bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex and Education: Does Sexual Debut During Adolescence Lead to Poor Grades?
Authors: Whitworth Tanya Rouleau , Paik Anthony
Published: May 2019

CONTEXT

Because many U.S. teenagers experience their first sexual intercourse during high school, understanding whether sexual behavior and academic performance are related is important. However, research on sexual debut and grades has produced inconsistent findings.

METHODS

Data collected over four years from a specific cohort (1,321 eighth‐ and ninth‐graders) of a nationally representative longitudinal study, the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, were examined using fixed‐effects regression models to assess the relationship between first sexual intercourse and grade point average (GPA).

RESULTS

Overall, no relationship was found between students’ first sexual intercourse and GPA. For black females and Latinos of either gender, having had first sexual intercourse was associated with a lower GPA (coefficients, –216 and –161, respectively, corresponding to grade point decreases multiplied by 100). For black females, this association was observed only in the context of romantic relationships (–243). The predicted GPAs for black females aged 14 or 15 who reported first intercourse in a romantic relationship were significantly lower than those for their counterparts who had not had intercourse, whereas at 18 this was reversed. For Latinos, the predicted GPAs of 14‐ and 15‐year‐olds who had had sex were also lower than those of their sexually inexperienced counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Although first sexual intercourse may not disrupt the academic performance of older adolescents, it may contribute to lower grades among younger minority adolescents. Further research is needed using such contextual variables as age, race, ethnicity, gender and relationship context.
AVALIAÇÃO: NOTAS E MÉTODOS DE AVALIAÇÃO NAS SÉRIES INICIAIS DO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL
Authors: Correia Martins Damiana , Carvalho de Menezes Douglas
Published: May 2019

Este trabalho visa descrever como é a avaliação escolar nas séries inicias do ensino fundamental, observando os métodos e práticas que possibilitam avaliar o estudante de forma satisfatória, sem desmotivá-lo. Além disso, refletir sobre as formas de avaliar para posteriormente distribuir as notas ou conceitos. Neste aspecto, entender a importância das notas e como ela se deve dar para que faça sentido no processo ensino-aprendizagem. Refletir sobre a avaliação de modo geral, entender as diversas formas de avaliar dos professores é buscar qual a melhor forma de avaliação olhando para a realidade do aluno e rever o processo de aprendizagem como algo que se deve estar articulado com toda a escola. O professor é um formador que deve entender a avaliação, refletir sobre suas práticas para moldá-las de acordo com as necessidades da sala de aula, buscando uma aprendizagem significativa e contínua, que priorize o desenvolvimento do estudante em todos os aspectos.
IDENTIDADE DE GÊNERO NA PRÁTICA PEDAGÓGICA: UMA REFLEXÃO SOBRE O LIVRO “TUDA: UMA HISTÓRIA DE IDENTIDADE”
Authors: Naider Bonfim Nogueira Sayonara , Coutinho de Souza Silva Thais
Published: May 2019

O presente artigo apresenta discussões sobre a identidade de gênero no âmbito escolar tendo como objetivo principal descrever uma prática pedagógica autobiográfica desenvolvida no Ensino Fundamental através do livro “Tuda: uma história de identidade” do autor Flávio Brebis, de modo a verificar as contribuições desta prática para uma reflexão sobre as questões de gênero na educação. Especificamente, o estudo buscou também discutir os temas relativos ao preconceito, discriminação, diversidade e padrões de comportamento na escola no que tange às manifestações de sexualidade. A relevância desta pesquisa se justifica pelo fato de que a escola, em sua função social, assinala-se como um espaço democrático que deve oportunizar o debate de questões sociais e permitir o desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico. O universo escolar é analisado como um dos principais espaços de constituição dos saberes da criança, abrangendo as construções das identidades e, por conseguinte, das diferenças. Portanto, debater as relações de gênero a partir do protagonismo de uma professora transexual é fundamental na legitimação dos debates sobre a diversidade sexual nas instituições de ensino. Para tanto, na construção do embasamento teórico foram utilizadas a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. E, para descrever uma prática pedagógica desenvolvida em sala de aula com alunos do Ensino Fundamental valeu-se dos procedimentos técnicos da pesquisa autobiográfica.
Editorial
Authors: Alberto Neves Filho Luiz
Published: May 2019

Editorial
Completo
Authors: Filho dos Reis Cinval
Published: May 2019

Completo
BIOGRAFIA
Authors: ERT Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione , De Paula Eduardo Eduardo , De Castro Maurício Paroni
Published: May 2019

Trajetória artística do encenador belga Thierry Salmon.
Development of lymphangioleiomyomatosis in a female patient with Sjö gren's disease: a review of literature and a case report
Authors: Khvan Yu. I. , Palshina S. G. , Vasiliev V. I.
Published: May 2019

