bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cerebral Blood Flow and Its Connectivity Deficits in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury at the Acute Stage
Authors: Li Fengfang , Lu Liyan , Shang Song’an , Chen Huiyou , Wang Peng , Haidari Nasir Ahmad , Chen Yu-Chen , Yin Xindao
Published: July 2020

Objective. The influence of cognitive impairment after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on cerebral vascular perfusion has been widely concerned, yet the resting-state cerebral blood flow (CBF) connectivity alterations based on arterial spin labeling (ASL) in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remain unclear. This study investigated region CBF and CBF connectivity features in acute mTBI patients, as well as the associations between CBF changes and cognitive impairment. Materials and Methods. Forty-five acute mTBI patients and 42 health controls underwent pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The alterations in regional CBF and relationship between the CBF changes and cognitive impairment were detected. The ASL-CBF connectivity of the brain regions with regional CBF significant differences was also compared between two groups. Neuropsychological tests covered seven cognitive domains. Associations between the CBF changes and cognitive impairment were further investigated. Results. Compared with the healthy controls, the acute mTBI patients exhibited increased CBF in the bilateral inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and decreased CBF in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), the bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and the right cerebellum posterior lobe (CPL). In the mTBI patients, significant correlations were identified between the CBF changes and cognitive impairment. Importantly, the acute mTBI patients exhibited CBF disconnections between the right CPL and right fusiform gyrus (FG) as well as bilateral ITG, between the left SFG and left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), and between the right SFG and right FG as well as right parahippocampal gyrus. Conclusion. Our results suggest that acute mTBI patients exhibit both regional CBF abnormalities and CBF connectivity deficits, which may underlie the cognitive impairment of the acute mTBI patients.
Some Remarks on the Solution of Linearisable Second-Order Ordinary Differential Equations via Point Transformations
Authors: Sinkala Winter
Published: July 2020

Transformations of differential equations to other equivalent equations play a central role in many routines for solving intricate equations. A class of differential equations that are particularly amenable to solution techniques based on such transformations is the class of linearisable second-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs). There are various characterisations of such ODEs. We exploit a particular characterisation and the expanded Lie group method to construct a generic solution for all linearisable second-order ODEs. The general solution of any given equation from this class is then easily obtainable from the generic solution through a point transformation constructed using only two suitably chosen symmetries of the equation. We illustrate the approach with three examples.
MicroRNA-19a Targets Fibroblast Growth Factor-Inducible Molecule 14 and Prevents Tubular Damage in Septic AKI
Authors: Hong Jun , Hu Bang-Chuan , Xu Liang , Zheng Yang , Shao Zi-Qiang , Zhang Run , Yang Xiang-Hong , Sun Ren-Hua , Mo Shi-Jing
Published: July 2020

Fibroblast growth factor-inducible molecule 14 (Fn14) plays a principal role in triggering tubular damage during septic acute kidney injury (AKI). Here, we explore the mechanism underlying Fn14 deregulation in septic AKI. We identify Fn14 as a bona fide target of miR-19a, which directly binds to 3′ UTR of Fn14 for repression independent of cylindromatosis (CYLD), the deubiquitinase (DUB) downstream of miR-19a, and thereby antagonizes the LPS-induced tubular cell apoptosis. Genetic ablation of Fn14, but not of CYLD, abolishes the ability of miR-19a to antagonize the tubular apoptosis by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In mice, systemic delivery of miR-19a confers protection against septic AKI. Our findings implicate that miR-19a may serve as a promising therapeutic candidate in the prevention of septic AKI.
Partograph Utilization and Associated Factors among Obstetric Care Providers Working in Public Health Facilities of Wolaita Zone, 2017
Authors: Markos Mesfin , Arba Aseb , Paulos Kebreab
Published: July 2020

Background. Obstructed or prolonged labor is a major cause of maternal deaths. Prolonged and obstructed labor contributed to 13% of global maternal deaths which can be reduced by proper utilization of a partograph during labor. Obstetric caregivers’ use of the partograph during labor has paramount importance in identifying any deviation during labor. Even though partograph use is influenced by different factors as obtained from the literatures, the magnitude of partograph utilization and the factors associated with its use are not well determined in the health facilities of Wolaita Zone. Objective. To assess the magnitude of partograph utilization and factors that affect its utilization among obstetric caregivers in public health facilities of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia, 2017. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on obstetric caregivers. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was entered to EpiData version 3.01 and exported to SPSS version 23.0 for further analysis. Logistic regression analyses were used to see the association of different variables. Result. A total of 269 obstetric caregivers participated in the study. Among those who were utilizing the partograph, 193 (71.7%) routinely used it for all laboring mothers and 76 (28.3%) of participants reported that they do not routinely utilize it. Greater number of service years (AOR=4.93, 95% CI: 1.53-15.88), on-the-job training (AOR=0.16, 95% CI: 0.06-0.43), good knowledge (AOR=3.35, 95% CI: 1.61-6.97), and favorable attitude towards partograph utilization (AOR=2.99, 95% CI: 1.28-7.03) were significantly associated with partograph utilization. Conclusion and Recommendation. Partograph utilization among obstetric caregivers in the public health facilities was good. Greater years of work experience, in-service training, having good knowledge, and favorable attitude towards partograph utilization among obstetric caregivers independently determined partograph utilization. Provision of on-the-job training to make obstetric caregivers improve knowledge and skill on partograph utilization, maintaining caregivers’ retention to decrease turnover by providing different incentives to more experienced obstetric care providers, and establishing favorable attitude could improve the proper use of the tool.
Mixed Infant Feeding Practice and Associated Factors among HIV-Positive Women under Care in Gondar City’s Public Health Facilities within Two Years Postpartum: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mihret Muhabaw Shumye , Asaye Mengstu Melkamu , Mengistu Banchigizie Adane , Belete Habte
Published: July 2020

