bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Study on the Regulation of Annexin IV and VEGF by hCG in the Human Endometrium
Authors: Xu Shaoyuan , Li Jie , Chen Xiaoyan , Liu Beiyu
Published: October 2020

Objective. Whether changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and annexin IV during implantation are regulated through the LH/hCG-R needs further research. To investigate the mechanism of hCG on the expression of annexin IV and VEGF in human endometrial cells. Methods. Endometrial cells were isolated and identified from human specimens. The proportion of glandular and epithelial cells was analyzed. Annexin IV and VEGF were analyzed by qRT-PCR (mRNA), western blot (proteins), and immunohistochemistry (proteins). Protein location was identified by immunohistochemistry. The cells were cultured with hCG, hCG/PD98059 (a MAPK inhibitor), or no treatment (control). Results. The proportions between the glandular epithelial cells and stromal cells at inoculation and when adding hCG were 25.8 ± 0.2% and 27.8 ± 0.04%, respectively (

P
>
0.05

). LH/hCG-R, annexin IV, and VEGF were found in the cytoplasm of endometrial cells. After 2, 6, 12, and 24 h of hCG treatment, compared with 1 h, VEGF mRNA was increased by 1.25-fold, 3.19-fold, 4.21-fold, and 4.86-fold and annexin IV by 2.23-fold, 3.37-fold, 5.14-fold, and 5.02-fold. Compared with the control group, annexin IV mRNA and protein were increased in the hCG and hCG/PD98059 groups (mRNA/protein: 1.99-fold/1.80-fold and 2.33-fold/1.93-fold,

P
<
0.05

). Compared with the control group, VEGF mRNA and protein were increased in the hCG group (mRNA/protein: 2.30-fold/1.86-fold), but not in the hCG/PD98059 group. Conclusion. hCG could upregulate the mRNA and protein expression of annexin IV and VEGF. The upregulation of annexin IV by hCG could not be inhibited by PD98059, but the upregulation of VEGF by hCG could.
A Novel Time-Aware Hybrid Recommendation Scheme Combining User Feedback and Collaborative Filtering
Authors: Li Hongzhi , Han Dezhi
Published: October 2020

Nowadays, recommender systems are used widely in various fields to solve the problem of information overload. Collaborative filtering and content-based models are representative solutions in recommender systems; however, the content-based model has some shortcomings, such as single kind of recommendation results and lack of effective perception of user preferences, while for the collaborative filtering model, there is a cold start problem, and such a model is greatly affected by its adopted clustering algorithm. To address these issues, a hybrid recommendation scheme is proposed in this paper, which is based on both collaborative filtering and content-based. In this scheme, we propose the concept of time impact factor, and a time-aware user preference model is built based on it. Also, user feedback on recommendation items is utilized to improve the accuracy of our proposed recommendation model. Finally, the proposed hybrid model combines the results of content recommendation and collaborative filtering based on the logistic regression algorithm.
The Effects of Multipropped Deep Excavation‐Induced Ground Movements on Adjacent High‐Rise Building Founded on Piled Raft in Sand
Authors: Soomro Mukhtiar Ali , Mangi Naeem , Cheng Wen-Chieh , Mangnejo Dildar Ali
Published: October 2020

In this paper, a three‐dimensional numerical parametric study was conducted to predict the deformation mechanism of a 20‐storey building sitting on a (4 × 4) piled raft to an adjacent 25 m deep basement excavation. The influences of different excavation depths were investigated. An advanced hypoplastic sand model (which is capable of taking small‐strain stiffness into account) was adopted to capture soil behaviour. The computed results revealed that excavation adjacent to a building resting on the piled raft caused significant settlement, differential settlement, lateral deflection, and interstorey drift in the building. With settlement due to working load (i.e., 4.8dp%), the total settlements of the building (7.8dp%) exceed the maximum allowable foundation settlement (i.e., 50 mm). In addition, substantial bending moment, shear forces, and changes in axial load distribution along pile length were induced. The findings from this study revealed that the building and pile responses are significantly influenced by the excavation depth.
Effects of SLIRP on Sperm Motility and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Shan Dan , Arhin Samuel Kofi , Zhao Junzhao , Xi Haitao , Zhang Fan , Zhu Chufang , Hu Yangyang
Published: October 2020

Background. Deficient spermatozoon motility is one of the main causes of male infertility. However, there are still no accurate and effective treatments in a clinical setting for male asthenospermia. Exploring the genes and mechanism of asthenospermia has become one of the hot topics in reproductive medicine. Our aim is to study the effect of SLRIP on human spermatozoon motility and oxidative stress. Methods. Sperm samples were collected including a normospermia group (60 cases) and an asthenospermia group (50 cases). SLIRP protein expression in spermatozoa was examined by western blotting, and relative mRNA expression of SLIRP in spermatozoa was quantified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, and the activity of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in spermatozoa were also measured. Results. The mRNA level and protein expression of SLIRP in the asthenospermia group were significantly reduced compared with those in the normospermia group. The ROS active oxygen level in the asthenospermia group significantly increased; however, the ATP content decreased significantly as well as the activity of MnSOD. Conclusion. SLIRP regulates human male fertility, and SLIRP and sperm progressive motility are positively correlated. The expression of SLIRP is declined, oxidative damage is increased, and energy metabolism is decreased in spermatozoa of asthenospermia patients compared to normospermia participants.
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest due to Drowning in North America: Comparison of Patient Characteristics between Survival and Mortality Groups
Authors: Huang Zhenhua , Zhang Wanwan , Liao Jinli , Liu Zhihao , Xiong Yan , Zhan Hong
Published: October 2020