Cystic and bullous lung transformation occurs in diseases of various origins: neoplastic, genetically determined, rheumatic, lymphoproliferative, and infectious diseases. The paper presents a review of the literature and a clinical case of a young female patient with a long history of Sjögren's disease. Fifteen years after the onset of the disease, the patient developed cystic and bullous lung transformation and renal angiomyolipoma, which are regarded as a manifestation of probable lymphangioleiomyomatosis.
What does the diagnosis of Felty's syndrome mean and how to formulate it?
Authors: Muraviev Yu. V.
Published: May 2019

The paper deals with the debatable problem due to a lack of consensus in the medical literature regarding the formulation of the diagnosis of Felty's syndrome that is rheumatoid arthritis with extra-articular (hematological) manifestations.
Review of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines considered in 2018
Authors: Beketova T. V.
Published: May 2019

The paper reviews the new European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines covering a wide range of rheumatology issues discussed at the 2018 EULAR Congress.
Association of ankylosing spondylitis activity indicators in a Russian population of patients with STAT4 rs7574865 gene polymorphism
Authors: Krylov M. Yu. , Starkova A. S. , Samarkina E. Yu. , Dubinina T. V. , Erdes Sh. F.
Published: May 2019

Family and twin studies have shown that ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has a hereditary nature that is based on a strong association with the leukocyte antigen HLA-B27. However, only 1–5% of HLA-B27 carriers develop AS, which indicates that there are other genetic markers involved in the formation of a predisposition to this disease. A number of genome-wide association studies have convincingly confirmed the role of the STAT4 gene. This gene encodes the protein – the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) protein, which is a predisposing factor for the development of many autoimmune diseases. There are not so many studies of the relationship of STAT4 polymorphisms to the predisposition to AS, and there are no these studies regarding the Russian population.

Objective: to study whether there is a possible association of STAT4 rs7574865 gene polymorphism with the predisposition to AS and to assess the activity of this disease using BASDAI and ASDAS scores in the Russian patient population.

Patients and methods. A cohort of 203 individuals, including 100 patients (79 men and 21 women) with AS, and 103 healthy volunteers (a control group) was surveyed. Age, gender, duration, and specific features of AS onset, ESR, and CRP levels were assessed. BASDAI and ASDAS scores were calculated to evaluate disease activity.

Results and discussion. There was a significant relationship between STAT4 polymorphism and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and BASDAI and ASDAS-CRP scores. The TT genotype carriers had significantly higher mean activity indices compared to the GG (p=0.001) and GT (p=0.005) genotype carriers for CRP, BASDAI (p=0.0001 and p=0.009, respectively) and ASDAS-CRP (p=0.009 and p=0.001, respectively). High disease activity (BASDAI >4 and ASDAS-CRP >3.5) was also associated with the high frequency of the T allele (p=0.046 and p=0.004, respectively). The value of STAT4 rs7574865 gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases is confirmed by a study in which the T allele in STAT4 rs7574865 enhances mRNA transcription and protein expression. Italian authors have shown that there is a relationship between the minor T allele of rs7574865 and the high risk of arthritis. We have previously established a relationship between the T allele and the predisposition to diffuse systemic scleroderma, interstitial lung damage, and elevated anti-topoisomerase I antibody levels.

Conclusion. The present study has shown for the first time a significant association of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism with the main AS activity indicators: CRP levels, BASDAI and ASDAS-CRP scores. The studied polymorphism may be a new genetic marker for predicting the severity of AS.
Osteoarthritis: epidemiology, classification, risk factors, and progression, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment
Authors: Alekseeva L. I. , Taskina E. A. , Kashevarova N. G.
Published: May 2019

For the first time, the paper presents in detail the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) and considers the predictors of disease development and progression. The clinical classification of OA and its place in the ICD-10 are described. The clinical presentation of the disease is characterized in detail according to the localization of the process. It is noted that there is a change in the understanding of OA as a classic model of nociceptive pain. The paper depicts clinical, laboratory, and instrumental methods for diagnosing the disease, as well as classification and diagnostic criteria; much attention is paid to the current principles of OA therapy according to the Russian clinical recommendations and the guidelines of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).
Autonomy in English Language Teaching: A Case Study of Novice Secondary School Teachers in Hong Kong
Authors: Huang Jing , Lock Kenny Yau Ning , Teng Feng
Published: May 2019

Following years of pre-service teacher education, novice teachers are often enthusiastic about embarking on the journey in the teaching profession. However, they may not always possess the internal capacity and institutional support to take effective control of their teaching. This paper reports on a case study of the teaching lives of two novice secondary school ESL (English as a second language) teachers in Hong Kong, drawing on qualitative data gathered through individual face-to-face interviews, and supplemented by email exchanges and telephone conversations, over a one-year period. The study investigates how novice English teachers develop their teacher autonomy, and what factors contribute to their development as autonomous English teachers. The paper concludes that novice English teachers in Hong Kong possess the capacity and are also ready for autonomy, and that an invitational, supportive and collaborative school environment plays a decisive role in affording ample opportunities for novices to develop their autonomy in language teaching. The study suggests that novice teachers should become critically aware of the affordances (opportunities, possibilities, invitations, enablements) in their working conditions, and should meanwhile exercise their teacher agency to act on these affordances to pursue their personal-professional development.
Sense of responsible togetherness, sense of community and participation: Looking at the relationships in a university campus
Authors: Procentese Fortuna , Gatti Flora , Falanga Annarita
Published: May 2019

