bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extenso ameloblastoma unicístico em mandíbula: relato de caso
Authors: Silva Larissa Oliveira Ramos , Dos Santos Elias Almeida , Rodrigues Rafael Drummond , Barboza Alana Del'Arco , Aguiar Jeferson Freitas , Maranhão Samário Cintra
Published: May 2019

Objetivo: Relatar um caso de Ameloblastoma Unicístico em região anterior de mandíbula, descrevendo os métodos diagnósticos utilizados e o tratamento empregado. Relato de Caso: Paciente do gênero feminino, 40 anos de idade, compareceu ao serviço de Cirurgia e Traumatologia Bucomaxilofacial da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal da Bahia, com queixas de aumento de volume em região anterior de mandíbula, com evolução de 10 meses. O exame de imagem revelou lesão unilocular extensa que expandia cortical óssea em região de mento. Optou-se pela biópsia excisional da lesão, sob anestesia geral. O exame o espécime obtido confirmou o diagnóstico de Ameloblastoma Unicístico, para o qual decidiu-se pela manutenção da terapêutica inicial. A paciente segue em acompanhamento pela equipe, sem sinais de recidivas. Considerações Finais: O manejo do Ameloblastoma Unicístico por vezes demanda a biópsia excisional da lesão a fim de diferencia-la dos cistos odontogênicos e de individualizar seu padrão histológico. A abordagem conservadora pode ser adotada, desde que um acompanhamento rigoroso seja procedido.
A vaguely symptomatic man with a ruptured appendix and localized peritonitis
Authors: M Blosser Kelly , C Richardson Adam
Published: May 2019

An otherwise healthy 24-year-old male was sent to the emergency department by an urgent care center with remote concern for appendicitis. The patient was afebrile, eating and drinking normally and non-leukocytotic, but because of mild tenderness to palpation in the right lower quadrant of his abdomen and symptomatology persisting for seven days computed tomography was obtained which revealed a ruptured appendix and localized peritonitis. The patient was admitted to the acute care emergency surgery service and managed non-operatively with antibiotics.
Minimum Five-year Outcomes and Clinical Survivorship for Arthroscopic Transosseous-equivalent Double-row Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Pogorzelski Jonas , Fritz Erik M. , Horan Marilee P. , Katthagen J. Christoph , Hussain Zaamin B. , Godin Jonathan A. , Millett Peter J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction:

Despite the widespread use of arthroscopic double-row transosseous-equivalent (TOE) rotator cuff repair (RCR) techniques, midterm outcome data are limited. The purpose of this article was to assess midterm clinical outcomes of patients following arthroscopic TOE RCR using either a knotless tape bridge (TB) repair or knotted suture bridge (SB) repair technique. We hypothesized that there would be significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes with TOE RCR that would be durable over time. We also hypothesized that the knotless TB technique would yield equivalent clinical results to the knotted SB technique, but that there would be differences in retear types between the two TOE techniques.

Methods:

Patients included were a minimum of 5 years from an index arthroscopic double-row TOE repair using either a knotless TB or knotted SB technique for one, two, or three tendon full-thickness rotator cuff tears involving the supraspinatus tendon. Preoperative and postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Short-Form 12 Physical Component Summary, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and satisfaction scores were collected. Scores were also stratified and compared based on primary and revision repair, tear location, and tear chronicity. Outcomes between techniques were contrasted, and survivorship analysis was conducted, with failure defined as progression to revision surgery.

Results:

One-hundred ninety-two shoulders were included with a mean follow-up of 6.6 years (range, 5.0 to 11.0 years). Fifteen shoulders (7.8%) underwent revision cuff repair. All scores improved significantly for TB repair (P < 0.001). For SB repair, all scores improved, but only American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Short-Form 12 Physical Component Summary scores (P < 0.05) demonstrated statistical significance. No statistically significant differences were found between the repair techniques when stratified by primary and revision repairs, tear location, or chronicity. Postoperative clinical survivorship was 96.6% and 93.6% for knotted SB repairs and 96.7% and 93.9% for knotless TB repairs at 2 and 5 years, respectively.

Conclusion:

TOE RCR results in significant clinical improvement and excellent survivorship at a minimum of 5 years of follow-up, using either knotted SB or knotless TB repair techniques in primary and revision cases and in small and large tears. Equivalent results were obtained with both TOE techniques. Patients undergoing repair with a TOE showed significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes that were durable at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively.
Public Consumption and Income in the Long Run: A Panel Data Study for Central African Countries
Authors: Augustin Impawe
Published: May 2019

This article examines panel cointegration methods to study the long-run effect of public consumption on the real output of 10 Central African economies (ECCAS: CEMAC + 4) from 1990 to 2016. We integrate the investment in cointegration regression and take into account the transverse dependence in a panel data parameter. The results indicate on average that public consumption expenditure has a negative impact on long-term real GDP. Conversely, investment has a positive effect on income. Overall, the results show that a decrease in public consumption in the fiscal adjustment process has no effect on the growth of these economies.
Rola nauczyciela w wychowaniu moralnym w II Rzeczypospolitej na podstawie analizy treści „Przeglądu Pedagogicznego” (1918–1939)
Authors: Rzepka Magdalena
Published: May 2019

