bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Processing subject focus across two Spanish varieties
Authors: Hoot Bradley , Leal Tania
Published: January 2020

Linguists have keenly studied the realization of focus – the part of the sentence introducing new information – because it involves the interaction of different linguistic modules. Syntacticians have argued that Spanish uses word order for information-structural purposes, marking focused constituents via rightmost movement. However, recent studies have challenged this claim. To contribute sentence-processing evidence, we conducted a self-paced reading task and a judgment task with Mexican and Catalonian Spanish speakers. We found that movement to final position can signal focus in Spanish, in contrast to the aforementioned work. We contextualize our results within the literature, identifying three basic facts that theories of Spanish focus and theories of language processing should explain, and advance a fourth: that mismatches in information-structural expectations can induce processing delays. Finally, we propose that some differences in the existing experimental results may stem from methodological differences.
Fairness Vs. Economic Efficiency: Lessons from an Interdisciplinary Analysis of Talmudic Bankruptcy Law
Authors: Lipschütz Itay , Schwarz Mordechai E.
Published: January 2020

Bankruptcy problems are commonly associated with economic disasters, but can also emerge due to extraordinary economic performance The choice of a sharing rule has a significant potential effect on the economy’s general equilibrium. The economic literature hitherto neglected the search for an economically optimal bankruptcy solution and concentrated mainly on normative axiomatizations of sharing rules. However, its findings did not attract much attention of legal scholars. The purpose of this article is to create a symposium between the economic and legal literature on bankruptcy based on our interdisciplinary analysis of a fascinating polemic conducted by Jewish Law scholars over the course of fifteenth centuries about the appropriate bankruptcy solution.
Leniency Programs and Cartel Organization of Multiproduct Firms
Authors: Dargaud Emilie , Jacques Armel
Published: January 2020

When multi-product firms make simultaneous price-fixing agreements in different markets, they may compartmentalize these agreements by having different individuals manage them so as to avoid the contagion of antitrust authority investigations. Leniency programs can overcome this strategy but may also lead to procollusive effects for centralized firms. The introduction of US amnesty plus programs can have different competitive effects, and leniency programs may modify firms’ choice of internal structure.
Moderne Methoden der CT-gestützten Strukturanalyse
Authors: Ulbricht Alexander , Gollwitzer Christian , Kupsch Andreas , Léonard Fabien , Müller Bernd R. , Oesch Tyler , Onel Yener , Thiede Tobias , Zscherpel Uwe
Published: January 2020

Durch den großflächigen Einsatz der Computertomographie (CT) in unterschiedlichen Industriebereichen steigen auch die Anforderungen an die quantitative Bildanalyse. Subjektive Bildwahrnehmung muss durch objektive Algorithmen ersetzt werden. In diesem Artikel stellt die Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), die seit den 1980er Jahren an der Entwicklung der industriellen CT beteiligt ist, anhand ausgewählter Beispiele den aktuellen Stand ihrer Analysemethoden an verschiedenen Anwendungsbeispielen der CT vor.
Das Kilogramm im neuen SI
Authors: Härtig Frank , Knopf Dorothea , Lehrmann Katharina
Published: January 2020

Am 20. Mai 2019 hat die Generalkonferenz für Maße und Gewichte die Definition zur Darstellung der Einheiten grundlegend erneut. Die Einheit Kilogramm des Internationalen Einheitensystems (SI) stand besonders im Fokus, da vermutet wurde, dass sich die Masse des Internationalen Kilogramm Prototyps (IPK) über die Zeit ändert. Wie auch andere SI-Einheiten wird das Kilogramm nun nicht mehr durch einen weltweit einzigen physikalischen Körper dargestellt, sondern über physikalische Konstante. Auswirkungen auf industrielle oder gesellschaftliche Anwendungen hat die neue Definition nicht, auch wenn sich die Genauigkeit der nationalen Massenormale etwas verschlechtert hat. Die Chancen liegen dagegen in der Vielfalt, mit der das Kilogramm künftig dargestellt werden kann. Grundlage für die neue Realisierung bilden derzeit zwei Experimente, die „Kibble-Waage“ (Kibble-Balance: KB) und die „X-Ray Crystal Density Method“ (XRCD-Methode). Letztere basiert auf Kugeln aus monokristallinem isotopenangereichertem Silizium. Systematische Abweichungen zwischen den beiden Experimenten zeigen, dass eine dreistufige Übergangsphase notwendig ist, um die grundlegende Stabilität für die Weitergabe der Größe Masse zu gewährleisten. Der IPK und ein sogenannter Consensus Value (CV) spielen dabei eine besondere Rolle. Die gute Handhabbarkeit und Stabilität von Silizium haben dazu geführt, dass die in der XRCD-Methode verwendeten Siliziumkugeln in ihrer natürlichen Isotopenzusammensetzung auch als sehr stabile Massenormale eingesetzt werden.
Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease Type 1 and 2 on the Electrical Activity of Hand Muscle During Isometric Contraction With and Without Intellectual Activity
Authors: Sotoodeh Roya , Nowshiravan Rahatabad Fereidoun , Jafarnia Dabanloo Nader
Published: January 2020

