bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consideraciones sobre la noción de intuición matemática
Authors: Peña-Páez Lina María
Published: June 2020

La historia de la matemática muestra como la intuición matemática ha estado presente en la invención y desarrollo de conceptos, teorías y procedimientos matemáticos. Así mismo, ha permeado el debate filosófico, los fundamentos de la matemática y los discursos educativos; otorgándole vigencia al estudio de este tema. En el presente artículo, se exponen los argumentos bajo los cuales es posible sustentar que la intuición es un proceso, que toma ideas que se presentan, inicialmente de manera “desordenada”, y que gracias al contexto y los conocimientos previos del individuo las centran en una idea “fija” que será incorporada a la matemática por la lógica y la formalización.
Virtual Touch Quantification using Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging Technology versus Transient Elastography for the Noninvasive Assessment of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B or C using Liver Biopsy as the Gold Standard
Authors: Bâldea Victor , Sporea Ioan , Tudor Anca , Popescu Alina , Bende Felix , Șirli Roxana
Published: June 2020

Aims: Our aim was to assess the diagnostic performance of transient elastography (TE) and Virtual Touch Quantification (VTQ), a point Shear Wave Elastography (pSWE) technique, using Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) technology, for liver fibrosis assessment, as compared to percutaneous liver biopsy (LB), in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C.

Methods: We analyzed 157 patients (80 with chronic hepatitis B and 77 with chronic hepatitis C) with reliable liver stiffness (LS) measurements, in whom we compared TE and VTQ to the LB performed during the same session (evaluated according to the Metavir scoring system: F0-F4). LS was assessed by TE (FibroScan, EchoSens, Paris, France) and VTQ using the Siemens Acuson S2000TM ultrasound system (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). We defined reliable LS measurements as the median value of 10 measurements with an IQR/M <30% for both TE (obtained using the M probe) and VTQ. The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) were used to assess the diagnostic performance of TE and VTQ. Correlation analysis determined the relationship between LSM values and liver histology.

Results: On LB 31 (19.7%) patients had no fibrosis, 35 (22.3%) had F1, 43 (27.4%) had F2, 28 (17.8%) had F3 and 20 (12.7%) had cirrhosis. The mean size of the liver specimen in LB was 27 mm. A strong, linear correlation (Spearman ρ=0.826; p<0.001) with 95% confidence interval for rho (0.769- 0.870), was found between the TE and VTQ measurements. By comparing the AUROC curves, TE and VTQ had similar predictive values for the presence of F≥1 Metavir: AUROC TE=0.876, AUROC VTQ=0.832, p=0.358, for F≥2 Metavir: AUROC TE=0.826, AUROC VTQ=0.862, p=0.313, for F≥3 Metavir: AUROC TE=0.907, AUROC VTQ=0.880, p=0.434 and for F=4 Metavir: AUROC TE=0.981, AUROC VTQ=0.974, p= 0.423.

Conclusions: Both methods, TE and VTQ (pSWE) offer excellent diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis assessment in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C with similar performance.
Multi-target Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with STW 5: Pharmacological Modes of Action
Authors: Allescher Hans-Dieter , Burgell Rebecca , Malfertheiner Peter , Mearin Fermin
Published: June 2020

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a heterogeneous and complex functional gastrointestinal disorder with aglobal prevalence of approximately 11% and high geographic variation. IBS encompasses various symptomclusters considered to reflect complex patho-etiological mechanisms, and effective treatment options arelimited, with most medications targeting individual mechanisms and symptoms. Therefore, multi-targetedtreatment is required. IBS is currently viewed as a disorder of disturbed gut–brain interactions withabnormalities at different sites along the gut–brain axis, including altered gastrointestinal motility, visceralhypersensitivity, increased intestinal permeability, and altered gut microbiota. All of these abnormalitiesrepresent individual targets for STW 5, a herbal preparation with nine different extracts indicated for thetreatment of functional dyspepsia and IBS. As a multi-targeted medicinal drug, STW 5 possesses multiplepharmacodynamic effects. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated STW 5 efficacy on numerousIBS patho-mechanisms targeting gastrointestinal smooth muscles, visceral afferent nerves, inflammation, gutpermeability, and the gut microbiome.
Aspirin and Reducing Risk of Gastric Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Observational Studies
Authors: Win Thin Thin , Aye Saint Nway , Lau Chui Fern Joyce , Ong Fei Cheng
Published: June 2020

Background and Aims: The latest meta-analysis on the role of aspirin on various cancers was published in early 2018. By including the latest and updated primary observational studies, we aimed to conduct this systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize stronger evidence on the role of aspirin in reducing gastric cancer (GC) risk.

Methods: The PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE databases were systematically searched up to December 2019 to identify relevant studies. Random-effects model was used to calculate summary ORs and 95%CI for I 2 >50%. If the heterogeneity is not significant, the fixed-effects model was used. Overall analysis of the studies, inverse variance weighting after transforming the estimates of each study into log OR and its standard error were used.

