julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory potential of cotton‐based surgically invasive devices: Implications for cardiac surgery
2018-11-22

Abstract Cotton‐based surgical invasive devices with their desired hemostyptic properties have been used for decades in the surgical field. However, in cardiac surgery using the heart–lung machine with direct retransfusion of suction blood, activated blood may re‐enter the circulation without filtration and may trigger a cascade reaction leading to systemic inflammation and thrombosis. We therefore set out to evaluate the inflammatory potential of untreated and pyrogen‐impregnated cotton‐based surgical invasive medical devices. After incubation of the swabs with whole blood or PBMC, the cell‐free supernatant was investigated for IL1β and IL6. While the reaction of human whole blood toward cotton swabs could not be influenced by any sterilization technique, dry heat and gamma‐irradiation were able to diminish the inflammatory reaction of PBMC toward the material and the used pyrogens. In conclusion, using PBMC in direct contact to cotton we are the first to establish a suitable test method for quantification of the pyrogenic/inflammatory activity of this material. The unaltered reaction of whole blood, however, suggests a crosstalk of cells and plasma proteins in the inflammation activation that is not prevented by sterilization of the swabs. This new in vitro testing methodology may help to better display the clinical situation during development of new materials. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1877–1888, 2019.
The administration route of tumor-antigen-specific T-helper cells differentially modulates the tumor microenvironment and senescence
2018-11-22

Cancer treatment with adoptively transferred tumor-associated antigen-specific CD4+ T-helper cells is a promising immunotherapeutic approach. In the pancreatic cancer model RIP-Tag2, the intraperitoneal (i.p.) application of Tag-specific TH1 cells exhibited a profound antitumoral efficiency. We investigated, whether an intravenous (i.v.) application of Tag-TH1 cells induces an equivalent therapeutic effect. Adoptively transferred fluorescent Tag-TH1 cells revealed a pronounced homing to the tumors after either i.p. or i.v. transfer, and both routes induced an almost equivalent therapeutic effect as demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging, blood glucose level course and histology. The i.v. administration of Tag-TH1 cells induced p16INK4-positive/Ki67-negative tumor senescence more efficiently than i.p. administration. Both routes replenish host CD4+ T cells by transferred T cells and recruitment of B and dendritic cells to the tumors while reducing CD8+ T cells and depleting macrophages. Both administration routes efficiently induced a similar antitumoral efficiency despite the pronounced senescence induction after i.v. administration. Thus, a combinatory i.v./i.p. injection of therapeutic cells might overcome limitations of the individual routes and improve therapeutic efficacy in solid tumors.
Visions of Attica
2018-11-22

Chapter 15 examines Demosthenes’ warnings of a Macedonian attack on Attica. Since the fifth century, Attica had figured prominently in the political imagery of classical Athens; the defence of the Attic homeland against foreign invaders was highlighted in this imagery and the narratives that articulated the political identity of the Athenians, their self-perception as group, and the collective values on which they built their community. The chapter argues that Demosthenes’ warnings of a Macedonian threat to Attica were informed by this tradition, and that he drew on this old and emotive imagery in order to turn the struggle against his enemies into a matter of Athenian identity. After providing an overview of Attica as depicted in the political imagery of classical Athens, the chapter considers the theme of Attica under attack in Demosthenes’ oratory against Philip II of Macedon.
Whole plant community transplants across climates reveal structural community stability due to large shifts in species assemblage
2018-11-22