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to drowning carries high morbidity and mortality. There are a few studies on drowning-related out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), in which patients are followed from the scene to hospital discharge. This study aims to compare patient characteristics between the survival group and mortality group of OHCA due to drowning. OHCA due to drowning cases were selected from the North America Termination of Resuscitation Association database between 2011 and 2015. The retrospective analysis of epidemiological characteristics and clinical features of all OHCA patients were performed. Of the 17,094 OHCA cases in the registry, 54 cases of OHCA due to drowning were included in this study. Among the 54 OHCAs due to drowning, 7 (13.0%) survived, while 47 (87.0%) died. Compared to the mortality group, the survival group had a higher bystander witness rate (57.1% versus 17.0%,

p
<
0.05

), higher asystole rate (42.9% versus 78.7%,

p
<
0.05

), and higher mild therapeutic hypothermia rate (28.6% versus 2.1%,

p
<
0.05

). In addition, a large proportion of survivors were children (71.4%) and males (71.4%). Survival among OHCA’s due to drowning was found to be improved with a higher bystander rate, higher asystole rate, and higher mild hypothermia rate. In addition, children and males comprised the majority of survivors.
Association of Circulating Omentin-1 with Osteoporosis in a Chinese Type 2 Diabetic Population
Authors: Yan Pijun , Xu Yong , Zhang Zhihong , Zhu Jianhua , Miao Ying , Gao Chenlin , Wan Qin
Published: October 2020

Aims. Omentin-1, a newly identified adipokine, has been demonstrated to be associated with bone metabolism, but the results have been inconsistent. Moreover, the potential relationship of circulating omentin-1 with diabetic osteoporosis has never been reported. This study is intended for studying the association between circulating omentin-1, bone mineral density (BMD), prior fragility fractures, and other bone metabolic-related parameters. Methods. Circulating omentin-1 levels were measured in 172 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and participants were divided into the normal BMD group (

n
=
52

), the osteopenia group (

n
=
66

), and the osteoporosis group (

n
=
54

). The relationship between circulating omentin-1 and diabetic osteoporosis and other parameters was analyzed. Results. Circulating omentin-1 was significantly higher in the osteoporosis group than in the normal group and in the osteopenia group (both

P
<
0.05

). Circulating omentin-1 levels were correlated significantly and positively with sex; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; apolipoprotein A; and prevalence of prior fragility fractures, diabetic nephropathy, and retinopathy; they were correlated negatively with diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, hemoglobin, atherogenic index of plasma, osteoporosis self-assessment tool for Asians, BMD at different skeletal sites, and corresponding

T

scores, irrespective of age, sex, and body mass index (

P
<
0.01

or

P
<
0.05

). Moreover, circulating omentin-1 was an independent decisive factor for the presence of osteoporosis only in women after multivariate adjustment (odds ratio: 1.069; 95% confidence interval: 1.003-1.139;

P
<
0.05

). Lastly, the analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that the best cutoff value for circulating omentin-1 to predict diabetic osteoporosis was 15.37 ng/mL (sensitivity: 71.7%; specificity: 58.5%) in female subjects. Conclusions. High levels of circulating omentin-1 may be associated with the development of osteoporosis in female diabetic subjects and may be a potential biomarker for diabetic osteoporosis in women.
Cardiac CaMKIIδ and Wenxin Keli Prevents Ang II‐Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy by Modulating CnA‐NFATc4 and Inflammatory Signaling Pathways in H9c2 Cells
Authors: An Na , Chen Yu , Xing Yanfen , Wu Honghua , Gao Xiongyi , Chen Hengwen , Song Ke , Li Yuanyuan , Li Xinye , Yang Fan , Pan Xiandu , He Xiaofang , Wang Xin , Li Yang , Gao Yonghong , Xing Yanwei
Published: October 2020

Previous studies have demonstrated that calcium‐/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and calcineurin A‐nuclear factor of activated T‐cell (CnA‐NFAT) signaling pathways play key roles in cardiac hypertrophy (CH). However, the interaction between CaMKII and CnA‐NFAT signaling remains unclear. H9c2 cells were cultured and treated with angiotensin II (Ang II) with or without silenced CaMKIIδ (siCaMKII) and cyclosporine A (CsA, a calcineurin inhibitor) and subsequently treated with Wenxin Keli (WXKL). Patch clamp recording was conducted to assess L‐type Ca2+ current (ICa-L), and the expression of proteins involved in signaling pathways was measured by western blotting. Myocardial cytoskeletal protein and nuclear translocation of target proteins were assessed by immunofluorescence. The results indicated that siCaMKII suppressed Ang II‐induced CH, as evidenced by reduced cell surface area and ICa-L. Notably, siCaMKII inhibited Ang II‐induced activation of CnA and NFATc4 nuclear transfer. Inflammatory signaling was inhibited by siCaMKII and WXKL. Interestingly, CsA inhibited CnA‐NFAT pathway expression but activated CaMKII signaling. In conclusion, siCaMKII may improve CH, possibly by blocking CnA‐NFAT and MyD88 signaling, and WXKL has a similar effect. These data suggest that inhibiting CaMKII, but not CnA, may be a promising approach to attenuate CH and arrhythmia progression.
Gene Expression Profiling of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Zhu Huijing , Zhu Xin , Liu Yuhong , Jiang Fusong , Chen Miao , Cheng Lin , Cheng Xingbo
Published: October 2020

