@article{HeinkeKnickerAlbracht2020, author = {Heinke, Lars N. and Knicker, Axel J. and Albracht, Kirsten}, title = {Increased shoulder muscle stretch reflex elicitability in supine subject posture}, series = {Isokinetics and Exercise Science}, volume = {28}, journal = {Isokinetics and Exercise Science}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOS Press}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {1878-5913}, doi = {10.3233/IES-192219}, pages = {139 -- 146}, year = {2020}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Muscle stretch reflexes are widely used to examine neural muscle function. The knowledge of reflex response in muscles crossing the shoulder is limited. OBJECTIVE: To quantify reflex modulation according to various subject postures and different procedures of muscle pre-activation steering. METHODS: Thirteen healthy male participants performed two sets of external shoulder rotation stretches in various positions and with different procedures of muscle pre-activation steering on an isokinetic dynamometer over a range of two different pre-activation levels. All stretches were applied with a dynamometer acceleration of 104∘/s2 and a velocity of 150∘/s. Electromyographical response was measured via sEMG. RESULTS: Consistent reflexive response was observed in all tested muscles in all experimental conditions. The reflex elicitation rate revealed a significant muscle main effect (F (5,288) = 2.358, ρ= 0.040; η2= 0.039; f= 0.637) and a significant test condition main effect (F (1,288) = 5.884, ρ= 0.016; η2= 0.020; f= 0.143). Reflex latency revealed a significant muscle pre-activation level main effect (F (1,274) = 5.008, ρ= 0.026; η2= 0.018; f= 0.469). CONCLUSION: Muscular reflexive response was more consistent in the primary internal rotators of the shoulder. Supine posture in combination with visual feedback of muscle pre-activation level enhanced the reflex elicitation rate.}, language = {en} } @article{AkimbekovQiaoDigeletal.2020, author = {Akimbekov, Nuraly and Qiao, Xiaohui and Digel, Ilya and Abdieva, Gulzhamal and Ualieva, Perizat and Zhubanova, Azhar}, title = {The effect of leonardite-derived amendments on soil microbiome structure and potato yield}, series = {Agriculture}, volume = {10}, journal = {Agriculture}, number = {Art. 147}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, doi = {10.3390/agriculture10050147}, pages = {1 -- 17}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Humic substances originating from various organic matters can ameliorate soil properties, stimulate plant growth, and improve nutrient uptake. Due to the low calorific heating value, leonardite is rather unsuitable as fuel. However, it may serve as a potential source of humic substances. This study was aimed at characterizing the leonardite-based soil amendments and examining the effect of their application on the soil microbial community, as well as on potato growth and tuber yield. A high yield (71.1\%) of humic acid (LHA) from leonardite has been demonstrated. Parental leonardite (PL) and LHA were applied to soil prior to potato cultivation. The 16S rRNA sequencing of soil samples revealed distinct relationships between microbial community composition and the application of leonardite-based soil amendments. Potato tubers were planted in pots in greenhouse conditions. The tubers were harvested at the mature stage for the determination of growth and yield parameters. The results demonstrated that the LHA treatments had a significant effect on increasing potato growth (54.9\%) and tuber yield (66.4\%) when compared to the control. The findings highlight the importance of amending leonardite-based humic products for maintaining the biogeochemical stability of soils, for keeping their healthy microbial community structure, and for increasing the agronomic productivity of potato plants.}, language = {en} } @article{RamoshabaHuismanLammertynetal.2020, author = {Ramoshaba, Nthai E. and Huisman, Hugo W. and Lammertyn, Leandi and Kotliar, Konstantin and Schutte, Aletta E. and Smith, Wayne}, title = {Retinal microvasculature and masked hypertension in young adults: the African-PREDICT study}, series = {Hypertension Research}, journal = {Hypertension Research}, number = {43}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, address = {Osaka}, issn = {1348-4214}, doi = {10.1038/s41440-020-0487-0}, pages = {1231 -- 1238}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Masked hypertension is known to induce microvascular complications. However, it is unclear whether early microvascular changes are already occurring in young, otherwise healthy adults. We therefore investigated whether