bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hippocampal transcriptome analysis following maternal separation implicates altered RNA processing in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Authors: Alberry Bonnie L. J. , Castellani Christina A. , Singh Shiva M.
Published: May 2020

Background

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are common, seen in 1–5% of the population in the USA and Canada. Children diagnosed with FASD are not likely to remain with their biological parents, facing early maternal separation and foster placements throughout childhood.

Methods

We model FASD in mice via prenatal alcohol exposure and further induce early life stress through maternal separation. We use RNA-seq followed by clustering of expression profiles through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to analyze transcriptomic changes that result from the treatments. We use reverse transcription qPCR to validate these changes in the mouse hippocampus.

Results

We report an association between adult hippocampal gene expression and prenatal ethanol exposure followed by postnatal separation stress that is related to behavioral changes. Expression profile clustering using WGCNA identifies a set of transcripts, module 19, associated with anxiety-like behavior (r= 0.79,p= 0.002) as well as treatment group (r= 0.68,p= 0.015). Genes in this module are overrepresented by genes involved in transcriptional regulation and other pathways related to neurodevelopment. Interestingly, one member of this module,Polr2a, polymerase (RNA) II (DNA directed) polypeptide A, is downregulated by the combination of prenatal ethanol and postnatal stress in an RNA-Seq experiment and qPCR validation (q= 2e−12,p= 0.004, respectively).

Conclusions

Together, transcriptional control in the hippocampus is implicated as a potential underlying mechanism leading to anxiety-like behavior via environmental insults. Further research is required to elucidate the mechanism involved and use this insight towards early diagnosis and amelioration strategies involving children born with FASD.
Salt wasting syndrome in brain trauma patients: a pathophysiologic approach using sodium balance and urinary biochemical analysis
Authors: Lannou Alexandre , Carrie Cedric , Rubin Sebastien , Cane Gregoire , Cottenceau Vincent , Petit Laurent , Biais Matthieu
Published: May 2020

Background

To explore the underlying mechanisms leading to the occurrence of hyponatremia and enhanced urinary sodium excretion in brain trauma patients using sodium balance and urinary biochemical analysis.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a local database prospectively collected in 60 brain trauma patients without chronic renal dysfunction. Metabolic and hemodynamic parameters were averaged over three consecutive periods over the first seven days after admission. The main outcome investigated in this study was the occurrence of at least one episode of hyponatremia.

Results

Over the study period, there was a prompt decrease in sodium balance (163 ± 193 vs. -12 ± 154 mmol/day, p < 0.0001) and free water clearance (− 0.7 ± 0.7 vs. -1.8 ± 2.3 ml/min, p < 0.0001). The area under the ROC curves for sodium balance in predicting the occurrence of hyponatremia during the next period was 0.81 [95% CI: 0.64–0.97]. Variables associated with averaged urinary sodium excretion were sodium intake (R2 = 0.26, p < 0.0001) and fractional excretion of urate (R2 = 0.15, p = 0.009). Urinary sodium excretion was also higher in patients with sustained augmented renal clearance over the study period (318 ± 106 vs. 255 ± 135 mmol/day, p = 0.034).

Conclusion

The decreased vascular volume resulting from a negative sodium balance is a major precipitating factor of hyponatremia in brain trauma patients. Predisposing factors for enhanced urinary sodium excretion were high sodium intake, high fractional excretion of urate and augmented renal clearance over the first seven days after ICU admission.
Rationale for the clinical use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for COVID-19 patients
Authors: Rogers Christopher J. , Harman Robert J. , Bunnell Bruce A. , Schreiber Martin A. , Xiang Charlie , Wang Fu-Sheng , Santidrian Antonio F. , Minev Boris R.
Published: May 2020

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei province in China. Cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection quickly grew by several thousand per day. Less than 100 days later, the World Health Organization declared that the rapidly spreading viral outbreak had become a global pandemic. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is typically associated with fever and respiratory symptoms. It often progresses to severe respiratory distress and multi-organ failure which carry a high mortality rate. Older patients or those with medical comorbidities are at greater risk for severe disease. Inflammation, pulmonary edema and an over-reactive immune response can lead to hypoxia, respiratory distress and lung damage. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) possess potent and broad-ranging immunomodulatory activities. Multiple in vivo studies in animal models and ex vivo human lung models have demonstrated the MSC’s impressive capacity to inhibit lung damage, reduce inflammation, dampen immune responses and aid with alveolar fluid clearance. Additionally, MSCs produce molecules that are antimicrobial and reduce pain. Upon administration by the intravenous route, the cells travel directly to the lungs where the majority are sequestered, a great benefit for the treatment of pulmonary disease. The in vivo safety of local and intravenous administration of MSCs has been demonstrated in multiple human clinical trials, including studies of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Recently, the application of MSCs in the context of ongoing COVID-19 disease and other viral respiratory illnesses has demonstrated reduced patient mortality and, in some cases, improved long-term pulmonary function. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASC), an abundant type of MSC, are proposed as a therapeutic option for the treatment of COVID-19 in order to reduce morbidity and mortality. Additionally, when proven to be safe and effective, ASC treatments may reduce the demand on critical hospital resources. The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in significant healthcare and socioeconomic burdens across the globe. There is a desperate need for safe and effective treatments. Cellular based therapies hold great promise for the treatment of COVID-19. This literature summary reviews the scientific rationale and need for clinical studies of adipose-derived stem cells and other types of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of patients who suffer with COVID-19.
The effect of “universal test and treat” program on HIV treatment outcomes and patient survival among a cohort of adults taking antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low income settings of Gurage zone, South Ethiopia
Authors: Girum Tadele , Yasin Fedila , Wasie Abebaw , Shumbej Teha , Bekele Fitsum , Zeleke Bereket
Published: May 2020