Results: 21 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Results showed that aspirin significantly reduced the GC risk (OR=0.64, 95%CI=0.54-0.76) with substantial heterogeneity (I 2 =96%). Effect of GC risk reduction in low dose (OR=0.80, 95%CI=0.59-1.09) is slightly greater than high dose aspirin (OR=1.08, 95%CI=0.77-1.52). Protective effect of aspirin uses >5 years (OR=0.67, 95%CI=0.34-1.31) was greater than <5 years (OR=1.01, 95%CI=0.72-1.43)

Conclusion: In conclusion, this meta-analysis showed that low dose aspirin with longer duration of more than 5 years were associated with a statistically significant reduction in GC risk. However, due to possible confounding variables and bias, these results should be cautiously treated.
Diskursus Islam Nusantara dalam Representasi Media Massa
Authors: Fahmi Muhammad
Published: June 2020

This study aims to look at how the representation of the Islam Nusantara in the national media in Indonesia, namely Kompas and Republika. The method used in this stu­dy is critical discourse analysis, Theo van Leeuwen, which focuses on how actors are represented in media texts both in the inclusion and the exclusion strategies. This study con­cludes that, first, Kompas tends to support the Islamic dis­cour­se of Nusantara, while Republika tend to reject the dis­course. Further, Kompas represents the ideology of pluralism and nationalism, whilts Republika tends to present a contes­tation between the pros and cons of Islam Nusantara. Those who disagree with Islam Nusantara more represent the ideo­logy of scrituralism, whilst those who pros of it tend to ref­lect traditionalist ideology.
Bentuk-Bentuk Pesan Dakwah dalam Kajian Al-Qur’an
Authors: Jafar Iftitah , Amrullah Mudzhira Nur
Published: June 2020

This paper aims to examine the form of da’wa mes­­­­­­­­­­­sa­­ge in the al-Qur’an. It argues that the forms of pro­selytizing (da’wa) message in the Qur’an encompass; Qur’­anic verses, prophetic tradition, scholar’s opinions, research results, stories, and news. The Qur’anic verses play a major role in regard with da’wa message due to its dis­tinctive func­tions, namely as guidance or humankind, crite­rion between right and wrong, evaluation standards for other holy scrip­tures, and as a medium of enlightenment. Ḥadȋth of the Prophet Muhammad, Saw., also consi­dered as form of da’wa message because it interpret some verses or make clarifications of ambiguities which hide in some verses. While ulema roles is as a refe­rence for religious studies as well as stories and news constitute the proselytizing message.
Field resistance and molecular detection of the orange rust resistance gene linked to G1 marker in Brazilian cultivars of sugarcane
Authors: Fier Ícaro , Balsalobre Thiago Willian Almeida , Chapola Roberto Giacomini , Hoffmann Hermann Paulo , Carneiro Monalisa Sampaio
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), an important crop for tropical and subtropical countries, is used in the production of sugar and biofuel. Orange rust, a disease caused by the fungus Puccinia kuehnii, can reduce the yield and harm the sugarcane industry. Molecular markers linked to resistance genes can help breeding programs confirm introgression of favorable alleles, find new resistance sources and release new cultivars that have durable resistance. In the current study, the aims were (i) to evaluate in the field the resistance to orange rust of 24 Brazilian commercial cultivars; (ii) to assess the frequency of the allele at G1 marker locus in the set of cultivars, and (iii) to study the usefulness of G1 marker to predict the resistant phenotype and its potential for marker assisted selection. A diagrammatic scale, which ranged from 1 (plants without symptoms) to 9 (highly susceptible plants), was used to determine the disease severity. Considering resistant cultivars those with mean severity up to 3, G1 marker efficiency in predicting the resistant phenotype was 71.43%. In addition, there was a reduction of 35% in the overall mean severity when G1 marker was present. G1 marker is an important molecular tool that can be used by breeding programs in the search for sugarcane cultivars resistant to orange rust.
Pudrición de raíces y tallo de la soya por Phytophthora sojae Kaufm. & Gerd. en la altillanura plana del departamento del Meta
Authors: López-Casallas Marcela , Guevara-Castro Yudy Alejandra , Pisco-Ortíz Yeinny Carolina , Cabrera Isabel Moreno , López-Cardona Nathali
Published: June 2020

