bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GENRE PALETTE OF YEVHEN MALANYUK'S JOURNALISM ON THE PAGES OF JOURNAL “VESELKA” (KALISH, 1922–1923)
Authors:   Institute of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Golovina Alina
Published: November 2020

The article considers the initial period of the creative path of the Ukrainian poet, writer, publicist, historian Yevhen Malanyuk during his stay in the camps of interned soldiers of the UPR Army on the territory of Poland. Ye. Malanyuk's work during the period of Polish internment, of course, became the basis not only of the artist's authorial style, but also determined the main thematic direction of his creative activity. The artist's journalistic work is analyzed on the pages of journal “Veselka” (Kalish, 1922-1923) and focuses on the genre palette of the author's journalistic work. The main features of the use of genres in the journalism of Yevhen Malanyuk of this period are highlighted, the features of the author's handwriting and methods of communication with the audience are traced. An attempt was made to systematize the artist's periodicals, which was published in the journal “Veselka” by genre specificity and analyzed the application of methods in the selected genre. The study found, that Yevhen Malanyuk used a rather limited number of genres in the materials published on the pages of journal “Veselka”. The study highlighted: article, review, essay as the main genres used by the artist when writing his works on the pages of journal “Veselka”. It was also determined that in his work Yevhen Malanyuk did not adhere to a certain stereotypical perception of the genre as a permanent form of writing and used a combination of different genres through their diffuse nature. The article analyzed that Yevhen Malanyuk in his various genres of journalism raised a large number of nationally affirmative issues, formulated a theoretical platform of Ukrainian culture in the coordinates of the world cultural space. The author drew to witness the past of a nation that for centuries had fought desperately for survival and was ruthlessly Russified. Given the present, we can say that these problems occur in modern society, because the reform of general morality and consciousness is gradual, and with it self-determination develops in view of the views and preferences of man. And the works of Yevhen Malanyuk are a treasure trove of national unity and cultural and ideological determination of Ukrainians in the motives and means of introducing ethnic culture into the life of modern Ukrainians.
Analysis of President Xi’s Speech at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit in light of Systemic Functional Grammar
Authors: Cao Xingyuan , Liu Lingling
Published: November 2020

Politics is a genre of language, and language is the manifestation of politics (Mazrui, 2008). Political discourse not only plays an important role in the process of national external communication but also conveys certain ideology and political intentions. Based on interpersonal function in Systemic Functional Grammar and using President Xi’s speech at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit as the original data, this paper analyzes and explores how this speech can achieve discourse function through personal pronouns, mood, and modality. In addition, this paper reveals how various linguistic resources are used to realize interpersonal meaning in political discourse.
Liquidity Management and Financial Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Kenya
Authors: Muriithi Njue Alex , Nduati Kariuki Samuel , Mugambi Njeru Duncan
Published: November 2020

Sound liquidity management is integral for any financial institution’s stability and profitability, since deteriorating liquidity management is the most frequent cause of poor financial performance. As with any financial institution, the biggest risk in microfinance sector is lending money and not getting it back leading to liquidity problems as most of them have no access to lender of the last resort which is the Central Bank of Kenya. The study sought to investigate the effect of liquidity management on financial performance of microfinance institutions in Kenya. The target population of the study was all the twenty-six microfinance in Kenya that are members of Association of Microfinance Institutions and were licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya as at 2017. A census of all the twenty-six 26 Microfinance Institutions in Kenya was conducted for five years from 2012 to 2016. Secondary data on the study variables was gathered from the audited financial statements of the Microfinance Institutions. The study employed random effect model on a 5-year panel data from 2012 to 2016 on all the 26 Microfinance Institutions in Kenya. The study found a positive relationship between capital adequacy and financial performance and a negative relationship between asset quality, maturity gap and financial performance. The study would help Microfinance Institutions as they would use the research findings to develop liquidity management strategies to enable Microfinance Institutions improve on their financial performance.
Cultural Mistrust and Counseling: A Review of Factors Impacting African Americans Males
Authors: Mizelle Nathalie , Maiden James L. , C. Grady Jody , O. Stewart Delarious , Sutton Brian
Published: November 2020

African American males are less likely to engage in mental health services. Racial discrimination, cultural mistrust, mental health disparities, and racial identity roles are significant factors impeding African American men from pursuing or continuing counseling. Unfortunately, counselors subliminally acknowledge the stereotypical labels ascribed to African American males lead to a poor or non-existing rapport, and tend to create solutions for the clients, disregarding their intrinsic motivation and autonomy. This conceptual article discussed racial discrimination, microaggression, and community ties as the barriers to counseling engagement among African American males. The article also highlighted the history of counseling African American males and the present urgency for a culturally sensitive model using the concepts of Motivational Interviewing for encouraging counseling engagement and autonomous resolution of ambivalence.
Disclosure of AGM Minutes on Corporate Website: An Assessment of Malaysian Listed Companies
Authors: Mohd Ariffin Mohd Shazwan , Wan-Hussin Wan Nordin , Abdul Malak Siti Seri Delima
Published: November 2020

