bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
My Journey from the Inner-city to Medical School
Authors: Akhtar Mateen
Published: December 2019

As an immigrant who grew up in the inner-city Toronto and Hamilton community to a low-income family this article highlights some of the challenges faced by me and countless other students living in these communities on their route to pursuing a career in medicine. While becoming a physician requires academic excellence, growing up in these circumstances is filled with challenges that extend far beyond the classroom. More specifically; a lack of experience, mentorship, and financial resources disadvantage marginalized student’s medical school applications and subsequently prevent them from pursuing a career as a physician in both Canada and abroad.
Challenges and Rewards of Community Anesthesiology
Authors: Weingarten Benjamin , Weingarten Aron
Published: December 2019

An interveiw with Dr. Dave Riddell, a staff anesthesiologist at the Cornwall Hospital. We discuss the challenges and benefits/rewards associated with practicing anesthesia in the community. With such a quickly evolving field, Dr. Riddell shares stratagies, motivations and avice for maintaing an up to date practice to ensure patient safety and wellbeing.
Bitter sweet: Fournier’s Gangrene and SGLT2 inhibitors
Authors: Kappel Coralea
Published: December 2019

Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 is becoming the biggest epidemic of the 21st century affecting more than 415 million adults globally and expected to increase to more than 640 million adults by 2040. Patients with diabetes are at high risk for adverse outcomes, notably cardiovascular disease with an increased risk of death. In fact, the 2018 Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) guidelines have updated the type 2 diabetes management algorithm; if the patient has clinical cardiovascular disease, an antihyperglycemic agent with demonstrated cardiovascular (CV) benefit should be added. There is a growing armamentarium of therapies with Health Canada-approved CV benefit include two from the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors class namely Canagliflozin and empagliflozin. Despite their many advantages, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black box warning for associated necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum in diabetes treated with SGLT2 inhibitors.  This case report highlights a case of Fournier’s gangrene (FG) in a male treated with empagliflozin for type 2 diabetes.
A method for generating a microwave vortex field
Authors: Poletaev D.A. , Sokolenko B.V.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we propose an on-end structure of a circular waveguide that forms a vortex field of the microwave range. We construct its numerical model. The numerical experiments conducted confirm the possibility of generating a microwave vortex field by means of the proposed structure. The best suitable material for fabricating this structure is also selected in the work.
A novel switching bilateral filtering algorithm for depth map
Authors:   Federal Research Centre of Biological Systems and Agro-technologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ruchay A.N. ,   Department of Mathematics, Chelyabinsk State University, Dorofeev K.A. ,   Department of Mathematics, Chelyabinsk State University, Kalschikov V.V. ,   Department of Mathematics, Chelyabinsk State University
Published: December 2019

n this paper, we propose a novel switching bilateral filter for depth map from a RGB-D sensor. The switching method works as follows: the bilateral filter is applied not at all pixels of the depth map, but only in those where noise and holes are possible, that is, at the boundaries and sharp changes. With the help of computer simulation we show that the proposed algorithm can effectively and fast process a depth map. The presented results show an improvement in the accuracy of 3D object reconstruction using the proposed depth filtering. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared in terms of the accuracy of 3D object reconstruction and speed with that of common successful depth filtering algorithms.
Reconstruction of functions and digital images using sign representations
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Myasnikov V.V. ,   IPSI RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS
Published: December 2019

The paper deals with the reconstruction of implicitly defined functions or digital images. Functions are defined using observations, each of which is the result of a pairwise comparison of the function values for two random arguments. The analysis of the current state of research for particular statements of this problem is presented: the method of pairwise comparisons used in decision-making for a finite set of alternatives; reconstruction of preference/utility function in multicriteria tasks; sign representations of images used for the description and analysis of digital images. A unified approach to reconstructing functions and images according to their sign representations is proposed, based on mapping in a high-dimensional space and constructing a linear (when reconstructing a function and images) or non-linear (including non-parametric) classifier (when reconstructing preferences). For a number of classification algorithms, experimental studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach using the example of the reconstruction of the utility function in problems of decision theory and reconstruction of the brightness function of real images.
Approach to the recovery of geomagnetic data by comparing daily fragments of a time series with equal geomagnetic activity
Authors:   Ufa State Aviation Technical University, Vorobeva G.R.
Published: December 2019

Monitoring of geomagnetic field parameters and its variations is mainly carried out using ground-based magnetic observatories and variational stations. However, the imperfection of equipment used and the communication channels involved causes the presence of gaps in the time series of geomagnetic data, which, along with the spatial anisotropy of data sources, creates significant obstacles to their automated processing. In addition, the well-known methods for imputation of time series gaps provide the root-mean-square recovery error significantly exceeding the level acceptable for geophysical observations. Thus, the paper proposes a method for recovering geomagnetic data based on statistical methods for processing time series and machine learning principles using marked data and characterized by the fact that a pair of the time series fragments preceding and succeeding a missing fragment provide an indicative description of the time series fragment of interest, which together form a training sample to search for the missing fragment by a set of its attributes, followed by linear scaling to restore the original trend of an information signal. Analytical estimates of parameters of geomagnetic data time series are given, under which it is possible to apply the proposed method to recover both daily variations and several-minutes-long fragments.
Investigation of the influence of amplitude spiral zone plate parameters on produced energy backflow
Authors:   IPSI RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Kozlova E.S. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: December 2019

