bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of medicaid expansion on disparities in revascularization in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Glance Laurent G. , Thirukumaran Caroline P. , Shippey Ernie , Lustik Stewart J. , Dick Andrew W.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Blacks are more likely to live in poverty and be uninsured, and are less likely to undergo revascularization after am acute myocardial infarction compared to whites. The objective of this study was to determine whether Medicaid expansion was associated with a reduction in revascularization disparities in patients admitted with an acute myocardial infarction.

Methods

Retrospective analysis study using data (2010–2018) from hospitals participating in the University Health Systems Consortium, now renamed the Vizient Clinical Database. Comparative interrupted time series analysis was used to compare changes in the use of revascularization therapies (PCI and CABG) in white versus non-Hispanic black patients hospitalized with either ST-segment elevation (STEMI) or non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarctions (NSTEMI) after Medicaid expansion.

Results

The analytic cohort included 68,610 STEMI and 127,378 NSTEMI patients. The percentage point decrease in the uninsured rate for STEMIs and NSTEMIs was greater for blacks in expansion states compared to whites in expansion states. For patients with STEMIs, differences in black versus white revascularization rates decreased by 2.09 percentage points per year (95% CI, 0.29–3.88, P = 0.023) in expansion versus non-expansion states after adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. Black patients hospitalized with STEMI in non-expansion states experienced a 7.24 percentage point increase in revascularization rate in 2014 (95% CI, 2.83–11.7, P < 0.001) but did not experience significant annual percentage point increases in the rate of revascularization in subsequent years (1.52; 95% CI, -0.51–3.55, P = 0.14) compared to whites in non-expansion states. Medicaid expansion was not associated with changes in the revascularization rate for either blacks or whites hospitalized with NSTEMIs.

Conclusion

Medicaid expansion was associated with greater reductions in the number of uninsured blacks compared to uninsured whites. Medicaid expansion was not associated, however, with a reduction in revascularization disparities between black and white patients admitted with acute myocardial infarctions.
Genomic and morphological evidence of distinct populations in the endemic common (weedy) seadragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (Syngnathidae) along the east coast of Australia
Authors: Klanten O. Selma , Gaither Michelle R. , Greaves Samuel , Mills Kade , O’Keeffe Kristine , Turnbull John , McKinnon Rob , Booth David J.
Published: December 2020

The common or weedy seadragon,Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, is an iconic and endemic fish found across temperate reefs of southern Australia. Despite its charismatic nature, few studies have been published, and the extent of population sub-structuring remains poorly resolved. Here we used 7462 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify the extent of population structure in the weedy seadragon along the temperate southeast coast of Australia. We identified four populations, with strong genetic structure (FST= 0.562) between them. Both Discriminant Analysis of Principle Components (DAPC) and Bayesian clustering analyses support four distinct genetic clusters (north to south: central New South Wales, southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania). In addition to these genetic differences, geographical variation in external morphology was recorded, with individuals from New South Wales shaped differently for a few measurements to those from the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria). We posit that these genetic and morphological differences suggest that the Victorian population ofP.taeniolatuswas historically isolated by the Bassian Isthmus during the last glacial maximum and should now be considered at least a distinct population. We also recorded high levels of genetic structure among the other locations. Based on the genomic and to a degree morphological evidence presented in this study, we recommend that the Victorian population be managed separately from the eastern populations (New South Wales and Tasmania).
Estimation of the incubation period of COVID-19 in Vietnam
Authors: Bui Long V. , Nguyen Ha T. , Levine Hagai , Nguyen Ha N. , Nguyen Thu-Anh , Nguyen Thuy P. , Nguyen Truong T. , Do Toan T. T. , Pham Ngoc T. , Bui My Hanh
Published: December 2020

Objective

To estimate the incubation period of Vietnamese confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Methods

Only confirmed COVID-19 cases who are Vietnamese and locally infected with available data on date of symptom onset and clearly defined window of possible SARS-CoV-2 exposure were included. We used three parametric forms with Hamiltonian Monte Carlo method for Bayesian Inference to estimate incubation period for Vietnamese COVID-19 cases. Leave-one-out Information Criterion was used to assess the performance of three models.

Results

A total of 19 cases identified from 23 Jan 2020 to 13 April 2020 was included in our analysis. Average incubation periods estimated using different distribution model ranged from 6.0 days to 6.4 days with the Weibull distribution demonstrated the best fit to the data. The estimated mean of incubation period using Weibull distribution model was 6.4 days (95% credible interval (CrI): 4.89–8.5), standard deviation (SD) was 3.05 (95%CrI 3.05–5.30), median was 5.6, ranges from 1.35 to 13.04 days (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles). Extreme estimation of incubation periods is within 14 days from possible infection.