retinal microvascular calibers and acute responses to a flicker stimulus are related to masked hypertension. We used the baseline data of 889 participants aged 20-30 years who were taking part in the African Prospective study on the Early Detection and Identification of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension. Clinic and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure were measured. The central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal vein equivalent were calculated from fundus images, and retinal vessel dilation was determined in response to flicker light-induced provocation. A smaller CRAE was observed in those with masked hypertension vs. those with normotension (157.1 vs. 161.2 measuring units, P < 0.001). In forward multivariable-adjusted regression analysis, only CRAE was negatively related to masked hypertension [adjusted R² = 0.267, β = -0.097 (95\% CI = -0.165; -0.029), P = 0.005], but other retinal microvascular parameters were not associated with masked hypertension. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, masked hypertension [OR = 2.333, (95\% CI = 1.316; 4.241), P = 0.004] was associated with a narrower CRAE. In young healthy adults, masked hypertension was associated with retinal arteriolar narrowing, thereby reflecting early microvascular alterations known to predict cardiovascular outcomes in later life.}, language = {en} } @article{AkimbekovDigelSherelkhanetal.2020, author = {Akimbekov, Nuraly S. and Digel, Ilya and Sherelkhan, Dinara K. and Lutfor, Afzalunnessa B. and Razzaque, Mohammed S.}, title = {Vitamin D and the Host-Gut Microbiome: A Brief Overview}, series = {Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica}, volume = {53}, journal = {Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica}, number = {3}, publisher = {Japan Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry}, address = {Osaka}, issn = {1347-5800}, doi = {10.1267/ahc.20011}, pages = {33 -- 42}, year = {2020}, abstract = {There is a growing body of evidence for the effects of vitamin D on intestinal host-microbiome interactions related to gut dysbiosis and bowel inflammation. This brief review highlights the potential links between vitamin D and gut health, emphasizing the role of vitamin D in microbiological and immunological mechanisms of inflammatory bowel diseases. A comprehensive literature search was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar using combinations of keywords "vitamin D," "intestines," "gut microflora," "bowel inflammation". Only articles published in English and related to the study topic are included in the review. We discuss how vitamin D (a) modulates intestinal microbiome function, (b) controls antimicrobial peptide expression, and (c) has a protective effect on epithelial barriers in the gut mucosa. Vitamin D and its nuclear receptor (VDR) regulate intestinal barrier integrity, and control innate and adaptive immunity in the gut. Metabolites from the gut microbiota may also regulate expression of VDR, while vitamin D may influence the gut microbiota and exert anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects. The underlying mechanism of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of bowel diseases is not fully understood, but maintaining an optimal vitamin D status appears to be beneficial for gut health. Future studies will shed light on the molecular mechanisms through which vitamin D and VDR interactions affect intestinal mucosal immunity, pathogen invasion, symbiont colonization, and antimicrobial peptide expression.}, language = {en} } @article{ChoiFelderFelderetal.2020, author = {Choi, Chang-Hoon and Felder, Tim and Felder, J{\"o}rg and Tellmann, Lutz and Hong, Suk-Min and Wegener, Hans-Peter and Shah, N Jon and Ziemons, Karl}, title = {Design, evaluation and comparison of endorectal coils for hybrid MR-PET imaging of the prostate}, series = {Physics in Medicine \& Biology}, volume = {65}, journal = {Physics in Medicine \& Biology}, number = {11}, publisher = {IOP}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {0031-9155}, doi = {10.1088/1361-6560/ab87f8}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men and its early detection is critical for its successful treatment. The use of multimodal imaging, such as MR-PET, is most advantageous as it is able to provide detailed information about the prostate. However, as the human prostate is flexible and can move into different positions under external conditions, it is important to localise the focused region-of-interest using both MRI and PET under identical circumstances. In this work, we designed five commonly used linear