Objective. The aim of this study was to identify the candidate genes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and explore their potential mechanisms. Methods. The gene expression profile GSE26168 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The online tool GEO2R was used to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed by using Metascape for annotation, visualization, and comprehensive discovery. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed by using Cytoscape software to find the candidate genes and key pathways. Results. A total of 981 DEGs were found in T2DM, including 301 upregulated genes and 680 downregulated genes. GO analyses from Metascape revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in cell differentiation, cell adhesion, intracellular signal transduction, and regulation of protein kinase activity. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in the cAMP signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and so on. On the basis of the PPI network of the DEGs, the following 6 candidate genes were identified: PIK3R1, RAC1, GNG3, GNAI1, CDC42, and ITGB1. Conclusion. Our data provide a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of genes, functions, and pathways, which may be related to the pathogenesis of T2DM.
A Hybrid Approach for Dynamic Simulation of Safety Risks in Mega Construction Projects
Authors: Xu Na , Liu Qing , Ma Ling , Deng Yongliang , Chang Hong , Ni Guodong , Zhou Zhe
Published: October 2020

Mega construction projects (MCPs) are inherently high‐risk and complex. The challenge of safety management for mega construction projects is that safety risk factors constantly change and interact with each other in the long‐term construction period. Few of the prior studies have enabled the prediction of the safety state in a dynamic and connected overview, which is a critical characteristic of safety risks in MCPs. Therefore, a hybrid approach for the dynamic simulation of risk factors is proposed. A three‐stage procedure review of explicit documents, including accident investigation reports and construction standards, was carried out to identify safety risk factors and the causal relationships among them. Subsequently, the likelihood exposure and consequence (LEC) assessment method was applied to define the changes in risk factors over time. A system dynamics (SD) model was established to integrate the interacting risks and simulate the developing trend of the overall safety risk state. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was provided to rank risk factors and simulate optimal risk mitigation strategies. Finally, the model was applied to the urban rail transit Line 9 project in China as a case study. The results indicated that the proposed hybrid approach performed satisfactorily under complex interrelated risk factors. Therefore, this study provides a practical framework to simulate and predict the safety state dynamically in a timely process for MCPs, either ahead of a project theoretically or during a project with real data.
Photoplethysmography Biometric Recognition Model Based on Sparse Softmax Vector and k-Nearest Neighbor
Authors: Yang Junfeng , Huang Yuwen , Huang Fuxian , Yang Gongping
Published: October 2020

Photoplethysmography (PPG) biometric recognition has recently received considerable attention and is considered to be a promising biometric trait. Although some promising results on PPG biometric recognition have been reported, challenges in noise sensitivity and poor robustness remain. To address these issues, a PPG biometric recognition framework is presented in this article, that is, a PPG biometric recognition model based on a sparse softmax vector and k-nearest neighbor. First, raw PPG data are rerepresented by sliding window scanning. Second, three-layer features are extracted, and the features of each layer are represented by a sparse softmax vector. In the first layer, the features are extracted by PPG data as a whole. In the second layer, all the PPG data are divided into four subregions, then four subfeatures are generated by extracting features from the four subregions, and finally, the four subfeatures are averaged as the second layer features. In the third layer, all the PPG data are divided into 16 subregions, then 16 subfeatures are generated by extracting features from the 16 subregions, and finally, the 16 subfeatures are averaged as the third layer features. Finally, the features with first, second, and third layers are combined into three-layer features. Extensive experiments were conducted on three PPG datasets, and it was found that the proposed method can achieve a recognition rate of 99.95%, 97.21%, and 99.92% on the respective sets. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can outperform current state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy.
New System for the Classification of Epiphyseal Separation of the Coracoid Process: Evaluation of Nine Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mondori Takamitsu , Nakagawa Yoshiyuki , Kurata Shimpei , Fujii Shuhei , Egawa Takuya , Inoue Kazuya , Tanaka Yasuhito
Published: October 2020