Investigation of the influence of parameters of silver, aluminum, gold, and chromium spiral zone plates on the longitudinal component of Umov-Pointing vector in produced optical vortices by using the frequency-dependent finite-difference time-domain method is presented. It is shown that the aluminum spiral zone plate with a relief height of 50 nm gives an optical vortex with the smallest longitudinal component of Umov-Pointing vector on the optical axis. The gold spiral zone plate is the least effective for the formation of vortex beams with a reverse energy flow.
Spin angular momentum density in the tight focus of a light field with phase and polarization singularities
Authors:   IPSI RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Kovalev A.A. ,   Samara National Research University, Kotlyar V.V. ,   IPSI RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS,   Samara National Research University, Kalinkina D.S. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: December 2019

For a light field with both phase and polarization singularities at its center, expressions are obtained that describe the distribution of the spin angular momentum (SAM) density in the sharp focal spot of an aplanatic system. These expressions include the radial, azimuthal, and longitudinal SAM components. As special cases, focusing of optical vortices with radial, azimuthal, and saddle polarizations is studied. Using the Bessel beam as an example, it is shown that in some areas in the focal plane the longitudinal SAM component is zero (resulting in a photonic wheel), while in others it is an order of magnitude less than the transverse component.
Color models of interference images of thin stratified objects in optical microscopy
Authors:   Saratov State University, Dyachenko A.A. ,   Institute of Precision Mechanics and Control of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ryabukho V.P. ,   Saratov State University,   Institute of Precision Mechanics and Control of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: December 2019

Algorithms for the analysis of polychromatic interference patterns in images of thin stratified objects in optical microscopy are considered. The algorithms allow one to measure the thin-film optical thickness. A measurement method based on the comparison of colors of the interference image under study and a numerically simulated image is discussed. We discuss a mathematical model for the calculation and numerical simulation of interference patterns and algorithms for interference pattern processing. Color comparison in an RGB color model is described and limitations of such a method are shown. The feasibility of using a Lab color model is shown and algorithms of interference color comparison in this model are presented. Results of application of the presented algorithms to measuring the optical thickness of red blood cells in a blood smear are discussed. The estimation of the error and robustness of the proposed algorithms is conducted.
Moscas-frugívoras (Diptera: Tephritidae e Lonchaeidae) no Vale do Mundaú no estado de Alagoas
Authors: Batista Natanael Silva , Dos Santos Jakeline Maria , Forti Broglio Sônia Maria , Santos José Rosildo Tenório dos
Published: December 2019

Este trabalho tem como objetivo conhecer a diversidade e os índices de infestação de moscas frugívoras no Vale do Mundaú no estado de Alagoas. Os frutos foram coletados quinzenalmente de forma aleatória em diferentes alturas da copa das frutíferas e frutos recém-caídos no solo, que estavam em boas condições de conservação e sem orifícios de saída das larvas. Os frutos foram acondicionados em bandejas plásticas (54 cm x 32 cm) etiquetadas com os dados de campo, contendo uma camada de um cm de areia peneirada e esterilizada em estufa com circulação de ar por 48h a 80 ºC, para servir de substrato para pupação. Os índices de infestação das moscas frugívoras foram calculados a partir da divisão do número total de pupários pelo total de frutos de cada espécie coletada (pupários/fruto) e número total de pupários pelo peso total (kg) de cada espécie coletada (pupários/kg de fruto). Foram identificadas cinco espécies de moscas-das-frutas: Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1930), Anastrepha obliqua (Maquart, 1835), Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi, 1979, Anastrepha zenildae Zucchi, 1939 e Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae) e espécies de Neosilba (Diptera: Lonchaeidae). Cajá, goiaba, pitanga e seriguela são os frutos mais infestados por tefritídeos. A espécie mais polífaga neste estudo é A. fraterculus.
Reuso de água e efluente agroindustrial na produção de mudas de gravioleira
Authors: Azevedo Patrícia Roque Lemos , Pereira Junior Ednaldo Barbosa , Moreira Joserlan Nonato , Bezerra Diego Ernani Leite , Lima Filho Pedro
Published: December 2019

As condições climáticas do semiárido do Nordeste, caracterizadas pela irregularidade das chuvas, conferem à irrigação uma importância fundamental como instrumento que permite a viabilização de uma agricultura produtiva e estável. O presente estudo objetivou-se avaliar o desenvolvimento de mudas de gravioleira a partir do aproveitamento de água de ar condicionado e efluente agroindustrial. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida no setor de produção de mudas do Instituto Federal da Paraíba, Campus Sousa, Unidade São Gonçalo. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos inteiramente casualizados, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos resultaram das seguintes combinações: T1 = 100% Poço Artesiano, T2 =100% Ar Condicionado, T3 = Combinação 50% Ar Condicionado + 50% Poço Artesiano, T4 = Combinação 50% Efluente Agroindustrial + 50% Ar Condicionado e T5 = 100% Efluente Agroindustrial. As mudas de gravioleira foram produzidas em sacos de poliestireno, utilizando Neossolo Flúvico e esterco bovino na proporção (2:1) como substrato. Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: altura de planta, diâmetro de caule, número de folhas, massa verde e seca da parte aérea e raiz e influência nos atributos do solo (pH, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, MO, PST). Verificou-se que a utilização de água de ar condicionado é uma alternativa viável como fonte de irrigação para as mudas de gravioleira, enquanto que o efluente agroindustrial não se mostrou adequada para este fim visto que influenciou negativamente na maioria das variáveis analisadas.
Efeito do vermicomposto enriquecido com pó de rochas na química do solo e cultura de rabanete
Authors: Tito Gilvanise Alves , Chaves Lucia Helena Garófalo , Souza Felipe Guedes de , Cavalcante Antonio Ramos , Fernandes Josely Dantas , Vasconcelos Ana Carolina Feitosa de
Published: December 2019