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the third most common neurodegenerative disease in the central nervous system. It is a degenerative and slowly progressive disease. PD patients have difficulty at the beginning of the movement, at the path of movement, and at the end of the movement. PD consists of 5 main stages. Methods: The purpose of this study was to diagnose PD type 1 and 2 on the electrical activity of shoulder muscle during isometric contraction with and without intellectual activity. In the same way, the electrical activity of the 2 right anterior deltoid muscles and the right upper trapezium by electromyographic apparatus in 4 conditions: (1) Resting, (2) Resting with intellectual activity, (3) performing an isometric movement in the hands, and (4) performing a movement Isometric in hand with an intellectual activity evaluated. The statistical population of the study consisted of 20 patients as experimental group (10 patients in the first stage and 10 patients in the second stage of PD) and ten healthy subjects as the control group as the statistical population. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine the normal distribution of data. Averages of variables were compared using the ANOVA test at a significant level of 5%. All statistical methods were performed using SPSS software. Results: The results of this study showed that the electrical activity of the shoulder belt muscles is significantly different during and after the isometric contraction with and without mental activity in PD type I and II. Conclusion: As a result, a non-invasive approach to assessing the electrical activity of shoulder muscle can be used to determine the first and second stages of PD. Research shows that PD is a chronic and progressive complication that most affects older people. Also, according to the results, Parkinson’s patients have weaker performance in cognitive functions than healthy people.
The Therapeutic Effect of Endoscopic Tumor Resection on Acromegalic Cardiomegaly in Patients With Pituitary Adenoma
Authors: Ebrahimzadeh Kaveh , Mojtabavi Kurosh , Mohammadi Sasan , Farahani Mehrdad , Gholizadeh Ghozloujeh Zohreh , Asaadi Sina , Sharifi Guive , Joshaghanian Mohammad Amin , Rezaei Omidvar
Published: January 2020

Background: Acromegaly defines as chronic elevations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH), which results in enlargement of organs and soft tissues. Cardiovascular complications of acromegaly such as cardiomegaly, hypertension contributing to a high risk of cardiovascular events. This study aimed to identify the determinants of the prevalence of cardiomegaly as cardiovascular comorbidity of acromegaly and the potential effect of the curative intervention. Methods: A total of 160 patients with acromegaly due to pituitary adenoma participated in this study. Acromegaly diagnosed was based on clinical manifestations, age-adjusted plasma IGF-I, and elevated plasma GH levels, not suppressible during an oral glucose tolerance test (75 g). Electrocardiogram and chest X-ray obtained in all patients. Treatment approaches included transsphenoidal surgery and hormonal evaluation performed before and six months after surgery. Results: The GH serum level was elevated in all patients before surgery, with a mean of 33.7 ng/ mL that reached 5.7 ng/mL after surgery. Mean IGF-1 was 794.1 ng/mL that reached 395.6 ng/mL postoperatively. The prevalence of cardiomegaly was 15% that improved in 5% of patients after trans sphenoidal surgery. Conclusion: Appropriate surgical intervention in acromegaly that complicated by cardiomegaly may result in significant improvement of the cardiac structure.
The Effectiveness of Meta-cognitive Skills Training on the Motivational Structure and Academic Performance of Drop-out Students
Authors: Mokhtari Mohammad , Hassanzadeh Ramazan , Mirzaeeyan Bahram
Published: January 2020

Background: Meta-cognitive skills training through giving meaning to information and making a logical connection between new and previously learned content, enables students to learn better and improve their academic performance. The present study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of meta-cognitive skills training on the motivational structure and academic performance of drop-out students. Methods: This study considered as semi-experimental research which has used the pretest-post-test with control group design. In this study, the statistical population included all drop-out male and female students of the Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (They entered the university in 2014 and considered as drop-out students for at least two years). Thirty students were selected using the purposive sampling method, who randomly divided into two groups of experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). Meta-cognitive skills taught to the experimental group within four sessions. The Motivational Structure Questionnaire (MSQ) and academic performance report card were used to collect data. Covariance analysis and SPSS-24 software used for data analysis. Results: According to the results of covariance analysis, there is a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (P<0.001). Therefore, it can conclude that meta-cognitive skills training a significant effect on the motivational structure and students’ academic performance. Conclusion: Due to the results of this study, it is imperative that university officials pay attention to the effect of the meta-cognitive training program on the motivational structure and performance of drop-out students and provide the proper context for relevant skills training in the counseling department, the department of social affairs and educational field.
Pneumocephalus After Dural Puncture During Epidural Analgesia: A Case Report
Authors: Mohseni Gholamreza , Behnaz Faranak , Tahmasebi Zahra
Published: January 2020

Lumbar epidural anesthesia commonly used to control post-operation pain. The ‘loss-ofresistance’ to air technique (LORA) generally engaged in the appreciation of the epidural space. One of the rare but serious side effects of this technique is pneumocephalus. We report a case of sudden frontal and parietal headache after a dural puncture during the performance of epidural analgesia using the LOR to air technique. Keywords: Epidural analgesia; ‘loss-of- resistance’ to air technique (LORA); Pneumocephalus; loss of consciousness; headache.
An updated review on Couroupita guianensis Aubl: a sacred plant of India with myriad medicinal properties
Authors: Sheba Lawrence Anna , Anuradha Venkatraman
Published: January 2020