Disclosure of annual general meeting (AGM) minutes on the corporate website is considered as additional disclosure. Consequently, Listing Requirements states compulsory disclosure of corporate information. In this regard, the awareness of compulsory disclosure of information among all Malaysian listed companies in 2017 was below expectations. Despite the role of AGM minutes as documented proof of meeting, the management had been reluctant to disclose AGM minutes on the corporate website unless demanded by the shareholders. This paper focuses on previous mandatory disclosure of discussions on key matters after AGM minutes among 261 listed companies based on the financial year ended December 31, 2016. The findings indicated that shareholder activism and the role of grey directors exerted influence on the disclosure of AGM minutes on the corporate website. Undoubtedly, management and investors have contributed toward voluntary disclosure in line with the government’s role to enhance shareholder rights. Besides, grey directors’ contribution towards information disclosure has remained relatively unexplored.
A mesterséges megvilágítás hatása a talajfaunára
Authors: Varga János , Horotán Katalin , Csuzdi Csaba
Published: November 2020

A mesterséges fény hatása a repülő állatokra, különösen a rovarokra, Arisztotelész óta jól ismert. Az utóbbi években a fényszennyezéssel kapcsolatosan egyre több tudományterület vizsgálja a jelenséget. Az ALAN (Éjszakai mesterséges fény) hatására vonatkozó ismereteink azonban többnyire a fényre repülő szervezetek fiziológiájára, viselkedésére, szaporodására ragadozó és zsákmány kölcsönkapcsolatainak vizsgálataira korlátozódnak. Ismereteink azonban meglehetősen korlátozottak arra vonatkozóan, hogy az ökoszisztémákban a fénynek van-e hatása a talajban élő állatvilágra. Tanulmányunkban a rendelkezésre álló irodalmak rövid áttekintésével összefoglaljuk az ALAN talajállatokra gyakorolt hatását.
EEG-aktivitás jellemzése különböző mértékű és jellegű figyelmet igénylő feladatok végzésekor
Authors: Stefancsik Gergely , Emri Zsuzsa
Published: November 2020

A neuropedagógia kialakulásával megjelent a pedagógiának egy olyan irányzata, amely az oktatási folyamatok ter vezésénél biológiai mérésekre, többek között az elektroenkefalográfiára (EEG) támaszkodik. Kísérletünkben 14 csatornás, vezeték nélküli EEG-készüléket használtunk, és összehasonlítottuk a különböző kognitív igénybevételt jelentő feladatok alatti alfa-aktivitást. A vizsgálatban részt vevő 15 egyetemista EEG-jét zenehallgatás (nyitott és csukott szemmel), illet ve szövegolvasás közben rögzítettük. Összehasonlít va az egyes aktivitások alatti EEG-spektrogramokat megállapíthattuk, hogy a szem becsukása szignifikánsan növelte az alfa-aktivitás mértékét a nyitott szemű feladatokhoz képest, de a nyitott szemű feladatok nem különböztek egymástól. Bár behunyt szemmel mindenkinél nőtt az alfa-aktivitás, 4 esetben a spektrogramon nem jelent meg világosan elkülöníthető alfa csúcs. Nyitott szemű zene- hallgatás alatti alfa-aktivitás nem függött attól, hogy mennyire érezte a kísérleti alany nyugtató hatásúnak a zenét. Az olvasás alatti alfa-aktivitás mértéke nem korrelált a szöveghez kapcsolódó kérdésekre adott válaszok helyességével, az olvasás hosszával vagy azzal, hogy a kísérleti alany érdekesnek találta-e a szöveget. Méréseink alapján az Emotiv Epoc készülékkel regisztrált EEG-ben populáció szinten a csukott szemű alfa-aktivitás növekedés elkülöníthető, de a nagymértékű egyéni különbségek elfedik a koncentráció változását jelző ingadozásokat.
Dohányzási szokások az Észak-magyarországi régióban
Authors: Kocsán Nikolett , Antal Károly , Emri Zsuzsa
Published: November 2020

A szigorítások ellenére a magyar lakosság, különösen a nők körében a dohányzók aránya magasabb, mint az európai átlag (Eurostat, 2017). A nikotin az egyik legaddiktívabb pszichoaktív drog, a függőség gyorsan kialakul, különösen fiataloknál (Pócs és mtsai, 2018). Gyerekek és serdülők már alkalmi használat alatt függőkké válhatnak, emiatt a gyermekkorban elkezdett dohányzás az egyik legbiztosabb előrejelzője a felnőttkori dohányzásnak. Vizsgálatunkban főleg észak-magyarországi lakosok dohányzási szokásait mértük fel online kérdőív segítségével. A megkérdezettek (1045 fő) 41,3%-a dohányzik minden nap, 80,2%-uk még 18 éves kora előtt kipróbálta a dohányzást. A rendszeres dohányzás bármely életkorban veszélyesnek bizonyult, és közel 70%-os esélylyel vezetett napi rendszerességű dohányzáshoz a teszt kitöltésének időpontjában. A dohányzás elkezdésének leggyakoribb okai két csoportra oszthatóak: stresszoldás, koncentráció, gondokról való megfeledkezés, illet ve kíváncsiság, tapasztalatokkal felvágás és a társak hatása. Ez utóbbi csoport létszámát lehetne megfelelő felvilágosítással és a dohányzás korlátozásával főleg a 18 éven aluliak körében mérsékelni. A dohányosok 78,7%-a próbálkozott már a leszokással, 31,3%-uk sikeresen. Leggyakoribb módszerek a fokozatos vagy egyik napról a másikra történő feladás és a különböző nikotin pótló készítmények használata volt.
A scientific description of specimens of Asian paper of known origin
Authors: Rischel Anna-Grethe
Published: November 2020

