showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
DLPNO-MP2 second derivatives for the computation of polarizabilities and NMR shieldings
2021
We present a derivation and efficient implementation of the formally complete analytic second derivatives for the domain-based local pair natural orbital second order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) method, applicable to electric or magnetic field-response properties but not yet to harmonic frequencies. We also discuss the occurrence and avoidance of numerical instability issues related to singular linear equation systems and near linear dependences in the projected atomic orbital domains. A series of benchmark calculations on medium-sized systems is performed to assess the effect of the local approximation on calculated nuclear magnetic resonance shieldings and the static dipole …
High-performance V-band Folded Waveguide TWT for satellite communication systems
2021
In this paper, the design of a V-band high-performance folded-waveguide Traveling Wave Tube amplifier for next-generation high data-rate satellite communication systems is presented. The folded waveguide shows a flat dispersion diagram and a high interaction impedance of about 5.95 Ω at the 49 GHz central frequency under a cathode voltage and a beam current of 20.6 kV and 300 mA, respectively. Good performance in terms of output gain with a maximal value of 45 dB at the lower frequency of 47 GHz is obtained. COSMIC 1D large-signal analysis results are in good agreement with the simulated 3D PIC results. The TWT reaching a 5 GHz bandwidth with an almost constant maximum output power of about…
Preliminary Results of CitraVes™ Effects on Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Waist Circumference in Healthy Subjects after 12 Weeks: A Pilot O…
2021
Appropriate monitoring and control of modifiable risk factors, such as the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other types of dyslipidemia, have an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Recently, various nutraceuticals with lipid-lowering effects have gained attention. In addition to the plant-derived bioactive compounds, recent studies suggested that plant cells are able to release small lipoproteic structures named extracellular vesicles (EVs). The interaction between EVs and mammalian cells could lead to beneficial effects through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The present study aimed to assess the safety of the new patente…
false
2021
Abstract Strong evidence suggests that endoplasmic reticulum stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through altered regulation of proteostasis. Robust preclinical findings demonstrated that guanabenz selectively inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced eIF2α-phosphatase, allowing misfolded protein clearance, reduces neuronal death and prolongs survival in in vitro and in vivo models. However, its safety and efficacy in patients with ALS are unknown. To address these issues, we conducted a multicentre, randomized, double-blind trial with a futility design. Patients with ALS who had displayed an onset of symptoms within the previous 18 mon…
Coupling between oxidation kinetics and anisothermal oil flow during deep-fat frying
2021
Deep-fat frying is a cooking technique that has been used continuously since prehistoric times. A domestic deep-fryer heated from the bottom develops significant convection inside the bath cavity. It is responsible for very high heat transfer coefficients and the exposure of the deep-frying oil to the atmospheric oxygen. The continuous conversion of gaseous dioxygen into unstable and reactive hydroperoxides and their subsequent advection throughout the bulk volume is at the origin of the main complaints made of frying which includes issues such as odors, fouling, and generation of several toxic compounds. This study analyzes the coupling between natural convection of triacylglycerols and th…
Structural and Gelation Characteristics of Metallo-Supramolecular Polymer Model-Network Hydrogels Probed by Static and Dynamic Light Scattering
2021
Supramolecular polymer gels are a promising class of materials whose polymer components are connected by transient bonds such as metal–ligand interactions, thereby spanning a dynamic network throug...