Background. Mixed infant feeding practice remains a major setback for effective prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV program and updated evidences on this issue is essential for better interventions. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the proportion and associated factors of mixed infant feeding practice among HIV-positive women under care in public health institutions in Gondar city within two years postpartum, Ethiopia, 2017. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 485 HIV-positive women under care in Gondar City’s health facilities from May 1 to June 30/2017. Data were collected via interviewer administered questionnaire supplemented with chart review, entered into Epinfo version 7.0 and then exported to SPSS version 20.0. Both bivariable and multivariable analyses were done, and the statistical significance of each variable was claimed based on the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and its P value ≤0.05. Result. The proportion of HIV-positive women practicing mixed infant feeding was 21.6%. Whereas, about 73.8% and 4.5% of the mothers demonstrated exclusive breastfeeding and exclusive replacement feeding, respectively. Mixed infant feeding practice was independently predicted by lack of antenatal care (AOR=6.9; 95% CI: 3.4, 14.1) and home delivery (AOR=2.8; 95% CI: 1.4, 5.4). Conclusion. The magnitude of mixed infant feeding practice was higher than the reports of many other studies, and its predictors were connected to poor adherence to maternal health care service utilization. Hence, stakeholders need to work more on ANC and facility delivery service coverage.
Undernutrition and Associated Factors among Adolescent Girls in Damot Sore District, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Gagebo Degu Demissie , Kerbo Amene Abebe , Thangavel Thilagavathi
Published: July 2020

Background. Adolescent girls were given little health and nutrition attention. Focusing on adolescent girls’ nutrition prior to conception is one way to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among adolescent girls in rural Damot Sore District, Southern Ethiopia. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2017. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 729 adolescent girls. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on different variables. Weight and height were measured by using a well-calibrated digital Seca scale and portable stadiometer by trained data collectors. Height-for-age (HFA) and body mass index-for-age (BMIFA) z-scores were calculated using WHO AnthroPlus software as indicators of stunting and thinness, respectively. Wealth index was generated by using principal component analysis (PCA), and based on the results, household wealth index/status was converted into tertiles and categorized as higher/rich, medium, and lower/poor. Descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done. Strength of association of variables was presented by odds ratio along with its 95% CI. Results. The prevalence of stunting and thinness among adolescent girls was 29.6% (95% CI = 26.6%, 32.8%) and 19.5% (95% CI = 16.7%, 22.3%), respectively. Being in older adolescence (AOR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.08, 3.92), mother occupation (farmer and government employee) ((AOR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.31, 4.33) and (AOR = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.35, 6.92)), mother education (secondary and above) ((AOR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.28, 0.98) and (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.09, 0.69)), and household wealth index (poor) (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.29, 2.92) were significantly associated with stunting. Father education (primary and secondary) ((AOR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.31, 0.77) and (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.26, 0.78)), mother education (primary) (AOR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.37, 0.87), and meal frequency (<2/day) (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.12, 3.13) were significantly associated with thinness. Conclusion. The prevalence of stunting and thinness among adolescent girls was moderate, when compared to the prevalence reported in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, it was a major public health problem, when compared to the national nutrition baseline survey reports in Ethiopia. Parental education was a significant predictor of both stunting and thinness among adolescent girls. Thus, initiation of routine screening, promotion of education, and implementation of evidence based community nutrition programmes required to be improved.
Magnetostatic Active Contour Model with Classification Method of Sparse Representation
Authors: Liu Guoqi , Dong Yifei , Deng Ming , Liu Yihang
Published: July 2020

The active contour model is widely used to segment images. For the classical magnetostatic active contour (MAC) model, the magnetic field is computed based on the detected points by using an edge detector. However, noise and nontarget points are always detected. Thus, MAC is nonrobust to noise and the extracted objects may be deviant from the real objects. In this paper, a magnetostatic active contour model with a classification method of sparse representation is proposed. First, rough edge information is obtained with some edge detectors. Second, the extracted edge contours are divided into two parts by sparse classification, that is, the target object part and the redundant part. Based on the classified target points, a new magnetic field is generated, and contours evolve with MAC to extract the target objects. Experimental results show that the proposed model could decrease the influence of noise and robust segmentation results could be obtained.
Auditory Neural Plasticity in Tinnitus Mechanisms and Management
Authors: Wang Kunkun , Tang Dongmei , Ma Jiaoyao , Sun Shan
Published: July 2020