The fibres and technologies used in the production of 14 handmade paper samples of known provenance, collected during study tours to Nepal, Thailand and Japan in 1984, 1985 and 1988 illustrate the importance of the preparation process for the final quality of the paper. The detailed descriptions from field notes and observation of the time-consuming preparation process of the fibres from the Moraceae and Thymelaeaceae plant families in this article indicate the close connection between the preparation of the fibres and the technology used in the sheet formation and the drying process. A useful reference for known fibres, technology and prove­nance, these 14 samples serve in comparative analyses as an identification key for the fibres and technology of unidentified Asian papers.
Fisioterapia nas complicações ginecológicas decorrentes do tratamento do câncer de colo de útero
Authors: Pereira Marina Rodrigues Lopes , Da Costa Hellem Samilles Cardoso , Duarte Natália de Souza , Dias George Alberto da Silva , Rodrigues Cibele Nazaré Câmara , Latorre Gustavo Fernando Sutter , Nunes Erica Feio Carneiro
Published: November 2020

Introdução: O tratamento do Câncer de Colo do Útero (CCU) traz consequências anátomo-funcionais para o sistema genital. Objetivo: Verificar o efeito da fisioterapia nas complicações ginecológicas e na qualidade de vida (QV) das mulheres após o tratamento do CCU. Métodos: Ensaio clí­nico, com 16 mulheres que realizaram tratamento do CCU, alocadas em dois grupos: 10 para o Grupo ambulatorial (GAM) e 6 para o Grupo domiciliar (GDE). A intervenção consistiu em massagem perineal e treinamento dos músculos do assoalho pélvico por seis semanas, porém o GAM realizou o acompanhamento em ambulatório e o GDE em domicí­lio. Resultados: As complicações ginecológicas mais prevalentes encontradas em ambos os grupos foram a estenose, o ressecamento vaginal, o encurtamento vaginal, o estreitamento vaginal, a dispareunia e a diminuição da libido. Após o protocolo, o GAM apresentou melhora estatisticamente significante para a estenose, para o ressecamento, o encurtamento vaginal, estreitamento vaginal e para a diminuição da libido. Conclusão: Tanto as queixas ginecológicas, quanto a função muscular tiveram melhora estatisticamente significante no GAM e alguns domí­nios do questionário de função sexual e do questionário de QV apresentaram resultados similares de melhora em ambos os grupos.Palavras-chave: oncologia, colo de útero, assoalho pélvico, saúde sexual.
Gender Disaggregation in COVID-19 and Increased Male Susceptibility
Authors: Acharya Yogesh , Pant Suman , Gyanwali Pradip , Dangal Ganesh , Karki Priyanka , Bista Navindra Raj , Tandan Meera
Published: November 2020

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a growing public health crisis. Despite initial focus on the elderly population with comorbidities, it seems that large studies from the worst affected countries follow a sex-disaggregation pattern. Analysis of available data showed marked variations in reported cases between males and females among different countries with higher mortality in males.  At this early stage of the pandemic, medical datasets at the individual level are not available; therefore, it is challenging to conclude how different factors have impacted COVID-19 susceptibility. Thus, in the absence of patients’ level data, we attempted to provide a theoretical description of how other determinants have affected COVID-19 susceptibility in males compared to females.  In this article, we have identified and discussed possible biological and behavioral factors that could be responsible for the increased male susceptibility. Biological factors include - an absence of X-chromosomes (a powerhouse for immune-related genes), a high level of testosterone that inhibits antibody production, and the presence of Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors that facilitate viral replication. Similarly, behavioral factors constitute - higher smoking and alcohol consumptions, low level of handwashing practices, and high-risk behavior like non-adherence to health services and reluctance to follow public health measures in males.
Keywords: COVID-19; gender; males; sex disaggregation; susceptibility
REKONSEPTUALISASI KONSTRUK KUALITAS LAYANAN SPESIFIK PADA KONTEKS PERGURUAN TINGGI
Authors: Saputra Fachri Eka
Published: November 2020

This study aims to reexamine the scale of service quality measurement that refers to multi-dimensional concepts. This type of research is quantitative descriptive research. This research is a quantitative research. Sampling in this study was carried out randomly by using probability sampling with a stratified random sampling technique in obtaining information from respondents. The number of samples used was 200 people in each department in the Economic and Business Faculty, University of Bengkulu. The results showed that service quality can be classified into 6 factors. These factors consist of Factor 1 which focuses on administrative services; Factor 2 which focuses on facilities and infrastructure; Factor 3 which focuses on the quality of teaching; Factor 4, which focuses on resource allocation; Factor 5, which focuses on the ease of borrowing space; and Factor 6 focuses on lecturer responsiveness to student complaints. The higher education institution and each unit under it are expected to pay attention to these factors in developing policies and programs.  Keyword:   Service Quality, HEdPerf (Higher Education Performance), HiEdQual (Higher Education Quality), Higher Education Institution.
Dificuldades vivenciadas pela mulher frente à coleta do exame citopatológico
Authors: Amud America da Silva , Silva Daniele Marques da , Lopes Graciana de Sousa , Marques Greicy Kelly de Lyra , Lopes Henrique Gabriel de Lima , Silva Hilme Castro da , Guerreiro Ingrid da Cunha , Ferreira Loyana de Oliveira , Mocambite Lucas Barros
Published: November 2020

