bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal dynamics of the gut microbiome and metabolome in preterm and term infants from birth through the first year of life
Authors: Yap Polly Soo Xi , Chong Chun Wie , Kamar Azanna Ahmad , Yap Ivan Kok Seng , Choo Yao Mun , Lai Nai Ming , Teh Cindy Shuan Ju
Published: January 2020

Background: Emerging evidence has shown a link between the perturbations and development of the gut microbiota in infants to their immediate and long-term health. In comparison to the healthy full-term neonate, preterm neonates experience disparate gut bacterial establishment (e.g. duration in the womb), colonisation (e.g. mode of delivery), and development (e.g. frequent use of antibiotics). To better understand the assembly of the gut microbiota in preterm infants, faecal samples were longitudinally collected from preterm (n = 19) and term (n = 20) infants, up to 12 months after birth. We characterised bacterial compositions by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (n = 141) and metabolomics profiling (n = 141) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.Results: Significant differences in faecal bacterial composition between term and preterm infants were detected in sample collected in week 2, month 6 and month 12. Interestingly, separation of the bacterial composition between term and preterm infants was more pronounced at month 12 as compared to the earlier time-points, suggesting distinct level of microbial maturation in gut between the two groups. Intestinal microbiota of preterm neonates was consistently characterised by dominance of pathogenic bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family and a paucity of strictly anaerobic taxa including Veillonella and Bacteroides relative to infants born at term. Consistent result was observed in the stool NMR spectroscopy in which clear separation in stool metabolomics profiles was observed between the term and preterm neonates.Conclusion: Overall, we identified a panel of amino acid metabolites and central metabolism intermediates in the preterm infants’ stool, possibly indicating incomplete fermentation of complex polysaccharides in the guts of these infants. In contrast, the term infant stool had significantly higher levels of metabolites which are commonly found in milk such as fucose and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA). Birth weight was selected as the best explanatory variable for the metabolomics profiles, pointing to the strong relationship between protein synthesis, as well as fucose and BHBA in physical development. By following both term and preterm infants for 12 months, our study reported the dynamic of gut microbial composition and their contribution to metabolism and potential impact to growth in neonates.
Combined and interaction effect of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and smoking on lung cancer: a case-control study in southeast China
Authors: Xu Xin , Liu Zhiqiang , Xiong Weimin , Qiu Minglian , Kang Shuling , Xu Qiuping , Cai Lin , He Fei
Published: January 2020

Objective: This case-control study investigated the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) infection in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and the combined and interaction effect of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and smoking or other environmental factors.Methods: The study was comprised of 449 lung cancer patients and 512 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. All participants provided a 5-ml fasting peripheral venous blood sample for testing Cpn-specific IgG and IgA by using micro-immunofluorescence. Besides analyzing the associations between Cpn and lung cancer, combined effect analysis, logistic regression, and the excel table made by Andersson were used to analyze the combined and interaction effects of Cpn and environmental factors on lung cancer.Results: Compared to those with no evidence of serum Cpn IgA or Cpn IgG, those with both Cpn IgG+ and IgA+ had 2.00 times the risk (95% CI: 1.34 - 3.00) of developing lung cancer. Smokers with Cpn IgG+ or IgA+ were associated with a significantly increased risk of lung cancer, the adjusted OR was 1.79 (95% CI: 1.10-2.91) or 2.27(95% CI:1.38-3.72), respectively. Those exposed to passive smoking with Cpn IgG+ or IgA+ also increased the risk of lung cancer, the adjusted OR was 1.82 (95% CI: 1.20-2.77) or 1.87(95% CI:1.22-2.87), respectively. The similar results were also observed among alcohol drinking people. Multiplicative and additive interactions were not observed between Cpn infection and environmental factors. The combined effects of Cpn IgG+ or IgA+ and smoking, passive smoking, family history of cancer were found on lung cancer.Conclusion: The Cpn infection was potentially associated with primary lung cancer in the Chinese Han population and had combined effects with smoking, passive smoking, and the family history of cancer.
Stacked genetically modified soybean harboring herbicide resistance and insecticide rCry1Ac shows strong defense and redox homeostasis disturbance after glyphosate application
Authors: Zanatta Caroline Bedin , Benevenuto Rafael Fonseca , Nodari Rubens Onofre , Agapito-Tenfen Sarah Zanon
Published: January 2020