The aim of the article is to attempt to present the role of a teacher in the process of moral education in the opinion of the authors publishing in the teachers’ journal “Pedagogical Review” based on the analysis of its issues from the years 1918–1939. Moral education in the interwar period was a subject of interest in pedagogical circles both in Poland and abroad. This was related to the popularity of the slogans of the New Education as well as the moral revival sought after the First World War. The authors publishing in the “Pedagogical Review” believed that, next to the parents, it is the teachers who should play the most important role in the process of moral education of children. Their personal example, the use of a wide range of educational methods and influence in various educational areas were the most important factors shaping the educational environment for the moral education of the young generation of Poles.
Edukacja dla narodu. Chłopi a procesy narodowościowe
Authors: Rauszer Michał
Published: May 2019

Due to historical reasons, the process of acquiring national identity by the peasants began relatively late. This process, for various reasons, was based on three models of education: formal, informal and non-formal. Schools emerging in the Polish territories were usually associated with the activities of the partitioner, moreover, it often met with distrust of a village quite closed in this respect. The People’s Movement complemented this formal education with performative activities, such as celebrating national holidays, which would give illiterate peasants the opportunity to participate in the acquisition of national identity. Another important part of this process was spontaneous non-formal education, i.e., peasant activity expressed in the acquisition of reading skills, which became the basis for building a national identity. In my text I discuss the process of acquiring national identity by peasants on the example of three models of education: formal, informal and non-formal.
Warunki i strategie działalności naukowej polskich akademiczek na niwie pedagogiki i psychologii w latach 1918–1939
Authors: Bołdyrew Aneta
Published: May 2019

The article is connected with the conditions and strategies of the Polish psychologists’ and pedagogues’ scientific work in the interwar period. None of them pursued the ‘classical’ academic path, in terms of official employment status and promotion within a university. Most of them worked in the Wolna Wszechnica Polska. Women who were distinguished by their activity in the field of research were Helena Radlińska, Maria Grzegorzewska, Józefa Joteyko, Ludwika Karpińska-Woyczyńska. They attended the internal and transnational scientific life taking part in conferences and conventions, publishing scientific papers in Polish and foreign scientific journals. The significant strategy of the women handling the science was also their participation in the social and learned societies.
Wydobyte z ciszy – dziecięce narracje o świecie. Polsko-ukraińskie studium porównawcze
Authors: Nowak-Łojewska Agnieszka , Siegień Wojciech
Published: May 2019

Brought out of silence is a category used by Smolińska-Theiss to present children’s narrations and dialogues about their everyday matters. They take the form of letters to God, to presidents, albums with children’s drawings, photos, children’s films, graffiti, posts and comments. Originally, they date back to Korczak’s studies. Our text is also an act of letting children speak and appreciating their comments and opinions. It is concerned with children’s understanding of the world. Defining the meaning of life by children is the key category here. We called it “a comparative study” due to the fact that we will present utterances by both Polish and Ukrainian children as the category “a meaning of life” may be interpreted differently in various cultural, political or social contexts. The research carried out both in Poland and abroad indicates that a child is a competent unit capable of making logical utterances with the content which shows deep understanding of the world. This text is based on the following theoretical studies: – thinking about a child originating in a postmodernist childhood paradigm as well as psychological constructivism; – the analysis of research material has been based on Judith Butler’s theory – Frames of War.
Świadek historii... w stulecie odzyskania Niepodległości... – z Ireną Wojnar rozmawia Adam Fijałkowski („Kwartalnik Pedagogiczny”)
Authors: Wojnar Irena , Fijałkowski Adam
Published: May 2019

Editor in Chief of “The Pedagogical Quarterly” discourses with Irena Wojnar, employed at the University of Warsaw since early post-war time. Her intellectual evolution (l’âge où l’on grandit) occurs in changing dramatic periods of our history, optimism of elementary school before the World War II, painful time of clandestine education during the Nazi occupation in Warsaw, hopes and illusions of the post-war epoch. In these periods, the essential inspirations for Irena Wojnar were successive books of Bogdan Suchodolski, with symbolic titles: Love life – be valiant (2nd ed. 1930), Whence and where are we going to? (1943) and Education for the future (1947). In the Polish school before the WWII, pupils were educated in the spirit of patriotism and civic duties, sensibility to the surrounding world and the service of humans. Tragic heroism of the WWII became the proof of those values. In the conditions of constant aggressive and permanent threat, quasi “against the night”, the fight with the occupant becomes the essential moral duty. For young people, pupils and students, when secondary and tertiary schools were closed by the Nazis, this duty signified participation in clandestine education supporting hope to preserve future order in the world and preparation of the future activity in the free Poland after the WWII. The end of the WWII created a chance for the future shape of the world in line with our humanistic values. It was the period of the reconstruction of Warsaw, destroyed during the WWII, becoming a city of “sorrow and dreams”. In the final part of the conversation there appears the general opinion that every individual life–story, beyond its individual aspects, reveals a more general educational idea. Human life runs across destiny and personal consciousness. Independently of our destiny, we have a chance to choose values important for us, to realise the “poetics of the self” (poétique du soi) based on our capacity to overcome own limitations and to increase goodness in the world.
Metonimie wojny w Polsce i Rosji. O pamięci w warunkach postapokaliptycznych
Authors: Siegień Wojciech
Published: May 2019

