Bimanual Grasping adheres to Weber’s Law

Acknowledgments Thomas Schenk was supported by grants from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft: DFG-SCHE 735/2-2 and DFG-SCHE 735/3-2) Funding The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant numbers DFG-SCHE735/2-2, DFG-SCHE 735/3-2)Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Production of the dinoflagellate Amphidoma languida in a large scale photobioreactor and structure elucidation of its main metabolite AZA-39

Shellfish contamination with azaspiracids (AZA) is a major and recurrent problem for the Irish shellfish industry. Amphidoma languida, a small thecate dinoflagellate of the family Amphidomataceae, is widely distributed in Irish coastal waters and is one of the identified source species of azaspiracids. Irish and North Sea strains of Am. languida have been found to produce as major metabolites AZA-38 and -39 whose structures have only been provisionally elucidated by mass spectrometry and their toxic potential is currently unknown. In order to provide pure AZA-38 and -39 for subsequent structural and toxicological analyses, we present the first successful large-scale culture of Am. languida. A 180 L in house prototype bioreactor was used for culture growth and harvesting in semi-continuous mode for two months. Two different runs of the photobiorector with different light and pH setting showed the highest toxin yield at higher light intensity and slightly higher pH. AZA-38 and -39 cell quota were measured throughout the complete growth cycle with AZA-39 cell quota increasing in proportion to AZA-38 at late stationary to senescence phase. Over two experiments a total of 700 L of culture was harvested yielding 0.45 mg of pure AZA-39. The structure of AZA-39 was elucidated through NMR data analyses, which led to a revision of the structure proposed previously by mass spectrometry. While the spirotetrahydrofuran/tetrahydrofuran of rings A and B has been confirmed by NMR for AZA-39, a methyl is still present in position C-14 and the carboxylic acid chain is different from the structure proposed initially

Band gap reduction in highly-strained silicon beams predicted by first-principles theory and validated using photoluminescence spectroscopy

A theoretical study of the band gap reduction under tensile stress is performed and validated through experimental measurements. First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) are performed for uniaxial stress applied in the [001], [110] and [111] directions. The calculated band gap reductions are equal to 126, 240 and 100 meV at 2$\%$ strain, respectively. Photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments are performed by deformation applied in the [110] direction. Microfabricated specimens have been deformed using an on-chip tensile technique up to ~1$\%$ as confirmed by back-scattering Raman spectroscopy. A fitting correction based on the band gap fluctuation model has been used to eliminate the specimen interference signal and retrieve reliable values. Very good agreement is observed between first-principles theory and experimental results with a band gap reduction of, respectively, 93 and 91 meV when the silicon beam is deformed by 0.95$\%$ along the [110] direction

Not Only Soldiers Have Weapons: Evolution of the Frontal Gland in Imagoes of the Termite Families Rhinotermitidae and Serritermitidae

BACKGROUND: The frontal gland is a unique adaptation of advanced termite families. It has been intensively studied in soldiers with respect to its anatomy and chemistry, with numerous novel compounds being discovered within the tremendous richness of identified products. At the same time, the presence of the frontal gland in non-soldier castes received only negligible attention in the past. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we report on the development of the frontal gland in alate imagoes of 10 genera and 13 species of Rhinotermitidae and Serritermitidae, in order to shed light on the evolution and function of this gland in imagoes. All investigated species possess a frontal gland. In most cases, it is well-developed and equipped with a sac-like reservoir, located in the postero-dorsal part of cranium, but reaching as far as the seventh abdominal segment in some Rhinotermitinae. The only exception is the genus Psammotermes, in which the gland is very small and devoid of the reservoir. CONCLUSIONS: Our direct observations and comparisons with soldiers suggest a defensive role of the gland in imagoes of all studied species. This functional analogy, along with the anatomic homology between the frontal gland in soldiers and imagoes, make it likely that the gland appeared once during the early evolution of rhinotermitid ancestors, and remained as a defensive organ of prime importance in both, soldiers and imagoes

Injury, Training, Biomechanical, and Physiological Profiles of Professional Breakdancers

# Background Breakdancing or breaking will enter the Olympics in 2024, however, there is a paucity of literature exploring the epidemiology, demands, and performance. # Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe injury and training profiles, along with the results of a short performance test battery, in a group of elite breakers. # Study Design Cross-sectional study (retrospective). # Methods Fourteen breakdancers (breakers) (4 Bgirls, 10 Bboys) participated in an interview regarding their injury and training history, endurance test (cycle VO~2max~ testing), counter movement jump, squat jump, drop jump, isometric hip abduction, adduction, shoulder external and internal rotation strength testing on a fixed-frame dynamometer. Breakers were divided into elite (n=10) and developing (n=4) based on their qualification for a world finals competition; Wilcoxen rank sums were used to compare the two groups, or in the case of strength testing between those with and without an injury history. # Results The breakers had a median 11.0 $$10.0 - 14.0$$ years breaking experience and trained 24.4 $$20.5 - 30.0$$ hours per week. The knee was the most commonly injured body part and most frequently injured joint, with the thigh being the most common site for muscle injuries. There were no differences in endurance testing or jump height testing results between elite and developing breakers. There was no difference in shoulder external or internal rotation strength between athletes with a history of shoulder injury and those without. Similarly, there was no difference in hip abduction or adduction strength in those with a history of hip injury and those without. # Conclusion The results of this study should be viewed with caution due to the small sample size. However, this study is the first to publish functional and physiological descriptives on breakers. The authors hope these results support clinicians treating breakers as well as encourages future research related to breaking. # Level of Evidence 2