A vermicompostagem é o processo de transformação do material orgânico pouco degradado em matéria orgânica estabilizada por meio da ação das minhocas e dos microssimbiontes. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito de vermicomposto enriquecido com o pó de rochas (MB4®) sobre as características químicas do solo e na produção de rabanete (Raphanus sativus). O vermicomposto foi preparado pela incubação da mistura de esterco bovino, pó de rocha e minhocas, durante 55 dias. Após este período os tratamentos de vermicomposto correspondentes a 0; 5; 10; 15; 20 e 25 t ha-1, foram incubados ao solo, durante 60 dias. No final da incubação, amostras de solo de cada unidade experimental foram analisadas quimicamente. Duas plantas de rabanete foram colhidas aos 30 dias após a semeadura (após a incubação do solo) para serem avaliadas quanto a biomassa fresca e seca da parte aérea, peso fresco das raízes (rabanetes), diâmetros longitudinal e transversal dos rabanetes e razão da parte aérea/raiz. Verificou-se que todas as características químicas do solo foram influenciadas significativamente e variaram de forma quadrática em função das doses crescentes de vermicomposto aplicados ao solo. O uso de doses crescentes de vermicomposto enriquecido com pó de rocha melhorou as condições de fertilidade do solo proporcionando maior eficiência produtiva de rabanete. A aplicação do vermicomposto enriquecido com pó de rocha acarreta em plantas bem desenvolvidas favorecendo os componentes da produção.
Expansão agropecuária: o efeito sobre a vegetação e o microclima
Authors: Fonsêca Nathan Castro , Cunha Jéssica Stéfane Alves da , Cunha José Alberes Santos da , Rodrigues Lúcia Dos Santos , Belém Isabela Souto Maior
Published: December 2019

A pressão sobre os recursos naturais para fins de atividades agropecuárias tem causado alterações e perdas de serviços ecossistêmicos essenciais ao bem-estar das populações. Objetivou-se avaliar a influência do desmatamento sob as alterações climáticas em áreas de exploração agropecuária do município de Currais-PI. Realizou-se uma análise espaço-temporal do uso e cobertura do solo no município, numa serie temporal de 32 anos (1986 a 2018), correlacionando com variáveis meteorológicas. Para realizar a análise espaço-temporal foram utilizadas imagens do Satélite Landsat 5 e Landsat 8, adquiridas gratuitamente no Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) entre os meses de junho e outubro. Os dados meteorológicos (temperatura máxima média, umidade relativa e precipitação total) foram obtidos no site do Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET). No período de estudo houve um decréscimo de 15,90% da vegetação nativa, e simultaneamente ocorreram alterações no microclima, com aumento de 2,06°C na temperatura e diminuição de 25% da umidade relativa. A progressiva pressão sobre a vegetação nativa para uso e ocupação do solo causou rápidas alterações na paisagem natural e no microclima da região.
Peroxidation of proteins and lipids in suspensions of liposomes, in blood serum, and in mouse myeloma cells.
Authors: Gebicki J M , Du J , Collins J , Tweeddale H
Published: December 2019

There is growing evidence that proteins are early targets of reactive oxygen species, and that the altered proteins can in turn damage other biomolecules. In this study, we measured the effects of proteins on the oxidation of liposome phospholipid membranes, and the formation of protein hydroperoxides in serum and in cultured cells exposed to radiation-generated hydroxyl free radicals. Lysozyme, which did not affect liposome stability, gave 50% protection when present at 0.3 mg/ml, and virtually completely prevented lipid oxidation at 10 mg/ml. When human blood serum was irradiated, lipids were oxidized only after the destruction of ascorbate. In contrast, peroxidation of proteins proceeded immediately. Protein hydroperoxides were also generated without a lag period in hybrid mouse myeloma cells, while at the same time no lipid peroxides formed. These results are consistent with the theory that, under physiological conditions, lipid membranes are likely to be effectively protected from randomly-generated hydroxyl radicals by proteins, and that protein peroxyl radicals and hydroperoxides may constitute an important hazard to biological systems under oxidative stress.
Mitochondria recycle nitrite back to the bioregulator nitric monoxide.
Authors: Nohl H , Staniek K , Sobhian B , Bahrami S , Redl H , Kozlov A V
Published: December 2019

Nitric monoxide (NO) exerts a great variety of physiological functions. L-Arginine supplies amino groups which are transformed to NO in various NO-synthase-active isoenzyme complexes. NO-synthesis is stimulated under various conditions increasing the tissue of stable NO-metabolites. The major oxidation product found is nitrite. Elevated nitrite levels were reported to exist in a variety of diseases including HIV, reperfusion injury and hypovolemic shock. Denitrifying bacteria such as Paracoccus denitrificans have a membrane bound set of cytochromes (cyt cd1, cyt bc) which were shown to be involved in nitrite reduction activities. Mammalian mitochondria have similar cytochromes which form part of the respiratory chain. Like in bacteria quinols are used as reductants of these types of cytochromes. The observation of one-e- divergence from this redox-couple to external dioxygen made us to study whether this site of the respiratory chain may also recycle nitrite back to its bioactive form NO. Thus, the aim of the present study was therefore to confirm the existence of a reductive pathway which reestablishes the existence of the bioregulator NO from its main metabolite NO2-. Our results show that respiring mitochondria readily reduce added nitrite to NO which was made visible by nitrosylation of deoxyhemoglobin. The adduct gives characteristic triplet-ESR-signals. Using inhibitors of the respiratory chain for chemical sequestration of respiratory segments we were able to identify the site where nitrite is reduced. The results confirm the ubiquinone/cyt be1 couple as the reductant site where nitrite is recycled. The high affinity of NO to the heme-iron of cytochrome oxidase will result in an impairment of mitochondrial energy-production. "Nitrite tolerance" of angina pectoris patients using NO-donors may be explained in that way.
Two-electron reduction of nitroaromatic compounds by Enterobacter cloacae NAD(P)H nitroreductase: description of quantitative structure-activity relationships.
Authors: Nivinskas H , Koder R L , Anusevicius Z , Sarlauskas J , Miller A F , Cenas N
Published: December 2019

