bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Impairment and Depression in a Population of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Colombia: A Prevalence Study
Authors: Rodríguez-Angarita Carlos Edgardo , Sanabria-Arenas Rafael Mauricio , Vargas–Jaramillo Juan Diego , Ronderos–Botero Izcay
Published: April 2016

Background:

Growth of the elderly population is linked to the increase of comorbid conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), depression, and cognitive impairment (CI). Cognitive impairment can vary from minimal deficits in the normal aging, to mild cognitive impairment with a prevalence ranging from 1 to 29 % in people ≥ 65 years of age, up to severe impairment with a prevalence of 6 to 42 %. The CI induced by depression usually affects the functional performance of the elderly.

Objective:

The objective of the study is to describe the prevalence of CI and depression in patients ≥ 55 years with CKD stages 3 and 4, attending a secondary prevention program during 2012–2013.

Design:

The design of the study is a cross-sectional study of simple random sampling, and 308 patients were invited to participate.

Setting:

Patients were being treated in a CKD secondary prevention program in Bogotá, Colombia, during 2012–2013.

Patients:

Participants were over 54 years diagnosed with CKD in stages 3 to 4 according to the K/DOQI classification.

Measurements:

CI was assessed using NEUROPSI and modified Lawton Scale; depression was measured with Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview.

Methods:

Through an interview with the subjects, information regarding age, occupation, civil status, educational level, and clinical baseline variables was collected. Clinical assessment with specific instruments was performed by a multidisciplinary team composed of nephrologists, a psychiatrist, a neurologist, and a neuropsychologist.

Results:

Two hundred and fifty-one patients agreed to participate. The average age was 76.3 (SD = 7.9) years, 67 % were males, and 86.5 % had CKD stage 3. Overall prevalence of CI was 51 % (95 % CI 44.7 to 57.2), and the prevalence of major depression reached 8 % (95 % CI 4.5 to 11.3); 4.8 % of the patients ( n = 12) had both CI and depression.

Limitations:

A limitation of the study is its design, which does not allow establishing the direction of the association between predictors and outcomes. Suggested associations must be interpreted cautiously as they are generated as hypothesis, which should be investigated in properly designed trials.

Conclusions:

CI and depression are prevalent conditions among patients with CKD stages 3–4, with the greatest occurrence of CI, affecting half of the investigated Colombian patients with age ≥ 55 years.
Heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea are improved by Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) of adenomyosis
Authors: Jayaram Ramya , Subbarayan Kalpana , Mithraprabhu Sridurga , Govindarajan Mirudhubashini
Published: April 2016

Background

To assess reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea following MRI guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) of focal and diffuse adenomyosis up to 12 months post-treatment a retrospective cohort study was done at a tertiary care academic medical center for obstetrics, gynecology and infertility.

Methods

MRgFUS for adenomyosis uterus was done for thirty-seven patients presenting with symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea with MRI-suspected adenomyosis. The main outcome measure, was reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding, dysmenorrhea and Symptom Severity Scoring (SSS) over a 3, 6 and 12 month period. Secondary outcome was evidence of fertility preservation post procedure. D’Agostino & Pearson omnibus normality test, one-way Ananova, Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis was performed on the data. Statistical significances, p-value and r-value were determined.

Results

Out of 37 patients who were treated by MRgFUS, 26 had sufficient follow-up to be included in the analysis. SSS calculated at 3, 6 and 12 months was significantly over the baseline. Both heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea, which were assessed separately, were found to significantly improve over time with a positive correlation between the two. No other intervention was required.

Conclusion

MRgFUS provides immediate and sustained relief for patients with focal and diffuse adenomyosis.
Role of ERα in the Effect of Estradiol on Cancellous and Cortical Femoral Bone in Growing Female Mice
Authors: Vinel A. , Hay E. , Valera M. C. , Buscato M. , Adlanmerini M. , Guillaume M. , Cohen-Solal M. , Ohlsson C. , Lenfant F. , Arnal J. F. , Fontaine C.
Published: April 2016

Estrogen receptor-α (ERα) acts primarily in the nucleus as a transcription factor involving two activation functions, AF1 and AF2, but it can also induce membrane-initiated steroid signaling (MISS) through the modulation of various kinase activities and/or secondary messenger levels. Previous work has demonstrated that nuclear ERα is required for the protective effect of the estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2), whereas the selective activation of ERαMISS is sufficient to confer protection in cortical but not cancellous bone. The aim of this study was to define whether ERαMISS is necessary for the beneficial actions of chronic E2 exposure on bone. We used a mouse model in which ERα membrane localization had been abrogated due to a point mutation of the palmitoylation site of ERα (ERα-C451A). Alterations of the sex hormones in ERα-C451A precluded the interpretation of bone parameters that were thus analyzed on ovariectomized and supplemented or not with E2 (8 μg/kg/d) to circumvent this bias. We found the beneficial action of E2 on femoral bone mineral density as well as in both cortical and cancellous bone was decreased in ERα-C451A mice compared with their wild-type littermates. Histological and biochemical approaches concurred with the results from bone marrow chimeras to demonstrate that ERαMISS signaling affects the osteoblast but not the osteoclast lineage in response to E2. Thus, in contrast to the uterine and endothelial effects of E2 that are specifically mediated by nuclear ERα and ERαMISS effects, respectively, bone protection is dependent on both, underlining the exquisite tissue-specific actions and interactions of membrane and nuclear ERα.
Development and Characterization of Novel Rat Anti-mERβ Sera
Authors: Novaira Horacio J. , Graceli J. B. , Capellino S. , Schoeffield A. , Hoffman G. E. , Wolfe A. , Wondisford F. , Radovick S.
Published: April 2016