Background

Through universal “test and treat approach” (UTT) it is believed that HIV new infection and AIDS related death will be reduced at community level and through time HIV can be eliminated. With this assumption the UTT program was implemented since 2016. However, the effect of this program in terms of individual patient survival and treatment outcome was not assessed in relation to the pre-existing defer treatment approach.

Objective

To assess the effects of UTT program on HIV treatment outcomes and patient survival among a cohort of adult HIV infected patients taking antiretroviral treatment in Gurage zone health facilities.

Methods

Institution based retrospective cohort study was conducted in facilities providing HIV care and treatment. Eight years (2012–2019) HIV/AIDS treatment records were included in the study. Five hundred HIV/AIDS treatment records were randomly selected and reviewed. Data were abstracted using standardized checklist by trained health professionals; then it was cleaned, edited and entered by Epi info version 7 and analyzed by STATA. Cox model was built to estimate survival differences across different study variables.

Results

A total of 500 patients were followed for 1632.6 person-year (PY) of observation. The overall incidence density rate (IDR) of death in the cohort was 3 per-100-PY. It was significantly higher for differed treatment program, which is 3.8 per-100-PY compared to 2.4 per-100-PY in UTT program with a p value of 0.001. The relative risk of death among differed cases was 1.58 times higher than the UTT cases. The cumulative probability of survival at the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years was 98%, 90.2%, 89.2% and 88% respectively with difference between groups. The log rank test and Kaplan–Meier survival curve indicated patients enrolled in the UTT program survived longer than patients enrolled in the differed treatment program (log rank X2 test = 4.1, p value = 0.04). Age, residence, base line CD4 count, program of enrolment, development of new OIS and treatment failure were predicted mortality from HIV infection.

Conclusion

Mortality was significantly reduced after UTT. Therefore, intervention to further reduce deaths has to focus on early initiation of treatment and strengthening UTT programs.
Which appendicitis scoring system is most suitable for pregnant patients? A comparison of nine different systems
Authors: Mantoglu Baris , Gonullu Emre , Akdeniz Yesim , Yigit Merve , Firat Necattin , Akin Emrah , Altintoprak Fatih , Erkorkmaz Unal
Published: May 2020

Background

Acute appendicitis is the most common non-gynecological emergency during pregnancy. The diagnosis of appendicitis during pregnancy is challenging due to changes in both physiological and laboratory variables. Guidelines suggest patients with suspected acute appendicitis should be stratified based on clinical scoring systems, to optimize the use of diagnostic imaging and prevent unnecessary surgery. Surgeons require additional information beyond that provided by imaging studies before deciding upon exploratory laparoscopy in patients with a high suspicion of appendicitis. Various scoring methods have been evaluated for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. However, there is no consensus on a method to use during pregnancy, and a detailed comparison of existing scoring methods for this purpose has not yet been conducted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the most popular scoring systems applied to diagnose acute appendicitis during pregnancy.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included 79 pregnant patients who were admitted to the emergency department with abdominal pain between May 2014 and May 2019. The patients were diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent an appendectomy. As a control group, the study also included 79 non-pregnant patients who underwent appendectomy within the last 1.5 years. To ensure that the groups were similar, women in the case group were stratified according to age, and the proportions of women in the strata were determined. The women in the control group were similarly stratified. Women were randomly selected from the strata to prevent bias.

Both laboratory and examination findings required for each scoring method were obtained and assessed separately for each patient. Negative appendectomy rates were evaluated according to pathology results. Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test. A p value < 0.05 was considered to indicate significance. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was used to identify the best threshold value and to assess the performance of the test scores in terms of diagnosing appendicitis.

Results

Among all scoring systems, the Tzanakis score was most efficacious at predicting appendicitis in non-pregnant women. The positive predictive value (PPV) of the Tzanakis score was 90.6%, whereas the negative predictive value (NPV) was 46.7%. The RIPASA score performed the best among the scoring systems in pregnant women. It was associated with a PPV of 94.40%, NPV of 44%, and sensitivity and specificity of 78.46% and 78.57%, respectively.