Summary (1) Climate change will decrease precipitation and increase rainfall variability in Eastern Mediterranean regions, with responses of plant communities largely uncertain. Here, we tested short-term responses of dryland plant communities to contrasting rainfall regimes using a novel experimental approach. (2) We exposed three annual plant communities to sharp changes in climatic conditions using whole community reciprocal transplants of soil and seed banks. We tested for the role of climate vs. community origin on community response and resistance. In parallel, we asked whether origin-specific climatic adaptations predict compositional shifts across climates. (3) For both community origins, the most dry-adapted species in each community increased in dry climate and the wet-adapted species increased in wet climate. Dry community origins showed large compositional shifts while maintaining stable plant density, biomass and species richness across climates. Conversely, wet communities showed smaller compositional shifts, but larger variation in biomass and richness. (4) Asynchrony in species abundances in response to rainfall variability could maintain structural community stability. This, in combination with seed dormancy, has the ability to delay extinction in response to climate change. However, increasing occurrence of extreme droughts may, in the long-term, lead to loss of wet-adapted species.
Searches for gamma-ray lines and ‘pure WIMP’ spectra from Dark Matter annihilations in dwarf galaxies with H.E.S.S.
2018-11-23

Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are among the most promising targets for detecting signals of Dark Matter (DM) annihilations. The H.E.S.S. experiment has observed five of these systems for a total of about 130 hours. The data are re-analyzed here, and, in the absence of any detected signals, are interpreted in terms of limits on the DM annihilation cross section. Two scenarios are considered: i) DM annihilation into mono-energetic gamma-rays and ii) DM in the form of pure WIMP multiplets that, annihilating into all electroweak bosons, produce a distinctive gamma-ray spectral shape with a high-energy peak at the DM mass and a lower-energy continuum. For case i), upper limits at 95\\% confidence level of about cm s are obtained in the mass range of 400 GeV to 1 TeV. For case ii), the full spectral shape of the models is used and several excluded regions are identified, but the thermal masses of the candidates are not robustly ruled out.
Single event visualization of unconventional secretion of FGF2
2018-11-23

FGF2 is exported from cells by an unconventional secretory mechanism. Here, we directly visualized individual FGF2 membrane translocation events at the plasma membrane using live cell TIRF microscopy. This process was dependent on both PI(4,5)P2–mediated recruitment of FGF2 at the inner leaflet and heparan sulfates capturing FGF2 at the outer plasma membrane leaflet. By simultaneous imaging of both FGF2 membrane recruitment and the appearance of FGF2 at the cell surface, we revealed the kinetics of FGF2 membrane translocation in living cells with an average duration of ∼200 ms. Furthermore, we directly demonstrated FGF2 oligomers at the inner leaflet of living cells with a FGF2 dimer being the most prominent species. We propose this dimer to represent a key intermediate in the formation of higher FGF2 oligomers that form membrane pores and put forward a kinetic model explaining the mechanism by which membrane-inserted FGF2 oligomers serve as dynamic translocation intermediates during unconventional secretion of FGF2.
Assessment of Patient and Occupational Safety Culture in Hospitals: Development of a Questionnaire with Comparable Dimensions and Results of a Feasibility Study in a German University Hospital
2018-11-23

(1) Background: Both patient and occupational safety cultures should be considered when promoting safety culture. To our knowledge, there are no studies that capture patient safety culture (PSC) and occupational safety culture (OSC) in hospitals while using a common questionnaire. The aim of this feasibility study in a German university hospital was to develop a questionnaire to assess both issues analogously. In addition to feasibility outcomes, we report results of PSC-OSC comparisons. (2) Methods: To assess PSC, we used the existing Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSPSC) questionnaire. Developing new OSC “twin items” for certain parts of the HSPSC was supported by a previous literature review. Additionally, we developed multiple choice questions to examine knowledge and competencies regarding specific PS/OS aspects. (3) Results: Developing and implementing a combined PSC and OSC assessment instrument was feasible. The overall response rate was 33% (407 nurses, 140 physicians). In general, the statistical reliability of almost all scales was sufficient. Positive PSC perceptions (agreement rates 46–87%) were found in 16 out of 18 scales. Of the four twin scales, the PSC values were significantly better. Individual PS- and OS-related knowledge and competencies were lower than expected. (4) Conclusion: The comparative investigation of patient and occupational safety in a large hospital is a promising approach and can be recommended for further studies. We used our experiences that are presented here in an ongoing bicentric study on the associations between working conditions, occupational safety culture, patient safety culture, and patient safety outcomes (WorkSafeMed).
The zinc-finger transcription factor GLI3 is a regulator of precerebellar neuronal migration
2018-11-23