From ancient times, medicinal plants have been making important contributions to mankind owing to their healing properties. Their fundamental aspects such as safety, quality, and efficiency ensure the role of plant-based medicines in healthcare. Couroupita guianensis Aubl, commonly known as cannonball tree, is a member of the family Lecythidaceae (Brazil-nut family). Cannonball tree has gained worldwide attention because of its immense therapeutic values including antibiotic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antimycobacterial, analgesic, antiarthritic, anti-biofilm, antidiarrheal, antifertility, antipyretic, antistress, antitumor, antiulcer, antidermatophytic, wound healing and immunomodulatory activities. Almost all parts of the tree have been used traditionally for treating various ailments. It has been reported that C. guianensis is a rich source of bioactive compounds, specifically the presence of isatin, tryptanthrin, and indirubin is noteworthy. The present review covers in-depth literature survey concerning ecology, morphology, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and toxicological information of C. guianensis. This review attempts to summarise information relating to the medicinal value of C. guianensis to date in order to provide baseline knowledge for future works.
Phytoconstituents and bioactivities of the Bark of Pleiogynium timorense (DC.) Leenh (Anacardiaceae)
Authors: Abdel Raoof Gehan Fawzy , Said Ataa Abdelhaleem , Mohamed Khaled Younes , Gomaa Hesham  A.
Published: January 2020

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the phytoconstituents and various bioactivities of Pleiogynium timorense bark as a step towards the production of a new drug from natural origin to overcome the complications of the synthetic drugs. Methods: The phenolic compounds were isolated and identified by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods as ultraviolet (UV) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The isolated compounds, as well as 70% methanol extract of P. timorense bark were tested for cytotoxicity against human colon carcinoma (HCT 116), human hepatocellular liver carcinoma (HepG2), normal melanocytes (HFB-4) and human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines. In addition, the methanol extract was evaluated for renal protective, hepatoprotective, antioxidant and antihyperglycaemic activities. Results: Seven phenolic compounds were isolated from the bark of the plant for the first time which were identified as; pyrogallol, catechin, gallic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, rutin and quercetrin. Moreover, the methanol extract of the bark showed a promising cytotoxic effect against HepG2 cell line more than that of the isolated compounds comparing with doxorubicin (a positive control), where catechin and gallic acid showed moderate effects. In addition, the methanol extract showed potent antioxidant, hepatorenal protective and antihyperglycaemic effects. Conclusion: Pleiogynium timorense extract possesses a potent cytotoxic effect against HepG2 cell line and significant antioxidant, hepatorenal protective and antihyperglycaemic effects.
Effect of Matricaria chamomilla hydro-alcoholic and flavonoids rich extracts on rat isolated uterus
Authors: Sadraei Hassan , Sajjadi Seyed Ebrahim , Asghari Gholamreza , Khalili Majid
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Pharmacological studies confirm antispasmodic activities of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) extract on intestinal smooth muscles and it has been suggested that chamomile increases uterus tone, but so far there is no scientific studies which support this assumption. Therefore, this study was designed to determine spasmodic and spasmolytic activities of M. chamomilla extracts on rat isolated uterus. Methods: Hydro-alcoholic extract of M. chamomilla was prepared by maceration technique. Flavonoids rich extract was prepared by liquid in liquid extraction technique. The spasmodic effects of the extracts were assessed on spontaneously contracting rat uterus. The myorelaxant effect of M. chamomilla extracts was validated on isolated uterus contractions induced by KCl, acetylcholine (ACh), electrical field stimulation (EFS) and oxytocin. Results: Hydro-alcoholic extract of M. chamomilla (0.8 and 1.6 mg/mL) enhanced spontaneous movement of rat isolated uterus smooth muscle suspended in an organ bath. On the other hand, flavonoids rich fraction only diminished uterus contractile activities. Flavonoids rich extract of the plant at bath concentration ranges of 40 μg/mL to 400 μg/mL attenuated uterus response to ACh, KCl, EFS and oxytocin. The hydro-alcoholic extract of M. chamomilla at higher concentration ranges (250 μg/mL to 1.5 mg/mL) inhibited uterus contractions induced by the above spasmogens. Conclusion: The present study confirms both spasmodic and spasmolytic activities M. chamomilla hydro-alcoholic extract. Therefore, medicinal use of the crude extract of M. chamomilla may initiate uterus contraction which could increase risk of spontaneous miscarriage or premature parturition.
Histopathological and biomedical parameters determination in the protective effect of crocin on hepatotoxicity induced by methotrexate in rats
Authors: Jalili Cyrus , Abdolmaleki Amir , Roshankhah Shiva , Salahshoor Mohammad Reza
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Methotrexate (Met) as a chemotherapy drug has many side effects, such as infiltration of neutrophils and development of oxidative stress. Crocin (Cro), a carotenoid isolated from saffron, has numerous therapeutic characteristics including anticancer and antioxidant activities. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Cro against hepatic damage in rats induced by Met. Methods: In this study, 48 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 8 groups, control normal (saline), Met control-treated group (20 mg/kg), Cro groups (12.5, 25, 50 mg/kg) and Met + Cro treated groups (12.5, 25, 50 mg/kg). Treatments were administered by intraperitoneal injection daily for 28 days. Griess technique was hired for the determination of serum nitrite oxide (NO) level. Concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined in order to assess liver function disturbances. In addition, Thiobarbituric acid reactive species, antioxidant capacity, diameter of hepatocytes and central hepatic vein (CHV) were investigated. Results: Met administration significantly increased the liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO level, the mean diameter of CHV, hepatocytes and hepatic enzymes. Met also decreased the tissue FRAP level compared to the normal control group (P < 0.01). The Cro and Cro + Met treatments in all doses significantly reduced the mean diameter of hepatocytes and CHV, hepatic enzymes, hepatic MDA and NO levels and increased the tissue FRAP level compared to the Met control group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: It seems that Cro administration improves liver injury induced by Met in rats.
Rice bran as source of nutraceuticals for management of cardiovascular diseases, cardio-renal syndrome and hepatic cancer
Authors: Al-Okbi Sahar Y. , Mohamed Doha A. , Hamed Thanaa E. , Al-Siedy Enas S.K.
Published: January 2020