Conclusion

Although the RIPASA score can be used to efficaciously diagnose acute appendicitis in pregnant women, a specific scoring system is needed for diagnosis during the gestation period.
Assessing the level of evidence in the orthopaedic literature, 2013–2018: a review of 3449 articles in leading orthopaedic journals
Authors: Luksameearunothai Kitchai , Chaudhry Yash , Thamyongkit Sorawut , Jia Xiaofeng , Hasenboehler Erik A.
Published: May 2020

Background

In biomedical research, level of evidence (LOE) indicates the quality of a study. Recent studies evaluating orthopaedic trauma literature between 1998 and 2013 have indicated that LOE in this field has improved. The objective of this study was to determine the validity of one such study by 1) comparing our results and how they relate to more recent years of publications; and 2) assessing how our findings may be used to estimate future changes.

Methods

A total of 3449 articles published from 2013 to 2018 inThe Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma(JOT);Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American Volume(JBJS-Am); andClinical Orthopaedics and Related Research(CORR) were evaluated for their LOE. Articles published in JBJS-Am or CORR were classified as trauma or nontrauma studies; articles published in JOT were considered trauma studies. Articles were assigned a LOE using guidance published by JBJS-Am in 2015.

Results

The percentage of total high-level (level I or II) trauma and nontrauma articles published in JOT, JBJS-Am, and CORR decreased from 2013 to 2018 (trauma 23.1 to 19.2%,p = 0.190; nontrauma 28.8 to 24.9%,p = 0.037). JBJS-Am published the highest percentage of level-I trauma studies, and CORR published the lowest percentage of level-IV studies. JBJS-Am and CORR published higher percentages of level-I trauma studies and lower percentages of level-IV nontrauma studies than all trauma studies.

Conclusions

Based on our results we cannot validate the findings of previous studies as we found the overall LOE of both trauma and nontrauma orthopaedic literature has decreased in recent years. JBJS-Am published a greater percentage of high-level studies than did JOT and CORR. Although the number and percentage of high-level studies published in JOT increased during the study period, it still lagged behind JBJS-Am and CORR.
Therapeutic efficacy of Schistosoma japonicum cystatin on sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy in a mouse model
Authors: Gao Shifang , Li Huihui , Xie Hong , Wu Shili , Yuan Yuan , Chu Liang , Sun Siying , Yang Huijuan , Wu Lingqin , Bai Yongsheng , Zhou Qiao , Wang Xin , Zhan Bin , Cui Hu , Yang Xiaodi
Published: May 2020

Background

Myocardial dysfunction is one of the most common complications of multiple organ failure in septic shock and significantly increases mortality in patients with sepsis. Although many studies having confirmed that helminth-derived proteins have strong immunomodulatory functions and could treat inflammatory diseases, there is no report on the therapeutic effect of Schistosoma japonicum-produced cystatin (Sj-Cys) on sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction.

Methods

A model of sepsis-induced myocardial injury was established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in mice. Upon CLP operation, each mouse was intraperitoneally treated with 10 µg of recombinant Sj-Cys (rSj-Cys). Twelve hours after CLP, the systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricular were examined by echocardiography. The levels of myoglobin (Mb), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in sera, and the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in cardiac tissues were examined as biomarkers for heart injury. The heart tissue was collected for checking pathological changes, macrophages and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. To address the signaling pathway involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of rSj-Cys, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) was determined in heart tissue of mice with sepsis and LPS-stimulated H9C2 cardiomyocytes. In addition, the therapeutic effects of rSj-Cys on LPS-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis were also detected. The levels of M1 biomarker iNOS and M2 biomarker Arg-1 were detected in heart tissue. The pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, and regulatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β were measured in sera and their mRNA levels in heart tissue of rSj-Cys-treated mice.

Results

After rSj-Cys treatment, the sepsis-induced heart malfunction was largely improved. The inflammation and injury of heart tissue were significantly alleviated, characterized as significantly decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells in cardiac tissues and fiber swelling, reduced levels of Mb, cTnI and NT-proBNP in sera, and MPO activity in heart tissue. The therapeutic efficacy of rSj-Cys is associated with downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and upregulated regulatory inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β), possibly through inhibiting the LPS-MyD88 signal pathway.