Neoisoptera repeatedly colonised Madagascar after the Middle Miocene climatic optimum

Madagascar is home to many endemic plant and animal species owing to its ancient isolation from other landmasses. This unique fauna includes several lineages of termites, a group of insects known for their key role in organic matter decomposition in many terrestrial ecosystems. How and when termites colonised Madagascar remains unknown. In this study, we used 601 mitochondrial genomes, 93 of which were generated from Malagasy samples, to infer the global historical biogeography of Neoisoptera, a lineage containing more than 80% of described termite species. Our results indicate that Neoisoptera colonised Madagascar between 7 and 10 times independently during the Miocene, between 8.4 and 16.6 Ma (95% HPD: 6.1–19.9 Ma). This timing matches that of the colonization of Australia by Neoisoptera. Furthermore, the taxonomic composition of the Neoisopteran fauna of Madagascar and Australia are strikingly similar, with Madagascar harbouring an additional two lineages absent from Australia. Therefore, akin to Australia, Neoisoptera colonised Madagascar during the global expansion of grasslands, possibly helped by the ecological opportunities arising from the spread of this new biome.journal articl

PAK4 regulates stemness and progression in endocrine resistant ER-positive metastatic breast cancer

Despite the effectiveness of endocrine therapies to treat estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast tumours, two thirds of patients will eventually relapse due to de novo or acquired resistance to these agents. Cancer Stem-like Cells (CSCs), a rare cell population within the tumour, accumulate after anti-estrogen treatments and are likely to contribute to their failure. Here we studied the role of p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) as a promising target to overcome endocrine resistance and disease progression in ER+ breast cancers. PAK4 predicts for resistance to tamoxifen and poor prognosis in 2 independent cohorts of ER+ tumours. We observed that PAK4 strongly correlates with CSC activity in metastatic patient-derived samples irrespective of breast cancer subtype. However, PAK4-driven mammosphere-forming CSC activity increases alongside progression only in ER+ metastatic samples. PAK4 activity increases in ER+ models during acquired resistance to endocrine therapies. Targeting PAK4 with either CRT PAKi, a small molecule inhibitor of PAK4, or with specific siRNAs abrogates CSC activity/self-renewal in clinical samples and endocrine-resistant cells. Together, our findings establish that PAK4 regulates stemness during disease progression and that its inhibition reverses endocrine resistance in ER+ breast cancers

Exploring LPS-induced sepsis in rats and mice as a model to study potential protective effects of the nociceptin/Orphanin FQ system

Abstract The nociceptin receptor (NOP) and its ligand (N/OFQ) have been shown to exert a modulatory effect on immune cells during sepsis. We evaluated the suitability of an experimental Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis model for studying changes in the nociceptin system. C57BL/6 mice BALB/c mice and Wistar rats were inoculated with different doses of LPS with or without a nociceptin receptor antagonist (UFP-101 or SB-612111). In C57BL/6 mice LPS 0.85 mg/kg injection produced no septic response whereas 1.2 mg/kg produced a profound response within 5 hours. In BALB/c mice, LPS 4 mg/kg produced no response whereas 7 mg/kg resulted in a profound response within 24 hours. In Wistar rats 15 mg/kg LPS caused no septic response in 6/10 animals whereas 25 mg/kg resulted in marked lethargy before 24 hours. Splenic interleukin-1β mRNA in BALB/c mice, and serum TNF-α concentrations in Wistar rats increased after LPS injection in a dosedependent manner, but were undetectable in control animals, indicating that LPS had stimulated an inflammatory reaction. IL-1β and TNF-α concentrations in LPS-treated animals were unaffected by administration of a NOP antagonist. Similarly NOP antagonists had no effect on survival or expression of mRNA for NOP or ppN/OFQ (the N/OFQ precursor) in a variety of tissues. In these animal models, the dose-response curve for LPS was too steep to allow use in survival studies and no changes in the N/OFQ system occurred within 24 hours. We conclude that LPS-inoculation in rodents is an unsuitable model for studying possible changes in the NOP-N/OFQ system in sepsis. Highlights • We assessed the responses to different doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in C57BL/6 mice, BALB/c mice and Wistar rats. • No symptoms of illness were observed at 24 hours with lower doses of LPS • Higher doses of LPS produced pronounced lethargy before 24 hours. • LPS administration had no effect on the gene expression of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) receptor NOP and the N/OFQ receptor precursor ppN/OFQ. • This model is not suitable to study the effects of nociceptin on septic responses 3 Introduction The nociceptin system comprises the nociceptin receptor (NOP) and its 17 amino acid peptide ligand N/OFQ, which is cleaved from a precursor protein pre-pro nociceptin (ppN/OFQ

Improving weekend handover between junior doctors on medical and surgical wards.

Poor weekend handover has been implicated as one of the causes of observed higher mortality rates at weekends in UK hospitals. In a large teaching hospital we, a group of junior doctors, set about improving the quality and effectiveness of weekend handover. We used the Model for Improvement to implement a weekend handover sticker through an iterative process using multiple Plan/Do/Study/Act (PDSA) cycles. Over the 16 week study period the number of completed weekend tasks increased by 30% and the number of patients with a documented weekend handover increased by nearly 50%. Junior doctors are well positioned to notice the quality and safety shortcomings within hospitals, and by using effective improvement methods they can improve these systems at little or no cost.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the 'Additional Link' above to access the full-text from the publisher's site.Published