In the presented text, the author compares the cultural contexts of producing discourses of memory in Poland and Russia. Accepting the assumptions of cognitive linguistics, he looks at cultural events in Russia, which he treats as metonymies that reflect wider cultural processes. On this basis, he builds a critical apparatus, which is then applied to the Polish context. An analysis of the Polish debate about the Museum of the Second World War shows the analogy of the discursive mechanisms of memory in both countries, where the apotheosis of militarism is beginning to dominate.
"Die Kraft der deutschen Erde"
Authors: Schmidt Dorothea
Published: May 2019

The concern among some during the 1932/1933 elections that ‘Hitler means war’ was confirmed when military spending increased considerably under the National Socialist government. Systematic rearmament helped reduce unemployment, but except for the establishment of the Kraftdurch Freude (Strength through Joy) programme, little progress was made in improving Germans’ quality of life despite prominent campaign promises. For the majority of the population nutrition levels and consumption remained poorer than in other developed countries—however, this was not the case with beer. Breweries’ output increased and quality remained high, even in wartime. While the Hauptvereinigung der deutschen Brauwirtschaft, part of the Reichsnährstand (a government body set up in Nazi Germany to regulate food production) located in Berlin-Schöneberg, was striving to lower consumption, the Wirtschaftsgruppe Brauerei, dominated by the brewers, proved to be more assertive. What explains these dynamics between rival groups during the National Socialist era?
Mana, Macht und Mythen
Authors: Bargatzky Thomas
Published: May 2019

We should avoid the disrespect involved in giving mythic and religious facts less importance than they actually have in the life of non-Western indigenous peoples. This book deals with mythologic ideas which inhere in the ritual reproduction of the body politic in the actions of contemporary peoples in Australia and Oceania who still depend on the functioning of family and clan. By ritual fusion and compartmentalization, they successfully manage to live in the modern world without abandoning certain essential elements of their pre-European religious and civic cultures. By expediently switching codes, they can continue to act according to the rules of traditional society and perform as citizens of the contemporary world. The conception of myth as a rational way to explain the universe by rendering it meaningful is a necessary prerequisite for our understanding of the ways of peoples whose cultures are rooted in the past but who can perform successfully in the modern world.
Assessing the Impact of Fertilization on Wheat Protein and Energy Nutrition
Authors: Stoyanova Antoniya , Ganchev Gancho , Kuneva Velika , Georgiev Mitko
Published: May 2019

The present research aims at assessing the influence of leaf fertilizers on the two common wheat varieties. Study results show that the crude protein content ranges from 128.50-143.94 g/kg DM in the Enola variety and from 115.93 to 127.34 g/kg DM in the Illico variety. The introduction of Wuxal Grano slurry increased the crude protein content by 9.1 and 12.0 % relative to the control. The applied leaf fertilizers do not affect the contents of FUM, FUG and PDI. As a result of the correlation analysis, a very high correlation (r = 0.947-0.993) was found between CP and PDI for both common wheat varieties.
Analysis and Forecast of Foreign Trade Indicators of Corn in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Nedeljković Miroslav , Krstić Boro , Maksimović Aleksandar
Published: May 2019

The aim of this paper is to present the application of quantitative methods in the analysis of foreign trade indicators of corn in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Subsequently, based on the analysis, the forecast of import and export parameters was created for the 2018-20 period which predicted that corn imports and exports would increase both in the natural and value form. Furthermore, it was established for the observed period that Serbia was the largest importer of this crop to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that Turkey was a country to which the corn from Bosnia and Herzegovina was mostly exported. The research in this paper can serve the purpose of further planning and development of both the production and the markets of this crop and agriculture as a whole.
Reclamation of the Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) Genotypes Cultivated around Karasu, Sakarya
Authors: Karadeniz Turan , Ersoy S. Vildan , Güler Emrah , Tekintaş F. Ekmel
Published: May 2019

This investigation was carried out during 2015-2016 in the Sakarya area. Strawberry trees were selected by including naturally growing trees. In this selection study, each tree was considered as a tree species and 50 species of strawberry trees were examined. In the study of phenological observation, pomological analysis and Weighted Grading method were applied on Strawberry tree genotypes. 100 fruit samples were collected during the research years of 2015 and 2016 and 10 fruits were studied because of the importance of each species. The fruit weight ranged between 1.70 g and 9.03 g, width from 11.42 mm to 30.52 mm, length 10,15 mm to 14.09 mm, and the handle thickness was 1.13 mm to 3.29 mm, the number of fruits in a bundle wass 3 to 8, the amount of soluble dry matter 15 to 32%, fruit juice pH 3,09 to 3.51. At the end of the study, 5 genotypes with superior characteristics were selected.
Pangenomic type III effector database of the plant pathogenic Ralstonia spp.
Authors: Sabbagh Cyrus Raja Rubenstein , Carrère Sébastien , Lonjon Fabien , Vailleau Fabienne , Macho Alberto P , Genin Stephane , Peeters Nemo
Published: May 2019