BackgroundWorld agricultural production of genetically modified (GM) products in particular, the combination of different traits/genes in the same plant has been intense over the last decade. The stacking of herbicide and insect-resistant transgenic genes can result in fitness costs that rely on the type and strength of the selection pressure exerted by the environment. Here we report the results of transcriptomic analysis comparing the effect of glyphosate on various biological processes, metabolic pathways, and main shikimic enzymes in stacked versus single soybean resistant varieties.ResultsGene expression data were grouped according to treatment, ie the herbicidal factor strongly influenced. Common physiological results between the single and established varieties were mainly in Redox metabolism, energy, and metabolism. Photosynthesis was only found negatively affected in the single variety. The defense components, although present in both varieties, show a more intense presence in staked pathways, that demonstrated pathways related to up-regulated secondary metabolites biosynthesis, a known response when plants are under various stress conditions. RT-PCR results confirmed that native EPSPS expression was up-regulated at the same level for single and stacked events. However, metabolic differences in expression were observed, suggesting a distinct cascade effect between simple and stacked, triggered by glyphosate application.ConclusionChanges in plant metabolism by glyphosate application have been observed in several pathways, particularly the shiquimate pathway, suggesting that event staking may promote a more intense defensive genetic response. Omics profiling techniques, such as transcriptome, can be considered tools to support risk assessment based on detecting unwanted effects, both on plant physiological changes and on the safety of foods and products from new genetic editing technologies.
The Influence of Income on Medical School Admissions in Canada: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Pitre Tyler , Thomas Alexander , Evans Kyle , Jones Aaron , Mountjoy Margo , Costa Andrew P.
Published: January 2020

BACKGROUND. The socioeconomic status of applicants to Canadian medical schools has been understudied in the past two decades. Institutional efforts have been made to address the lack of socioeconomic diversity across Canada during this time. We investigated the income characteristics of medical school applicants, as well as the relationship between applicant income and offer of admission, to characterize the current state of socioeconomic diversity in medical admissions.METHODS. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 26,120 applicants at one Ontario medical school from 2013 to 2018. Characteristics of applicants who were offered admission were compared to the general population and applicants not offered admission. Regression analyses were used to investigate the association between median total neighborhood income and successful admission, as well as performance on admission testing criteria, including: the MMI, CASPer, GPA, and the MCAT.RESULTS. The median total neighborhood income for medical school applicants was $98,816, which was approximately $28,480 higher than the Canadian general population. Those not admitted to the medical school had a median total neighborhood income of $98,304 compared to $105,984 for those offered admission (p<0.001). This trend was seen in every province and territory in Canada. Median total neighborhood income was an independent predictor of admission; applicants in the >75 th percentile income group had 54% increased odds of being offered admission when compared to applicants in the <25 th percentile. Performance on the MCAT, MMI and CASPer were moderately associated with income; applicants’ GPAs were not associated with income.CONCLUSION. Medical school applicants are from higher economic strata compared to the general population. Despite already representing a high economic stratum, a higher median total neighborhood income relative to other applicants was associated with an offer of admission.
Extensively Drug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii ST369 Infection in Emergency Intensive Care Unit in Shandong Province, China
Authors: Jiang Meijie , Li Lin , Liu Shuang , Zhang Zhijun , Li Ning , Zhao Shuping
Published: January 2020

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant nosocomial infectious pathogen worldwide. The aim of this study is to characterize the molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from the clinical infection, providing the epidemiology data for prevention and control. Four patients hospitalized in EICU on January 31st, 2014, and then Acinetobacter baumannii infection was observed. Antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes were analyzed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and PCR sequencing. Pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were used to analyze these strains’ clonal relatedness. Results: Sixteen strains were recovered, of which 4 strains were isolated from 4 patients, and others were from environment in EICU, such as air, phone and ventilator. All strains belonged to clonal pulsotype A and ST369. Sixteen antibiotics were used to perform the susceptibility testing, and all strains were extensively drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii, they were only susceptible to tigecycline and polymyxin B, but resistant to others, including carbapenems and aminoglycoside antibiotics. Furthermore, all strains carried blaOXA-23-like carbapenemases gene with ISAba1 insertion sequence in the upstream, aminoglycoside resistance genes ant(3″)-I, 16S rRNA methylase gene armA and disinfectant resistant gene qacE△1, which were mainly responsible for the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Fortunately, enhanced control measures were immediately implemented after this infection, and new strains were no longer detected for consecutive three months. Conclusions: molecular epidemiology of blaOXA-23-like carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii ST369 in EICU of a hospital was characterized. Routine monitoring should be strengthen to prevent outbreaks of this disease.
Delta Neutrophil Index (DNI) as a Predictive and Prognostic factor for Candidemia patients: Matched Case-Control study
Authors: Park So Yeon , LEE JIN SEO , Oh Jihyu , Park Ji-Young
Published: January 2020