Conclusion

This analysis provides evidence for an average incubation period for COVID-19 of approximately 6.4 days. Our findings support existing guidelines for 14 days of quarantine of persons potentially exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Although for extreme cases, the quarantine period should be extended up to three weeks.
Effectiveness of a quality improvement intervention to increase adherence to key practices during female sterilization services in Chhattisgarh and Odisha states of India
Authors: Srivastava Ashish , Chhibber Geeta , Bhatnagar Neeta , Nash-Mercado Angela , Samal Jyoti , Trivedi Bhagyashree , Srivastava Vinod , Rawlins Barbara , Yadav Vivek , Sood Bulbul , Biesma Regien , Kim Young-Mi , Stekelenburg Jelle
Published: December 2020

Background

In response to longstanding concerns around the quality of female sterilization services provided at public health facilities in India, the Government of India issued standards and quality assurance guidelines for female sterilization services in 2014. However, implementation remains a challenge. The Maternal and Child Survival Program rolled out a package of competency-based trainings, periodic mentoring, and easy-to-use job aids in parts of five states to increase service providers’ adherence to key practices identified in the guidelines.

Methods

The study employed a before-and-after quasi-experimental design with a matched comparison arm to examine the effect of the intervention on provider practices in two states: Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Direct observations of female sterilization services were conducted in selected public health facilities, using a checklist of 30 key practices, at two points in time. Changes in adherence to key practices from baseline to endline were compared at 12 intervention and 12 comparison facilities using a difference in difference analysis.

Results

Several key practices were well-established prior to the intervention, with adherence levels over 90% at baseline, including hemoglobin and urine testing, use of sterile surgical gloves and instruments, and recommended surgical technique. However, adherence to many other practices was extremely low at baseline. The program significantly increased adherence to nine practices, including those related to ascertaining client’s medical eligibility, client-provider interaction, the consent process, and post-operative care. The greatest improvement was observed in the provision of written instructions for clients prior to discharge. At endline, however, adherence remained below 50% for 14 practices.

Conclusion

Low adherence to key practices at baseline confirmed the need for quality improvement interventions in female sterilization services. While the intervention improved adherence to certain practices around admission and post-operative care, inadequate human resources and infrastructure, among other factors, may have blunted the impact of the intervention.
Aster spathulifolius Maxim. a leaf transcriptome provides an overall functional characterization, discovery of SSR marker and phylogeny analysis
Authors: Jean Claude Sivagami , Park SeonJoo
Published: December 2020

Aster spathulifolius Maxim. is belongs to the Asteraceae family, which is distributed only in Korea and Japan. The species is traditionally a medicinal plant and is economically valuable in the ornamental field. On the other hand, the Aster genus, among the Asteraceae family, lacks genomic resources and its molecular functions. Therefore, in our study the high-throughput RNA-sequencing transcriptome data of A. spathulifolius were obtained to identify the molecular functions and its characterization. The de novo assembly produced 98660 uniqueness with an N50 value of 1126bp. Total unigenes were procure to analyze the functional annotation against databases like non-redundant protein, Pfam, Uniprot, KEGG and Gene ontology. The overall percentage of functional annotation to the nr database (43.71%), uniprotein database (49.97%), Pfam (39.94%), KEGG (42.3%) and to GO (30.34%) were observed. Besides, 377 unigenes were found to be involved in the terpenoids pathway and 666 unigenes were actively engaged in other secondary metabolites synthesis, given that 261 unigenes were within phenylpropanoid pathway and 81 unigenes to flavonoid pathway. A further prediction of stress resistance (9,513) unigenes and transcriptional factor (3,027) unigenes in 53 types were vastly regulated in abiotic stress respectively in salt, heat, MAPK and hormone signal transduction pathway. This study discovered 29,692 SSR markers that assist the genotyping approaches and the genetic diversity perspectives. In addition, eight Asteraceae species as in-group together with one out-group were used to construct the phylogenetic relationship by employing their plastid genome and single-copy orthologs genes. Among 50 plastid protein-coding regions, A. spathulifolius is been closely related to A. annua and by 118 single copy orthologs genes, O. taihangensis is more neighboring species to A. spathulifolius. Apart from this, A. spathulifolius and O. taihangensis, genera have recently diverged from other species. Overall, this research gains new insights into transcriptome data by revealing and exposing the secondary metabolite compounds for drug development, the stress-related genes for producing resilient crops and an ortholog gene of A. spathulifolius for the robustness of phylogeny reconstruction among Asteraceae genera.
Conditional cooperation in group contests
Authors: Kiss Hubert János , Rosa-Garcia Alfonso , Zhukova Vita
Published: December 2020

In this paper we show experimentally that conditional cooperation, a phenomenon described in the private provision of public goods, is also present in group contests, where participants’ contributions to their group performance partially determines if they overcome a rival group. This environment allows us to identify new determinants of conditional cooperation. We observe conditional cooperation in successful groups and in groups where members contribute more than rivals (even if they lose), but it vanishes in those groups that lose the contest due to low group performance. A random-effect linear panel regression analysis with an extensive set of controls confirms the findings.
Barriers, facilitators, and solutions to familial hypercholesterolemia treatment
Authors: Jones Laney K. , Sturm Amy C. , Seaton Terry L. , Gregor Christina , Gidding Samuel S. , Williams Marc S. , Rahm Alanna Kulchak
Published: December 2020

Background

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited lipid disorder that confers high risk for premature cardiovascular disease but remains undertreated. Causes are multifactorial and multilevel, ranging from underprescribing (at the clinician-level) to medication nonadherence (at the patient-level). We evaluated patient and clinician stakeholder barriers and facilitators for treatment of FH to explore possible solutions to the problem.