Estrogens regulate normal sexual and reproductive development in females. Their actions are mediated mainly by estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ. Understanding the function of ERs necessitates knowing their cellular location and protein partners, which, in turn, requires reliable and specific antibodies. Several antibodies are available for ERα; however, discrepancies in immunoreactivity have been reported for ERβ. Here, we have developed antisera for mouse ERβ (mERβ) using a specific C-terminal 18-amino acid peptide conjugated to mariculture keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Sprague Dawley rats were immunized, and the resulting antisera were characterized by Western blot analysis of nuclear extracts from tissues of wild-type (WT) mice, and mice genetically modified to lack either ERα (CERαKO) or ERβ (CERβKO). An approximately 56-kDa protein was detected in the hypothalamus, uterus, ovary, mammary gland, testes, and epididymis of WT mice, consistent with the predicted molecular size of ERβ. In addition, the same protein band was identified in in vitro synthesized mERβ protein and in the mammary glands of CERαKO mice. The approximately 56-kDa protein was not observed in in vitro synthesized mERα protein or in any tissue examined in the CERβKO mice. Immunohistochemistry using the antisera revealed ERβ staining in the granulosa cells of WT ovaries and in the mediobasal hypothalamus, paraventricular nucleus, and cerebral cortex in the WT adult mouse brain. These data suggest that the novel rat anti-mERβ sera are specific to ERβ to allow investigators to explore to cellular and physiological role of ERβ in the brain and other mouse tissues.
Is Perioperative Fluid and Salt Balance a Contributing Factor in Postoperative Worsening of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Authors: Lam Thach , Singh Mandeep , Yadollahi Azadeh , Chung Frances
Published: April 2016

An understanding of the potential mechanisms underlying recurrent upper airway collapse may help anesthesiologists better manage patients in the postoperative period. There is convincing evidence in the sleep medicine literature to suggest that a positive fluid and salt balance can worsen upper airway collapse in patients with obstructive sleep apnea through the redistribution of fluid from the legs into the neck and upper airway while supine, in a process known as “rostral fluid shift.” According to this theory, during the day the volume from a fluid bolus or from fluid overload states (i.e., heart failure and chronic kidney disease) accumulates in the legs due to gravity, and when a person lies supine at night, the fluid shifts rostrally to the neck, also owing to gravity. The fluid in the neck can increase the extraluminal pressure around the upper airways, causing the upper airways to narrow and predisposing to upper airway collapse. Similarly, surgical patients also incur large fluid and salt balance shifts, and when recovered supine, this may promote fluid redistribution to the neck and upper airways. In this commentary, we summarize the sleep medicine literature on the impact of fluid and salt balance on obstructive sleep apnea severity and discuss the potential anesthetic implications of excessive fluid and salt volume on worsening sleep apnea.
Does Obstructive Sleep Apnea Influence Perioperative Outcome? A Qualitative Systematic Review for the Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine Task Force on Preoperative Preparation of Patients with Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Authors: Opperer Mathias , Cozowicz Crispiana , Bugada Dario , Mokhlesi Babak , Kaw Roop , Auckley Dennis , Chung Frances , Memtsoudis Stavros G.
Published: April 2016

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a commonly encountered problem in the perioperative setting even though many patients remain undiagnosed at the time of surgery. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate whether the diagnosis of OSA has an impact on postoperative outcomes. We performed a systematic review of studies published in PubMed-MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, and other nonindexed citations, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Health Technology Assessment up to November 2014. Studies of adult patients with a diagnosis of OSA or high risk thereof, published in the English language, undergoing surgery or procedures under anesthesia care, and reporting ≥1 postoperative outcome were included. Overall, the included studies reported on 413,304 OSA and 8,556,279 control patients. The majority reported worse outcomes for a number of events, including pulmonary and combined complications, among patients with OSA versus the reference group. The association between OSA and in-hospital mortality varied among studies; 9 studies showed no impact of OSA on mortality, 3 studies suggested a decrease in mortality, and 1 study reported increased mortality. In summary, the majority of studies suggest that the presence of OSA is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications.
The Ryder Cognitive Aid Checklist for Trauma Anesthesia
Authors: Behrens Vicente , Dudaryk Roman , Nedeff Nicholas , Tobin Joshua M. , Varon Albert J.
Published: April 2016

Despite mixed results regarding the clinical utility of checklists, the anesthesia community is increasingly interested in advancing research around this important topic. Although several checklists have been developed to address routine perioperative care, few checklists in the anesthesia literature specifically target the management of trauma patients. We adapted a recently published “trauma and emergency checklist” for the initial phase of resuscitation and anesthesia of critically ill trauma patients into an applicable perioperative cognitive aid in the form of a pictogram that can be downloaded by the medical community. The Ryder Cognitive Aid Checklist for Trauma Anesthesia is a letter-sized, full-color document consisting of 2 pages and 5 sections. This cognitive aid describes the essential steps to be performed: before patient arrival to the hospital, on patient arrival to the hospital, during the initial assessment and management, during the resuscitation phase, and for postoperative care. A brief online survey is also presented to obtain feedback for improvement of this tool. The variability in utility of cognitive aids may be because of the specific clinical task being performed, the skill level of the individuals using the cognitive aid, overall quality of the cognitive aid, or organizational challenges. Once optimized, future research should be focused at ensuring successful implementation and customization of this tool.
In the Aftermath: Attitudes of Anesthesiologists to Supportive Strategies After an Unexpected Intraoperative Patient Death
Authors: Heard Gaylene C. , Thomas Rowan D. , Sanderson Penelope M.
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND:

