bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Restoration of miR-193a expression is tumor-suppressive in MYC amplified Group 3 medulloblastoma
Authors: Bharambe Harish Shrikrishna , Joshi Annada , Yogi Kedar , Kazi Sadaf , Shirsat Neelam Vishwanath
Published: May 2020

Medulloblastoma, a highly malignant pediatric brain tumor, consists of four molecular subgroups, namely WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. The expression of miR-193a, a WNT subgroup-specific microRNA, was found to be induced by MYC, an oncogenic target of the canonical WNT signaling. MiR-193a is not expressed in Group 3 medulloblastomas, despite MYC expression, as a result of promoter hypermethylation. Restoration of miR-193a expression in the MYC amplified Group 3 medulloblastoma cells resulted in inhibition of growth, tumorigenicity, and an increase in radiation sensitivity. MAX, STMN1, and DCAF7 were identified as novel targets of miR-193a. MiR-193a mediated downregulation of MAX could suppress MYC activity since it is an obligate hetero-dimerization partner of MYC. MYC induced expression of miR-193a, therefore, seems to act as a feedback inhibitor of MYC signaling. The expression of miR-193a resulted in widespread repression of gene expression that included not only several cell cycle regulators, WNT, NOTCH signaling genes, and those encoding DNA replication machinery, but also several chromatin modifiers like SWI/SNF family genes and histone-encoding genes. MiR-193a expression brought about a reduction in the global levels of H3K4me3, H3K27ac, the histone marks of active chromatin, and an increase in the levels of H3K27me3, a repressive chromatin mark. In cancer cells having high MYC expression, MYC brings about transcriptional amplification of all active genes apart from the induction of its target genes. MiR-193a, on the other hand, brought about global repression of gene expression. Therefore, miR-193a has therapeutic potential in the treatment of not only Group 3 medulloblastomas but possibly other MYC overexpressing aggressive cancers as well.
Correction to: Differential gene methylation and expression of HOX transcription factor family in orbitofacial neurofibroma
Authors: Arnold Antje , Imada Eddie Luidy , Zhang M. Lisa , Edward Deepak P. , Marchionni Luigi , Rodriguez Fausto J.
Published: May 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Pharmacological activities of Azanza garckeana (Goron Tula) grown in Nigeria
Authors: Yusuf Abubakar Awwal , Lawal Bashir , Sani Saidu , Garba Rahinat , Mohammed Bala Alkali , Oshevire David Bini , Adesina Daniel Anuoluwa
Published: May 2020

Background

The present study evaluated the phytochemical profiles, anti-oxidants, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-arthritic and wound healing effect of methanol and ethyl-acetate extracts ofAzanza garckeana.

Results

Methanol extract had higher phenol, flavonoids and alkaloids concentrations, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities than ethyl-acetate extract. Ethyl-acetate and methanol extracts had IC50of 119.40 μg/mL and 133.49 μg/mL respectively against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) radicals. The extracts were more active againstKlebsiella pneumoniawhile the least activity was recoded againstBacillus subtiliswith methanol been most potent than ethyl-acetate. The IC50value of methanol extract in inhibition of protein denaturation were 310.44 μg/mL and 315.27 μg/mL while IC50value of 354.74 μg/mL and 349.57 μg/mL were recorded for membrane stabilization effect in bovine serum albumin (BSA) and egg albumin (EGA) assays respectively. There was dose dependent in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities with highest percentage paw oedema inhibitions of 51.68% and analgesia of 46.36% at 600 mg/kg bw of the methanol extract. The extract caused dosed independent increase percentage wound closure with percentage wound contraction range between 65.24 ± 2.46 and 69.68 ± .2.54 compare to untreated wound (15.35 ± 0.35 to 50.35 ± 2.35%).

Conclusion

This study lends pharmacological support to folkloric usage ofAzanza garckeanain the treatment and management of several human disease.
Unusual clinical features associated with congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 4 in a patient with a novel E211X CAVIN1 gene variant
Authors: Sorkina Ekaterina , Makarova Polina , Bolotskaya Liubov , Ulyanova Irina , Chernova Tatyana , Tiulpakov Anatoly
Published: May 2020

Background

Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare disorder characterized by the lack of adipose tissue and metabolic complications with predominantly autosomal recessive inheritance. There are 6 different genes known to cause CGL with 4 main types recognized to date, which differ by the degree of fat loss, association with mental retardation and metabolic disorders, with CGL type 1 and 2 being the most common. Twenty seven cases of СGL type 4 from Japan, Oman, UK, Turkey, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, USA were reported previously. This report details our clinical experience with the first patient from Russia with CGL type 4.

Case presentation

A 36-year-old patient, who has been suffering from generalized lipoatrophy since the first months of life and myopathy and gastrointestinal dysmotility since early childhood, developed dysmenorrhea and diabetes mellitus at the age of 19, bilateral cataracts when she was only 22 y.o., osteoporosis with vitamin D deficiency and hypocalcemia at the age of 28, diabetic foot syndrome and hyperuricemia when she was 35 y.o. Sequencing of lipodystrophy candidate genes detected a novel pathogenic homozygous variant p.631G < T: p.E211X in the CAVIN1 gene, confirming the diagnosis of CGL type 4.

