrian and Phanerozoic rocks, thus source variation in primary biogenic organic matter inputs does not exert the major control on bound PAH. The IOM samples, predominantly residues from hydrocarbon cracking at high temperatures, preserve a bound PAH profile significantly distinct from ancient biogenic kerogens and characterized by an absence of perylene and higher abundance of large-ring condensed PAHs. Covalently bound PAH profiles offer promise as "last resort" molecular biosignatures for aiding the astrobiological search for ancient life.
A Multimodal Eye Movement Dataset and a Multimodal Eye Movement Segmentation Analysis
2021-05-25

We present a new dataset with annotated eye movements. The dataset consists of over 800,000 gaze points recorded during a car ride in the real world and in the simulator. In total, the eye movements of 19 subjects were annotated. In this dataset there are several data sources such as the eyelid closure, the pupil center, the optical vector, and a vector into the pupil center starting from the center of the eye corners. These different data sources are analyzed and evaluated individually as well as in combination with respect to their goodness of fit for eye movement classification. These results will help developers of real-time systems and algorithms to find the best data sources for their application. Also, new algorithms can be trained and evaluated on this data set. The data and the Matlab code can be downloaded here https://atreus.informatik.uni-tuebingen.de/seafile/d/8e2ab8c3fdd444e1a135/?p=%2FA%20Multimodal%20Eye%20Movement%20Dataset%20and%20...&amp;mode=list
Gas–liquid phase transition in a binary mixture with an interaction that creates constant density profiles
2021-05-25

If, in a hard sphere fluid, a single (test) particle is fixed, the other particles display a density profile that possesses long-ranged oscillations. Surprisingly, one can show via classical density functional theory that it takes a simple, purely repulsive (external) potential with a finite range in addition to the fixed hard sphere that forces these oscillations to vanish completely. This can give rise to interesting phenomena; however, it gained little attention in the past. In this work, we use the potential in question as an inter-component interaction in a binary hard-sphere mixture, where it is shown that the effective interaction induced by one component resembles qualitatively the well-known Asakura–Oosawa–Vrij potential and can lead to a liquid–gas phase transition in the other component.
55 Rides: attention annotated head and gaze data during naturalistic driving
2021-05-25

Trained eye patterns are essential for safe driving. Whether for exploration of the surrounding traffic or to make sure that a lane is clear through a shoulder check - quick and effective perception is the key to driving safety. Surprisingly though, free and open access data on gaze behavior during driving are yet extremely sparse. The environment inside a vehicle is challenging for eye-tracking technology due to rapidly changing illumination conditions, such as exiting a tunnel to brightest sunlight, proper calibration and safety. So far, available data exhibits environments that likely influence the viewing behavior, sometimes dramatically (e.g., driving simulators without mirrors, limited field of view).