ABSTRACT Hindbrain precerebellar neurons arise from progenitor pools at the dorsal edge of the embryonic hindbrain: the caudal rhombic lip. These neurons follow distinct migratory routes to establish nuclei that provide climbing or mossy fiber inputs to the cerebellum. Gli3, a zinc-finger transcription factor in the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway, is an important regulator of dorsal brain development. We demonstrate that in Gli3-null mutant mice, disrupted neuronal migratory streams lead to a disorganization of precerebellar nuclei. Precerebellar progenitors are properly established in Gli3-null embryos and, using conditional gene inactivation, we provide evidence that Gli3 does not play a cell-autonomous role in migrating precerebellar neurons. Thus, GLI3 likely regulates the development of other hindbrain structures, such as non-precerebellar nuclei or cranial ganglia and their respective projections, which may in turn influence precerebellar migration. Although the organization of non-precerebellar hindbrain nuclei appears to be largely unaffected in absence of Gli3, trigeminal ganglia and their central descending tracts are disrupted. We show that rostrally migrating precerebellar neurons are normally in close contact with these tracts, but are detached in Gli3-null embryos.
Peripheral GRN mRNA and Serum Progranulin Levels as a Potential Indicator for Both the Presence of Splice Site Mutations and Individuals at Risk for Frontotemporal Dementia
2018-11-23

Progranulin (GRN) gene mutations are a major cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Most mutations identified to date are null mutations, which are predicted to cause the pathology via haploinsufficiency. Decreased peripheral progranulin protein (PGRN) levels are associated with the presence of GRN null mutations and are accepted as reliable biomarkers. In this study, our aim was to test whether the presence of specific GRN splice site mutations (c.- 8+2T>G and c.708+6_9del), could be predicted by peripheral mRNA or protein GRN levels, by studying affected and asymptomatic individuals from FTD families. We also tested four missense GRN variants to assess if altered GRN levels depended on the type of mutation.Our results confirmed a reduction in both mRNA and protein PGRN levels in the splice site mutation carriers, which is consistent with previous reports for null mutations. Our results also suggested that both decreased peripheral GRN mRNA and serum PGRN levels indicate the presence of pathogenic mutations in affected individuals, and identify the asymptomatic individuals at risk, without previous knowledge of genetic status. Both inferences suggest a potential use of peripheral GRN mRNA or serum PGRN levels as biomarkers for families with FTD.
Correction: The value of universally available raw NMR data for transparency, reproducibility, and integrity in natural product research
2018-11-23

Correction for ‘The value of universally available raw NMR data for transparency, reproducibility, and integrity in natural product research’ by James B. McAlpine <italic>et al.</italic>, <italic>Nat. Prod. Rep.</italic>, 2018, DOI: 10.1039/c7np00064b.
Multi-target attention and visual short-term memory capacity are closely linked in the intraparietal sulcus
2018-11-23

The existing literature suggests a critical role for both the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) in our ability to attend to multiple simultaneously-presented lateralised targets (multi-target attention), and the failure of this ability in extinction patients. Currently, however, the precise role of each of these areas in multi-target attention is unclear. In this study, we combined the theory of visual attention (TVA) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) guided continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) in neurologically healthy subjects to directly investigate the role of the right IPS and TPJ in multi-target attention. Our results show that cTBS at an area of the right IPS associated with multi-target attention elicits a reduction of visual short-term memory capacity. This suggests that the right IPS is associated with a general capacity-limited encoding mechanism that is engaged regardless of whether targets have to be attended or remembered. Curiously, however, cTBS to the right IPS failed to elicit extinction-like behaviour in our study, supporting previous suggestions that different areas of the right IPS may provide different contributions to multi-target attention. CTBS to the right TPJ failed to induce a change in either TVA parameters or extinction-like behaviour.
Using DeepLabCut for 3D markerless pose estimation across species and behaviors
2018-11-24