Introduction: The interrelation between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and renal dysfunction and the beneficial role of nutraceuticals are worthy to be studied. Nutraceuticals with anticancer effects are gaining great importance. The aim of this research was studying the anti-cancer, CVDs prevention and renal dysfunction properties of γ-oryzanol (γ-O) and rice bran oil/γ-O mixture (RBO/γ-O) as nutraceuticals. Methods: Rats were divided into 7 groups. Group 1 was fed on balanced diet and served as normal control (NC). Group 2 consumed high-fat-sucrose diet (HFSD) as CVD control. Groups 3 and 4 were fed on HFSD and treated by γ-O and RBO/γ-O, respectively. Group 5 was maintained on HFSD with cisplatin injection (cardiorenal syndrome control) (CRSC). Groups 6 and 7 were treated like group 5 and given either γ-O or RBO/γ-O. Plasma lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), catalase activity, creatinine and urea were determined besides urinary creatinine clearance. Nutraceuticals’ anticancer effect was assessed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HepG2) line. Results: Significant increases (P < 0.05) in lipid parameters with reduction of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were noticed in CVD control compared to NC group; the same changes were demonstrated in CRSC with lesser extent. In CVD control and CRSC groups; a significant increase (P < 0.05) in MDA and TNF-α with a reduction in catalase were noticed. Kidney dysfunction was demonstrated in the CRSC group. Administration of both RBO/γ-O and γ-O produced variable improvements in all parameters in both models and had anticancer effects. Conclusion: RBO/γ-O and γ-O had protective effects on CVDs and cardiorenal syndrome as well as anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activities with superiority of RBO/γ-O.
Antifungal and immunomodulatory activity of Allium jesdianum Boiss extracts
Authors: Naeini Alireza , Yaraee Roya , Shokri Hojjatollah
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Macrophages are one of the key phagocytes against various pathogenic fungi, particularly Candida species killed by various mechanisms such as nitric oxide (NO) agents. The purposes of this research were to investigate the anti-Candida and immunomodulatory effects of the extracts from Allium jesdianum on mouse peritoneal macrophages. Methods: The antifungal assay of amphotericin B and nystatin, as well as hydroalcoholic extract from A. jesdianum was carried out using disk diffusion and broth macrodilution methods against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). Furthermore, microculture tetrazolium (MTT) and nitrite assays (Griess test) were applied to study the influence of the aqueous extract from A. jesdianum on macrophage viability indices and NO production, respectively. Results: The results showed inhibition zone values of 8, 16, 28 mm for A. jesdianum, amphotericin B and nystatin against the organism tested, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of A. jesdianum were found to be 330 and 663 μg/mL, respectively. Aqueous extract of A. jesdianum induced a significant decrease (2.8-fold at a concentration of 5 mg/mL and 4.3-fold at concentration of 10 mg/mL) in macrophage viability indices in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001) but there was no toxic effect at 1 and 0.5 mg/mL. In addition, the aqueous extract of A. jesdianum resulted in a significant increase in NO production at non-toxic concentrations (77.6 μM nitrite at concentration of 1 mg/mL and 79.4 μM at concentration of 0.5 mg/mL) by macrophages (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The extract of A. jesdianum showed an in vitro anti-C. albicans and NO stimulatory effect. More studies with purified immunomodulatory components of A. jesdianum should be performed in future to shed light on the exact mechanisms of this activity.
Salinity Assessment for Salted Soil Considering Both Dissolved and Precipitated Salts
Authors: Ying Zi , Duc Myriam , Cui Yu-Jun , Benahmed Nadia
Published: January 2020