RESUMEN El oomycete Phytophthora sojae ha sido reportado como causante de “Damping off” en pre y post emergencia, y pudrición en tallos y raíces en cultivos de soya a nivel mundial. Con el incremento del área sembrada de soya en Colombia en la altillanura plana del departamento del Meta y a la presencia de condiciones ambientales altamente favorables se han observado síntomas de daños en plántulas que pueden ser causados por un complejo de patógenos dónde se incluye a P. sojae. Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo identificar el agente causal de la pudrición de raíces y tallo en cultivos de soya en la altillanura plana del Meta, a partir del diagnóstico microbiológico y molecular de 84 muestras de tejido afectado. La caracterización morfológica del agente causal y macroscópica de las colonias se realizó en el medio V8 modificado. La identificación molecular fue realizada mediante la amplificación de la región ITS (¨The internal transcribed spacer region¨) presente en el genoma de hongos y omycetes. Se realizó análisis filogenético comparando las secuencias ITS de diferentes especies del género Phytophthora reportadas en estudios anteriores y depositadas en el GenBank, de aislamientos de P. sojae de diferentes regiones geográficas y las secuencias de P. sojae obtenidas en este estudio. De las 84 muestras analizadas en el período 2015-2017, siete (7) muestras correspondientes al 8% presentaron síntomas típicos de pudrición de raíz y tallo y fueron atribuidos a P. sojae confirmando los postulados de Köch. Las 77 muestras restantes, correspondientes al 92 % presentaron síntomas del complejo “Damping off” y fueron asociados a Pythium spp. y Fusarium spp. Este es el primer registro de la presencia de P. sojae y su participación como agente causal de las pudriciones de raíces y tallo en lotes comerciales de soya en la altillanura del departamento del Meta.
Safe surgery: analysis of physicians’ adherence to protocols, and its potential impact on patient safety
Authors: SILVA PEDRO HENRIQUE ALVES , CONDE MURILO BARACAT CORTESE , MARTINASSO PEDRO FAVERO , MALTEMPI RENAN PARISE , JACON JOÃO CÉSAR
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT Objectives : to identify surgeons’ knowledge and compliance rate to the Safe Surgery Protocol, as well as to assess the incidence of surgery-related adverse events, including patients’ knowledge about the protocol. Methods: this is a cross-sectional and prospective study. An instrument was developed to collect the socio-graphic characteristics of sixty-eight surgeons and residents, their knowledge and adherence to the safe surgery protocol. Eighty-two patients were assessed regarding their awareness about the surgical procedure. The operating environment was also evaluated. Descriptive statistics and the odds ratio are presented. Results: the surgeons, despite their previous contact with the protocol throughout the graduation period, were poorly compliant with it. Adverse events such as the use of uncalibrated equipments or the presence of foreign bodies in several equipments such as drills and cautery pens were identified. In addition, some of the adverse events were identified and fixed, after patients had already been anesthesized, but before the beginning of the surgical procedure. Patients demonstrated knowledge about the operation they would undergo, but they did not know about its duration, and they were not introduced to the surgical team. Conclusion: there were failures in the dynamics and compliance regarding some phases of the protocol, which may impact the laterality errors and patient safety.
In Vitro Homeostasis of Rat Oral Epithelial Cell Cultures Following Withdrawal of Periodontal Pathogens
Authors: Abdulkareem Ali A , Abdulbaqi Hayder R , Milward Michael R
Published: June 2020

Abstract Inflammation of periodontal tissues is the consequence of interaction between periodontal pathogens and immune system. This is associated with increased expression of inflammatory cytokines, which may exert destructive effect to the periodontal tissues when released over long period. The aim of this study was to chronologically track the homeostasis of oral keratinocytes following removal of periodontal pathogens. This was done by investigating expression of selected inflammatory markers and integrity of epithelial monolayers in vitro. Rat oral keratinocytes were stimulated with heat-killed Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis over 7-days then bacteria were washed away and epithelial cells re-cultured for 3-days. Expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 was measured by ELISA while transcription of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and matrix metalloproteinase -8 (MMP-8) was measured by polymerase chain reaction before and after removal of bacteria. Integrity of epithelial sheet was investigated by using transepithelial electrical resistance. Data showed general downregulation of IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-8 associated with restoring transcription of TIMP-1 and MMP-8 to normal level following removal of bacteria from epithelial cultures. However, expression of IL-8 and MMP-8 remained significantly higher than unstimulated epithelial cells despite withdrawal of F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis respectively from oral keratinocytes cultures. In addition, integrity of epithelial barrier function remained compromised even after removal of P. gingivalis. Results suggest that even after three days following removal of periodontal pathogens, oral keratinocytes sustained persistent upregulation of certain inflammatory markers that could compromise integrity of epithelial barrier function.
Calcium Phosphate Carrying Simvastatin Enhances Bone Regeneration: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cruz Rebecca , Pesce Giovanna , Calasans-Maia José , Moraschini Vittorio , Calasans-Maia Monica Diuana , Granjeiro José Mauro
Published: June 2020

Abstract Several studies have aimed to develop alternative therapeutic biomaterials for bone repair. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate how statins carried by calcium phosphate affect the formation and regeneration of bone tissue in animal models when compared to other biomaterials or spontaneous healing. This systematic review followed the recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, the PRISMA guidelines, and the Preclinical Systematic Review & Meta-analysis Facility (SyRF). The protocol of this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018091112) and in CAMARADES. In addition, ARRIVE checklists were followed in order to increase the quality and transparency of the search. An electronic search was performed using the MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, and PROSPERO library databases. The authors used a specific search strategy for each database, and they also conducted a search in the grey literature and cross-references. The eligibility criteria were animal studies, which evaluated bone repair treated with calcium phosphate as a simvastatin carrier. The selection process yielded 8 studies from the 657 retrieved. All manuscripts concluded that locally applied simvastatin carried by calcium phosphate is biocompatible, enhanced bone repair and induced statistically greater bone formation than cloth or calcium phosphate alone. In conclusion, the pertinent pre-clinical studies evidenced the calcium phosphate biocompatibility and its effectiveness in delivering SIM to improve the repair of bone defects. So, clinical trials are encouraged to investigate the impact of SIM associated with calcium phosphate bone graft in repairing bone defect in humans.
Association Between -1607 1G/2G Polymorphism of MMP1 and Temporomandibular Joint Anterior Disc Displacement with Reduction
Authors: Rosales Alberto Sierra , Rodríguez Eduardo Alberto Villaseñor , González Christian Lorena López , Arellano Edy David Rubio , Rubio Susan Andrea Gutiérrez , Cobián Teresa Arcelia García
Published: June 2020

