bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El censo lasallista, una oportunidad para el ejercicio de una gobernanza en función de los estudiantes
Authors: Barrios Amórtegui Sergio Iván
Published: July 2020

La universidad ha experimentado un proceso de transformaciones vertiginosas en los últimos años, el cual ha impactado la manera como ejerce su gobernanza. Fruto de fenómenos sociales, entre los que se cuentan la masificación de la oferta en educación superior y el control de su calidad por parte de organismos estatales y entidades internacionales, estos cambios generan consecuencias en la comprensión del rol y de la misión de la universidad, además, demandan estructuras de gobierno y mecanismos de gestión que enfrenten los retos de legitimidad y eficacia que se le plantean a la institución. En este contexto, resulta imprescindible contar con información pertinente que garantice una gobernanza acorde con las necesidades del contexto y la misión institucional. Con el interés de garantizar el acceso a información fundamental sobre las características, expectativas y condiciones de vida de sus estudiantes, la Universidad de La Salle llevó a cabo un ejercicio de investigación censal que se constituye en una estrategia de conocimiento de los principales destinatarios de su misión, los estudiantes, y también en un insumo vital para la gobernanza institucional
O mesjaszu i sarmatach, czyli Polska przyszłości w opowiadaniu Jacka Dukaja Crux (2003)
Authors: Kozak Ewa
Published: July 2020

The article analyses messianic and sarmatian themes in Jacek Dukaj’s Crux. The image of Poland presented in this science-fiction short story suggests a return to national traditions based on the idea of social classes. The ruling class aspires to emulate the sarmatians but the results of their at-tempts at doing so are often grotesque. Meanwhile, people who live on social benefits display a very narrow world-view, making them easy to manipulate and take advantage of. Taking into account Polish national traits, the author predicts that Poles will follow yet another messiah, thus acting out an all-too-well-known scenario of uprisings and their tragic consequences.The main aim of the article is to describe both of the social classes portrayed by Dukaj, focus-ing on the figure of Crux, the messiah, as this is a character that occupies a special place in Dukaj’s short story.
„Człowiek zły i bezwstydny”: Jekyll i Lecter
Authors: Gemra Anna
Published: July 2020

According to Robert D. Hare “[P]sychopathy is a personality disorder defined by a distinctive cluster of a behaviours and inferred personality traits, most of which society views as pejorative”.57 Although “psychopath” and “psychopathy” are buzzwords nowadays, there is neither a definition clearly defining characteristics of such a person nor a description of what this disorder actually is. In belles-lettres such characters appear for a long time, though no such term was used for them. One of the most interesting cases is Dr. Jekyll from the gothic novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) by Robert L. Stevenson, where fantastic and criminal threads are combined. The work is an interesting personality study of a man who ignores social norms and satisfies all his whims. He blames his other personality, Mr. Hyde, for his crimes and offenses, himself — Jekyll — perceiving as not only innocent but also a victim. The other example analysed in the article is the character of a psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, one of the characters in the series of four crime novels by Thomas Harris. The picture of a personality that emerges from them is complicated on the one hand, so that it eludes any medical classification, but simple at the same time: a man for whom other people and social norms have no meaning, as if they did not exist at all. Lecter sets his own rules, decides what is good, bad, funny, or boring, whom to kill or keep alive. In the article, I try to show that no one can feel safe in the presence of psychopaths, because their way of perceiving the world and building relationships is completely different from “ordinary” people’s understanding. So, they are a huge threat, the more so because they seem not to stand out from the surroundings. This is one of the issues discussed in the texts I am analysing.
Problem definicji gier cyfrowych jako elementu supersystemu rozrywkoweg
Authors: Mycyk Bartłomiej
Published: July 2020

The medium of digital games is constantly evolving, as many recently-published games are crucially different from titles that were popular several dozen years ago. This, as well as the com-mercial supersystems concept of Marsha Kinder, is the contribution of analysing the problem of digital game definition in this paper. The main aim of this article is to emphasise differences between digital games and other, similar artefacts. The author attempts to achieve it by constructing definition of digital games that covers all examples of the electronic entertainment medium. By doing so, the author attempts to analyse the most crucial elements and properties of digital games, e.g. their files available in the memory of digital devices, as well as aims that are supposed to be solved by the player during gameplay.
Kobieta przylepiona. Zofia Beksińska w książce Magdaleny Grzebałkowskiej „Beksińscy. Portret podwójny”
Authors: Łukaszewska Renata
Published: July 2020

An adhered woman. Zofia Beksińska in Magdalena Grzebałkowska’s book Beksińscy. Portret podwójny The Beksińskis. A Double PortraitIn the article I discuss the narrative method used by Magdalena Grzebałkowska in her reportage book about the Beksiński family. Using as my example Zofia, the most difficult character to describe — as she is the most “elusive” among all protagonists — I analyse the means used by the reporter to portray her. The starting point of the analysis is the findings concerning the links between documentary literature and historical writings as well as biographies.
Seksmisja — mitologizacja ról płciowych w reklamach perfum. Analiza komparatystyczna
Authors: Waraksa Krzysztof , Ziętek Dominika
Published: July 2020