Methods and results

Semi-structured interviews and focus groups guided by the Practical, Robust, Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM), were conducted with 33 patients and 17 clinician stakeholders across three healthcare systems. A total of14 patients and 9 clinician stakeholders participated in on-site focus groups and the remainder were individual interviews. Transcripts were coded using an iterative process to create a static codebook. We characterized patient and clinician stakeholder barriers into three categories: medical care-, medication-, and life-related. Feasibility of brainstormed solutions varied and was not always representative of the needs of all stakeholders. Patients suggested a need for childhood screening for FH and doctors being persistent about the importance of treating FH, creation of a patient peer group, data transparency, advocacy, and policy changes that would enable patients to receive better treatment. Clinician stakeholders suggested the need for clinical champions. Both groups of stakeholders discussed the need for education about FH.

Conclusions

Proposed solutions to improve treatment of FH proffered by participants in this study included resources for both patients and clinician stakeholders that clarify cardiovascular disease risks from FH, develop programs to screen for and identify FH at younger ages, and foster open conversations between patients and clinicians about treatment.
Acadesine suppresses TNF-α induced complement component 3 (C3), in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells
Authors: Efstathiou Nikolaos E. , Moustafa Giannis A. , Maidana Daniel E. , Konstantinou Eleni K. , Notomi Shoji , Barbisan Paulo R. T. , Georgakopoulos Constantine D. , Miller Joan W. , Vavvas Demetrios G.
Published: December 2020

Rationale

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most prevalent form of irreversible blindness in the developed world. Aging, inflammation and complement dysregulation affecting the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), are considered significant contributors in its pathogenesis and several evidences have linked tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and complement component 3 (C3) with AMD. Acadesine, an analog of AMP and an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, has been shown to have cytoprotective effects in human clinical trials as well as having anti-inflammatory and anti-vascular exudative effects in animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if acadesine is able to suppress TNF-α induced C3 in RPE cells.

Methods

ARPE-19 and human primary RPE cells were cultured and allowed to grow to confluence. TNF-α was used for C3 induction in the presence or absence of acadesine. Small molecule inhibitors and siRNA were used to determine if acadesine exerts its effect via the extracellular or intracellular pathway and to evaluate the importance of AMPK for these effects. The expression level of C3 was determined by immunoblot analysis.

Results

Acadesine suppresses TNF-α induced C3 in a dose dependent manner. When we utilized the adenosine receptor inhibitor dipyridamole (DPY) along with acadesine, acadesine’s effects were abolished, indicating the necessity of acadesine to enter the cell in order to exert it’s action. However, pretreatment with 5-iodotubericidin (5-Iodo), an adenosine kinase (AK) inhibitor, didn’t prevent acadesine from decreasing TNF-α induced C3 expression suggesting that acadesine does not exert its effect through AMP conversion and subsequent activation of AMPK. Consistent with this, knockdown of AMPK α catalytic subunit did not affect the inhibitory effect of acadesine on TNF-α upregulation of C3.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that acadesine suppresses TNF-α induced C3, likely through an AMPK-independent pathway, and could have potential use in complement over activation diseases.
Directed evolution reveals the mechanism of HitRS signaling transduction in Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Pi Hualiang , Chu Michelle L. , Ivan Samuel J. , Latario Casey J. , Toth Allen M. , Carlin Sophia M. , Hillebrand Gideon H. , Lin Hannah K. , Reppart Jared D. , Stauff Devin L. , Skaar Eric P.
Published: December 2020

Two component systems (TCSs) are a primary mechanism of signal sensing and response in bacteria. Systematic characterization of an entire TCS could provide a mechanistic understanding of these important signal transduction systems. Here, genetic selections were employed to dissect the molecular basis of signal transduction by the HitRS system that detects cell envelope stress in the pathogen Bacillus anthracis. Numerous point mutations were isolated within HitRS, 17 of which were in a 50-residue HAMP domain. Mutational analysis revealed the importance of hydrophobic interactions within the HAMP domain and highlighted its essentiality in TCS signaling. In addition, these data defined residues critical for activities intrinsic to HitRS, uncovered specific interactions among individual domains and between the two signaling proteins, and revealed that phosphotransfer is the rate-limiting step for signal transduction. Furthermore, this study establishes the use of unbiased genetic selections to study TCS signaling and provides a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of an entire TCS.
A multilevel perspective of transition to a circular economy with particular reference to a community renewable energy niche
Authors: Finn Jack , Barrie Jack , João Elsa , Zawdie Girma
Published: December 2020