Noninvasive behavioral tracking of animals during experiments is crucial to many scientific pursuits. Extracting the poses of animals without using markers is often essential for measuring behavioral effects in biomechanics, genetics, ethology &amp; neuroscience. Yet, extracting detailed poses without markers in dynamically changing backgrounds has been challenging. We recently introduced an open source toolbox called DeepLabCut that builds on a state-of-the-art human pose estimation algorithm to allow a user to train a deep neural network using limited training data to precisely track user-defined features that matches human labeling accuracy. Here, with this paper we provide an updated toolbox that is self contained within a Python package that includes new features such as graphical user interfaces and active-learning based network refinement. Lastly, we provide a step-by-step guide for using DeepLabCut.
Risks in signal processing pipelines influencing the estimation of phase dependency for EEG-TMS
2018-11-24

Abstract Phase-dependency of cortico-spinal excitability can be researched using TMS-EEG. Due to the large artifact, non-causal filters can smear the TMS artifact and distort the phase. However, causal filters can become biased by too high filter orders or uneven pass-bands. We explored the influence of different signal processing pipelines on the estimation of the optimal phase. This exploration involved performing two simulation studies. In the first, we simulated two different phase-dependencies (uni-versus bimodal) and sought to recover them with two distinct approaches that have previously been described. In the second, we specifically explored how filter parameters (e.g., order, pass-band) biased the phase estimation. On the basis of these findings, we propose using up-to-date toolboxes, re-running scripts after software updates and performing simulation studies in parallel to safeguard the analysis pipeline of empirical studies.
Dynamic intraligamentary stabilization for ACL repair: a systematic review
2018-11-25

Abstract Purpose It was the aim to assess all published original research dealing with dynamic repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and to provide a semi‐quantitative analysis of clinical outcome reports. Methods Both OVIS and MEDLINE databases were utilized for allocation of articles. All preclinical and clinical studies related to dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) were identified. Results were tabulated and semi‐quantitative analysis performed. Results Twenty‐three articles related to DIS were identified. The predominant level of evidence ranged between II and IV, with only one level I study. Reported failure rates ranged between 4% and 13.6%. Most clinical studies only reported revision rates without referring to failure of restoring stability. Highest success was achieved with proximal ACL ruptures. Both the level of physical activity and patient age have been found to influence the risk of failure. Conclusion There is sufficient evidence to support that DIS repair may be an effective modality for the treatment of acute proximal tears of the ACL. However, comparative studies are lacking. Upcoming studies should compare the technique to ACL reconstruction with failure as an endpoint. Comparison to rigid methods of proximal fixation is also necessary to justify the need for dynamic fixation. Overall, there is evidence to suggest the potential space for ACL repair in the decision tree for individualized treatment planning. The best outcome will be in the hands of the best patient selectors. Level of evidence IV.
Food Authentication: Small-Molecule Profiling as a Tool for the Geographic Discrimination of German White Asparagus
2018-11-25

For the first time, a non-targeted metabolomics approach by means of ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry was chosen for the discrimination of geographical origins of white asparagus samples ( Asparagus officinalis). Over a period of four harvesting periods (4 years), approximately 400 asparagus samples were measured. Initially, four different liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods were used to detect as many metabolites as possible and to assess which method is most suitable. The most relevant marker compounds were linked to the influence of different plant stress parameters and climate effects. Some of the samples were also analyzed by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), which is the current gold standard for the discrimination of the geographical origin of asparagus. In summary, the analysis of the metabolome was proven to be quite suitable to determine the geographical origin of asparagus and seems to provide better interpretable results than IRMS studies.
Operators with Wentzell boundary conditions and the Dirichlet‐to‐Neumann operator
2018-11-25