Sexmission — the mythologisation of gender roles in perfume advertising. A comparative analysisThe authors of perfume adverts put lot of emphasis on creating a consistent image of their addressees so that the addressees can identify with or aspire to them. The article is a presentation of the myth of femininity and masculinity extracted from 545 print adverts of fragrances offered by the online stores of the two biggest perfume retailers in Poland — Sephora and Douglas. The starting point of the analysis is a definition, proposed by Roland Barthes, of a new myth-like form — everyday mythology deriving from popular culture and influencing everyday choices and decisions. On this basis, drawing on a content analysis combined with a semiotic analysis, the author distinguishes patterns in the perception and creation of femininity and masculinity. The present study is an attempt to answer the question about the link between the mythologies in question as well as the questions of whether a woman can exist without a man in the reconstructed discursive space and whether she is essential to his existence.
Niewidzialne, niezauważalne, nieeksportowane, niepromowane? Kino hiszpańskie jako kino transnarodowe
Authors: Kaprzyk Marta
Published: July 2020

Invisible, unnoticeable, not exported, not promoted? Spanish cinema as transnational cinemaTraditionally, the term „national cinema” referred to films produced within the boundaries of one par­ticular country, and it ignored the complexity of the movie as a social and cultural practice. However, changes in film production in past decades have made it exceptionally difficult to delimit the national borders of particular cinematographies: the development of systems of co-productions, international film crews, and movements across borders of filmic styles and genres make it possible to conceive Spanish cinema in terms of transnationality. The aim of this article is to discuss the most important factors that shape Spanish contemporary cinematography, as well as to suggest the possible means of analysing and describing it within the concepts of “national” and “transnational” cinema.
Komunikacja lekarz–pacjent a wizerunek lekarzy i podmiotów zdrowia publicznego
Authors: Stasiuk-Krajewska Karina
Published: July 2020

Patient–doctor communication, and the image of physicians and public health entitiesThe text is an attempt to analyse the problem of the image of health care system and its personnel mainly doctors in the context of communication. Author shows that the basic question in the context of doctor–patient relationship is the question of reliance and trust. Reliance is consequently the matter of communication, so the better communicative competences the doctor has, the bigger is the trust of patients form him/her.
Językoznawstwo korpusowe. Empiryczne podejście w badaniach humanistycznych
Authors: Zasina Adrian
Published: July 2020

Corpus linguistics. An empirical approach to humanities researchThe aim of the article is to shed light on the methodology of corpus research in the humanities, primarily in linguistics. Corpus linguistics emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, focusing on electronic language corpora. Corpora are collections of various types of texts written and spoken gathered in a computer database which makes it possible to automatically search for text units in their natural context. There are various types of corpora depending on the type of study. The first corpora were compiled for the English language, although more and more languages are acquiring their national corpora, like the National Corpus of the Polish Language, the Czech National Corpus or the National Corpus of the Russian Language.
Badanie komunikacji partii politycznych na podstawie fotografii publikowanych w Internecie
Authors: Jastrzębski Wojciech
Published: July 2020

Study of political parties’ communication based on photographs published onlineThis article contains a description of an empirical study the aim of which was to analyze the photographs published online by two Polish political parties: Razem and Wolność KORWiN. A corpus containing 253 images and photos published by the two parties in the forth quarter of 2016 was constructed and a quantitative analysis was performed afterwards. Documentary and portrait photos, which appeared most frequently in the corpora were carefully analyzed on the basis of such factors as: the frequency at which particular persons appeared in the photos, the clothes they were wearing, the type of events depicted in the pictures and the kinds of objects which were shown most often.
Identification of Edible Macrofungi at Kerandangan Protected Forest & Natural Park, West Lombok Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Hapiz Ahmad , Sukiman Sukiman , Faturrahman Faturrahman , Priambodo Bagus , Rohman Facthur , Susanto Hendra , Putra Wira Eka
Published: July 2020

Indonesia is considered as a mega-biodiversity country that has a massive amount of vascular and non-vascular plants. The tropical environment condition of Indonesia could support the growth of macrofungi. Information about edible macrofungi from the Forest of  Lombok Island is based on limited data. This research aims to characterize the edible macrofungi at Kerandangan Protected Forest & Natural Park, West Lombok Regency, Indonesia. This research was a descriptive and explorative study. The edible mushrooms were observed through the Cruise method by following the particular track inside the forest. The sample found in the forest then documented and evaluated. A morphological analysis procedure was performed to assess the profile and similarity between the microscopic evaluations with the mushrooms identification book. In this study, we also offered a phylogeny analysis based on morphological characters similarity. The Dendogram tree was reconstructed using PAST 3.0. software. The result showed that there are eight species of edible mushrooms found that were group into Basidiomycota, namely, Termitomyces clypeatus, Termitomyces umkowaan, Termitomyces sp.1, Pleorotus flabelatus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Coprinus desimenatus, Tremella fuciformis, and Polyporus sp. All of them involved in Basidiomycota. Based on characterization and identification, the species are grouped into three Ordos and five Families. Most of the edible macrofungi found at Kerandangan Protected Forest & Natural Park growth at soil and deadwood.
L’extensification : chance ou défi pour les exploitations agricoles ?
Authors: TIREL J.C.
Published: July 2020