Objetivo: analisar os fatores associados à não adesão do exame citopatológico por mulheres. Método: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa, cujo método de pesquisa se constitui ferramenta essencial, pois permite a análise através de uma revisão de literatura de forma ampla e sistemática, além de divulgar dados científicos produzidos por outros autores.  Resultados:. a vergonha é um fator desfavorável ao exame e pode causar a interrupção do atendimento. Levando em consideração que o corpo humano é exposto ao processo de exame de Papanicolaou, a sensação de ser facilmente ferido ao ser tocado e o julgamento de outras pessoas sobre seu corpo é a sensação instrutiva de intrusão constrangedora, enquanto desconhecidos olham para sua imagem corporal. Conclusão: é fundamental que as mulheres compreendam a importância do exame de Papanicolaou ser realizado regularmente e entendam a necessidade do teste como método preventivo, não apenas quando existem os sintomas ginecológicos. Portanto, é necessário que essas mulheres comecem a utilizar os serviços preventivos para evitar que o processo de infecção evolua para um quadro mais grave, que pode levar ao câncer do colo do útero.
Spatial Illustration of Indicatorson the Example of BiomassPotential for Energy Purposesin the Tabi District
Authors: Csuvár Ádám , Barna Róbert
Published: November 2020

This paper is intended to show the importance of spatial accounting, the practicality ofmapping and illustration. To this end, biomass potential that can be grown on arable lands and the resulting indicators were studied on the example of the Tabi járás (Tabi district) of Hungary. The processed data was projected onto maps for mapping the absolute potential, but also specific indicators such as values per hectare or per capita. The results are plotted in equal intervals and along with natural fractures classification of the data. The results thus obtained emphasize the heterogeneity caused by spatial unevenness. Taking such information into account can improve the efficiency of state interventions, investments, developments and the decentralization of other decisions.
Periodically Queer: Sexology and Non-Normative Sexualities in the Little Magazine The Masses
Authors: Mayer Ruth
Published: November 2020

This paper will be concerned with the special affordances of periodical writing, taking the modernist little magazine The Masses as its example. This magazine was instrumentally involved in promoting sexual liberation and ‘sex radicalism’ in the United States of the 1910s, and I argue that the – contracted, serial, and contingent – structure of periodical publishing had an incisive impact on the ways in which the magazine responded to and transfigured the contemporary rhetoric of sexology. Focusing on the enactment of non-normative sexualities in the little magazine, I aim to show that the iterative and kaleidoscopic form of presentation yields effects that are different from the aesthetics of queer modernism as manifest in the ‘closed’ literary forms of the episodic novel or the short story collection. I will cast a close look at Floyd Dell's writing in the magazine to argue my case, and end with a reflection on (the publication history of) Sherwood Anderson's ‘Hands’.
‘Machinic Desire’: Wyndham Lewis, Masculinity and the Sublime Horror of Technological War
Authors: Dematagoda Udith
Published: November 2020

This article explores Wyndham Lewis's experience of the First World War, and its influence on his varied artistic output. It interrogates how Lewis's initial ambivalence towards an emergent technological society shifted through direct encounters with mechanized warfare, and speculates on the effect of these upon his post-war writing and criticism. By contrasting Lewis's thought against that of his Italian Futurist contemporaries, I will demonstrate the centrality of their divergent conceptions of masculinity in accounting for this opposition – and how Lewis's critique of technological society prefigures contemporary opposition towards the post-humanist philosophy of Accelerationism.
The Definitive Editor: Alfred Kreymborg and the Others Magazine-Anthology Duo
Authors: Budke Leah
Published: November 2020

This article examines two intrinsically linked periodical publications: Others: A Magazine of the New Verse (1915–1919) and Others: An Anthology of the New Verse (1916–1920) both edited by Alfred Kreymborg. To date, scholarship on the publications has focused either on the magazine or, to a lesser extent, on the anthology, but never on the dynamic between the two publications. The article begins by considering the way both publications challenged the boundaries of medial form in an effort to better characterize the respective functions of the magazine and the anthology in the Others dynamic. It demonstrates how the anthology, an annual publication, allowed Kreymborg to reclaim editorial agency over the Others brand, facilitating a secondary round of editing of the magazine's contents. By creating a secondary selection of poems increasingly collated by guest editors, Kreymborg was able to further shape the representation of the duo. The restoration of the Others anthology to the history of the Others project sheds new light on key contributors and resultantly requires us to further nuance our understanding of the Others magazine as a largely inclusive project. In uncovering the role the Others anthology played in the Others dynamic, this article ultimately underscores the need to include the serially published modernist anthology in our understanding of the diverse and interrelated modernist media ecology.
MicroRNA as potential marker of acute myocardial ischemia
Authors: Sychyov I. V. , Eryomkina T. Ya. , Madonov K. S. , Pushkina Ya. A. , Kupriyanov Yu. Yu. , Makarova Yu. A. , Goncharova L. N.
Published: November 2020