In practice, the soils in shallow depth are usually subjected to the effect of wetting-drying cycles, leading to water content variations. As water content decreases, the dissolved salt starts to precipitate or crystallize. In reality, only dissolved salt has an effect on the thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of soils, whereas the precipitated salt can be regarded as soil solid. However, the existing description of salted soil compositions and salinity assessment do not take the salt state into account, limiting its application to salted soils that undergo significant water content changes. In this study, the description of salted soil compositions was revised considering both dissolved and precipitated salts. Then, the relationship between dissolved water salinity (the mass ratio of dissolved salt to salty water) and dissolved soil salinity (the mass ratio of dissolved salt to dry solid) was established. Considering the complex chemical compositions of soil pore water, the relationship between the electrical conductivity (EC) and water salinity (r) of mixed salt solution was plotted to transform the measured EC to water salinity. Salt quantity was determined by centrifuge and the EC-r relationship of the mixed salt solution, allowing water and soil salinities to be determined. Besides, the ion compositions and concentrations of soil pore water and site water were estimated by Inductively Coupled Plasma/Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. The similar results obtained for soil pore water and site water proved that the adopted salinity assessment method was relevant. This was also confirmed by the results obtained on salt-amended soils with the measured salinities agreeing well with the target ones. Based on the obtained results, three approaches were proposed to determine the dissolved water salinity of salt-amended soils with decreasing salty water content. This allowed the dissolved soil salinity to be obtained according to the relationship between dissolved water salinity and dissolved soil salinity.
Vibration Levels of Stacked Automotive Engine Rack in Truck Shipments as a Function of Vehicle Speed and Road Condition
Authors: Böröcz Péter
Published: January 2020

In the past three decades, there has been a tremendous global shift in the use of returnable or reusable packaging in the automotive industry. This article focuses on the physical vibration forces that occur in a very important type of package system designed for engines and transmissions, namely the steel racks that have vertical posts on the four vertical edges that allow higher return ratios when empty. Engines and transmissions require zero damage acceptance levels today, as they are mated at the end of the assembly process, and they need to function 100 % of the time as the vehicle rolls off the finish line. They also are the most expensive components of the vehicle. This study was conducted to investigate the vibration environment of the stacked engine rack during truck transportation with various truck speeds, road conditions, and other road characteristics, such as speed bumps and railway crossings. Triaxial acceleration data were collected both on the truck floor as well as on the stacked racks themselves to determine the differences of vibration levels from truck floor to the stacked rack where vibration intensity increased. This study found that there were significant vibration severities in the stacked racks in all three orientations.
Serum Irisin: Pathogenesis and Clinical Research in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Askin Lutfu , Uzel Kader Eliz , Tanriverdi Okan , Turkmen Serdar
Published: January 2020

Recently, muscular function/dysfunction has gained importance in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis in cardiovascular diseases. Skeletal muscle plays a vital role in coordinating the activity and metabolism of endocrine organs by secreting many myokines, especially irisin. Irisin is a polypeptide hormone consisting of 112 amino acids secreted into the blood from muscle and adipose tissues. Serum irisin levels are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity and insulin resistance as defined by homeostatic model assessment. Irisin reduces endothelial damage by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress, thus playing a key role in maintaining endothelial cell function. Unsurprisingly, low irisin levels cause endothelial dysfunction and increase the incidence of atherosclerosis. We aimed to summarize the studies on this issue since we have not found any review in the literature on the role of serum irisin levels in the process of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular events in cardiovascular diseases.
Changes in clinical and biochemical characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome with advancing age
Authors: de Medeiros Sebastião Freitas , Yamamoto Márcia Marly Winck , Souto de Medeiros Matheus Antônio , Barbosa Bruna Barcelo , Soares José Maria , Baracat Edmund Chada
Published: January 2020

Objective

To verify whether aging can modify the clinical and biochemical characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Material and methods

This observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the reproductive endocrinology clinics of Julio Muller University Hospital and Tropical Institute of Reproductive Medicine in Cuiabá, MT, Brazil, between 2003 and 2017. Both, 796 PCOS and 444 non-PCOS normal cycling women underwent the same examination. PCOS was diagnosed using the Rotterdam criteria as recommended for adolescent and adult subjects. Anthropometric, metabolic, and endocrinological modifications with aging were initially examined in the two groups: control and PCOS. Further analyses were performed after a 5-year age stratification of data throughout the reproductive period. All participants signed a consent form approved by the local ethical committee.

Results

Biomarkers of adiposity were more remarkable in African descendant PCOS women. Body weight, waist/hip ratio, fat mass, and BMI were higher in PCOS women and tended to increase at all 5 age-strata, between ≤19 and 35 years of age. Serum androgen levels decreased with aging, markedly in PCOS subjects (P < 0.01 for all age-strata comparisons), but remained elevated when compared with the levels found in controls. Carbohydrate markers, triglycerides, and total cholesterol tended to increase over time in PCOS (P < 0.01 for all age-strata comparisons). Total cholesterol also tended to increase with age in non-PCOS women (P = 0.041).