Although most anesthesiologists will have 1 catastrophic perioperative event or more during their careers, there has been little research on their attitudes to assistive strategies after the event. There are wide-ranging emotional consequences for anesthesiologists involved in an unexpected intraoperative patient death, particularly if the anesthesiologist made an error. We used a between-groups survey study design to ask whether there are different attitudes to assistive strategies when a hypothetical patient death is caused by a drug error versus not caused by an error. First, we explored attitudes to generalized supportive strategies. Second, we examined our hypothesis that the presence of an error causing the hypothetical patient death would increase the perceived social stigma and self-stigma of help-seeking. Finally, we examined the strategies to assist help-seeking.

METHODS:

An anonymous, mailed, self-administered survey was conducted with 1600 consultant anesthesiologists in Australia on the mailing list of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. The participants were randomized into “error” versus “no-error” groups for the hypothetical scenario of patient death due to anaphylaxis. Nonparametric, descriptive, parametric, and inferential tests were used for data analysis. P′ is used where P values were corrected for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS:

There was a usable response rate of 48.9%. When an error had caused the hypothetical patient death, participants were more likely to agree with 4 of the 5 statements about support, including need for time off (P′ = 0.003), counseling (P′ < 0.001), a formal strategy for assistance (P′ < 0.001), and the anesthesiologist not performing further cases that day (P′ = 0.047). There were no differences between groups in perceived self-stigma (P = 0.98) or social stigma (P = 0.15) of seeking counseling, whether or not an error had caused the hypothetical patient death. Finally, when an error had caused the patient death, participants were more likely to agree with 2 of the 5 statements about help-seeking, including the need for a formal, hospital-based process that provides information on where to obtain professional counseling (P′ = 0.006) and the availability of after-hours counseling services (P′ = 0.035).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our participants were more likely to agree with assistive strategies such as not performing further work that day, time off, counseling, formal support strategies, and availability of after-hours counseling services, when the hypothetical patient death from anaphylaxis was due to an error. The perceived stigma toward attending counseling was not affected by the presence or absence of an error as the cause of the patient death, disproving our hypothesis.
The Accuracy of Temperature Measurements Provided by the Edwards Lifesciences Pulmonary Artery Catheter
Authors: Launey Yoann , Larmet Raphaëlle , Nesseler Nicolas , Malledant Yannick , Palpacuer Clément , Seguin Philippe
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND:

Pulmonary artery catheters (PACs) are frequently used for monitoring patient temperatures in the intensive care unit. Nevertheless, data regarding the accuracy of these measurements are lacking, and few data testify to the accuracy of temperatures recorded after the PAC has been in place for several days. The absolute values of such measurements are relevant for critical care because patient temperatures are often used as diagnostic criteria for sepsis and antibiotic therapy. We thus hypothesized that the Edwards Lifesciences PAC would accurately measure blood temperature. To test our hypothesis, we compared temperature measurements obtained from PACs inserted in patients for different lengths of time with measurements of a reference platinum resistance thermometer (PRT).

METHODS:

PACs were removed and analyzed in 39 patients in whom PACs were inserted for 0 to 5 days. The PACs were placed in calibration baths, and 10 consecutive measurements at each of 7 different temperatures were obtained (36°C, 36.5°C, 37°C, 38°C, 38.3°C, 39°C, and 40°C). The temperature measurements obtained using PACs were compared with measurements obtained using a PRT. Bland-Altman statistical analyses were performed. Outliers, defined as PAC temperature measurements that varied more than ±0.3°C from PRT measurements, were identified. We considered a catheter unfit for clinical diagnostic or therapeutic use if ≥15% of data pairs were outliers.

RESULTS:

A total of 2730 data pairs were analyzed. Overall, the bias was −0.15°C; the precision was +0.13°C; and the limits of agreement were −0.45°C to +0.13°C. The bias and limits of agreement did not differ according to the age of the catheter or the temperature tested. One hundred fourteen data pairs (4.2% [95% confidence interval, 2.0%–6.4%]), involving 13 PACs and mostly from 4 PACs, were outliers.

CONCLUSIONS:

We conclude that temperature measurements obtained using the Edwards Lifesciences PACs are thus sufficiently accurate to be used for clinical temperature monitoring in critically ill patients.
Muscles provide protection during microbial infection by activating innate immune response pathways in Drosophila and zebrafish
Authors: Chatterjee Arunita , Roy Debasish , Patnaik Esha , Nongthomba Upendra
Published: April 2016

Muscle contraction brings about movement and locomotion in animals. However, muscles have also been implicated in several atypical physiological processes including immune response. The role of muscles in immunity and the mechanism involved has not yet been deciphered. In this paper, using Drosophila indirect flight muscles (IFMs) as a model, we show that muscles are immune-responsive tissues. Flies with defective IFMs are incapable of mounting a potent humoral immune response. Upon immune challenge, the IFMs produce anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) through the activation of canonical signaling pathways, and these IFM-synthesized AMPs are essential for survival upon infection. The trunk muscles of zebrafish, a vertebrate model system, also possess the capacity to mount an immune response against bacterial infections, thus establishing that immune responsiveness of muscles is evolutionarily conserved. Our results suggest that physiologically fit muscles might boost the innate immune response of an individual.
Musculocontractural Ehlers–Danlos syndrome and neurocristopathies: dermatan sulfate is required for Xenopus neural crest cells to migrate and adhere to fibronectin
Authors: Gouignard Nadège , Maccarana Marco , Strate Ina , von Stedingk Kristoffer , Malmström Anders , Pera Edgar M.
Published: April 2016