Currently, for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, there is no absolute biomarker that has the maximum possible specificity and sensitivity. Circulating microRNAs, which not only regulate key functions in a healthy heart, but are also important in the mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, and apoptosis, have great potential as new early biomarkers for managing patients with acute coronary syndrome. This literature review summarizes the current understanding of the role of microRNAs in the development of atherosclerotic plaques at all stages of atherogenesis, the diagnostic value of small molecules as a biomarker of myocardial infarction and the differential diagnosis of this pathological condition with unstable stenacordia. Despite the great interest in the problem and a significant number of scientific papers, further research is needed. The perspective in the study of microRNAs significantly expands the range of diagnostic capabilities of this method.
POTENCIALIDADES DE UMA TRAJETÓRIA DE APRENDIZAGEM PARA A COMPREENSÃO DE CONTEÚDOS DE MATRIZES E SISTEMAS DE EQUAÇÕES LINEARES EM UM CURSO DE LICENCIATURA EM QUÍMICA
Authors: Klaiber Michelle Andrade , Savioli Angela Marta Pereira das Dores
Published: November 2020

Neste artigo são apresentados aspectos e resultados de uma pesquisa de doutorado na qual se investigou indícios de desenvolvimento do Pensamento Matemático Avançado (PMA) em produções escritas de estudantes do primeiro semestre de um curso de Licenciatura em Química em uma disciplina de Geometria Analítica e Álgebra Linear, com o objetivo de destacar potencialidades da trajetória de aprendizagem construída no referido estudo para a compreensão de conteúdos de Matrizes e Sistemas de Equações Lineares. Verificou-se por meio das análises que, durante o desenvolvimento da trajetória de aprendizagem, os estudantes participantes mobilizaram em suas resoluções os seguintes processos do PMA: representação simbólica, representação mental, visualização, intuição, mudança de representação e tradução, analogia, generalização e síntese. Concluiu-se que o ensino de conteúdos de Matrizes e Sistemas de Equações Lineares por meio detarefas investigativas, com uma abordagem exploratória considerando as dificuldades e os conhecimentos prévios dos estudantes, pode proporcionar o desenvolvimento de processos do PMA, contribuindo com a aprendizagem dos estudantes.
ARTICULANDO SABERES A ENSINAR E PARA ENSINAR MATEMÁTICA POR MEIO DE PRÁTICAS ASSENTES NO ENSINO EXPLORATÓRIO
Authors: Estevam Everton José Goldoni , Basniak Maria Ivete
Published: November 2020

Considerando a dificuldade de efetivar, especialmente nos cursos de licenciatura em Matemática, ações formativas que aproximem componentes disciplinares e a prática profissional do (futuro) professor, este trabalho problematiza a experiência de uma disciplina intitulada Instrumentalização para o Ensino de Matemática no Ensino Fundamental – IEM-EF, conduzida por meio de práticas assentes no Ensino Exploratório de Matemática - EEM. Trata-se de uma investigação da própria prática, alicerçada em análises qualitativas de natureza interpretativa de dados emergentes de relatórios analítico-reflexivos das aulas, narrativas e elaboração de vídeos pelos futuros professores. Os resultados revelam o potencial das práticas discutidas em duas dimensões articuladas: (i) a (re)elaboração de saberes matemáticos acerca dos conteúdos a serem ensinados na Educação Básica, com aprofundamentos e ampliações conceituais, procedimentais e epistemológicas; e (ii) a vivência, na condição de aluno, de práticas pedagógicas exigentes (como é o EEM) que possibilitam, ao futuroprofessor, vislumbrar seu potencial e reconhecer modos de atuação distintos dos modelos tradicionais, com o desenvolvimento de saberes para ensinar Matemática. As conclusões, contudo, salientam a importância da continuidade de ações consonantes ao longo do curso, com concepções econhecimentos alinhados e correspondentes à complexidade e especificidade do conhecimento e das práticas formativas de professores de Matemática.
C-Peptide: A Mediator of the Association Between Serum Uric Acid to Creatinine Ratio and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Chinese Population With Normal Serum Uric Acid Levels
Authors: Ma Chifa , Liu Yiwen , He Shuli , Zeng Jingbo , Li Pingping , Ma Chunxiao , Ping Fan , Zhang Huabing , Xu Lingling , Li Wei , Li Yuxiu
Published: November 2020

Background

The data on the relationship between normal-ranged serum uric acid (SUA), β-cell function, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are complicated and insufficient. Moreover, uric acid is excreted by kidney, and SUA levels may be affected by renal function. Thus, we introduced a renal function-normalized index [serum uric acid to creatinine ratio (SUA/Cr)] into the study and explored the association between SUA/Cr, C‐peptide and NAFLD in a Chinese population with normal SUA levels by a cross-sectional analysis.

Materials and Methods

A total of 282 individuals with normal SUA levels and different glucose tolerance status from a diabetes project were included in the study (mean age = 53.7± 10.5 years; women = 64.50%). NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography (NAFLD, n=86; without NAFLD, n=196). Trapezoid formula was used to calculate area under the curve of C‐peptide (AUCCP) from 4 points (including 0, 30,60, and 120min) during 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between SUA/Cr, AUCCP and NAFLD risk factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between SUA/Cr or AUCCP and NAFLD. Mediation analysis was used to explore whether AUCCP mediated the association between SUA/Cr and NAFLD.

