bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An effective strategy for preparation of a polyclonal antibody with an addition of carbon chain of ciprofloxacin
Authors: Wei Dong , Fang Guozhen , Wang Shuo
Published: October 2018

In this study, we synthesized amino propyl ciprofloxacin (CPLX-NH2) as a ciprofloxacin (CPLX) derivative. Moreover, the immune antigen CPLX-NH2-BSA and coating antigen CPLX-NH2-OVA were prepared via CPLX-NH2 coupling with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and ovalbumin (OVA), respectively. Subsequently, the Kunming mice were immunized with immune antigen to obtain the polyclonal antibody with high titer. The regression equation of CPLX-NH2 antibody was y = –17.395x + 89.331 (R2 = 0.9961); IC50 and limit of detection (LOD) were 182.39 and 20.09 ng/mL, respectively. These results were superior to that of CPLX antibody. Meanwhile, the CPLX-NH2 antibody showed cross-reactivity to fluoroquinolones (FQNs) residues. The results of the study indicated that the proper modification of the drug, namely, the addition of a suitable spacer arm between the drug and the carrier protein will improve the efficacy of the antibody, which is a favorable concept for preparation of antibody.
Open Science Initiatives at Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Syed Moin
Published: October 2018

This editorial reports on concrete changes in expectations and practices at Emerging Adulthood that are effective immediately. These include: aligning with Level 1 of the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines, adding Registered Reports as a submission option, accepting commentaries on articles published in any journal, and making open science badges available to authors.
Perceptual Differences Between Low-Frequency Analog and Pulsatile Stimulation as Shown by Single- and Multidimensional Scaling
Authors: Stupak Natalia , Padilla Monica , Morse Robert P. , Landsberger David M.
Published: October 2018

Cochlear-implant users who have experienced both analog and pulsatile sound coding strategies often have strong preferences for the sound quality of one over the other. This suggests that analog and pulsatile stimulation may provide different information or sound quality to an implant listener. It has been well documented that many implant listeners both prefer and perform better with multichannel analog than multichannel pulsatile strategies, although the reasons for these differences remain unknown. Here, we examine the perceptual differences between analog and pulsatile stimulation on a single electrode. A multidimensional scaling task, analyzed across two dimensions, suggested that pulsatile stimulation was perceived to be considerably different from analog stimulation. Two associated tasks using single-dimensional scaling showed that analog stimulation was perceived to be less Clean on average than pulsatile stimulation and that the perceptual differences were not related to pitch. In a follow-up experiment, it was determined that the perceptual differences between analog and pulsatile stimulation were not dependent on the interpulse gap present in pulsatile stimulation. Although the results suggest that there is a large perceptual difference between analog and pulsatile stimulation, further work is needed to determine the nature of these differences.
An unconventional path to greater social-communication skills and independence for an adolescent on the autism spectrum
Authors: Trembath David , Bala Rachel J , Tamblyn Joanne , Westerveld Marleen F
Published: October 2018

Background

In 2015, a father took his 14-year-old son who is on the autism spectrum on a six-month journey aimed to develop his son’s social-communication and independent living skills. The duo travelled across 10 countries, meeting people and practising these skills. This study examined their goals, motivations for, and outcomes of the journey.

Method

We used intrinsic case study methodology with mixed methods, including interviews with parents and professionals; analyses of filmed interactions between the son, his father and strangers during the journey; and descriptive analysis of parent-reported changes in their son’s participation at home, school and in the community using the Participation and Environment Measure – Children and Youth.

Results

Qualitative analysis of the interviews with parents and professionals revealed a set of insightful goals and motivations, focusing on creating an optimal environment for the son’s development. Parents reported increases in their son’s social-communication and independent living skills, but also unexpected changes in his perspective and self-belief. The former findings were consistent with those arising from video analysis, whereby social-pragmatic skills critical to good conversations (staying on topic, body position, eye contact) all increased over the course of the journey, while abrupt topic changes and conversational prompts reduced. Participation and inclusion across home, school and community settings all increased over the same period.

Conclusion

While this study makes no claims regarding causation, the findings indicate that the journey was associated with positive changes for the son and his parents, leading to greater expectations for, and progress towards, independence following the journey. Implications of the findings for supporting young people on the autism spectrum in regular community settings are discussed.
Amlodipine-Induced Pedal Edema and Its Relation to Other Variables in Patients at a Tertiary Level Hospital of Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Khadka Sitaram , Joshi Rinku , Shrestha Dhan Bahadur , Shah Drishti , Bhandari Niroj , Maharjan Magina , Sthapit Serene
Published: October 2018