Abstract In this paper we relate the generator property of an operator A with (abstract) generalized Wentzell boundary conditions on a Banach space X and its associated (abstract) Dirichlet‐to‐Neumann operator N acting on a “boundary” space . Our approach is based on similarity transformations and perturbation arguments and allows to split A into an operator A 00 with Dirichlet‐type boundary conditions on a space X 0 of states having “zero trace” and the operator N . If A 00 generates an analytic semigroup, we obtain under a weak Hille–Yosida type condition that A generates an analytic semigroup on X if and only if N does so on . Here we assume that the (abstract) “trace” operator is bounded that is typically satisfied if X is a space of continuous functions. Concrete applications are made to various second order differential operators.
Differentially rotating neutron stars in scalar-tensor theories of gravity
2018-11-26

We present the first numerical models of differentially rotating stars in\\nalternative theories of gravity. We chose a particular class of scalar-tensor\\ntheories of gravity that is indistinguishable from GR in the weak field regime\\nbut can lead to significant deviations when strong fields are considered. We\\nshow that the maximum mass that a differentially rotating neutron star can\\nsustain increases significantly for scalarized solutions and such stars can\\nreach larger angular momenta. In addition, the presence of a nontrivial scalar\\nfield has the effect of increasing the required axis ratio for reaching a given\\nvalue of angular momentum, when compared to a corresponding model of same rest\\nmass in general relativity. We find that the scalar field also makes rapidly\\nrotating models less quasi-toroidal than their general-relativistic\\ncounterparts. For large values of the angular momentum and values of the\\ncoupling parameter that are in agreement with the observations, we find a\\nsecond turning point for scalarized models along constant angular momentum\\nsequences, which could have interesting implications for the stability of\\nremnants created in a binary neutron star merger.\\n
Prolonged Monsoonal Moisture Availability Preconditioned Glaciation of the Tibetan Plateau During the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition
2018-11-26

Abstract Paleohydrological data comprising pollen assemblages and leaf‐wax hydrogen isotopes (δD wax ) from paleolake sediments in the Qaidam Basin (China) provide evidence for a link between increased moisture availability on the Tibetan Plateau and global cooling during the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition. Notably, they document the persistence of humid and cold conditions during Marine Isotope Stages 24–22 (936–866 ka) suggesting that boundary conditions favorable for extended glaciation on the Tibetan Plateau first developed at ~900 ka. Our δD wax results indicate a strong influence of proximal (monsoonal) moisture sources during that glacial, in agreement with the intensification of the interhemispheric moisture transport resulting from Antarctic ice volume increase at ~900 ka. The consistency of our results with other marine and terrestrial climate data sets suggests that extended glaciation on the Tibetan Plateau may have initiated ~500 ka earlier than previously assumed, implying that midlatitude ice sheets actively contributed to global cooling during the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition.
Operando Investigations of Rare-Earth Oxycarbonate CO2 Sensors
2018-11-26

In this work, we have succeeded in synthesizing monoclinic and hexagonal La2O2CO3 using two different routes and revealed that both of them are sensitive to CO2 to the same degree. Moreover, we observed that the resistance of the sensor based on hexagonal phase is much higher and more stable than the one of the sensors based on the monoclinic phase. Using Operando and time resolved XRD measurements, we have also demonstrated that the resistivity of the sensor based on monoclinic La2O2CO3 increases because of the material transformation into the hexagonal phase during an exemplarily aging process.
Discrete maximum principles for nonlinear elliptic finite element problems on surfaces with boundary
2018-11-26

Abstract The maximum principle forms an important qualitative property of second-order elliptic equations; therefore, its discrete analogues, the so-called discrete maximum principles (DMPs), have drawn much attention owing to their role in reinforcing the qualitative reliability of the given numerical scheme. In this paper DMPs are established for nonlinear finite element problems on surfaces with boundary, corresponding to the classical pointwise maximum principles on Riemannian manifolds in the spirit of Pucci &amp; Serrin (2007, The Maximum Principle. Springer). Various real-life examples illustrate the scope of the results.