Developmental trajectories of school-beginner’s ability self-concept, intrinsic value, and performance in mathematics

This study investigated the developmental interdependence of Finnish school-beginners’ (N = 285) ability self-concept, intrinsic value, and performance in mathematics. More specifically, we examined: (i) whether and how children’s ability self-concept and intrinsic value in mathematics change over their first three years in school, (ii) how those changes are related to each other, (iii) how they predict later math performance, and (iv) whether there are gender differences in these trajectories. The results showed significant decrease over time in children’s ability self-concept and intrinsic value, but also significant individual differences in the trajectories. The high dependency between the levels and changes in children’s self-concept and intrinsic value led us to specify a factor-of-curves latent growth model, thus merging the trajectories of ability self-concept and intrinsic value into one common model (i.e., math motivation). The subsequent results showed prior math performance to predict change in children’s math motivation, meaning that higher initial competence was connected with less steep decrease in motivation. After controlling for the effects of first-grade math performance, both the level and change in math motivation predicted third-grade math performance and teacher-rated grades. That is, higher initial motivation and less steep decrease in it independently predicted better later math competence. Boys reported less steep decrease in math motivation than girls, despite no gender differences in initial math performance.

VEGF and IL-6 correlation in POEMS: a potential upcoming marker of active disease and early autologous BMT response.

Introduction: VEGF function may be responsible for most POEMS manifestations, and it is considered a reliable marker of disease. COVID-19 era arose increasing interest for other inflammatory cytokines, with particular focus on Interleukin-6; VEGF production is stimulated by IL-6 and IL1β, whose concentrations appear to be elevated in clonal plasma cells. Objectives: This study aims to simultaneously evaluate VEGF and IL-6 values in patients (pts) with POEMS at different stages of the disease to find a correlation between them. Methods: We performed a monocentric study, measuring serum levels of VEGF and IL-6 in 8 POEMS pts at different time points of the disease. Results: We observed elevated serum levels of both VEGF and IL-6 in three pts before transplant, while the day after the infusion of autologous stem cells, we observed a steep decrease of both serum markers. Among the four-pts tested only after transplant, two presented with a consensual level of VEGF and IL-6, while the others did not correlate. One patient observed at POEMS diagnosis, during active disease, presented with strikingly high levels of both serum markers. Conclusions: So far, to the best of our knowledge, IL-6 could be considered as a marker of active disease and reliable up to the very first months after BMT, after which its accuracy appears to be lost due to unknown factors, still to be investigated.

Ginsenosides Conversion and Anti-Oxidant Activities in Puffed Cultured Roots of Mountain Ginseng

CRMG (Cultured Roots of Mountain Ginseng) have the advantages in scale-up production, safety, and pharmacological efficacies. Though several methods are available for the conversion of major to minor ginsenosides, which has more pharmacological activities, a single step process with high temperature and pressure as a puffing method took place in this study to gain and produce more pharmacologically active compounds. Puffed CRMG exhibited an acceleration of major ginsenosides to minor ginsenosides conversions, and released more phenolic and flavonoid compounds. HPLC analysis was used to detect a steep decrease in the contents of major ginsenosides (Re, Rf, Rg1, Rg2, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc and Rd) with increasing pressure; on the contrary, the minor ginsenosides (20 (S, R)-Rg3, Rg5, Rk1, Rh1, Rh2, Rg6, F4 and Rk3) contents increased. Minor ginsenosides, such as Rg6, F4 and Rk3, were firstly reported to be produced from puffed CRMG. After the puffing process, phenolics, flavonoids, and minor ginsenoside contents were increased, and also, the antioxidant properties, such as DPPH inhibition and reducing the power of puffed CRMG, were significantly enhanced. Puffed CRMG at 490.3 kPa and 588.4 kPa had a low toxicity on HaCaT (immortalized human epidermal keratinocyte) cells at 200 μg/mL, and could significantly reduce ROS by an average of 60%, compared to the group treated with H2O2. Therefore, single step puffing of CRMG has the potential to be utilized for functional food and cosmeceuticals.