This article is an attempt to look into the processes involved in achieving full system transition to a circular economy (CE) through the development of niche activities. Based on a case study relating to a community renewable energy (CRE) niche, the article argues that for transition to take hold and make progress, the socio-technical regimes underpinning the system of a linear economy would need to be disrupted through the agency of niches that bring forth radical innovations across a spectrum of activities. This argument is explored through a case study from the energy sector in Scotland. A Delphi study is conducted to assess the success of the Scottish Government in progressing CRE as a niche aimed at disrupting the incumbent fossil-based energy regime. The study finds that despite the commitment of the Scottish Government to empower, nurture and shield CRE as a niche, there is no clear evidence as yet to show whether these actions have achieved their desired effect of enabling the CRE niche to play a disruptive role. The article also underscores the need for methodological refinement to enhance the robustness of the data used in the evaluation of policy efforts in niche development as a strategy for transition to CE.
Basic Income and Sovereign Money: The Alternative to Economic Crisis and Austerity Policy, Geoff Crocker (2020)
Authors: Clark Norman
Published: December 2020

Review of: Basic Income and Sovereign Money: The Alternative to Economic Crisis and Austerity Policy, Geoff Crocker (2020)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 98 pp.,

ISBN 978-3-03036-747-3, h/bk, £44.99, ISBN 978-3-03036-748-0, e/bk, £35.99
Un diagnóstico de situación de la empresa social en España
Authors: Pérez Suárez Macarena , Sánchez Torné Isadora
Published: December 2020

El objetivo de la investigación fue identificar el estado actual del tejido empresarial social de España, así como detallar el perfil de la Empresa Social activa. En esta identificación se planteó una investigación inductiva mediante un análisis cuantitativo a partir de fuentes secundarias, en particular, de directorios públicos de Empresas Sociales localizadas en España. A partir de los cuales se elaboró una base de datos-directorio propio con varias variables comunes (tamaño, año de constitución, región, género) sobre las características de las empresas. Obtenidos los datos, se trataron en SPSS, en un análisis estadístico descriptivo e inferencial de una población de 123 empresas. Se determinaron varias características definitorias de las actuales Empresas Sociales de España, como por ejemplo la concentración territorial, dado que la mayoría se ubica en cuatro regiones con fuerte arraigo de Economía Social (Cataluña, Comunidad de Madrid, Comunidad Valenciana y País Vasco).
La actividad productiva de los animales. Su papel fundamental para el trabajo de algunas personas trabajadoras
Authors: Prieto Padín Patricia
Published: December 2020

Los análisis del trabajo como fenómeno social casi siempre han partido en su enfoque subjetivo de la actividad humana, sin reparar en otros seres que contribuyen a hacerlo posible. Sujetos activos desde casi el origen de los tiempos, asumiendo las tareas concretas y especializadas para las cuales han sido adiestrados, los animales son los protagonistas de este estudio, con la pretensión de hacer visibles algunas de estas colaboraciones imprescindibles, ya asistiendo a las personas que los necesitan para poder realizar su prestación, ya coadyuvando a la tarea desarrollada junto a sus responsables.
Trabajadores maduros y prevención de riesgos laborales: un análisis desde la negociación colectiva
Authors: Chabannes Matthieu
Published: December 2020

Todas las previsiones demográficas a corto y medio plazo describen una Europa envejecida con un marcado predominio de los trabajadores de mayor edad en el mercado laboral. Ello constituye para las empresas el nuevo reto de gestionar plantillas con este rasgo, adoptando y desarrollando fórmulas concretas de protección y prevención de riesgos laborales adaptadas a sus condiciones. Además, se trata de conseguir que el desempeño del trabajo no contribuya a un desgaste acelerado de la salud de los trabajadores, con los consiguientes riesgos y costes. Con un entorno de trabajo adecuado, el objetivo es mantener durante más tiempo las habilidades y capacidades de estos trabajadores y hacer posible el objetivo marcado por las políticas europeas y españolas de prolongar de la vida laboral de estos trabajadores.  Así, el presente artículo se propone, en primer lugar, establecer el contexto general del envejecimiento de la población y sus consecuencias en el mercado de trabajo y seguido, se traza la relación entre prolongación de la vida laboral y la prevención de riesgos laborales. En segundo lugar, ante la inexistencia en nuestra normativa reguladora de una protección preventiva específica para los trabajadores de más edad, la negociación colectiva constituye un instrumento idóneo para ayudar a la adopción de buenas prácticas organizativas. En este sentido, se procede al análisis de los recientes convenios colectivos estatales y provinciales con el fin de verificar si entre sus cláusulas se tiene en cuenta la variable de la edad de sus trabajadores para adoptar medidas específicas de protección.
Tracing Emmett Till’s Legacy from Black Lives Matter back to the Civil Rights Movement
Authors: Fernández Fernández Martín
Published: December 2020