L’évolution des systèmes de production au cours des trois dernières décennies recouvre à la fois un processus d’intensification à base de capital et d’extensification par rapport aux quantités du travail utilisées. La productivité du travail restera, pour l’avenir, la condition nécessaire de la compétitivité du secteur agricole. Mais la réforme de la PAC induit de nouvelles tendances : baisse des prix, limitations quantitatives de l’offre, incitations financières à une moindre production... Pour des raisons démographiques, beaucoup d’exploitations sont appelées à disparaître au cours des prochaines années, les anticipations pessimistes des agriculteurs peuvent conduire parallèlement à une forte diminution de la superficie agricole utilisée. Des systèmes d’élevage plus extensifs peuvent-ils constituer des solutions viables au niveau des exploitations et de la gestion de l’espace rural ? Certes l’agrandissement des exploitations peut constituer une voie, mais de nouveaux types d’aides resteront nécessaires à court et moyen termes, en attendant que la Recherche soit en mesure d’offrir des solutions plus stables.
Facteurs de variation du rapport des teneurs en matières grasses et protéiques du lait de vache : étude dans les exploitations des Alpes du Nord
Authors: AGABRIEL C. , COULON J.B. , MARTY G.
Published: July 2020

Soixante deux exploitations laitières des Alpes du Nord ont fait l’objet d’une enquête détaillée concernant à la fois la structure de l’exploitation et du troupeau, la qualité des fourrages et les pratiques alimentaires hivernales et estivales. Ces données ont permis d’analyser les variations de la composition chimique du lait d’une exploitation à l’autre, et en particulier du rapport taux butyreux/taux protéique. Celui-ci a présenté des variations très importantes d’une exploitation à l’autre et d’un mois à l’autre. Selon les exploitations, ces variations sont dues surtout à celles du taux butyreux (cas le plus fréquent), ou plutôt à celles du taux protéique. Les différences de niveau de ce rapport d’une exploitation à l’autre sont difficiles à expliquer par les seules données disponibles : en particulier, compte tenu du type des vaches présentes (Abondance, Tarine et Montbéliarde), l’effet de la race ne semble pas prépondérant. Ce sont les exploitations qui maîtrisent le mieux l’alimentation hivernale et estivale des animaux (et qui présentent par ailleurs des effectifs importants et stables au cours de l’année) qui ont présenté les rapports les plus stables au cours de l’année.
Клинические особенности новой коронавирусной инфекции COVID-19 у детей
Authors: Мелехина Елена , Николаева Светлана , Усенко Денис , Понежева Жанна , Музыка Анна , Хлыповка Юлия , Шабалина Светлана , Горелов Александр
Published: July 2020

Коронавирусы (CoV) являются большим семейством РНК-содержащих вирусов, способных заражать человека и животных (включая домашний скот, животных-компаньонов и птиц). У детей коронавирусная инфекция как моно-инфекция регистрируется в 4-8% случаев, и в 11-46% случаев – в виде сочетания с другими респираторными вирусами (аденовирусы, бокавирусы, риновирусы, респираторно-синцитиальный вирус, вирус гриппа или парагриппа). Еще 3 новых штамма коронавирусов, способных вызывать болезнь у людей, были открыты сравнительно недавно. К ним относятся коронавирусы острого респираторного синдрома (SARS-CoV), коронавирусы ближневосточного респираторного синдрома (MERS-CoV) и коронавирусы SARS-CoV-2, вызывающие новую коронавирусную болезнь COVID-19. У детей новая коронавирусная инфекция COVID-19 протекает менее тяжело, чем у взрослых, что подтверждено многочисленными исследованиями.
Tendon Turndown to Bridge a Tibialis Anterior Gap and Restore Active Dorsiflexion After Degloving Foot Injury in a Child
Authors: Kopriva John M. , Cheesborough Jennifer , Frick Steven L.
Published: July 2020

Case:

A child with a severe degloving injury to the dorsum of the foot and ankle had segmental loss of the tibialis anterior tendon and toe extensors. A tendon turndown procedure was used, and the repaired tendon was covered with a latissimus muscle free flap to restore active ankle dorsiflexion. Details of the procedure are described, and active dorsiflexion and functional ambulation were restored.

Conclusions:

The tendon turndown method is a simple and effective way to overcome segmental tendon loss of tibialis anterior and allowed restoration of active dorsiflexion in this case without relying on tendon transfers or grafting.
Gross Stem Taper Failure with Head Dissociation in a Very Active Patient with an Uncemented Femoral Stem
Authors: Polster Valerie , Hube Robert , Morlock Michael M.
Published: July 2020

Case:

We report a case of gross taper failure (GTF) in a very active 81-year-old man 14 years after index operation. The patient presented with acute hip pain and shortening of the left leg. X-rays showed the dissociation of the head. The stem had to be revised because of the massive stem taper damage.