Conclusion

The present study has shown that the advancing age influences many features of PCOS women. Biochemical hyperandrogenism, the core criterion recommended in the current systems to define the syndrome, showed statistically significant tendencies to decrease with aging progression but did not normalize. The use of age-adjusted features for the diagnosis of PCOS are recommended.
Innovative imaging of insulinoma: the end of sampling? A review
Authors: Christ Emanuel , Antwi Kwadwo , Fani Melpomeni , Wild Damian
Published: January 2020

Receptors for the incretin glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1R) have been found overexpressed in selected types of human tumors and may, therefore, play an increasingly important role in endocrine gastrointestinal tumor management. In particular, virtually all benign insulinomas express GLP-1R in high density. Targeting GLP-1R with indium-111, technetium-99m or gallium-68-labeled exendin-4 offers a new approach that permits the successful localization of small benign insulinomas. It is likely that this new non-invasive technique has the potential to replace the invasive localization of insulinomas by selective arterial stimulation and venous sampling. In contrast to benign insulinomas, malignant insulin-secreting neuroendocrine tumors express GLP-1R in only one-third of the cases, while they more often express the somatostatin subtype 2 receptors. Importantly, one of the two receptors appears to be always overexpressed. In special cases of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH), that is, in the context of MEN-1 or adult nesidioblastosis GLP-1R imaging is useful whereas in postprandial hypoglycemia in the context of bariatric surgery, GLP-1R imaging is probably not helpful. This review focuses on the potential use of GLP-1R imaging in the differential diagnosis of EHH.
Multiple Requirements for Rab GTPases in the Development ofDrosophilaTracheal Dorsal Branches and Terminal Cells
Authors: Best Benedikt T , Leptin Maria
Published: January 2020

The tracheal epithelium in fruit fly larvae is a popular model for multi- and unicellular migration and morphogenesis. Like all epithelial cells, tracheal cells use Rab GTPases to organize their internal membrane transport, resulting in the specific localization or secretion of proteins on the apical or basal membrane compartments. Some contributions of Rabs to junctional remodelling and governance of tracheal lumen contents are known, but it is reasonable to assume that they play important further roles in morphogenesis. This pertains in particular to terminal tracheal cells, specialized branch-forming cells that drastically reshape both their apical and basal membrane during the larval stages. We performed a loss-of-function screen in the tracheal system, knocking down endogenously tagged alleles of 26 Rabs by targeting the tag via RNAi. This revealed that at least 14 Rabs are required to ensure proper cell fate specification and migration of the dorsal branches, as well as their epithelial fusion with the contralateral dorsal branch. The screen implicated four Rabs in the subcellular morphogenesis of terminal cells themselves. Further tests suggested residual gene function after knockdown, leading us to discuss the limitations of this approach. We conclude that more Rabs than identified here may be important for tracheal morphogenesis, and that the tracheal system offers great opportunities for studying several Rabs that have barely been characterized so far.
A ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosome System in Cephalochordate Amphioxus
Authors: Shi Chenggang , Wu Xiaotong , Su Liuru , Shang Chaoqi , Li Xuewen , Wang Yiquan , Li Guang
Published: January 2020

Sex determination is remarkably variable among animals with examples of environmental sex determination, male heterogametic (XX/XY) and female heterogametic (ZZ/ZW) chromosomal sex determination, and other genetic mechanisms. The cephalochordate amphioxus occupies a key phylogenetic position as a basal chordate and outgroup to vertebrates, but its sex determination mechanism is unknown. During the course of generating Nodal mutants with transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) in amphioxus Branchiostoma floridae, serendipitously, we generated three mutant strains that reveal the sex determination mechanism of this animal. In one mutant strain, all heterozygous mutant offspring over three generations were female and all wild-type descendants were male. This pattern suggests the Nodal allele targeted is on a female-specific W chromosome. A second mutant showed the same W-linked inheritance pattern, with a female heterozygote passing the mutation only to daughters. In a third mutant strain, both male and female offspring could be heterozygous, but a female heterozygote passed the mutation only to sons. This pattern is consistent with the targeted allele being on a Z chromosome. We found an indel polymorphism linked to a Nodal allele present in most females, but no males in our cultured population. Together, these results indicate that Nodal is sex chromosome-linked in B. floridae, and that B. floridae has a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system.
Tales from a Life in the Sociology of Religion
Authors: Bouma Gary
Published: January 2020

From structural functionalism and social realism to a vastly different sociology and social context, keeping up with changes within the profession and in the object of study, society, has been a challenge. A burning desire to use what is known to build a better society and enhance the lives of all, but especially those less fortunate and trapped in structures of poverty, discrimination or abuse, has provided an ongoing motivation to discover what is and to work to make real what might be. In pursuing social justice, which is always a pursuit, I have found both sociology and theology, critically and tentatively received, to be very helpful. An allergy to the doctrinaire developed very early persists to the present as diversity continues to delight and enliven.
Hsun Chang and Benjamin Penny (eds), Religion in Taiwan and China:Locality and Transmission.
Authors: Veeck Sarah
Published: January 2020