Objectives and Design. Epiphyseal separation of the coracoid process (CP) rarely occurs in adolescents. In this retrospective case series, we reviewed the data of nine patients treated at our center and those of 28 patients reported in the literature. This injury can be classified into three types according to the injured area: Type I, base including the area above the glenoid; Type II, center including the coracoclavicular ligament (CCL); and Type III, tip with the short head of the biceps and coracobrachialis, as well as the pectoralis minor. Patients/Participants. A total of 37 patients were included in the analysis. Data on sex, age, cause and mechanism of injury, separation type, concomitant injury around the shoulder girdle, treatment, and functional outcomes were obtained. Main Outcome Measurements and Results. Type I is the most common type. The cause of injury and associated injury around the shoulder girdle were significantly different between Type I, II, and III fractures. The associated acromioclavicular (AC) dislocation and treatment were significantly different between Type I and III fractures. Our new classification system reflects the clinical features, imaging findings, and surgical management of epiphyseal separation of the CP. Type I and II fractures are mostly associated with AC dislocation and have an associated injury around the shoulder girdle. Type III fractures are typically caused by forceful resisted flexion of the arm and elbow. Although the latter are best managed surgically, whether conservative or surgical management is optimal for Type I and II fractures remains controversial. Conclusions. We noted some differences in the clinical characteristics depending on the location of injury; therefore, we aimed to examine these differences to develop a new system for classifying epiphyseal separation of the CP. This would increase the clinicians’ awareness regarding this injury and lead to the development of an appropriate treatment.
Suicídio em idosos: índice e taxa de mortalidade nas capitais brasileiras no período de 2001 a 2015
Authors: Silva John Victor dos Santos , Santos Júnior Claudio José dos , Oliveira Keila Cristina Pereira do Nascimento
Published: October 2020

Fundamentos: o suicídio em idosos é um dos grandes problemas de saúde pública, que vem expressando taxas cada vez mais alarmantes pelo mundo atualmente. Objetivo: analisar o índice e taxa de mortalidade por suicídio em idosos nas capitais brasileiras no período de 2001 a 2015. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo ecológico misto, com dados secundários coletados no Sistema de Indicadores de Saúde e Acompanhamento de Políticas Públicas do Idoso (SISAP IDOSO) e no Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (SIM). A coleta ocorreu no período de setembro a novembro de 2018. Os dados foram tabulados e analisados descritivamente, com apresentação de gráficos e tabelas e frequências simples absolutas e percentuais. Principais resultados: 74,9% que cometeram suicídio foram homens e 53,7% estavam entre 60 a 69 anos. A região sudeste apresentou maior índice de mortalidade, porém a maior taxa de mortalidade para cada 10.000 habitantes foi na região centro-oeste. Conclusão: há um crescente aumento nos índices e nas taxas de mortalidade de idosos, tornando-se uma preocupação para a saúde pública.
Comparação da aptidão física de mulheres adultas e idosas de acordo com o histórico de quedas e a prática regular de diferentes modalidades de exercícios físicos
Authors: Reis Mariana Rodrigues de Oliveira , Brazo-Sayavera Javier , Lima Jhennyfer Aline Rodrigues , Nogueira Jonatas Evandro , Zago Anderson Saranz , Trapé Átila Alexandre
Published: October 2020

Objetivos: Comparar a aptidão física de mulheres de acordo com o histórico de quedas e a prática regular de diferentes modalidades de exercícios físicos (treinamento combinado: musculação e resistência aeróbia; treinamento funcional: multicomponente; e treinamento multimodal: duas ou mais modalidades). Métodos: Estudo transversal com 44 mulheres (idade entre 50 e 80 anos). Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos e sobre o histórico de quedas no último ano, além da avaliação antropométrica e testes motores (flexibilidade, força de membros superiores e inferiores, capacidade aeróbia e agilidade e equilíbrio dinâmico) para avaliar a aptidão física. Na análise estatística, foram realizados o Teste t para amostras independentes e a ANCOVA utilizando idade, índice de massa corporal e tempo de exercício físico como co-variáveis. Resultados: As participantes que tiveram ocorrência de quedas no último ano apresentaram piores resultados nos testes de flexibilidade (sentar e alcançar e mãos nas costas), força de membros superiores (flexão de cotovelo) e de membros inferiores (sentar e levantar), bem como capacidade aeróbia (teste de caminhada de seis minutos). Em relação às diferentes modalidades de exercícios físicos, não foi possível observar diferença estatística para nenhuma das variáveis estudadas. Entretanto, resultados satisfatórios de acordo com os valores normativos foram observados nos três grupos. Conclusões: O grupo com histórico de quedas apresentou piores resultados na aptidão física. Em relação às diferentes modalidades de treinamento, não houve diferença entre os grupos para nenhuma variável analisada. Entretanto, observa-se que estas modalidades são importantes para a manutenção de bons níveis de aptidão física no contexto do envelhecimento.
Avaliação dos fatores de risco para osteoporose e aplicação da ferramenta FRAX clínico em idoso
Authors: Alves Neto José Seabra , Cruz Amanda Raquel Costa , Pereira Francisco de Assis
Published: October 2020