Conclusions

In comparison with previously reported patients with CGL type 4, our patient has diabetes mellitus, vitamin D deficiency, hypocalcemia, bilateral cataracts and hyperuricemia. All these manifestations are known to be associated with other lipodystrophy syndromes, but to our knowledge it is the first time they have been reported to be associated with CGL type 4.
When goals do not concur: conflicting perceptions of school science
Authors: Fortus David , Daphna Limor
Published: May 2020

In this case study we investigated how differences in the achievement goal orientations of a high school biology teacher and her 9th grade (14 years old) student led to tensions between them in their perspectives of what it meant to do school science, leading the teacher to under-estimate the student and recommend that she abandon further studies in biology. During 9th grade, Israeli students decide upon their preferred subject of emphasis for the rest of high school. The student wanted to major in biology but the teacher felt it was beyond her abilities. While expectancy-value theory is typically used to explain the mechanism through which under-estimation can lead to a lower sense of self-efficacy and lower performance, the reasons why a science teacher may under-estimate a student have yet to be studied. We analyze both the student and the teacher’s motives and learn that unforeseen obstacles may lie on a student’s road to science.
Waveform-based estimation of Q and scattering properties for zero-offset vertical seismic profile data
Authors: Nakata Rie , Lumley David , Hampson Gary , Nihei Kurt , Nakata Nori
Published: May 2020

Estimating [Formula: see text] using downgoing waves in zero-offset vertical seismic profiles (VSPs) can be challenging when scattered waves from near-borehole heterogeneities interfere with direct arrivals. In any [Formula: see text] estimation method that assumes a downgoing plane wave, constructive and destructive wave-mode interference can cause errors in the estimate. For example, in the spectral-ratio method, such interference modulates the amplitude spectra introducing significant variations and even nonphysical negative [Formula: see text] (amplification) estimates. We have investigated this phenomenon using synthetic and field data sets from offshore Australia and developed a two-step waveform-based method to characterize scattering anomalies and improve [Formula: see text] estimates. Waveform information is key to deal with closely spaced band-limited seismic events. First, we solve an inverse problem to locate and characterize scatterers by minimizing the traveltime and waveform misfits. Then, using the estimated parameters, we model the scatterers’ contribution to the VSP data and remove it from the observed waveforms. The resulting spectra resemble those that would have been acquired in the absence of the scatterers and are much more suitable for the spectral-ratio method. By assuming a 1D medium and a simple scatterer shape (i.e., circular), we parameterize a scattering heterogeneity using five parameters (depth, distance, size, velocity, and density) and seek a solution using a grid search to handle the nonuniqueness of the VSP inversion. Instead, adaptive subtraction is required to fine-tune the modeled interference to better fit the observation. We successfully use this method to characterize and mitigate the strongest wave interference in the field data. The final [Formula: see text] estimates contain milder variations and much less nonphysical negative [Formula: see text]. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method, readily extendible to multiple scatterer cases, can locate discrete scatterers, remove the effects of their interference, and thus significantly improve the [Formula: see text] estimates from VSP data.
3D geophysical modeling of the Alberton-Mathinna section of the “Main Slide,” northeast Tasmania
Authors: Bombardieri Daniel , Duffett Mark , McNeill Andrew , Vicary Mike , Paterson Rod
Published: May 2020

We have developed a high-resolution 3D model of the Alberton-Mathinna section of the “Main Slide,” northeast Tasmania. This geological model expresses a new synthesis based on mapping and structural interpretation on multiple cross sections. We have refined this model by 3D geophysical inversion constrained by gravity and magnetic survey data coupled with drilling and rock physical property databases. Our modeling incorporates statistically generated sensitivity characterization metrics into 3D model products that map confidence in the geometry of geological units at depth. The results include a granitoid surface that is considerably more detailed than earlier versions based on 2D modeling. Among the new features to emerge is a cupola 1.6 km below and slightly west of the Mathinna goldfield. At the Ringarooma United deposit located within the Alberton goldfield, we seethat the fault network underpinning the deposit was intruded by granite to a depth of approximately 400 m. Ore-forming solutions for both deposits have been interpreted as metamorphic in origin, but our results suggest the possibility of a role for magmatic fluids (i.e., granite related) in the gold-mineralizing system, particularly for the Ringarooma United deposit.
The COVID-19 pandemic from an acute psychiatric perspective: a London psychiatric intensive care unit experience
Authors: Skelton Luke , Pugh Ria , Harries Bethan , Blake Lucy , Butler Margaret , Sethi Faisil
Published: May 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the UK's National Health Service under extreme pressure, and acute psychiatric services have had to rapidly adapt to a new way of working. This editorial describes the experience of a London psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) where all nine in-patients ultimately tested COVID-19 positive.
Dissociable source-monitoring impairments in obsessive–compulsive disorder and schizophrenia
Authors: Lavallé Layla , Bation Rémy , Dondé Clément , Mondino Marine , Brunelin Jérome
Published: May 2020

Background:

Based on the observed clinical overlap between obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), both conditions may share, at least in part, common cognitive underpinnings. Among the cognitive deficits that could be involved, it has been hypothesized that patients share a failure in their abilities to monitor their own thoughts (source monitoring), leading to confusion between what they actually did or perceived and what they imagined. Although little is known regarding source-monitoring performances in patients with OCD, numerous studies in patients with SCZ have observed a relationship between delusions and/or hallucinations and deficits in both internal source- and reality-monitoring abilities.