Background. The bacterial plant pathogenic Ralstonia species belong to the beta-proteobacteria order and are soil-borne pathogens causing the vascular bacterial wilt disease, affecting a wide range of plant hosts. These bacteria form a heterogeneous group considered as a “species complex”,” gathering three newly defined species. Like many other Gram negative plant pathogens, Ralstonia pathogenicity relies on a type III secretion system, enabling bacteria to secrete/inject a large repertoire of type III effectors into their plant host cells. T3Es are thought to participate in generating a favorable environment for the pathogen (countering plant immunity and modifying the host metabolism and physiology). Methods. Expert genome annotation, followed by specific type III-dependent secretion, allowed us to improve our Hidden-Markov-Model and Blast profiles for the prediction of type III effectors. Results. We curated the T3E repertoires of 12 plant pathogenic Ralstoniastrains, representing a total of 12 strains spread over the different groups of the species complex. This generated a pangenome repertoire of 102 T3E genes and 16 hypothetical T3E genes. Using this database, we scanned for the presence of T3Es in the 155 available genomes representing 140 distinct plant pathogenic Ralstonia strains isolated from different host plants in different areas of the globe. All this information is presented in a searchable database. A presence/absence analysis, modulated by a strain sequence/gene annotation quality score, enabled us to redefine core and accessory T3E repertoires.
A combination of transcription factors mediates inducible interchromosomal contacts
Authors: Kim Seungsoo , Dunham Maitreya J , Shendure Jay
Published: May 2019

The genome forms specific three-dimensional contacts in response to cellular or environmental conditions. However, it remains largely unknown which proteins specify and mediate such contacts. Here we describe an assay, MAP-C (Mutation Analysis in Pools by Chromosome conformation capture), that simultaneously characterizes the effects of hundreds of cis or trans-acting mutations on a chromosomal contact. Using MAP-C, we show that inducible interchromosomal pairing between HAS1pr-TDA1pr alleles in saturated cultures of Saccharomyces yeast is mediated by three transcription factors, Leu3, Sdd4 (Ypr022c), and Rgt1. The coincident, combined binding of all three factors is strongest at the HAS1pr-TDA1pr locus and is also specific to saturated conditions. We applied MAP-C to further explore the biochemical mechanism of these contacts, and find they require the structured regulatory domain of Rgt1, but no known interaction partners of Rgt1. Altogether, our results demonstrate MAP-C as a powerful method for dissecting the mechanistic basis of chromosome conformation.
Conspecific coprophagy stimulates normal development in a germ-free model invertebrate
Authors: Jahnes Benjamin C. , Herrmann Madeline , Sabree Zakee L.
Published: May 2019

Microbial assemblages residing within and on animal gastric tissues contribute to various host beneficial processes that include diet accessibility and nutrient provisioning, and we sought to examine the degree to which intergenerational and community-acquired gut bacteria impact development in a tractable germ-free (GF) invertebrate model system. Coprophagy is a common behavior in cockroaches and termites that provides access to both nutrients and the primary means by which juveniles are inoculated with beneficial gut bacteria. This hypothesis was tested in the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) by interfering with this means of acquiring gut bacteria, which resulted in GF insects that exhibited prolonged growth rates and gut tissue dysmorphias relative to wild-type (WT)P. americana. Conventionalization of GFP. americanavia consumption of frass (feces) from conspecifics and siblings reared under non-sterile conditions resulted in colonization ofP. americanagut tissues by a diverse microbial community and a significant (p< 0.05) recovery of WT level growth and hindgut tissue development phenotypes. These data suggest that coprophagy is essential for normal gut tissue and organismal development by introducing beneficial gut bacteria toP. americana, and that the GFP. americanamodel system is a useful system for examining how gut bacteria impact host outcomes.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Pulmonary Mycobacteriosis in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Raheem T. Y. , Iwalokun B. A. , Oluwadun A. , Adesesan O. A. , Tochukwu N. , Nshiogu M.
Published: May 2019

Background: Pulmonary mycobacteriosis has been documented in HIV-infected, diabetics, asthmatics, smokers and alcoholics and its progression and severity are affected by these risk factors. Inappropriate diagnosis of mycobacteriosis could lead to inappropriate treatment with anti- tuberculosis drugs.

Methods: This cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted in patients with TB-like diseases attending six DOTs centres in Lagos, Nigeria, from May 2012 to October 2016. Participants’ informed consent was obtained, structured questionnaires administered to obtain socio-demographic and co-morbid data. Sputum samples collected and processed for microscopy and culture using Lowenstein-Jensen medium with or without pyruvate and MGIT 960 liquid medium. Mycobacteria were identified using MPT64 immunochromatographic, biochemical and molecular methods. This study investigated the presence and prevalence of mycobacteriosis in the participants and assessed the risk factors for the mycobacterial infections.