Conclusions

RSj-Cys significantly reduced sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy and could be considered as a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of sepsis associated cardiac dysfunction.
Correction to: Antimalarial combination therapies increase gastric ulcers through an imbalance of basic antioxidative-oxidative enzymes in male Wistar rats
Authors: Kalange Muhamudu , Nansunga Miriam , Kasozi Keneth Iceland , Kasolo Josephine , Namulema Jackline , Atusiimirwe Jovial Kasande , Ayikobua Emmanuel Tiyo , Ssempijja Fred , Munanura Edson Ireeta , Matama Kevin , Semuyaba Ibrahim , Zirintunda Gerald , Okpanachi Alfred O.
Published: May 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Cushing’s disease due to a pituitary adenoma as a component of collision tumor: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Gezer Emre , Cantürk Zeynep , Selek Alev , Çetinarslan Berrin , Tarkun İlhan , Sözen Mehmet , Kiraz Umay , Gürbüz Yeşim Saliha , Ceylan Savaş , Çabuk Burak
Published: May 2020

Background

The coexistence of two morphologically different tumors attached to each other creates a very rare type of tumor called a collision tumor. Collision tumors containing pituitary adenoma–sellar meningioma have only been described in four cases to date; we discuss a fifth case harboring a collision tumor comprising a pituitary corticotroph adenoma and a sellar meningioma in the same anatomic position.

Case presentation

A 34-year-old Caucasian woman presented with menstrual irregularity, severe weakness of the proximal muscles, and 10–15 kg weight gain within a year. Basal plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone levels were 17.7 mg/dL and 58 pg/mL, respectively. Her diurnal cortisol rhythm was impaired (plasma cortisol at 23:00, 18.2 mg/dL) and after a 48-hour, 2-mg dexamethasone suppression test, plasma cortisol level was 13.6 mg/dL. The results were consistent with a diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome. We then performed a nocturnal 8-mg dexamethasone suppression test and the suppression of cortisol was not greater than 50% (21.4 to 19.3). A pituitary magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tuberculum sellae meningioma arising from within the sellar region. An operation was chosen in order to examine whether the tumor was an adrenocorticotrophic hormone/corticotropin-releasing hormone-secreting lesion or if there were any microadenomas that could be observed during the operation. Via an extended endoscopic endonasal approach the meningioma was resected successfully. Unexpectedly, our patient complained of nausea and vomiting postoperatively. Plasma cortisol was 2.6 mg/dL and orally administered hydrocortisone treatment was initiated immediately. Histopathological examination revealed that the tumor generally consisted of a pituitary corticotroph adenoma infiltrated by meningioma. Our patient maintained hydrocortisone treatment for 11 months. At the latest visit, she had lost 12 kg, and her hypertension, menstrual irregularity, and weakness of the proximal muscles had disappeared. Her mental and physical wellbeing were restored.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Cushing’s disease due to a pituitary corticotroph adenoma adjacent to a meningioma. Even if a high-dose dexamethasone suppression test fails to suppress basal cortisol level, the importance of considering a suprasellar/sellar meningioma a possible component of a collision tumor presenting as adrenocorticotrophic hormone-dependent Cushing’s syndrome is highlighted here.
New insights on weighted pseudo almost periodic solutions in a Lasota–Wazewska system
Authors: Xu Changjin , Liao Maoxin , Li Peiluan , Yuan Shuai
Published: May 2020

We study the weighted pseudo almost periodic solutions of a Lasota–Wazewska system. With the aid of fixed point theory and differential inequality strategies, we give a set of new sufficient criteria that guarantee the existence and global exponential stability of weighted pseudo almost periodic solutions to a Lasota–Wazewska system. The obtained results of this manuscript are completely innovative and complement the work of Shao (Appl. Math. Lett. 43:90–95, 2015) to some degree. So far, no scholars have investigated this aspect.
Biodegradation of polyethylene: a brief review
Authors: Ghatge Sunil , Yang Youri , Ahn Jae-Hyung , Hur Hor-Gil
Published: May 2020

Plastic waste management and recycling became a serious global issue as it affects living beings from all the ecosystems. Researchers investigated biodegradation of polyethylene (PE) by measuring changes in various physico-chemical and structural characteristics using techniques like as fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), etc. However, these evidences are not enough to prove the exact biodegradation of PE. In this review, we summarized microbial biodegradation of polyethylene and discussed recent developments for the candidate microbial enzymes and their possible roles in PE degradation. In addition, we conversed the advanced technologies correctly used for measuring PE degradation using isotope-labeled PE to figure out its metabolism into the end products like as 13CO2.
Big data, privacy and COVID-19 – learning from humanitarian expertise in data protection
Authors: Zwitter Andrej , Gstrein Oskar J.
Published: May 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic leads governments around the world to resort to tracking technology and other data-driven tools in order to monitor and curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Such large-scale incursion into privacy and data protection is unthinkable during times of normalcy. However, in times of a pandemic the use of location data provided by telecom operators and/or technology companies becomes a viable option. Importantly, legal regulations hardly protect people’s privacy against governmental and corporate misuse. Established privacy regimes are focused on individual consent, and most human rights treaties know derogations from privacy and data protection norms for states of emergency. This leaves little safeguards nor remedies to guarantee individual and collective autonomy. However, the challenge of responsible data use during a crisis is not novel. The humanitarian sector has more than a decade of experience to offer. International organisations and humanitarian actors have developed detailed guidelines on how to use data responsibly under extreme circumstances. This article briefly addresses the legal gap of data protection and privacy during this global crisis. Then it outlines the state of the art in humanitarian practice and academia on data protection and data responsibility during crisis.
Smoke in the Great Plains, USA: an increasing phenomenon with potential policy and health implications
Authors: Starns Heath D. , Tolleson Douglas R. , Agnew Robert J. , Schnitzler Elijah G. , Weir John R.
Published: May 2020