Enterobacter cloacae NAD(P)H:nitroreductase catalyzes the reduction of a series of nitroaromatic compounds with steady-state bimolecular rate constants (kcat/Km) ranging from 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) to 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), and oxidizing 2 moles NADH per mole mononitrocompound. Oxidation of excess NADH by polynitrobenzenes including explosives 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-N-methylnitramine (tetryl), has been observed as a slower secondary process, accompanied by O2 consumption. This type of 'redox cycling' was not related to reactions of nitroaromatic anion-radicals, but was caused by the autoxidation of relatively stable reaction products. The logs kcat/Km of all the compounds examined exhibited parabolic dependence on their enthalpies of single-electron- or two-electron (hydride) reduction, obtained by quantum mechanical calculations. This type of quantitative structure-activity relationships shows that the reactivity of nitroaromatics towards E. cloacae nitroreductase depends mainly on their hydride accepting properties, but not on their particular structure, and does not exclude the possibility of multistep hydride transfer.
Coupling of mitochondrial translation with the formation of respiratory complexes in yeast mitochondria.
Authors: Chacińska A , Boguta M
Published: December 2019

In contrast to most other eukaryotic organisms, yeast can survive without respiration. This ability has been exploited to investigate nuclear genes required for expression of mitochondrial DNA. Availability of complete Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic sequence has provided additional help in detailed molecular analysis. Seven of the eight major products encoded by mitochondrial DNA are hydrophobic subunits of respiratory complexes in the inner membrane. Localization of the translation process in the same cellular compartment ensures synthesis of mitochondrially encoded proteins near sites of their assembly into multimeric respiratory complexes. Association of mitochondrial ribosomes with the membrane is mediated by mRNA-specific translational activators, that are involved in the recognition of initiation codon. The newly synthesized mitochondrial proteins are transferred to membrane by a specific export system. This review discusses the role of membrane-localized factors responsible for quality control and turnover of mitochondrially synthesized subunits as well as for assembly of respiratory complexes.
Order-disorder structural transitions in synthetic filaments of fast and slow skeletal muscle myosins under relaxing and activating conditions.
Authors: Podlubnaya Z A , Malyshev S L , Nieznański K , Stepkowski D
Published: December 2019

In the previous study (Podlubnaya et al., 1999, J. Struc. Biol. 127, 1-15) Ca2+-induced reversible structural transitions in synthetic filaments of pure fast skeletal and cardiac muscle myosins were observed under rigor conditions (-Ca2+/+Ca2+). In the present work these studies have been extended to new more order-producing conditions (presence of ATP in the absence of Ca2+) aimed at arresting the relaxed structure in synthetic filaments of both fast and slow skeletal muscle myosin. Filaments were formed from column-purified myosins (rabbit fast skeletal muscle and rabbit slow skeletal semimebranosusproprius muscle). In the presence of 0.1 mM free Ca2+, 3 mM Mg2+ and 2 mM ATP (activating conditions) these filaments had a spread structure with a random arrangement of myosin heads and subfragments 2 protruding from the filament backbone. Such a structure is indistinguishable from the filament structures observed previously for fast skeletal, cardiac (see reference cited above) and smooth (Podlubnaya et al., 1999, J. Muscle Res. Cell Motil. 20, 547-554) muscle myosins in the presence of 0.1 mM free Ca2+. In the absence of Ca2+ and in the presence of ATP (relaxing conditions) the filaments of both studied myosins revealed a compact ordered structure. The fast skeletal muscle myosin filaments exhibited an axial periodicity of about 14.5 nm and which was much more pronounced than under rigor conditions in the absence of Ca2+ (see the first reference cited). The slow skeletal muscle myosin filaments differ slightly in their appearance from those of fast muscle as they exhibit mainly an axial repeat of about 43 nm while the 14.5 nm repeat is visible only in some regions. This may be a result of a slightly different structural properties of slow skeletal muscle myosin. We conclude that, like other filaments of vertebrate myosins, slow skeletal muscle myosin filaments also undergo the Ca2+-induced structural order-disorder transitions. It is very likely that all vertebrate muscle myosins possess such a property.
The DFF40/CAD endonuclease and its role in apoptosis.
Authors: Widłak P
Published: December 2019

The sequential generation of large-scale DNA fragments followed by internucleosomal chromatin fragmentation is a biochemical hallmark of apoptosis. One of the nucleases primarily responsible for genomic DNA fragmentation during apoptosis is called DNA Fragmentation Factor 40 (DFF40) or Caspase-activated DNase (CAD). DFF40/CAD is a magnesium-dependent endonuclease specific for double stranded DNA that generates double strand breaks with 3'-hydroxyl ends. DFF40/CAD is activated by caspase-3 that cuts the nuclease's inhibitor DFF45/ICAD. The nuclease preferentially attacks chromatin in the internucleosomal linker DNA. However, the nuclease hypersensitive sites can be detected and DFF40/CAD is potentially involved in large-scale DNA fragmentation as well. DFF40/CAD-mediated DNA fragmentation triggers chromatin condensation that is another hallmark of apoptosis.
Toxicological and cytophysiological aspects of lanthanides action.
Authors: Pałasz A , Czekaj P
Published: December 2019