Of all live births with congenital anomalies, approximately one-third exhibit deformities of the head and face. Most craniofacial disorders are associated with defects in a migratory stem and progenitor cell population, which is designated the neural crest (NC). Musculocontractural Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (MCEDS) is a heritable connective tissue disorder with distinct craniofacial features; this syndrome comprises multiple congenital malformations that are caused by dysfunction of dermatan sulfate (DS) biosynthetic enzymes, including DS epimerase-1 (DS-epi1; also known as DSE). Studies in mice have extended our understanding of DS-epi1 in connective tissue maintenance; however, its role in fetal development is not understood. We demonstrate that DS-epi1 is important for the generation of isolated iduronic acid residues in chondroitin sulfate (CS)/DS proteoglycans in early Xenopus embryos. The knockdown of DS-epi1 does not affect the formation of early NC progenitors; however, it impairs the correct activation of transcription factors involved in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and reduces the extent of NC cell migration, which leads to a decrease in NC-derived craniofacial skeleton, melanocytes and dorsal fin structures. Transplantation experiments demonstrate a tissue-autonomous role for DS-epi1 in cranial NC cell migration in vivo. Cranial NC explant and single-cell cultures indicate a requirement of DS-epi1 in cell adhesion, spreading and extension of polarized cell processes on fibronectin. Thus, our work indicates a functional link between DS and NC cell migration. We conclude that NC defects in the EMT and cell migration might account for the craniofacial anomalies and other congenital malformations in MCEDS, which might facilitate the diagnosis and development of therapies for this distressing condition. Moreover, the presented correlations between human DS-epi1 expression and gene sets of mesenchymal character, invasion and metastasis in neuroblastoma and malignant melanoma suggest an association between DS and NC-derived cancers.
Tutorial: Time Series Hyperspectral Image Analysis
Authors: Dorrepaal Ronan , Malegori Cristina , Gowen Aoife
Published: April 2016

A hyperspectral image is a large dataset in which each pixel corresponds to a spectrum, thus providing high-quality detail of a sample surface. Hyperspectral images are thus characterised by dual information, spectral and spatial, which allows for the acquisition of both qualitative and quantitative information from a sample. A hyperspectral image, commonly known as a “hypercube”, comprises two spatial dimensions and one spectral dimension. The data of such a file contain both chemical and physical information. Such files need to be analysed with a computational “chemometric” approach in order to reduce the dimensionality of the data, while retaining the most useful spectral information. Time series hyperspectral imaging data comprise multiple hypercubes, each presenting the sample at a different time point, requiring additional considerations in the data analysis. This paper provides a step-by-step tutorial for time series hyperspectral data analysis, with detailed command line scripts in the Matlab and R computing languages presented in the supplementary data. The example time series data, available for download, are a set of time series hyperspectral images following the setting of a cement-based biomaterial. Starting from spectral pre-processing (image acquisition, background removal, dead pixels and spikes, masking) and pre-treatments, the typical steps encountered in time series hyperspectral image processing are then presented, including unsupervised and supervised chemometric methods. At the end of the tutorial paper, some general guidelines on hyperspectral image processing are proposed.
Class, violence and citizenship in the Arab uprisings: assessing deeper forms of transition
Authors: Challand Benoit
Published: April 2016

The article connects the literature on transitology with a comparative analyses of the Arab uprisings (also known as the “Arab Spring”). These uprisings should not only be assessed against the backdrop of institutional changes (elections, the writing of new constitutions, the emergence of party systems, etc.). Rather, we need to consider the revolts as a set of historical events sharing a common aspiration towards a renewed and reactivated sense of citizenship from below, that is, from spontaneous forms of civil society, in conjunction with innervated trade union movements, and the emergence of new coalitions pushing for a more participatory politics. The article concentrates on two features of citizenship: the role of the middle class in fighting for larger political enfranchisement and the attempts by the sovereign people to reappropriate the legitimate means of violence.
Political Thought and Practice in the Ottoman Empire (Halcyon Days in Crete IX Symposium, Rethymno, 9-11 January 2015)
Authors: Gara Eleni
Published: April 2016

Conference presentation
Narrating the story of a failed national transition: discourses on the Greek crisis, 2010–2014
Authors: Kouki Hara , Liakos Antonis
Published: April 2016

This article traces the construction of the dominant, promemorandum discourse that has been propagated by the political establishment and mainstream media in Greece interpreting the current crisis as a crisis of the national identity: Greece failed to reform where necessary due to the domination of the traditional political culture that is to be blamed for the failed transition since 1974 to postwar European modernity. This narrative is examined within broader narratives and discourses that have attempted in different periods to conceptualise and prescribe the transition to modernity followed not only by Greece, but by other societies the world over. This brief study enables us to think of this exceptional "failed transition" as a not so exceptional or failed transition, while at the same time to observe how societies in crisis turn to history so as to make sense of their present.
«Γρήγορη συμπτωματική μάθηση» και παγίωση νέων λέξεων μέσω της αφήγησης ιστοριών σε παιδιά πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας
Authors: Καρούσου (Karousou) Αλεξάνδρα (Alexandra) , Κουτσιούκη (Koutsiouki) Μαντώ (Manto) , Τριανταφυλλίδου (Triantafyllidou) Άντισσα (Antissa)
Published: April 2016