Tinnitus, which is the perception of sound in the absence of a corresponding external acoustic stimulus, including change of hearing and neural plasticity, has become an increasingly important ailment affecting the daily life of a considerable proportion of the population and causing significant burdens for both the affected individuals and society as a whole. Here, we briefly review the epidemiology and classification of tinnitus, and the currently available treatments are discussed in terms of the available evidence for their mechanisms and efficacy. The conclusion drawn from the available evidence is that there is no specific medication for tinnitus treatment at present, and tinnitus management might provide better solutions. Therapeutic interventions for tinnitus should be based on a comprehensive understanding of the etiology and features of individual cases of tinnitus, and more high quality and large-scale research studies are urgently needed to develop more efficacious medications.
Traumatic Fracture: Dislocation of Cervicothoracic Junction—Grand Round Presentation of C7-T1 Instabilities and Different Instrumentation Techniques
Authors: Alsofyani Mohammad A. , Ghailane Soufiane , Alsalmi Sultan , Jakinapally Sreenath , Boissière Louis , Obeid Ibrahim , Vital Jean-Marc
Published: July 2020

Introduction. Acute traumatic cervicothoracic junction spinal lesions are rare disorders and poorly documented. We report a case of a traumatic cervicothoracic fracture-dislocation. We present our experience in the operative treatment of an unstable fracture-dislocation at the cervicothoracic junction. Materials and Method. A seventy-year-old man was transferred to our hospital. We found paresthesia in the corresponding dermatome of C7 and C8 bilaterally. Initial CT scan shows vertebral body fracture of T1 with retropulsion into the spinal canal and anteroposterior dislocation of cervicothoracic junction type C according to AOSpine subaxial injury. Traumatic disc material at C7-T1 was removed by anterior cervical discectomy and fusion of C6-T2. Fixation was done from C6 to T2 in the prone position. Results. At one-year postoperative follow-up, radiographs revealed bony fusion at the level of C7-T1, and the patient had no major functional disability. Conclusion. We opted for the ventral-dorsal approach in our case for maximum stabilization and to prevent mechanical complications.
The Impact of CKD Anaemia on Patients: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes—A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Palaka Eirini , Grandy Susan , van Haalen Heleen , McEwan Phil , Darlington Oliver
Published: July 2020

Anaemia is a common consequence of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, the risk factors for its development and its impact on outcomes have not been well synthesised. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review to fully characterise the risk factors associated with the presence of anaemia in patients with CKD and a contemporary synthesis of the risks of adverse outcomes in patients with CKD and anaemia. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from 2002 until 2018 for studies reporting the incidence or prevalence of anaemia and associated risk factors and/or associations between haemoglobin (Hb) or anaemia and mortality, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), hospitalisation, or CKD progression in adult patients with CKD. Extracted data were summarised as risk factors related to the incidence or prevalence of anaemia or the risk (hazard ratio (HR)) of outcome by Hb level (<10, 10–12, >12 g/dL) in patients not on dialysis and in those receiving dialysis. 191 studies met the predefined inclusion criteria. The risk factor most associated with the prevalence of anaemia was CKD stage, followed by age and sex. Mean HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality in patients with CKD on dialysis with Hb <10, 10–12, and >12 g/dL were 1.56 (1.43–1.71), 1.17 (1.09–1.26), and 0.91 (0.87–0.96), respectively. Similar patterns were observed for nondialysis patients and for the risks of hospitalisation, MACE, and CKD progression. This is the first known systematic review to quantify the risk of adverse clinical outcomes based on Hb level in patients with CKD. Anaemia was consistently associated with greater mortality, hospitalisation, MACE, and CKD progression in patients with CKD, and risk increased with anaemia severity. Effective treatments that not only treat the anaemia but also reduce the risk of adverse clinical outcomes are essential to help reduce the burden of anaemia and its management in CKD.
On Norm-Attainable Operators in Banach Spaces
Authors: Okelo N. B.
Published: July 2020

Norm-attainable operators have been studied over a period of time with nice results obtained particularly in Hilbert spaces. In this work, we consider the Banach space setting by characterizing nonpower operators onHand elementary operators. Lastly, we characterize a new notion of norm-attainability for power operators in general Banach spaces.
Study on the Effect of Mineral Particle Sizes on the Spectral Characteristics of Sound and Vibrations in Rock Drilling
Authors: Li Zhantao , Wang Sui , Wang Jicheng , Song Chunxia , Chen Bin
Published: July 2020

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between particle sizes and spectral characteristics of the sound or vibration signals generated in rock drilling processes. Several drilling experiments were conducted on concrete specimens of different aggregate sizes. By using an indoor signal acquisition and analysis system, data from the sound waves and vibrations were collected, the characteristic signals were extracted, and the spectral characteristics of the sound and vibrations of different aggregate sizes were identified. An approach based on frequency band analysis was adopted. In this approach, the average amplitude of each frequency band was calculated after frequency segmentation. The overall distribution trend in the frequency domain is conveniently observed, and the trend line patterns reflect the effect of aggregate sizes. The time-domain features of sound and vibration, such as the amplitude of sound pressure and vibration, are important indexes that roughly reflect grain sizes. The general trend is that the larger the amplitudes of sound and vibration, the larger the grain size. The frequency domain features of sound and vibration, such as the distribution of energy at high and low frequencies, can also reflect grain sizes. The general trend is that the larger the high-frequency composition of sound and vibration, the smaller the aggregate size. These results are useful for revealing the influence mechanism of rock particle sizes on the vibration spectral characteristics in drilling processes. The study provides a possibility for developing a method to evaluate the information on rock structures collected from drilling vibration or sound signals for the fine exploration of geological surveys.
Dietary Diversity Practice and Associated Factors among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Robe Town, Bale Zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Bedada Damtie Shumi , Benti Tefera Tomas , Tegegne Haile Mekonnen
Published: July 2020