This paper explores the legacy of the Emmett Till case as one of the core elements which binds together the Civil Rights Movement and the current Black Lives Matter in the US. Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2017 has magnified the escalating racial tension of recent years and has, at the same time, fueled several forms of social activism across the United States. Acting as the catalyst for Black Lives Matter, the assassination of seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012 stirred the race question in the country as the Till lynching had similarly done fifty seven years before. At the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, the complex relations between race, class, and gender within the South helped to set the atmosphere for one of the starkest assassinations in US history. Till’s infamous murder soon gave rise to an empowering narrative among the African American community that not only contributed to putting an end to the voracious rule of Jim Crow in the US South but that, with the passage of time, has also become a banner of justice in the current fight against racism, as it seems that recent violent events resuscitate the latent white supremacist ghosts of one of the world’s most powerful nations.
“The point is to change it”: The Imperative for Activist Literary Studies
Authors: Smith Christian
Published: December 2020

The task undertaken in this paper is to discover a means by which the practice of literary criticism can derive an imperative for activism that confronts and changes the social conditions it critiques. The case of Karl Marx’s use of world literature in his critique of capitalism and the state, set within the history of the development of continental philosophy, is explored through a close-reading of its interterxtuality. Particular attention is paid to Marx’s use of quotations from and allusions to world literature, including Homer, Sophocles, Virgil, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Goethe and Heine, to register the harmful inversions caused by an economy based on money and commodities. If literature registers the contradictions of its time in its form and content, then the urge to resolve those contradictions sits restless in literature. When Marx inserts literature into his theoretical texts, he transfers into his text the impulse of the contradiction to resolve itself. Similarly, literary criticism is well-placed to unfold clear, obvious and necessary logic which leads to activism.
The Role of the Critic. A Critical Review of Evelyn Gajowski, ed. 2020. The Arden Research Handbook of Contemporary Shakespeare Criticism. London: Bloomsbury. 392 pp. ISBN: 978-1-3500-9322-5
Authors: Uotinen Timo
Published: December 2020

Book Review.
Del Mediterráneo al Atlántico. Mercaderes en la urbes (Siglos XVI-XVII)
Authors: García Bernal José Jaime , Guillaume-Alonso Araceli , Perez Béatrice , Zerari Maria
Published: December 2020

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Despoblación y repoblación en la España Moderna: cuestiones para un debate
Authors: Herzog Tamar
Published: December 2020

Se estudia el debate del siglo XVIII en torno de la repoblación de los despoblados con el fin de repensar los criterios barajados en la época. Nos preguntamos cómo se identificaban los despoblados, por qué se los quería reformar y cuál era el papel de la memoria en estos procesos. Igualmente se indaga cómo se entendía la utilidad pública y qué relevancia tienen estos debates en la actualidad.
Scattered radiation during osteosynthesis of the distal radius: A phantom study
Authors: IWF Legerstee , TTM Oosterveer , MA Molenaar , DWM Rasenberg , EQW Spoon , VWJ Verhoeven , EM van der
Published: December 2020

Modern fracture surgery requires an increasing number of operative procedures utilising radiological control. During osteosyntheses patients receive scattered radiation when fluoroscopy is used. Unlike operating-room staff, patients are not protected during these procedures. The aim of this study was to measure the amount of scattered radiation in the phantom plane during a simulated osteosynthesis in order to evaluate the patient’s need for protection. A lower arm anthropomorphic phantom was irradiated with the use of a Philips BV Pulsera C-arm. The amounts of scattered radiation at distances from 10 to 160 cm and angles of 0 to 180 degrees in the phantom plane were measured with a real-time dosimeter. The same amount of measurements was repeated with a fixation plate on top of the phantom to simulate a fracture reduction operation. The maximum amount of scattered radiation was 1.63 µSv at a distance of 10 cm from the edge of the radiation beam. This phantom study shows that scattered radiation during osteosyntheses of the distal radius is negligible and therefore no patient protection is needed. The results should be interpreted carefully as this is a phantom study.
Stock Market Vulnerability to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Emerging Asian Stock Market
Authors: RABHI Ayoub
Published: December 2020

This paper studies empirically the emerging Asian stock market vulnerability to pandemics. Taking the Covid-19 virus as a case study, we used the ARDL panel data approach to investigate the impact of the daily Covid-19 confirmed cases along with a behavioral component based on a triggering fear event related to news about Covid-19 deaths. The results indicate that both the reported daily growth of Covid-19 confirmed cases along with the triggering fear event related to news about death, affected the Asian stock markets performance negatively, other variables such as oil price, gold price, exchange rates, and the US stock market were also found to be determinants of the Asian stock markets during the studied period.
Impact of different fermentation characteristics on the production of mycelial biomass, extra-cellular polysaccharides, intra-cellular polysaccharides, and on the antioxidant activities of Cordyceps militaris (L.) Fr. (strains AG-1, PSJ-1)
Authors: HUNG Dang Ngoc , WANG Li Chun , LAY Liang Horng , PHUONG Vu Thi
Published: December 2020