H παρούσα μελέτη διερευνά τις συνθήκες κάτω από τις οποίες η αφήγηση ιστοριών στην τάξη μπορεί να αποτελέσει αποτελεσματική δραστηριότητα εμπλουτισμού του λεξιλογίου σε παιδιά πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, η έρευνα εξετάζει τη «Γρήγορη Συμπτωματική Μάθηση» νέων λέξεων, μετρώντας τις επιδόσεις 96 μαθητών Α, Β και Γ Δημοτικού στη χαρτογράφηση του νοήματος τεσσάρων ψευδολέξεων μετά από μία μόνο έκθεση σε αυτές στα πλαίσια ενός αφηγήματος. Επίσης, εξετάζει την συγκράτησή τους στη μνήμη μετά από τρεις εβδομάδες χωρίς τη μεσολάβηση κάποιας παρέμβασης/υπενθύμισης, καθώς και την αποτελεσματικότητα τριών διαφορετικών παρεμβάσεων (επαναφήγηση της ίδιας ιστορίας, αφήγηση μίας διαφορετικής ιστορίας με τις ίδιες ψευδολέξεις, και συνδυασμός των ανωτέρω) στην παγίωση των ψευδολέξεων. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν  αναπτυξιακές διαφορές στις επιδόσεις των παιδιών στη δοκιμασία γρήγορης συμπτωματικής μάθησης των ψευδολέξεων ανά τάξη, καθώς και ποιοτικές διαφορές στη χαρτογράφηση των διαφορετικών ψευδολέξεων. Επίσης, καταδεικνύουν βέλτιστη παγίωση των λέξεων στα παιδιά που παρακολούθησαν όλες τις παρεμβάσεις, ακολουθούμενα από τα παιδιά που παρακολούθησαν την ίδια ιστορία δύο φορές. Στα παιδιά που παρακολούθησαν δύο διαφορετικές ιστορίες όπως και σε αυτά που δεν έλαβαν καμία παρέμβαση καταγράφηκε, σε μικρότερο ή μεγαλύτερο βαθμό αντίστοιχα, λήθη των ψευδολέξεων.
Διερεύνηση της σχέσης μεταξύ του βαθμού κινητικής μάθησης και της κοινωνικής δράσης μέσα από ομαδικές κινητικές δραστηριότητες στο νηπιαγωγείο
Authors: Ζάραγκας Χαρίλαος
Published: April 2016

Η παρούσα μελέτη διερεύνησε το βαθμό κινητικής απόδοσης (μάθησης), την κοινωνική δράση καθώς και τη σχέση αυτών των δύο μεταβλητών σε παιδιά, όταν αυτά εμπλέκονται σε ομαδικές κινητικές δραστηριότητες. Το δείγμα αποτέλεσαν 14 νήπια, ηλικίας 4 ετών και 4 μηνών – 5 ετών και 9 μηνών (8 αγόρια, 6 κορίτσια). Για τις ανάγκες της έρευνας συστάθηκε πρωτόκολλο καταγραφής των μεταβλητών κοινωνικής δράσης στη βάση της θεωρίας της Zimmer (2007). Για το βαθμό της κινητικής μάθησης χρησιμοποιήθηκε η συστοιχία κινητικών δοκιμασιών LOSKF 18 (Eggert, 1974). Από τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας φάνηκε ότι το επίπεδο κινητικής μάθησης των νηπίων ήταν μεγαλύτερο του αντίστοιχου φυσιολογικού μέσου όρου, που προβλέπεται για αυτές τις ηλικίες. Ακόμη από την ανάλυση των δεδομένων προέκυψε ότι τα παιδιά κατανόησαν τους κανόνες του παιχνιδιού σε πολύ καλό βαθμό, επέδειξαν κοινωνική ευαισθησία, σύναψαν επαφές με άλλα παιδιά στη διάρκεια του παιχνιδιού και, ενέταξαν τους πιο αδύναμους στο παιχνίδι.
στόσο, το δείγμα στο σύνολό του, δεν παρουσίασε υψηλά επίπεδα ανεκτικότητας κατά την απογοήτευση. Τέλος, σε συμφωνία και με άλλες έρευνες, φάνηκε να υπάρχει μια θετική γραμμική σχέση μεταξύ της κινητικής μάθησης και της κοινωνικής δράσης, η οποία όμως χρειάζεται περεταίρω διερεύνηση, εξαιτίας του μικρού δείγματος της έρευνας.
Συστημική θεώρηση οικογένειας και ομάδες συμβουλευτικής γονέων
Authors: Γιώτσα Άρτεμις , Μακρή Ευσταθία , Κούτελου Σοφία , Σταματελάτου Άννα , Χαβρεδάκη Αργυρώ
Published: April 2016