Background. Diet diversification is essential to prepare adequate food that is useful for children’s physical and cognitive development. Despite the limited studies performed in different parts of Ethiopia, the information about the feeding practice of children in the current study area is not documented. Thus, this study intended to assess the dietary diversity practices and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months. Methods. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 517 children aged 6–23 months paired with their mothers in Robe town. Systematic sampling technique was applied to select a child-mother pair. Data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with the dependent variable. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were used to assess the strength of association and level of significance. Results. From a total of 508 children included, making a 98% response rate, 77% of them did not meet the minimum dietary diversity. Children aged 12–23 months were more likely fed diversified food when compared with those aged 6–11 months (AOR = 2.99). Mothers whose educational level was secondary and above (AOR = 3.21), had media exposure (AOR = 3.99), and were knowledgeable about diet diversification (AOR = 8.5) were more likely to feed their child diversified food than their counterpart. Children whose father was a merchant were more likely to receive a diversified diet compared to those whose fathers were daily laborers. Conclusions. Inadequate practices of minimum dietary diversity observed in the current study area were mainly associated with the child’s age, maternal education, mothers’ knowledge on diet diversification, and media exposure. Improving knowledge of mothers, increasing their education, and promoting appropriate infant and child feeding practices through media are an important intervention to improve dietary diversity practices.
Investigating the Role of Mucin as Frontline Defense of Mucosal Surfaces against Mycobacterium avium Subsp. hominissuis
Authors: Bechler Jessica , Bermudez Luiz E.
Published: July 2020

Mycobacterium avium is a human and animal pathogen that infects the host through the mucosal surfaces. Past work has demonstrated that the bacterium can interact with both the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. Those surfaces in the body are covered by a bilayer of a glycoprotein, mucin, which works as a physical barrier and a gel which contains antibacterial and antivirus properties. This current work shows that different strains of M. avium, in contrast to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Listeria monocytogenes, are not able to bind to mucins, MUC2 and MUC5b, the main mucins in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, respectively. The lack of binding is due to the characteristics of the cell wall and is impaired by altering lipids, proteins, or glycolipids. M. avium, in contrast to E. coli, interacts with epithelial cells equally in the presence or absence of the mucin, suggesting that the cell wall of the pathogen can facilitate the bacterial movement through the mucin layer, towards the mucosal wall. In conclusion, the study has shown that M. avium can avoid the mucin barrier, which explains its ability to interact with the mucosal epithelium, even in absence of motion-related structures.
High White Blood Cell Count Is a Risk Factor for Contrast-Induced Nephropathy following Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yamamoto Yuki , Yamamoto Nobuaki , Kanematsu Yasuhisa , Kuroda Kazutaka , Yamaguchi Izumi , Miyamoto Takeshi , Sogabe Shu , Shimada Kenji , Takagi Yasushi , Izumi Yuishin
Published: July 2020

Background: Although mechanical thrombectomy is a standard endovascular therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), the incidence of and risk factors for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) following mechanical thrombectomy are infrequently reported. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors for CIN following mechanical thrombectomy for AIS, and whether the incidence of CIN is related to a poor prognosis. Methods: We examined consecutive patients who underwent a mechanical thrombectomy in the period from January 2014 to March 2018. The patients’ clinical backgrounds, treatments, and clinical prognoses were analyzed. CIN was defined as an increase in the serum creatinine level of ≥44.2 μmol/L (0.5 mg/dL) or 25% above baseline within 72 h after exposure to the contrast medium. Results: In total, 80 patients (46 men and 34 women aged 74.5 ± 11.5 years) who met our inclusion criteria were analyzed. CIN occurred in 8.8% (7/80) of the patients following mechanical thrombectomy. Although no patients needed permanent dialysis, 1 required temporary dialysis. The median amount of contrast medium was 109 mL. A comparison between the groups with and without CIN showed a significant difference in white blood cell (WBC) count at the time of admission (11.6 ± 2.7 × 103/μL and 8.1 ± 2.7 × 103/μL; p < 0.01) and the cut-off value was 9.70 × 103/μL. In multivariate analysis, contrast volume/estimated glomerular filtration rate by creatinine and WBC count were significantly associated with the incidence of CIN, with odds ratios of 1.64 (95% CI 1.02–2.65; p = 0.04) and 1.61 (95% CI 1.15–2.25; p < 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: This study found that CIN occurred in 8.8% of patients with AIS following mechanical thrombectomy. High WBC count was associated with an increased risk of CIN and may be helpful for predicting CIN.
Fibrosing Inflammatory Pseudotumor Presenting as Cranial Neuropathy
Authors: Miyawaki Edison K. , Hsu Liangge , Bhattacharyya Shamik , O’Hare Meabh J. , Roy Alexis , Kett Lauren , Caplan Rachel A. , Dattilo Lillian W. , Jo Vickie Y. , Guenette Jeffrey P.
Published: July 2020