In recent decades, as wildland fire occurrence has increased in the United States, concern about the emissions produced by wildland fires has increased as well. This growing concern is evidenced by an increase in scientific articles investigating effects of wildland smoke on public health, and ongoing research projects assessing wildland smoke hazards. We reviewed primary literature evaluating wildland smoke in the United States and determined that the vast majority of available literature addresses the northwestern and southeastern US. We discovered that a significant knowledge gap exists for the Great Plains, a region where wildfire and prescribed fire occur frequently. In this region, wildfire and prescribed fire are important economically, ecologically, and culturally. Given the paucity of data regarding emissions from Great Plains fuels and the increase in fire occurrence in the region, we suggest that more active research is needed to fill this gap.
Checkpoint Blockade in Lung Cancer With Driver Mutation: Choose the Road Wisely
Authors: Calles Antonio , Riess Jonathan W. , Brahmer Julie R.
Published: May 2020

Immune checkpoint blockade with PD-(L)1 antibodies has revolutionized the treatment of advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Similarly, the identification and targeting of oncogene drivers in metastatic NSCLC has dramatically improved patient outcomes with an expanding list of potentially actionable alterations and targeted therapies. Many of these molecular aberrations are more common in patients with little or no smoking history and adenocarcinoma histology. Certain molecular subsets of NSCLC, though gaining greatly from targeted therapy approaches, may derive less benefit from immune checkpoint blockade. The optimal identification, targeting, and sequencing of targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy are essential to continue to improve patient outcomes in advanced NSCLC. Herein, we review the role of immunotherapy in locally advanced and metastatic disease for patients with actionable driver alterations. Never-smoking patients have a high probability of having lung cancer that harbors one of these molecular aberrations that can be matched to a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with greatly improved clinical outcomes. Some of these patients with driver mutations may derive less benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitor approaches (either alone or combined with chemotherapy), especially compared with smoking-associated NSCLC. Given that PD-1 blockade alone or with platinum-based chemotherapy is the de facto first-line therapy (depending on level of PD-L1 expression) for nontargetable metastatic NSCLC, we also review treatment in never-smoking patients for whom molecular testing results are pending and the likelihood of identifying a driver mutation is high.
Teaching Post-truth
Authors: Jurecic Ann
Published: May 2020

In recent years it has become almost normal for politicians to overtly and routinely lie. How should educators respond? Students should explore post-truth politics, develop research skills, and practice inquirybased factual writing, but they need more than literacy skills. Liberal education prepares them to be active, ethical participants in democracy.
Breech Disciplinary Levees
Authors: Hesse Doug
Published: May 2020

A review of general education at the author’s university led to an effort to include project- and theme-based interdisciplinary courses that addressed the “public good,” but many faculty resisted what they perceived as threats to purely disciplinary knowledge. When knowledge is under attack, professors in all disciplines should help prepare students to address problems in US democracy.
Apotropaic
Authors: Barrios Barclay , Hudnall Andrew
Published: May 2020

The authors argue that violence is the most important issue facing the profession of English now. Tracing their experiences with violence and trauma in and near their classrooms, they suggest that, while this problem seems intractable, practicing the arts of empathy and writing offers some hope for a different future.
Temperature sensitive SMA-causing point mutations lead to SMN instability, locomotor defects, and premature lethality in Drosophila
Authors: Raimer Amanda C. , Singh Suhana S. , Edula Maina R. , Paris-Davila Tamara , Vandadi Vasudha , Spring Ashlyn M. , Matera A. Gregory
Published: May 2020

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic cause of death in young children, arising from homozygous deletion or mutation of the SMN1 gene. SMN protein expressed from a paralogous gene, SMN2, is the primary genetic modifier of SMA; small changes in overall SMN levels cause dramatic changes in disease severity. Thus, deeper insight into mechanisms that regulate SMN protein stability should lead to better therapeutic outcomes. Here, we show that SMA patient-derived missense mutations in the Drosophila SMN Tudor domain exhibit a pronounced temperature sensitivity that affects organismal viability, larval locomotor function, and adult longevity. These disease-related phenotypes are domain-specific and result from decreased SMN stability at elevated temperature. This system was utilized to manipulate SMN levels during various stages of Drosophila development. Due to a large maternal contribution of mRNA and protein, Smn is not expressed zygotically during embryogenesis. Interestingly, we find that only baseline levels of SMN are required during larval stages, whereas high levels of protein are required during pupation. This previously uncharacterized period of elevated SMN expression, during which the majority of adult tissues are formed and differentiated, could be an important and translationally relevant developmental stage in which to study SMN function. Altogether, these findings illustrate a novel in vivo role for the SMN Tudor domain in maintaining SMN homeostasis and highlight the necessity for high SMN levels at critical developmental timepoints that is conserved from Drosophila to humans.
Working with a Compliment at the Initial Stage of Learning Russian as a Foreign Language
Authors: Ariskina O. , Dryangina E. , Chuchkin P.
Published: May 2020