A osteoporose é caracterizada pela fragilidade óssea e mudanças em sua microarquitetura. O seu principal desfecho clínico é a fratura por baixo impacto. Uma das principais ferramentas de avaliação clínica do risco de fratura osteoporótica é o FRAX. Este trabalho objetiva avaliar os fatores de risco para osteoporose e a indicação de tratamento em idosos. Foi realizado um estudo transversal, descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa, por meio de um questionário, com 145 pacientes que foram atendidos no setor ambulatorial do DeCos Day Hospital, no período de novembro de 2017 a abril de 2018. Observou-se que a osteoporose prevaleceu no sexo feminino, sedentários e com idade média de 71 anos. A presença de fratura predominou na faixa etária de 70 a 79 anos e nenhum participante fazia tratamento específico para a osteoporose. Conclui-se que orientações dietéticas saudáveis são importantes como medida preventiva e a ferramenta FRAX poderia ser utilizada para estimar a probabilidade de fratura, visto que a densitometria não é a acessível a toda a população.
Caso clínico: tromboembolismo pulmonar secundário em um paciente com COVID-19
Authors: Cicilini André Luiz , Oliveira Alana Ferreira de , Hidalgo Filho Cássio Murilo Trovo , Salles Renata Freitas Nogueira , Fróes Michele Higa , Eduardo Jamilton de Medeiros
Published: October 2020

A COVID-19 é a doença infecciosa cujo agente etiológico é um betacoronavirus, o SARS-CoV-2. Sua emergência se deu em uma província chinesa em dezembro de 2019, tornando-se uma pandemia que desafia a saúde pública global.  Habitualmente, apresenta-se como uma síndrome gripal, com possibilidade de evolução para síndrome respiratória aguda grave. Além disso, pode provocar alterações na coagulação e resposta inflamatória do indivíduo, levando a complicações tromboembólicas. Este artigo relata o caso de um paciente de 58 anos, diagnosticado com COVID-19, que seguia em isolamento domiciliar e, evoluiu com dispneia e hemoptise no quarto dia de doença. O diagnóstico do tromboembolismo pulmonar (TEP) foi confirmado através de tomografia contrastada de tórax. O paciente foi internado para tratamento clínico, necessitando de acompanhamento em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) entre o terceiro e quinto dia de internação. Após alta da UTI, o paciente evoluiu sem demais intercorrências, recebendo alta no décimo dia de internação hospitalar.
Sex and Gender and Sex
Authors: Budin Stephanie Lynn
Published: October 2020

This article challenges some of the prevailing notions pertaining to non-binary sex and fluid gender in modern academia. Beginning with a look at the history of the sex vs. gender debate, it turns to the study of genetics to determine how binary sex is, overturning many current beliefs about the biological bases of multiple sexes. It then considers four case studies of so-called fluid gender in world history—Mesopotamian women as men, Albanian virgjinéshē, and Indian devadāsīs and sādhini—which show that these apparently “male women” never lose their feminine gender in spite of provisional male prerogatives.  In all cases, it is their sexuality that ties them to their gender. The article ends with a consideration of how unreflective adoption of non-binary sex and fluid gender undermines the goals of feminism.
Atuação de mulheres assírias nas redes de comércio inter-regional do II milênio AEC: possibilidades de abordagens de gênero nos estudos da Antiga Mesopotâmia
Authors: Fattori Anita
Published: October 2020

A perspectiva teórica de gênero foi incorporada aos estudos assiriológicos recentemente e os resultados de seu emprego têm mostrado novas possibilidades de abordagem para compreender as sociedades do Antigo Oriente Próximo. No início do segundo milênio AEC, a cidade de Aššur destaca-se nesse cenário pela sua participação central numa importante rede comercial de longa distância. Os assírios, organizados em empreendimentos familiares, realizavam o comércio de tecido e estanho em troca de ouro e prata. Por meio das cartas intercambiadas entre os mercadores, que tinham como destino principal a Anatólia, e suas famílias que permaneciam em Aššur, podemos constatar a participação ativa das mulheres no empreendimento familiar. Grande parte dessas cartas possui a particularidade de ser enviada ou recebida por mulheres dessas famílias. Assim, essa correspondência constitui uma importante fonte documental para o estudo das mulheres no contexto mesopotâmico. A partir da perspectiva de regimes de gênero, pretendemos apresentar alguns aspectos da atuação das mulheres assírias no contexto do comércio inter-regional do início do segundo milênio AEC para compreender algumas das dimensões de seus papéis sociais.
Dejanira e a morte no leito: considerações sobre gênero e matrimônio na tragédia As Traquínias de Sófocles
Authors: Dagios Mateus
Published: October 2020

O objetivo do artigo é analisar o discurso de Dejanira na tragédia As Traquínias de Sófocles. Configuram-se no discurso da personagem trágica questões referentes ao casamento e ao simbolismo do leito para ressaltar uma timḗ (honra) defendida pela personagem. A análise é feita em uma configuração de gênero no texto trágico que procura localizar uma rede de significados sobre o status da mulher e sua função social para rastrear a tragicidade da personagem, que oscila entre os poderes de Eros e de Afrodite. O artigo atenta para a estrutura da tragédia de Sófocles e para o uso de vocabulário específico que almeja delinear uma Dejanira relacionada ao oîkos.
"Por que de galo, então, chamamos quem se castra [...]?" Interseccionalidade em representações de sacerdotes castrados no Império Romano
Authors: Silva Semíramis Corsi
Published: October 2020