Background: Delayed antifungal therapy for candidemia leads to increased mortality. Discriminating bacterial infection from candidemia in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) patients is very complex and difficult. Delta Neutrophil Index (DNI) is recently considered as a new factor which can distinguish infections from non-infections and reflect the severity of sepsis. We aimed to assess whether DNI can predict and provide a prognosis for candidemia in SIRS patients.Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted from July 2016 to June 2017 at Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital. Among patients with comorbidity of SIRS, those with candidemia were classified as the case group, while those with negative blood culture results were classified as the control group. The matching conditions included age, blood culture date, and SIRS onset location. To evaluate DNI as a predictive and prognostic factor for candidemia, multivariate logistic regression was performed.Results: The 140 included patients were assigned to each group in a 1:1 ratio. DNI-D1 values measured on the blood culture date were higher in the case group ( p <0.001). In the multivariate analyses, DNI_D1 (Odds ration〔ORs〕2.138, 95% confidential interval 〔CI〕1.421-3.217, P <0.001) and Candida colonization were confirmed as predictive factors for candidemia. The cutoff value of DNI for predicting candidemia was 2.75%. The area under the curve for DNI value was 0.804 (95% CI, 0.719-0.890, p<0.001), with a sensitivity and specificity of 72.9% and 78.6%, respectively. Analysis of 14-day mortality was conducted for patients with candidemia. DNI_D1 and DNI_48, measured 2 days after the onset of candidemia, were both significantly high in the non-survivor group.Conclusion: DNI was identified to be a predictive factor for candidemia in patients wit SIRS and a prognostic factor that predicts 14-day mortality in candidemia patients. DNI, along with clinical characteristics of patients, were useful in determining the occurrence of candidemia in patients with SIRS.
Identification of Bio-climatic Determinants and Potential Risk Areas for Kyasanur Forest Disease in Southern India using MaxEnt Modelling Approach
Authors: Pramanik Malay Kumar , Singh Poonam , Dhiman Ramesh C
Published: January 2020

Background: Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), known as monkey fever was for the first time reported in 1957 from Shivamogga district of Karnataka. But since 2011, it is spreading to the neighbouring state of Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. The disease is transmitted to humans, monkeys and by the infected bite of ticks Haemaphysalis spinigera. It is known that deforestation and ecological changes are the main reasons for KFD emergence, but the bio-climatic understanding and emerging pathways remain unknown.Methods: The present study aims to understand the bio-climatic determinants of KFD tick distribution in southern India using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model. The analysis was done using 34 locations of Haemaphysalis spinigera occurrence and nineteen bio-climatic variables from WorldClim. Climatic variables’ contribution was assessed using the jackknife test and mean AUC 0.859 which indicated the model performs with very high accuracy.Results: Most influential variables affecting the spatial distribution of Haemaphysalis spinigera were the average temperature of the warmest quarter (bio10, contributed 32.5%), average diurnal temperature range (bio2, contributed 21%), precipitation of wettest period (bio13, contributed 17.6%), and annual precipitation (bio12, contributed 11.1%). The highest probability of Haemaphysalis spinigera presence was found when mean warmest quarter temperature ranged between 25.4-30°C. The risk of availability of the tick increases noticeably when the mean diurnal temperature ranged between 8-10°C. The tick also preferred habitat having an annual mean temperature (bio1) between 23-26.2°C, mean temperature of the driest quarter (bio9) between 20-28°C, and mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8) between 22.5-25°C.Conclusions: The results have established the relationship between bioclimatic variables and KFD tick distribution and mapped the potential areas for KFD in adjacent areas wherein surveillance for the disease is warranted for early preparedness before the occurrence of outbreaks etc. The modelling approach has been found a very useful tool to link bioclimatic variables with present and predicted distribution of Haemaphysalis spinigera tick .
Awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and related factors in adult Iranian Population
Authors: Mirzaei Mohsen , Mirzaei Masoud , Bagheri-Fahraji Behnam , Dehghani Ali
Published: January 2020

Background Hypertension, known as the silent killer, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study aims to estimate awared, treated, and controlled hypertensive and relevant predictors in an adult Iranian population. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 10000 adults aged 20-69 years in Yazd, Iran. They were selected through multi-stage random cluster sampling in 2015-2016.Blood pressure was measured three-time with standard protocol by trained health workers. Those with a positive history of hypertension and using anti-hypertensive drugs, prescribed by a physician, were considered hypertensive. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP of ≥90 mmHg. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined in accordance with recommended treatment targets by the Joint National Committee (JNC7). Logistic regression was used to assess the predictors of hypertension awareness, treatment and control. Results The prevalence of hypertension was 37.3%, and the prevalence of pre-hypertension was 46.4%. 49.7% of People with hypertension were aware of their disease, and 71.5% of them were using antihypertensive drugs prescribed by physicians. Blood pressure was controlled in 38.9% of the treated patients. In the adjusted model, older age, female sex, and history of diabetes mellitus were positively associated with higher awareness. High physical activity, tobacco smoking, and diabetes are the only predictors of treated high blood pressure. Younger age, female sex, and higher education were determinants of controlled hypertension. Having health insurance was significantly correlated with awareness and control of hypertension. Conclusion Hypertension is a public health problem in this population, which is not well controlled. Half of the patients were unaware. Intervention for increased screening coverage is needed. It should plan to raise public awareness about hypertension and improve hypertension control under supervision of physicians. Implement a family physician program is recommended in the health system.
Real-time forecast of influenza outbreak using dynamic network marker based on minimum spanning tree
Authors: Yang Kun , Xie Jialiu , Xie Rong , Pan Yucong , Liu Rui , Chen Pei
Published: January 2020