Abstract Anterior disc displacement with reduction (DDWR) is considered one of the most common disorders within the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), with a prevalence of 41% in adults. Matrix metalloproteinases play an important role in the degradation of the TMJ and the matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) 1607 1G/2G polymorphism increases the local expression of MMP1 thus leading to accelerated degradation of the extracellular matrix. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the 1607 1G/2G polymorphism of MMP1 gene and DDWR in a group of Mexican individuals from western Mexico. A total of 67 unrelated individuals, between the ages of 18 and 36 years, of both genders, were included in this study. Study participants with DDWR were required to meet the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD), while a second control group of 90 individuals without DDWR were also included. Both groups were required to have paternal and maternal ancestry (grandparents) of the same geographic and ethnic region. Genotypes were determined using the nested PCR technique. The 1G/2G polymorphism was found in 68.7%, followed by 2G/2G in 25.4% and 1G/1G in 6.0% of the cases group. While the prevalence in the control group was 55.5% for the 1G/2G polymorphism, 26.6% for 1G/1G and 17.7% for 2G/2G. An association was found between the 2G allele of the 1607 1G/2G polymorphism of MMP1 gene and the presence of DDWR in the patients of western Mexico.
The Role of Demography in the Transition to Sustainable Societies
Authors: Vilches Amparo , Gil-Pérez Daniel
Published: June 2020

Abstract: Currently, although the global population has surpassed 7.5 billion and continues to increase in about 80 million each year, attention to demography is almost absent in most of the studies and publications related to the current situation of planetary emergency and the necessary transition to sustainable societies. For this reason, our first aim in this paper has been to discuss if this current lack of attention to demography is justified or not. With this purpose, we begin considering the scientific meaning of Sustainability, in order to overlay distorted and impoverish views of this concept that may hinder our study. Then, we analyse the reasons given by experts for and against the incidence of demographic growth in the current unsustainable situation of planetary emergency. Finally, we present proposals to face the ensemble of interconnected socio-environmental problems (including demographic evolution), to make possible an appropriate transition to sustainable societies.
Tratamento de aneurismas de artéria esplênica e renal no mesmo tempo operatório: relato de caso e revisão
Authors: Belczak Sergio Quilici
Published: June 2020

Resumo Aneurismas de artérias viscerais e renais são raros (0,01 a 2%) e seu risco de ruptura varia entre os diferentes tipos e de acordo com sua anatomia e contexto do paciente (comorbidades, gravidez e histórico de transplante hepático). A mortalidade decorrente da ruptura desses aneurismas é em torno de 25%. Novas técnicas e materiais derivados da neurointervenção parecem alternativas promissoras para o tratamento desses aneurismas. Neste contexto, relatamos um caso de paciente submetida a tratamento endovascular no mesmo procedimento de aneurisma de artéria esplênica e de artéria renal com a utilização de stent Solitaire® (Medtronic, Minneapolis, EUA) e molas de liberação controlada Ruby® (Penumbra, Alameda, EUA). A paciente apresentou boa evolução com ambos aneurismas tratados de forma adequada. Em conclusão, o tratamento endovascular de aneurismas de artéria esplênica e renal no mesmo tempo operatório é exequível e demonstrou segurança e efetividade no caso relatado.
Translation and cultural adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese of the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) and reliability assessment
Authors: Barim Estela Maria , McLellan Kátia Cristina Portero , Ribeiro Rogério Silicani , Carvalho José Antonio Maluf de , Lindström Jaana , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Corrente José Eduardo , Murta-Nascimento Cristiane
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT: Introduction: The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) is a tool that was initially developed to predict the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults. This tool is simple, quick to apply, non-invasive, and low-cost. The aims of this study were to perform a translation and cultural adaptation of the original version of FINDRISC into Brazilian Portuguese and to assess test-retest reliability. Methodology: This work was done following the ISPOR Principles of Good Practice for the Translation and Cultural Adaptation Process for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures. Once the final Brazilian Portuguese version (FINDRISC-Br) was developed, the reliability assessment was performed using a non-random sample of 83 individuals attending a primary care health center. Each participant was interviewed by trained registered dieticians on two occasions with a mean interval of 14 days. The reliability assessment was performed by analyzing the level of agreement between the test-retest responses of FINDRISC-Br using Cohen’s kappa coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The steps of ISPOR guidelines were consecutively followed without major problems. Regarding the reliability assessment, the questionnaire as a whole presented adequate reliability (Cohen’s kappa = 0.82, 95%CI 0.72 - 0.92 and ICC = 0.94, 95%CI 0.91 - 0.96). Conclusion: FINDRISC was translated into Brazilian Portuguese and culturally adapted following standard procedures. FINDRISC-Br has thus become available for use and has potential as a screening tool in different Brazilian settings and applications.
Daily functioning and dementia
Authors: Cipriani Gabriele , Danti Sabrina , Picchi Lucia , Nuti Angelo , Fiorino Mario Di
Published: June 2020