and quadrature radiofrequency surface coils suitable for hybrid MR-PET use in endorectal applications. Due to the endorectal design and the shielded PET insert, the outer face of the coils investigated was curved and the region to be imaged was outside the volume of the coil. The tilting angles of the coils were varied with respect to the main magnetic field direction. This was done to approximate the various positions from which the prostate could be imaged. The transmit efficiencies and safety excitation efficiencies from simulations, together with the signal-to-noise ratios from the MR images were calculated and analysed. Overall, it was found that the overlapped loops driven in quadrature were superior to the other types of coils we tested. In order to determine the effect of the different coil designs on PET, transmission scans were carried out, and it was observed that the differences between attenuation maps with and without the coils were negligible. The findings of this work can provide useful guidance for the integration of such coil designs into MR-PET hybrid systems in the future.}, language = {en} } @article{OezsoyluKizildagSchoeningetal.2020, author = {{\"O}zsoylu, Dua and Kizildag, Sefa and Sch{\"o}ning, Michael Josef and Wagner, Torsten}, title = {Differential chemical imaging of extracellular acidification within microfluidic channels using a plasma-functionalized light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS)}, series = {Physics in Medicine}, volume = {10}, journal = {Physics in Medicine}, number = {100030}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {2352-4510}, doi = {10.1016/j.phmed.2020.100030}, pages = {8}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Extracellular acidification is a basic indicator for alterations in two vital metabolic pathways: glycolysis and cellular respiration. Measuring these alterations by monitoring extracellular acidification using cell-based biosensors such as LAPS plays an important role in studying these pathways whose disorders are associated with numerous diseases including cancer. However, the surface of the biosensors must be specially tailored to ensure high cell compatibility so that cells can represent more in vivo-like behavior, which is critical to gain more realistic in vitro results from the analyses, e.g., drug discovery experiments. In this work, O2 plasma patterning on the LAPS surface is studied to enhance surface features of the sensor chip, e.g., wettability and biofunctionality. The surface treated with O2 plasma for 30 s exhibits enhanced cytocompatibility for adherent CHO-K1 cells, which promotes cell spreading and proliferation. The plasma-modified LAPS chip is then integrated into a microfluidic system, which provides two identical channels to facilitate differential measurements of the extracellular acidification of CHO-K1 cells. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that extracellular acidification within microfluidic channels is quantitatively visualized as differential (bio-)chemical images.}, language = {en} } @article{HorbachStaatPerezVianaetal.2020, author = {Horbach, Andreas and Staat, Manfred and Perez-Viana, Daniel and Simmen, Hans-Peter and Neuhaus, Valentin and Pape, Hans-Christoph and Prescher, Andreas and Ciritsis, Bernhard}, title = {Biomechanical in vitro examination of a standardized low-volume tubular femoroplasty}, series = {Clinical Biomechanics}, volume = {80}, journal = {Clinical Biomechanics}, number = {Art. 105104}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, doi = {10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2020.105104}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Background Osteoporosis is associated with the risk of fractures near the hip. Age and comorbidities increase the perioperative risk. Due to the ageing population, fracture of the proximal femur also proves to be a socio-economic problem. Preventive surgical measures have hardly been used so far. Methods 10 pairs of human femora from fresh cadavers were divided into control and low-volume femoroplasty groups and subjected to a Hayes fall-loading fracture test. The results of the respective localization and classification of the fracture site, the Singh index determined by computed tomography (CT) examination and the parameters in terms of fracture force, work to fracture and stiffness were evaluated statistically and with the finite element method. In addition, a finite element parametric study with different position angles and variants of the tubular geometry of the femoroplasty was performed. Findings Compared to the control group, the work to fracture could be increased by 33.2\%. The fracture force increased by 19.9\%. The used technique and instrumentation proved to be standardized and reproducible with an average poly(methyl methacrylate) volume of 10.5 ml. The parametric study showed the best results for the selected angle and geometry. Interpretation The cadaver studies demonstrated the biomechanical efficacy of the low-volume tubular femoroplasty. The numerical calculations confirmed the optimal choice of positioning as well as the inner and outer diameter of the tube in this setting. The standardized minimally invasive technique with the instruments developed for it could be used in further comparative studies to confirm the measured biomechanical results.