Bioaerosols in the Amazon rain forest: temporal variations and vertical profiles of Eukarya, Bacteria, and Archaea

The Amazon rain forest plays a major role in global hydrological cycling, and biogenic aerosols are likely to influence the formation of clouds and precipitation. Information about the sources and altitude profiles of primary biological aerosol particles, however, is sparse. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), a molecular biological staining technique largely unexplored in aerosol research, to investigate the sources and spatiotemporal distribution of Amazonian bioaerosols on the domain level. We found wet season bioaerosol number concentrations in the range of 1–5 × 105 m−3 accounting for > 70 % of the coarse mode aerosol. Eukaryotic and bacterial particles predominated, with fractions of ∼ 56 % and ∼ 26 % of the intact airborne cells. Archaea occurred at very low concentrations. Vertical profiles exhibit a steep decrease in bioaerosol numbers from the understory to 325 m height on the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO), with a stronger decrease in Eukarya compared to Bacteria. Considering earlier investigations, our results can be regarded as representative for near-pristine Amazonian wet season conditions. The observed concentrations and profiles provide new insights into the sources and dispersion of different types of Amazonian bioaerosols as a solid basis for model studies on biosphere–atmosphere interactions such as bioprecipitation cycling.

Real-World Analysis of Survival and Clinical Events in a Cohort of Italian Perinatally HIV-1 Infected Children From 2001 to 2018

Background: Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has been associated with a steep decrease in mortality and morbidity in HIV-1 infected children. New antiretroviral molecules and drug classes have been developed and the management of HIV-infected children has improved, but recent data on survival are limited.Methods: An observational retrospective study investigating changes in mortality and morbidity was conducted on 1,091 perinatally HIV-1 infected children enrolled in the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children and followed-up from 2001 to 2018.Results: Three hundred and fifty-four (32%) AIDS events and 26 (2%) deaths occurred overtime. Mortality rates decreased from 0.4/100 person-years in 2001–2006 to 0.27/100 person-years in 2007–2012 and 0.07/100 person-years in 2013–2018. Notably, 92% of the dead children were born in Italy, but only 50% were followed-up since birth or within three months of age. Seventy three percent of children had started cART at age ≥6 months; 23% were treated for <30 days before death. B and C clinical events progressively decreased (P < 0.0001). Opportunistic infections significantly decreased over time, but still were the most common events in all the periods (6.76/100 person-years in 2013–2018). In the last period, severe bacterial infections were the most common ones. Cancer rates were 0.07/100; 0.17/100; 0.07/100 person-years in the three periods, respectively.Conclusions: Progressive reductions both in mortality and in rates of class B and C clinical events and OIs have been observed during the cART era. However, deaths were still registered; more than half of dead children were enrolled after birth and had belatedly started cART.

Ear, Nose, Throat and Head and Neck Surgery Activity in Tertiary Care Center during COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID 19) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the novel virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Till 31st August 2020, 39460 COVID-19 positive cases confirmed and 228 deaths occurred in Nepal. The surgical activities in the division of ENT and HNS (Ear, Nose, Throat and Head and Neck Surgery) across the world has been affected with many hospitals confining themselves to only emergency or essential surgeries due to implementation of lockdown by many countries. Manipal Teaching Hospital being a tertiary care referral centre in western Nepal has wide array of cases coming from various parts of the country and due to the pandemic the surgical activity of our ENT and HNS unit has undergone profound changes. Methods: A six months prospective study of “ENT and HNS Surgical Activity in Tertiary Care Center during COVID-19 Pandemic” was conducted in the department of ENT and HNS, Manipal college of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal. Statistical analysis of the study was done for various parameters like age, sex, incidence and types of elective and emergency surgeries and comparing the frequency of surgeries done during the COVID-19 pandemic vs that during the same period in the previous year. Results: This study includes a total of 56 surgery cases out of which 26 were emergency and 30 were elective. Among 26 emergency cases, five were ear, one was nose, nine were throat and 11 were head & neck cases. Similarly, among 30 elective cases, six were ear, eight were nose, 11 were throat and five were head & neck cases. The most commonly performed emergency cases were incision and drainage of abscess followed by repair of wounds and rigid oesophagoscopy and removal of foreign body. Commonly performed elective cases were excision of ENT and HNS lesions followed by Functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a steep decrease in ENT and HNS surgical activities both the elective and emergency surgery.