Results: Of the 1,020 participants, 339 (33.2%) had mycobacteriosis of which 33 (9.7%) were caused by Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria (NTM) and 306 (90.3%) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Of the isolated 306 MTBC, 247 (80.7%) were M. tuberculosis, 28 (9.2%) were M. africanum, 23 (7.5%) were M. bovis while 8(2.6%) were M. ulcerans [P < 0.0005]. The 33 NTM showed 11 (33.3%), 20 (60.6%) had HIV, 8(24.2%) M. fortuitum, 2 (6.1%) M. abscessus, 2 (6.1%) M. scrofulacium, 6 (18.2%) M. kansasii, 4 (12.1%) M. megateriense and 11 (33.3%) Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Sequence analysis of the 16s rRNA of the 11 MAC showed 3 (27.3%) M. avium, 5(45.5%) M. intracellulare, 2(18.2%) M. colombiense and 1(9.1%) M. velneri.  M. fortuitum and MAC were significantly (P<0.05) associated with HIV infection, while only M. fortuitum relate strongly with diabetes (P <0.05).

Conclusion: The study showed that mycobacteriosis is caused by different species of MTBC and NTM. Relatively high mycobacteriosis were detected during dry season and were significantly associated with gender, age, HIV and diabetes.
Chemical Composition of Abrus precatorius L. Seeds
Authors: Chakradhari Suryakant , Patel Khageshwar S. , Towett Erick K. , Martín-Ramos Pablo , Gnatowski Adam
Published: May 2019

Aims: A. precatorius seed powder is traditionally used in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine. The objective of present work is to describe the oil, starch, protein, polyphenol and mineral composition of A. precatorius seeds.

Methodology: Legumes from A. precatorius were collected, and seeds were manually separated. Dried seeds in powder form were employed for the various analyses: solvent extraction was used for elucidation of the oil percentage value; starch content was determined by the enzymatic method; total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were spectrophotometrically analyzed using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride as the color developing reagents, respectively; and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used for the mineral contents assessment.

Results: The seed kernel consisted of stored oil (3.2%), protein (92.0%) and starch (4.8%). The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were 24710 and 2520 mg/kg (dw). A remarkably high content of polyphenols was observed in the seed coat and the seed pod. P, S and (mainly) K nutrients were hyper-accumulated in the seed kernel. The seeds showed a glass transition at -21°C, two endothermic peaks at 109°C (dehydration and protein unfolding) and at 209°C, and a calorific value (~406 kcal/100 g dw) that exceeded those of Pisum sativum L., Lens culinaris Medik. and other common pulses.

Conclusions: The seed kernel from A. precatorius was mainly composed of stored protein, with low oil and starch contents. High contents of polyphenols, K, Mg, Ca and Fe were found in the seeds. Heavy metals were below the safety limits established for human consumption.
O‐glycan truncation enhances cancer‐related functions of CD44 in gastric cancer
Authors: Mereiter Stefan , Martins Álvaro M. , Gomes Catarina , Balmaña Meritxell , Macedo Joana A. , Polom Karol , Roviello Franco , Magalhães Ana , Reis Celso A.
Published: May 2019

CD44 isoforms are often upregulated in gastric cancer and have been associated with increased metastatic potential and poor survival. To evaluate the functional impact of O‐glycan truncation on CD44 we have analysed glyco‐engineered cancer cell models displaying shortened O‐glycans. Here, we demonstrate that induction of aberrant O‐glycan termination through various molecular mechanisms affects CD44 molecular features. We show that CD44 is a major carrier of truncated O‐glycans and that this truncation is accompanied by an increased hyaluronan binding capacity and affects extracellular shedding. In addition, short O‐glycans promoted the colocalization of CD44v6 with the receptor tyrosine kinase RON and concomitantly increased activation. Our in vitro findings were validated in gastric cancer clinical samples.
Evaluation of critical design parameters for RT‐qPCR‐based analysis of multiple dUTPase isoform genes in mice
Authors: Rácz Gergely A. , Nagy Nikolett , Gál Zoltán , Pintér Tímea , Hiripi László , Vértessy Beáta G.
Published: May 2019

The coupling of nucleotide biosynthesis and genome integrity plays an important role in ensuring faithful maintenance and transmission of genetic information. The enzyme dUTPase is a prime example of such coupling, as it generates dUMP for thymidylate biosynthesis and removes dUTP for synthesis of uracil‐free DNA. Despite its significant role, the expression patterns of dUTPase isoforms in animals have not yet been described. Here, we developed a detailed optimization procedure for RT‐qPCR‐based isoform‐specific analysis of dUTPase expression levels in various organs of adult mice. Primer design, optimal annealing temperature, and primer concentrations were specified for both nuclear and mitochondrial dUTPase isoforms, as well as two commonly used reference genes, GAPDH and PPIA. The linear range of the RNA concentration for the reverse transcription reaction was determined. The PCR efficiencies were calculated using serial dilutions of cDNA. Our data indicate that organs involved in lymphocyte production, as well as reproductive organs, are characterized by high levels of expression of the nuclear dUTPase isoform. On the other hand, we observed that expression of the mitochondrial dUTPase isoform is considerably increased in heart, kidney, and ovary. Despite the differences in expression levels among the various organs, we also found that the mitochondrial dUTPase isoform shows a much more uniform expression pattern as compared to the reference genes GAPDH and PPIA.
RETRACTED: XBP1 inhibits mesangial cell apoptosis in response to oxidative stress via the PTEN/AKT pathway in diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Wang Yan , He Zhong , Yang Qiu , Zhou Guangju
Published: May 2019