We report two cases of biopsy-corroborated “fibrosing inflammatory pseudotumor” to illustrate that the entity, rarely described in the neurological literature, should be included in the differential diagnosis of either a cranial mononeuropathy or, certainly, in the case of progressive cranial neuropathies. A broad differential diagnosis arises in certain contexts. Early steroid treatment can be effective, and perhaps later-generation immune-modulating agents may confer further options, although there is no known definitive treatment.
Material Risks of Homeopathic Medicinal Products: Regulatory Frameworks, Results of Preclinical Toxicology, and Clinical Meta-Analyses and Their Implications
Authors: Habs Michael , Koller Michael
Published: July 2020

Homeopathy is widely used and broadly accepted by health care professionals and the general public but less in academic circles. To assess possible material health risks of homeopathic medicinal products, it is necessary to identify, select, and synthesize the findings of recent reviews of controlled homeopathic clinical trials. Matching these findings with experimental data from toxicological studies helps to clarify what is known and not known about the material risks of homeopathic medicines. Rules for toxicological risk assessment and management need to be applied independently of individual attitudes towards specific therapeutic options. European regulatory bodies have developed special protocols and decision trees to assure the safety of nonindividualized homeopathic remedies. This narrative review leads to suggestions that could ease and improve toxicological decision making. No homeopathy-specific type or pattern of side effects could be extracted from the meta-analysis data. No differences in the frequency of adverse reactions between homeopathic treatment and placebo treatment could be seen, no matter whether adverse events were reported in a quantitative or a qualitative manner. Some patterns of side effects show that adverse reactions do not necessarily correlate with treatment but with the condition of the patient. Overall, the controlled clinical data available for the material risk assessment of homeopathic remedies support the statement that, if a risk exists, it must be so small that it has not yet been established. To make our risk findings useful for personal decisions regarding homeopathy, we provide a thought experiment based on four different health situations and ask the question: is homeopathy as a monotherapy or as an add-on treatment an option or should it be rejected?
Analysis of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Using Quantitative EEG and sLORETA
Authors: Shim Yong S. , Shin Hae-Eun
Published: July 2020

Objective: The electrocortical activities associated with the neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were investigated using frequency-domain electroencephalography (EEG) spectral source analysis, and the potential electrocortical indices identified. Materials and Methods: Scalp EEG data were obtained from 51 patients with AD to investigate the presence of four NPS subdomains, hyperactivity, psychosis, affective symptoms, and apathy. EEG power spectra and the standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA)-localized EEG cortical sources were compared between the groups with and without the four NPS subdomains in eight frequency bands: 1–4, 4–8, 8–10, 10–12, 12–18, 18–20, 20–30, and 30–45 Hz. Results: The power spectral analysis of EEG data showed that AD patients with psychosis had lower values at the α2-band in most areas. In patients with apathy, the θ-to-β power ratio showed a greater activity over the frontal and central regions. The cortical source analysis using sLORETA revealed that patients with psychosis showed decreased values in the α2-band and patients with apathy showed higher δ-values, especially in the right frontal and temporal regions. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that both classical EEG spectral and EEG source analysis could differentiate patients with and without NPSs, especially psychosis and apathy subdomains. Spectral and sLORETA analyses provided information helpful for a better characterization in patients with NPSs.
Semaphorin-3C Is Upregulated in Polycystic Kidney Epithelial Cells and Inhibits Angiogenesis of Glomerular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Kim Bo Hye , Kim Do Yeon , Ahn Yejin , Lee Eun Ji , Park Hyunjoo , Park Meeyoung , Park Jong Hoon
Published: July 2020

Background: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a hereditary disease characterized by cyst formation in the kidneys bilaterally. It has been observed that semaphorin-3C (SEMA3C) is overexpressed in polycystic kidney epithelial cells. It is hypothesized that upregulated SEMA3C would contribute to survival of polycystic kidney epithelial cells. Furthermore, as the kidney is a highly vascularized organ, the secreted SEMA3C from PKD epithelial cells will affect glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) in a paracrine manner. Methods: To evaluate the effect of SEMA3C on renal cells, siSEMA3C-treated PKD epithelial cells were used for further analysis, and GECs were exposed to recombinant SEMA3C (rSEMA3C). Also, co-culture and treatment of conditioned media were employed to confirm whether PKD epithelial cells could influence on GECs via SEMA3C secretion. Results: SEMA3C knockdown reduced proliferation of PKD epithelial cells. In case of GECs, exposure to rSEMA3C decreased angiogenesis, which resulted from suppressed migratory ability not cell proliferation. Conclusions: This study indicates that SEMA3C is the aggravating factor in PKD. Thus, it is proposed that targeting SEMA3C can be effective to mitigate PKD.
A Case of Fungal Endophthalmitis Caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus that Might Have Spread from the Sclera into the Intraocular Space
Authors: Tara Akiko , Kobayashi Takatoshi , Kohmoto Ryohsuke , Fukumoto Masanori , Sato Takaki , Kida Teruyo , Ooi Yukimasa , Ikeda Tsunehiko
Published: July 2020