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar representações textuais de sacerdotes considerados praticantes de rituais que envolviam cortes de seus órgãos genitais. Tais intervenções, tratadas aqui como castrações, foram vistas como perda da virilidade e transgenerização para o feminino na literatura greco-romana do período imperial. Sacerdotes castrados podem ser percebidos no mito de Átis (o consorte da deusa frígia Cibele, a Magna Mater), na literatura sobre os sacerdotes dessa deusa (os galli) e nas representações textuais dos sacerdotes da deusa síria Atargátis e do imperador Heliogábalo (218–222). Como não há relatos dessas práticas deixados por seus praticantes, grande parte da documentação que temos sobre os sacerdotes castrados se refere às representações feitas por seus críticos. Diante disso, as fontes utilizadas para o estudo que se apresenta são compostas de textos literários greco-romanos. Neste artigo, tais textos serão analisados à luz de uma perspectiva interseccional, pensando a descrição dos sacerdotes a partir da construção do outro não greco-romano e das normativas de gênero para o uir, o cidadão das camadas abastadas do Império Romano.
mito de Tristão e Isolda inscrito na Antiguidade: Contribuições teórico-metodológicas para além da Idade Média
Authors: Alteparmakian Ana Carolina Pedroso
Published: October 2020

O artigo se propõe a um levantamento teórico-metodológico, e também historiográfico, de três elementos que permeiam o conteúdo do mito de Tristão e Isolda. O primeiro busca analisar o significado do termo gênero, como instrumento de análise caro à ideia de “mulher medieval”; o segundo visa discutir a compreensão e difusão dos mitos durante a Antiguidade e Idade Média. E, por último, será abordada a interpretação formulada por Jean Markale, em La Femme Celte: amparado sobre a teoria da existência de sociedades ginecocratas pré-históricas, o mitólogo realiza uma análise da personagem Isolda e identifica-a com traços femininos advindos das sociedades célticas. Discutiremos, assim, a importância destes três elementos para o conhecimento mais profundo do mito tristânico, narrativa que se ampara sobre pressupostos anteriores à Idade Média, época de sua (re)emergência.
A História dos Vândalos reconsiderada
Authors: Rosolen Junior Geraldo
Published: October 2020

O texto é uma resenha do livro de Roland Steinacher "Die Vandalen: Aufstieg und fall eines barbarenreichs".
Identification of the Novel Variants in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Yaoita Nobuhiro , Satoh Kimio , Satoh Taijyu , Shimizu Toru , Saito Sakae , Sugimura Koichiro , Tatebe Shunsuke , Yamamoto Saori , Aoki Tatsuo , Kikuchi Nobuhiro , Kurosawa Ryo , Miyata Satoshi , Nagasaki Masao , Yasuda Jun , Shimokawa Hiroaki
Published: October 2020

Background

Although chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and acute pulmonary embolism (APE) share some clinical manifestations, a limited proportion of patients with CTEPH have a history of APE. Moreover, in histopathologic studies, it has been revealed that pulmonary vasculature lesions similar to pulmonary arterial hypertension existed in patients with CTEPH. Thus, it remains unknown whether these 3 disorders also share genetic backgrounds.

Methods and Results

Whole exome screening was performed with DNA isolated from 51 unrelated patients with CTEPH of Japanese ancestry. The frequency of genetic variants associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension or APE in patients with CTEPH was compared with those in the integrative Japanese Genome Variation Database 3.5KJPN. Whole exome screening analysis showed 17 049 nonsynonymous variants in patients with CTEPH. Although we found 6 nonsynonymous variants that are associated with APE in patients with CTEPH, there was no nonsynonymous variant associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Patients with CTEPH with a history of APE had nonsynonymous variants of
F5
, which encodes factor V. In contrast, patients with CTEPH without a history of APE had a nonsynonymous variant of
THBD
, which encodes thrombomodulin. Moreover, thrombin‐activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, which is one of the pathogenic proteins in CTEPH, was significantly more activated in those who had the variants of
THBD
compared with those without it.

Conclusions

These results provide the first evidence that patients with CTEPH have some variants associated with APE, regardless of the presence or absence of a history of APE. Furthermore, the variants might be different between patients with CTEPH with and without a history of APE.
Recovery-oriented intersectoral care between mental health hospitals and community mental health services: An integrative review
Authors: Jørgensen Kim , Rasmussen Tonie , Hansen Morten , Andreasson Kate
Published: October 2020

Background:

Recovery-oriented intersectoral care is described as an aim in mental healthcare to create a holistic framework for planning that provides integration of treatment and rehabilitation. Existing studies show that nurses and other professionals do not take responsibility for the collaborative element of intersectoral care between mental health hospitals and community mental health services. The users of mental healthcare do not experience their patient journey as a cohesive process when they are discharged from a mental health hospital to community mental health services.

Aim:

The integrative review aims to examine the professionals’ experience with recovery-oriented intersectoral care between mental health hospitals and community mental health services.

Design:

Since the aim was to review user experience, we chose an integrative review as an obvious choice for design.

Ethical approval:

Not applicable.

Findings:

Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The interactive inductive and deductive analysis generated four themes, which clarify the experience of professionals with recovery-oriented intersectoral care between the mental health hospitals and community mental health services, namely ‘structurally routine care’, ‘unequal balance of power between the sectors’, ‘bureaucracy as a barrier to recovery-oriented intersectoral care’ and ‘flexible mental healthcare approaches’.

