Profile observations of the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer with the BELUGA tethered balloon during MOSAiC.

During the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition, the Balloon-bornE moduLar Utility for profilinG the lower Atmosphere (BELUGA) was deployed from an ice floe drifting in the Fram Strait from 29 June to 27 July 2020. The BELUGA observations aimed to characterize the cloudy Arctic atmospheric boundary layer above the sea ice using a modular setup of five instrument packages. The in situ measurements included atmospheric thermodynamic and dynamic state parameters (air temperature, humidity, pressure, and three-dimensional wind), broadband solar and terrestrial irradiance, aerosol particle microphysical properties, and cloud particle images. In total, 66 profile observations were collected during 33 balloon flights from the surface to maximum altitudes of 0.3 to 1.5 km. The profiles feature a high vertical resolution of 0.01 m to 1 m, including measurements below, inside, and above frequently occurring low-level clouds. This publication describes the balloon operations, instruments, and the obtained data set. We invite the scientific community for joint analysis and model application of the freely available data on PANGAEA.

MOSAiC-ACA and AFLUX - Arctic airborne campaigns characterizing the exit area of MOSAiC.

Two airborne field campaigns focusing on observations of Arctic mixed-phase clouds and boundary layer processes and their role with respect to Arctic amplification have been carried out in spring 2019 and late summer 2020 over the Fram Strait northwest of Svalbard. The latter campaign was closely connected to the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. Comprehensive datasets of the cloudy Arctic atmosphere have been collected by operating remote sensing instruments, in-situ probes, instruments for the measurement of turbulent fluxes of energy and momentum, and dropsondes on board the AWI research aircraft Polar 5. In total, 24 flights with 111 flight hours have been performed over open ocean, the marginal sea ice zone, and sea ice. The datasets follow documented methods and quality assurance and are suited for studies on Arctic mixed-phase clouds and their transformation processes, for studies with a focus on Arctic boundary layer processes, and for satellite validation applications. All datasets are freely available via the world data center PANGAEA.

gQTL: A Web Application for QTL Analysis Using the Collaborative Cross Mouse Genetic Reference Population.

Multi-parental recombinant inbred populations, such as the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse genetic reference population, are increasingly being used for analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL). However specialized analytic software for these complex populations is typically built in R that works only on command-line, which limits the utility of these powerful resources for many users. To overcome analytic limitations, we developed gQTL, a web accessible, simple graphical user interface application based on the DOQTL platform in R to perform QTL mapping using data from CC mice.

Anti-Tumorigenic and Anti-Metastatic Activity of the Sponge-Derived Marine Drugs Aeroplysinin-1 and Isofistularin-3 against Pheochromocytoma In Vitro.

Over 10% of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) patients have malignant disease at their first presentation in the clinic. Development of malignancy and the underlying molecular pathways in PPGLs are poorly understood and efficient treatment strategies are missing. Marine sponges provide a natural source of promising anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic agents. We evaluate the anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic potential of Aeroplysinin-1 and Isofistularin-3, two secondary metabolites isolated from the marine sponge Aplysina aerophoba, on pheochromocytoma cells. Aeroplysinin-1 diminished the number of proliferating cells and reduced spheroid growth significantly. Beside these anti-tumorigenic activity, Aeroplysinin-1 decreased the migration ability of the cells significantly (p = 0.01), whereas, the invasion capacity was not affected. Aeroplysinin-1 diminished the high adhesion capacity of the MTT cells to collagen (p < 0.001) and, furthermore, reduced the ability to form spheroids significantly. Western Blot and qRT-PCR analysis showed a downregulation of integrin ß1 that might explain the lower adhesion and migration capacity after Aeroplysinin-1 treatment. Isofistularin-3 showed only a negligible influence on proliferative and pro-metastatic cell properties. These in vitro investigations show promise for the application of the sponge-derived marine drug, Aeroplysinin-1 as anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic agent against PPGLs for the first time.

3D chitinous scaffolds derived from cultivated marine demosponge Aplysina aerophoba for tissue engineering approaches based on human mesenchymal stromal cells.

The recently discovered chitin-based scaffolds derived from poriferans have the necessary prosperities for potential use in tissue engineering. Among the various demosponges of the Verongida order, Aplysina aerophoba is an attractive target for more in-depth investigations, as it is a renewable source of unique 3D microporous chitinous scaffolds. We found these chitinous scaffolds were cytocompatible and supported attachment, growth and proliferation of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) in vitro. Cultivation of hMSCs on the scaffolds for 7days resulted in a two-fold increase in their metabolic activity, indicating increased cell numbers. Cells cultured onto chitin scaffolds in differentiation media were able to differentiate into the chondrogenic, adipogenic and osteogenic lineages, respectively. These results indicate A. aerophoba is a novel source of chitin scaffolds to futher hMSCs-based tissue engineering strategies.

Alterations of cerebral glutamate in the euthymic state of patients with bipolar disorder.

The pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) mostly remains unclear. However, some findings argue for a dysfunction in glutamatergic neurotransmission in BD. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3T was used to determine glutamate concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the hippocampus (HC) of euthymic outpatients with BP-I disorder and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In patients with BD, glutamate concentrations were significantly increased in the ACC and decreased in the HC compared with concentrations in controls. Significant group differences were also measured for N-acetyl aspartate and choline; no differences were found for other metabolites examined. An inverse correlation was observed for glutamate concentrations in the ACC and number of episodes. The findings of the study add to the concept of abnormalities in glutamatergic regulation in the ACC and HC in patients with BD.

First report on chitinous holdfast in sponges (Porifera).

A holdfast is a root- or basal plate-like structure of principal importance that anchors aquatic sessile organisms, including sponges, to hard substrates. There is to date little information about the nature and origin of sponges' holdfasts in both marine and freshwater environments. This work, to our knowledge, demonstrates for the first time that chitin is an important structural component within holdfasts of the endemic freshwater demosponge Lubomirskia baicalensis. Using a variety of techniques (near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure, Raman, electrospray ionization mas spectrometry, Morgan-Elson assay and Calcofluor White staining), we show that chitin from the sponge holdfast is much closer to α-chitin than to ß-chitin. Most of the three-dimensional fibrous skeleton of this sponge consists of spicule-containing proteinaceous spongin. Intriguingly, the chitinous holdfast is not spongin-based, and is ontogenetically the oldest part of the sponge body. Sequencing revealed the presence of four previously undescribed genes encoding chitin synthases in the L. baicalensis sponge. This discovery of chitin within freshwater sponge holdfasts highlights the novel and specific functions of this biopolymer within these ancient sessile invertebrates.

"Medô medo": investigação sobre a fobia em Freud, Lacan e autores contemporâneos a partir de um caso clínico / "Medô medo": investigation on the phobia in Freud, Lacan and contemporary authors from a clinical case

A partir de um caso clínico emerge a seguinte questão: a fobia deve ser considerada uma entidade clínica ou uma figura clínica a se presentificar em contextos diversos? O presente artigo investiga o item nas obras de Freud, Lacan e de dois autores da atua­lidade: Ricardo Diaz Romero e Charles Melman, que reacendem o debate em torno do tema. A psicanálise, como constructo teórico que surge a partir da escuta clínica de Freud, somente mantém seu sentido no que continua a nos possibilitar tratar o real da clínica pelo simbólico. Neste sentido é que, efetuado um percurso teórico, retornamos, ao final do artigo, à experiência clínica.

Fear fear: an investigation about phobia in Freud, Lacan and other contemporary authors (Diaz Romero and Charles Melman) based on a clinical case. A question emerges based on a clinical case: should phobia be considered a clinical entity or a clinical figure to make itself present in various contexts? The present article investigates this matter in the works of Freud, Lacan and two current authors that reignite the debate around the theme. Psychoanalysis, as a theoretical body to emerge from Freud's clinical listening, only maintains its reason of being in which it still makes possible for us to handle the real in clinical experience through the symbolic. It is in this sense that, trailing a theoretical path, we return to the clinical experience at the end of the article.

Theory of mind impairments in euthymic bipolar patients.

BACKGROUND: Deficits in social cognition, e.g. theory of mind (ToM) represent core characteristics involved in the etiology of psychopathological symptoms and an important predictor of social competence. In bipolar affective disorder, evidence for ToM deficits is scant, although brain imaging studies and impairments in non-social neurocognitive domains indicate deficits of prefrontal functions. METHODS: Twenty-nine euthymic patients with bipolar affective disorder and 29 matched healthy controls were examined with the 'Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition' (MASC). Target parameters comprised 1) 'cognitive' and 'emotional' ToM scores, 2) qualitative analysis of errors brought about by 'undermentalizing' or 'overmentalizing' strategies and 3) non-social inferencing as a control factor. RESULTS: Patients compared to controls scored significantly lower for 'cognitive' (F=9.417, df=1, p=0.003) but not for 'emotional' ToM. Bipolar patients showed significantly higher 'undermentalizing' (F=4.830, df=1, p=0.032) but not 'overmentalizing' scores. A significant correlation (controlled for age) between the number of (hypo)manic episodes and 'undermentalizing' (r=0.527, p=0.030) as well as 'emotional' ToM (r=-0.546, p=0.023) was observed. LIMITATIONS: Sample size did not allow for the analysis of medication effects. DISCUSSION: This is the first study of ToM in euthymic bipolar patients with a realistic video-based examination. Independently from basic cognitive dysfunctions, patients displayed a pronounced deficit in the cognitive domain of ToM with preserved emotional mentalizing abilities. The correlation with the number of manic episodes may indicate an increase of the deficit with disease progression. It can be assumed that social cognition reflects an important dimension of the persisting cognitive deficits in bipolar disorder with possible impact on disease outcome.