Abstract. Dementia is characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and in other cognitive domains that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities and social functioning. It is consistently agreed that cognitive impairment is an important risk factor for developing functional disabilities in patients with dementia. Functional status can be conceptualized as the ability to perform self-care, self- maintenance and physical activity. A person with dementia usually requires help with more complex tasks, such as managing bills and finances, or simply maintaining a household. Good functional performance is fundamental for elderly people to maintain independency and avoid institutionalization. The purpose of this review is to describe functional changes in demented patients, evaluating the variability in subgroups of dementias.
Relations between subjective well-being and Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review
Authors: Moura Fernanda Panage , Hamdan Amer Cavalheiro
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT. Subjective Well-Being (SWB) is determined by the degree of satisfaction with one's own life and the intensity/frequency with which we experience negative and positive emotions. Current studies indicate that SWB is beneficial for health. Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the methodological quality of published articles on SWB in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: The keywords “Well-Being” and “Alzheimer” were used. Inclusion criteria were a) articles with a sample of the elderly population; b) empirical articles; c) articles published between 2014 and 2019. Analysis of the selected articles was performed using the Downs and Black Checklist. Results: 13 articles were selected for further analysis. The results showed that only one of the articles reached a high methodological quality level. The other articles had an average level, ranging from 46% to 67%, of total protocol compliance. Conclusion: The studies analyzed had a medium level of methodological quality. It is important to improve the methodological quality of studies on SWB in people with AD.
Depressive symptoms and chronotypes of elderly nursing home residentes: A case management study
Authors: Almeida Evany Bettine de , Lima-Silva Thais Bento , Menna-Barreto Luiz
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT. Institutionalization potentiates the tendency for specific sleep disturbances which occur with aging, besides negative health consequences such as increased rate of depressive symptoms. Objective: To compare sleep profile and depressive symptoms in elderly nursing home residents, highlighting gender differences. Methods: A quantitative descriptive study of 29 elderly from two different nursing homes was conducted. A sociodemographics questionnaire, Sleep Diary, Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale were applied. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: The sample comprised individuals that were predominantly female (72%), aged 80-90 years (48%), widowed (66%) and low-educated (83%). The women were found to sleep and awake later than the men. Regarding chronotypes, the women were classified as evening types and men as intermediate/indifferent types. Most of the elderly exhibited symptoms of major depression (48%). Compared to men, women had more depressive symptoms in both dysthymia and major depression categories. Conclusion: No significant differences were evident on comparisons of sleep profile and depressive symptoms, but elderly with the intermediate chronotype scored lower on the depressive symptoms scale.
Direct and indirect assessment of functional abilities in patients with Parkinson’s disease transitioning to dementia
Authors: Oliveira Gisele Saraiva Reis de , Bressan Lúcia , Balarini Fernanda , Jesuino e Silva Raquel Silveira , Brito Manuelina Mariana Capellari Macruz , Foss Maria Paula , Santos-Lobato Bruno Lopes , Tumas Vitor
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT. Cognitive impairment is common in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and evaluation of functional abilities is crucial for diagnosis of dementia. Objective: We evaluated differences between direct and indirect functional assessment methods to evaluate functional abilities in PD patients. Methods: We evaluated 32 patients with PD and suspected mild dementia using direct and indirect assessment methods. Results: There was a significant difference between the scores of direct and indirect methods of assessment. Patients and close informants usually overestimated their abilities in many ADL. However, all functional assessment tools used in this study had a relatively good accuracy to predict abnormal performance in a global cognitive scale. Patients with normal cognition according to scores in a global cognitive scale may have some functional impairment in ADL. Direct Assessment of Functional Ability (DAFA) scores correlated linearly with scores in global cognitive scales, and especially with scores in the domains of memory and concentration. Conclusion: Patients and close informants usually overestimate their instrumental abilities in ADL. The direct assessment of daily functioning was more reliable than indirect tools to assess functional losses in patients with PD. Finally, some patients with PD but no dementia may present functional losses in ADL.
Cognition and epilepsy: Cognitive screening test
Authors: Tedrus Glória Maria Almeida Souza , Passos Maria Lina Giacomino Almeida , Vargas Letícia Muniz , Menezes Larissa Estela Ferreira Jacó
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT. Cognitive deficits often occur in people with epilepsy (PWE). However, in Brazil, PWE might not undergo neurocognitive evaluation due to the low number of validated tests available and lack of multidisciplinary teams in general epilepsy outpatient clinics. Objective: To correlate Brief Cognitive Battery-Edu (BCB-Edu) scores with epilepsy characteristics of 371 PWE. Methods: Clinical and cognitive assessment (MMSE, BCB-Edu) of 371 PWE aged >18 years was performed. The clinical aspects of epilepsy were correlated with BCB-Edu data. Cognitive data of PWE were compared against those of 95 healthy individuals (NC), with p-<0.05. Results: People with epilepsy had lower cognitive performance than individuals in the NC group. Cognitive aspects also differed according to epilepsy characteristics. Predictive factors for impairment in multiple cognitive domains were age and use of more than one antiepileptic drug (logistic regression; R2 Nagelkerke=0.135). Conclusion: Worse cognitive performance was found in PWE on different domains. There was a relationship between cognitive impairment and the aspects of epilepsy. BCB-Edu proved to be effective as a cognitive assessment screening test for epilepsy in adults.
Relationship between executive functions and academic performance among Moroccan middle school students
Authors: Bouzaboul Mounir , Amri Abdeslam , Abidli Zakaria , Saidi Hassan , Faiz Noureddine , Ziri Rabea , Ahami Ahmed
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACT. Executive functions (EF) play a central role in the development of social and cognitive skills and academic learning. Objective: For this reason, this study aims to determine the relationship between executive functions and academic performance among middle school students in the Middle Atlas of Morocco. Methods: This study focuses on 137 middle school students studying at four colleges located in the Middle Atlas of Morocco. The sample studied was divided into two groups: the first consisting of students with learning difficulties; and the second considered a control. To assess EF, three tests were administered to learners in both groups (Tracking Test, Stroop Test and Number Span Test). Results: In the sample, average age of the learners was 14.5±1.3 years and sex ratio was balanced. The students with learning difficulties had lower performance on tests measuring cognitive flexibility, inhibitory processes and working memory compared to the control group. Conclusion: From these results, it can be concluded that students with learning disabilities performed poorly on the three basic components of executive functions. Therefore, thorough neuropsychological diagnosis would be desirable to identify learners who may have cognitive or behavioural disorders and allow adequate intervention to improve their executive functions and subsequently their academic success.
O espírito livre de Nietzsche e o gênio de Schopenhauer: um paralelismo
Authors: Langone Laura
Published: June 2020