This contribution explores the role that the Sense of Responsible Togetherness (SoRT) exerts with reference to Participation and Sense of Community. The study was conducted on a university campus, as campuses represent places where academic and community lives go hand in hand and the community is heterogeneous. A questionnaire with the SoRT scale, the Participation scale and the Italian Scale of the Sense of Community (SISC) was administered to 130 university students. SoRT had a significant indirect effect on the students’ Participation via their Sense of Community, suggesting that the promotion of individuals’ Sense of Responsible Togetherness within their community, along with the emotional and affective bond to it, may allow us to recover symbolic and physical spaces in which participation can be fostered. A need for and significance of interventions aimed at promoting collective actions within intermediate systems (groups, educational systems, work ones, etc.).
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Chronic Kidney Disease in Family Relatives of a Cameroonian Population of Hemodialysis Patients: A CrossSectional Study
Authors: Temgoua Mazou Ngou , Ashuntantang Gloria , Essi Marie José , Tochie Joël Nouktadie , Oumarou Moussa , Abongwa Acho Fon , Mbonda Aimé , Kingue Samuel
Published: May 2019

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the trend in the number of patients admitted for maintenance hemodialysis is on the rise. The identification of risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) ensures adequate primary and secondary preventive measures geared at reducing the burden of CKD in low-resource settings. A family history of CKD is an established risk factor for CKD in high-income countries. However, data on family predisposition to CKD is scarce in the literature on SSA. Objective: The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of CKD in family relatives of a Cameroonian population of hemodialysis patients (HDP) followed-up in a major hemodialysis referral center in Cameroon. Methods: The current cross-sectional study was conducted over four months on a consecutive sample of first-degree family relatives of end-stage renal disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis at the hemodialysis unit of the General Hospital of Yaoundé. For each participating family relative, socio-demographic characteristics, clinical data, and biological data including fasting blood glucose, proteinuria, and serum creatinine were collected. Results: A total of 82 first-degree family relatives of HDP were recruited. The prevalence of CKD among the participants was 15.8%. The main identified risk factors for CKD were age (P = 0.0015), female gender (P = 0.0357), hypertension (P = 0.0004), regular intake of herbal remedies (P = 0.0214), and diabetes mellitus (P = 0.0019). Conclusion: Overall, the current findings suggest an urgent need for population education, routine screening of CKD, and the identification of risk factors in first-degree family relatives of HDP in Cameroon.
Sporadic Burkitt Lymphoma: A Case Report
Authors: Vargas Flores Edgar , Avitia Raygoza Claudia Leticia , Hernández Castañeda Daniel , Sánchez Garza Jorge Arturo , Quintana Cortéz Juan Carlos
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive subtype of Hodgkin lymphoma with a doubling time of 25 hours. It is characterized by a MYC gene coding alteration which results from a translocation of chromosome 8 on the MYC gene locus and immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus (IGH) on chromosome 14. Even though HIV infection is associated to an increased risk of Burkitt lymphoma, these type of malignancies are EBV-negative cases. Sporadic type Burkitt lymphoma is a rare clinical entity. Case Presentation: A 48-year-old female without any past medical history presented with a chief complaint of mild abdominal pain of 6 months duration located at the epigastrium which was not related to food ingestion. Nausea or vomiting were neither reported. She noted an acute increased abdominal pain over the last 4 hours before presentation, with irradiation to the right lower quadrant. She denied any Fever, night sweats and weight loss. She also reported hypermenorrhea in the last 6 months. During the physical examination, a palpable mass with 10 cm in diameter was found on right lower quadrant. Conclusion: Sporadic Burkitt lymphoma is one of the rarest hematologic malignancies. The increased tumor size may be more than enough to show clinical or biochemical abnormalities such as serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased and tumor lysis.
Adolescents Traveling to High-Risk Destinations: Review and Considerations for Clinicians
Authors: Maltezou Helena C. , Pavli Androula
Published: May 2019