Background: The influenza pandemic is a wide-ranging threat to people’s health and property all over the world. Developing effective strategies for predicting the influenza outbreak which may prevent or at least get ready for a new influenza pandemic is now a top global public health priority.Methods: Owing to the complexity of influenza outbreaks that are usually involved with spatial and temporal characteristics of both biological and social systems, however, it is a challenging task to achieve the real-time monitoring of influenza outbreaks. In this study, by exploring the rich dynamical information of the city network during influenza outbreaks, we developed a computational method, the minimum-spanning-tree-based dynamical network marker (MST-DNM), to identify the tipping point or critical stage prior to the influenza outbreak.Results: With historical records of influenza outpatients between 2009 and 2018, the MST-DNM strategy has been validated by accurate predictions of the influenza outbreaks in three Japanese cities/regions respectively, i.e., Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido. These successful applications show that the early-warning signal was detected 4 weeks on average ahead of each influenza outbreak.Conclusion: The results show that our method is of considerable potential in the practice of public health surveillance.
Exponential Synchronization for Fractional-order Time-delayed Memristive Neural Networks
Authors: Dawei Ding , Yaqin Zhang , Nian Wang
Published: January 2020

Considering the fact that the exponential synchronization of neural networks has been widely used in theoretical research and practical application of many scientific fields, and there are a few researches about the exponential synchronization of fractional-order memristor-based neural networks (FMNN). This paper concentrates on the FMNN with time-varying delays and investigates its exponential synchronization. A simple linear error feedback controller is applied to compel the response system to synchronize with the drive system. Combining the theories of differential inclusions and set valued maps, a new sufficient condition concerning exponential synchronization is obtained based on comparison principle rather than the traditional Lyapunov theory. The obtained results extend exponential synchronization of integer-order system to fractional-order memristor-based neural networks with time-varying delays. Finally, some numerical examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and correctness of the main results.
Multi Antenna Precoding Algorithm Based on M Spread Spectrum
Authors: Ruihua Sun , Junying Bai , Yongli An
Published: January 2020

MIMO multi antenna technology can increase the capacity and channel utilization of the communication system without increasing the bandwidth, and become the key technology in the new generation of mobile communication system. However, each channel has its own channel parameters, so in the process of signal transmission, the influence of channel parameters should be considered. When the signal is received, it needs to be restored, which leads to the complexity of the receiving signal. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi antenna precoding algorithm based on M spread spectrum, precoding before sending signal spread spectrum to simplify the signal receiving equipment, and verify the feasibility of the algorithm through system error rate.
A CEP Privacy Security Access Control Framework Based on Event Attribute Detecting Tree
Authors: Hong Bo , Jing Xin
Published: January 2020

Complex event processing (CEP) technology is a study focus in the data flow processing area, while privacy security protection is the key problem that needs to be solved. In order to prevent illegal users from acquiring any information via registered event patterns, this paper discusses the CEP privacy security access control object in depth, formally defines four types of event attribute operators including completely read, partially read, access denied and quantity statistics, presents a privacy security protection engine with the event attribute detecting tree as the operating mechanism and puts forward a new feasible CEP privacy security access control framework based on this. The experimental result shows that such framework is able to realize efficient privacy information filtration based on the user role to reach the goal of CEP detecting information processing in a safe manner.
Research on Digital Camouflage Design and Camouflage Material of Tent Cloth
Authors: Hu Zhiyi , Xian Tong , YU Jun , Su Haitao
Published: January 2020

Aiming at the distortion of texture details in Digital Camouflage design, as well as the poor camouflage performance, fast fading and short life of camouflage tent cloth, this paper presents a design method of Digital Camouflage based on target background, develops a camouflage coating with good weather resistance, color difference and spectral reflectance meeting the limited requirements, and realizes the paint printing of camouflage tent cloth. The results show that the digital camouflage pattern designed by this method can be printed on the surface of camouflage tent cloth by coating printing process, which can effectively change the original contour of the target tent, make it better integrate with the surrounding background, reduce the probability of detection, and achieve good camouflage effect.
Research on Trust-Role Access Control Model in Cloud Computing
Authors: Wu Yuchen , Liu Pingping
Published: January 2020

In order to ensure the security of data in cloud computing, a trust-role-based hybrid cloud computing access control model is proposed based on the combination of role-based and trust-based access control models. The model introduces the calculation of trust based on the role-based access control, that is, the user needs to verify the trust value in order to obtain the permission to access the data. Through the application in the local business system, it shows that the model can effectively solve the user’s legitimate access to the data in the cloud, that is, to protect the security of the data in the cloud. The trust-based access control model has good advantages in terms of system throughput and storage space. As the number of user requests increases, both access control methods increase significantly in terms of throughput, but when the number of user requests reaches 10, the system throughput of both access control methods decreases, but based on trust - The role’s access control method is always larger than the role-based access control method in terms of throughput, which roughly increases the total amount by about ten percent.
Application Research Based on 5G Wireless Communication Technology
Authors: Bai Junying , An Yongli , Sun Ruihua
Published: January 2020