Methods:

The present work compared source-monitoring performances (internal source and reality monitoring) between patients with OCD (n= 32), patients with SCZ (n= 38), and healthy controls (HC;n= 29).

Results:

We observed that patients with OCD and patients with SCZ displayed abnormal internal source-monitoring abilities compared to HC. Only patients with SCZ displayed abnormalities in reality monitoring compared to both patients with OCD and HC.

Conclusions:

Internal source-monitoring deficits are shared by patients with OCD and SCZ and may contribute to the shared cognitive deficits that lead to obsessions and delusions. In contrast, reality-monitoring performance seems to differentiate patients with OCD from patients with SCZ.
Reissner fibre-induced urotensin signalling from cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons prevents scoliosis of the vertebrate spine
Authors: Lu Hao , Shagirova Aidana , Goggi Julian L. , Yeo Hui Li , Roy Sudipto
Published: May 2020

Reissner fibre (RF), discovered by the 19th-century German anatomist Ernst Reissner, is a filamentous structure present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RF forms by aggregation of a glycoprotein called SCO-spondin (Sspo), but its function has remained enigmatic. Recent studies have shown that zebrafish sspo mutants develop a curved embryonic body axis. Zebrafish embryos with impaired cilia motility also develop curved bodies, which arises from failure of expression of urotensin related peptide (urp) genes in CSF-contacting neurons (CSF-cNs), impairing downstream signalling in trunk muscles. Here, we show that sspo mutants can survive into adulthood, but display severe curvatures of the vertebral column, resembling the common human spine disorder idiopathic scoliosis (IS). sspo mutants also exhibit significant reduction of urp gene expression from CSF-cNs. Consistent with epinephrine in CSF being bound by RF and required for urp expression, treating sspo mutants with this catecholamine rescued expression of the urp genes and axial defects. More strikingly, providing Urp2, specifically in the CSF-cNs, rescued body curvature of sspo homozygotes during larval stages as well as in the adult. These findings bridge existing gaps in our knowledge between cilia motility, RF, Urp signalling and spine deformities, and suggest that targeting the Urotensin pathway could provide novel therapeutic avenues for IS.
Sex differences in the proliferation of pulmonary artery endothelial cells: implications for plexiform arteriopathy
Authors: Qin Shanshan , Predescu Dan N. , Patel Monal , Drazkowski Patrick , Ganesh Balaji , Predescu Sanda A.
Published: May 2020

The sex-biased disease pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by the proliferation and overgrowth of dysfunctional pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs). During inflammation associated with PAH, granzyme B cleaves intersectin-1 to produce N-terminal (EHITSN) and C-terminal (SH3A–EITSN) protein fragments. In a murine model of PAH, EHITSN triggers plexiform arteriopathy via p38–ELK1–c-Fos signaling. The SH3A–EITSN fragment also influences signaling, having dominant-negative effects on ERK1 and ERK2 (also known as MAPK3 and MAPK1, respectively). Using PAECs engineered to express tagged versions of EHITSN and SH3A–EITSN, we demonstrate that the two ITSN fragments increase both p38–ELK1 activation and the ratio of p38 to ERK1 and ERK2 activity, leading to PAEC proliferation, with female cells being more responsive than male cells. Furthermore, expression of EHITSN substantially upregulates the expression and activity of the long non-coding RNA Xist in female PAECs, which in turn upregulates the X-linked gene ELK1 and represses expression of krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2). These events are recapitulated by the PAECs of female idiopathic PAH patients, and may account for their proliferative phenotype. Thus, upregulation of Xist could be an important factor in explaining sexual dimorphism in the proliferative response of PAECs and the imbalanced sex ratio of PAH.
Drosophila Sas-6, Ana2 and Sas-4 self-organise into macromolecular structures that can be used to probe centriole and centrosome assembly
Authors: Gartenmann Lisa , Vicente Catarina C. , Wainman Alan , Novak Zsofi A. , Sieber Boris , Richens Jennifer H. , Raff Jordan W.
Published: May 2020