Η Συστημική Θεωρία Οικογένειας κάνει την εμφάνισή της σε διεθνές και ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο τη δεκαετία του 1950. Οι σύγχρονες εξελίξεις με την Γ΄ Κυβερνητική στο χώρο της Συστημικής Θεωρίας περιλαμβάνουν την εφαρμογή της Συστημικής Θεωρίας όχι μόνο στο θεραπευτικό χώρο αλλά και στην εργασία σε μικρές ομάδες στην οικογένεια και στο σχολείο. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η εφαρμογή των βασικών αρχών της Συστημικής θεωρίας και των τεχνικών που αναδύονται από τα διάφορα συστημικά μοντέλα στη συμβουλευτική γονέων. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τις αρχές, τη λειτουργία και τους στόχους της συμβουλευτικής γονέων (προάσπιση της ψυχικής υγείας των μελών της οικογένειας, ενημέρωση, σταδιακή αλλαγή των στάσεων) με την παρούσα εργασία επιχειρούμε να εφαρμόσουμε βασικές έννοιες και τεχνικές που βρίσκουν εφαρμογή στο πλαίσιο της συμβουλευτικής γονέων από τη Θεωρία του Bowen, το στρατηγικό μοντέλο του Haley, το δομικό μοντέλο του Minuchin, το μοντέλο του Μιλάνου, το μοντέλο της εστιαζόμενης στη λύση θεραπείας του de Shazer και από την αφηγηματική θεωρία.
Η διδακτική της μουσικής με τη χρήση Νέων Τεχνολογιών σε μαθητές πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης
Authors: Παναγιωτάκου, Χριστίνα , Παγγέ Τζένη
Published: April 2016

Η μελέτη αυτή παρουσιάζει τους τρόπους με τους οποίους οι Νέες Τεχνολογίες χρησιμοποιούνται δημιουργικά από τους μαθητές στη μουσική εκπαίδευση. Έτσι, με τη χρήση των Νέων Τεχνολογιών, οι μαθητές μπορούν να μάθουν πώς να παίζουν ένα μουσικό όργανο ή να ενισχύουν το μουσικό τους παιχνίδι στα πλαίσια μιας τάξης.
Update on the pathogenesis of Scleroderma: focus on circulating progenitor cells
Authors: Brunasso Alexandra Maria Giovanna , Massone Cesare
Published: April 2016

In systemic sclerosis (SSc), the development of fibrosis seems to be a consequence of the initial ischemic process related to an endothelial injury. The initial trigger event in SSc is still unknown, but circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) might play a key role. Such cells have the ability to traffic into injury sites, exhibiting inflammatory features of macrophages, tissue remodeling properties of fibroblasts, and vasculogenesis functions of endothelial cells. The different subsets of CPCs described thus far in SSc arise from a pool of circulating monocyte precursors (CD14+ cells) and probably correspond to a different degree of differentiation of a single cell of origin. Several subsets of CPCs have been described in patients with SSc, all have a monocytic origin but may or may not express CD14, and all of these cells have the ability to give origin to endothelial cells, or collagen (Col)-producing cells, or both. We were able to identify six subsets of CPCs: pluripotent stem cells (CD14+, CD45+, and CD34+), monocyte-derived multipotential cells (MOMCs) or monocyte-derived mesenchymal progenitors (CD14+, CD45+, CD34+, Col I+, CD11b+, CD68+, CD105+, and VEGFR1+), early endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) or monocytic pro-angiogenic hematopoietic cells or circulating hematopoietic cells (CD14+, CD45+, CD34low/−, VEGFR2+/−, CXCR4+, c-kit+, and DC117+), late EPCs (CD14−, CD133+, VEGFR2+, CD144+ [VE-cadherin+], and CD146+), fibroblast-like cells (FLCs)/circulating Col-producing monocytes (CD14+, CD45+, CD34+/−, and Col I+), and fibrocytes (CD14−, CD45+, CD34+, Col I+, and CXCR4+). It has been demonstrated that circulating CD14+ monocytes with an activated phenotype are increased in patients with SSc when compared with normal subjects. CD14+, CD34+, and Col I+ spindle-shaped cells have been found in increased numbers in lungs of SSc patients with interstitial lung disease. Elevated blood amounts of early EPCs have been found in patients with SSc by different groups of researchers and such levels correlate directly with the interstitial lung involvement. The prevalence of hematopoietic markers expressed by CPCs that migrate from blood into injury sites in SSc differs and changes according to the degree of differentiation. CXCR4 is the most commonly expressed marker, followed by CD34 and CD45 at an end stage of differentiation. Such difference also indicates a continuous process of cell differentiation that might relate to the SSc clinical phenotype (degree of fibrosis and vascular involvement). A deeper understanding of the role of each subtype of CPCs in the development of the disease will help us to better classify patients in order to offer them targeted approaches in the future.
Choosing the Devil You Don’t Know: Evidence for Limited Sensitivity to Sample Size–Based Uncertainty When It Offers an Advantage
Authors: Kutzner Florian L. , Read Daniel , Stewart Neil , Brown Gordon
Published: April 2016

Many decision makers seek to optimize choices between uncertain options such as strategies, employees, or products. When performance targets must be met, attending to observed past performance is not enough to optimize choices—option uncertainty must also be considered. For example, for stretch targets that exceed observed performance, more uncertain options are often better bets. A significant determinant of option uncertainty is sample size: for a given option, the smaller the sample of information we have about it, the greater the uncertainty. In two studies, choices were made between pairs of uncertain options with the goal of exceeding a specified performance target. Information about the options differed in the size of the sample drawn from them, sample size, and the observed performance of those samples, the proportion of successes or “hits” in the sample. We found people to be sensitive to sample size–based uncertainty only when differences in observed performance were negligible. We conclude that in the presence of performance targets, people largely fail to capitalize on the value advantages of small samples in the presence of stretch targets.