With the continuous development of science and technology, network technology is changing from each passing day. Nowadays, smart phones and other products are gradually popularized. China’s mobile network technology is also developing rapidly. The development of communication technology has driven the development of society. Nowadays, the development of 5G wireless communication technology has greatly promoted the research of related technologies. With the advancement of the times, the number of people surfing the Internet has also increased greatly. China’s wireless communication technology will be greatly developed, and its application prospects are very broad, which has laid a great foundation for future scientific research and played a certain role. This paper further studies through the research of the core technology of 5G wireless communication technology. The core technologies of 5G wireless communication technology mainly includes wireless transmission and network architecture technology, Non-orthogonal multiple access technology, D2D communication networking, MIMO antenna technology, simultaneous co-frequency full-duplex technology, intelligent technology. With the advancement of time, 5G technology will be commercialized after 2020, which will meet the rapid development of mobile Internet services in the future and bring new experiences of users. As the research progresses, the key technologies of 5G will gradually become clear, and will enter the stage of standardization research and formulation in the next few years. 5G communication technology is the most advanced mobile communication technology. Compared with 4G communication technology, it is more than ten times faster than its data transmission speed, and has a significant advantage in fast transmission rate. From the practical application of 5G communication technology, the transmission speed can be guaranteed in the case of 28 GHz band 1Gbpses, and the transmission speed of 4G communication technology under the same conditions can only reach about 73Mbps, and the asymmetric data transmission capability is only higher than 3Mb/s. It can be seen that 5G communication technology achieves a significant increase in transmission speed.
Burden sharing in families to children, adolescents and young adults with ADHD: Analysis of ADHD Helpline in Swedish Clinical Services
Authors: Renhorn Elina , Nytell Carl , Backman Anna , Ekstrand Camilla , Hirvikoski Tatja
Published: January 2020

Background:

ADHD causes impairment in several life contexts and may increase stress and burden of care amongst family members. There is a lack of studies regarding gender inequalities in burden sharing in families of individuals with ADHD.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate gendered burden sharing in families who were in contact with an ADHD telephone helpline in Sweden. A further aim was to identify perceived difficulties that prompted contact with the helpline.

Methods:

During a period of 28 months (from January 2013 to April 2015), calls were consecutively registered by psychologists manning the helpline through an anonymous digital form. After exclusion of 60 incomplete forms out of 1,410 (4%), information on 1,350 calls was analysed.

Results:

The analysis indicated that mothers (82.7% of all callers) had a more important role as information-coordinators for children or adolescents with ADHD, as compared to fathers (13%) or other callers (4.3%). This pattern was also observed among the calls regarding young adults with ADHD. Helpline calls primarily concerned entitlement to academic support (57.9% of calls concerning children or adolescents) and healthcare services (80.6% of calls concerning young adults and adults).

Conclusion:

The study concludes that a perceived lack of accessibility to and/or coordination of the school and health care services may be a major stressor for parents of individuals with ADHD. The burden of care through coordination of services and information-seeking may be especially increased in mothers of children, adolescents, and young adults with ADHD.
Proximate, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Mineral Compositions of Four Different Brands of Tea
Authors: Ifemeje Jonathan C , Ifemeje Maryjane O , Egbuna Chukwuebuka , Olisah Michael C
Published: January 2020

The comparative studies of the proximate, phytochemical and antioxidant mineral compositions of four different brands of green tea were investigated. The four different brands, Tianshi®, Qualitea®, Slimfit®, and Xiang® were purchased from a supermarket in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. The samples were pulverized and stored in an airtight container prior to analysis. The proximate composition was analysed using AOAC method while phytochemical compositions of the green teas were investigated using standard methods. The result of the study indicated that the moisture content (15.80±0.01%) and protein content (1.05±0.00%) of Qualitea® was significantly higher (P<0.05) compared to Slimfit and Xiang tea while the fibre content of Xiang tea (80.35±0.03%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than other tea studied. The phytochemical study showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins and cardiac glycosides in all the teas studied. However, Qualitea® contains the highest amount of phytochemicals when compared to the other brands of tea investigated. Data obtained from the antioxidant mineral study showed that the four brands of the tea are good sources of antioxidant minerals such as Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Se. It is therefore recommended that tea be included in our menu because of their nutritive and health benefits.
Dysmetabolic Hyperferritinemia and Dysmetabolic Iron Overload Syndrome (DIOS): Two Related Conditions or Different Entities?
Authors: Rametta Raffaela , Fracanzani Anna L. , Fargion Silvia , Dongiovanni Paola
Published: January 2020

:

Hyperferritinemia is observed in one-third of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). The condition characterized by increased body iron stores associated with components
of MetS has been defined as Dysmetabolic Iron Overload Syndrome (DIOS). DIOS represents the most
frequent iron overload condition, since it is observed in 15% of patients with MetS and in half of those with
NAFLD and its clinical presentation overlaps almost completely with that of dysmetabolic hyperferritinemia
(DH).