Centriole assembly requires a small number of conserved proteins. The precise pathway of centriole assembly has been difficult to study, as the lack of any one of the core assembly proteins [Plk4, Ana2 (the homologue of mammalian STIL), Sas-6, Sas-4 (mammalian CPAP) or Asl (mammalian Cep152)] leads to the absence of centrioles. Here, we use Sas-6 and Ana2 particles (SAPs) as a new model to probe the pathway of centriole and centrosome assembly. SAPs form in Drosophila eggs or embryos when Sas-6 and Ana2 are overexpressed. SAP assembly requires Sas-4, but not Plk4, whereas Asl helps to initiate SAP assembly but is not required for SAP growth. Although not centrioles, SAPs recruit and organise many centriole and centrosome components, nucleate microtubules, organise actin structures and compete with endogenous centrosomes to form mitotic spindle poles. SAPs require Asl to efficiently recruit pericentriolar material (PCM), but Spd-2 (the homologue of mammalian Cep192) can promote some PCM assembly independently of Asl. These observations provide new insights into the pathways of centriole and centrosome assembly.
TDP-43, a protein central to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is destabilized by tankyrase-1 and -2
Authors: McGurk Leeanne , Rifai Olivia M. , Bonini Nancy M.
Published: May 2020

In >95% of cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ∼45% of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), the RNA/DNA-binding protein TDP-43 is cleared from the nucleus and abnormally accumulates in the cytoplasm of affected brain cells. Although the cellular triggers of disease pathology remain enigmatic, mounting evidence implicates the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) in TDP-43 neurotoxicity. Here we show that inhibition of the PARP enzymes tankyrase 1 and tankyrase 2 (referred to as Tnks-1/2) protect primary rodent neurons from TDP-43-associated neurotoxicity. We demonstrate that Tnks-1/2 interacts with TDP-43 via a newly defined tankyrase-binding domain. Upon investigating the functional effect, we find that interaction with Tnks-1/2 inhibits the ubiquitination and proteasomal turnover of TDP-43, leading to its stabilization. We further show that proteasomal turnover of TDP-43 occurs preferentially in the nucleus; our data indicate that Tnks-1/2 stabilizes TDP-43 by promoting cytoplasmic accumulation, which sequesters the protein from nuclear proteasome degradation. Thus, Tnks-1/2 activity modulates TDP-43 and is a potential therapeutic target in diseases associated with TDP-43, such as ALS and FTD.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Spontaneous quantity discrimination of artificial flowers by foraging honeybees
Authors: Howard Scarlett R. , Schramme Jürgen , Garcia Jair E. , Ng Leslie , Avarguès-Weber Aurore , Greentree Andrew D. , Dyer Adrian G.
Published: May 2020

Many animals need to process numerical and quantity information in order to survive. Spontaneous quantity discrimination allows differentiation between two or more quantities without reinforcement or prior training on any numerical task. It is useful for assessing food resources, aggressive interactions, predator avoidance and prey choice. Honeybees have previously demonstrated landmark counting, quantity matching, use of numerical rules, quantity discrimination and arithmetic, but have not been tested for spontaneous quantity discrimination. In bees, spontaneous quantity discrimination could be useful when assessing the quantity of flowers available in a patch and thus maximizing foraging efficiency. In the current study, we assessed the spontaneous quantity discrimination behaviour of honeybees. Bees were trained to associate a single yellow artificial flower with sucrose. Bees were then tested for their ability to discriminate between 13 different quantity comparisons of artificial flowers (numeric ratio range: 0.08–0.8). Bees significantly preferred the higher quantity only in comparisons where ‘1’ was the lower quantity and where there was a sufficient magnitudinal distance between quantities (e.g. 1 versus 12, 1 versus 4, and 1 versus 3 but not 1 versus 2). Our results suggest a possible evolutionary benefit to choosing a foraging patch with a higher quantity of flowers when resources are scarce.
Considerações sobre a relação entre a hipertensão e o prognóstico da COVID-19
Authors: Barros Gabriel Martins , Mazullo Filho João Batista Raposo , Mendes Júnior Airton Conde
Published: May 2020

Objetivo: iinvestigar a potencial associação entre a hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) e a gravidade da COVID-19. Métodos: realizou-se uma pesquisa eletrônica no Medline, Scopus e Web of Science acerca da relação entre HAS e COVID-19. Resultados: as primeiras hipóteses levantadas revelaram que a associação entre as doenças estava no tratamento com inibidores da enzima de conversão da angiotensina e bloqueadores dos receptores da angiotensina. Contudo, em um estudo experimental, observou-se que os pacientes hipertensos tratados com esses medicamentos apresentaram menor taxa de gravidade da doença. Conclusão: até o momento, a relação de HAS e COVID-19 é conflitante.nte.
The signs of adaptive mutations identified in the chloroplast genome of the algae endosymbiont of Baikal sponge.
Authors: Feranchuk Sergey , Belkova Natalia , Chernogor Lubov , Potapova Ulyana , Belikov Sergei
Published: May 2020