Resumo Este artigo tem o objetivo de mostrar as semelhanças entre o espírito livre de Nietzsche e o gênio de Schopenhauer. Em primeiro lugar, ambos compartilham de uma abordagem mística do conhecimento: perdem sua individualidade e identificam-se aos objetos do conhecimento com o intuito de obter conhecimento do mundo. Em segundo lugar, ambas as figuras (gênio e espírito livre) encontram-se associadas à loucura. Em terceiro lugar, o espírito livre e o gênio são indivíduos excepcionais que, diferentemente do que se passa com a maior parte dos indivíduos, já não se encontram atrelados a questões mundanas. Conduzem-se na vida pacificamente, pairando sobre os valores em que as pessoas mais acreditam, cientes de sua falsidade.
Produtivismo na pós-graduação na perspectiva da ergonomia da atividade
Authors: Vieira Marina Helena Pereira , Fontes Andréa Regina Martins , Gemma Sandra Francisca Bezerra , Montedo Uiara Bandineli
Published: June 2020

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a atividade de trabalho docente de nível superior, identificando os constrangimentos a que os profissionais dessa categoria estão submetidos, devido, especialmente, ao sistema de avaliação da produção intelectual atrelado aos programas de pós-graduação. Foram estudadas as atividades do corpo docente que atua no departamento de Engenharia de Produção (EP) de uma universidade pública federal, no interior do estado de São Paulo. A escolha dessa temática considera que o trabalho docente passou a ter nova lógica nas rotinas acadêmicas, baseada na aceleração e intensificação de atividades e no estímulo à produtividade, que reproduz no âmbito universitário as características próprias do trabalho flexível. Quanto ao delineamento metodológico, esta pesquisa é classificada como descritiva, de abordagem qualitativa, complementada pela aplicação de um estudo de caso único, delineado pela abordagem metodológica da Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho (AET). Os resultados mostram que os docentes que atuam no programa de pós-graduação da instituição selecionada estão submetidos a constrangimentos e experimentam sentimento de frustração devido às cobranças por publicação em detrimento de outras atividades que consideram ter mais sentido e propósito. Parte dos docentes considera a avaliação da produção intelectual um processo opressivo e motivador de um produtivismo sem retorno, que não traduz o desempenho de um bom professor no exercício de suas atividades de ensino, pesquisa e extensão.
Poverty as a Ground of Indirect Discrimination in the Allocation of Police Resources – A Discussion of Social Justice Coalition v Minister of Police 2019 4 SA 82 (WCC)
Authors: Van der Linde Delano Cole
Published: June 2020

The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 (PEPUDA) prohibits indirect and direct unfair discrimination in terms of the grounds listed in the act (such as race, sex, and sexual orientation) as well as unlisted grounds (which are to be alleged and proven by an applicant). South African courts had also grappled with the specific issue of indirect unfair discrimination prior to the enactment of PEPUDA, where applicants could rely on the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 directly. This is evident in cases such as Pretoria City Council v Walker 1998 2 SA 363 (CC) and S v Jordan 2002 6 SA 642 (CC). This contribution is an analysis of the pioneering judgment in Social Justice Coalition v Minister of Police 2019 4 SA 82 (WCC) (SCJ case), wherein a South African court for the first time recognised poverty as a ground of indirect discrimination under PEPUDA. This conclusion flows from the court's finding, based on expert evidence that the formula used to allocate police resources in the Western Cape unfairly discriminates against poor and Black people in an indirect manner. The analysis of the SCJ judgment will take place against the backdrop of the antidiscrimination framework under PEPUDA and direct constitutional litigation that predates PEPUDA. The underlying theme of intersectionality will also be discussed, as it was apparent from a reading of the SCJ case that grounds of discrimination often intersect with one another and disproportionately affect certain groups of people.
The method of determining PEMFC fuel cell stack performance decrease rate based on the voltage-current charact eristic shift
Authors: Ceran Bartosz , Orłowska Agata , Krochmalny Krystian
Published: June 2020

The article presents mathematical model designed to estimate the rate of performance decrease in fuel cell stack. The fuel cell
stack performance decrease rate is determined on the basis of stack average voltage measurements. The proposed model is used
to determine power curve as well as exploitation indicators of fuel cell stack with a nominal power of 50 kW after 14 000 hours
of continuous operation. The model is also used to determine the average voltage drop for the eleven-year fuel cell stack with a
nominal power of 1,2 kW. In both studies, the values of exploitation indicators as well as their differences in relation to nominal
values are determined.
Batı Dijital Medyasının Türkiye’ye Yönelik Algı Manipülasyonu: Koronavirüs Haberleri Üzerine Ampirik Bir Araştırma
Authors: ULAŞ Mehmet , YEŞİL Abuzer
Published: June 2020