Johannistag – 24. Juni 2021 Lukas 1,(5–25)57–66.80
2021
Incipient genome erosion and metabolic streamlining for antibiotic production in a defensive symbiont
2021
Significance Genome reduction is commonly observed in bacteria of several phyla engaging in obligate nutritional symbioses with insects. In Actinobacteria, however, little is known about the process of genome evolution, despite their importance as prolific producers of antibiotics and their increasingly recognized role as defensive partners of insects and other organisms. Here, we show that “Streptomyces philanthi,” a defensive symbiont of digger wasps, has a G+C-enriched genome in the early stages of erosion, with inactivating mutations in a large proportion of genes, causing dependency on its hosts for certain nutrients, which was validated in axenic symbiont cultures. Additionally, overe…
Validity and reliability of the motivation for physical activity (RM4-FM) questionnaire
2021
There is a lack of validated instruments measuring motivation for physical activity (RM4-FM) in the Finnish language. The study examined the translated RM4-FM instrument’s psychometric properties in a sample of healthy, older Finnish adults. RM4-FM was translated and linguistically validated adhering to published guidelines. 65–75-year olds (n=102), completed the RM4-FM, the physical activity acceptance questionnaire (PAAQ) and sociodemographic characteristics questionnaires electronically. The RM4-FM was readministered one month after the initial assessment. RM4-FM translated well into Finnish. Motivation dimension scores were skewed towards high internal and low external motivation. A flo…
A Crucial Role of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Dehydration Resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
2021
Mitochondria are dynamic organelles as they continuously undergo fission and fusion. These dynamic processes conduct not only mitochondrial network morphology but also activity regulation and quality control. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a remarkable capacity to resist stress from dehydration/rehydration. Although mitochondria are noted for their role in desiccation tolerance, the mechanisms underlying these processes remains obscure. Here, we report that yeast cells that went through stationary growth phase have a better survival rate after dehydration/rehydration. Dynamic defective yeast cells with reduced mitochondrial genome cannot maintain the mitochondrial activity and survival rate o…
Boundary controlled irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems
2021
Abstract Boundary controlled irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems (BC-IPHS) defined on a 1-dimensional spatial domain are defined by extending the formulation of reversible BC-PHS to irreversible thermodynamic systems controlled at the boundaries of their spatial domain. The structure of BC-IPHS has clear physical interpretation, characterizing the coupling between energy storing and energy dissipating elements. By extending the definition of boundary port variables of BC-PHS to deal with the irreversible energy dissipation, a set of boundary port variables are defined such that BC-IPHS are passive with respect to a given set of conjugated inputs and outputs. As for finite dimensional IPHS…
Protection of Trees against Lightning Strikes as a Measure to Prevent Fires and Loss of Human Life
2021
Lighting strikes have been the catalyst of massive uncontrolled fires in areas of combustible vegetation. In some regions, lightning strikes may be a relatively unusual occurrence (e.g., California), but instead they seem to have become a major contributor to the propagation of wildfires, as a byproduct of climate change. Given such unusual weather, wildfires originating from lightning are an increasing threat. In this paper, the authors discuss the withstand capability of trees against lightning and introduce a proactive approach to prevent wildfires by the deployment of tree lighting protection systems (TLPS) to protect forested areas, where deemed necessary by the tree risk assessment.
Forensic Inspections in the Time of Covid-19
2021
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has impacted the entire world in ways that were unimaginable months ago. It has changed how professionals work and interact with one another. To ensure the safety of experts and attorneys, also forensic inspection procedures must evolve, while still providing a reliable foundation for an expert testimony, relevant to the task at hand. Traditional field inspections require attendees to be physically present and generally in close proximity. Inspecting artifacts may also require that individual components be serially examined by multiple experts, which increases the risk of transmitting the disease. The authors propose a new approach to forensic inspections aim…
Operation and characterization of a windowless gas jet target in high-intensity electron beams
2021
Abstract A cryogenic supersonic gas jet target was developed for the MAGIX experiment at the high-intensity electron accelerator MESA. It will be operated as an internal, windowless target in the energy-recovering recirculation arc of the accelerator with different target gases, e.g., hydrogen, deuterium , helium, oxygen, argon, or xenon. Detailed studies have been carried out at the existing A1 multi-spectrometer facility at the electron accelerator MAMI. This paper focuses on the developed handling procedures and diagnostic tools, and on the performance of the gas jet target under beam conditions. Considering the special features of this type of target, it proves to be well suited for a n…
Attuned HRM Systems for Social Enterprises
2021
This paper is motivated by a puzzling observation made when conducting a case study of ProCredit (PC), a well-known social bank. The HR practices that this social enterprise (SE) adopted to cultivate mission identification were unfavorably impacting its retention rate. Building on prior research and our analysis of the case, we argue the need for SEs to embrace HRM systems that are both mission-identification proactive and employee-retention preemptive. It theorizes that these HRM systems should be attuned to the labor market conditions (e.g., market segmentation and competition for employees) that frame how SEs develop and sustain Person-Organization (P-O) fit. Attuned HRM systems are adap…