The mycelial biomass, antioxidant activity and production of extra- and intra-cellular polysaccharides production [EPS, IPS] of Cordyceps militaris strains AG-1, PSJ-1 were evaluated under different submerged liquid culture (SLC) conditions. At 24 0C mycelial biomass and polysaccharide production of AG-1, PSJ-1 was optimal using PVC media and static culture conditions; (AG-1: 21.85 ± 1.00; PSJ-1: 18.20 ± 1.84 g l-1 ), and oven drying at 40 oC (AG-1: 25.95 ± 0.84, PSJ-1: 23.55 ± 0.69 mg g-1) compared with hot water extraction (AG-1: 7.07 ± 0.15, PSJ-1: 7.39 ± 0.61 mg g-1). Maximum biomass, EPS and IPS production were observed when the initial pH was 6.7: AG-1: 12.92 ± 0.33, 209.70 ± 1.56, 32.62 ± 0.87; PSJ-1: 9.03 ± 0.24 g l-1 , 198.16 ± 0.85 mg g-1, 30.63 ± 1.96 mg g-1, respectively. The use 3.5 % coconut oil improved biomass, EPS, IPS production, which were 8.27 ± 0.09, 8.01 ± 0.01 g l-1 ; 1208.00 ± 8.60, 1110.40 ± 7.20 mg g-1; 32.43 ± 0.49, 29.74 ± 0.44, for AG-1 and PSJ-1, respectively. Both culture condition and oven drying methods had significant effects on H2O2 and radical scavenging activity, ABTS.+ radical activity, lipid peroxidation, and also had effects on total flavonoid and, total phenolic contents. The use of crude submerged liquid culture and oven drying on strains AG-1, PSJ-1 led to extracts with potent antioxidant activity, suggesting the therapeutic use of polysaccharides from strains AG-1, PSJ-1.
The changes of 2,4 Dinitrophenol substance applied to corn seeds in AOX and ATP synthase gene expression against chilling stress
Authors: Kılıç Zeynep , Dumlupınar Rahmi
Published: December 2020

Plants get stressed when they are out of optimum living conditions. When the stress conditions exceed toleration level, they cause lots of sequential damages that are very difficult to repair for physical, biochemical and molecular mechanism of plants. The recent studies intended for strengthening resistance mechanism at gene level is also one of the popular research subjects. In this context, clearing up genes supplying resistance for plants (especially as food) which are exposed to instant temperature changes may provide convenience for other researchers to prevent loss of yield. In this study, changes of genes belonging to the enzyme named alternative oxidase (AOX) which is known to be active at low temperatures and located in mitochondrial ETS (electron transport system) by applying a substance named 2,4 dinitrophenol on corn seeds (Zea mays) were tried to be determined exogenously. It is known that AOX tranfers electrons to oxygen to prevent occuring reactive oxygen species with accelerating respiration at low temperatures. Besides, it is also known as that AOX causes available energy spread as heat since it prevents occurrence of necessary electrochemical gradient for ATP synthesis. It was seen that dinitrophenol (DNP) known as slimming medicine in literature reviews is a chemical substance which disrupts electrochemical gradient and inhibits ATP synthesis, spreads available energy as heat. This similarity between AOX and DNP has directed us to research working mechanism of DNP and AOX. Finally, it was seen that DNP increases resistance against cold by stimulating AOX gene expression and repressing ATP synthase expression.
Changes of quality traits and phytochemical components of jujube fruit treated with preharvest GA3 and Parka during cold storage
Authors: Karakaya Orhan
Published: December 2020

The study aimed to assess the effects of pre-harvest gibberellic acid (GA3) and Parka applications on fruit quality and bioactive components of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. ‘Li’) fruit during the storage. Fruit were kept at 0±0.5 °C and 90±5% RH for 45 days. Parka and GA3 applications delayed weight losses and respiration rate in the cold storage. While the effect of the Parka application on the decrease in fruit firmness values depending on the storage time was not significant, it can be said that GA3 application was effective in maintaining the fruit firmness in the cold storage. The increase in soluble solids content (SSC) during cold storage was less with GA3 application. The decrease in titratable acidity with ripening in the cold storage was similar in the Parka and control applications. It can be said that GA3 application was effective in maintaining the titratable acidity during storage and this effect increased with the combination of Parka+GA3. The highest vitamin C at the end of the storage was recorded in fruit treated with Parka. Total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity decreased in all applications during the storage. GA3 and Parka applications retarded the losses in total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity in the storage. As a result, it can be said that the pre-harvest GA3 and Parka applications give positive results in maintaining the quality properties of jujube fruit in the cold storage.
Il male in sé e il nulla in Proclo
Authors: Napoli Valerio
Published: December 2020

