Plant Biomarker Pattern, Apples grown with various availability of organic nitrogen and with or witout the use of pesticides

In the recent years there has been an increasing focus on the quality and health value of organic plant products compared with conventional products. The use of pesticides and concentrated fertilisers in conventional agriculture implies a risk of effects on plant composition, which may affect health of the consumer (Brandt & Mølgaard, 2001). To determine if organically grown plant food could provide more or less benefits to health than conventional food, a first step is to investigate the differences in the composition and relative concentration of natural compounds in the plant products. In this project apples were grown with two levels of nitrogen availability and with or without the use of pesticides. The apples were screened for changes in the phytochemical composition and concentration. The work is affiliated to the project "Organic food and health" supported by the Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming (DARCOF). Biomarkers and biomarker patterns were presented in plants cultivated with low and high N and with pesticides. One biomarker was related to: • the type of N with and without pesticides • pesticides at high N and type of N without pesticides • pesticides at low and high N One biomarker pattern was related to: • the type of N • the type of N without pesticides • pesticides at low N and type of N without pesticides • pesticides at high N and type of N with pesticide

Model Studies on Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation on Graphite Electrodes in Ethylene Carbonate and Dimethyl Carbonate II: Graphite Powder Electrodes

As part of a systematic study on the formation and composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), going stepwise from highly idealized electrodes such as highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and conditions such as ultrahigh vacuum conditions to more realistic materials and reaction conditions, we investigated the decomposition of simplified electrolytes (ethylene carbonate (EC)+1 M LiPF$_{6}$ and dimethyl carbonate (DMC)+1 M LiPF$_{6}$) at binder‐free graphite powder model electrodes. The results obtained from cyclic voltammetry and ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy half‐cell measurements – in particular on the effect of cycling rate, solvent and electrode – are explained in terms of a mechanistic model where electrolyte decomposition occurs at the SEI | electrode interface and where transport of solvent and salt species through the growing SEI plays an important role for explaining the observed change from preferential salt decomposition to solvent decomposition with increasing cycling rate

Chemical constituents of the root wood of Erythrina sacleuxii and determination of the absolute configuration of suberectin

Phytochemical investigation on the root wood of Erythrina sacleuxii (Leguminosae) led to the isolation of nine secondary metabolites (1-9). Compound 1 was isolated from the genus Erythrina for the first time. The pure compounds were identified on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses, while their absolute configurations were determined based on chiroptical measurements. Compounds 5 and 6 showed weak antifungal activity against Pyricularia oryzae with MIC values of 20 µg/mL.   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2020, 34(1), 135-140. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v34i1.1

Escaping the Summer Heat – Revival Potential and Challenge of Near-Metropolitan Tourism Areas

To be economically successful in the future, alpine tourism in Austria must develop appropriate strategies to adapt to changing climate conditions. The revitalisation of the historic “Sommerfrische” represents one potential strategy for low-lying mountain destination close to urban agglomeration to benefit by the increase in urban heat days. Whether this potential exists on the demand side and how it can be tapped by the respective destinations on the supply side will be investigated throughout this project. For this purpose, a large scale survey will be conducted in Vienna. This paper focuses on the development process, which is informed by a range of quantitative and qualitative methods at the pre-survey stage. First results indicate that the potential exists, yet mainly for shorter, spontaneous trips, not necessarily labelled as “Sommerfrische”

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients enhances cooperative behavior in the prisoner's dilemma task

The vagus nerve constitutes a key link between the autonomic and the central nervous system. Previous studies provide evidence for the impact of vagal activity on distinct cognitive processes including functions related to social cognition. Recent studies in animals and humans show that vagus nerve stimulation is associated with enhanced reward-seeking and dopamine-release in the brain. Social interaction recruits similar brain circuits to reward processing. We hypothesize that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) boosts rewarding aspects of social behavior and compare the impact of transcutaneous VNS (tVNS) and sham stimulation on social interaction in 19 epilepsy patients in a double-blind pseudo-randomized study with cross-over design. Using a well-established paradigm, i.e., the prisoner's dilemma, we investigate effects of stimulation on cooperative behavior, as well as interactions of stimulation effects with patient characteristics. A repeated-measures ANOVA and a linear mixed-effects model provide converging evidence that tVNS boosts cooperation. Post-hoc correlations reveal that this effect varies as a function of neuroticism, a personality trait linked to the dopaminergic system. Behavioral modeling indicates that tVNS induces a behavioral starting bias towards cooperation, which is independent of the decision process. This study provides evidence for the causal influence of vagus nerve activity on social interaction

Generating FAIR research data in experimental tribology

Solutions for the generation of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data and metadata in experimental tribology are currently lacking. Nonetheless, FAIR data production is a promising path for implementing scalable data science techniques in tribology, which can lead to a deeper understanding of the phenomena that govern friction and wear. Missing community-wide data standards, and the reliance on custom workflows and equipment are some of the main challenges when it comes to adopting FAIR data practices. This paper, first, outlines a sample framework for scalable generation of FAIR data, and second, delivers a showcase FAIR data package for a pin-on-disk tribological experiment. The resulting curated data, consisting of 2,008 key-value pairs and 1,696 logical axioms, is the result of (1) the close collaboration with developers of a virtual research environment, (2) crowd-sourced controlled vocabulary, (3) ontology building, and (4) numerous – seemingly – small-scale digital tools. Thereby, this paper demonstrates a collection of scalable non-intrusive techniques that extend the life, reliability, and reusability of experimental tribological data beyond typical publication practices