Conclusion:

This case demonstrates that GTF at the head-stem taper junction following mechanically assisted crevice corrosion is not limited to a specific taper design and material. Other risk factors such as high activity level can lead to this failure pattern also in established stem and taper designs.
Changes in health inequalities for patients with diabetes among middle-aged and elderly in China from 2011 to 2015
Authors: Cao Guizhen , Cui Zhizhen , Ma Qinghua , Wang Congju , Xu Yong , Sun Hongpeng , Ma Yana
Published: July 2020

Background: The purpose of this paper is to measure income-related health inequality among middle-aged and elderly patients with diabetes in China from 2011 to 2015 and to investigate factors that might be related to this inequality.Methods: The data for this study were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study that was carried out in 2011, 2013 and 2015. In total, 48519 Chinese middle-aged and elderly population were included (15457 in 2011, 16576 in 2013 and 16486 in 2015). A principal component analysis was performed to measure asset-based economic status. The concentration index was used to measure income-related inequality in patients with diabetes. Additionally, by used generalized linear model, we decomposed the concentration index to identify factors that explained wealth-related inequality in patients with diabetes.Results: The prevalence of self-reported diabetes among middle-aged and elderly Chinese was 5.61%, 7.49% and 8.99% in 2011, 2013 and 2015, respectively. The concentration indices and 95% confidence intervals for diabetes were 0.1359 (0.0525-0.0597), 0.1207 (0.0709-0.0789), 0.1021 (0.0855-0.0942) in 2011, 2013, and 2015, respectively, which are indicative of inequality that favors the rich. The decomposition of the concentration index showed that residence (39.38%), BMI (31.16%), education (7.28%), and region (6.09%) had positive contributions to the measured inequality in diabetes in China in 2015. Age (-29.93%) had a negative contribution to inequality.Conclusion: The findings confirm a health inequality in diabetes that favor the rich. Furthermore, the inequality declined from 2011 to 2015. We suggest that policy and intervention strategies should be developed to alleviate this health inequality, such as narrow the gap between urban and rural areas by improving the urban-rural medical insurance scheme, implementing strategies to enhance hygiene health education, control obesity rate.
Effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation: Umbrella review and quality assessment of systematic reviews
Authors: Melka Alemu Sufa , Chojenta Catherine L , Holliday Elizabeth G , Bali Ayele G , Loxton Deborah J
Published: July 2020

Background: In the long term, smoking cessation can decrease the risk of cancer, stroke, and heart attacks and improve overall survival. This umbrella review aimed to assess the effect of pharmacological interventions on smoking cessation and to evaluate the methodological quality of previously conducted systematic reviews. Methods: Databases including the Cochrane library, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar were used to retrieve reviews. Systematic reviews that included only randomized controlled trials designed to assess pharmacotherapeutic interventions supporting abstinence from smoking were considered in this umbrella review. The methodological quality of the included reviews was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) tool, which contains 16 domains. Two authors (AM, AB) screened the titles and abstracts of all reviews obtained by the search strategy, assessed the full text of selected articles for inclusion and extracted data independently. Two authors (AM, AB) also performed a quality appraisal independently. The findings of the studies were narrated qualitatively to describe the evidence regarding the effectiveness of pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation.Results: Ten reviews were included in this umbrella review. Most of the reviews included in this review reported that Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), bupropion and varenicline and cytisine were effective for smoking cessation. The combination of a nicotine patch with other nicotine formulations was also more effective than monotherapy. Similarly, the combination of nicotine with the non-nicotine therapy varenicline was found to be more effective than varenicline alone. However, the opioid antagonist naltrexone alone was not found to be effective for smoking cessation nor in combination with nicotine replacement therapy. Based on the AMSTAR 2 rating, one review scored high quality, two scored moderate quality, four scored low quality, and three scored critically low quality.Conclusions: This review revealed that drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are effective for smoking cessation. A combination of nicotine patches with other nicotine formulations was also effective for smoking cessation compared to nicotine monotherapy. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO Registration: CRD42017080906
Unraveling the molecular heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes: A potential subtype discovery study followed by metabolic modeling
Authors: Khoshnejat Maryam , Kavousi Kaveh , Banaei-Moghaddam Ali Mohammad , Moosavi-Movahedi Ali Akbar
Published: July 2020