Results

Individuals with NAFLD had significantly higher SUA/Cr and AUCCP than those without NAFLD(P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that both SUA/Cr and AUCCP were significantly associated with many NAFLD risk factors, and SUA/Cr was positively correlated with AUCCP (P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that SUA/Cr and AUCCP were positively associated with NAFLD incidence (P<0.05). Medication analysis indicated that SUA/Cr had a significant direct effect on NAFLD (β =0.5854, 95% CI: 0.3232–0.8966), and AUCCP partly mediated the indirect effect of SUA/Cr on NAFLD incidence (β =0.1311, 95% CI: 0.0168–0.4663).

Conclusions

SUA/Cr was positively associated with NAFLD incidence, and AUCCP partly mediated the association in a Chinese population with normal SUA levels. Thus, we should pay more attention to high-normal SUA and C-peptide levels due to their predictive power in NAFLD incidence.
Treatment of Sarcoidosis: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Gerke Alicia K.
Published: November 2020

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology defined by the presence of noncaseating granulomatous inflammation that can cause organ damage and diminished quality of life. Treatment is indicated to protect organ function and decrease symptomatic burden. Current treatment options focus on interruption of granuloma formation and propagation. Clinical trials guiding evidence for treatment are lacking due to the rarity of disease, heterogeneous clinical course, and lack of prognostic biomarkers, all of which contribute to difficulty in clinical trial design and implementation. In this review, a multidisciplinary treatment approach is summarized, addressing immunuosuppressive drugs, managing complications of chronic granulomatous inflammation, and assessing treatment toxicity. Discovery of new therapies will depend on research into pathogenesis of antigen presentation and granulomatous inflammation. Future treatment approaches may also include personalized decisions based on pharmacogenomics and sarcoidosis phenotype, as well as patient-centered approaches to manage immunosuppression, symptom control, and treatment of comorbid conditions.
Innovative Cell-Based Therapies and Conditioning to Cure RAG Deficiency
Authors: Villa Anna , Capo Valentina , Castiello Maria Carmina
Published: November 2020

Genetic defects in recombination activating genes (RAG) 1 and 2 cause a broad spectrum of severe immune defects ranging from early severe and repeated infections to inflammation and autoimmune manifestations. A correlation between in vitro recombination activity and immune phenotype has been described. Hematopoietic cell transplantation is the treatment of care; however, the availability of next generation sequencing and whole genome sequencing has allowed the identification of novel genetic RAG variants in immunodeficient patients at various ages, raising therapeutic questions. This review addresses the recent advances of novel therapeutic approaches for RAG deficiency. As conventional myeloablative conditioning regimens are associated with acute toxicities and transplanted-related mortality, innovative minimal conditioning regimens based on the use of monoclonal antibodies are now emerging and show promising results. To overcome shortage of compatible donors, gene therapy has been developed in various RAG preclinical models. Overall, the transplantation of autologous gene corrected hematopoietic precursors and the use of non-genotoxic conditioning will open a new era, offering a cure to an increasing number of RAG patients regardless of donor availability and severity of clinical conditions.
Patterns of in situ Mineral Colonization by Microorganisms in a ~60°C Deep Continental Subsurface Aquifer
Authors: Mullin Sean W. , Wanger Greg , Kruger Brittany R. , Sackett Joshua D. , Hamilton-Brehm Scott D. , Bhartia Rohit , Amend Jan P. , Moser Duane P. , Orphan Victoria J.
Published: November 2020

The microbial ecology of the deep biosphere is difficult to characterize, owing in part to sampling challenges and poorly understood response mechanisms to environmental change. Pre-drilled wells, including oil wells or boreholes, offer convenient access, but sampling is frequently limited to the water alone, which may provide only a partial view of the native diversity. Mineral heterogeneity demonstrably affects colonization by deep biosphere microorganisms, but the connections between the mineral-associated and planktonic communities remain unclear. To understand the substrate effects on microbial colonization and the community response to changes in organic carbon, we conducted an 18-month series of in situ experiments in a warm (57°C), anoxic, fractured carbonate aquifer at 752 m depth using replicate open, screened cartridges containing different solid substrates, with a proteinaceous organic matter perturbation halfway through this series. Samples from these cartridges were analyzed microscopically and by Illumina (iTag) 16S rRNA gene libraries to characterize changes in mineralogy and the diversity of the colonizing microbial community. The substrate-attached and planktonic communities were significantly different in our data, with some taxa (e.g., Candidate Division KB-1) rare or undetectable in the first fraction and abundant in the other. The substrate-attached community composition also varied significantly with mineralogy, such as with two Rhodocyclaceae OTUs, one of which was abundant on carbonate minerals and the other on silicic substrates. Secondary sulfide mineral formation, including iron sulfide framboids, was observed on two sets of incubated carbonates. Notably, microorganisms were attached to the framboids, which were correlated with abundant Sulfurovum and Desulfotomaculum sp. sequences in our analysis. Upon organic matter perturbation, mineral-associated microbial diversity differences were temporarily masked by the dominance of putative heterotrophic taxa in all samples, including OTUs identified as Caulobacter, Methyloversatilis, and Pseudomonas. Subsequent experimental deployments included a methanogen-dominated stage (Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales) 6 months after the perturbation and a return to an assemblage similar to the pre-perturbation community after 9 months. Substrate-associated community differences were again significant within these subsequent phases, however, demonstrating the value of in situ time course experiments to capture a fraction of the microbial assemblage that is frequently difficult to observe in pre-drilled wells.
Genomic, Morphological and Functional Characterization of Virulent Bacteriophage IME-JL8 Targeting Citrobacter freundii
Authors: Jia Kaixiang , Yang Nuo , Zhang Xiuwen , Cai Ruopeng , Zhang Yang , Tian Jiaxin , Raza Sayed Haidar Abbas , Kang Yuanhuan , Qian Aidong , Li Ying , Sun Wuwen , Shen Jinyu , Yao Jiayun , Shan Xiaofeng , Zhang Lei , Wang Guiqin
Published: November 2020