The aim of this report was to describe a case of fungal endophthalmitis possibly caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus(PL) penetrating the sclera from a conjunctival abscess. This case study involved an 83-year-old male patient with a past history of scleral buckling, subtenon steroid injection, and cataract surgery. The vitreous opacity and a conjunctival abscess appeared in the inferonasal quadrant of his right eye at 5 months after cataract surgery. PL was isolated from a cultured conjunctival discharge specimen obtained from the patient’s right eye. Although the treatment with antifungal agents relieved the conjunctival abscess, the vitreous opacity became worse. Thus, vitrectomy was subsequently performed. Intraoperative findings revealed severe vitreous opacity in the inferonasal quadrant, adjacent to the sclera at the site of the conjunctival abscess. Our findings indicate that fungal endophthalmitis appeared to have been caused by PL in the conjunctival abscess that may have penetrated the sclera and spread into the intraocular space.
Problemas teóricos y experimentales con las vocales del español
Authors: Menegotto Andrea Cecilia , Romanelli Sofía
Published: July 2020

En este trabajo hacemos una descripción de las vocales del español rioplatense. Las describimos fonéticamente por sus propiedades acústicas y articulatorias presentando varias cartas de formantes. Ejemplificamos también el problema teórico de la identificación de los rasgos distintivos que permiten caracterizarlas.  Finalmente, hacemos hincapié en dos problemas que consideramos cruciales para la descripción y la explicación fonética y fonológica: el problema del inventario –que surge básicamente de los presupuestos teóricos con los que se trabaje– y el problema de la distinción entre monoptongos y diptongos, habida cuenta de que los datos experimentales más actuales ponen en duda que las vocales del español sean monoptongos estables, ya que presentan dinamismo espectral inherente.
Modificadores de modalidad encabezados por aun-que
Authors: Giammatteo Mabel , Ferrari Laura
Published: July 2020

En el funcionalismo, los focalizadores son palabras que presentan “selección categorial múltiple” porque inciden sobre distintas clases de sintagmas. ‘Aun’ puede anteponerse a subordinadas  precedidas por nexos de subordinación o formadas con verbos no finitos. Las construcciones concesivas comprenden diferentes tipos de subordinadas que poseen características semánticas y sintácticas distintivas (Mazzoleni, 1992). El ‘contraste’ unifica a los distintos tipos de relación. Un primer tipo se caracteriza por la oposición entre dos eventos de los que se destaca, como más relevante, el segundo. No en todas las concesivas los eventos están en contraste directo el uno con el otro, sino que se establece entre ellas un contraste indirecto. Describiremos las particularidades estructurales, léxico-semánticas y contextuales de este segundo tipo de construcciones con aun-que, en las que no se expresa un contraste directo entre eventos. En este grupo, nos centramos en las concesivas epistémicas y las ilocutivas (Kovacci, 1992, RAE-ASALE, 2010).
La enseñanza/aprendizaje de los sujetos pronominales en el aula de español como lengua extranjera (ELE) para aprendientes brasileños: teoría y práctica
Authors: Bottaro Silvia Etel Gutiérrez
Published: July 2020

Las investigaciones realizadas sobre el español en Brasil, en los últimos 20 años, se reflejan hoy día en la práctica docente y en la producción de los aprendientes. Parte de estos estudios (González, 1994, 1998, 2008; Groppi, 1997, Yokota, 2001, 2007, 2019; Fanjul, 2014; etc.) se fueron incorporando al referencial teórico de algunos cursos de letras - español, conforme lo demuestran los datos recogidos en investigaciones realizadas con alumnos universitarios (Rosa, 2017; Santos, 2019). A partir de esta constatación, por medio de un cuestionario aplicado a los docentes, describimos cómo se realiza el abordaje teórico-metodológico sobre la enseñanza de los pronombres sujeto (PS) en algunos cursos de licenciatura de letras - español del estado de São Paulo (UFSCAR, USP, UNIFESP), así como también, analizamos algunas de las actividades didácticas aplicadas por los docentes en sus clases.
O lugar e a abordagem da gramática nas coleções inéditas de língua espanhola aprovadas no PNLD 2018
Authors: Mazzaro Daniel
Published: July 2020

Este artigo tem como objetivo compreender o lugar e a abordagem da gramática nas coleções inéditas de Língua Espanhola aprovadas no PNLD 2018, a saber, Sentidos en lengua española e Confluencia. Para isso, resgataram-se dos guias didáticos das coleções as perspectivas sobre ensino-aprendizagem de línguas e o(s) eixo(s) estruturador(es) das unidades levado(s) em conta pelos autores e como eles dizem que abordam a gramática em suas obras. Passou-se, então, para a descrição das duas primeiras unidades do primeiro volume de cada coleção, com especial atenção para as atividades e seções em que se trabalham os conhecimentos linguísticos. Pôde-se concluir que as duas coleções têm referenciais teóricos bastante próximos, mas materializam de forma um pouco diferente a abordagem da gramática. Nos dois casos, há, no entanto, subversões na elaboração dos livros didáticos.
La construcción de una nueva lengua en la post-dictadura argentina. Entre Punto de vista y los textos periodísticos de Rodolfo Fogwill
Authors: Sabo Maria Jose
Published: July 2020