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that frequently results in renal disease, and is characterized by a variety of symptoms, including albuminuria. It has been shown that apoptosis of glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) can aggravate albuminuria and contribute to the development of diabetic glomerulosclerosis. Hence, determination of the mechanisms leading to MC apoptosis may help us gain insights into the pathogenesis of DN. As our understanding of the role of high glucose (HG) in MC apoptosis remains elusive, we explored the interplay between X‐box binding protein 1 (XBP1) and MC apoptosis in this study. XBP1 was observed to be downregulated both in vivo and in vitro. Treatment of XBP1‐overexpressing cells with HG resulted in a decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a suppression of cell apoptosis, concomitant with decreases in cleaved caspase‐3 and Bax. Subsequent analyses demonstrated that XBP1 overexpression inhibited the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and enhanced the activation of AKT in MCs exposed to HG. In addition, XBP1‐induced injuries in MC were reversed by overexpression of PTEN, and XBP1 inhibited apoptosis, which was mediated by the activated PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. Thus, our data indicate that XBP1 can activate the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway, thereby alleviating oxidative stress caused by HG or MC apoptosis. These findings suggest that XBP1 may have potential in the development of treatment methods for DN.
Evaluation of Comprehensive Coelomic Fluid Analysis through Coelomic Pore Sampling as a Novel Diagnostic Tool in Elasmobranchs
Authors: Donnelly Kyle A. , Stacy Nicole I. , Guttridge Tristan L. , Burns Charlene , Mylniczenko Natalie
Published: May 2019

The objectives of this study were to describe a minimally invasive coelomic fluid sampling technique in elasmobranchs, to characterize the coelomic fluid composition in clinically normal and abnormal animals, and to compare findings from wild and managed populations. Fluid was collected via the coelomic pore in 89 individuals from 16 species spanning clinically normal and abnormal patients within a managed population (n =54), a semi-managed open-lagoon population (n =18), and a wild population (n =17). Biochemical and cytological fluid analyses were performed on all samples, and bacterial and fungal culture, protein electrophoresis, and cholesterol electrophoresis were performed on a subset of samples. The presence of a variable volume of colorless to white and clear to slightly turbid coelomic fluid was consistent with a normal finding; however, the cytological and chemical makeup of coelomic fluid was found to provide additional clinically relevant information. The coelomic fluid from some of the abnormal samples (n =37) contained white blood cells (n =15) and concurrent bacteria (n =7), the latter suggestive of bacterial coelomitis. Yolk was identified in both clinically normal and abnormal females. Of the biochemical parameters tested, calcium, chloride, cholesterol, osmolality, phosphorus, salinity, sodium, specific gravity, total protein, and urea nitrogen have clinical utility. Abnormal samples were mostly associated with reproductive disease, but to a lesser extent with coelomitis and hemocoelom. The wild and semi-managed groups had biochemical differences presumably reflective of the higher salinity of ocean water compared with that in the managed habitat. Aerobic bacteria were identified in normal (n =7) and abnormal (n =11) animals. Positive bacterial culture without inflammation may be normal. This study contributes to a further understanding of elasmobranch coelomic fluid analysis and its use as a diagnostic modality for the evaluation of elasmobranch health.
Systematic Appraisal of the American College of Rheumatology Clinical Practice Guidelines
Authors: Duarte‐García Alí , Cavalcante Milena , Arabelovic Senada , Wong John B.
Published: May 2019

Objective

Because the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) practice guidelines affect the United States' and international treatment practice, we used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument to characterize the quality of the guidelines and to identify potential areas for improvement.

Methods

Using the six quality domains in the AGREE II online tool, four reviewers assessed the practice guidelines available at the ACR website and the immediately previous version to summarize the domain scores for each guideline and examine trends over time.

Results

As of April 2016, the ACR website listed nine guidelines, four with immediate previous versions. Based on AGREE II, the minimum and maximum for each domain (with higher being better) of the current guidelines were 78‐99 for Scope and Purpose, 57‐99 for Stakeholder Involvement, 87‐ 96 for Rigor of the Methodology, 83‐99 for Clarity of Presentation, 49‐78 for Applicability, 69‐85 for Editorial Independence, and 71‐96 overall. Over time, although the average domain quality of the guidelines improved for all, the Applicability and Editorial Independence domains had the least amount of improvement. For the four guidelines with previous versions, the mean (SD) absolute improvements for each domain were 18 (±11) for Scope and Purpose, 13 (±8) for Stakeholder Involvement, 38 (±22) for Rigor of the Methodology, 25 (±15) for Clarity of Presentation, 22 (±12) for Applicability, 24 (±17) for Editorial Independence, and 31 (±5) overall.