Introduction: International travels have increased dramatically in recent years. Adolescents constitute a fast-growing group of travelers. Travels provide an opportunity for exposure to high-risk behavior. The current study reviewed the published data about travel-related morbidity among adolescents traveling to international destinations. Methods: PubMed was searched for articles published from 2000-2017. The websites of public health organizations were also searched. Results: In total, 21 articles presenting original data about adolescent international travelers were identified. The data indicated that adolescents frequently develop ailments during travel, including those attributable to age-related high-risk behavior. In addition, adolescents often manifest a travel-associated morbidity that differs in terms of proportion (e.g., higher rates of systemic febrile illness) from the travelassociated morbidity encountered in younger children and adults. Pre-travel counseling is sought by less than half of adolescents traveling to high-risk destinations. Gaps were found in travel vaccinations and antimalarial prophylaxis in adolescents traveling to endemic areas. Information about vaccinations, antimalarial prophylaxis, and pre-travel counseling for adolescent travelers should be improved. Conclusion: There is a need to improve pre-travel services for adolescents planning to travel to high-risk international destinations. Communication strategies to access adolescent travelers and their parents should be investigated.
International Travelers’ Behaviors and Knowledge of Travel Health, Travel-Related Diseases, and Vaccinations: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kalanlar Bilge , Şenel Makbule , Gürsel Ebru Temel , Gönül Nüvit , Bilgiç Bünyamin , Aydoğan Fulya Kahraman , Kan Osman
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Travel health centers offer very important health services for individuals traveling abroad. Little is known about the health status and knowledge of travel health, travel-related diseases, and vaccinations of individuals who travel abroad and visit travel health centers. This research studied travelers who visited a travel health center in order to evaluate their behavior and knowledge of travel health, travel-related diseases, and vaccinations. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 407 participants between June and September 2018, the busiest time for international travel. It was administered at a travel health center attached to the Directorate General of Health for Border and Coastal Areas of Turkey. Results: The results indicated that 78.6% of participants did not obtain travel health insurance before their trip, and 63.6% did not prepare a travel health kit for their trip. Moreover, 61.4% reported that they did not know about the health conditions and practices of their destination country. Individuals traveling for business did more research on travel-related diseases compared to those traveling for other reasons. Additionally, 61.3% of individuals who rated themselves healthy sought information about the health conditions at their travel destinations. Conclusion: The current study showed that the knowledge and healthcare practices among international travelers are inadequate. Raising awareness is needed to create a positive behavioral change in people’s travel health practices.
Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in DTC patients with thyroglobulin elevation and negative iodine scintigraphy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Qichang Wan , Lin Bai , Gege Zhao , Youjia Zhang , Qingjie Ma , Renjie Wang , Bin Ji
Published: May 2019

Purpose

To evaluate the accuracy of 18F-FDG-PET/CT for the detection of recurrent and/or metastatic diseases in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients with thyroglobulin elevation and negative iodine scintigraphy. Whether PET/CT with TSH stimulation (sPET/CT) had better diagnostic performance than PET/CT without TSH stimulation (nsPET/CT) in this scenario was also evaluated.

Methods

PubMed and Embase databases were searched for eligible studies from January 2001 to December 2018. Only studies with clearly stated reference standard (histopathology confirmation and/or clinical/imaging follow-up) were included. Publication bias was assessed by Deeks funnel plot. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and the area under the summary receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC) for PET/CT was determined by random-effect analysis, respectively. sPET/CT and nsPET/CT were compared pairwise for all diagnostic estimate indexes using Z-test.

Results

We included 17 studies with 1195 patients in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, DOR and AUC for PET/CT on patient-based data were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.79–0.91), 0.84 (95% CI: 0.72–0.91), 31.00 (95% CI: 12.00–80.00) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88–0.93), respectively. There was high heterogeneity (I
2 = 80% for sensitivity, I
2 = 82% for specificity) and possible publication bias (P = 0.01). Z test did not detect statistically significant difference between sPET/CT and nsPET/CT for all the diagnostic estimate indexes (all P > 0.05).

Conclusions

On patient-based analysis, 18F-FDG-PET/CT has high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of recurrent and/or metastatic diseases in DTC patients with thyroglobulin elevation and negative iodine scintigraphy, but existing studies were limited by high heterogeneity and possible publication bias. The diagnostic performance of sPET/CT may be not superior to nsPET/CT.
SERVING UKRAINIAN CULTURE AND ART
Authors: HRYTSAN ANATOLII
Published: May 2019

The article highlights the main achievements of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Arts of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University in educational, scientific, artistic and performative spheres.
The Conception of the Fatherland Dishonored by Captivity in the Ukrainian Poetic History and Philosophy
Authors: GOLOD ROMAN
Published: May 2019

In the article, an analysis of the conception of the Fatherland dishonored by the captive colonial status is provided with regard to the artistic work of the Ukrainian poets. The feeling of shame, rage and hatred towards the enslaved Ukraine is more or less seen in the historic and philosophic views of T. Shevchenko, P. Kulish, I. Franko, L. Ukrainka, I. Malaniuk. The prominent poets have always been playing the role of ‘nerves’, indicators of the political, social, cultural and moral health of the people. So the conception of shame for the captivated Ukraine in their artistic work should be viewed as the determinant for the further nation recovery.
Enforcement of Mediated Settlement Agreements
Authors: Žukauskaitė Miglė
Published: May 2019

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian]

Upon the recent finalization of the Singapore Mediation Convention, a comparative analysis is conducted in the article between the newly prepared instrument and two other international enforcement mechanisms of mediated agreements offered by the EU Mediation Directive and SIAC-SIMC Arb-Med-Arb protocol, both currently in force.
Taxation of Gratuitous Acquisition of the Ownership of Tangible Property and Property Rights in Polish and Lithuanian Tax Legislation Selected Problems
Authors: Babiarz Stefan
Published: May 2019