A Gadolinium(III) Complex Based on the Thymine Nucleobase with Properties Suitable for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
2021
The paramagnetic gadolinium(III) ion is used as contrast agent in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to improve the lesion detection and characterization. It generates a signal by changing the relaxivity of protons from associated water molecules and creates a clearer physical distinction between the molecule and the surrounding tissues. New gadolinium-based contrast agents displaying larger relaxivity values and specifically targeted might provide higher resolution and better functional images. We have synthesized the gadolinium(III) complex of formula [Gd(thy)2(H2O)6](ClO4)3·2H2O (1) [thy = 5-methyl-1H-pyrimidine-2,4-dione or thymine], which is the first reported compound based on gadolinium…
Non-breeding waterbirds benefit from protected areas when adjusting their distribution to climate warming
2021
AbstractClimate warming is driving changes in species distributions, although many species show a so-called climatic debt, where their range shifts lag behind the fast shift in temperature isoclines. Protected areas (PAs) may impact the rate of distribution changes both positively and negatively. At the cold edges of species distributions, PAs can facilitate species distribution changes by increasing the colonization required for distribution change. At the warm edges, PAs can mitigate the loss of species, by reducing the local extinction of vulnerable species. To assess the importance of PAs to affect species distribution change, we evaluated the changes in a non-breeding waterbird communi…
Temperature-Dependent Change of the Electronic Structure in the Kondo Lattice System $YbRh_{2}Si_{2}$
2021
Seminar, Deutschland; Journal of physics / Condensed matter 00(00), 1-20 (2021). doi:10.1088/1361-648X/abe479
Measurement of the Born cross sections for e+e−→η′π+π− at center-of-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08 GeV
2021
The Born cross sections for the process $e^+e^- \to \eta^\prime \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ at different center-of-mass energies between $2.00$ and $3.08$~GeV are reported with improved precision from an analysis of data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. An obvious structure is observed in the Born cross section line shape. Fit as a Breit-Wigner resonance, it has a statistical significance of $6.3\sigma$ and a mass and width of $M=(2108\pm46\pm25)$~MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma=(138\pm36\pm30)$~MeV, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. These measured resonance parameters agree with the measurements of BABAR in $e^+e^- \to \eta^\pri…
Strain, doping and electronic transport of large area monolayer MoS2 exfoliated on gold and transferred to an insulating substrate
2021
Gold-assisted mechanical exfoliation currently represents a promising method to separate ultra-large (cm-scale) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) monolayers (1L) with excellent electronic and optical properties from the parent van der Waals (vdW) crystals. The strong interaction between $Au$ and chalcogen atoms is the key to achieve this nearly perfect 1L exfoliation yield. On the other hand, it may affect significantly the doping and strain of 1L TMDs in contact with Au. In this paper, we systematically investigated the morphology, strain, doping, and electrical properties of large area 1L $MoS_{2}$ exfoliated on ultra-flat $Au$ films ($0.16-0.21 nm$ roughness) and finally transferre…
Prognostic Role of Plasma PD-1, PD-L1, pan-BTN3As and BTN3A1 in Patients Affected by Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: Can Immune Checkpoin…
2021
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) represent 1% of all primary gastrointestinal tumors. Immune surveillance is often overcome by cancer cells due to the activation of immunoregulatory molecules such as programmed death protein (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1, and butyrophilin sub-family 3A/CD277 receptors (BTN3A). Because several studies demonstrated that tumor PD-1 and PD-L1 expression may have a prominent prognostic function, this investigation aimed to discover if soluble forms of these molecules may be useful in predicting survival of metastatic GIST (mGIST) patients. Through specific ad hoc developed ELISA assays not yet available on the market, the circulating PD-1, PD-L1, BTN3A1, an…
Plasmon-assisted spin transition in gold nanostar@spin crossover heterostructures
2021
Aquí presentamos el diseño de nanopartículas core@shell formadas por un núcleo de nanoestrella de Au metálico y una capa cruzada de espín basada en el polímero de coordinación [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)](BF4). Este procedimiento es general y se ha extendido a otras morfologías metálicas (nanovarillas, nanotriángulos). Gracias al efecto fototérmico derivado de las propiedades plasmónicas de la nanoestrella de Au, el 60 % de los centros de hierro experimentan una transición de espín térmico dentro de la histéresis térmica provocada por una irradiación de baja intensidad con un láser de 808 nm. En comparación con otras morfologías de Au, la gran ventaja de la forma de nanoestrella surge de los puntos cal…
Use of drugs for attrv amyloidosis in the real world: How therapy is changing survival in a non-endemic area
2021
Background: Over the past decade, three new drugs have been approved for the treatment of hereditary amyloid transthyretin (ATTRv) polyneuropathy. The aim of this work was to analyze whether current therapies prolong survival for patients affected by ATTRv amyloidosis. Methods: The study was conducted retrospectively, analyzing the medical records of 105 patients with genetic diagnoses of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy followed at the two referral centers for the disease in Sicily, Italy. Of these, 71 received disease-modifying therapy, while 34 received only symptomatic treatment or no therapy. Results: The most used treatment in our patient cohort was tafamidis, followed by liver tra…