Lanthanides, also called rare-earth elements, are an interesting group of 15 chemically active, mainly trivalent, f-electronic, silvery-white metals. In fact, lanthanides are not as rare as the name implies, except for promethium, a radioactive artificial element not found in nature. The mean concentrations of lanthanides in the earth's crust are comparable to those of life-important elements like iodine, cobalt and selenium. Many lanthanide compounds show particular magnetic, catalytic and optic properties, and that is why their technical applications are so extensive. Numerous industrial sources enable lanthanides to penetrate into the human body and therefore detailed toxicological studies of these metals are necessary. In the liver, gadolinium selectively inhibits secretion by Kupffer cells and it decreases cytochrome P450 activity in hepatocytes, thereby protecting liver cells against toxic products of xenobiotic biotransformation. Praseodymium ion (Pr3+) produces the same protective effect in liver tissue cultures. Cytophysiological effects of lanthanides appear to result from the similarity of their cationic radii to the size of Ca2+ ions. Trivalent lanthanide ions, especially La3+ and Gd3+, block different calcium channels in human and animal cells. Lanthanides can affect numerous enzymes: Dy3+ and La3+ block Ca2+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase, while Eu3+ and Tb3+ inhibit calcineurin. In neurons, lanthanide ions regulate the transport and release of synaptic transmitters and block some membrane receptors, e.g. GABA and glutamate receptors. It is likely that lanthanides significantly and uniquely affect biochemical pathways, thus altering physiological processes in the tissues of humans and animals.
Expression of cytochrome CYP2B1/2 in nonpregnant, pregnant and fetal rats exposed to tobacco smoke.
Authors: Czekaj P , Wiaderkiewicz A , Florek E , Wiaderkiewicz R
Published: December 2019

Four-month-old female Wistar rats were exposed for 20 days to tobacco smoke obtained from non-filter cigarettes. During the exposure, concentration of tobacco smoke was monitored indirectly by measuring the CO level (1500 mg/m3 air). The efficacy of exposure was assessed by measuring urine nicotine and cotinine levels. Cigarette smoke did not change total cytochrome P450 and b5 protein levels in any of the organs studied, and most of these organs did not show any changes in the activity of reductases associated with these cytochromes. Following exposure to tobacco smoke, fetal rat liver expressed CYP2B1/2 protein; in newborns (day 1) both liver and lung showed CYP2B1/2 protein expression and very low pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activity. Western blot analysis of adult liver, lung, heart, but not of brain microsomes, showed that tobacco smoke induced CYP2B1/2 in both nonpregnant and pregnant rats, though its expression was lower in the livers and hearts of pregnant females. In the rat and human placenta, neither rat CYP2B1/2 nor human CYP2B6 showed basal or tobacco smoke-induced expression at the protein level. This study shows clearly that the expression of CYP2B1/2, which metabolizes nicotine and some drugs and activates carcinogens, is controlled in rats by age-, pregnancy-, and tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms.
Arterial ketone index in assessing liver function and its detoxicative capability after ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Authors: Caban A , Wiaderkiewicz R , Kamiński M , Oczkowicz G , Ziaja J
Published: December 2019

Arterial ketone index (AKBR) which is the ratio of acetoacetic acid to 3-hydroxybutyric acid in the arterial blood, is believed to reflect the mitochondrial reduction potential of hepatocytes and general energy state of the liver. In the presented paper we challenged this hypothesis by analysing the correlation between AKBR and the results of typical liver blood tests (AspAT, AlAT, LDH, CRP) and biotransforming potential of the liver (cytochromes P450, b5 and their corresponding NADPH and NADH reductases) in the model of ischemia-reperfusion injury of rat liver. The results were compared with histochemical analysis of distribution and activity of SDH, LDH and G-6-Pase, the key marker enzymes of the liver. We have shown that, except in the case of acute phase protein (CRP), a decrease in AKBR correlated well with the increase of the level of indicator enzymes in serum. Histochemical analysis also confirmed that AKBR correlates with the degree of damage to hepatocytes during early stage of reperfusion after 60 min of liver ischemia. In the Spearman test, AKBR was significantly correlated with the changes in cytochrome P450 content and its NADPH reductase activity which indicates a high sensitivity of this test. We conclude that the decrease of AKBR value reflects the impairment of basic energy pathways and detoxicative capability of the liver.
Elevation of the adenylate pool in rat cardiomyocytes by S-adenosyl-L-methionine.
Authors: Smolenski R T
Published: December 2019