Background: Monitoring and investigating the ecosystem of the great lakes provide a thorough background when forecasting the ecosystem dynamics at a greater scale. Nowadays, changes in the Baikal lake biota require a deeper investigation of their molecular mechanisms. Understanding these mechanisms is especially important, as the endemic Baikal sponge disease may cause a degradation of the littoral ecosystem of the lake. Methods: The chloroplast genome fragment for the algae endosymbiont of the Baikal sponge was assembled from metagenomic sequencing data. The distributions of the polymorphic sites were obtained separately for the genome fragments from healthy, diseased and dead sponge tissues. Results: The distribution of polymorphic sites allows for the detection of the signs of extensive mutations in the chloroplasts isolated from the diseased sponge tissues. Additionally, the comparative analysis of chloroplast genome sequences suggests that the symbiotic algae from Baikal sponge is close to the Choricystis genus of unicellular algae. Conclusions: Mutations observed in the chloroplast genome could be interpreted as signs of rapid adaptation processes in the symbiotic algae. The development of sponge disease is still expanding in Baikal, but an optimistic prognoses regarding a development of the disease is nevertheless considered.
Determinants of prenatal depression among women attending the antenatal clinic at a referral facility in Mombasa County, Kenya: a case control study
Authors: Mirieri Harriet K. , Mweu Marshal M. , Olenja Joyce M.
Published: May 2020

Background: Despite prenatal depression being a public health burden and the major predictor of postnatal depression, it has not received as much attention as postnatal depression in research and policy globally. There is limited evidence on the factors associated with prenatal depression and therefore understanding these factors will inform the design of specific interventions and formulation of guidelines for the effective prevention and control of prenatal depression particularly in high-risk regions.

Methods: A hospital-based case control study design was used to identify the determinants of prenatal depression among 170 women attending an antenatal clinic. Prenatal depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to collect data on the socio-demographic, social network and family, lifestyle and obstetric characteristics of the participants. All eligible cases were enrolled into the study while a simple random sample of depression-free women attending the antenatal clinic were enrolled as controls. The relationship between the predictors and prenatal depression was evaluated by logistic regression.

Results: In the multivariable analysis, only marital status (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=17.1; 95% confidence interval (CI):4.0-73.0), occupation (aOR=2.4; 95% CI:1.4-4.2), domestic violence (aOR=18.3; 95% CI: 5.7-58.7) and  social support (aOR=0.2; 95% CI:0.05-0.8) were identified as significant determinants of prenatal depression.

Conclusion: Marital status, occupation, domestic violence and lack of social support were  identified as the risk factors for prenatal depression in this setting. To address the burden of prenatal depression in the country, these findings call for inclusion of screening for prenatal depression as an essential component of the routine antenatal care package. We recommend that future studies focus on evaluating specific interventions to address the identified risk factors.
Use of the journal impact factor for assessing individual articles need not be statistically wrong
Authors: Waltman Ludo , Traag Vincent A.
Published: May 2020

Most scientometricians reject the use of the journal impact factor for assessing individual articles and their authors. The well-known San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment also strongly objects against this way of using the impact factor. Arguments against the use of the impact factor at the level of individual articles are often based on statistical considerations. The skewness of journal citation distributions typically plays a central role in these arguments. We present a theoretical analysis of statistical arguments against the use of the impact factor at the level of individual articles. Our analysis shows that these arguments do not support the conclusion that the impact factor should not be used for assessing individual articles. In fact, our computer simulations demonstrate the possibility that the impact factor is a more accurate indicator of the value of an article than the number of citations the article has received. It is important to critically discuss the dominant role of the impact factor in research evaluations, but the discussion should not be based on misplaced statistical arguments. Instead, the primary focus should be on the socio-technical implications of the use of the impact factor.
COVID-19 in pregnancy: What do we really know?
Authors: Bouaziz Jerome , Even Marc , Isnard-Bogillot Frederique , Vesale Eli , Nikpayam Mariam , Mihalache Andrei , Krief David , Frydman Rene , Ayoubi Jean-March
Published: May 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to escalate worldwide and has become a pressing global health concern. This article comprehensively reviews the current knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 over pregnant women and neonates, as well as current recommendations for their management. We also analyse previous evidences from viral respiratory diseases such as SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and influenza that may help to guide clinical practice during the current pandemic. We collected 23 case reports, case series, and case-control studies (18 from China) comprising 174 pregnant women with COVID-19. The majority of mothers showed a clinical presentation of the disease similar to that of non-infected adults. Preliminary evidences point towards a potentially increased risk of pregnancy adverse outcomes in women with COVID-19, with preterm delivery the most frequently observed (16.7%) followed by fetal distress (9.77%). The most commonly reported adverse neonatal outcomes included respiratory symptoms (7.95%) and low birth weight (6.81%). A few studies reported other maternal comorbidities that can influence these outcomes. Mothers with other comorbidities may be at higher risk of infection. Mother-to-child transmission of SARS-CoV-2 appears unlikely, with no study observing intrauterine transmission, and a few cases of neonatal infection reported a few hours after birth. Although the WHO and other health authorities have published interim recommendations for care and management of pregnant women and infants during COVID-19 pandemic, many questions remain open. Pregnant women should be considered in prevention and control efforts, including the development of drugs and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Further research is needed to confirm the exact impact of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. To fully quantify this impact, we urgently need to integrate the current knowledge about viral characteristics, epidemiology, disease immunopathology, and potential therapeutic strategies with data from the clinical practice.
Determinants of technology use for a mobile health intervention across public health facilities in rural India: Protocol for implementation research
Authors: Choudhry Vikas , Weiner Bryan , Karkhanis Prachi , Avinandan Vijay , Shah Nehal , Bahl Nupur , Wadhwa Rajni , Sridhar Pompy , Chandurkar Dharmendra
Published: May 2020