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex multifactorial disease with a high prevalence in the world. Insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion are the two major abnormalities in the pathogenesis of T2DM. Skeletal muscle is responsible for over 75% of the glucose uptake, thus plays a critical role in T2DM. Here, we attempted to provide a better understanding of abnormalities in this tissue. MethodsThe muscle gene expression patterns in healthy and newly diagnosed T2DM individuals were explored using supervised and unsupervised classification approach. Moreover, the potential of sub-typing T2DM patients based on the gene expression patterns was evaluated.ResultsA machine-learning technique was applied to identify a gene expression pattern that could discriminate between normoglycemic and diabetic groups. A gene set comprises of 26 genes was found that was able to discriminate healthy from diabetic individuals with 94% accuracy. In addition, three distinct clusters of diabetic patients with different dysregulated genes and metabolic pathways were identified. Conclusions This study implies that it seems the disease has triggered through different cellular/molecular mechanisms, and it has the potential to be categorized in different sub-types. Possibly, subtyping of T2DM patients in combination with their real clinical profiles will provide a better understanding of abnormalities in each group. Thus, this approach will help to recommend the appropriate treatment for each subtype in the future.
Challenges in health service delivery under public-private partnership in Tanzania: Stakeholders’ views from Dar es Salaam Region
Authors: Nuhu Said , Mpambije Chakupewa Joseph , Ngussa Kinamhala
Published: July 2020

Background: Public-private partnership in the health sector was introduced to improve the delivery of health services in Tanzania. Contrary, the anticipated outcomes have not been fully realised. This study aimed at investigating challenges encountered in the implementation of public-private partnership institutional arrangements in health service delivery in Kinondoni Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Methods: A qualitative case study design was used, where in-depth interviews with stakeholders were held and document reviews conducted. Fourteen (n=14) participants engaged in this study. Eight (n=8) and six (n=6) of the fourteen participants were from the public and private sector respectively. Thematic approach was used to analyse data and ethical principles were upheld in the research process.Results: Findings revealed that although public-private partnerships are hailed for supplementing the government’s efforts in the provision of health services, institutional arrangements for the smooth provision of these services is lacking. Several challenges encumber smooth provision of health services and these include inadequate resources, ineffective monitoring and evaluation, as well as insufficient consultations between partners.Conclusion: Challenges facing institutional arrangements for public-private partnerships may either be influenced by inadequate legal and policy framework, or ineffective implementation practices. Therefore, strengthening of public-private partnerships is recommended to improve implementation mechanisms and practices such as adherence to partnership agreements and compliance to the policies, laws and regulations.
Nursing and midwifery students’ experiences and perception of their clinical learning environment in Malawi: A mixed method study
Authors: Mbakaya Balwani Chingatichifwe , Kalembo Fatch Welcome , Zgambo Maggie , Konyani Alice , Lungu Florence , Tveit Bodil , Kaasen Anne , Simango Modesta , Bvumbwe Thokozani
Published: July 2020

Background The clinical learning environment is an important part of the nursing and midwifery training as it helps students to integrate theory into clinical practice. However, not all clinical learning environments foster positive learning. The aim of this study was to assess the experiences and perception of the clinical learning environment by nursing and midwifery students in Malawi.Methods A concurrent triangulation mixed methods research design was used to collect data from nursing and midwifery students. Quantitative data were collected using a Clinical Learning Environment Inventory, while qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions. The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory has six subscales of satisfaction, involvement, individualisation, innovation, task orientation and personalisation. The focus group interview guide had questions about clinical learning, supervision, assessment, communication and resources. Quantitative data were analysed by independent t-test and multivariate linear regression and qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results A total of 126 participants completed the questionnaire and 30 students participated in three focus group discussions. Satisfaction subscale had the highest mean score (M = 26.93, SD = 4.82) while individualisation had the lowest mean score (M = 18.01, SD =3.50). Multiple linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between satisfaction with clinical learning environment and personalization (β = 0.50, p = < 0.001), and task orientation (β =0.16 p= < 0.05). Teaching and learning resources, hostile environment, poor relationship with a qualified staff, absence of clinical supervisors, and lack of resources were some of the challenges faced by students in their clinical learning environment.Conclusion Although satisfaction with clinical learning environment had the highest scores, nursing and midwifery students encountered multifaceted challenges such as lack of resources, poor relationship with staff and a lack of support from clinical teachers that impacted negatively on their clinical learning experiences. Training institutions and hospitals need to work together to find means of addressing the challenges by among others providing resources to students during clinical placement.
Association of MC4R (rs17782313) with diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Korean men and women
Authors: Sull Jae Woong , Kim Gitae , Jee Sun Ha
Published: July 2020

Background: Diabetes is mostly assessed by the fasting glucose level. Several studies reported that serum fasting glucose levels and cardiovascular disease are associated with MC4R. Methods: A total of 4,294 subjects participated in this study. There were 1810 subjects with cardiovascular disease among the 4294 subjects. We used multivariate linear regression models and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Individuals with the TC/CC genotype had a 1.29-fold higher risk of diabetes than did those with the TT genotype when adjusting for age, sex, and BMI (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.04-1.60). For healthy subjects, the association was significant in women (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.01-3.93). Men with the TC/CC genotype had a 1.21-fold higher risk of cardiovascular disease than did those with the TT genotype when adjusting for age, sex, and BMI (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04-1.41). The relationship between MC4R and cardiovascular disease was stronger in lean men (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.12–1.74, p = 0.0028) than in overweight men.Conclusions: This study suggests that the rs17782313 SNP in MC4R is related to diabetes and the SNP is also associated with cardiovascular disease in lean men.
LOXL1 modulates the malignant progression of colorectal cancer by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of YAP
Authors: Hu Lin , Wang Jing , Wang Yunliang , Wu Linpeng , Wu Chao , Mao Bo , E. Maruthi Prasad , Wang Yuhong , Chin Y. Eugene
Published: July 2020