Conclusion

Based on the AGREE II instrument, the ACR guidelines have achieved high quality over the past 16 years. The Applicability and Editorial Independence domains have the greatest potential for future improvement.
Computational fluid dynamic analysis of aggressive turbinate reductions: is it a culprit of empty nose syndrome?
Authors: Malik Jennifer , Li Chengyu , Maza Guillermo , Farag Alexander A. , Krebs Jillian P. , McGhee Sam , Zappitelli Gabriela , Deshpande Bhakthi , Otto Bradley A. , Zhao Kai
Published: May 2019

Background

Empty nose syndrome (ENS) remains highly controversial, with aggressive inferior turbinate reduction (ITR) or mucociliary dysfunction frequently implicated. However, the appropriate degree of ITR is highly debatable.

Methods

We applied individual computed tomography (CT)‐based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to 5 patients receiving relatively aggressive ITR but with no ENS symptoms, and compared them to 27 symptomatic ENS patients who all had histories of aggressive ITRs, and 42 healthy controls. Patients’ surgical outcomes were confirmed with 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) (ITR: 6.40 ± 4.56; ENS: 58.2 ± 15.9; healthy: 13.2 ± 14.9), Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scores (ITR: 4.00 ± 2.24; ENS: 69.4 ± 17.1; healthy: 11.9 ± 12.9), and Empty Nose Syndrome 6‐Item Questionnaire (ENS6Q) (≥11 for ENS).

Results

Both aggressive ITR without ENS symptoms and symptomatic ENS patients had significantly lower nasal resistance (ITR: 0.059 ± 0.020 Pa·s/mL; ENS: 0.052 ± 0.015 Pa·s/mL; healthy: 0.070 ± 0.021 Pa·s/mL) and higher cross‐sectional areas surrounding the inferior turbinate (ITR: 0.94 ± 0.21 cm2; ENS: 1.19 ± 1.05 cm2; healthy: 0.42 ± 0.22 cm2) than healthy controls. The lack of significant differences among patient groups indicated similar degrees of surgeries between ITR with and without ENS symptom cohorts. However, symptomatic ENS patients have paradoxical significantly less airflow in the inferior meatus (ITR: 47.7% ± 23.6%; ENS: 25.8% ± 17.6%; healthy: 36.5 ± 15.9%; both p < 0.01), but higher airflow around the middle meatus (ITR: 49.7% ± 22.6%; ENS: 66.5% ± 18.3%; healthy: 49.9% ± 15.1%, p < 0.0001) than aggressive ITR without symptoms and controls. Aggressive ITR patients have increased inferior meatus airflow as expected (p < 0.05). This imbalanced airflow produced less inferior wall‐shear‐stress distribution among symptomatic ENS patients only (ITR: 42.45% ± 11.4%; ENS: 32.2% ± 12.6%; healthy: 49.7% ± 9.9%). ENS patients (n = 12) also had impaired nasal trigeminal function, as measured by menthol lateralization detection thresholds (ITR: 15.2 ± 1.2; ENS: 10.3 ± 3.9; healthy: 13.8 ± 3.09, both p < 0.0001). Surprisingly, aggressive ITR patients without ENS symptoms have better menthol lateralization detection thresholds (LDTs) than healthy controls.

Conclusion

Although turbinate tissue loss is linked with ENS, the degree of ITR that might distinguish postoperative patient satisfaction in their nasal breathing vs development of ENS symptoms is unclear. Our results suggest that a combination of distorted nasal aerodynamics and loss of mucosal sensory function may potentially lead to ENS symptomology.
Enantioselektive C‐H‐Aktivierung mit natürlich vorkommenden 3d‐Übergangsmetallen
Authors: Loup Joachim , Dhawa Uttam , Pesciaioli Fabio , Wencel‐Delord Joanna , Ackermann Lutz
Published: May 2019

Molekulare Synthese basiert größtenteils auf zeit‐ und arbeitsintensiven Präfunktionalisierungsstrategien. Demgegenüber bietet die C‐H‐Aktivierung ein leistungsstarkes Hilfsmittel, das ohne lange Synthesen präfunktionalisierter Substrate auskommt und großes Potenzial für z. B. die Wirkstoffentwicklung, die pharmazeutische Industrie, die Materialwissenschaften und die Synthese von Pflanzenschutzmitteln hat. Die enantioselektive Funktionalisierung omnipräsenter C‐H‐Bindungen hat sich zu einer etablierten Methode für die stufen‐ und atomökonomische Synthese komplexer chiraler Moleküle entwickelt. Allerdings ist dieses rasant wachsende Feld größtenteils durch die Verwendung edler Übergangsmetalle geprägt, mit besonderer Präsenz toxischer Palladium‐, Iridium‐ und Rhodiumkatalysatoren. Trotz bedeutender Errungenschaften befindet sich die asymmetrische C‐H‐Aktivierung unter Verwendung kostengünstiger und nachhaltiger 3d‐Metalle noch im Anfangsstadium. In diesem Kurzaufsatz diskutieren wir die neuen, herausragenden Fortschritte bei enantioselektiven Transformationen über metallorganische C‐H‐Aktivierungen durch 3d‐Basismetalle bis April 2019.
Synthesis of Schiff base–containing benzoxazine derivatives
Authors: Timur Mahir , Nur Yusuf , Sıkar Hüseyin
Published: May 2019