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{SchmidtsKraftWinkensetal.2020, author = {Schmidts, Oliver and Kraft, Bodo and Winkens, Marvin and Z{\"u}ndorf, Albert}, title = {Catalog integration of low-quality product data by attribute label ranking}, series = {Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Data Science, Technology and Applications - Volume 1: DATA}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Data Science, Technology and Applications - Volume 1: DATA}, isbn = {978-989-758-440-4}, doi = {10.5220/0009831000900101}, pages = {90 -- 101}, year = {2020}, language = {en} } @article{RauschHarbrechtKahmannetal.2020, author = {Rausch, Valentin and Harbrecht, Andreas and Kahmann, Stephanie Lucina and Fenten, Thomas and Jovanovic, Nebojsa and Hackl, Michael and M{\"u}ller, Lars P. and Staat, Manfred and Wegmann, Kilian}, title = {Osteosynthesis of Phalangeal Fractures: Biomechanical Comparison of Kirschner Wires, Plates, and Compression Screws}, series = {The Journal of Hand Surgery}, volume = {45}, journal = {The Journal of Hand Surgery}, number = {10}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0363-5023}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhsa.2020.04.010}, pages = {987.e1 -- 987.e8}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Purpose The aim of this study was to compare several osteosynthesis techniques (intramedullary headless compression screws, T-plates, and Kirschner wires) for distal epiphyseal fractures of proximal phalanges in a human cadaveric model. Methods A total of 90 proximal phalanges from 30 specimens (index, ring, and middle fingers) were used for this study. After stripping off all soft tissue, a transverse distal epiphyseal fracture was simulated at the proximal phalanx. The 30 specimens were randomly assigned to 1 fixation technique (30 per technique), either a 3.0-mm intramedullary headless compression screw, locking plate fixation with a 2.0-mm T-plate, or 2 oblique 1.0-mm Kirschner wires. Displacement analysis (bending, distraction, and torsion) was performed using optical tracking of an applied random speckle pattern after osteosynthesis. Biomechanical testing was performed with increasing cyclic loading and with cyclic load to failure using a biaxial torsion-tension testing machine. Results Cannulated intramedullary compression screws showed significantly less displacement at the fracture site in torsional testing. Furthermore, screws were significantly more stable in bending testing. Kirschner wires were significantly less stable than plating or screw fixation in any cyclic load to failure test setup. Conclusions Intramedullary compression screws are a highly stable alternative in the treatment of transverse distal epiphyseal phalangeal fractures. Kirschner wires seem to be inferior regarding displacement properties and primary stability. Clinical relevance Fracture fixation of phalangeal fractures using plate osteosynthesis may have the advantage of a very rigid reduction, but disadvantages such as stiffness owing to the more invasive surgical approach and soft tissue irritation should be taken into account. Headless compression screws represent a minimally invasive choice for fixation with good biomechanical properties.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{PohleFroehlichDalitzRichteretal.2020, author = {Pohle-Fr{\"o}hlich, Regina and Dalitz, Christoph and Richter, Charlotte and Hahnen, Tobias and St{\"a}udle, Benjamin and Albracht, Kirsten}, title = {Estimation of muscle fascicle orientation in ultrasonic images}, series = {VISIGRAPP 2020 - Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Computer Vision, Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory and Applications, 5}, booktitle = {VISIGRAPP 2020 - Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Computer Vision, Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory and Applications, 5}, pages = {79 -- 86}, year = {2020}, language = {en} }