Background: Vasodilatory edema is a frequently encountered side effect among hypertensive patients using antihypertensive drugs. This dose-dependent adverse effect is seen more commonly with amlodipine, so low-dose combination therapy is often used and preferred in practice. Pedal edema following use of amlodipine is scarcely studied in Nepalese population so far. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of amlodipine-associated pedal edema and its relation with other variables among patients presenting to a tertiary care center of Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among hypertensive patients using amlodipine in combination with or without other antihypertensive medications under regular follow-up in an outpatient department of internal medicine of Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal, during the 7-month period from September 2017 to March 2018. The prevalence of pedal edema and its relation with amlodipine dose, duration, and other factors were studied using χ2 test and logistic regression using SPSS version 22. Results: A total of 505 patients were observed during the study period, with the mean age of the population being 61.5 ± 13.4 years. Among the cases studied, edema was present in 79 (15.6%) cases. Use of amlodipine longer than 5 years was 21.65 (confidence interval [CI] = 9.575-48.970, P ˂ .001) times more likely to exhibit pedal edema; similarly, there was 2.149 (CI = 1.209-3.820, P = .009) times higher risk of having pedal edema in hypertensive individuals with other comorbidities. Increasing the dose of amlodipine has increased the likelihood of having pedal edema, but it is not statistically significant (odds ratio = 2.804, CI = 0.423-18.584, P = .285). Conclusion and Relevance: Significant number of hypertensive patients using amlodipine developed pedal edema. Likelihood of vasodilatory edema increases with the presence of comorbidities, higher dose, along with longer duration of amlodipine use.
CD16+ monocytes give rise to CD103+RALDH2+TCF4+ dendritic cells with unique transcriptional and immunological features
Authors: Wacleche Vanessa Sue , Cattin Amélie , Goulet Jean-Philippe , Gauchat Dominique , Gosselin Annie , Cleret-Buhot Aurélie , Zhang Yuwei , Tremblay Cécile L. , Routy Jean-Pierre , Ancuta Petronela
Published: October 2018

Classical CD16− vs intermediate/nonclassical CD16+ monocytes differ in their homing potential and biological functions, but whether they differentiate into dendritic cells (DCs) with distinct contributions to immunity against bacterial/viral pathogens remains poorly investigated. Here, we employed a systems biology approach to identify clinically relevant differences between CD16+ and CD16− monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs). Although both CD16+ and CD16− MDDCs acquire classical immature/mature DC markers in vitro, genome-wide transcriptional profiling revealed unique molecular signatures for CD16+ MDDCs, including adhesion molecules (ITGAE/CD103), transcription factors (TCF7L2/TCF4), and enzymes (ALDH1A2/RALDH2), whereas CD16− MDDCs exhibit a CDH1/E-cadherin+ phenotype. Of note, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) upregulated distinct transcripts in CD16+ (eg, CCL8, SIGLEC1, MIR4439, SCIN, interleukin [IL]-7R, PLTP, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]) and CD16− MDDCs (eg, MMP10, MMP1, TGM2, IL-1A, TNFRSF11A, lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1, MMP8). Also, unique sets of HIV-modulated genes were identified in the 2 subsets. Further gene set enrichment analysis identified canonical pathways that pointed to “inflammation” as the major feature of CD16+ MDDCs at immature stage and on LPS/HIV exposure. Finally, functional validations and meta-analysis comparing the transcriptome of monocyte and MDDC subsets revealed that CD16+ vs CD16− monocytes preserved their superior ability to produce TNF-α and CCL22, as well as other sets of transcripts (eg, TCF4), during differentiation into DC. These results provide evidence that monocyte subsets are transcriptionally imprinted/programmed with specific differentiation fates, with intermediate/nonclassical CD16+ monocytes being precursors for pro-inflammatory CD103+RALDH2+TCF4+ DCs that may play key roles in mucosal immunity homeostasis/pathogenesis. Thus, alterations in the CD16+/CD16− monocyte ratios during pathological conditions may dramatically influence the quality of MDDC-mediated immunity.
Understanding the role of the family physician in early psychosis intervention
Authors: Anderson Kelly K. , Archie Suzanne , Booth Richard G. , Cheng Chiachen , Lizotte Daniel , MacDougall Arlene G. , Norman Ross M. G. , Ryan Bridget L. , Terry Amanda L. , Rodrigues Rebecca
Published: October 2018

Background

The family physician is key to facilitating access to psychiatric treatment for young people with first-episode psychosis, and this involvement can reduce aversive events in pathways to care. Those who seek help from primary care tend to have longer intervals to psychiatric care, and some people receive ongoing psychiatric treatment from the family physician.

Aims

Our objective is to understand the role of the family physician in help-seeking, recognition and ongoing management of first-episode psychosis.

Method

We will use a mixed-methods approach, incorporating health administrative data, electronic medical records (EMRs) and qualitative methodologies to study the role of the family physician at three points on the pathway to care. First, help-seeking: we will use health administrative data to examine access to a family physician and patterns of primary care use preceding the first diagnosis of psychosis; second, recognition: we will identify first-onset cases of psychosis in health administrative data, and look back at linked EMRs from primary care to define a risk profile for undetected cases; and third, management: we will examine service provision to identified patients through EMR data, including patterns of contacts, prescriptions and referrals to specialised care. We will then conduct qualitative interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders to better understand the trends observed in the quantitative data.

Discussion

These findings will provide an in-depth description of first-episode psychosis in primary care, informing strategies to build linkages between family physicians and psychiatric services to improve transitions of care during the crucial early stages of psychosis.