Today, one of the top priorities for linguistics is to study the factors that influence the effectiveness of interpersonal and intercultural communication. In the speech behavior of a communicative personality, a special place is occupied by such an objective speech genre as a compliment. A compliment is one of the most effective means of establishing contact between people. This genre of speech etiquette can play no less a role in the communication process than, for example, greeting, farewell or congratulations, and in many situations is a more appropriate and effective means of communication. However, such a genre as “compliment” is practically absent in the speech tools of a foreign student who is at the initial level of learning the Russian language. In the scientific literature, this topic is covered quite poorly (the emphasis is mainly on the advanced stage). Yet students of the initial level of study Russian as a foreign language (A1-A2) are quite able to master the simplest tactics and strategies of compliment (direct nomination, comparison). This work is devoted to the description of the introduction of the system of exercises on compliment at the initial level of learning Russian as a foreign language.
The effect of natural matrix biopolymer membrane on hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers: a pilot randomised clinical trial
Authors: Atias Ziva , Pederson John M , Mishra Hemant K , Greenberger Shoshana
Published: May 2020

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of natural matrix biopolymer membrane (NMBM) in the treatment of venous leg ulcers (VLUs).

Method:

Patients exhibiting one or more VLU were assigned to a test group receiving NMBM or to a control group receiving conventional treatment. Patients exhibiting venous insufficiency-related ulcers within 0.1–170cm 2 were included. Efficacy was assessed based on ulcer size and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at baseline and at weeks one, two and four. Ulcer size and pain were compared between groups using a two-way ANOVA.

Results:

In this study, 25 patients with 32 VLUs (NMBM group: 14 patients with 17 ulcers; control group: 11 patients with 15 ulcers) were included in the final analysis. At four weeks after baseline measurements, the mean percentage change in VLU area of patients in the NMBM group was 61.6% (95% CI: 40.3–82.9) compared with 84.1% (95% CI: 56.5–111.7) for control group patients. Additionally, the mean percentage change in VLU volume of NMBM group patients was 51.2% (95% CI: 31.8–70.6) compared with 84.0% (95% CI: 57.0–121.0) for control group patients. The NMBM group patients exhibited a mean decrease of 0.38 (95% CI: –0.85–1.61) in VAS pain score over four weeks, compared with a mean decrease of 0.13 (95% CI: –1.32–1.58) for control group patients. No significant differences in VLU area (p=0.210), volume (p=0.122) or VAS pain score (p=0.460) were shown between groups.

Conclusion:

NMBM was found to be as effective and safe as the control group treatments. This pilot study suggests NMBM can be used safely to promote ulcer healing.
Computation of Second-order Design Sensitivities for Steady State Incompressible Laminar Flows Using the Extended Complex Variables Method
Authors: Hassanzadeh Mahdi
Published: May 2020

In the current paper, the general procedure of the first and second-order sensitivity analysis is presented using the extended complex variables method (ECVM). In the traditional complex variables method, only the imaginary step is used for sensitivity analysis. However, in the ECVM, both of the real and imaginary parts are employed to improve the efficiency of the method. To show this, the ECVM is applied to the steady state incompressible laminar flow around a cylinder. The governing Navier-Stokes equations are solved by the finite element method and then the ECVM is employed. The results are validated through comparing with those of obtained by an analytical as well as the finite difference methods and the convergence rate is investigated. It is illustrated that the first-order sensitivity analysis is not influenced by the change of the step length for both of the traditional and extended complex variables methods. However, it is shown that unlike the traditional complex variables method, the ECVM is less dependent on the step size for calculating the second-order sensitivity. This can be considered as an enhancement in the efficiency of this method. Hence, the ECVM is suggested as an appropriate technique for calculating simultaneously the first and second-order sensitivities with high accuracy as well as low computational cost. The proposed method is applicable to a wide range of problems having simple or complex parameters.
The influence of the electromagnetic field on the electric properties of water
Authors: Mghaiouini Redouane , Elmalouky Abderahmane , Benzbiria Nisrine , El Moznine Radad , Monkade Mohamade , El Bouari Abdeslam
Published: May 2020

This paper presents an experimental study to investigate the effect of using the electromagnetic field on the electric conductivity and dielectric properties of treated tap water by aqua 4 D system according to the time of exposition in a closed water circulation circuit. There is a portion where there is an electromagnetic field obtained by the electromagnetic device. This work includes tap water circulation in the region of the electromagnetic field for 5 min, 10, 15, 20 min. The dielectric and electrical properties were examined and analyzed using the technique impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range going from 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz.