Background: LOX-like 1 (LOXL1) is a lysyl oxidase, and emerging evidence has revealed its effect on malignant cancer progression. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Methods: LOXL1 expression in colorectal cancer was detected by immunohistochemistry, western blotting and real-time PCR. In vitro , colony formation, wound healing, migration and invasion assays were performed to investigate the effects of LOXL1 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In vivo , metastasis models and mouse xenografts were used to assess tumorigenicity and metastasis ability. Molecular biology experiments were utilized to reveal the underlying mechanisms by which LOXL1 modulates the Hippo pathway. Results: LOXL1 was highly expressed in normal colon tissues compared with cancer tissues. In vitro, silencing LOXL1 in CRC cell lines dramatically enhanced migration, invasion, and colony formation, while overexpression of LOXL1 exerted the opposite effects. The results of the in vivo experiments demonstrated that the overexpression of LOXL1 in CRC cell lines drastically inhibited metastatic progression and tumour growth. Mechanistically, LOXL1 inhibited the transcriptional activity of Yes-associated protein (YAP) by interacting with MST1/2 and increasing the phosphorylation of MST1/2. Conclusions: LOXL1 may function as an important tumour suppressor in regulating tumour growth, invasion and metastasis via negative regulation of YAP activity.
Diversity of plant assemblages dampens the variability of the growing season phenology in wetland landscapes
Authors: Rheault Guillaume , Lévesque Esther , Proulx Raphaël
Published: July 2020

Background: The functioning of ecosystems is highly variable through space and time. Climatic and edaphic factors are forcing ecological communities to converge, whereas the diversity of plant assemblages dampens these effects by allowing communities’ dynamics to diverge. This study evaluated whether the growing season phenology of wetland plant communities within landscapes is determined by the climatic/edaphic factors of contrasted regions, by the species richness of plant communities, or by the diversity of plant assemblages. From 2013 to 2016, we monitored the phenology and floristic composition of 118 wetland plant communities across five landscapes distributed along a gradient of edaphic and climatic conditions in the Province of Québec, Canada. Results: The growing season phenology of wetlands was driven by differences among plant assemblage within landscapes, and not by the species richness of each individual community (<1% of the explained variation). Variation in the growing season length of wetlands reflected the destabilizing effect of climatic and edaphic factors on green-up dates, which is opposed to the dampening effect of plant assemblage diversity on green-down dates. Conclusions: The latter dampening effect may be particularly important in the context of increasing anthropogenic activities, which are predicted to impair the ability of wetlands to adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions. Our findings suggest that stakeholders should not necessarily consider local monospecific plant communities of lower conservation value to the global functioning of wetland ecosystems.
A population pharmacokinetic model is beneficial in quantifying hair concentrations of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir: A study of HIV-infected Zimbabwean adolescents.
Authors: NGARA Bernard , Zvada Simbarashe , Chawana Tariro Dianah , Stray-Pedersen Babill , Nhachi Charles Fungai Brian , Rusakaniko Simbarashe
Published: July 2020

Background Adolescents experience higher levels of non-adherence to HIV treatment. Drug concentration in hair promises to be reliable for assessing exposure to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Pharmacokinetic modelling can explore utility of drug in hair. We aimed at developing and validating a pharmacokinetic model based on atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) in hair and identify factors associated with variabilities in hair accumulation.Methods We based the study on secondary data analysis whereby data from a previous study on Zimbabwean adolescents which collected hair samples at enrolment and three months follow-up was used in model development. We performed model development in NONMEM (version 7.3) ADVAN 13. Results There is 16% / 18% of the respective ATV/r in hair as a ratio of steady-state trough plasma concentrations. At follow-up, we estimated an increase of 30% /42% of respective ATV/r in hair. We associated a unit increase in adherence score with 2% increase in hair concentration both ATV/r. Thinner participants had 54% higher while overweight had 21% lower atazanavir in hair compared to normal weight participants. Adolescents receiving care from fellow siblings had atazanavir in hair at least 54% less compared to other forms of care. Conclusion The determinants of increased ATV/r concentrations in hair found in our analysis are monitoring at follow up event, body mass index, and caregiver status. Measuring drug concentration in hair is feasibly accomplished and could be more accurate for monitoring ARV drugs exposure.
Troxerutin protects against DHT-induced polycystic ovary syndrome in rats
Authors: Gao Zixuan , Ma Xiaochen , Liu Jing , Ge Yuhang , Wang Lei , Fu Ping , Liu Zhian , Yao Ruiqin , Yan Xiaonan
Published: July 2020