Declaration of interest

None.
Occurrence of Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity and Its Impact on Outcomes Among Children Treated in the AAML0531 Clinical Trial: A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group
Authors: Getz Kelly D. , Sung Lillian , Ky Bonnie , Gerbing Robert B. , Leger Kasey J. , Leahy Allison Barz , Sack Leah , Woods William G. , Alonzo Todd , Gamis Alan , Aplenc Richard
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Late cardiotoxicity after pediatric acute myeloid leukemia therapy causes substantial morbidity and mortality. The impact of early-onset cardiotoxicity on treatment outcomes is less well understood. Thus, we evaluated the risk factors for incident early cardiotoxicity and the impacts of cardiotoxicity on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS).

Methods

Cardiotoxicity was ascertained through adverse event monitoring over the course of follow-up among 1,022 pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated in the Children’s Oncology Group trial AAML0531. It was defined as grade 2 or higher left ventricular systolic dysfunction on the basis of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 3) definitions.

Results

Approximately 12% of patients experienced cardiotoxicity over a 5-year follow-up, with more than 70% of incident events occurring during on-protocol therapy. Documented cardiotoxicity during on-protocol therapy was significantly associated with subsequent off-protocol toxicity. Overall, the incidence was higher among noninfants and black patients, and in the setting of a bloodstream infection. Both EFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.1; P = .004) and OS (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.2, P = .005) were significantly worse in patients with documented cardiotoxicity. Impacts on EFS were equivalent whether the incident cardiotoxicity event occurred in the absence (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.2; P = .017) or presence of infection (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.7; P = .069) compared with patients without documented cardiotoxicity. However, the reduction in OS was more pronounced for cardiotoxicity not associated with infection (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.5; P = .004) than for infection-associated cardiotoxicity (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.7 to 2.4; P = .387).

Conclusion

Early treatment-related cardiotoxicity may be associated with decreased EFS and OS. Cardioprotective strategies are urgently needed to improve relapse risk and both short- and long-term mortality outcomes.
Controversies in Vitamin D: Summary Statement From an International Conference
Authors: Giustina Andrea , Adler Robert A , Binkley Neil , Bouillon Roger , Ebeling Peter R , Lazaretti-Castro Marise , Marcocci Claudio , Rizzoli Rene , Sempos Christopher T , Bilezikian John P
Published: October 2018

Context

Vitamin D is classically recognized as a regulator of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Recent advances in the measurement of vitamin D metabolites, diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency, and clinical observations have led to an appreciation that along with its role in skeletal metabolism, vitamin D may well have an important role in nonclassical settings. Measurement of the circulating form of vitamin D that best describes total body stores, namely 25-hydroxyvitamin D, can be unreliable despite many sophisticated methodologies that have been proposed and implemented. Likewise, evidence from clinical studies showing a beneficial role of vitamin D in different disease states has been controversial and at times speculative. Moreover, the target concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to address a number of putative links between vitamin D inadequacy and nonskeletal diseases are further areas of uncertainty.

Setting

To address these issues, an international conference on “Controversies in Vitamin D” was held in Pisa, Italy, in June 2017. Three main topics were addressed: (i) vitamin D assays and the definition of hypovitaminosis D; (ii) skeletal and extraskeletal effects of vitamin D; (iii) therapeutics of vitamin D.

Results

This report provides a summary of the deliberations of the expert panels of the conference.

Conclusions

Despite great advances in our appreciation of vitamin D metabolism, measurements, biological actions on classical and nonclassical tissues, and therapeutics, all of which this report summarizes, much more work remains to be done so that our knowledge base can become even more secure.
Reconstruction of destruction – in vitro reconstitution methods in autophagy research
Authors: Moparthi Satish Babu , Wollert Thomas
Published: October 2018

Autophagy is one of the most elaborative membrane remodeling systems in eukaryotic cells. Its major function is to recycle cytoplasmic material by delivering it to lysosomes for degradation. To achieve this, a membrane cisterna is formed that gradually captures cargo such as organelles or protein aggregates. The diversity of cargo requires autophagy to be highly versatile to adapt the shape of the phagophore to its substrate. Upon closure of the phagophore, a double-membrane-surrounded autophagosome is formed that eventually fuses with lysosomes. In response to environmental cues such as cytotoxicity or starvation, bulk cytoplasm can be captured and delivered to lysosomes. Autophagy thus supports cellular survival under adverse conditions. During the past decades, groundbreaking genetic and cell biological studies have identified the core machinery involved in the process. In this Review, we are focusing on in vitro reconstitution approaches to decipher the details and spatiotemporal control of autophagy, and how such studies contributed to our current understanding of the pathways in yeast and mammals. We highlight studies that revealed the function of the autophagy machinery at a molecular level with respect to its capacity to remodel membranes.
Mercado unilateral de distribuição de gás
Authors: Azevedo Conselheira Paula
Published: October 2018

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Regulamentação do ingresso de advogados em salas e serventias judiciais
Authors: Oliveira Conselheiro Valtércio de
Published: October 2018

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Liberdade de expressão artística em face da proteção de crianças e adolescentes
Authors: Duprat Deborah , Suiama Sergio Gardenghi
Published: October 2018

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Fast P(RMNE): Fast forensic DNA probability of random man not excluded calculation
Authors: Ricke Darrell O. , Schwartz Steven
Published: October 2018