Rapid resynthesis of the adenylate pool in cardiac myocytes is important for recovery of contractility and normal function of regulatory mechanisms in the heart. Adenosine and adenine are thought to be the most effective substrates for nucleotide synthesis, but the possibility of using other compounds has been studied very little in cardiomyocytes. In the present study, the effect of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) on the adenylate pool of isolated cardiomyocytes was investigated and compared to the effect of adenine and adenosine. Adult rat cardiomyocytes were isolated using the collagenase perfusion technique. The cells were incubated in the presence of adenine derivatives for 90 min followed by nucleotide determination by HPLC. The concentrations of adenine nucleotides expressed in nmol/mg of cell protein were initially 22.1 +/- 1.4, 4.0 +/- 0.3 and 0.70 +/- 0.08 for ATP, ADP and AMP, respectively (n = 10, +/- S.E.M.), and the total adenylate pool was 26.8 +/- 1.6. In the presence of 1.25 mM SAM in the medium, the adenylate pool increased by 5.2 +/- 0.4 nmol/mg of cell protein, but only if 1 mM ribose was additionally present in the medium. No changes were observed with SAM alone. A similar increase (by 4.9 +/- 0.6 nmol/mg protein) was observed after incubation with 1.25 mM adenine plus 1 mM ribose, but no increase was observed if ribose was omitted. Adenosine at 0.1 or 1.25 mM concentrations also caused an increase in the adenylate pool (by 5.2 +/- 1.0 and 5.2 +/- 0.9 nmol/mg protein, respectively), which in contrast to the SAM or adenine was independent of the additional presence of ribose. Thus, S-adenosyl-L-methionine could be used as a precursor of the adenylate pool in cardiomyocytes, which is as efficient in increasing the adenylate pool after 90 min of incubation as adenosine or adenine. Nucleotide synthesis from SAM involves the formation of adenine as an intermediate with its subsequent incorporation by adenine phosphoribosyltransferase.
p53 codon 72 polymorphism in cervical cancer patients and healthy women from Poland.
Authors: Dybikowska A , Dettlaff A , Konopa K , Podhajska A
Published: December 2019

A polymorphism at codon 72 of gene p53 results in the presence of either arginine or proline at this position. We investigated the distribution of p53 codon 72 polymorphism in cervical cancer patients and a control group of healthy women from Poland. Our results do not confirm the hypothesis that the p53 codon polymorphism could play a role as a factor for squamous carcinoma of the cervix.
Molecular mechanisms of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in tumor metastasis
Authors: Nieszporek Artur , Skrzypek Klaudia , Adamek Grazyna , Majka Marcin
Published: December 2019

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process during which cancer cells lose epithelial features, cytoskeletal architecture is re-organized, cell shape changes and cells activate genes that help to define mesenchymal phenotype, what leads to an increased cell motility and dissemination of tumor to distant metastatic sites. This review describes different signaling networks between microRNAs and proteins that regulate EMT in tumor growth. Activation of EMT is mediated via series of paracrine signaling molecules. WNT, TGF-b, NOTCH and Shh signaling pathways play crucial roles in activation of EMT-related transcription factors, such as SNAIL, SLUG, ZEB1/2 or TWIST. Recent data provide evidence that crosstalk between microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and EMT-transcription factors is crucial event in EMT regulation. MicroRNAs affect also level of proteins responsible for cellular contact, adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins, what induces changes of epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. Understanding of those signaling networks may help to identify novel biomarkers or develop new treatment strategies based on microRNA therapeutics in future.
Is the mechanism of nitroglycerin tolerance associated with aldehyde dehydrogenase activity? A contribution to the ongoing discussion
Authors: Bilska-Wilkosz Anna , Kotańska Magdalena , Górny Magdalena , Filipek Barbara , Iciek Małgorzata
Published: December 2019

The aim of the study presented here was an attempt to answer the question posed in the title: Is the mechanism of nitroglycerin tolerance associated with aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity? Here, we investigated the effect of administration (separately or jointly) of lipoic acid (LA), nitroglycerin (GTN), and disulfiram (DSF; an irreversible in vivo inhibitor of all ALDH isozymes (including ALDH2)), on the development of tolerance to GTN. We also assessed the total activity of ALDH in the rat liver homogenates. Our data revealed that not only DSF and GTN inhibited the total ALDH activity in the rat liver, but LA also proved to be an inhibitor of this enzyme. At the same time, the obtained results demonstrated that the GTN tolerance did not develop in GTN, DSF and LA jointly treated rats, but did develop in GTN and DSF jointly treated rats. This means that the ability of LA to prevent GTN tolerance is not associated with the total ALDH activity in the rat liver. In this context, the fact that animals jointly receiving GTN and DSF developed tolerance to GTN, and in animals that in addition to GTN and DSF also received LA such tolerance did not develop, is – in our opinion – a sufficient premise to conclude that the nitrate tolerance certainly is not caused by a decrease in the activity of any of the ALDH isoenzymes present in the rat liver, including ALDH2. However, many questions still await an answer, including the basic one: What is the mechanism of tolerance to nitroglycerin?
A Magyarország területén élő nemzetiségek politikai képviselete a nemzeti önkormányzati választásokon és az országgyűlési választásokon való részvétel tükrében
Authors: Szabó Palócz Orsolya
Published: December 2019

The political representation of minorities within a nation-state is a task that has always posed a great challenge to countries with substantial ethnic minorities, since both the hardships of establishing an adequate legislative environment, both the sensitivity of the subject make it exceedingly difficult for the legislator to develop a sufficient system. The issue of the proper representation of those 13 recognised minorities that are considered constituent components ofthe state were part of Hungary’s political history since the regime change, and for a rather long period of time it seemed that the adequate solution for their political representation was the local governmental system of ethnic minorities. Since 2011 however, the electoral system makes it possible for ethnic minorities to be represented within the Hungarian Parliament as well, which raises the question of whether this will shift the attention of the affected minority groups from the local self-governments towards the parliamentary representation. In this paper, after reviewing the changes within the legislative environment and – in close connection with that – the problems surrounding the issue of political representation of ethnic minorities, I will attempt to answer this emerging question through a brief analyses based on the turnout-data regarding the 2014 and the 2019 elections local governmental elections.
Az önkormányzati választási reform rawlsi olvasata
Authors: Nagy Levente
Published: December 2019