:

The pathogenetic mechanisms linking insulin resistance (IR), NAFLD and DIOS to iron overload are still debated.
Hepcidin seems to play a role in iron accumulation in DIOS and NAFLD patients who show elevated serum
hepcidin levels. The iron challenge does not restrain iron absorption despite adequate hepcidin production,
suggesting that an impaired hepcidin activity rather than a deficit of hormone production underlies DIOS pathogenesis.

:

Acquired and genetic factors are recognized to contribute to iron accumulation in NAFLD whereas additional
studies are required to clearly demonstrate whether the same or different genetic factors lead to iron overload in
DIOS.

:

Finally, iron depletion by phlebotomy, together with the modification of diet and life-style habits, represents the
therapeutic approach to decrease metabolic alterations and liver enzymes in NAFLD and DIOS patients.

:

n this review, we summarized the current knowledge on the dysregulation of iron homeostasis in NAFLD and
DIOS in the attempt to clarify whether they are different or more likely strictly related conditions, sharing the
same pathogenic cause i.e. the MetS.
In Silico Modeling of the α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor: New Pharmacological Challenges Associated with Multiple Modes of Signaling
Authors: Gulsevin Alican , Papke Roger L. , Horenstein Nicole
Published: January 2020

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a homopentameric ion-channel of the Cys-loop
superfamily characterized by its low probability of opening, high calcium permeability, and rapid desensitization.
The α7 receptor has been targeted for the treatment of the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia,
depression, and Alzheimer’s disease, but it is also involved in inflammatory modulation as a
part of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Despite its functional importance, in silico studies
of the α7 receptor cannot produce a general model explaining the structural features of receptor activation,
nor predict the mode of action for various ligand classes. Two particular problems in modeling
the α7 nAChR are the absence of a high-resolution structure and the presence of five potentially nonequivalent
orthosteric ligand binding sites. There is wide variability regarding the templates used for
homology modeling, types of ligands investigated, simulation methods, and simulation times. However,
a systematic survey focusing on the methodological similarities and differences in modeling α7 has
not been done. In this work, we make a critical analysis of the modeling literature of α7 nAChR by
comparing the findings of computational studies with each other and with experimental studies under
the main topics of structural studies, ligand binding studies, and comparisons with other nAChR. In
light of our findings, we also summarize current problems in the field and make suggestions for future
studies concerning modeling of the α7 receptor.
An Update on Glutamatergic System in Suicidal Depression and on the Role of Esketamine
Authors: De Berardis Domenico , Tomasetti Carmine , Pompili Maurizio , Serafini Gianluca , Vellante Federica , Fornaro Michele , Valchera Alessandro , Perna Giampaolo , Volpe Umberto , Martinotti Giovanni , Fraticelli Silvia , Di Giannantonio Massimo , Kim Yong-Ku , Orsolini Laura
Published: January 2020

Background:

A research on mood disorder pathophysiology has hypothesized abnormalities
in glutamatergic neurotransmission, by suggesting further investigation on glutamatergic N-methyl-Daspartate
(NMDA) receptor modulators in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Esketamine
(ESK), an NMDA receptor antagonist able to modulate glutamatergic neurotransmission has been recently
developed as an intranasal formulation for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and for rapid
reduction of depressive symptomatology, including suicidal ideation in MDD patients at imminent risk
for suicide.

Objective:

The present study aims at investigating recent clinical findings on research on the role of the
glutamatergic system and ESK in treating suicidal depression in MDD and TRD.

Methods:

A systematic review was here carried out on PubMed/Medline, Scopus and the database on
U.S. N.I.H. Clinical Trials (https://clinicaltrials.gov) and the European Medical Agency (EMA)
(https://clinicaltrialsregister.eu) from inception until October 2019.

Results:

Intravenous infusion of ESK is reported to elicit rapid-acting and sustained antidepressant
activity in refractory patients with MDD and TRD. In phase II studies, intranasal ESK demonstrated a
rapid onset and a persistent efficacy in patients with TRD as well as in MDD patients at imminent risk
for suicide. However, some data discrepancies have emerged in phase III studies.

Conclusion:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted fast track and Breakthrough Therapy
Designation to Janssen Pharmaceuticals®, Inc. for intranasal ESK in 2013 for treatment-resistant
depression (TRD) and in 2016 for the treatment of MDD with an imminent risk of suicide. However,
further studies should be implemented to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of intranasal
ESK.
Titanium Dioxide and its Modified Forms as Photocatalysts for Air Treatment
Authors: Muangmora Rattana , Kemacheevakul Patiya , Chuangchote Surawut
Published: January 2020

Background:

TiO2 has been proved as an effective photocatalyst for air purification that
can produce hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals by the illumination of light with suitable energy.
These radicals are extremely powerful agents in the degradation of gaseous pollutants. A major
drawback of TiO2 is its wide energy band gaps of 3.2 and 3.0 eV for anatase and rutile phases, respectively,
which are mostly equivalent to the photon wavelength absorption in the range of UV region.

Methods:

The modification strategies of TiO2 as photocatalysts for air treatment, such as metal doping,
non-metal doping, co-doping, and coupling with other semiconductors are discussed. The photocatalytic
performance of the pristine TiO2 and modified TiO2 for degradations of gaseous pollutants
are reviewed.

Results:

Various parameters can affect the photocatalytic removal efficiencies of gaseous pollutants,
such as the initial concentration of pollutants, relative humidity, light source, irradiation time, and the
preparation of TiO2 photocatalysts. The optimal content of dopants and the combinedsemiconductors
should be considered for preventing the recombination of electrons and holes during
irradiation.

Conclusion:

Doping with heteroatoms and coupling could enhance the photocatalytic activity of
TiO2. The modified photocatalysts could be applied for photocatalytic degradation of gaseous pollutants,
including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx).
Reactive Metabolites: Generation and Estimation with Electrochemistry Based Analytical Strategy as an Emerging Screening Tool
Authors: Bandookwala Maria , Nemani Kavya Sri , Chatterjee Bappaditya , Sengupta Pinaki
Published: January 2020

Background:

Analytical scientists have constantly been in search for more efficient and
economical methods for drug simulation studies. Owing to great progress in this field, there are various
techniques available nowadays that mimic drug metabolism in the hepatic microenvironment.
The conventional in vitro and in vivo studies pose inherent methodological drawbacks due to which
alternative analytical approaches are devised for different drug metabolism experiments.

Methods:

Electrochemistry has gained attention due to its benefits over conventional metabolism
studies. Because of the protein binding nature of reactive metabolites, it is difficult to identify them
directly after formation, although the use of trapping agents aids in their successful identification.
Furthermore, various scientific reports confirmed the successful simulation of drug metabolism studies
by electrochemical cells. Electrochemical cells coupled with chromatography and mass spectrometry
made it easy for direct detection of reactive metabolites. In this review, an insight into the application
of electrochemical techniques for metabolism simulation studies has been provided. The sole
use of electrochemical cells, as well as their setups on coupling to liquid chromatography and mass
spectrometry has been discussed. The importance of metabolism prediction in early drug discovery
and development stages along with a brief overview of other conventional methods has also been
highlighted.

Conclusion:

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article to review the electrochemistry
based strategy for the analysis of reactive metabolites. The outcome of this ‘first of its kind’ review
will significantly help the researchers in the application of electrochemistry based bioanalysis for metabolite
detection.
Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers and the Risk of Alzheimer´s Disease: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Oscanoa Teodoro J. , Amado José , Vidal Xavier , Romero-Ortuno Roman
Published: January 2020

Background:

Anti-hypertensive medications may reduce the incidence of cognitive
disorders. This may be due to reasons beyond their pure hypotensive effect. This study aimed to
systematically review the association between the use of Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Methods:

We systematically searched studies reporting the association between ARB use and the
incidence of AD.

Results:

Ten studies (1 RCT, 2 case-control and 7 cohort studies) met the inclusion criteria. When
all observational studies (9) were analyzed, ARB use was associated with a reduced risk of incident
AD (HR 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58-0.88, p<0.001). In the only RCT, decrease in the incidence of AD was
also significant (HR= 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14-0.68).

Conclusion:

ARB use may reduce the risk of incident AD. This association does not imply causation
and further research is required to clarify potential mechanisms.
The Role of Chemokines in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Jorda Adrian , Campos-Campos Juan , Iradi Antonio , Aldasoro Martin , Aldasoro Constanza , Vila Jose M. , Valles Soraya L.
Published: January 2020

Objective:

The most common multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder occurring in old age
is Alzheimer’s disease. The neuropathological hallmarks of that disorder are amyloid plaques with the
presence of β -amyloid aggregates, intraneuronal tau protein tangles, and chronic inflammation. Brain
cells such as microglia and astrocytes are inflammatory cells associated with Alzheimer’s disease and
involved in the production of inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines. Chemokines
consist of a large family of protein mediators with low molecular weight, which able to control the migration
and residence of all immune cells. In pathological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease,
chemokines contribute to the inflammatory response by recruiting T cells and controlling microglia/
macrophages activation.

Methods:

The present study focuses on the role that chemokines and their receptors play in Alzheimer's
disease and in processes such as inflammation and oxidative stress.

Results:

Chemokines are important mediators in AD and inflammation. They promote Aβ deposition
and TAU hyperphosphorylation aggravating and increasing the progression of AD. Moreover, they
affect the processing of senile plaques and produce abnormal TAU phosphorylation.