The exact pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common neuroendocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, has not been fully elucidated. Recent studies suggested that chronic inflammation and neurotransmitter disorder involved in the progress of PCOS. Troxerutin, a natural flavonoid, was reported to possess neuroprotective effect in several disease models by inhibiting inflammation or enhancing neurotrophic factor. In this study, we investigated the possible protective effect and mechanism of troxerutin in a dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced rat model of PCOS. The PCOS rat models were treated with troxerutin at a dose of 150mg/kg or 300mg/kg for up to 4 weeks. Results showed that 300mg/kg troxerutin significantly decreased the body weight gain and improved the pathological changes of ovary induced by DHT. Meanwhile, the elevated gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), gonadotrophin and testosterone in the serum of PCOS rats were reduced with the treatment of troxerutin. The expression of kisspeptin and NKB in arcuate nucleus and their receptors kiss1r and NK3r in GnRH positive neurons of median eminence were markedly decreased in troxerutin-treated rats. Of note, the GnRH inhibitory regulator GABA and stimulatory regulator glutamate were also restored to the normal level by troxerutin. The present study indicated that troxerutin may exhibit a protective effect in PCOS rat model via regulating neurotransmitter release.
The relationship between a microfinance-based healthcare delivery platform, health insurance coverage, health screenings, and disease management in rural Western Kenya
Authors: Rosenberg Molly , Amisi James Akiruga , Szkwarko Daria , Tran Dan N. , Genberg Becky , Luetke Maya , Kianersi Sina , Namae Jane , Laktabai Jeremiah , Pastakia Sonak
Published: July 2020

Background: Structural barriers often prevent rural Kenyans from receiving healthcare and diagnostic testing. The Bridging Income Generation through grouP Integrated Care (BIGPIC) Family intervention facilitates microfinance groups, provides health screenings and treatment, and delivers education about health insurance coverage to address some of these barriers. This study evaluated the association between participation in BIGPIC microfinance groups and health screening/disease management outcomes.Methods: From November 2018 to March 2019, we interviewed a sample of 300 members of two rural communities in Western Kenya, 100 of whom were BIGPIC microfinance members. We queried participants about their experiences with health screening and disease management for HIV, diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, and cervical cancer. We used log-binomial regression models to estimate the association between microfinance membership and each health outcome, adjusting for key covariates.Results: Microfinance members were more likely to be screened for most of the health conditions we queried, including those provided by BIGPIC [e.g. diabetes: aPR (95% CI): 3.46 (2.60, 4.60)] and those not provided [e.g. cervical cancer: aPR (95% CI): 2.43 (1.21, 4.86)]. Microfinance membership had weaker and non-statistically significant associations with health insurance uptake and disease management outcomes. Conclusions: In rural Kenya, a microfinance program integrated with healthcare delivery may be effective at increasing health screening. Interventions designed to thoughtfully and sustainably address structural barriers to healthcare will be critical to improving the health of those living in low-resource settings.
The Dignity of Burn Patients: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Nurses and Caregivers
Authors: Tehranineshat Banafsheh , Rakhshan Mahnaz , Torabizadeh Camellia , Fararouei Mohammad , Gillespie Mark
Published: July 2020

Background: The essence of nursing care is preservation of patients' human dignity. The aggressive nature of severe burn injuries makes it hard to respect burn patient's existential dimensions and dignity. However, not much research has been conducted on respect for the dignity of burn patients.Purpose: The present study aims to outline the concept of maintaining the dignity of burn patients from the perspective of their caregivers. Methods: The study has a descriptive, qualitative research design. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews. Data analysis was executed using conventional content analysis. The subjects were nurses and family caregivers from the biggest burns hospital in the south-east of Iran. The participants were selected via purposeful sampling (n=20) until data saturation was reached. The study lasted from October 2017 to August 2018. Results: Three main themes emerged from the information obtained from the interviews: creating a friendly atmosphere, showing respect, and providing comprehensive support.Conclusion: Burn patients need to receive care in a friendly atmosphere where they are looked after by empathetic caregivers who give enough time to them and allow them to express their feelings and concerns. Also, patients' human values and beliefs should be respected and all aspects of their existence should be taken into account for their dignity to be preserved. Workshops designed based on the findings of the present study can help improve the quality of nursing care.
Determinants for Choice of Home Birth over Health Facility Birth among Women of Reproductive Age in Tanzania: An Analysis of Data from the 2015-16 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey
Authors: Moshi Fabiola Vincent , Mbotwa Christopher H.
Published: July 2020