İçinde bulunduğumuz dijital çağ dijital medya aracılığıyla aktarılan mesajların doğru bir okuma süzgecinden geçirilmesini önemli hale getirmiştir. Medyada kamuoyuna sunulan içeriklerin salt gerçekliği aktarmaması ve yeniden arzu edilen şekilde içeriklerin inşa edilmesi algı ve algı yönetimi kavramlarını gündeme getirmektedir. Medya gücünü elinde bulunduran mecralar kamuoyunun zihinsel dünyasında arzu edilen yönde fikirlerin yer almasını sağlamak amacıyla bazı stratejilerden yararlanmaktadırlar. Bu stratejilerin başında manipülasyon ve dezenformasyon teknikleri gelmektedir. Bu çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemleri bağlamında amaçlı örneklem çeşitlerinden ölçüt örnekleme kullanılmıştır. Ölçüt örneklem için belirlenen üç kıstas bulunmaktadır: birincisi Corona virüs haberinde kullanılan görselin Türkiye’ye ait olması, ikincisi bu görselin kullanıldığı haberin içeriğinde Türkiye’nin yer almaması, üçüncüsü ise haberin dijital ortamda servis edilmiş olması şeklindedir. Belirlenen bu ölçütler bağlamında örneklem olarak BBC News, New York Times, CNN International, RT, The Associated Press, The Independent ve The Guardian medya organlarının Corona virüs ile ilgili dijital ortamlardaki haber içerikleri incelenmiş ve Türkiye’nin imajını olumsuz şekilde etkileyebilecek olan bu içerikler eleştirel söylem analizi bağlamında ele alınmıştır. Böylece bu çalışmada dijital medya ortamlarında manipülasyon ve dezenformasyon teknikleri ile birlikte yapılan algı yönetimi çabasının ortaya konulması amaçlanmıştır.
Privacy-Preserving Protocol for Atomic Swap Between Blockchains
Authors: Gurung Kiran
Published: June 2020

Atomic swap facilitates fair exchange of cryptocurrencies without the need for
a trusted authority. It is regarded as one of the prominent technologies for the
cryptocurrency ecosystem, helping to realize the idea of a decentralized blockchain
introduced by Bitcoin. However, due to the heterogeneity of the cryptocurrency
systems, developing efficient and privacy-preserving atomic swap protocols has proven
challenging. In this thesis, we propose a generic framework for atomic swap, called
PolySwap, that enables fair ex-change of assets between two heterogeneous sets of
blockchains. Our construction 1) does not require a trusted third party, 2) preserves
the anonymity of the swap by preventing transactions from being linked or distinguished,
and 3) does not require any scripting capability in blockchain. To achieve our goal, we
introduce a novel secret sharing signature(SSSig) scheme to remove the necessity of common
interfaces between blockchains in question. These secret sharing signatures allow an
arbitrarily large number of signatures to be bound together such that the release of any
single transaction on one blockchain opens the remaining transactions for the other party,
allowing multi-chain atomic swaps while still being indistinguishable from a standard
signature. We provide construction details of secret sharing signatures for ECDSA, Schnorr,
and CryptoNote-style Ring signatures. Additionally, we provide an alternative contingency
protocol, allowing parties to exchange to and from blockchains that do not support any form
of time-locked escape transactions. A successful execution of PolySwap shows that it takes
8.3 seconds to complete an atomic swap between Bitcoin's Testnet3 and Ethereum's
Rinkeby (excluding confirmation time).
Herbal extraction procedures: need of the hour
Authors: Saravanabavan Nandhini , Salwe Kartik J. , Sudar Codi R. , Kumarappan Manimekalai
Published: June 2020

Extraction is the first most important step for preparing herbal drug formulations. It serves as an alternate method to identify the lead compound by isolating the active compounds from the crude drug using various extraction techniques by adding suitable solvent. Selection of solvent is the most important step as the success rate depends on it. Thus, by identifying the lead compound, extraction plays an important role in the process of drug discovery. In this review, different methods of extraction used for extracting the herbal extracts have been discussed with their advantages and disadvantages and also a brief discussion on solvent selection and actions of few phytochemicals have also been discussed.
Retrospective study for the results of proximal femoral nailing in subtrochanteric fractures
Authors: Mandalia Manthan H. , Kubavat Hasmukh L. , Trivedi Nirav
Published: June 2020

Background: Subtrochanteric fractures are prevalent in young and old age groups and one of the most notorious to achieve a stable fixation which allows early union and mobilization. This was a retrospective study to analyse the outcomes of proximal femur nailing in subtrochanteric fractures and assess the functional outcome, radiological union and compare that with studies of other modalities.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 40 patients with sub trochanteric fractures classified by Sienshiemer classification and operated by proximal femoral nail implant. Clinical evaluation was done by Harris hip score.

Results: The average union time in our study was 5.12 months lower than some of the union rates of series with other implants (AO blade plate 7.7%). The conducive environment provided by proximal femoral nail (PFN) allows early mobility, independence to the patient and lessens the complications due to the bed ridden state and decrease the time in returning to work.