El presente artículo examina de qué manera durante los primeros años de retorno democrático desde un sector de la intelectualidad argentina se instala como necesaria la construcción de una nueva lengua pública que se desembarace de los excesos retóricos e ideológicos que primaron en los años sesenta y setenta. Se confrontan las operaciones lingüísticas llevadas a cabo por dichas voces intelectuales con el trabajo que en los mismos años realiza Rodolfo Fogwill sobre la lengua. Se analizan principalmente sus artículos periodísticos comprendidos entre los años 1984 y 1986. Se propone leer en ellos una serie de actos de habla críticos, que reactivan algunas de las tonalidades de la lengua de los ’70 que contravienen -en el nivel discursivo- el pacto de “tolerancia” y “razonabilidad” que demandaba la nueva lengua de la democracia.
Luis Bello, el ilustrador de Roberto Arlt
Authors: Cimadevilla Pilar María
Published: July 2020

El escritor argentino Roberto Arlt comenzó a trabajar como cronista para el diario El Mundo desde el momento mismo de su aparición, en mayo de 1928. En agosto del mismo año su columna dedicada mayormente a la representación de la modernización de la ciudad comenzó a portar el título que le otorgaría reconocimiento en el ambiente periodístico de la época: “Aguafuertes porteñas”. Pero además, durante casi ocho años, estas crónicas fueron impresas en la página del periódico junto a ilustraciones realizadas por uno de los dibujantes de El Mundo, Luis Bello. Frente al vacío de referencias sobre la incidencia que estos dibujos tuvieron en la configuración de la columna, el objetivo de este trabajo consiste en analizar de qué modo estas ilustraciones también formaron parte de las “Aguafuertes porteñas”. Para ello, en un primer momento, se examinarán las características de los dibujos de Bello y sus vinculaciones con el género caricatura para, en la segunda parte del trabajo, indagar cómo el cruce intermedial entre texto e imagen influyó en la composición de las crónicas de Arlt.
Bone sequestration after dental implant surgery
Authors: Cotomacio Claudia Carrara , Campos Wladimir Gushiken de , Lemos Celso Augusto , Alves Fabio Abreu
Published: July 2020

Background. Dental implants are used to rehabilitate missing teeth, and despite high success rates, failures are inevitable. Ostensibly avoidable human errors in planning or technique can contribute to implant failure. Case presentation. Herein, we report a case of an unsuccessful dental implant surgery due to an inadequate surgical technique and bone exposure in a 54-year-old healthy woman. Conclusions. This report underscores the relevance of reporting the consequences of these human factors, such as loss of the implant, alveolar bone segment, and three teeth.
Meta-Analysis of 26 638 Individuals Identifies Two Genetic Loci Associated With Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
Authors: Choquet Hélène , Thai Khanh K. , Jiang Chen , Ranatunga Dilrini K. , Hoffmann Thomas J. , Go Alan S. , Lindsay Alistair C. , Ehm Margaret G. , Waterworth Dawn M. , Risch Neil , Schaefer Catherine
Published: July 2020

Background:

Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) is an indicator of cardiac function, usually assessed in individuals with heart failure and other cardiac conditions. Although family studies indicate that EF has an important genetic component with heritability estimates up to 0.61, to date only 6 EF-associated loci have been reported.

Methods:

Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of EF in 26 638 adults from the Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging and the UK Biobank cohorts.

Results:

A meta-analysis combining results from Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging and UK Biobank identified a novel locus:
TMEM40
on chromosome 3p25 (rs11719526; β=0.47 and
P
=3.10×10
−8
) that replicated in Biobank Japan and confirmed recent findings implicating the
BAG3
locus on chromosome 10q26 in EF variation, with the strongest association observed for rs17617337 (β=−0.83 and
P
=8.24×10
−17
). Although the minor allele frequencies of
TMEM40
rs11719526 were generally common (between 0.13 and 0.44) in different ethnic groups,
BAG3
rs17617337 was rare (minor allele frequencies<0.05) in Asian and African ancestry populations. These associations were slightly attenuated, after considering antecedent cardiac conditions (ie, heart failure/cardiomyopathy, hypertension, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, valvular disease, and revascularization procedures). This suggests that the effects of the lead variants at
TMEM40
or
BAG3
on EF are largely independent of these conditions.

Conclusions:

In this large and multiethnic study, we identified 2 loci,
TMEM40
and
BAG3
, associated with EF at a genome-wide significance level. Identifying and understanding the genetic determinants of EF is important to better understand the pathophysiology of this strong correlate of cardiac outcomes and to help target the development of future therapies.
Defining African Feminism(s) While #BeingFemaleinNigeria
Authors: Akinbobola Yemisi
Published: July 2020

In 2015, a reading group in Abuja, Nigeria, started the hashtag #BeingFemaleinNigeria, which received widespread attention. Within the confines of 140 characters, Nigerian women and men shared stories of gender inequality, sexism and misogyny in the country. Using feminist critical discourse analysis, this article unpacks the tweets under the #BeingFemaleinNigeria hashtag, and teases out what they tell us about gender inequality in Nigeria, and the ambitions for emancipation. This article takes the stance that African feminism(s) exist, that empirical study of lived experiences of African women should define it, and not perspectives that reject and argue that feminism comes from the other. Therefore, this empirical research contributes to scholarship that seeks to define the characteristics of African feminism(s), particularly as the field is criticised for being over-theorised.
The Legal Response to Pandemics
Authors: Burci Gian Luca
Published: July 2020