The excellent chemical and physical properties of benzoxazine resins and the functionality of Schiff bases were combined in one compound's structure, creating newly designed benzoxazine derivatives that can form complexes with metals. The new type of benzoxazine monomer was synthesized via the ring‐closure reaction of formaldehyde, aniline, and three newly designed Schiff bases. The presence of the Schiff base in the molecular structure of these novel benzoxazine monomers enables them to trap metals as the functional compounds, like Cu, from a solution. Thermally initiated polymerization occurs at a lower temperature by the formation of intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds between imine, oxazine, Schiff base hydroxyl groups, and the newly generated hydroxyl groups. The thermal behavior of the bisbenzoxazine monomers was investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry, and then they were cured at 120, 180, and 230°C. According to the magnetic susceptibility, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, TGA, and microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy results, it is shown that Cu(II) complexes of the compounds were also succesfully synthesized, and they proved to be successful in catching metal. This is due to the functionality of Schiff bases forming the metal complexation in the compounds. The poly(bisbenzoxazine)s also showed high limiting oxygen index (31–37), low ring‐opening temperature (150–190°C), high char yield (35%–49%), and excellent thermal stability, due to the highly crosslinked nature of the polymers. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47908.
Characterization of 15 nuclear microsatellite markers for Afzelia africana (Fabaceae) and related species
Authors: Houehanou Thierry D. , Prinz Kathleen , Hellwig Frank
Published: May 2019

Premise

Afzelia africana (Fabaceae) is a valuable, internationally vulnerable tree species in tropical Africa. The development of specific simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci is necessary for population genetic studies in this tree species and its closest relatives.

Methods And Results

Fifteen new polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for A. africana using Illumina next‐generation sequencing. We tested the polymorphism of the 15 loci in three populations in Benin, West Africa. The number of expressed alleles per locus varied from one to 12. The levels of observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.100 to 1.000 and from 0.095 to 0.882, respectively. Most markers successfully amplified in the closely related species A. quanzensis and A. bipindensis, but less so in A. bipindensis.

Conclusions

Because of their cross‐amplification ability, these newly developed loci will serve as useful tools for future molecular analyses on A. africana and related species.
Evaluation of Platelet Parameters in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Elongated Collagen‐Adenosine Diphosphate and Collagen‐Epinephrine Closure Times
Authors: Coban Nurdan , Gokcen Cem , Akbayram Sinan , Calisgan Baran
Published: May 2019

Changes related to the serotonin system play a key role in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although we know that platelets are associated with the serotonin system, their relation to ASD has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we aim to investigate platelet parameters in children with ASD. Forty patients with ASD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM‐5) and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. A complete blood count was done to measure parameters relating to platelet morphology. Moreover, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) were evaluated. Lastly, platelet functions were assessed with a platelet functions analyzer 100 (PFA‐100) device by measuring collagen‐ADP and collagen‐epinephrine (EPI) closure times. There was not a significant difference between the groups in terms of platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width, plateletcrit, PT, or aPTT parameters for ASD patients when compared to the control group (P > 0.05). However, MPV in severe ASD, as quantified by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, was found to be significantly lower when compared to mild to moderate ASD (P = 0.047). Moreover, in terms of platelet functions, the elongation in collagen‐ADP and collagen‐EPI closure times were significantly higher for the ASD group (P = 0.044). These results may suggest an impairment in platelet functions rather than in platelet morphology for children with ASD. Considering these results, further investigation of thrombocyte functions in the ASD may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of ASD and to the development of our limited knowledge of this disorder. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1069–1076. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay Summary

Serotonin is a chemical that is found in brain as wells as in blood cells that function in blood clotting in the human body. There are problems related to serotonin in brains of people who have autism. Thus, blood clotting cells may also be affected in people who have autism. In this study, we compare blood clotting functions of children with autism with that of healthy controls.
Enantioselective determination of ketamine in dog plasma by chiral liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Li Ranran , Zhong Kan , Jiang Jinfang , Zhan Yuan , Chen Xiaoyan
Published: May 2019

Ketamine is an N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antagonist that is usually used clinically as a racemic mixture. Its two enantiomers exhibit different pharmacological activities. To determine whether the enantiomers have different pharmacokinetic profiles, a chiral liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of ketamine enantiomers in dog plasma. The enantiomers of ketamine were extracted from 50 μL of plasma by methyl tert‐butyl ether. Adequate chromatographic retention and baseline resolution of the enantiomers were achieved within a runtime of 5 min on a chiral column coated with polysaccharide derivatives, using a gradient mobile phase of acetonitrile and 10 mm ammonium bicarbonate aqueous solution. Ketamine enantiomers were detected by mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring mode using the transitions of m/z 238.3 → 125.9 for the analytes and m/z 237.1 → 194.1 for carbamazepine (internal standard). The method was linear over the concentration range from 0.5 to 500 ng/mL for each enantiomer. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for each enantiomer was 0.5 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precision was <7.3% and 8.5% for R‐ and S‐ketamine, respectively. The accuracy was 92.9–110.4% for R‐ketamine and 99.8–102.4% for S‐ketamine. The method was successfully applied to characterize the stereoselective pharmacokinetic profiles of ketamine in beagle dogs.