Conclusion:

There is no cure for AD but the therapeutic potential of chemokines to control the development
of the disease may be a field of study to consider in the future.
Code-switching as a translanguaging to transfer cross-cultural understanding in English classroom: teachers’ perception
Authors: Wedananta Kadek Adyatna
Published: January 2020

This study was identifying code-switching as a translanguaging to transfer cross-cultural understanding in the classroom. This study used observation to one classroom and unstructured questionnaire to seven English lecturers/ teachers qualitatively. Most of the participants used Inter-sentential Code Switching, which describes a switch of language at sentence boundary or between the sentences. They used the code-switching consciously for some factors, such as the desire to convey meaning effectively, the desire to make the communication more inclusive, the desire to improve students’ comprehension, the desire to convey the meaning contextually, the desire to emphasize the meaning or comprehension, and the desire to help EFL learners by bilingual. Moreover, the most important thing is they believe that code-switching affects English classroom positively in transferring cross-culture understanding, such as code-switching eases students to understand more to the cultural topics, code-switching can improve students’ comprehension on conceptual knowledge such as cultural activities, attitude and belief, and code-switching is useful for EFL learners where they can match their English with local wisdom.
BAŞARI YÖNELİMLİ ÖĞRENCİLERİN KULLANDIKLARI ÖĞRENME STRATEJİLERİ
Authors: Sucuoğlu Hale , Gökdağ Baltaoğlu Meltem
Published: January 2020

Araştırmanın amacı, başarı yönelimli
öğrencilerin ders çalışırken kullandıkları öğrenme stratejilerini
belirlemektir. Bu araştırma, araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması ile
gerçekleştirilmiştir. Durum çalışması, nicel veya nitel yaklaşımla yapılabilir.
Bu çalışmada hem nicel hem de nitel durum çalışmasına yer verilmiştir. Araştırmanın örneklemini Buca Eğitim Fakültesi
Rehberlik ve Psikolojik Danışmanlık 2. sınıfa devam eden lisans öğrencileri
oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın ilk bölümünde 55 öğrenci 2x2 Başarı Yönelimleri
Ölçeğini doldurmuş, bu ölçek ile başarı yönelimli öğrenciler belirlenmiştir
(n=37). Bu öğrencilerin 31’i kadın (% 84) ve 6’sı ise erkek (% 16)’dir. Daha
sonra aynı öğrencilere ders çalışırken kullandıkları öğrenme stratejilerini
belirlemek amacıyla öğrenme stratejileri formu verilmiştir. Veri toplama aracı
olan 2x2 Başarı Yönelimleri Ölçeği, öğrencilerin başarı yönelimlerini
belirlemek amacıyla Akın (2006) tarafından geliştirilmiştir. Ölçek 26 maddeden
oluşan 5’li Likert tipi ve 4 alt faktörden oluşan bir ölçme aracıdır. Ders
çalışırken kullandıkları öğrenme stratejilerini belirlemek amacıyla açık uçlu
soruların yer aldığı yarı yapılandırılmış form kullanılmıştır. Verilerin
analizinde ise; öğrencilerin öğrenme stratejileri formuna yazdıkları görüşleri
kodlanmıştır. İki araştırmacı ayrı ayrı açık uçlu sorulara verilen yanıtları
okuyarak belirli kategoriler altında toplamıştır. Oluşturulan kategorilerin,
ifade edilme sıklığı (frekans) ve ifade edilme yüzdeleri hesaplanmıştır.
Araştırmanın sonunda öğrencilerin ders çalışırken %18’i not tuttuğu, %11’i özet
çıkardığı, % 10’unun tekrar yaptığı, %10’unun tablo-şekil–kavram haritası
kullandığı ve yine %10’ unun ise benzer ve farklılıkları bulduğu saptanmıştır.
YÜKSEK LİSANS YAPMAK: EĞİTİM YÖNETİMİ ÖĞRENCİLERİNİN LİSANSÜSTÜ EĞİTİM YAPMA NEDENLERİNE İLİŞKİN NİTEL BİR ARAŞTIRMA
Authors: Koşar Didem , Er Emre , Klıınç Ali Çağatay
Published: January 2020

Özet: Bu
araştırmada öğretmenlerin eğitim yönetimi alanında lisansüstü yapmaya yönelik
görüşleri incelenmiştir. Nitel araştırma yöntemi ve durum çalışması deseninde
kurgulanan bu çalışmada katılımcıların belirlenmesinde amaçlı örnekleme
yöntemlerinden maksimum çeşitlilik ve ölçüt örnekleme teknikleri
kullanılmıştır. Araştırma verileri 16 öğretmen ile gerçekleştirilen görüşmeler
yoluyla toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde nitel veri çözümleme tekniği olan
betimsel analiz kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen sonuçlara göre
katılımcılar lisansüstü eğitime yenilik, kariyer ve sosyal olanaklar nedeniyle
başvurmaktadır. Bununla birlikte katılımcıların önemli bir bölümü, iş yükü
yoğunluğu, bireysel sorumluluklar ve ekonomik özendiricilerin azlığı gibi
nedenler ile programa devam edemediklerini ifade etmiştir. Araştırmanın
sonuçlarına göre öğretmenlerin lisansüstü eğitim süreçlerinin iyileştirilmesine
yönelik öneriler sunulmuştur.