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
Um algoritmo genético multiobjetivo para a programação integrada de veículos e tripulações
Authors: Prata Bruno De Athayde
Published: April 2016

O Vehicle and Crew Scheduling Problem (VCSP) é um difícil problema de Otimização Combinatória, objeto de pesquisa continuada ao longo dos últimos anos. Tendo em consideração a gama de variáveis relacionadas com o VCSP, há uma série de características práticas do problema que não têm sido contempladas nas soluções geradas computacionalmente. Os modelos existentes na literatura focam somente na minimização de custos. No entanto, outros objetivos ou critérios devem ser considerados como, por exemplo, a redução nos intervalos de lanche dos tripulantes. Este artigo tem como objetivo reportar o desenvolvimento de uma abordagem multiobjetivo, baseada em um Algoritmo Genético, para a otimização integrada da programação de veículos e tripulações em sistemas de transporte público. Experimentos computacionais são apresentados e discutidos. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a possibilidade de, com o uso da abordagem proposta, se obter ganhos significativos em termos de custos de operação e em termos da redução dos tempos de planejamento.
Modelo matemático e meta-heurística Simulated Annealing para o problema de alocação de berços com múltiplas cargas
Authors: Banos Rafael Silva , Rosa Rodrigo Alvarenga , Mauri Geraldo Regis , Ribeiro Glaydston Mattos
Published: April 2016

Ocorre no Brasil um forte crescimento do comércio exterior na área de granéis, como minério de ferro e agrícolas que são exportados pelos portos. Assim, metodologias que auxiliem o planejamento da operação dos portos são importantes. Este artigo propõe um modelo matemático aplicado a um porto de granel que difere dos demais por três itens: 1) berços operam mais de um tipo de carga e com taxas de operação diferentes para cada um, 2) certas cargas não são operadas em todos os berços, 3) o tempo de operação é dependente do berço e da carga. O modelo proposto elabora a sequência de atendimento dos navios em cada berço e foi implementado no CPLEX 12.6. Como soluções ótimas são difíceis de serem alcançadas, é proposta também uma meta-heurística Simulated Annealing (SA). Para avaliação do modelo e do SA, foram realizados testes com dados reais do Complexo Portuário de Tubarão.
“Community Aware” education policy: Enhancing individual and community vitality
Authors: Casto Hope , McGrath Brian , Sipple John W. , Todd Liz
Published: April 2016

This paper advances the theoretical and applied connection between education policy and community development. We call this community-aware education policy, and it is based on Dean’s (2012) conception of human need that is thick (i.e., accounts for a relational context), rather than relying solely on a thin conception (i.e., instrumental view with an individualistic focus). It is our contention that contemporary policy initiatives can be better designed and implemented so that individual and professional goals are attained while family and community well-being are enhanced. Using literature from the field of community development highlighting social support concepts, we “thicken” the concept of social policy to arrive at our theory of community-aware education policy. This theory is then applied to two cases in different national policy contexts: universal pre-kindergarten in New York State (US) and full-service schools in England (UK). Ultimately, we argue for a thick approach to need that results in the provision of a range of services and activities to serve children in schools better, and also the communities in which they reside.
Double integral inequalities of Hermite–Hadamard type for h-convex functions on linear spaces
Authors: Dragomir Sever S.
Published: April 2016

Some double integral inequalities of Hermite–Hadamard type for h-convex functions defined on convex subsets in real or complex linear spaces are given. Applications for norm inequalities are provided as well.
Race, Party, and American Voting Rights
Authors: Bateman David A.
Published: April 2016

There are few advanced democracies that simultaneously make voting as easy and as difficult as the US. This essay outlines some of the recent changes in voting rights and election law, with a particular attention to the causes and consequences of restrictive changes. I argue that both historically and today this pattern has been driven by strategic partisan calculation, which in the American context almost necessarily results in patterns of access and exclusion that fall sharply on lines of race, class, and civic status. The recent skirmishes in the “voting wars” are a continuation of this historical dynamic, enabled by the unique institutional context in which American elections take place, in which parties retain control over the parameters and administration of a highly fragmented electoral system. So long as this remains the case, and so long as there are relatively few institutions capable of checking the incentive to engage in partisan manipulation, the “voting wars” will continue and are likely even to intensify.
The potential of the Galleria mellonella innate immune system is maximized by the co-presentation of diverse antimicrobial peptides
Authors: Bolouri Moghaddam Mohammad Reza , Tonk Miray , Schreiber Christine , Salzig Denise , Czermak Peter , Vilcinskas Andreas , Rahnamaeian Mohammad
Published: April 2016

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous components of the insect innate immune system. The model insect Galleria mellonella has at least 18 AMPs, some of which are still uncharacterized in terms of antimicrobial activity. To determine why G. mellonella secretes a repertoire of distinct AMPs following an immune challenge, we selected three different AMPs: cecropin A (CecA), gallerimycin and cobatoxin. We found that cobatoxin was active against Micrococcus luteus at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 120 μm, but at 60 μm when co-presented with 4 μm CecA. In contrast, the MIC of gallerimycin presented alone was 60 μm and the co-presentation of CecA did not affect this value. Cobatoxin and gallerimycin were both inactive against Escherichia coli at physiological concentrations, however gallerimycin could potentiate the sublethal dose of CecA (0.25 μm) at a concentration of 30 μm resulting in 100% lethality. The ability of gallerimycin to potentiate the CecA was investigated by flow cytometry, revealing that 30 μm gallerimycin sensitized E. coli cells by inducing membrane depolarization, which intensified the otherwise negligible effects of 0.25 μm CecA. We therefore conclude that G. mellonella maximizes the potential of its innate immune response by the co-presentation of different AMPs that become more effective at lower concentrations when presented simultaneously.
Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy: report of three cases from Iran
Authors: Seifi-Alan Mahnaz , Shamsi Roshanak , Setoodeh Aria , Sayarifard Fatemeh , Aghasi Parisa , Kompani Farzad , Ghafouri-Fard Soudeh , Abbasi Farzaneh
Published: April 2016