High throughput sequencing (HTS) of DNA forensic samples is expanding from the sizing of short tandem repeats (STRs) to massively parallel sequencing (MPS).  HTS panels are expanding from the FBI 20 core Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) loci to include SNPs.  The calculation of random man not excluded, P(RMNE), is used in DNA mixture analysis to estimate the probability that a person is present in a DNA mixture.  This calculation encounters calculation artifacts with expansion to larger panel sizes.  Increasing the floating-point precision of the calculations allows for increased panel sizes but with a corresponding increase in computation time.  The Taylor series higher precision libraries used fail on some input data sets leading to algorithm unreliability.  Herein, a new formula is introduced for calculating P(RMNE) that scales to larger SNP panel sizes while being computationally efficient (patent pending).
Recent advances in understanding and managing myasthenia gravis
Authors: Jordan Allison , Freimer Miriam
Published: October 2018

Autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular junction disorder marked clinically by fatigable muscle weakness and serologically by the presence of autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), or lipoprotein-related protein 4 (LPR4). Over the past few decades, the mortality of patients with MG has seen a dramatic decline secondary to evolving interventions in critical care and medical management. In the past 2 to 3 years, there have been several changes in standard of care for the treatment of MG. These changes include confirmation of the benefit of thymectomy versus medical management alone in AChR patients and a new US Food and Drug Administration-approved medication for refractory MG. There are also several exciting new prospective drugs in the pipeline, which are in different stages of clinical trial testing.
Clinical management of herpes simplex virus infections: past, present, and future
Authors: Whitley Richard , Baines Joel
Published: October 2018

Infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 is ubiquitous in the human population. Most commonly, virus replication is limited to the epithelia and establishes latency in enervating sensory neurons, reactivating periodically to produce localized recurrent lesions. However, these viruses can also cause severe disease such as recurrent keratitis leading potentially to blindness, as well as encephalitis, and systemic disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. Although antiviral therapy has allowed continual and substantial improvement in the management of both primary and recurrent infections, resistance to currently available drugs and long-term toxicity pose a current and future threat that should be addressed through the development of new antiviral compounds directed against new targets. The development of several promising HSV vaccines has been terminated recently because of modest or controversial therapeutic effects in humans. Nevertheless, several exciting vaccine candidates remain in the pipeline and are effective in animal models; these must also be tested in humans for sufficient therapeutic effects to warrant continued development. Approaches using compounds that modulate the chromatin state of the viral genome to suppress infection and reactivation or induce enhanced antiviral immunity have potential. In addition, technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 have the potential to edit latent viral DNA in sensory neurons, potentially curing the neuron and patient of latent infection. It is hoped that development on all three fronts—antivirals, vaccines, and gene editing—will lead to substantially less HSV morbidity in the future.
Three more steps toward better science
Authors: Perezgonzalez Jose D.
Published: October 2018

Science has striven to do better since its inception and has given us good philosophies, methodologies and statistical tools that, in their own way, do reasonably well for purpose. Unfortunately, progress has also been marred by warring among different perspectives, leading to troubles such as the current reproducibility crises. Here I wish to propose that science could do better with more resilient structures, more useful methodological tutorials, and clearer signaling regarding how much we can trust what it produces.
Oral hormone pregnancy tests and the risks of congenital malformations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Heneghan Carl J. , Aronson Jeffrey K. , Spencer Elizabeth , Holman Bennett , Mahtani Kamal R. , Perera Rafael , Onakpoya Igho
Published: October 2018

Background: Oral hormone pregnancy tests (HPTs), such as Primodos, containing ethinylestradiol and high doses of norethisterone, were given to over a million women from 1958 to 1978, when Primodos was withdrawn from the market because of concerns about possible teratogenicity. We aimed to study the association between maternal exposure to oral HPTs and congenital malformations.

Methods: We have performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies that included data from pregnant women and were exposed to oral HPTs within the estimated first three months of pregnancy, if compared with a relevant control group. We used random-effects meta-analysis and assessed the quality of each study using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for non-randomized studies.

Results: We found 16 case control studies and 10 prospective cohort studies, together including 71 330 women, of whom 4209 were exposed to HPTs. Exposure to oral HPTs was associated with a 40% increased risk of all congenital malformations: pooled odds ratio (OR) = 1.40 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.66; P<0.0001; I2 = 0%). Exposure to HPTs was associated with an increased risk of congenital heart malformations: pooled OR = 1.89 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.72; P = 0.0006; I2=0%); nervous system malformations  OR = 2.98 (95% CI 1.32 to 6.76; P = 0.0109 I2 = 78%); gastrointestinal malformations, OR = 4.50 (95% CI 0.63 to 32.20; P = 0.13; I2 = 54%); musculoskeletal malformations, OR = 2.24 (95% CI 1.23 to 4.08; P= 0.009; I2 = 0%); the VACTERL syndrome (Vertebral defects, Anal atresia, Cardiovascular anomalies, Tracheoesophageal fistula, Esophageal atresia, Renal anomalies, and Limb defects), OR = 7.47 (95% CI 2.92 to 19.07; P < 0.0001; I2 = 0%).

Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis shows that use of oral HPTs in pregnancy is associated with increased risks of congenital malformations.
Team- and individual-level motivation in complex primary care system change: A realist evaluation of the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative in El Salvador
Authors: Munar Wolfgang , Wahid Syed S. , Mookherji Sangeeta , Innocenti Cinzia , Curry Leslie
Published: October 2018

Background:We study the role of individual and team-level motivation in explaining large-scale primary care performance improvements in El Salvador, one of the top-performing countries in the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative.

Methods:Case study with outlier sampling of high-performing, community health teams in El Salvador. Design includes scoping review of literature, document review, non-participant observation, and qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews following a realist case study protocol.

Results:The interplay between program interventions and organizational, community and policy contexts trigger multi-level motivational mechanisms that operate in complex, dynamic fashion. Interventions like performance measurement and team-based, in-kind incentives foster motivation among individual members of high-performing teams, which may be moderated by working conditions, supervision practices, and by the stress exerted by the interventions themselves. Individuals report a strong sense of public service motivation and an overarching sense of commitment to the community they serve. At the interpersonal level, the linkage between performance measurement and in-kind incentives triggers a sense of collective efficacy and increases team motivation and improvement behaviors. The convening of learning forums and performance dialogue increases the stakes for high-performing teams, helps them make sense of performance data, and leads to performance information utilization for healthcare improvements. Closeness to communities creates strong emotional linkages among team members that further increases collective efficacy and social identity. Such changes in individuals, team, and organizational behaviors can contribute to improved delivery of primary care services and explain the gains in performance demonstrated by the program.

Conclusions:This case suggests that primary care systems that rely on multi-disciplinary teams for the provision of care can benefit from performance measurement and management interventions that leverage individual and team-level motivation. Realist evaluation can help prioritize policy-relevant research and enhance the design and evaluation of large-scale performance reforms in primary care systems in low- and middle-income settings.
Functional specialization in the middle temporal area for smooth pursuit initiation
Authors: Bakhtiari Shahab , Pack Christopher C.
Published: October 2018

Smooth pursuit eye movements have frequently been used to model sensorimotor transformations in the brain. In particular, the initiation phase of pursuit can be understood as a transformation of a sensory estimate of target velocity into an eye rotation. Despite careful laboratory controls on the stimulus conditions, pursuit eye movements are frequently observed to exhibit considerable trial-to-trial variability. In theory, this variability can be caused by the variability in sensory representation of target motion, or by the variability in the transformation of sensory information to motor commands. Previous work has shown that neural variability in the middle temporal (MT) area is likely propagated to the oculomotor command, and there is evidence to suggest that the magnitude of this variability is sufficient to account for the variability of pursuit initiation. This line of reasoning presumes that the MT population is homogeneous with respect to its contribution to pursuit initiation.  At the same time, there is evidence that pursuit initiation is strongly linked to a subpopulation of MT neurons (those with strong surround suppression) that collectively generate less motor variability. To distinguish between these possibilities, we have combined human psychophysics, monkey electrophysiology, and computational modeling to examine how the pursuit system reads out the MT population during pursuit initiation. We find that the psychophysical data are best accounted for by a model that gives stronger weight to surround-suppressed MT neurons, suggesting that variability in the initiation of pursuit could arise from multiple sources along the sensorimotor transformation.
Importance of human demographic history knowledge in genetic studies involving multi-ethnic cohorts
Authors: Kulohoma Benard W.
Published: October 2018

Paucity of data from African populations due to under-representation in human genetic studies has impeded detailed understanding of the heritable human genome variation. This is despite the fact that Africa has sizeable genetic, cultural and linguistic diversity. There are renewed efforts to understand health problems relevant to African populations using more comprehensive datasets, and by improving expertise in health-related genomics among African scientists. We emphasise that careful consideration of the sampled populations from national and within-continental cohorts in large multi-ethnic genetic research efforts is required to maximise the prospects of identifying and fine-mapping novel risk variants in indigenous populations. We caution that human demographic history should be taken into consideration in such prospective genetic-association studies.
ICR142 Benchmarker: evaluating, optimising and benchmarking variant calling performance using the ICR142 NGS validation series
Authors: Ruark Elise , Holt Esty , Renwick Anthony , Münz Márton , Wakeling Matthew , Ellard Sian , Mahamdallie Shazia , Yost Shawn , Rahman Nazneen
Published: October 2018

Evaluating, optimising and benchmarking of next generation sequencing (NGS) variant calling performance are essential requirements for clinical, commercial and academic NGS pipelines. Such assessments should be performed in a consistent, transparent and reproducible fashion, using independently, orthogonally generated data.

Here we present ICR142 Benchmarker, a tool to generate outputs for assessing germline base substitution and indel calling performance using the ICR142 NGS validation series, a dataset of Illumina platform-based exome sequence data from 142 samples together with Sanger sequence data at 704 sites. ICR142 Benchmarker provides summary and detailed information on the sensitivity, specificity and false detection rates of variant callers. ICR142 Benchmarker also automatically generates a single page report highlighting key performance metrics and how performance compares to widely-used open-source tools.