Citrobacter freundii refers to a fish pathogen extensively reported to be able to cause injury and high mortality. Phage therapy is considered a process to alternatively control bacterial infections and contaminations. In the present study, the isolation of a virulent bacteriophage IME-JL8 isolated from sewage was presented, and such bacteriophage was characterized to be able to infect Citrobacter freundii specifically. Phage IME-JL8 has been classified as the member of the Siphoviridae family, which exhibits the latent period of 30–40 min. The pH and thermal stability of phage IME-JL8 demonstrated that this bacteriophage achieved a pH range of 4–10 as well as a temperature range of 4, 25, and 37°C. As revealed from the results of whole genomic sequence analysis, IME-JL8 covers a double-stranded genome of 49,838 bp (exhibiting 47.96% G+C content), with 80 putative coding sequences contained. No bacterial virulence- or lysogenesis-related ORF was identified in the IME-JL8 genome, so it could be applicable to phage therapy. As indicated by the in vitro experiments, phage IME-JL8 is capable of effectively removing bacteria (the colony count decreased by 6.8 log units at 20 min), and biofilm can be formed in 24 h. According to the in vivo experiments, administrating IME-JL8 (1 × 107 PFU) was demonstrated to effectively protect the fish exhibiting a double median lethal dose (2 × 109 CFU/carp). Moreover, the phage treatment led to the decline of pro-inflammatory cytokines in carp with lethal infections. IME-JL8 was reported to induce efficient lysis of Citrobacter freundii both in vitro and in vivo, thereby demonstrating its potential as an alternative treatment strategy for infections attributed to Citrobacter freundii.
Effects of Smoking on Regional Homogeneity in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study
Authors: Zhang Tianyi , Luo Xiao , Zeng Qingze , Fu Yanv , Li Zheyu , Li Kaicheng , Liu Xiaocao , Huang Peiyu , Chen Yanxing , Zhang Minming , Liu Zhirong ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)
Published: November 2020

Background

Smoking is a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, smoking-related effects on intrinsic brain activity in high-risk AD population are still unclear.

Objective

We aimed to explore differences in smoking effects on brain function between healthy elderly and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients using ReHo mapping.

Methods

We identified 64 healthy elderly controls and 116 aMCI patients, including 98 non-smoking and 18 smoking aMCI. Each subject underwent structural and resting-state functional MRI scanning and neuropsychological evaluations. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) mapping was used to assess regional brain synchronization. After correction for age, gender, education, and gray matter volume, we explored the difference of ReHo among groups in a voxel-wise way based on analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), followed by post hoc two-sample analyses (p < 0.05, corrected). Further, we correlated the mean ReHo with neuropsychological scales.

Results

Three groups were well-matched in age, gender, and education. Significant ReHo differences were found among three groups, located in the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and left angular gyrus (AG). Specifically, non-smoking aMCI had lower ReHo in SMG and AG than smoking aMCI and controls. By contrast, smoking aMCI had greater AG ReHo than healthy controls (p < 0.05). Across groups, correlation analyses showed that left AG ReHo correlated with MMSE (r = 0.18, p = 0.015), clock drawing test (r = 0.20, p = 0.007), immediate recall (r = 0.36, p < 0.001), delayed recall (r = 0.34, p < 0.001), and auditory verbal learning test (r = 0.20, p = 0.007).

Conclusion

Smoking might pose compensatory or protective effects on intrinsic brain activity in aMCI patients.
Meta-Analysis of Dyslipidemia Management for the Prevention of Ischemic Stroke Recurrence in China
Authors: Chen Kang-Ning , He Li , Zhong Lian-Mei , Ran Yu-Qin , Liu Yan
Published: November 2020

Background: The benefit of blood cholesterol reduction for secondary prevention of ischemic stroke remains undetermined in Chinese patients. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine whether lipid-lowering agents including statins, fibrates, nicotinic acid, and ezetimibe reduced the risk of recurrent stroke in ischemic stroke patients in China and whether such findings could inform treatment decisions for blood lipid-lowering treatment in China.

Methods: The English electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Chinese databases CNKI, Sino-Med, Wan Fang, and VIP were searched for studies published between January 1990 and April 2020. This meta-analysis included published data from trials that randomly assigned patients to groups treated with either blood lipid-lowering regimens or placebo. Effect comparisons were made using fixed effects model in meta-analysis and linear and spline regression were performed to identify the relative risk of stroke recurrence. The primary outcome was the reduction of total ischemic stroke events, and relative risk values were obtained using a risk prediction equation developed from the control groups of the included trials.