This paper presents a research protocol for implementation research (IR) to investigate contextual factors influencing the implementation of ASMAN mobile health intervention and their association with maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes. The IR will cover roughly 16-20 public health facilities across the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in India. These facilities will be a sub-sample of 49 facilities covered separately under the outcome evaluation. The study employs a longitudinal mixed-methods multiple case study design with sequential data collection using constructs under the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) across two phases. The first phase will be exploratory and use qualitative inquiry to contextualize the CFIR constructs. The second phase will employ a mixed-methods explanatory design with both validated and contextualized CFIR constructs and standard quantitative measures collected through outcome evaluation. Findings from this study will provide insights into factors that facilitate or impede the implementation of mobile health interventions and their association with MNCH outcomes in public health facilities in India.
On the Financing Benefits of Supply Chain Transparency and Blockchain Adoption
Authors: Chod Jiri , Trichakis Nikolaos , Tsoukalas Gerry , Aspegren Henry , Weber Mark
Published: May 2020

We develop a theory that shows signaling a firm’s fundamental quality (e.g., its operational capabilities) to lenders through inventory transactions to be more efficient—it leads to less costly operational distortions—than signaling through loan requests, and we characterize how the efficiency gains depend on firm operational characteristics, such as operating costs, market size, and inventory salvage value. Signaling through inventory being only tenable when inventory transactions are verifiable at low enough cost, we then turn our attention to how this verifiability can be achieved in practice and argue that blockchain technology could enable it more efficiently than traditional monitoring mechanisms. To demonstrate, we develop b_verify, an open-source blockchain protocol that leverages Bitcoin to provide supply chain transparency at scale and in a cost-effective way. The paper identifies an important benefit of blockchain adoption—by opening a window of transparency into a firm’s supply chain, blockchain technology furnishes the ability to secure favorable financing terms at lower signaling costs. Furthermore, the analysis of the preferred signaling mode sheds light on what types of firms or supply chains would stand to benefit the most from this use of blockchain technology.

This paper was accepted by Victor Martínez-de-Albéniz, operations management.
Time Encoding in Languages and Investment Efficiency
Authors: Kim Jaehyeon , Kim Yongtae , Zhou Jian
Published: May 2020

Linguistics research shows that languages differ as to how they differentiate future from present events. Economics research finds that when the grammatical structure of a language disassociates the future from the present, speakers of the language also disassociate the future from the present in their behaviors. This study examines how linguistically induced time perception relates to cross-country variation in investment efficiency. We find that underinvestment is less prevalent in countries where there is a weaker time disassociation in the language. The results from both a within-country analysis based on firms headquartered in different regions of Switzerland and an analysis based on the birthplace information of U.S. firms’ chief executive officers confirm the relation between languages and investment efficiency. Collectively, the results suggest that time encoding in languages influences speakers’ cognition and their investment decisions.

This paper was accepted by Shivaram Rajgopal, accounting.
Terrorist Attacks, Analyst Sentiment, and Earnings Forecasts
Authors: Cuculiza Carina , Antoniou Constantinos , Kumar Alok , Maligkris Anastasios
Published: May 2020

We examine whether exogenous and extremely negative events, such as terrorist attacks and mass shootings, influence the sentiment and forecasts of sell-side equity analysts. We find that analysts who are local to these attacks issue forecasts that are relatively more pessimistic than the consensus forecast. This effect is stronger when the analyst is closer to the event and located in a low-crime region. Impacted analysts are also relatively more pessimistic around the one- and two-year anniversaries of the attacks. Collectively, these findings indicate that exposure to extreme negative events affects the behavior of information intermediaries and the information dissemination process in financial markets.

This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, finance.
COMUNICAÇÃO, RESISTÊNCIA E NÃO VIOLÊNCIA: AS NARRATIVAS HISTÓRICAS DA RÁDIO COMUNITÁRIA CAMPONESA "PALMARES"
Authors: Bassi Ingrid Gomes , Pinto Jax Nildo Aragão
Published: May 2020