FOCAD loss impacts microtubule assembly, G2/M progression and patient survival in astrocytic gliomas

In search of novel genes associated with glioma pathogenesis, we have previously shown frequent deletions of the KIAA1797/FOCAD gene in malignant gliomas, and a tumor suppressor function of the encoded focadhesin impacting proliferation and migration of glioma cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, we examined an association of reduced FOCAD gene copy number with overall survival of patients with astrocytic gliomas, and addressed the molecular mechanisms that govern the suppressive effect of focadhesin on glioma growth. FOCAD loss was associated with inferior outcome in patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 or 2 (IDH)-mutant astrocytic gliomas of WHO grades II-IV. Multivariate analysis considering age at diagnosis as well as IDH mutation, MGMT promoter methylation, and CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion status confirmed reduced FOCAD gene copy number as a prognostic factor for overall survival. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen and pull-down assays, tubulin beta-6 and other tubulin family members were identified as novel focadhesin-interacting partners. Tubulins and focadhesin co-localized to centrosomes where focadhesin was enriched in proximity to centrioles. Focadhesin was recruited to microtubules via its interaction partner SLAIN motif family member 2 and reduced microtubule assembly rates, possibly explaining the focadhesin-dependent decrease in cell migration. During the cell cycle, focadhesin levels peaked in G2/M phase and influenced time-dependent G2/M progression potentially via polo like kinase 1 phosphorylation, providing a possible explanation for focadhesin-dependent cell growth reduction. We conclude that FOCAD loss may promote biological aggressiveness and worsen clinical outcome of diffuse astrocytic gliomas by enhancing microtubule assembly and accelerating G2/M phase progression

Trends in early alcohol and drunkenness initiation, by gender and subregion

In 2014, around one in four adolescents in the Region first consumed alcohol at age 13 or younger, and just under one in 10 were first drunk at this early age. • Gender differences are not present in all countries and regions, but when present, boys are more likely to report early alcohol initiation and early drunkenness. • Early alcohol initiation has declined in most countries and regions. On average, early alcohol initiation across all countries and regions declined from 46% in 2002 to 28% in 2014. Similarly, early drunkenness more than halved, from 17% to 8%, over this period. • A significant increase in alcohol use at age 13 or younger was reported in Slovenia among both boys and girls and in Greece among girls only. • The biggest changes in early initiation of alcohol and drunkenness were seen in the Nordic and Ireland/Great Britain subregions, which had the highest prevalence in 2002. Less change was seen in the southern Europe/ Mediterranean subregio

Anticipatory feelings: Neural correlates and linguistic markers

This review introduces anticipatory feelings (AF) as a new construct related to the process of anticipation and prediction of future events. AF, defined as the state of awareness of physiological and neurocognitive changes that occur within an oganism in the form of a process of adapting to future events, are an important component of anticipation and expectancy. They encompass bodily-related interoceptive and affective components and are influenced by intrapersonal and dispositional factors, such as optimism, hope, pessimism, or worry. In the present review, we consider evidence from animal and human research, including neuroimaging studies, to characterize the brain structures and brain networks involved in AF. The majority of studies reviewed revealed three brain regions involved in future oriented feelings: 1) the insula; 2) the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC); and 3) the amygdala. Moreover, these brain regions were confirmed by a meta-analysis, using a platform for large-scale, automated synthesis of fMRI data. Finally, by adopting a neurolinguistic and a big data approach, we illustrate how AF are expressed in language

Fine-mapping of the HNF1B multicancer locus identifies candidate variants that mediate endometrial cancer risk.

Common variants in the hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 homeobox B (HNF1B) gene are associated with the risk of Type II diabetes and multiple cancers. Evidence to date indicates that cancer risk may be mediated via genetic or epigenetic effects on HNF1B gene expression. We previously found single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the HNF1B locus to be associated with endometrial cancer, and now report extensive fine-mapping and in silico and laboratory analyses of this locus. Analysis of 1184 genotyped and imputed SNPs in 6608 Caucasian cases and 37 925 controls, and 895 Asian cases and 1968 controls, revealed the best signal of association for SNP rs11263763 (P = 8.4 × 10(-14), odds ratio = 0.86, 95% confidence interval = 0.82-0.89), located within HNF1B intron 1. Haplotype analysis and conditional analyses provide no evidence of further independent endometrial cancer risk variants at this locus. SNP rs11263763 genotype was associated with HNF1B mRNA expression but not with HNF1B methylation in endometrial tumor samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Genetic analyses prioritized rs11263763 and four other SNPs in high-to-moderate linkage disequilibrium as the most likely causal SNPs. Three of these SNPs map to the extended HNF1B promoter based on chromatin marks extending from the minimal promoter region. Reporter assays demonstrated that this extended region reduces activity in combination with the minimal HNF1B promoter, and that the minor alleles of rs11263763 or rs8064454 are associated with decreased HNF1B promoter activity. Our findings provide evidence for a single signal associated with endometrial cancer risk at the HNF1B locus, and that risk is likely mediated via altered HNF1B gene expression