Results: Five studies including 4,999 individuals with available data met the inclusion criteria. Relative to the control groups, the pooled estimated odds ratio (OR) for recurrent stroke among those who received lipid-lowering therapy was 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63–1.00). A 50% or greater reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) significantly reduced the risk of ischemic stroke recurrence (OR: 0.15 [95% CI: 0.11–0.20]). The overall beneficial effect of statin therapy was confirmed to prevent ischemic stroke with an OR of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.36–0.72).

Conclusions: Effective lipid-lowering therapy could decrease the blood LDL-C level, which had a protective effect against stroke recurrence. These results support the use of predicted baseline cerebrovascular disease risk equations to inform decisions regarding blood lipid-lowering treatment in ischemic stroke patients in China.
Upright BPPV Protocol: Feasibility of a New Diagnostic Paradigm for Lateral Semicircular Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Compared to Standard Diagnostic Maneuvers
Authors: Martellucci Salvatore , Malara Pasquale , Castellucci Andrea , Pecci Rudi , Giannoni Beatrice , Marcelli Vincenzo , Scarpa Alfonso , Cassandro Ettore , Quaglieri Silvia , Manfrin Marco Lucio , Rebecchi Elisabetta , Armato Enrico , Comacchio Francesco , Mion Marta , Attanasio Giuseppe , Ralli Massimo , Greco Antonio , de Vincentiis Marco , Botti Cecilia , Savoldi Luisa , Califano Luigi , Ghidini Angelo , Pagliuca Giulio , Clemenzi Veronica , Stolfa Andrea , Gallo Andrea , Asprella Libonati Giacinto
Published: November 2020

Background:The diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) involving the lateral semicircular canal (LSC) is traditionally entrusted to the supine head roll test, also known as supine head yaw test (SHYT), which usually allows identification of the pathologic side and BPPV form (geotropic vs. apogeotropic). Nevertheless, SHYT may not always allow easy detection of the affected canal, resulting in similar responses on both sides and intense autonomic symptoms in patients with recent onset of vertigo. The newly introduced upright head roll test (UHRT) represents a diagnostic maneuver for LSC-BPPV, supplementing the already-known head pitch test (HPT) in the sitting position. The combination of these two tests should enable clinicians to determine the precise location of debris within LSC, avoiding disturbing symptoms related to supine positionings. Therefore, we proposed the upright BPPV protocol (UBP), a test battery exclusively performed in the upright position, including the evaluation of pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus (PSN), HPT and UHRT. The purpose of this multicenter study is to determine the feasibility of UBP in the diagnosis of LSC-BPPV.

Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 134 consecutive patients diagnosed with LSC-BPPV. All of them received both UBP and the complete diagnostic protocol (CDP), including the evaluation of PSN and data resulting from HPT, UHRT, seated-supine positioning test (SSPT), and SHYT.

Results:A correct diagnosis for LSC-BPPV was achieved in 95.5% of cases using exclusively the UBP, with a highly significant concordance with the CDP (p< 0.000, Cohen's kappa = 0.94), regardless of the time elapsed from symptom onset to diagnosis. The concordance between UBP and CDP was not impaired even when cases in which HPT and/or UHRT provided incomplete results were included (p< 0.000). Correct diagnosis using the supine diagnostic protocol (SDP, including SSPT + SHYT) or the sole SHYT was achieved in 85.1% of cases, with similar statistical concordance (p< 0.000) and weaker strength of relationship (Cohen's kappa = 0.80).

Conclusion:UBP allows correct diagnosis in LSC-BPPV from the sitting position in most cases, sparing the patient supine positionings and related symptoms. UBP could also allow clinicians to proceed directly with repositioning maneuvers from the upright position.
The Effect of Endurance Training on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Inflammatory Markers in Healthy People and Parkinson's Disease. A Narrative Review
Authors: Małczyńska-Sims Paulina , Chalimoniuk Małgorzata , Sułek Anna
Published: November 2020

Background: One purpose of the training conducted by people is to lose bodyweight and improve their physical condition. It is well-known that endurance training provides many positive changes in the body, not only those associated with current beauty standards. It also promotes biochemical changes such as a decreased inflammatory status, memory improvements through increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, and reduced stress hormone levels. The positive effects of training may provide a novel solution for people with Parkinson's disease, as a way to reduce the inflammatory status and decrease neurodegeneration through stimulation of neuroplasticity and improved motor conditions.

Aim: This narrative review aims to focus on the relationship between an acute bout of endurance exercise, endurance training (continuous and interval), brain-derived neurotrophic factor and inflammatory status in the three subject groups (young adults, older adult, and patients with Parkinson's disease), and to review the current state of knowledge about the possible causes of the differences in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and inflammatory status response to a bout of endurance exercise and endurance training. Furthermore, short practical recommendations for PD patients were formulated for improving the efficacy of the training process during rehabilitation.

Methods: A narrative review was performed following an electronic search of the database PubMed/Medline and Web of Science for English-language articles between January 2010 and January 2020.

Results: Analysis of the available publications with partial results revealed (1) a possible connection between the brain-derived neurotrophic factor level and inflammatory status, and (2) a more beneficial influence of endurance training compared with acute bouts of endurance exercise.

Conclusion: Despite the lack of direct evidence, the results from studies show that endurance training may have a positive effect on inflammatory status and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Introducing endurance training as part of the rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease might provide benefits for patients in addition to pharmacological therapy supplementation.