We used ICR142 Benchmarker with VCF files outputted by GATK, OpEx and DeepVariant to create a benchmark for variant calling performance. This evaluation revealed pipeline-specific differences and shared challenges in variant calling, for example in detecting indels in short repeating sequence motifs. We next used ICR142 Benchmarker to perform regression testing with DeepVariant versions 0.5.2 and 0.6.1. This showed that v0.6.1 improves variant calling performance, but there was evidence of minor changes in indel calling behaviour that may benefit from attention. The data also allowed us to evaluate filters to optimise DeepVariant calling, and we recommend using 30 as the QUAL threshold for base substitution calls when using DeepVariant v0.6.1.

Finally, we used ICR142 Benchmarker with VCF files from two commercial variant calling providers to facilitate optimisation of their in-house pipelines and to provide transparent benchmarking of their performance.

ICR142 Benchmarker consistently and transparently analyses variant calling performance based on the ICR142 NGS validation series, using the standard VCF input and outputting informative metrics to enable user understanding of pipeline performance. ICR142 Benchmarker is freely available at https://github.com/RahmanTeamDevelopment/ICR142_Benchmarker/releases.
Implementing a quality management system using good clinical laboratory practice guidelines at KEMRI-CMR to support medical research
Authors: Gumba Horace , Waichungo Joseph , Lowe Brett , Mwanzu Alfred , Musyimi Robert , Thitiri Johnstone , Tigoi Caroline , Kamui Martin , Berkley James A. , Ngetich Ronald , Kavai Susan , Kariuki Samuel
Published: October 2018

Background: Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) is a standard that helps ensure the quality and reliability of research data through principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP). The implementation of GCLP includes careful documentation of procedures, competencies and safety measures. Implementation of GCLP is influenced by existing resources and quality systems, thus laboratories in low- and middle-income countries may face additional challenges.

Methods: This paper describes implementation of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) at the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Center for Microbiology Research (KEMRI-CMR) as part of a quality system to support medical research. This study employed assessment, twinning (institutional mentorship) model, conducting relevant training workshops and Kaizen 5S approaches to implement an effective quality management system using GCLP standard. This was achieved through a collaboration between the KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) and KEMRI-CMR. The aim was compliance and continuous monitoring to meet international GCLP standards in a way that could be replicated in other research organizations.

Results: Following a baseline assessment in March 2017, training, mentorship and a cycle of quality audit and corrective action using a Kaizen 5S approach (sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing and sustaining) was established. Laboratory personnel were trained in writing standard operating procedures and analytical plans, microbiological techniques, and good documentation practice. Mid-term and exit assessments demonstrated significant declines in non-conformances across all GCLP elements. KEMRI-CMR achieved GCLP accreditation in May 2018 by Qualogy Ltd (UK).

Conclusions: Involving all the laboratory personnel in implementation of quality management system processes is critical to success. An institutional mentorship (twinning) approach shows potential for future collaborations between accredited and non-accredited organizations to accelerate the implementation of high-quality management systems and continuous improvement.
Comparison of the effectiveness of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 7.2 and the Mini-Mental State Examination in the detection of mild neurocognitive disorder in people over 60 years of age. Preliminary study.
Authors: Sokołowska Natalia , Sokołowski Remigiusz , Polak-Szabela Anna , Mazur Ewelina , Podhorecka Marta , Kędziora-Kornatowska Kornelia
Published: October 2018

Cel pracy

Analiza wiarygodności polskiej wersji MoCA 7.2 vs. MMSE w wykrywaniu łagodnych NCD z uwzględnieniem czułości i swoistości według punktów odcięcia.

Metoda

Badanie przekrojowe przeprowadzono na Katedrze i Klinice Geriatrii Collegium Medicum w Bydgoszczy, Uniwersytety Mikołaja Kopernika. Czas trwania badania wrzesień 2014 – grudzień 2015. W badaniu wzięło udział 131 uczestników, w tym 54 osoby przydzielono do grupy bez NCD, zaś 77 do grupy z mild NCD. Rekrutacja do obu grup odbywała się w oparciu o szczegółowe kryteria włączenia i wyłączenia.

Wyniki

Średnie punktacje MoCA 7.2 i MMSE wykazały istotne statystycznie różnicę między grupami bez i z łagodnym NCD . Optymalny punkt odcięcia w skali MoCA dla łagodnych NCD wyniósł 24/25. Optymalny punkt odcięcia w skali MMSE dla łagodnych NCD wyniósł 28/29. W analizie krzywej ROC pole pod krzywą (AUC) dla MoCA było istotnie większe niż AUC dla MMSE.