[full article, abstract in English]

The comparison of the inheritance tax legislation in Poland and Lithuania shows clearly that inheritance tax is a simple tax, with no special legal or financial complexity. Therefore, there are no serious issues concerning the assessment and/or payment of the tax. The assessment process and the amounts of the tax are taxpayer-friendly. It is worth noting solutions such as a 30% reduction in the taxable amount, no deduction of debt and charges, no complicated procedure for determining the taxable amount, respecting the double taxation avoidance principle, or the fact that no tax liability in respect of inheritance tax may re-arise.The case is not the same with the Polish Gift and Inheritance Tax Act. The only advantage of the Polish law, as compared to the Lithuanian law, is that the scope of taxable property is broader and, therefore, the higher, personal income tax would not apply to many types of the taxable property.The author expects this paper to be the first is a series of papers introducing Polish taxpayers, tax authorities and legislative bodies to legal solutions relating to the taxation of gratuitous acquisition of tangible property and property rights in other European countries. The Polish Gift and Inheritance Tax Act is a highly complicated piece of legislation. Its complexity causes tax disputes and does not encourage good relations between taxpayers and tax authorities. What is more, it is often the source of family conflicts.
Interesų konflikto koncepcija pagal Lietuvos ir Europos Sąjungos viešųjų pirkimų teisę ir teismų praktiką
Authors: Soloveičik Deividas , Šimanskis Karolis
Published: May 2019

[full article and abstract in Lithuanian; abstract in English]

Until the implementation of the public procurement law reform of 2014 at the EU level and respectivlely 2017 in the Lithuanian legal environment, the legal analysis of the concept of conflicts of interest in public procurement law was scarce. Neither did the features of this phenomenon or its’ legal evaluation was the subject of any solid scholar research. However, the demand for such academic insights has recently become very bright because the courts on numerous occasions started to face the disputes with the subject conflicts of interest being at the heart of the disagreements between the litigating parties. The courts, at least in Lithuania, have even started to search the relevant answers elsewhere, including making the references to the EU judiciary for the preliminary rulings regarding this matter. Therefore, this publication is a contribution to the minimization of this “scholar thirst” in the mentioned field or at least our sincere attempt to do that.
Simultaneous quantitation of nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide in dietary supplements via HPTLC–UV with confirmation by online HPTLC–ESI–MS
Authors: Neamţu Andreea Silvia , Biţă Andrei , Scorei Ion Romulus , Rău Gabriela , Bejenaru Ludovic Everard , Bejenaru Cornelia , Rogoveanu Otilia-Constantina , Oancea Carmen Nicoleta , Radu Antonia , Pisoschi Cătălina Gabriela , Neamţu Johny , Mogoşanu George Dan
Published: May 2019

The identification and quantitation of nicotinamide riboside (NAR) and its main related compound (nicotinamide) were achieved using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)–ultraviolet (UV) densitometry with confirmation by online electrospray ionization (ESI)–mass spectrometry (MS). As the stationary phase, HPTLC Si 60 F254 glass plates were employed; the mobile phase was ethanol–1 M ammonium acetate–formic acid (7:1:0.1, v/v/v). No derivatization was applied, and UV densitometry was performed in the absorbance mode (270 nm). The method was validated by specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and robustness.
Liquid phase microextraction techniques combined with chromatography analysis: a review
Authors: Dugheri Stefano , Mucci Nicola , Bonari Alessandro , Marrubini Giorgio , Cappelli Giovanni , Ubiali Daniela , Campagna Marcello , Montalti Manfredi , Arcangeli Giulio
Published: May 2019

Sample pretreatment is the first and the most important step of an analytical procedure. In routine analysis, liquid–liquid microextraction (LLE) is the most widely used sample pre-treatment technique, whose goal is to isolate the target analytes, provide enrichment, with cleanup to lower the chemical noise, and enhance the signal. The use of extensive volumes of hazardous organic solvents and production of large amounts of waste make LLE procedures unsuitable for modern, highly automated laboratories, expensive, and environmentally unfriendly. In the past two decades, liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) was introduced to overcome these drawbacks. Thanks to the need of only a few microliters of extraction solvent, LPME techniques have been widely adopted by the scientific community. The aim of this review is to report on the state-of-the-art LPME techniques used in gas and liquid chromatography. Attention was paid to the classification of the LPME operating modes, to the historical contextualization of LPME applications, and to the advantages of microextraction in methods respecting the value of green analytical chemistry. Technical aspects such as description of methodology selected in method development for routine use, specific variants of LPME developed for complex matrices, derivatization, and enrichment techniques are also discussed.
The mangrove with sediment's evolution and Paleoclimate in the Holocene at the Red river mouth
Authors: Thuận Đinh Văn , Dỹ Nguyễn Địch , Trí Nguyễn Hoàng , Dương Nguyễn Thùy
Published: May 2019