To initiate the phenomena involving water after magnetization with the electromagnetic field. The results clearly show that the magnetic field reduces the dielectric constant and resistance of water and increase its electric conductivity. In this study, we also find that the electrical conductivity of magnetized water increases.
Simple technique for producing a 1D periodic intensity profile with a desired open fraction for optical sensor applications
Authors: Srisuphaphon Sorakrai , Buathong Sitti , Deachapunya Sarayut
Published: May 2020

The interference contrast in a near-field diffraction pattern can be improved using an asymmetric grating with a small grating window. However, commercial asymmetrically shaped gratings are not available. Here, we report a method that overlaps two gratings to produce an arbitrary open fraction in the combination grating. Both theoretical simulation and experimental observations of the near-field Talbot effect are provided to validate this concept. A characterization of optical vortices is also used as a demonstration of potential applications. This method is simple and can improve the resolution in metrology with optical sensors.
All-fiber short-wavelength tunable mode-locked fiber laser using normal dispersion thulium-doped fiber
Authors: Chen Shaoxiang , Chen Yuhao , Liu Kun , Sidharthan Raghuraman , Li Huizi , Chang Chen Jian , Wang Qi Jie , Tang Dingyuan , Yoo Seongwoo
Published: May 2020

We report an all-fiber high pulse energy ultrafast laser and amplifier operating at the short wavelength side of the thulium (Tm) emission band. An in-house W-type normal dispersion Tm-doped fiber (NDTDF) exhibits a bending-induced distributed short-pass filtering effect that efficiently suppresses the otherwise dominant long wavelength emission. By changing the bending diameter of the fiber, we demonstrated a tunable mode-locked Tm-doped fiber laser with a very wide tunable range of 152 nm spanning from 1740 nm to 1892 nm. Pulses at a central wavelength of 1755 nm were able to be amplified in an all-fiber configuration using the W-type NDTDF, without the use of any artificial short-pass filter or pulse stretcher. The all-fiber amplifier delivers 2.76 ps pulses with an energy of ∼32.7 nJ without pulse break-up, due to the normal dispersion nature of the gain fiber, which marks so far, the highest energy amongst fiber lasers in the 1700 nm-1800 nm region.
Passive quadrature demodulation of birefringent low-finesse fiber-optic Fabry–Perot interferometric sensors
Authors: Zhu Yupeng , Han Ming
Published: May 2020

We demonstrate a passive quadrature demodulation method using polarized light and a fiber-optic sensor with a birefringent low-finesse Fabry–Perot (FP) cavity. With precisely controlled birefringence in the FP cavity, the fringes probed by light polarized along the two principal axes can have a quadrature phase shift and can be separately detected. We demonstrated the concept for ultrasound detection using a sensor with an FP cavity formed by two low-reflectivity chirped fiber Bragg gratings on a coiled polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber. By controlling the bending radius, bending length, and twist of the coil structure, we obtained an optimized total phase delay of 109° between the fringes of the two polarizations along the principal axes of the PM fiber. Using a linearly polarized laser source and a polarization beam splitter, the signals at the two polarizations were separated and measured by two photodetectors. The experimental results show that the sensor can detect ultrasonic signal when the sensor spectra experience environmental drifts using a laser at a fixed wavelength.
Perfectly vertical surface grating couplers using subwavelength engineering for increased feature sizes
Authors: Kamandar Dezfouli Mohsen , Grinberg Yuri , Melati Daniele , Cheben Pavel , Schmid Jens H. , Sánchez-Postigo Alejandro , Ortega-Moñux Alejandro , Wangüemert-Pérez Gonzalo , Cheriton Ross , Janz Siegfried , Xu Dan-Xia
Published: May 2020

We present perfectly vertical grating couplers for the 220 nm silicon-on-insulator platform incorporating subwavelength metamaterials to increase the minimum feature sizes and achieve broadband low back-reflection. Our study reveals that devices with high coupling efficiencies are distributed over a wide region of the design space with varied back-reflections, while still maintaining minimum feature sizes larger than 100 nm and even 130 nm. Using 3D-finite-difference time-domain simulations, we demonstrate devices with broadband low back-reflection of less than

−

20

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B

over more than 100 nm bandwidth centered around the C-band. Coupling efficiencies of 72% and 67% are achieved for minimum feature sizes of 106 nm and 130 nm, respectively. These gratings are also more fabrication tolerant compared to similar designs not using metamaterials.
Broadband Frequency Domain Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy with Heterodyne Demodulation
Authors: Moka Sadhu , Safi Abdul Mohaimen , S Mohammad Penaz. P. , Parthasarathy Ashwin. B.
Published: May 2020