Conclusions: Our study suggests that PFN being and intramedullary implant gives stable fixation and early union as compared to extramedullary implants with less blood loss and less complications.
INOVAÇÃO E SUSTENTABILIDADE EM PEQUENAS EMPRESAS: UM ESTUDO COM PARTICIPANTES DO PROGRAMA AGENTES LOCAIS DE INOVAÇÃO EM RONDÔNIA (BRASIL)
Authors: Lima Váldeson Amaro , Costa Esdras da Silva , Pereira Raquel da Silva
Published: June 2020

O presente trabalho se propôs a verificar a relação entre inovação e sustentabilidade, analisando o grau de inovação de pequenas empresas e o desenvolvimento de ações ligadas a sustentabilidade, a partir de uma amostra de 205 empresas participantes do programa Agentes Locais de Inovação, no Estado de Rondônia (Amazônia, Brasil). O método de pesquisa utilizou da abordagem quantitativa e dos procedimentos da pesquisa de levantamento (survey), com coleta de dados por revisão de registros estruturados e tratamento pela aplicação da técnica de regressão linear múltipla utilizando SPSS®. Os resultados indicam que existe uma correlação positiva entre o desenvolvimento das atividades de inovação e a adoção de ações sustentáveis pelas pequenas empresas pesquisadas, sendo as dimensões soluções, oferta, marca e processos, do Radar Inovação, mais influentes sobre a atitude sustentável das empresas.
ÉTICA NA ADMINISTRAÇÃO PÚBLICA: UMA ANÁLISE DA PERCEPÇÃO DA COMUNIDADE UNIVERSITÁRIA DO CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS BIOLÓGICAS E DA SAÚDE DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE CAMPINA GRANDE
Authors: Azevedo Bruno de Araujo , Barbosa Erivaldo Moreira , Barbosa Maria de Fátima Nóbrega
Published: June 2020

Discussões éticas estão presentes em praticamente todos os aspectos da vida humana. Na Administração Pública, são cada vez mais frequentes, em razão da inversão de valores que está posta, na qual os interesses particulares parecem se sobrepor à busca pelo bem comum. Nesse contexto, a presente pesquisa teve como objetivo, analisar a percepção da comunidade universitária do Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, acerca da ética na Administração Pública. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa de campo do tipo exploratório-descritiva, valendo-se do método indutivo, utilizando como sujeitos da pesquisa, as pessoas que compõem o órgão objeto do estudo. Os resultados da pesquisa indicaram uma percepção positiva da população estudada acerca da prestação do serviço público no Centro, bem como a adequação da conduta dos servidores às normas éticas, muito embora tenham revelado um baixo índice de conhecimento acerca do Código de Ética da profissão e da Comissão de Ética setorial. Ao final, foram apresentadas proposições, visando à promoção da ética na Universidade, como por exemplo, a elaboração e distribuição de uma cartilha educativa, realização de seminários abordando a ética na Administração Pública e a criação de uma normatização interna de conduta ética na instituição.
Transparência e accountability: uma análise das Universidades Federais do Rio Grande do Sul à luz dos princípios de governança da administração pública federal
Authors: Oliveira Alexandre Borba de , Flôres Fernanda Dalcin , Pinto Nelson Guilherme Machado
Published: June 2020

A presente pesquisa objetivou analisar se as informações publicadas nos sítios eletrônicos das universidades federais do Rio Grande do Sul atendem aos princípios de boa governança relacionados à transparência e à accountability. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa descritiva com abordagem qualitativa. A coleta de dados se deu por meio de navegação orientada pelos sítios eletrônicos dessas universidades. Os principais resultados revelam que nenhuma das universidades analisadas cumprem, de forma plena, os requisitos presentes nas legislações pertinentes ao tema. Quanto à transparência ativa, duas universidades federais do Rio Grande do Sul estão no estágio de transparência ativa significativa e quatro delas estão no estágio de transparência ativa moderada. Faz-se necessário destacar a importância da realização de outros estudos sobre essa temática, a fim de se acompanhar os possíveis avanços e retrocessos vivenciados nacional e internacionalmente no tocante à transparência pública e à accountability de órgãos e entidades da Administração Pública Federal.
Percepção dos servidores públicos sobre planejamento estratégico organizacional: o caso de uma unidade descentralizada do MPF através da implantação do balanced scorecard
Authors: Bandeira Herivânio Torres , Amorim Tânia Nobre Gonçalves Ferreira
Published: June 2020

Nos últimos anos diversas organizações públicas têm utilizado o instrumental da metodologia do Balanced Scorecard para formular e implantar seus planejamentos estratégicos. Seguindo esta linha de modernização da gestão, o Ministério Público Federal (MPF) instituiu o seu Planejamento Estratégico Institucional para o decênio 2011-2020, com desdobramento para todos os seus órgãos e unidades gestoras. Neste contexto, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar o nível de percepção dos servidores de uma Unidade Administrativa Descentralizada do MPF em relação ao planejamento estratégico da instituição. Foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa com aplicação de questionário, aos servidores lotados na Procuradoria Regional da República – 5ª Região, unidade administrativa descentralizada do MPF. Os resultados encontrados sugerem que o nível de percepção dos pesquisados sobre o planejamento estratégico do MPF encontra-se em nível satisfatório, pois a maioria conhece e entende o que é planejamento estratégico, contribuindo assim para a consecução dos objetivos organizacionais.