There are four successive...
Investigation Geological structural morphology of Quaternary sediment on coastal Bac Lieu
Authors: Giảng Nguyễn Văn , Thanh Lê Ngọc
Published: May 2019

Georadar is a high-resolution near-surface geophysical method which employ radio waves, typically in the 1 to 1000 MHz frequency range tomap structure and features buried in the ground (or in man-made structures). Georadar method with Pulse EKKO 1 OOA instrument offers the highest resolution and rapidly provides continuous graphicformat which permits rapid semi-quantitative interpretation for in-field analysis. VLF method with Wadi instrument records the ratio of the strengths of the vertical and horizontal fields at the ground surface. Then this method can be used to reveal steeply dipping structures with large cross-sections and low resistivities as fructure/ conductivity zones.This paper is presented the result of using Georadar, VLF and electrical profiling methods for geological structural morphology of quaternarysediment investigation on coastal Baclieu. The structural cross-section of morphology of quaternary sediment is established by nine layers of georadar data for shallow structure and several interfaces of conductivity for deeper structure.
Establishment of the ecological environmental map for Hoa binh town based on the study of ecological landscape and ecological environment
Authors: Thôn Nguyễn Thế
Published: May 2019

Based on the ecolandscape theory and using the Map Info software, the author has established the ecological environmental map for Hoa Binhtown. In this map all of natural environmental components, poilution, degradation, catastrophe and break-down of environment are described.Annotation of the map have two parts : 1) the ecolandscape (ecological environment of the territory) is described with matrix ; 2) the pollution,degradation, catastrophe and break-down of environment are described with description table and that is under the matrix.
Nguồn gốc các đá thành tạo Granitoid đới Đà Lạt theo đặc điểm địa hóa đồng vị
Authors: Tâm Bùi Minh , Bách Lê Duy , Hòa Trịnh Xuân
Published: May 2019

The Origin of Granitoids in Dalat zone from isotopic - Geochemical Evidence
Mối quan hệ giữa đặc trưng cấu trúc vỏ Trái Đất và hoạt động động đất Tay Bắc Việt Nam
Authors: Triều Cao Đình , Tuyên Nguyễn Hữu , Tuấn Thái Anh
Published: May 2019

The corelation between Earth Crust structures...
Mô hình thử nghiệm quản lý tầng chứa nước bổ sung tại Bắc Bình, Bình Thuận
Authors: Thoa Nguyễn Thị Kim , Arduino Giuseppe , Giảng Nguyễn Văn , Văn Phan Thị Kim , Vượng Bùi Trần
Published: May 2019

The Model for Management of Aquifer Recharge in sand dune area of Bac Binh, Binh Thuan
Waste material and/or energy recovery
Authors: Erlandsson Åke
Published: May 2019

Many far-seeing companies have taken part in the Agenda 21 work for sustainable development.  Kährs group has several units being certified in accordance with the ISO 14001 standard and having achieved the EMAS registration. Waste sorting often is the adaptation of recycling that has been the most important one and that has given all collaborators the opportunity to contribute. The system of today for material recycling counteracts an efficient use of energy and a market price level of residues. The energy value is higher than the compensation of collected paper and plastic material.
Round baling - a new technology for storing and transporting of waste
Authors: Brännström Lars-Åke
Published: May 2019

The society is demanding that we find long-term solutions to the problem of future waste recycling. It is therefore that, i.e., life-cycle analyses of different products are performed more frequently. Source-sorting and reclamation of waste is now an obvious necessity. The contribution of BALA Press AB to the rational use of materials and the protection of the environment is a round bale press, a world-patented innovation which revolutionises the handling of waste. Garbage, residual waste and industrial materials can be compressed to a fraction of the original volume and enclosed in cylindrical bales.
Leachate treatment at landfill site: the Spillepeng experience
Authors: Bevmo Lars , Engblom Katarina , Persson Kenneth M
Published: May 2019

The major environmental problem with landfilling of waste is the production of leachate. The amount of the leachate depends on precipitation, run-off and groundwater impact, whereas the concentration of dissolved solutes in the leachate depends on the waste landfilled.

The appropriate treatment of landfill leachate must be investigated for each plant. In principle, the ultimate environmentally critical factors are the resulting concentrations and the availability of contaminants in an aquifer, a surface water system or a wastewater treatment plant into which the leachate is discharged.

With emphasis on the Swedish waste handling company SYSAV:s landfill Spillepeng, north of Malmo, some examples of leachate treatment systems on-site from some Swedish landfills are given in the text as well as strategies on how to fulfil environmental demands on a cost-effective basis. Biological, chemical and physical treatment methods are exemplified.
Oil pollution of finnish gulf Baltic sea due to oil transport activities
Authors: Alhimenko A.
Published: May 2019

The paper describes problems of Oil pollution and Oil spill combating in Finnish Gulf of Baltic Sea due to oil transport activities The main problem for improving situation is to develop new type of criterias estimation of real damage marine ecosystems. This criterias have to become background for financial estimation of damage, technical characteristics needed equipment and oil combating operations.