Background: While evidence has shown an association between place of birth and birth outcomes, factors contributing to the choice of home birth have not been adequately investigated. In Tanzania more than 30% of deliveries occur out of health facilities with more than 95% of those deliveries are assisted by non-medical providers who are often unskilled. Birth assisted by unskilled birth attendants has been cited as a contributing factor for the high maternal and neonatal mortalities in low-resources countries. This study aimed at identifying determinants of choice for home birth over health facilities in Tanzania.Method: This study used the 2015-16 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey (2015-16 TDHS-MIS) dataset. A total of 2286 women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who gave birth within one year preceding the survey were included in the analysis. Both univariate and multivariable regression analyses were used to determine predictors for the choice of home-based childbirth over health facility.Results: A total of 805 (35.2%) women had a home birth. After adjusting for confounders, the determinants for choice of home birth were the level of education [primary education, (AOR=0.666; p=0.001); secondary and higher education, (AOR=0.417; p<0.001)]in reference to no formal education; not owning a mobile phone, (AOR= 1.312; p=0.018); parity [parity 2-4, (AOR=1.594; p=0.004); parity 5 and above, (AOR=2.158; p<0.001)] in reference to parity 1; inadequate antenatal visits, (AOR=1.406; p=0.001); wealth index [poorest, (AOR=9.395; p<0.001); poorer, (AOR=7.701; p<0.001); middle, (AOR=5.961; p<0.001); richer, (AOR=2.557; p<0.001)] in reference to richest women and zones [Southern Highlands, (AOR=0.189; p<0.001); Southern, (AOR=0.225; p<0.001); Zanzibar, (AOR=2.55; p<0.001)] in reference to Western zone.Conclusion: A large proportion of women birth at home. Unskilled providers such as traditional birth attendants (TBAs), relatives or friends attend most of them. Predictors for home-based childbirth were lack of formal education, poor access to communication, poor uptake of antenatal visits, low socio-economic status, and geographical zone. Innovative strategies targeting these groups are needed to increase the use of health facilities for childbirth, thereby reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Tanzania.
A linear-time algorithm that avoids inverses and computes jackknife (leave-one-out) products like convolutions or other operators in commutative semigroups
Authors: Spouge John , Ziegelbauer Joseph M. , Gonzalez Mileidy
Published: July 2020

Background: Data about herpesvirus microRNA motifs on human circular RNAs suggested the following statistical question. Consider independent random counts, not necessarily identically distributed. Conditioned on the sum, decide whether one of the counts is unusually large. Exact computation of the p-value leads to a specific algorithmic problem. Given elements in a set with the closure and associative properties and a commutative product without inverses, compute the jackknife (leave-one-out) products ( ).Results: This article gives a linear-time Jackknife Product algorithm. Its upward phase constructs a standard segment tree for computing segment products like ; its novel downward phase mirrors the upward phase while exploiting the symmetry of and its complement . The algorithm requires storage for elements of and only about products. In contrast, the standard segment tree algorithms require about products for construction and products for calculating each , i.e., about products in total; and a naïve quadratic algorithm using element-by-element products to compute each requires products.Conclusions: In the herpesvirus application, the Jackknife Product algorithm required 15 minutes; standard segment tree algorithms would have taken an estimated 3 hours; and the quadratic algorithm, an estimated 1 month. The Jackknife Product algorithm has many possible uses in bioinformatics and statistics.
Plasma, Urine and Tissue Concentrations of Flunixin and Meloxicam in Pigs
Authors: Nixon Emma , Mays Travis P. , Routh Patricia A. , Yeatts James L. , Fajt Virginia R. , Hairgrove Thomas , Baynes Ronald
Published: July 2020

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the renal clearance of flunixin and meloxicam in pigs and compare plasma and urine concentrations and tissue residues of these drugs. Urine clearance is important for livestock show animals where urine is routinely tested for these drugs. Fourteen Yorkshire/Landrace cross pigs were housed in individual metabolism cages to facilitate urine collection. This is a unique feature of this study compared to other reports. Animals into received either 2.2 mg/kg flunixin or 0.4 mg/kg meloxicam via intramuscular injection and samples analyzed by mass spectrometry. Pigs were euthanized when drugs were no longer detected in urine and liver and kidneys were collected to quantify residues.Results: Drug levels in urine reached peak concentrations between 4 and 8 h post-dose for both flunixin and meloxicam. Flunixin urine concentrations were higher than maximum levels in plasma. Urine concentrations for flunixin and meloxicam were last detected above the limit of quantification at 120 h and 48 h, respectively. The renal clearance of flunixin and meloxicam was 4.72 ± 2.98 mL/h/kg and 0.16 ± 0.04 mL/h/kg, respectively. Mean apparent elimination half-life in plasma was 5.00 ± 1.89 h and 3.22 ± 1.52 h for flunixin and meloxicam, respectively. Six of seven pigs had detectable liver concentrations of flunixin (range 0.0001-0.0012 μg/g) following negative urine samples at 96 and 168 h, however all samples at 168 h were below the FDA tolerance level (0.03 μg/g). Meloxicam was detected in a single liver sample (0.0054 μg/g) at 72 h but was below the EU MRL (0.065 μg/g). Conclusions: These data suggest that pigs given a single intramuscular dose of meloxicam at 0.4 mg/kg or flunixin at 2.2 mg/kg are likely to have detectable levels of the parent drug in urine up to 2 days and 5 days, respectively, after the first dose, but unlikely to have tissue residues above the US FDA tolerance or EU MRL following negative urine testing. This information will assist veterinarians in the therapeutic use of these drugs prior to livestock shows and also inform livestock show authorities involved in testing for these substances.