O presente artigo desenvolve a análise da narrativa histórica da Rádio Comunitária Camponesa “Palmares FM 106,3” do assentamento do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem-Terra (MST) em Parauapebas, região sudeste do Pará. Para isso utilizamos a matriz metodológica colaborativa e não-extrativista, a partir do corpus de análise de fevereiro de 2019. Como resultados e discussões compreendemos as associações de resistência cultural e política da Rádio Palmares com as fundamentações sobre a importância da comunicação dialógica nas concepções de Freire (1971) e o uso da não violência, baseando-se nas teorias de Muller (2007). Nas considerações finais problematizamos a discussão do potencial dialógico, ativo e de resistência não violenta da história da Rádio Comunitária e de sua importância para o movimento social camponês, numa região pulsante de diversidade e de interesses divergentes.
Jornalismo na Era dos Testemunhos e as mudanças nas práticas jornalísticas no século XXI: o caso Lava Jato
Authors: Gerk Cristine
Published: May 2020

Este artigo pretende analisar as implicações nas práticas jornalísticas de um momento histórico marcado pela proeminência do testemunho. Um dos exemplos usados para esta análise é o tratamento midiático dado às delações da Operação Lava Jato, que tiveram impactos profundos no país, incluindo o impeachment da ex-presidente Dilma Rousseff. No artigo, analisa-se o tratamento dado a essas delações em matérias publicadas em sites de veículos da mídia hegemônica nacional e discute-se o papel dos relatos hoje. Para estes veículos, a exposição pública é considerada um serviço para a sociedade. Não há necessidade de procedimentos especiais para autorizar relatos, e o jornalista parece atuar como controlador de testemunhos alheios. Alguns autores que pesquisam este fenômeno, como Paulo Vaz, Muniz Sodré e Beatriz Sarlo, são inspirações teóricas para o estudo.
Orthostatic hypotension: clinical review and case study
Authors: Bailey Rachael , Mortimore Gerri
Published: May 2020

Transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) accounts for 3% of all attendance in emergency departments within the UK. More than 90% of TLOC presentations are due to epileptic seizures, psychogenic seizures or syncope. However, in England and Wales in 2002, it was estimated that 92 000 patients were incorrectly diagnosed with epilepsy, at an additional annual cost to the NHS of up to £189 million. This article will reflect on the case study of a 54-year-old female patient who presented with a possible TLOC, and had a background of long-term depression. Differential diagnoses will be discussed, but the article will focus on orthostatic hypotension. Being diagnosed with this condition is independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Causes of orthostatic hypotension and the pathophysiology behind the condition will be discussed, highlighting the importance of obtaining an accurate clinical history. This is extremely pertinent if a patient collapses in an NHS setting and this is witnessed by nurses because they can contribute to the history of the type of collapse, to aid diagnosis and correct treatment. In addition, nurses have a valuable role to play in highlighting polypharmacy to doctors, and non-medical prescribers, as a contributing factor to orthostatic hypotension is polypharmacy. It is therefore important to accurately distinguish TLOC aetiology, not only to provide appropriate management, but to also identify patients at risk of morbidity/mortality related to underlying disease.
Improving oral care for hospitalised patients: choosing appropriate products
Authors: Woon Caroline
Published: May 2020

Background:

Oral care is a fundamental part of nursing but it is often performed as a routine task, often based on historic practice, and lacks an evidence base. A variety of oral care products are used in practice.

Aim:

To discover evidence of effective oral care products for use in hospitalised patients.

Design:

A systematic literature review was undertaken.

Methods:

A review of articles was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, the Cochrane Database and Google Scholar between 2007 and 2019. All articles were compared and contrasted and some excluded due to the quality of the evidence.

Discussion:

The literature review identified a number of oral care problems and investigated a range of products.

Results:

The main finding was that there is a need for a definitive, evidence-based oral care guideline on the products suitable for different oral care conditions, including dysphagia, xerostomia, mucositis, and for patients wearing dentures.
The meaning of hope for individuals with spinal cord injury in Brazil
Authors: Zuchetto Milena Amorim , Schoeller Soraia Dornelles , Tholl Adriana Dutra , Lima Daniella Karine Souza , Neves da Silva Bampi Luciana , Ross Cristine Moraes
Published: May 2020

Aim:

To understand the meaning of hope among individuals with spinal cord injury.

Design:

A qualitative study employing the ethnographic method was used, with 18 individuals.

Method:

Participant observation was chosen to understand individuals with spinal cord injury and interviews were used to elicit information about the hope experience. The data were analysed using Ernst Bloch's theory of hope.

Findings:

Participants constructed their own personality and sense of self, including their hopes for their future, based on their life before their injury. Life after experiencing spinal cord injury highlighted the limitations and potentialities of their hopes. Using a sense of hope to establish goals for the future helped participants overcome obstacles.

Conclusion:

Hope in people with spinal cord injury helped them cope with the fundamental changes to their daily lives. Hope played an important role in articulating coping strategies and setting and achieving goals. These findings may help nurses understand the limits and potentialities of hope as an instigator of goals in the daily life of individuals with spinal cord injury.
Duty, indemnity and immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Griffith Richard
Published: May 2020

Richard Griffith, Senior Lecturer in Health Law at Swansea University, considers arrangements for indemnifying nurses returning to practice in the pandemic, and whether nurses might be given immunity from negligence claims
Short-term urinary catheters and their risks: an integrated systematic review
Authors: Gyesi-Appiah Evelyn , Brown Jayne , Clifton Andrew
Published: May 2020

Background:

This thematic review was part of a bigger literature review into the effects of short-term urinary catheters on patients who are discharged home from an acute hospital.