One of the main perspectives and urgent tasks of the newly formed government following the general elections of 2010 was to reform the local eletoral system. It is true, that the number of seats of the local representative bodies were significantly decreased, but it begs the question whether this change can reasonably explain the fact that the government considered this step as one of the first and most significant measures of its governance. To raise this question is justified by the fact that the reform (Act No. L of 2010 on the election of local government representatives and mayors) was introduced on June 14, 2010, with only sixteen days after the new Parliament approved and voted for the government’s program, and elected Viktor Orbán as prime minister of Hungary. After a brief presentation of the institutional framewortk of the local electoral system, the aim of this paper is twofold: first, I would examine whether the local electoral reform of 2010 could be considered as a „fair” step, based on John Ralws’ conception of „justice as fairness”, second, I would like to explain the actual process of transforming votes into local legislative seats in the case of the city of Nyíregyháza, in 2019.
Mit kezdjünk Európával?
Authors: Csizmadia Ervin
Published: December 2019

In the past decades, researchers in Hungary have looked at almost all segments of the behavior and organization of elites, nevertheless they have dealt surprisingly little with how external actors (Europe, the West) affect the actions and way of thinking of the elites. The lack of approaches from this perspective is so apparent because the European orientation of the elites has changed twice in the past thirty years. (In the 1980s and starting from the second half of the 1990s.) The essay focuses on presenting two concepts of Europe, of which one is based on model adaptation (the opposition represents this approach) the other on model formation (which is characteristic of the governing parties). The essay shows the origins of both, as well as their connections to macro and micro political motifs. Within the frameworks of this, the study touches upon why the appearance of the model adaptation perspective was adequate in the 1980s as well as to why the model forming approach to Europe appeared on the right in the middle of the 1990s as its challenger. The analysis does more than just dynamically present the past thirty years, it also aims to show that we have to integrate Hungarian political history in a broader sense into our studies if we want to understand the changes that have occurred in the past decades concerning the relationship of the elites to the West. The stratum which Fidesz has brought to surface lays deep in Hungarian political history. We have to take this stratum into consideration even if we find this perhaps unattractive and we reject it.
A felsőoktatási továbbtanulás mint humántőke-befektetés
Authors: Fényes Hajnalka , Mohácsi Márta
Published: December 2019

In our paper, we examine the motives of further studies in higher education among higher education students, as well as how socio-demographic variables modify these motives. Our research method is quantitative. We used a research database gathered in the historical Partium region in 2014 (N = 1792). The theoretical backgrounds of our research are the human capital theory and Bourdieu’s capital conversion model. Based on ten motives of further studies, we made a cluster analysis and examined the relationships of these clusters and the socio-demographic background variables. Our finding is that the most important motive of further studies among students was expanding knowledge. Therefore, the motive of getting higher wages in the future, which is the central aspect in the human capital model, proved to be of minor importance. Based on the capital conversion theory students wanted to gain cultural and social capital when they decided to study further, as both can be profitable for them in the future. However, while the motives of further studies were affected by the social background of students, contrary to our hypothesis, financial motives were not more important for those students coming from disadvantage backgrounds than for other students
Gadîr-i Hum Hadisesinin Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: ARSLAN İhsan
Published: December 2019

Bu araştırmada Hz. Ali’nin velâyeti incelenirken Şîa ve Ehl-i
sünnetin temel kaynakları referans olarak kullanılmıştır. Şîa’ya göre Hz.
Peygamber, Hz. Ali’yi Gadîr-i Hum denilen yerde vasî tayin etmiş, başta Hz. Ebû
Bekir ve Hz. Ömer olmak üzere orada bulunanlar ise buna tanıklık etmişlerdir.
Görüşlerini âyetlerle desteklemeye çalışan Şîa, bu düşüncesini İslâm’ın beş
temel şartından biri olarak kabul etmiştir. Ehl-i sünnet ise Gadîr-i Hum’da
meydana gelen olayı Hz. Ali’nin Yemen seferi dönüşü askerler arasında yaşanan
bazı problemlerle ilişkili olarak değerlendirmektedir. Yapılan incelemede
Şîa’nın Hz. Ali’nin vasiliğini meşrulaştırmak için kullandığı âyetlerin konuyla
ilgili olmadığı değerlendirmesinde bulunulmuştur. Bu bağlamda Hz. Ali’nin
yaşadığı dönemlerde meydana gelen iktidar mücadelelerinde olayın kahramanlarının
âdeta akıl tutulması yaşayarak onu hatırlayamamaları, bu hadisenin mezhebî
duygu ve düşüncelerle inşa edilerek kurgulandığı sonucunu doğurmuştur.
Sünnî Maḳâlât Eserlerinde Kerrâmiyye’nin Tasnifi Meselesi
Authors: ALİMOĞLU SÜRMELİ Zeynep
Published: December 2019