Conclusion:

This review achieves specific knowledge of recovery-oriented intersectoral care. The studies included show that recovery-oriented intersectoral care is not clearly defined. It is challenging to transfer intersectoral care to an organisation with different structural and linguistic barriers.
From serpents and doves to the war on teleocracy
Authors: Brown Chris
Published: October 2020

In one of his earliest papers, ‘Serpents and Doves in Classical International Theory’ (1988), Nick Rengger set out themes that would be important to him for the next thirty years, including a Rortyan/Oakeshottian commitment to conversation as the appropriate mode of human inquiry, with the premise that there is no truth to be discovered, and a healthy scepticism directed towards reformist projects in international relations. These themes are present in his final works on just war and the anti-Pelagian imagination, but in a new, and less attractive, more dogmatic form. His critique of ‘teleocracy’ had hardened into something that no longer resembled a conversation, and his critique of progressivism involved the burning of a multitude of straw men. In 1988 Rengger aspired to be one of Rorty’s ‘edifying’ philosophers, by 2018 he seemed to have become committed to a system.
Assessing children’s incremental word knowledge in the upper primary grades
Authors: Monster Iris , Tellings Agnes , Burk William J. , Keuning Jos , Segers Eliane , Verhoeven Ludo
Published: October 2020

Word knowledge acquisition is an incremental process that relies on exposure. As a result, word knowledge can broadly range from recognizing the word’s lexical status, to knowing its meaning in context, and to knowing its meaning independent of context. The present study aimed to model incremental word knowledge in 1454 upper primary school children from grades 3 to 5 by investigating their abilities on three word knowledge tasks originating from the same set of 300 words: lexical decision, context decision, and definitional decision. A mixed-effects model showed significant differences in performance between tasks and between grades, and a significant interaction indicating that task differences were different for children in grade 5 compared to children in grades 3 and 4. In order to examine further the different task relation patterns at the word level, a cluster analysis was performed using the observed item means, which were corrected for the guessing chance. The analysis showed that for most words, recognition of its lexical status was easier than knowing its meaning in context, which in turn was easier than knowing its meaning independent of context. It is concluded that task relation patterns differ based on mean log frequency as a proxy of word exposure.
Strategic orientations and digital marketing tactics in cross-border e-commerce: Comparing developed and emerging markets
Authors: Goldman Sjoukje PK , van Herk Hester , Verhagen Tibert , Weltevreden Jesse WJ
Published: October 2020

In this article, the impact of strategic orientations on the use of digital marketing tactics and, subsequently, on the international business performance of small electronic retailers (e-retailers) in cross-border electronic commerce (e-commerce) is analysed. Furthermore, these relationships are compared between e-retailers originating in both developed and emerging e-commerce markets. Using a sample of 446 small business-to-consumer e-retailers from 20 European countries, we find that the deployment of digital marketing tactics has a positive effect on international business performance. Of the strategic orientations examined, foreign market orientation is most associated with the use of digital marketing tactics. Remarkably, growth orientation only has a positive effect on e-retailers from developed e-commerce markets, while customer orientation negatively affects e-retailers from emerging e-commerce markets. The differences between e-retailers from developed and emerging e-commerce markets are prominent and show that markets should not be considered as either uniform or generalisable.
The support needs of parent caregivers of children with a life-limiting illness and approaches used to meet their needs: A scoping review
Authors: Gill Fenella J , Hashem Zahraa , Stegmann Roswitha , Aoun Samar M
Published: October 2020

Background:

Provision of paediatric palliative care is complex and optimally covers meeting the individual needs of a heterogenous population of children and their parent caregivers throughout a life-limiting illness. It is unclear whether existing approaches comprehensively address parent caregivers’ needs.

Aim:

To examine support needs of parents caring for children with life limiting illnesses and identify specific approaches used to identify and address needs.

Design:

A scoping review

Data sources:

MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ProQuest Central, were searched for peer reviewed English language full text research published from 2008 to 2019. Study quality appraisal was undertaken. Fourteen quantitative, 18 qualitative and 12 mixed methods studies were synthesised and themed using summative content analysis and mapped to the Parent Supportive Care Needs Framework (PSCNF).

Results:

Themes were communication, choice, information, practical, social, psychological, emotional and physical. Communication and choice were central and additional to domains of the PSCNF. Unmet were needs for supporting siblings, for respite care, out of hours, psychological, home and educational support. Six articles reported using instruments to identify parent carer support needs.

Conclusion:

Support needs of parent caregivers of children with life limiting illnesses are substantial and heterogenous. While studies report evidence of burden and distress in parent caregivers, this rarely translates into improvements in practice through the development of interventions. A systematic and regular assessment of individual parent caregiver support needs is required by using instruments appropriate to use in clinical practice to move the focus to palliative care interventions and improved services for parents.
Effect of serotonin transporter genotype on carbon dioxide-induced fear-related behavior in mice
Authors: Leibold Nicole K , van den Hove Daniel LA , Weidner Magdalena T , Buchanan Gordon F , Steinbusch Harry WM , Lesch Klaus-Peter , Schruers Koen RJ
Published: October 2020

Background:

Inhaling 35% carbon dioxide induces an emotional and symptomatic state in humans closely resembling naturally occurring panic attacks, the core symptom of panic disorder. Previous research has suggested a role of the serotonin system in the individual sensitivity to carbon dioxide. In line with this, we previously showed that a variant in the SLC6A4 gene, encoding the serotonin transporter, moderates the fear response to carbon dioxide in humans. To study the etiological basis of carbon dioxide-reactivity and panic attacks in more detail, we recently established a translational mouse model.