The mutual influence of cities and ports is obvious enough. Many cities emerged and developed due to geographical location favouring the trade conducted by sea and by river. At the early stages the strong activity of port operations determined the prosperity of the city and the welfare of its residents. But while growing up the port affects more and more negatively the ecological situation in the city.
“In the beginning, it’s like an anchor” – Staff and students’ experiences of a newly implemented first-year student support programme
Authors: Box Emma , Moffat Mandy
Published: May 2019

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Life as a first-year medical student is undoubtedly a huge challenge as the transition from student to doctor begins. For many students, it was found that feelings of anonymity and lack of regular and consistent support from staff compounds the struggles they face during this time. At the University of Dundee, it was proposed that this could be lessened with the introduction of a new personal tutor system for the first-year medical students. This study aims to assess the value of this pilot scheme by exploring the experiences and perceptions of the students and staff involved. Using a qualitative design, data was collected using interviews with staff and students. Thematic analysis of the transcripts provided key themes driving the discussion and conclusion. Overall staff and students were positive about the design of the system itself, as well as their experiences of specific tutor-student interactions. It was clear there was some uncertainty in the expectations of providing pastoral support versus academic support. Many staff raised questions regarding how the system could move forward in future years, and students felt that it should not necessarily be limited to first-years. It is hoped that this research will inform future progress of this support system as well as contribute to the growing literature relating to evaluation of student support programmes.
Engineering E. coli recombinant strains for high yield production of Burkholderia pseudomallei specific antigens
Authors: Kuzyutina Yu. A. , Zakharova I. B. , Viktorov D. V.
Published: May 2019

A risk of introducing into the Russian Federation exotic infections including laboratory-confirmed melioidosis regularly recorded worldwide necessitates development and improvement of express diagnostics tools. Cross reactivity between phylogenetically related species of the genus Burkholderia complicates melioidosis diagnostics by express test methods based on using monoclonal antibodies against pathogen exopolysaccharide epitopes. Searching for target antigens to create the next generation group- and species-specific immunodiagnostic reagents for identifying Burkholderia pseudomallei is still of high priority. The study was aimed at cloning complete coding sequences for cell surface proteins differentiating Burkholderia pseudomallei and optimizing recombinant antigens purification protocol. In silico comparative study allowed to select highly immunogenic B. pseudomallei outer membrane proteins Omp38 and OmpA/МotB as target biomolecules. For cloning, omp38 and ompA/motB gene-specific amplicons were obtained by PCR and ligated with the linear expression vector RIC-Ready pPAL7. Competent E. coli C-Max5 cells were transformed by a ligation mixture for producing recombinant plasmids, which were further purified to transform E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells for robust recombinant protein expression. Due to a potential multimeric protein structure, a standard protein purification protocol from native cell lysate was inefficient, which was modified to increase recombinant protein yield. However, by adding denaturing conditions at intermediate purification steps caused hydrolysis of peptide bonds in the target proteins, presumably between proline and asparagine residues. As a result, N-terminal fragments connecting recombinant proteins to the stationary phase of chromatographic column were eluted and evaluated for linear epitope detection according to their molecular weights. In silico analysis data identified highly antigenic motifs within the polypeptides studied. Thus, strains of E. coli BL21(DE3) BpsOmp39 and E. coli BL21(DE3) BpsOmpА engineered by us produce cell surface proteins Omp38 and ОmpA/МotB derived from melioidosis pathogen, which can be useful for developing diagnostic test systems.
Trefoil factors — new markers of gastrointestinal mucosal barrier
Authors: Shestopalov A. V. , Dvornikov A. S. , Borisenko O. V. , Tutelyan A. V.
Published: May 2019

Trefoil factors (TFFs) are peptides containing a cloverleaf-like structure, which are synthesized in diverse organs including various regions of the human brain (presumably involved in nervous system development and differentiation), thyroid gland, mammary gland, uterus, prostate gland, conjunctiva, respiratory tract, salivary glands, and gall bladder, which peaks in diverse gastrointestinal tract mucosa: TFF-1 in the stomach, TFF-2 in the stomach and duodenum, and TFF-3 in the gut. An increasing body of studies indicate not only about a widely distributed trefoil factors in vivo but also points at their important regulatory functions. In particular, TFFs affect cell adhesion by enhancing epithelial cell migration. Recovery of reversibly damaged epithelial structures called restitution is also facilitated due to TFF-related antiapoptotic effect (anoikis resistance). In contrast, TFF-mediated proangiogenic effects can promote tumor angiogenesis, whereas their immunomodulatory effects include an influence on expression of pro-inflammatory and defense factors (including nitric oxide, cytokines, and defensins). Moreover, TFFs interacting with mucin may increase mucus viscosity, thereby protecting the mucosal layers against ulcerogenic agents. However, bronchial asthma maybe aggravated by elevating mucus viscosity in the respiratory tract due to TFF-2. In addition, TFF expression level is associated with pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases in the gastrointestinal tract. It was shown that modality of changes in TFF level might differ depending on anatomical location and severity of lesions. Changing TFF level plays an important role in oncogenesis. For instance, gastric and colorectal cancer is accompanied by upregulated TFF-1 expression. Importantly, TFF amount is considered as a diagnostic predictor due to being associated with carcinogenesis stage, metastasis as well as sensitivity to chemotherapy in gastrointestinal cancer. In addition, a role potentially played by TFFs in other malignancies including retinoblastoma, breast cancer, and thyroid carcinoma has been extensively examined. Thus, an expanding range of experimental and clinical data evidence that trefoil factors maybe considered as a promising marker of gastrointestinal and oncology diseases.
Neutrophil as a multifunctional relay in immune system
Authors: Dolgushin I. I. , Mezentseva E A , Savochkina A Yu , Kuznetsova E K
Published: May 2019