We demonstrate heterodyne demodulation of Frequency Domain Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy (FD-DOS) over a broad frequency range (50 - 400 MHz), for single distance estimation of tissue optical properties.
Déjà Vu at the Archive: Photography, National Narratives, and the Multiple Histories of the Smyrna Fire
Authors: Amygdalou Kalliopi
Published: May 2020

As original primary sources remain central to history writing, researchers strive to find new, unpublished documents. Each archival discovery is perceived to increase the importance and contribution of the research work, but like any other discovery, it is assumed to happen only once. Should the document be encountered by the researcher a second time, elsewhere, in a different archive or collection, the encounter often does not acquire the same significance, and the document might be bypassed easily. Visual documents in particular, which at times have been perceived as too unreliable while in other cases treated as authoritative testimonies, present additional challenges of analysis when found in multiple contexts. However, what if re-encountering the same material in different archives is key to unfolding its meanings and histories? What if such archival re-encounters deserve to be sought after rather than avoided? These questions are especially worthy of exploration when the research concerns sites and histories of conflict, in which archival material is often destroyed, withheld, or heavily politicized. In light of research on photographs of the 1922 Smyrna Fire in Greek, Turkish, and American archives, this paper explores the potential of archival re-encounters to expand and enrich historiographical analysis.
A Gift of Compassion: Welfare, Housing, and Domesticity in Contemporary Iran
Authors: Moafi Samaneh
Published: May 2020

This article examines the largest welfare housing project in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–2020). It sets out to present a particular method of research that, borrowing from the discipline of anthropology, takes planning documents as a point of departure. I will inquire into the ways state-initiated architectural projects intersect with the demands and realities of domesticity and residents' everyday habits of living, giving particular attention to the gender roles and class identities in welfare housing projects and the position of female beneficiaries in relation to their family as well as the larger society. Using the example of the Mehr project in Iran, I demonstrate how housing operated for government officials as a means for re-organizing society along the axes of patronage and patriarchy. Moving to the field of everyday life, however, and building on the discourses of domesticity and women's struggle, I unpack how, starting from the intimate scale of the domestic, welfare can serve as the basis for a newly empowered beneficiary to conceive her rights and exercise them. The research that is presented in this paper challenges the negative conception of welfare housing as mere charitable aid devoid of any potential for supporting the social rights of a people.
'#OccupyGezi Architecture' and Archival Tactics of Resistance
Authors: Artan Elif Çiğdem
Published: May 2020

Herkes için Mimarlık ('Architecture for All', HiM) is a group of architects, urban planners, designers, and sociologists who conduct participatory renovation projects. They were involved in the Occupy Gezi Park movement by questioning top-down urban politics in Istanbul, developing a series of online and on-site events including the Gezi Festivals, interview videos, timelines, zines, and exhibitions. Working from these case studies, this article examines the ways HiM archived the occupied milieu as a means of resistance: How do the materials that HiM documented during the Occupy Gezi Park movement contribute to knowledge production through a non-authoritarian and a non-linear history writing? I argue that temporality plays a crucial role in this process, as it is impossible to predetermine the duration of a protest movement and the course of events complicates decision-making regarding what to include or exclude in the archive. Through in-depth interviews and archival research that focus on HiM's public events and design works, this article examines the group's curatorial and documentation practices with respect to questions of authenticity, authorship, accessibility, and security.
Semi-domesticated dogs as a potential reservoir for zoonotic hookworms in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Wongwigkan Jutamas , Inpankaew Tawin
Published: May 2020

Background and Aim: Hookworms are parasitic nematodes that live in the small intestine of their mammalian hosts including humans, dogs, and cats. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and perform genetic characterization of hookworms using molecular techniques and to elucidate the risk factors associated with hookworm infections among semi-domesticated dogs residing in temples in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand.

Materials and Methods: A total of 500 fecal samples were collected from semi-domesticated dogs from 91 temples in 48 districts of Bangkok. DNA was extracted and screened using internal transcribed spacer polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. In addition, samples positive for Ancylostoma ceylanicum were further characterized at the haplotype level based on the analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase-1 gene (cox1).

Results: The prevalence of hookworm infections in semi-domesticated dogs was 6.2% (31/500). Hookworm infections were detected in temple-community dogs in 12 of 48 districts (25.0%), with Bang Khen and Lak Si districts having the highest proportion of infected dogs (22.6%). Regarding molecular characterization of hookworm species, 21 positive samples (67.74%) were infected with A. ceylanicum and 10 (32.26%) with Ancylostoma caninum. Characterization of cox1 in A. ceylanicum isolates revealed the presence of a mixture of human and dog isolates.

Conclusion: Semi-domesticated dogs act as a potential source of hookworm infections for human and animal populations in Bangkok, Thailand.