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), also named as autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) type 1, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. It is distinguished by an immune-mediated damage of endocrine tissues, chronic candidiasis, and ectodermal disorder. APECED has been shown to be frequent in some populations including Iranian Jews. Here we report three cases of APECED from two independent Iranian Muslim families. Addison’s disease, hypoparathyroidismand mucocutaneous candidiasis were shared clinical manifestations in all patients. Mutational analyses have demonstrated a novel homozygous splice site mutation (c.1095+2T>A) in intron 9 and a previously identified homozygous nonsense mutation (c.415C>T) in exon 3 of patients respectively. Future studies are needed to evaluate the frequency of these variants in Iranian APECED patients which would facilitate genetic counseling as well as prenatal diagnosis.
Induction of labor in breech presentation at term: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Burgos Jorge , Arana Itziar , Garitano Ignacio , Rodríguez Leire , Cobos Patricia , Osuna Carmen , del Mar Centeno María , Fernández-Llebrez Luis
Published: April 2016

Objective:

To compare the outcome of two methods of labor induction and spontaneous onset of labor in breech presentation at term.

Material:

A retrospective study between 2003 and 2012. We compare obstetric (indication of induction, Bishop score, cesarean rate) and perinatal outcomes (Apgar score, umbilical artery pH, base excess ≤−12 mmol/L, admission to neonatal unit) between prostaglandins and oxytocin. We also compare labor induction versus spontaneous onset of labor.

Results:

Of the 1684 breech deliveries, we carried out labor induction in 221 cases (76% with prostaglandins, 24% with oxytocin). The prostaglandins group had significantly lower Bishop scores and the time for induction phase was significantly higher. There were no differences in cesarean rate between both methods of induction or spontaneous onset of labor. The prostaglandins group had higher rates of base excess ≤−12 mmol/L. Compared with spontaneous onset of labor in breech presentation, induction had significant lower rates of newborn weight and higher rates of admission to the neonatal unit.

Conclusions:

Induction of labor in breech presentation at term is a reasonable and effective option after a careful selection of cases. It was not associated with an increase of perinatal morbidity or cesarean rate compared with spontaneous onset of labor.
Light enhancement of in vitro antitumor activity of galactosylated phthalocyanines
Authors: Angelov Ivan P. , Kril Anton I. , Dimitrov Rumen G. , Borisova Ekaterina G. , Avramov Lachezar A. , Mantareva Vanya N.
Published: April 2016

Background and objectives: Intensive research in the area of photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been made in recent years revealing it as a promising method for the treatment of tumors and inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms. However, for a broader application of this therapy one major challenge, namely a significant improvement of the targeted drug delivery and uptake, still remains. A possible solution of the selectivity problem could be the application of specifically functionalized photosensitizers, in particular phthalocyanine dyes.

Materials and methods: Water-soluble Zn(II) phthalocyanines (ZnPcs) with four galactose moieties on non-peripheral and peripheral positions and a non-substituted Zn(II) phthalocyanine were studied for in vitro antitumor activity on three breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and HBL-100). The influence of the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) (365 nm) and red (635 nm) light in non-therapeutic doses on the cellular uptake, binding and subcellular localization of three photosensitizers was investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. In addition, phototoxicity studies with the tested phthalocyanines on the non-tumorigenic mouse embryo cell line Balb c/3T3 (clone 31) were carried out.

Results: The results indicate that the pre-treatment, namely exposure to UV or red light, influences the localization properties of the used dyes. The positions of galactose units to the ZnPc ring also influenced the uptake, localization and the photodynamic response of breast cancer cells. The results show that the galactose substitution, together with exposure to UV or red light in non-therapeutic doses, are important factors for the photodynamic effect.

Conclusion: Experimental PDT with galactose-substituted ZnPcs accompanied by UV and red light pre-irradiation leads to a higher photodynamic effect towards breast tumor cells. Thus, the investigated galactopyranosyl-substituted phthalocyanines could be used as a part of the design of intelligent, stimuli-responsive nanosystems for medical applications.
The coloring problem in the solid-state metal boride carbide ScB2C2: a theoretical analysis
Authors: Lassoued Souheila , Boucher Benoît , Boutarfaia Ahmed , Gautier Régis , Halet Jean-François
Published: April 2016

The electronic properties of the layered ternary metal boride carbide ScB2C2, the structure of which consists of B/C layers made of fused five- and seven-membered rings alternating with scandium sheets, are analyzed. In particular, the respective positions of the B and C atoms (the so-called coloring problem) are tackled using density functional theory, quantum theory of atoms in molecules, and electron localizability indicator calculations. Results reveal that (i) the most stable coloring minimizes the number of B–B and C–C contacts and maximizes the number of boron atoms in the heptagons, (ii) the compound is metallic in character, and (iii) rather important covalent bonding occurs between the metallic sheets and the boron–carbon network.