Rapid Decreasing of a Selected Plant Species Distribution Within Recent Decades as an Illustration of Gradual Local Extinction of Low-Productive Wet Meadow Species in Central Europe

This study provides an illustration of the contemporary extinction trend of a selected wet grassland species, Pedicularis sylvatica, within a region of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, Czech Republic. Historically, it was a relatively common species in the study region, but it has been severely reduced in recent decades due to the abandonment of the traditional management of the grasslands, or inappropriate management practices, including extensive drainage, fertilisation, and liming. Low precipitation in recent years, a depleted soil seed bank, inbreeding in small, isolated populations, the inability to germinate, and the emergence of seedlings can also play an important role. After personal resurvey, P. sylvatica was not confirmed on 28 % of the localities where it was documented between two and 20 years ago. In a selected south-eastern subregion, only one of 19 localities persist nowadays. A steep decrease of local subpopulations of P. sylvatica points to the holistic problem of both the low-productive wet meadow species’ extinctions and their habitat collapses in central Europe. Without proper protection and management, it is likely that low-productive wet meadows will continue to decline and, in the next few decades, only a fraction of today’s already faint frequency will remain within a few higher-elevated subregions.

Critical decay index for eruptions of ‘short’ filaments

ABSTRACT Model of a partial current-carrying torus loop anchored to the photosphere is analysed. Conditions of the catastrophic loss of equilibrium are considered and corresponding value of the critical decay index of external magnetic field is found. Taking into account line-tying conditions leads to non-monotonous dependence of the critical decay index on the height of the apex and length of the flux rope (its endpoints separation). For relatively short flux ropes, the critical decay index is significantly lower than unity, which is in contrast to widespread models with the typical critical decay index above unity. The steep decrease of the critical index with height at low heights is due to the sharp increase of the curvature of the flux-rope axis that transforms from a nearly straight line to a crescent.

Bioaerosols in the Amazon rain forest: Temporal variations and vertical profiles of Eukarya, Bacteria and Archaea

The Amazon rain forest plays a major role in global hydrological cycling and biogenic aerosols are likely to influence the formation of clouds and precipitation. Information about the sources and altitude profiles of primary biological aerosol particles, however, is sparse. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), a molecular biological staining technique largely unexplored in aerosol research, to investigate the sources and spatiotemporal distribution of Amazonian bioaerosols on domain level. We found wet season bioaerosol number concentrations in the range of 1–5 · 105 m−3 accounting for > 70 % of the coarse mode aerosol. Eukaryotic and bacterial particles predominated, with fractions of ~56 % and ~26 % of the intact airborne cells. Archaea occurred at very low concentrations. Vertical profiles exhibit a steep decrease of bioaerosol numbers from the understory to 325 m height on the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, with a stronger decrease of Eukarya compared to Bacteria. Considering earlier investigations, our results can be regarded as representative for near-pristine Amazonian wet season conditions. The observed concentrations and profiles provide unprecedented insights into the sources and dispersion of different types of Amazonian bioaerosols as a solid basis for model studies on biosphere-atmosphere interactions such as bioprecipitation cycling.

Effect of Temperature on Luminescence of LiNbO3 Crystals Single-Doped with Sm3+, Tb3+, or Dy3+ Ions

Crystals of LiNbO3 single-doped with Sm3+, Tb3+, or Dy3+ and crystal of LiTaO3 single-doped with Tb3+ were grown by the Czochralski method. Luminescence spectra and decay curves for LiNbO3 samples containing Sm3+ or Dy3+ ions were recorded at different temperatures between 295 and 775 K, whereas those for samples containing Tb3+ ions were recorded at different temperatures between 10 and 300 K. Optical absorption spectra at different temperatures were recorded within the UV-blue region relevant to optical pumping of the samples. It was found that the effect of temperature on experimental luminescence lifetimes consists of the initial temperature-independent stage followed by a steep decrease with the onset at about 700, 600, and 150 K for Sm3+, Dy3+, and Tb3+ ions, respectively. Additionally, comparison of temperature impact on luminescence properties of LiNbO3:Tb3+ and LiTaO3:Tb3+ crystals has been adequately described. Experimental results were interpreted in terms of temperature-dependent charge transfer (CT) transitions within the modified Temperature—Dependent Charge Transfer phenomenological model (TDCT). Disparity of the onset temperatures and their sequence were explained based on the location of familiar zigzag curves connecting the ground state levels of rare earth ions with respect to the band-gap of the host. It was concluded also that LiNbO3:Sm3+ is suitable as an optical sensor within the 500–750 K temperature region whereas LiNbO3:Dy3+ offers the highest sensitivity at lower temperatures between 300 and 400 K.