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether decreased expression of the serotonin transporter affects the sensitivity to carbon dioxide.

Methods:

Based on our previous work, wildtype and serotonin transporter deficient (+/–, –/–) mice were monitored while being exposed to carbon dioxide-enriched air. In wildtype and serotonin transporter +/– mice, also cardio-respiration was assessed.

Results:

For most behavioral measures under air exposure, wildtype and serotonin transporter +/– mice did not differ, while serotonin transporter –/– mice showed more fear-related behavior. Carbon dioxide exposure evoked a marked increase in fear-related behaviors, independent of genotype, with the exception of time serotonin transporter –/– mice spent in the center zone of the modified open field test and freezing in the two-chamber test. On the physiological level, when inhaling carbon dioxide, the respiratory system was strongly activated and heart rate decreased independent of genotype.

Conclusion:

Carbon dioxide is a robust fear-inducing stimulus. It evokes inhibitory behavioral responses such as decreased exploration and is associated with a clear respiratory profile independent of serotonin transporter genotype.
Dissociable contributions of mediodorsal and anterior thalamic nuclei in visual attentional performance: A comparison using nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonists
Authors: Mantanona Craig P , Božič Tadej , Chudasama Yogita , Robbins Trevor W , Dalley Jeffrey W , Alsiö Johan , Pienaar Ilse S
Published: October 2020

Background:

Thalamic subregions mediate various cognitive functions, including attention, inhibitory response control and decision making. Such neuronal activity is modulated by cholinergic thalamic afferents and deterioration of such modulatory signaling has been theorised to contribute to cognitive decline in neurodegenerative disorders. However, the thalamic subnuclei and cholinergic receptors involved in cognitive functioning remain largely unknown.

Aims:

We investigated whether muscarinic or nicotinic receptors in the mediodorsal thalamus and anterior thalamus contribute to rats’ performance in the five-choice serial reaction time task, which measures sustained visual attention and impulsive action.

Methods:

Male Long-Evans rats were trained in the five-choice serial reaction time task then surgically implanted with guide cannulae targeting either the mediodorsal thalamus or anterior thalamus. Reversible inactivation of either the mediodorsal thalamus or anterior thalamus were achieved with infusions of the γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic agonists muscimol and baclofen prior to behavioural assessment. To investigate cholinergic mechanisms, we also assessed the behavioural effects of locally administered nicotinic (mecamylamine) and muscarinic (scopolamine) receptor antagonists.

Results:

Reversible inactivation of the mediodorsal thalamus severely impaired discriminative accuracy and response speed and increased omissions. Inactivation of the anterior thalamus produced less profound effects, with impaired accuracy at the highest dose. In contrast, blocking cholinergic transmission in these regions did not significantly affect five-choice serial reaction time task performance.

Conclusions/interpretations:

These findings show the mediodorsal thalamus plays a key role in visuospatial attentional performance that is independent of local cholinergic neurotransmission.
Effects of caffeine on ethanol-elicited place preference, place aversion and ERK phosphorylation in CD-1 mice
Authors: Porru Simona , Maccioni Riccardo , Bassareo Valentina , Peana Alessandra T , Salamone John D , Correa Mercè , Acquas Elio
Published: October 2020

Background:

Epidemiological studies indicate a rise in the combined consumption of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, which can lead to increased risk of alcoholic-beverage overconsumption. However, the effects of the combination of caffeine and ethanol in animal models related to aspects of drug addiction are still underexplored.

Aims:

To characterize the pharmacological interaction between caffeine and ethanol and establish if caffeine can affect the ability of ethanol (2 g/kg) to elicit conditioned place preference and conditioned place aversion, we administered caffeine (3 or 15 mg/kg) to male CD-1 mice before saline or ethanol. Moreover, we determined if these doses of caffeine could affect ethanol (2 g/kg) elicited extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation in brain areas, nucleus accumbens, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, central nucleus of the amygdala, and basolateral amygdala, previously associated with this type of associative learning.

Results:

In the place-conditioning paradigm, caffeine did not have an effect on its own, whereas ethanol elicited significant conditioned-place preference and conditioned-place aversion. Caffeine (15 mg/kg) significantly prevented the acquisition of ethanol-elicited conditioned-place preference and, at both doses, also prevented the acquisition of ethanol-elicited conditioned-place aversion. Moreover, both doses of caffeine also prevented ethanol-elicited extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation expression in all brain areas examined.

Conclusions:

The present data indicate a functional antagonistic action of caffeine and ethanol on associative learning and extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation after an acute interaction. These results could provide exciting grounds for further studies, also in a translational perspective, of their pharmacological interaction modulating other processes involved in drug consumption and addiction.