In his reflection on the nature of evil, the Neoplatonic philosopher Proclus affirms that evil itself (to autokakon) is “also beyond the abso­lute non-being” (epekeina kai tou mēdamōs ontos). With this assumption, he intends to reinforce the thesis of the non-existence of absolute evil, conceived as totally separate from good, and contrasted with the collat­eral and parasitic existence of evil mixed with good. He thus maintains a distinction between absolute evil and relative evil, conceived with reference to the distinction between absolute non-being (i.e., nothing­ness) and relative non-being. In Proclus, the thesis of the non-existence of absolute evil is presented as a necessary consequence of the non-dualist theory of evil in the sphere of a protology that identifies the first Principle of all things in the primary Good (identical to the supra-essen­tial One), and which aims to reconcile the absolute primacy of the latter with the presence of evil in some orders of reality.
La catégorie de l’éthicoesthétique dans l’étude de la philosophie byzantine
Authors: Arabatzis George
Published: December 2020

The category of the Ethico-Aesthetics, introduced by Søren Kierkegaard, was applied to the study of Byzantine Philosophy by the Greek philoso­pher and theologian Nikolaos Matsoukas (1934–2006). Matsoukas vehe­mently rejected the identification of Byzantine philosophy with a strict Christian moralism. Rather, he viewed it as an ethos which did not lead the ascetics to display Manichean contempt for the body. It was thus a kind of ‘mild asceticism’. This ethical acceptance of the body turns against Neoplatonic speculation and cultivates the habitus that leads to artistic creativity. Byzantine philosophy is thus situated at the midpoint between nominalism and realism, but standing against the realism of the archetypal ideas. The paper concludes with some considerations on the pragmatics of Byzantine philosophy in a Christian world.
Distribution of Allele Frequencies of Six STR Markers in North Indians
Authors: Agrawal S , Müller B , Bharadwaj U , Bhatnagar S , Khan F
Published: December 2020

Extraction: Modified salting out technique (1) followed by phenol—chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation.
Identification of Human Urine Stains by HPLC Analysis of 17-Ketosteroid Conjugates
Authors: Nakazono T , Kashimura S , Hayashiba Y , Hisatomi T , Hara K
Published: December 2020

A new method for identifying human urine stains utilizing high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of five major 17-ketosteroid conjugates: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, etiocholanolone sulfate, etiocholanolone glucuronide, androsterone sulfate, and androsterone glucuronide was examined. Samples of urine stains were extracted with borate buffer solution (pH 9.3) and the extracts were applied onto a Sep-Pak tC18 cartridge. The analytes were eluted from the cartridge with methanol. The eluates were prelabeled with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in trichloroacetic acid-benzene solution and were separated by HPLC on a reversed-phase ODS column using a mobile phase of 80% methanol in a buffer consisting of 25 mM sodium acetate in 2% acetic acid. The eluates were monitored by a spectrophotometer at 380 nm. While all five 17-ketosteroid conjugates were clearly detected in the human urine stain samples, traces of only some of these conjugates were detected in the animal samples. Therefore, the presence of all five 17-ketosteroid conjugates indicated human specificity. In addition to the above finding, the properties of those five 17-ketosteroid conjugates were confirmed by electrospray ionization liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS).
Signed Reward Prediction Errors in the Ventral Striatum Drive Episodic Memory
Authors: Calderon Cristian B. , De Loof Esther , Ergo Kate , Snoeck Anna , Boehler Carsten N. , Verguts Tom
Published: December 2020

Recent behavioral evidence implicates reward prediction errors (RPEs) as a key factor in the acquisition of episodic memory. Yet, important neural predictions related to the role of RPEs in episodic memory acquisition remain to be tested. Humans (both sexes) performed a novel variable-choice task where we experimentally manipulated RPEs and found support for key neural predictions with fMRI. Our results show that in line with previous behavioral observations, episodic memory accuracy increases with the magnitude of signed (i.e., better/worse-than-expected) RPEs (SRPEs). Neurally, we observe that SRPEs are encoded in the ventral striatum (VS). Crucially, we demonstrate through mediation analysis that activation in the VS mediates the experimental manipulation of SRPEs on episodic memory accuracy. In particular, SRPE-based responses in the VS (during learning) predict the strength of subsequent episodic memory (during recollection). Furthermore, functional connectivity between task-relevant processing areas (i.e., face-selective areas) and hippocampus and ventral striatum increased as a function of RPE value (during learning), suggesting a central role of these areas in episodic memory formation. Our results consolidate reinforcement learning theory and striatal RPEs as key factors subtending the formation of episodic memory.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTRecent behavioral research has shown that reward prediction errors (RPEs), a key concept of reinforcement learning theory, are crucial to the formation of episodic memories. In this study, we reveal the neural underpinnings of this process. Using fMRI, we show that signed RPEs (SRPEs) are encoded in the ventral striatum (VS), and crucially, that SRPE VS activity is responsible for the subsequent recollection accuracy of one-shot learned episodic memory associations.
Systems Neuroscience of Natural Behaviors in Rodents
Authors: Dennis Emily Jane , El Hady Ahmed , Michaiel Angie , Clemens Ann , Tervo Dougal R. Gowan , Voigts Jakob , Datta Sandeep Robert
Published: December 2020