Wnioski

MoCA 7.2 z większą czułością wykrywa łagodne NCD niż MMSE. Proponujemy zastosowanie punktu odcięcia dla MoCA 24/25 który charakteryzuje się większą czułością niż rekomendowany punkt odcięcia 25/26. MoCA 7.2 zatem może być wykorzystywana przez podstawową służbę zdrowia oraz w praktyce geriatrycznej jako narzędzie przesiewowe w wykrywaniu wczesnych zaburzeń poznawczych.
Editorial
Authors: Dudek Dominika , Sobański Jerzy , Klasa Katarzyna
Published: October 2018

bez streszczenia
Criminologia e Psicanálise: uma leitura dos atos infracionais na adolescência
Authors: Souza Juliana Marcondes Pedrosa de , Calazans Roberto , Moreira Jacqueline De Oliveira
Published: October 2018

Quando nos referimos ao ato infracional, destacamos uma questão que diz respeito ao olhar da Psicanálise para as possíveis motivações inconscientes que esse ato pode vir a desvelar, em contraposição ao olhar do Direito, que visa à punição em proldo cumprimento das normas. Em ambos os posicionamentos, têm-se as implicações desse ato no social, não sendo possível abrir mão do enquadre proposto pelas diretrizes legais a todos os que cumprem uma medida socioeducativa. Contudo, há que se reconhecer o estatuto subjetivo implícito no ato infracional, que o faz único em cada história de vida. Nesse contexto, é importante levar o ato infracional à prática do dizer no cumprimento da medida socioeducativa. Este artigo buscará articular as contribuições das teorias psicanalíticas (especificamente freudo-lacanianas e millerianas) sobre os atos do adolescente infrator, através da escuta, buscamos compreender a importância desse dispositivo quando se consegue levar o adolescente a se questionar sobre o ato infracional que tem implicações em sua própria história de vida.
Violência e cultura no pensamento freudiano: as duas faces de Jano Bifronte
Authors: Coelho Luciana Norat , Souza Mauricio Rodrigues de
Published: October 2018

Sem se configurar como um fenômeno novo, a violência permanece um tema amplamente discutido na atualidade, trazendo desafios nada desprezíveis para diversos campos do saber. Ao considerar as ferramentas conceituais oferecidas pela psicanálise como particularmente relevantes para um debate sobre o assunto, o presente artigo detém como principal objetivo pesquisar os modos como a violência aparece abordada no pensamento de Freud, mais especificamente nas suas articulações suplementares com a cultura. Em termos metodológicos, trata-se de um estudo de natureza conceitual e histórica que, pela via de um levantamento bibliográfico, destaca em um primeiro momento certo otimismo freudiano quanto a uma possível mediação dos laços sociais e o afastamento da violência. Em seguida, são brevemente pontuadas importantes mudanças realizadas ao longo do percurso teórico de Freud, de modo que a hipótese inicialmente apresentada é recusada. Tal linha de investigação conduz à conclusão de que o discurso freudiano detém algo de singular a dizer sobre a questão da violência, destacando-o assim como alternativa frente aos discursos dominantes sobre o tema.
Editorial
Authors: Soares Adriana Benevides , Tsallis Alexandra Cleopatre , Mendes Deise Maria Fernandes , Valentim Renata Patrícia Forain de
Published: October 2018

Adriana Benevides Soares, Alexandra Cleopatre Tsallis, Deise Maria Fernandes Mendes, Renata Patrícia Forain de Valentim
Mulheres e maternidade: faces possíveis
Authors: Lemos Renata Feldman Scheinkman , Kind Luciana
Published: October 2018

Neste artigo, discutiu-se a maternidade contemporânea em uma dimensão plural, como acontecimento permeado de expectativas, ambivalências, antagonismos e prescrições de toda ordem. A pesquisa guiou-se por uma perspectiva ontológica do presente. Transformações no número de filhos, na vivência profissional, nos avanços tecnológicos e nos arranjos familiares são exemplos do que têm possibilitado à maternidade e à paternidade manifestarem-se em variados modos de existência. Esse contexto, de profundas transformações, ocorre em meio à lógica normativa, discursiva e tradicional que também rege a maternidade contemporânea. Diante desse cenário, a presente pesquisa perguntou a mulheres de diferentes perfis como elas se veem e como se sentem em relação à experiência de ser (ou não ser) mãe. O percurso metodológico baseou-se em uma pesquisa de campo de natureza qualitativa, realizada através de entrevistas semidirigidas a seis mulheres, sendo cinco mães e uma convicta em não sê-lo. A análise dos dados teve como parâmetro a análise de conteúdo temática. Acredita-se que o presente estudo possibilitou investigar o diversificado olhar de mulheres para a maternidade contemporânea e suas várias possibilidades de existência, delineando dinâmicos processos de subjetivação diante das prescrições, expectativas e discursos que a acompanham.
Quantificação do potencial teórico de aproveitamento energético do biogás no aterro sanitário de Sabará/MG
Authors: Dos Reis Alefe Marques , Da Cruz Alessandra Alves , Botelho Júlia Machado
Published: October 2018