Horasan bölgesinde faaliyetlerini yoğunlaştırmış olan Kerrâmiyye,
hicrî üçüncü asırdan altıncı asra kadar yaklaşık üç asır boyunca dinî, siyasî
ve sosyal anlamda bölgeyi etkilemiştir. Başlangıçta kelamî görüşlerinden ziyade
önde gelen Kerrâmî âlimlerin zâhidâne yaşayışları ile pek çok taraftar edinen
Kerrâmiyye, Muhammed b. Heyṣem’in
(IV/X. asrın sonları ile V/XI. asrın başları) 
Kerrâmiyye’nin görüşlerine getirmiş olduğu yorumlar ile farklı bir boyut
kazanmıştır. İbn Heyṣem’den
önce Kerrâmiyye’nin müstakil bir fırka muamelesi görmesine neden
olabilecek teolojik derinlikten mahrum olduğu gerçeği dikkate alındığında süreçle beraber yaşanan
dönüşümlerin fırak edebiyatına yansımalarının olup olmadığı çalışmamız
açısından önem arz etmektedir. Kerrâmiyye, Allah ve sıfatlarına getirmiş olduğu
yorum ve iman anlayışı sebebiyle, Maḳālât eserlerinde çoğunlukla Müşebbihe-Mücessime kategorisinde
veya Mürcie’nin bir alt kolu olarak ele alınmıştır. Bu sınıflandırma biçimi
üzerinde Kerrâmiyye’nin kendi görüşlerinin yanı sıra maḳālât müelliflerinin
mezhebi aidiyetleri ve görüşlerinin nasıl bir etki yaratmış olduğu sorusu da
önemsediğimiz bir husustur. Bu çalışmada, doğuş, yükseliş ve etkinliğini
kaybediş evrelerini kapsayan dönemlerde, Kerrâmiyye’nin farklı dinî-toplumsal
gruplar tarafından hangi kategoride ele alındığı ve bu kategorizasyonu besleyen
sebepler tarihi süreç takip edilerek irdelenmeye çalışılacaktır.
Çağdaş Şiî Düşüncesinde İlk Islah Çabaları: Şeyh Hâdî Necmâbâdî (1834-1902)
Authors: DEMİR Habip
Published: December 2019

Tarihsel tecrübelerle asırlar boyunca üretilmiş dinî gelenekler,
süreç içerisinde kurumsallaşarak kendine mahsus bir yapı oluştururlar. Bu
yapının günün ihtiyaç ve beklentilerine göre değişim ve dönüşüme uğraması bir
zarurettir. İslam mezhepleri içerisinde önemli bir yeri bulunan Şiîlik’te bu
ihtiyaç özellikle çağdaş dönemde ulemânın kendini mezhebin merkezine koymasıyla
yeni bir boyut kazanmıştır. 19. asırda Batı karşısında uğranılan yenilginin
ardından İslam dünyasında bu yenilginin sebeplerine dönük çeşitli çözüm
arayışları ortaya çıkmıştır. Bunlar arasında en önemli yeri dinî geleneğe olan
eleştirel tutum ve ıslahat girişimleri yer almaktadır. Bu girişimlerin Şiî
gelenekteki boyutları ve temel dinamiklerine Türkçe çalışmalarda yeterince yer
verilmemiştir. Çalışmamız, çağdaş dönemde Şiî gelenekte başlayan ıslah
çalışmalarının ilk örneği sayılabilecek olan İranlı düşünür Şeyh Hâdî
Necmâbâdî’nin kendi eseri üzerinden bu geleneğe dönük eleştirilerine yer
vermektedir.
Azerbaycanlı Âlim Hacı Şeyh Hasan Mollazade Gencevî’nin Hayatı, Eserleri ve Görüşleri
Authors: AHMETOĞLU Şahin
Published: December 2019

Azerbaycan bölgesi İslâm tarihi ve medeniyeti açısından zengin
bir geçmişe sahiptir. Bölgede bu alanla ilgili müellifleri ve eserlerini
araştırmak, onların İslâm kültürüne katkılarını tespit etmek, İslâm bilim
tarihine önemli bir kazanım sağlayacaktır. Azerbaycan’da İslâm tarihi ve
medeniyeti ile ilgili eserlerin daha çok 19. yüzyılın sonları ile 20. yüzyılın
başlarında yapıldığı görülmektedir. Bu eserleri ortaya koyan müellifler ve
onların dinler, inançlar, İslâm tarihi ve medeniyeti alanındaki araştırmaları
üzerine yeteri kadar çalışma bulunmamaktadır.

Çalışmamızda Hacı Şeyh Hasan Mollazade Gencevî’nin hayatı
hakkında bilgi verilerek, eserlerinin genel özellikleri değerlendirilecektir.
Aynı zamanda müellifin eserlerinden yola çıkılarak çeşitli alanlardaki
görüşlerine yer verilecek, dinler, inançlar, fırkalar, İmamiyye,
Bâbilik-Bahâilikle ilgili görüşleri incelenecektir.
Deformation Measurement in the Penggaron Tol Bridge Area Using GNSS Technology
Authors: Awaluddin Moehammad , Sudarsono Bambang , Darmo Yuwono Bambang , Fathimah Siti
Published: December 2019

The Penggaron Bridge is one of the longest bridges on the Semarang-Solo Toll Road Section I Km.20. This bridge is in an area with less stable soil conditions. So, the deformation monitoring must be carried out to determine the deformation conditions in the area around the toll bridge. Measurement of deformation in the bridge area of Penggaron was conducted in 2015 and 2016 using the technology of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This research was conducted by observing GNSS at eight observation points in the Penggaron Toll Bridge area. Measurements were taken three times over three months in 2018. The velocity rate of the horizontal component of the observation station of the Penggaron Toll Bridge area deformation after elimination of the effect of Sunda Block Rotation become ranged from 1.5 mm/year to 12.1 mm/year. The statistical test results that all observation stations have no movement or no deformation. Four new stations measured and installed in 2018 require another measurement the following year to get a good velocity rate.