Animals evolved in complex environments, producing a wide range of behaviors, including navigation, foraging, prey capture, and conspecific interactions, which vary over timescales ranging from milliseconds to days. Historically, these behaviors have been the focus of study for ecology and ethology, while systems neuroscience has largely focused on short timescale behaviors that can be repeated thousands of times and occur in highly artificial environments. Thanks to recent advances in machine learning, miniaturization, and computation, it is newly possible to study freely moving animals in more natural conditions while applying systems techniques: performing temporally specific perturbations, modeling behavioral strategies, and recording from large numbers of neurons while animals are freely moving. The authors of this review are a group of scientists with deep appreciation for the common aims of systems neuroscience, ecology, and ethology. We believe it is an extremely exciting time to be a neuroscientist, as we have an opportunity to grow as a field, to embrace interdisciplinary, open, collaborative research to provide new insights and allow researchers to link knowledge across disciplines, species, and scales. Here we discuss the origins of ethology, ecology, and systems neuroscience in the context of our own work and highlight how combining approaches across these fields has provided fresh insights into our research. We hope this review facilitates some of these interactions and alliances and helps us all do even better science, together.
ICT Framework to Support a Patient-Centric approach in Public Healthcare
Authors: Pankomera Richard , Van Greunen Darelle
Published: December 2020

Although Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the healthcare sector are extensively deployed globally, they are not used effectively in developing countries. Many resource poor countries face numerous challenges in implementing the ICT interventions. For instance, many health applications that have been deployed are not user-centric. As a result, such ICT interventions do not benefit many health consumers. The lack of an ICT framework to support patient-centric healthcare services in Malawi renders the e-health and mhealth interventions less sustainable and less cost effective. The aim of the study was therefore to develop an ICT Framework that could support patient-centric healthcare services in the public health sector in Malawi. The comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews highlighted many challenges underlying ICT development in Malawi. An ICT framework for patient-centric healthcare services is therefore proposed to ensure that eHealth and mobile health interventions are more sustainable and cost effective. The framework was validated by five experts selected from different areas of expertise including mhealth application developers, ICT policy makers and public health practitioners. Results show that the framework is relevant, useful and applicable within the setting of Malawi. The framework can also be implemented in various countries with similar settings.
Agents of social change in a crisis society: variants of problematization and contours of conceptual framework of research
Authors: Bevzenko Liubov
Published: December 2020

In view of the permanent crisis of the social situation in our country, the question of agents of social change acting in these crisis moments is actualized. Two variants of scientific problematization of this issue are proposed. The first is on the platform of the theoretical vision of social change, proposed by P. Sztompka, which provides a descriptive and ascertaining study of the movements, leaders, ideas and revolutions which change our society. The second option addresses the dilemma of agents and structure, which has been debated for many years in the search for a compromise between micro- and macro-deterministic models of social change. It is emphasized that the terms social transformation, transition, and crisis are not identical; namely, the crisis is characterized by unpredictable consequences of social changes. The search for theoretical micro-macro-compromise for the situation of social crisis is suggested to be searched within the paradigm combination — the paradigm of complexity, the paradigm of practices and network theory. Social changes are specified by a change in the institutional order, which is analytically divided into formal (organizational) and informal (self- organizational) constituents. Тhe difference between the manifestations of agency within these institutional constituents is emphasized. The conceptual series and outline of a possible conceptual scheme of the study of the problem are proposed.
Pediatric Emergency Department Visits at US Children’s Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: DeLaroche Amy M. , Rodean Jonathan , Aronson Paul L. , Fleegler Eric W. , Florin Todd A. , Goyal Monika , Hirsch Alexander W. , Jain Shobhit , Kornblith Aaron E. , Sills Marion R. , Wells Jordee M. , Neuman Mark I.
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pediatric emergency department (ED) visits is not well characterized. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of pediatric ED visits and resource use during the pandemic.

METHODS:

We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Pediatric Health Information System for ED visits to 27 US children’s hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic period (March 15, 2020, to August 31, 2020) and a 3-year comparator period (March 15 to August 31, 2017–2019). ED visit rates, patient and visit characteristics, resource use, and ED charges were compared between the time periods. We specifically evaluated changes in low–resource-intensity visits, defined as ED visits that did not result in hospitalization or medication administration and for which no laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, or procedures were performed.

RESULTS:

ED visit rates decreased by 45.7% (average 911 026 ED visits over 2017–2019 vs 495 052 visits in 2020) during the pandemic. The largest decrease occurred among visits for respiratory disorders (70.0%). The pandemic was associated with a relative increase in the proportion of visits for children with a chronic condition from 23.7% to 27.8% (P < .001). The proportion of low–resource-intensity visits decreased by 7.0 percentage points, and total charges decreased by 20.0% during the pandemic period.

CONCLUSIONS:

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a marked decrease in pediatric ED visits across a broad range of conditions; however, the proportional decline of poisoning and mental health visits was less pronounced. The impact of decreased visits on patient outcomes warrants further research.