Os aterros sanitários contêm grande parcela de matéria orgânica devido à deposição de resíduos em suas células. A decomposição dessa matéria gera gases, como o metano, que é produzido em grande quantidade e que é o principal responsável pelo potencial energético do biogás. Diante da necessidade de diversificar a matriz energética do País para produção de eletricidade e de reduzir a emissão de gases de efeito estufa na atmosfera, a utilização do biogás pode revelar-se vantajosa. O objetivo deste estudo foi quantificar o potencial teórico do aproveitamento energético do biogás no aterro sanitário de Sabará/MG. Para isso, foi quantificada a geração de gás metano durante a vida útil do aterro. A partir desse ponto, determinou-se a potência de geração de energia e a quantidade de famílias que poderiam ser atendidas com esse potencial energético. Os resultados encontrados indicam que o aterro poderá produzir teoricamente, em seu 13º ano, 510.316,52 m³ de metano, capaz de gerar uma potência máxima de 4.312,11 KW/ano, atendendo o equivalente a 19.674 famílias.
Ética e Família
Authors: Utzig Antonia Angelina Basanella , Cruz Jayane De Souza
Published: October 2018

O presente artigo tem como objetivos apresentar a importância da reconstrução ética e como o auxilio da família pode trazer resultados positivos nessa etapa. As transições que enfrentamos nos últimos anos enfraqueceram notavelmente o principio de valores, éticos e morais, dentro de nossa sociedade nos deparamos com situações que nos fazem nos questionar aonde esta a ética, aonde esta o respeito, os avanços tecnológicos, avanços da ciência nos proporciona uma vida mais tranquila, entretanto o ser humano não tem atingido essa evolução haja vista que coisas banais como uma discussão no transito pode levar a morte de um individuo, não estamos evoluindo e sim cada vez mais regredindo
Orientação Profissional na Adolescência: Uma Revisão Sistemática
Authors: Lima Maria Nayara Bezerra , Maranhão Thércia Lucena Grangeiro
Published: October 2018

O presente artigo tem como objetivos compreender o desenvolvimento humano na fase da adolescência e tratar sobre as influências que permeiam a escolha profissional desse sujeito. Para tanto, observa-se o que os estudos atuais comentam sobre a adolescência em si e sugere-se como a Orientação Profissional pode contribuir para o desenrolar dessas escolhas, como uma ferramenta de auxílio ao sujeito. Esta pesquisa foi delineada por meio da revisão sistemática por metassintese da literatura dos textos e estudos que abordam o tema, que foram selecionados entre o período de 2012 e 2016, retirados das bases de dados do PubMed, Scielo e PepSIC. Percebeu-se através deste trabalho que os fatores sociais, culturais, familiar e econômico influenciam tanto no desenvolvimento da adolescência quanto no momento da escolha de sua profissão.
Compras Públicas e Apoio Logístico na UNIVASF: Um Estudo Bibliométrico
Authors: Maia Nathallia Barbosa Alencar , Coelho Tâmara Rodrigues , Silva Bruno Cezar
Published: October 2018

O presente artigo aborda o tema de compras públicas e apoio logístico na Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco UNIVASF, tendo como justificativa da proposta de execução do objetivo, que se encontrou essencialmente na necessidade de conhecer como são os procedimentos licitatórios. Para descrever as inovações da gestão pública no contexto geral, foi realizada um estudo bibliométrico pela Revista de Administração de Empresas RAE, um estudo documental através dos artigos publicados. No primeiro momento, o estudo bibliométrico, será realizado um estudo sistemático nos artigos, mas ainda vamos nas consultas pela Internet, e em distintas fontes que tem fácil acesso ao público em geral, que abordam do tema estudado, objetivando compor o referencial teórico.
Eventos Gastronômicos: A nova Estratégia de Marketing e divulgação utilizada pelos Restaurantes
Authors: Sant´Anna André Luís , Silva Daniele Bastos da
Published: October 2018

Os eventos de gastronomia têm assumido importante papel no cenário social na atualidade, não só por representar uma oportunidade de negócio, mas também por configurar uma forma de incentivo ao resgate de técnicas culinárias. É também uma forma de valorização da cultura regional, suas comidas, temperos e iguarias próprias de cada lugar. Essa forma de turismo, tem atraído o interesse dos consumidores,  revelando-se uma importante estratégia de marketing. Este artigo discute o marketing na gastronomia e suas tendências atuais. Os resultados demonstraram que os eventos gastronômicos, têm se apresentado como método eficaz de divulgação de novos pratos e, de criação de laços entre o consumidor e a proposta dos restaurantes.
Percepção Conceitual Sobre Sustentabilidade: um Levantamento com Gestores de um Shopping
Authors: Novais Aritana Paola Santos Carvalho , Silva Adriano Victor Lopes da , Oliveira Erika Maria Jamir de
Published: October 2018

Este estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a percepção conceitual dos gestores de empresas situadas em um Shopping de Juazeiro-BA sobre a sustentabilidade. A pesquisa possui caráter exploratório e foi realizada por meio de um estudo de caso, a amostra foi a aleatória simples, os 29 proprietários e gerentes participantes foram determinados no software R 3.3.0, os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas, instrumentalizada por um questionário estruturado, em seguida os dados foram tratados através da análise de conteúdo temática. Aplicou-se o teste do qui-quadrado no software BioEstat 5.3 para verificar se o conhecimento sobre sustentabilidade independe do grau de escolaridade. Os resultados encontrados revelam que a maioria dos entrevistados associa a sustentabilidade como atitude direcionada ao meio ambiente. As empresas desenvolvem atividades voltadas a sustentabilidade e que os gestores conhecem o conceito de sustentabilidade.