Hsun Chang and Benjamin Penny (eds), Religion in Taiwan and China: Locality and Transmission. Taipei: Institute of Ethnology, AcademiaSinica, 2017, pp. 436, ISBN: 9-107-80098-605-1 (pbk).
Studying Religion in the Land of the Long White Cloud
Authors: Troughton Geoffrey
Published: January 2020

This article considers a career in religious studies, shaped by specialistinterests in New Zealand religious history and modern Christianity. Itexplores formative influences, and a pathway through history and theologyto religious studies as an unanticipated destination. The articleexpounds and contextualises research in the field of New Zealand religioushistory alongside consideration of challenges and opportunities forreligious studies in Aotearoa/New Zealand, the Land of the Long WhiteCloud.
Sisyphus and I
Authors: Sweetman Will
Published: January 2020

My work as a scholar of religion began in a Department of Religious Studieswhich had been the first in the United Kingdom not to be connectedto Theology. I now teach in a Religion programme which has recentlysevered its institutional connection to Theology. However, for many ofthe intervening years in my three decades in the discipline I worked incontexts which combined theology with religious studies. My researchbegan with reflection on the historical origin of the academic study ofreligion. This article reflects on the relationship between theology andreligious studies as I have experienced it, and argues that it is crucial tomaintain the distinction and to communicate it clearly to those outsideof our discipline.
Massimo Introvigne, The Plymouth Brethren
Authors: Cusack Carole M.
Published: January 2020

Massimo Introvigne, The Plymouth Brethren. New York: Oxford UniversityPress, 2019, pp. x + 141, ISBN: 978-0-19084-242-0 (hbk).
Adam Jortner, Blood from the Sky: Miracles and Politics in the Early American Republic
Authors: Leonard Bill J.
Published: January 2020

Adam Jortner, Blood from the Sky: Miracles and Politics in the Early American Republic (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2017), xiii + 247 pp., $45.00 (cloth), ISBN: 978-0-8139-958-2.
At Home in the Big Empty
Authors: St John Graham
Published: January 2020

Burning Man is an artistic community event that has been dis/assembled in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert every summer since 1990. The location of this event in this desert has had a shaping impact on Burning Man as a gathering, a city, an organization, and a transnational cultural movement. A unique facet of what is known as Black Rock City is not simply that it is dis/assembled in a desert region, but that it recurs on a playa, the ne plus ultra of deserts. The Black Rock playa has obtained a special significance for participants (i.e. burners), for whom this liminal space is recognized, paradoxically, as ‘home’. This uniquely sublime no-place contextualizes a familial encounter experience shaping on-playa identity over three decades of event-going. Informed by Emily Brady’s study of paradox in natural sublimity, the writings of poet-geographer of the ‘Big Empty’ William L. Fox, and the author’s experience of Black Rock City in seven cycles from 2003, three qualities of playaspace (otherworldly, ephemeral, limitless) are addressed, each implicated in its unique potential for a transformational community that has fashioned a homeland on the frontiers of the sublime.
James L. Cox, Restoring the Chain of Memory: T.G.H. Strehlow and the Repatriation of Australian Indigenous Knowledge
Authors: Nicholas George
Published: January 2020

James L. Cox, Restoring the Chain of Memory: T.G.H. Strehlow and the Repatriation of Australian Indigenous Knowledge (Sheffield, UK and Bristol, CT: Equinox, 2018), xix + 202 pp., $100.00 (hardcover), ISBN: 978-1-78179-337-4.
Victor Mallet, River of Life, River of Death: The Ganges and India’s Future
Authors: Kumar P. Pratap
Published: January 2020

Victor Mallet, River of Life, River of Death: The Ganges and India’s Future (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017), pp. xxi + 316 pp., £20, ISBN: 978-0-19-878617-7.
Ashlee Cunsolo and Karen Landman (eds.), Mourning Nature: Hope at the Heart of Ecological Loss and Grief
Authors: Pierce Jessica
Published: January 2020

Ashlee Cunsolo and Karen Landman (eds.), Mourning Nature: Hope at the Heart of Ecological Loss and Grief (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2017), xxii + 332 pp., $37.95 (pbk), ISBN: 978-0-7735-4934-0.
Sigurd Bergmann (ed.), Eschatology as Imagining the End: Faith Between Hope and Despair
Authors: Gallagher Eugene V.
Published: January 2020

Sigurd Bergmann (ed.), Eschatology as Imagining the End: Faith Between Hope and Despair (Routledge: New York, 2018), ix + 188 pp., $99.95 (cloth), ISBN: 978-1138481367.
The lost musical histories of Merthyr Tydfil
Authors: Carr Paul
Published: January 2020

This article focuses on an analysis of a one-month local music exhibition curated in 2018 and anearlier connected project which was implemented as part of the annual Being Human Festival,funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. Although the MerthyrTydfil-based exhibition could be regarded as following in the footsteps of a tried and testedmethod of curating and exhibiting popular music narratives in public spaces, the week-long BeingHuman activities used memory collection and enactment activities to both depict and help understandhow local popular music histories can resonate not only with the participants who witnessedthem, but also a younger generation who were not born when the activities took place. Based onthe data compiled from both of these activities, the article initially presents an historical accountof the development of popular music in Merthyr Tydfil between 1955 and 1975. It subsequentlyproceeds to consider the potential impacts that undertakings such as exhibitions, memory collection,online communities and re-enactment activities can have on local communities.
Introduction to the special issue
Authors: Carr Paul
Published: January 2020