Over the last two or three decades, a concept regarding functional capacities of neutrophilic granulocytes has been remarkably extended owing to new technologies. Neutrophil-related effector potential against infectious agents, including phagocytosis, production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, degranulation coupled with the released multiple enzymes and antimicrobial peptides, and the extracellular trap formation have been studied in detail. In particular, it was found that many of the factors used by neutrophils to directly destroy pathogens also exert regulatory effects on other immune cells as well as on neutrophils in an autocrine manner. In addition, activated neutrophils are able to de novo synthesize a range of biologically active molecules. Neutrophil-related immunoregulatory effects on macrophages, dendritic cells, T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes may be mediated both via direct intercellular contacts and indirectly through production of cytokines and other biologically active mediators. Ambiguous proactive and suppressive neutrophil-related effects on immune cells evidence about their important role played both in homeostasis and diverse pathologies, particularly in developing malignant tumors. Diverse, even opposing impact exhibited by neutrophilic granulocytes on immune cells and cells in non-lymphoid tissues, point at their functional plasticity and, probably, heterogeneity. Upon that, modality of effects elicited by neutrophils largely depends on surrounding microenvironment while they exit from the circulation. Widely considered as an inf lammatory response inducer, neutrophils are able to simultaneously trigger mechanisms facilitating restriction and resolution of inf lammatory reaction. Using intravital microscopy in animal models, it allowed to discover that neutrophils are able to re-enter circulation after exiting into the extravascular space, thereby challenging a classical concept about a unidirectional neutrophil migration from the blood vessels to body tissue. In addition, evidence that neutrophils can serve as antigen-presenting cells for T cells under certain conditions and are recruited from inf lammatory sites to draining lymph nodes were also obtained. Although a body of the data were obtained in vitro or in animal models, which therefore require to be further examined and verified, it may be unequivocally acknowledged that a neutrophil-related impact is not only limited to innate immunity.
The solid–liquid interface energy at the melting temperature of metal materials
Authors: Zhang Shuai
Published: May 2019

Solid–liquid interface energy is usually defined as the reversible work required to form or stretch plastically the solid–liquid interface per unit area. Many important processes and phenomena are directly related to it. Therefore, it is necessary to determine quantitatively the energy value of the solid–liquid interface. However, compared with the liquid–gas interface energy, it is not easy to measure the solid–liquid interface energy directly through experiments even for pure substances, and it will be more difficult to measure. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop reliable theoretical methods for predicting the solid–liquid interface energy. In this paper, an analytical model for calculating the solid–liquid interface energy of bulk materials is established. This model has no adjustable free parameters. It is obtained by combining the Gibbs–Thomson expression of the free energy at the interface between the crystal and liquid and the theory of homogeneous nucleation. The comparison with experimental data and other theoretical results verifies the correctness of the model in predicting the solid–liquid interface of metals and organic substances.
PCAT1 is a poor prognostic factor in endometrial carcinoma and associated with cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion
Authors: Zhao Xiaohuan , Fan Yali , Lu Changqiong , Li Hongfang , Zhou Ning , Sun Gaogao , Fan Hong
Published: May 2019

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important modulators of cancer progression, among which prostate cancer-associated transcript 1 (PCAT1) has been shown to be an oncogene in several tumors. However, the clinical significance and biological function of PCAT1 in endometrial carcinoma (EC) remain unclear. In this study, we used 89 EC tissues and HEC-1B, Ishikawa, RL95-2 and AN3CA EC cell lines. We found elevated expression levels of PCAT1 in EC tissues and cell lines using reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR). The prognostic value of PCAT1 was determined using Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analysis. The results showed that higher PCAT1 expression was positively correlated with FIGO stage, myometrial invasion, lymph node metastasis, and a shorter overall survival. A series of functional assays showed that the knockdown of PCAT1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PCAT1 (siPCAT1) suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, but promoted apoptosis. Western blot analysis further showed that B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), vimentin and N-cadherin were downregulated, but E-cadherin and Bcl-2-associated death promoter (Bad) were upregulated in PCAT1-silenced EC cells. Taken together, our results underscore the oncogenic role of PCAT1 in EC and show that PCAT1 may be a potential therapeutic target in EC treatment.