Authorship vs. Assemblage in Digital Media
2021
This chapter outlines an approach to complement current analyses on agencies of storytelling in digital environments. As our everyday life and meaning-making are increasingly entangled with digital platforms such as those of social media services, ways to critically examine digital media as an environment in literary theory are urgently needed – something that the existing analyses have mostly ignored. The particular point of contention in this chapter is the concept of authorship which has gone hand in hand with the understanding of authoring as a work of distinct agents, as it fails to acknowledge the ways in which human agency is entangled with more-than-human actors within digital envir…
false
2021
CRISPR-Cas immune systems adapt to new threats by acquiring new spacers from invading nucleic acids such as phage genomes. However, some CRISPR-Cas loci lack genes necessary for spacer acquisition despite variation in spacer content between microbial strains. It has been suggested that such loci may use acquisition machinery from cooccurring CRISPR-Cas systems within the same strain. Here, following infection by a virulent phage with a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genome, we observed spacer acquisition in the native host Flavobacterium columnare that carries an acquisition-deficient CRISPR-Cas subtype VI-B system and a complete subtype II-C system. We show that the VI-B locus acquires spacer…
Transdiagnostic neurocognitive deficits in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia: A …
2021
AbstractBackgroundImpairments in neurocognition are critical factors in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia (SZ), and also in those with somatic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Intriguingly, these severe mental illnesses are associated with an increased co-occurrence of diabetes (direct comorbidity). This study sought to investigate the neurocognition and social functioning across T2DM, MDD, BD, and SZ using a transdiagnostic and longitudinal approach.MethodsA total of 165 subjects, including 30 with SZ, 42 with BD, 35 with MDD, 30 with T2DM, and 28 healthy controls (HC), were assessed twice at a 1-year interval using a c…
Protective role of mindfulness, self-compassion and psychological flexibility on the burnout subtypes among psychology and nursing undergraduate stud…
2021
Abstract To explore the relationship between mindfulness, self-compassion and psychological flexibility, and the burnout subtypes in university students of the Psychology and Nursing degrees, and to analyse possible risk factors for developing burnout among socio-demographic and studies-related characteristics. Design Cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 644 undergraduate students of Nursing and Psychology from two Spanish universities. Methods The study was conducted between December 2015 and May 2016. Bivariate Pearson's correlations were computed to analyse the association between mindfulness facets, self-compassion and psychological flexibility, and levels of burnout. Multivar…
Co-participatory multimodal intergenerational storytelling : preschool children’s relationship with modality creating elder inclusion
2021
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted elderly people as a vulnerable and excluded community, and connecting to the younger social media generation requires a shift in intergenerational storytelling performance. Recent research on multimodality has emphasized its benefits for the interactional process in storytelling. This study examines three aspects of storytelling – participation, multimodality, and emotional interaction – and uses co-creation and multimodal discourse analysis to investigate two questions: (1) To what extent can intergenerational storytelling benefit older people’s community engagement? (2) In a globalized world, how do children’s relationships with modalities create new l…
Effects of Passive Leadership in the Digital Age
2021
Organizations must adapt to the trend of digitalization. Nowadays, social media engagement editors play an increasingly crucial role for organizational growth and prosperity in the digital age. Engagement editors are usually tasked to perform the functions of marketing, content production, and data analysis. They have to manage online communities on behalf of the organization, and encounter online audiences' frequent toxic and aggressive behaviors. Engagement editors thus are prone to emotional stress. Substantial literature has examined the influence of leadership style on employee performance. However, passive leadership is rarely studied. This research investigates (1) whether passive le…
Investigating the Role of Guanosine on Human Neuroblastoma Cell Differentiation and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms
2021
Neuroblastoma arises from neural crest cell precursors failing to complete the process of differentiation. Thus, agents helping tumor cells to differentiate into normal cells can represent a valid therapeutic strategy. Here, we evaluated whether guanosine (GUO), a natural purine nucleoside, which is able to induce differentiation of many cell types, may cause the differentiation of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and the molecular mechanisms involved. We found that GUO, added to the cell culture medium, promoted neuron-like cell differentiation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. This effect was mainly due to an extracellular GUO action since nucleoside transporter inhibitors r…
Nucleophilic iodonium interactions (NIIs) in 2-coordinate iodine(i) and silver(i) complexes
2021
The generality of nucleophilic iodonium interactions (NIIs) has been demonstrated by preparing a range of silver(i) and iodonium (I+) complexes and studying their 15N NMR chemical shifts, with the first example of a NII-complex involving a 2-coordinate silver(i) complex being confirmed by X-ray crystallography, and its nucleophilicity studied by DFT calculations.