Drawing on different contexts, scenes and histories across the UK, all of the articles in this specialissue suggest that although local popular music histories resonate both positively and negativelywith mainstream narratives, they also have a specificity that is unique to the region. Thiscollection represents an historical snapshot of these expressions and feelings in the UK, highlightingnot just music's importance as a symbolic anchor of locality, but also how the voices ofmusicians, audiences, critics, venues, curators and other music industry stakeholders can forma collective identity, in a series of competing narratives, that are often hidden from mainstreamhistory. The collection displays how these narratives can facilitate community members to considerwho they were, are and want to be, often reflecting on at least two of these parameterssimultaneously. All of the articles focus on the 'lost' history of local music participation, rangingfrom issues surrounding curated history (via exhibitions and re-enactments); influences ofthe built environment on popular music activity; impacts of popular music's past on the community,to the ways in which changing relationships with local music venues reflect both localconcerns and wider trends in popular culture.
Evaluation of Raman microscopy for the detection of additional monosodium glutamate in dry soup mix
Authors: Çebi N. , Öztürk T. , Doğan C.E. , Sağdıç O.
Published: January 2020

This article presents Raman chemical mapping application for the detection of adulterant monosodium glutamate (MSG) in dry soup mix. MSG may cause various damages to the health of people. Therefore, there are legal regulations for this compound both in Turkish Food Codex and European Union Directives. Most of the times, the main problem is that MSG is added into dry soup products without declaration on the label. Food control mechanisms need effective and real-time monitoring methods to check the reliability of the product labels in order to maintain food safety and alleviate public doubts. In this study, MSG was added into dry soup mix at a concentration (w/w) of 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% and chemical maps were obtained using multivariate data analysis techniques such as direct classical least squares (DCLS) component analysis. MSG was successfully detected and spectral and spatial distribution of the MSG within the commercial and laboratory-prepared dry soup samples was accomplished, with a detection limit of 0.1%. The results obtained were confirmed by a robust liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technique.
Effect of cassava variety, fertiliser type and dosage on the physicochemical, functional and pasting properties of high-quality cassava flour (HQCF)
Authors: Rasaq S.A. , Shittu T.A. , Fadimu G.J. , Abass A.B. , Omoniyi O.
Published: January 2020

The increase in the dry matter content of cassava due to fertiliser application has been widely reported. However, information on the effect of cassava variety, fertiliser compounding ratio and dosages on physicochemical, functional and pasting properties of high-quality cassava flour (HQCF) is scarce in the literature. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of cassava variety (TME 419 and TME 30572), fertiliser compounding ratios (NPK ratio 15-15-15, 20-10-10 and 12-12-17) and dosage (150 and 300 kg/ha) on some quality parameters of HQCF, and the influence of independent factors on HQCF was determined using general linear model (GLM) analysis. The result revealed that all the independent variables had significant (p < 0.05) effect on the physicochemical, functional and pasting properties of HQCF. The proximate composition of the flour was mostly affected by variety and fertiliser type, while the interactive effect of fertiliser type and dosage as well as the fertiliser type and variety was significant (p < 0.05) on the total starch content. Varietal influence was the main factor that significantly affected the amylose content of the flour samples and swelling power as well as least gelation concentration was significantly affected by fertiliser compounding ratio. In addition, interaction of fertiliser type and dosage had significant effect on swelling power. Pasting properties of the flour samples were mostly influenced by fertiliser type and cassava varieties, while dosage did not show significant influence on the flour properties. Peak viscosity value, which varied from 462.58 to 534.67 RVU, is the pasting property that was mostly affected by the independent factors. This study clearly indicates that cassava varieties and fertiliser treatment could influence the functionality of HQCF in food systems.
Fungal microflora in dried persimmon fruits
Authors: Gündüz G.T. , Korkmaz A. , Öztürk Z. , Emenli I.
Published: January 2020

Persimmon fruit due to its short shelf life is often consumed as fresh during the season, but it is also consumed as a dried fruit. In recent years, dried persimmon fruits with mouldy appearance as a whole are sold by small-scale local enterprises. In this study, the fungal profile of both fruit surface and inner parts of the whole dried persimmon fruit was investigated. Mould and yeast counts and osmophilic count were determined by using acidified potato dextrose agar and malt extract agar containing 40% sucrose respectively. Mould isolates were identified considering their cultural and morphological properties. Two different sampling methods were applied and no significant differences were found for osmophilic yeast counts, yeast counts and mould counts except osmophilic mould counts. In this study, it was observed that 95% of the samples were contaminated with moulds and the number of moulds was in the range of <1–4.34 log colony forming units per gram (cfu/g). Seventeen different genera of moulds were isolated from dried persimmon fruits, and the dominant microflora of the analysed samples were Rhizopus spp., Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp.