bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 6-Country Collaborative Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Nutrition and Decrease Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Mother–Infant Pairs
Authors: Barker Pierre , Quick Timothy , Agins Bruce , Rollins Nigel , Sint Tin Tin , Stern Amy F.
Published: June 2019

Despite advances in coverage and quality of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs, infant protection from postnatal HIV infection remains an issue in high HIV-burdened countries. We designed a quality improvement (QI) intervention—the Partnership for HIV-Free Survival (PHFS)—to improve infant survival. PHFS convened leaders in 6 sub-Saharan African nations to discover together the best strategies for implementing and scaling up existing PMTCT protocols to ensure optimal health of mother–baby pairs and HIV-free infant survival. We used 3 core technical components—rapid adaptive design, collaborative learning, and scale-up/sustainability designs—to test strategies for accelerating effective PMTCT programming in complex, resource-poor settings. Learning generated included the need for increased ownership and codesign of improvement initiatives with Ministries of Health, better integration of initiatives into existing programs, and the need to sustain QI capability throughout the system. PHFS can serve as a design prototype for future global networks aiming to accelerate improvement, learning, and results.
Concussions in the National Basketball Association: Analysis of Incidence, Return to Play, and Performance From 1999 to 2018
Authors: Patel Bhavik H. , Okoroha Kelechi R. , Jildeh Toufic R. , Lu Yining , Idarraga Alexander J. , Nwachukwu Benedict U. , Shen Sarek A. , Forsythe Brian
Published: June 2019

Background:

The effect of concussions on professional athletes has been investigated in many sports. However, few studies have evaluated concussions in National Basketball Association (NBA) players.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that concussion incidence has increased, yet the return-to-play (RTP) rate will remain high following the institution of the NBA concussion policy (NBACP). We also hypothesized that the incidence of repeat concussions will be similar to first occurrences and that player performance and game availability will not be significantly affected by sustaining a concussion.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Publicly available records were searched to identify all concussions from NBA seasons 1999-2000 to 2017-2018. Player demographics and information regarding career history were tabulated. Incidence of concussion and RTP timing were evaluated before and after institution of the NBACP (2011). Minutes per game and game score per minute were evaluated pre- versus postconcussion. Player availability and performance were also compared with an age-, body mass index–, position-, and experience-matched control group of players who did not sustain a concussion.

Results:

A total of 189 concussions were reported in the NBA from 1999 to 2018, with a mean ± SD incidence of 9.7 ± 7.3 concussions per season. Following implementation of the NBACP, incidence significantly increased from 5.7 ± 2.8 to 16.7 ± 7.5 concussions per season ( P = .007). All players returned to play following first-time concussion after missing 7.7 ± 8.6 days and 3.5 ± 4.1 games. RTP time was not significantly different after implementation of the NBACP (games missed, P = .24; days missed, P = .27), and there was no difference in concussion-free time interval ( P = .29). Game score per minute and minutes per game were not significantly affected by sustaining a concussion (both P > .05).

Conclusion:

Concussion incidence in NBA players is approximately 17 instances per season since the 2011 institution of a league-wide concussion policy. The number of reported concussions significantly increased following the policy, in line with trends seen in other professional sports leagues. Players have retained a high rate of RTP after 3 to 4 missed games. Player performance and availability are not affected by sustaining a concussion following successful RTP.
HIV Knowledge and Risk Behaviors Among Older Church-Affiliated Blacks
Authors: Kuofie Araba A. , Bauer Alex , Berkley-Patton Jannette , Bowe-Thompson Carole
Published: June 2019

There is an emerging population of older adults living with HIV, and among them, Black older adults experience the greatest burden of the disease. This is a growing public health concern, as older adults are disproportionately diagnosed at a later stage of the disease, while reporting similar risk factors as younger adults. It has also been shown that the Black Church is well positioned to offer health screenings. Thus, this study aimed to assess HIV knowledge, beliefs, and risk behaviors of older church-affiliated Black adults. Data were collected from a sample of Black adults ( N = 543) from four predominately Black churches in Kansas City, MO. Participants were surveyed on measures assessing demographic characteristics, HIV knowledge and attitudes, and HIV testing and risk behaviors. Results indicated that compared to younger Black adults, Black older adults were less knowledgeable about the transmission of HIV and were less willing to be tested for HIV in church settings. However, there was no significant difference on the perceived seriousness of HIV in the community. Results further showed that Black older adults were less likely to use condoms/barriers during the past 6 months and over their lifetime. We discuss the implications of results for HIV intervention programs.
The Influence of Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Health Messages on Nutrition and Physical Activity Knowledge
Authors: Fetter Deborah S. , Dharmar Madan , Lawry-Hall Suzanne , Pressman Jona , Chapman Jamie , Scherr Rachel E.
Published: June 2019

Background. Research remains inconclusive about the most effective frame for encouraging health preventative behaviors. Aims. To examine the impact of gain- and loss-framed health messages on nutrition and physical activity (PA) knowledge in fourth-grade youth participating in the Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP), a multicomponent nutrition program. Methods. Youth were recruited to participate in this 9-month quasi-experimental study and divided into 3 groups: (1) comparison (n = 50), (2) loss-framed (n = 76), and (3) gain-framed (n = 67). All youth participated in the SHCP, and the gain- and loss-framed groups also viewed weekly health messages. Paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, ANOVA (analysis of variance), and Bonferroni for multiple comparisons were used for analysis. Results. Youth who participated in the SHCP improved nutrition knowledge (+2.0 points; P < .01) and PA knowledge (+1.8 points; P < .01). Nutrition knowledge improved in the comparison group (+1.3 points; P = .04), loss-framed group (+1.9 points; P = .01), and gain-framed group (+2.6 points; P = .01). Improvements in PA knowledge were also demonstrated in the comparison group (+1.6 points; P < .01), the loss-framed group (+1.3 points; P < .01), and the gain-framed group (+2.5 points; P = .01). There were no significant differences between groups. Youth in the loss-framed group reported a decrease in self-efficacy (−1.2; P = .05), while this was not observed in the other groups. Discussion. The SHCP improves nutrition and PA knowledge, and the positive reinforcement further strengthens some of these improvements, while loss-framed messaging can contribute to undesirable outcomes. Conclusions. Incorporating positive reinforcement through gain-framed messages can be a relatively low-cost avenue for supporting beneficial outcomes.
Silent springs: The nature of water and Israel’s military occupation
Authors: Braverman Irus
Published: June 2019

Drawing on interviews with, and observations of, officials from Israel’s Nature and Park Authority, fieldworkers from environmental and human rights nonprofits, and local Palestinian farmers, this article tells stories about springs in the occupied West Bank. Entangled with the physical decline of the springs’ water supply and quality, it examines this waterworld also in a broader sense, which includes cultural, political, and religious—with a specific focus on legal—spring-related practices. After discussing the relevant water and land regimes within which springs exist, and their socio-geological uniqueness, I pause to tell the story of Ein Kelt—a desert spring on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho. Next, I move to discuss a variety of colonial dispossession tactics at work in the West Bank springs. In many cases, such tactics are performed by Jewish settlers with the tacit support of Israeli authorities. Inspired by legal geography scholarship on the coproduction of law and matter, I examine Israel’s seemingly paradoxical preoccupation with the rule of law in the administration of springs in the occupied territories, what I refer to here as a hyperlegality, on the one hand, and its disregard of formal law in the face of settler misconduct at these sites, on the other hand. Complicating the story, I also describe recent spring-based practices of purification carried out by Jewish Hasidic groups. The springs newly emerge in this context as sites of recreation, pilgrimage, and purity. Simultaneously, they are becoming places of danger for the Palestinians and are increasingly figuring in the mobilization of Palestinian protest. After all is said and done, one is left wondering whether water is actually different from land and soil. Could springs possibly serve as an alternative socio-material foundation that moves away from traditional colonial regimes?
Impact of acquired del(17p) in multiple myeloma
Authors: Lakshman Arjun , Painuly Utkarsh , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Ketterling Rhett P. , Kapoor Prashant , Greipp Patricia T. , Dispenzieri Angela , Gertz Morie A. , Buadi Francis K. , Lacy Martha Q. , Dingli David , Fonder Amie L. , Hayman Suzanne R. , Hobbs Miriam A. , Gonsalves Wilson I. , Hwa Yi Lisa , Leung Nelson , Go Ronald S. , Lin Yi , Kourelis Taxiarchis V. , Warsame Rahma , Lust John A. , Russell Stephen J. , Zeldenrust Steven R. , Kyle Robert A. , Kumar Shaji K.
Published: June 2019

The high-risk abnormality del(17p) can be detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization on malignant plasma cells (PCs) and has an adverse prognostic impact in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Patients with del(17p) have reduced overall survival (OS). Patients who acquire del(17p) later during the disease course are not well described. The disease characteristics at diagnosis predicting for acquired del(17p) and its overall impact on patient survival is not known. We compared 76 patients with MM who were negative for del(17p) at diagnosis and acquired it later with 152 control MM patients who did not acquire del(17p) at a comparable time point. Patients acquired del(17p) at a median of 35.6 months (range, 4.6-116.1 months) from diagnosis of MM after a median of 2 lines of therapy (range, 1-10 lines of therapy). When compared with controls, patients with acquired del(17p) had shorter median progression-free survival (PFS) (30.1 vs 23.0 months; P = .032) and OS (106.1 vs 68.2 months; P < .001) from diagnosis. After the detection of del(17p), the median PFS was 5.4 months and the median OS was 18.1 months. High lactate dehydrogenase level (odds ratio [OR], 3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-12.24) and presence of t(4;14) (OR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.09-6.48) or any high-risk translocation (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.00-4.95) at diagnosis predicted acquisition of del(17p). High PC proliferative rate predicted shorter OS from detection of del(17p) (hazard ratio, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.31-3.96; P = .004). Our study shows that acquisition of del(17p) is an important molecular event associated with reduction in OS in MM. Certain baseline factors may predict acquisition of del(17p). This needs validation in prospective data sets.
Prognostic significance of chronic respiratory symptoms in individuals with normal spirometry
Authors: Çolak Yunus , Nordestgaard Børge G. , Vestbo Jørgen , Lange Peter , Afzal Shoaib
Published: June 2019

Normal spirometry is often used to preclude airway disease in individuals with unspecific respiratory symptoms. We tested the hypothesis that chronic respiratory symptoms are associated with respiratory hospitalisations and death in individuals with normal spirometry without known airway disease.

We included 108 246 randomly chosen individuals aged 20–100 years from a Danish population-based cohort study. Normal spirometry was defined as a pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ratio ≥0.70. Chronic respiratory symptoms included dyspnoea, chronic mucus hypersecretion, wheezing and cough. Individuals with known airway disease,i.e.chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or asthma, were excluded (n=10 291). We assessed risk of hospitalisations due to exacerbations of airway disease and pneumonia, and respiratory and all-cause mortality, from 2003 through 2018.

52 999 individuals had normal spirometry without chronic respiratory symptoms and 30 890 individuals had normal spirometry with chronic respiratory symptoms. During follow-up, we observed 1037 hospitalisations with exacerbation of airway disease, 5743 hospitalisations with pneumonia and 8750 deaths, of which 463 were due to respiratory disease. Compared with individuals with normal spirometry without chronic respiratory symptoms, multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for individuals with normal spirometry with chronic respiratory symptoms were 1.62 (95% CI 1.20–2.18) for exacerbation hospitalisations, 1.26 (95% CI 1.17–1.37) for pneumonia hospitalisations, 1.59 (95% CI 1.22–2.06) for respiratory mortality and 1.19 (95% CI 1.13–1.25) for all-cause mortality. There was a positive dose–response relationship between number of symptoms and risk of outcomes. Results were similar after 2 years of follow-up, for never-smokers alone, and for each symptom separately.

Chronic respiratory symptoms are associated with respiratory hospitalisations and death in individuals with normal spirometry without known airway disease.
Breath analysis of cancer in the present and the future
Authors: Einoch Amor Reef , Nakhleh Morad K. , Barash Orna , Haick Hossam
Published: June 2019

Most of the currently used diagnostics for cancerous diseases have yet to meet the standards of screening, as they are insufficiently accurate and/or invasive and risky. In this review, we describe the rationale, the progress made to date, and the potential of analysing the exhaled volatile organic compounds as a pathway for enabling early diagnosis of cancer and, therefore, for achieving better clinical prognosis and survival rates. The review highlights the major advancements made in this field, from fundamentals, up to translational phases and clinical trials, with a special emphasis on sensing platforms based on nanomaterials. The prospects for breath analysis in early cancerous disease are presented and discussed.
Anti-glycation, anti-hemolysis, and ORAC activities of demethylcurcumin and tetrahydroxycurcumin in vitro and reductions of oxidative stress in d-galactose-induced BALB/c mice in vivo
Authors: Liu Yuh-Hwa , Lee Tai-Lin , Han Chuan-Hsiao , Lee Yi-Shan , Hou Wen-Chi
Published: June 2019

Background

There were few report concerning anti-glycation and antioxidant activities of the minor amounts of components in curcuminoids, demethylcurcumin and tetrahydroxycurcumin, in vitro and in vivo.

Results

The bovine serum albumin/galactose of non-enzymatic glycation models, radical-induced hemolysis, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were studied in vitro, and the d-galactose-induced oxidative stress in BALB/c mice and then demethylcurcumin or tetrahydroxycurcumin interventions in vivo. The parameters of oxidative stress in plasma and brain extracts were determined among animal groups with or without both curcuminoids interventions. The demethylcurcumin and tetrahydroxycurcumin exhibited anti-glycation, anti-hemolysis, and ORAC activities, and showed much better and significant difference (P < 0.05) compared to those of curcumin in vitro. In animal experiments, the intervened two curcuminoids at both concentrations showed to lower serum malondialdehyde (MDA), brain MDA levels and iNOS protein expressions, and elevate serum ORAC activities, and showed difference (P < 0.05) compared to the galactose-induced control.

Conclusion

The demethylcurcumin and tetrahydroxycurcumin showed potentials in developing functional foods for antioxidant-related purposes.
Recording development with single cell dynamic lineage tracing
Authors: McKenna Aaron , Gagnon James A.
Published: June 2019

Every animal grows from a single fertilized egg into an intricate network of cell types and organ systems. This process is captured in a lineage tree: a diagram of every cell's ancestry back to the founding zygote. Biologists have long sought to trace this cell lineage tree in individual organisms and have developed a variety of technologies to map the progeny of specific cells. However, there are billions to trillions of cells in complex organisms, and conventional approaches can only map a limited number of clonal populations per experiment. A new generation of tools that use molecular recording methods integrated with single cell profiling technologies may provide a solution. Here, we summarize recent breakthroughs in these technologies, outline experimental and computational challenges, and discuss biological questions that can be addressed using single cell dynamic lineage tracing.
The evolving concept of cell identity in the single cell era
Authors: Morris Samantha A.
Published: June 2019

Fueled by recent advances in single cell biology, we are moving away from qualitative and undersampled assessments of cell identity, toward building quantitative, high-resolution cell atlases. However, it remains challenging to precisely define cell identity, leading to renewed debate surrounding this concept. Here, I present three pillars that I propose are central to the notion of cell identity: phenotype, lineage and state. I explore emerging technologies that are enabling the systematic and unbiased quantification of these properties, and outline how these efforts will enable the construction of a high-resolution, dynamic landscape of cell identity, potentially revealing its underlying molecular regulation to provide new opportunities for understanding and manipulating cell fate.
Mapping chromatin modifications at the single cell level
Authors: Ludwig Connor H. , Bintu Lacramioara
Published: June 2019

Understanding chromatin regulation holds enormous promise for controlling gene regulation, predicting cellular identity, and developing diagnostics and cellular therapies. However, the dynamic nature of chromatin, together with cell-to-cell heterogeneity in its structure, limits our ability to extract its governing principles. Single cell mapping of chromatin modifications, in conjunction with expression measurements, could help overcome these limitations. Here, we review recent advances in single cell-based measurements of chromatin modifications, including optimization to reduce DNA loss, improved DNA sequencing, barcoding, and antibody engineering. We also highlight several applications of these techniques that have provided insights into cell-type classification, mapping modification co-occurrence and heterogeneity, and monitoring chromatin dynamics.
Communication codes in developmental signaling pathways
Authors: Li Pulin , Elowitz Michael B.
Published: June 2019

A handful of core intercellular signaling pathways play pivotal roles in a broad variety of developmental processes. It has remained puzzling how so few pathways can provide the precision and specificity of cell-cell communication required for multicellular development. Solving this requires us to quantitatively understand how developmentally relevant signaling information is actively sensed, transformed and spatially distributed by signaling pathways. Recently, single cell analysis and cell-based reconstitution, among other approaches, have begun to reveal the ‘communication codes’ through which information is represented in the identities, concentrations, combinations and dynamics of extracellular ligands. They have also revealed how signaling pathways decipher these features and control the spatial distribution of signaling in multicellular contexts. Here, we review recent work reporting the discovery and analysis of communication codes and discuss their implications for diverse developmental processes.
Exploring single cells in space and time during tissue development, homeostasis and regeneration
Authors: Mayr Urs , Serra Denise , Liberali Prisca
Published: June 2019