The pandemic of ‘severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2’ (sars-CoV-2) has raised unprecedented challenges for most international legal and policy regimes and we cannot yet foresee its long-term consequences. The legal and institutional regime to prevent and control the international spread of disease, based on the World Health Organization and the International Health Regulations (ihr 2005) has also been severely tested. Critics have challenged who’s apparent politicization and the ineffectiveness of the ihr 2005 as a tool to coordinate the international response to covid-19. The ihr 2005 have codified the operational model of the who Secretariat at the time of their revision, but the assumptions about who’s epistemic authority and the willingness of states parties to conform to who’s lead have proven overoptimistic. Still, addressing some of the major weaknesses of the ihr 2005 could give them renewed momentum and nudge states towards a more coordinated and effective response to epidemics.
Jørgen Jørgensen’s Relation to Logical Positivism
Authors: Koch Carl Henrik
Published: July 2020

Between the two World Wars, Jørgen Jørgensen was a central figure in Danish philosophy and internationally recognized, as his teacher Harald Høffding had been before World War 1. When in the late 1920s Jørgensen established contact with the movement that would later be called logical positivism, he found a group of philosophers of his own age who advocated empiricism, the tools of formal logic and the Unity of Science, and who shared his anti-metaphysical approach to philosophy. He became one of the movement’s organizers and wrote its history, but he was only for a short period influenced by especially Rudolf Carnap’s philosophy of logic. Although Jørgensen was never an uncritical member of the movement, he is often considered as a central representative of logical positivism in Scandinavia.
Rediscovery of Pseudobartsia glandulosa (Orobanchaceae), a little known, critically endangered herb after 179 years from India, and first report from Eastern Himalayan state Arunachal Pradesh

Authors: BORAH DIPANKAR , SINGH RAJEEV KUMAR , MIPUN PURANJOY , NARAH DEIJI
Published: July 2020

The monotypic genus Pseudobartsia Hong (1979: 406) is represented by Pseudobartsia glandulosa (Bentham) Yu & Li in Yu et al. (2015: 197) occurring in China and India (Yu et al. 2015, POWO 2020). In China, the species was collected in 1940 from Longtanying, Songming, Yunnan and since then this species was never collected or reported from these localities, hence it is believed to have gone extinct from here (Dong et al. 2013, Yu et al. 2015). In India, this species is known only by the type collection form Shivli, Uttarakhand in the year 1840 by Edgeworth (Khanna et al. 1999). Bentham (1846) described Euphrasia glandulosa based on specimens collected by Edgeworth in 1840 from Shivli, Uttarakhand, India. Later, Hooker (1884) made a combination for Euphrasia glandulosa Bentham (1846: 555) under the genus Phtheirospermum Bunge ex Fischer & Meyer (1835: 35). The genus Pseudobartsia was established by Hong (1979) with one species, Pseudobartsia yunnanensis Hong (1979: 406). Based on the study of the type specimens of Euphrasia glandulosa and Pseudobartsia yunnanensis, Tao (1993, 1996) found that Pseudobartsia yunnanensis cannot be distinguished from Phtheirospermum glandulosum (≡ Euphrasia glandulosa), therefore he treated Pseudobartsia as a synonym of Phtheirospermum and synonymized Pseudobartsia yunnanensis under Phtheirospermum glandulosum. However, recent phylogenetic studies (Dong et al. 2013; McNeal et al. 2013), pollen morphological evidence (Lu et al. 2007) and seed characters (Dong et al. 2013), support Pseudobartsia as distinct and independent genus. Because the name Euphrasia glandulosa as priority over Pseudobartsia yunnanensis, Yu & Li in Yu et al. (2015) made a new combination Pseudobartsia glandulosa to replace the latter in the genus Pseudobartsia.
Thomas Radcliffe Comber (1837–1902), his contribution to the diatoms recorded in the Catalogue of African Plants Collected by Dr. Friedrich Welwitsch in 1853–1861 (1898–1901) with notes on nomenclatural issues and biogeographical implications

Authors: WILLIAMS DAVID M. , BLANCO SAÚL
Published: July 2020

This paper is an examination of Thomas Comber’s diatom contribution to the Catalogue of African Plants Collected by Dr. Friedrich Welwitsch in 1853-1861. It includes notes on the new taxa described, deals with a few nomenclatural issues and very briefly considers the biogeographical implications of museum collections.
Notes on the type specimen of Acanthocalyx delavayi (Caprifoliaceae) at Herbarium of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris (P)

Authors: MU QI-YONG , YU CHIH-CHIEH , XING YAO-WU
Published: July 2020

Acanthocalyx (DC.) Tiegh. (1909: 199) is a small genus in Caprifoliaceae Jussieu (1789: 210), endemic to the Chinese Hengduan Mountains and adjacent montane regions, yet represents the family’s most characteristic alpine herbaceous perennials in the region. With only three species recognized (A. alba, A. delavayi, A. nepalensis), the taxonomy of Acanthocalyx has not been fully disentangled, and this is particularly due to problem related to the typification of A. delavayi (Franch.) Cannon & Cannon (1984: 14).