Aims:

This integrated review examined the risks associated with short-term urinary catheters.

Methods:

The MEDLINE, British Nursing Index and CINAHL databases were searched for studies published between 2013 and 2018 that researched the effects of short-term urinary catheters on patients.

Findings:

Twelve research studies were included, which showed the presence of short-term indwelling urinary catheters increased the risk of infection, length of hospital stay and mortality rates.

Conclusion:

Short-term urinary catheters should be strictly monitored and removed as soon as they are not required.
Introduction to sacral neuromodulation therapy for urinary bladder dysfunction using an InterStim system
Authors: Harries Frances
Published: May 2020

Sacral neuromodulation is an internationally endorsed therapy recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for patients who have refractory overactive bladder symptoms and/or idiopathic non-obstructive urinary retention when conservative treatments have failed or when patients have been unable to tolerate them. The Medtronic InterStim System used at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham received CE mark approval in 1995 for bladder indications. To date, over 300 000 patients worldwide have been treated, with 61–90% reporting satisfaction with treatment ( Sutherland et al, 2007 ; Leong et al, 2011 ). It is a safe and effective intervention that can positively impact upon the management of both of these conditions, in particular overactive bladder. This highly prevalent condition is distressing to the individual and has an economic burden to society comparable in magnitude with that of breast cancer and osteoporosis ( Hu and Wagner, 2005 ).
Primary School Teacher Candidates’ Views of Citizenship and Ideal Citizenship
Authors: Ontas Turgay , Koc Emine Seda
Published: May 2020

Citizenship is an act of being the ideal member of a society that “maintains and adapts to the culture of this society”, besides having a legal status with the duties and rights that the state imposes on the individual. This study aims to determine the citizenship perceptions of primary school teacher candidates and their ideal citizenship narratives.  The study was carried out according to the mixed research design. Three different measurement tools were used in the research and content analysis method was used for the analysis of data. According to the findings of the study, it was concluded that teacher candidates' perceptions of citizenship and ideal citizenship are similar. Accordingly, it was determined that they participated in the items related to traditional citizenship in the scales, and their perceptions of active/social citizenship were relatively low. It was also determined that all of the teacher candidates mentioned the courses they took during the university process in the differentiation of their ideal citizenship perceptions, and the ideal citizenship narratives were built on traditional citizenship as well as the perceptions of citizenship of the pre-service teachers.
Orbital Analysis of Natural Bonds, Calculations of the Functional Theory of Density Time-Dependent and Absorption Spectral of a Series of Rhodanine Derivatives
Authors: Kouassi Koffi Alexis Respect , Benié Anoubilé , N’guessan Kouakou Nobel , Koné Mamadou Guy-Richard , Ganiyou Adenidji , Bohoussou Kouadio Valery , Coulibaly Wacothon Karime
Published: May 2020

In this work, the density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-31 + G (d, p) level has used to determine the optimization of five rhodanine derivatives. The stability of the derivatives (7a-7e) of 5-arylidene rhodanine, the hyperconjugative interactions, the delocalization of the atomic charges was analyzed with the analysis of the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO). The electronic structures were discussed and the relocation of electronic density was determined. Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP), local density functional descriptors, border molecular orbitals and absorption spectrum were studied. Through the local Fukui reactivity indices, the carbon of the carbonyl group (C = O) is the preferential site of the nucleophilic attack and the sulfur atom linked to the trigonal carbon (C = S) is the preferential site of electrophile attack. Analysis of the global descriptors revealed that compound 7c is the most reactive with an energy difference between the frontier orbitals of ΔEgap = 3.305 eV. Furthermore, this compound 7c is the less stable, the softest and has the greatest electronic exchange capacity of all studied compounds. The intramolecular electronic transitions which stabilize these compounds are LP → π * for 7a and 7d and σ → σ * for 7b, 7c and 7e. The rhodanine derivatives are more reactive and more soluble in polar solvents.
Tin corrosion inhibition by molybdate ions in 0.2 M maleic acid solution: Electrochemical and surface analytical study
Authors: Ait Addi Brahim , Ait Addi Abdelaziz , Shaban Abdul , Ait Addi El Habib , Hamdani Mohamed
Published: May 2020

The inhibition efficiency of molybdate ions (MoO42-) against tin corrosion in 0.2 M Malic acid has been studied using electrochemical (DC and AC) and surface analytical methods (SEM and EDX). The electrochemical polarization curves revealed the presence of an active/passive transition of the tin electrode. The electrochemical impedance measurements (EIS) confirmed the benefic effect of increasing MoO42- concentration on the inhibition efficiency (η %) (reaching ηmax ≈ 88% at 0.02 M), whereas η % decreases by increasing temperature. The molybdate ions inhibition mechanism was attributed to the adsorption on the metal surface involving the formation of the adsorbed protective layer.