Influence of Iron Sulfide Nanoparticle Sizes in Solid‐State Batteries**
2021
Abstract Given the inherent performance limitations of intercalation‐based lithium‐ion batteries, solid‐state conversion batteries are promising systems for future energy storage. A high specific capacity and natural abundancy make iron disulfide (FeS2) a promising cathode‐active material. In this work, FeS2 nanoparticles were prepared solvothermally. By adjusting the synthesis conditions, samples with average particle diameters between 10 nm and 35 nm were synthesized. The electrochemical performance was evaluated in solid‐state cells with a Li‐argyrodite solid electrolyte. While the reduction of FeS2 was found to be irreversible in the initial discharge, a stable cycling of the reduced sp…
Temperature Measurement by Diffusion-Weighted Imaging
2021
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) thermometry is a magnetic resonance-based imaging tool that allows the noninvasive measurement of brain core temperature. Although only applicable to cerebrospinal fluid, it is thought to be potentially useful in assessing the thermal pathophysiology of the brain in both patients and healthy subjects. The objective of this article is to provide a concise but thorough review of the basic physical principles and the principal applications of DWI thermometry as a potential method to elucidate the pathophysiology of several brain diseases and neurologic syndromes.
Lipid-lowering therapy use in primary and secondary care in Central and Eastern Europe: DA VINCI observational study.
2021
Abstract Background and aims Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is a largely understudied region, despite having the highest cardiovascular disease mortality in Europe. This analysis aimed to assess the proportion of patients in CEE who achieved their LDL-C goals based on individual cardiovascular risk recommended by the 2016 and 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) guidelines. Methods The DA VINCI study was a cross-sectional observational study of primary and secondary prevention patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy across Europe between June 2017 and November 2018. Results In total, 2154 patients were enrolled from the Czech Republic (n = 509…
Léonard entre deux mondes
2021
Il existe un mythe Leonard. Forge des sa mort, il reunit l’artiste habile a l’ingenieur a l’imagination debordante. On lui prete sans doute trop : tantot erudit, tantot homme sans lettres, tantot visionnaire, tantot plagiaire. L’ambiguite meme de sa figure, reelle ou construite, revele un malentendu recurrent entre culture savante, culture technique et savoir-faire artisanal durant l’epoque moderne. L’article examine quelques cas celebres de ces grandes incomprehensions du XVIIe siecle, considerees en tant que modeles d’une science de l’invention encore a ses balbutiements et qui ne prendra sa forme actuelle qu’a l’ere industrielle.
A New, Ecologically Self-Significant Metric of Species-Abundance Unevenness, Reliably Highlighting the Intensity of Interspecific Competition
2021
A wide series of commonly used metrics of abundance-evenness (or -unevenness) have been proposed to characterize synthetically the distributions of species-abundances, accounting for the hierarchic-like organization of species within natural communities. Among them, most – if not all–have been relevantly criticized on their serious limitations regarding both their “descriptive” and their “interpretative” capacities. From the descriptive point of view, many authors have already repeatedly emphasized the formal non-independenceof conventional (un-)evenness metrics with respect to species-richness, leading, in particular, to unacceptable bias when comparing communities differing by their speci…