Complex 3D tissues arise during development following tightly organized events in space and time. In particular, gene regulatory networks and local interactions between single cells lead to emergent properties at the tissue and organism levels. To understand the design principles of tissue organization, we need to characterize individual cells at given times, but we also need to consider the collective behavior of multiple cells across different spatial and temporal scales. In recent years, powerful single cell methods have been developed to characterize cells in tissues and to address the challenging questions of how different tissues are formed throughout development, maintained in homeostasis, and repaired after injury and disease. These approaches have led to a massive increase in data pertaining to both mRNA and protein abundances in single cells. As we review here, these new technologies, in combination with in toto live imaging, now allow us to bridge spatial and temporal information quantitatively at the single cell level and generate a mechanistic understanding of tissue development.
Socializing at Work: Evidence from a Field Experiment with Manufacturing Workers
Authors: Park Sangyoon
Published: June 2019

Through a field experiment at a seafood-processing plant, I examine how working alongside friends affects employee productivity and how this effect is heterogeneous with respect to an employee’s personality. This paper presents two main findings. First, worker productivity declines when a friend is close enough to socialize with. Second, workers who are higher on the conscientiousness scale show smaller productivity declines when working alongside a friend. Estimates suggest that a median worker is willing to pay 4.5 percent of her wage to work next to friends. (JEL C93, J24, J28, J31, L66, O15, P23)
Family Disadvantage and the Gender Gap in Behavioral and Educational Outcomes
Authors: Autor David , Figlio David , Karbownik Krzysztof , Roth Jeffrey , Wasserman Melanie
Published: June 2019

Boys born to disadvantaged families have higher rates of disciplinary problems, lower achievement scores, and fewer high school completions than girls from comparable backgrounds. Using birth certificates matched to schooling records for Florida children born 1992–2002, we find that family disadvantage disproportionately impedes the pre-market development of boys. The differential effect of family disadvantage on boys is robust to specifications within schools and neighborhoods as well as across siblings within families. Evidence supports that this is the effect of the postnatal environment; family disadvantage is unrelated to the gender gap in neonatal health. We conclude that the gender gap among black children is larger than among white children in substantial part because black children are raised in more disadvantaged families. (JEL D91, I24, I32, J13, J15, J16)
ProPelled: The Effects of Grants on Graduation, Earnings, and Welfare
Authors: Denning Jeffrey T. , Marx Benjamin M. , Turner Lesley J.
Published: June 2019

We estimate effects of the Pell Grant—the largest US federal grant for college students—using administrative data from Texas public colleges and a discontinuity in grant generosity for low-income students. Within four-year institutions, eligibility for additional grant aid significantly increases first-time students’ degree completion and later earnings. Our estimated impacts on earnings alone are enough to fully recoup government expenditures within 10 years, suggesting that financial aid likely pays for itself several times over. (JEL H75, I22, I23, I26, J24, J31)
Tradução e adaptação transcultural do Groningen Frailty Indicator para idosos brasileiros
Authors: Borges Cíntia Lira , Fernandes Bruna Karen Cavalcante , Clares Jorge Wilker Bezerra , Cavalcante Maria Lígia Silva Nunes , Leite Saul Filipe Pedrosa , Peixoto Junior Arnaldo Aires , Freitas Maria Célia de
Published: June 2019

Objetivo: realizar a tradução, a adaptação transcultural e a validação de conteúdo do Groningen Frailty Indicator para aplicação em idosos brasileiros. Método: os procedimentos seguiram de tradução, obtenção da versão consensual da tradução, retrotradução, validação de conteúdo e pré-teste. A versão final em português foi aplicada a 30 idosos. Resultados: a versão brasileira do Groningen Frailty Indicator conservou a equivalência semântica. A população-alvo avaliou todos os itens como de fácil compreensão. Entretanto, faz-se necessário avaliar a equivalência de mensuração, validade externa e reprodutibilidade. Conclusão: os resultados sugerem que o Groningen Frailty Indicator traduzido e adaptado para a cultura brasileira é um instrumento de fácil aplicação, tornando-o viável para a prática clínica com idosos.
Cancer incidence in the cohort exposed to Cesium-137 accident in Goiânia (Brazil) in 1987
Authors: Curado Maria Paula , Oliveira Max Moura de , Valverde Nelson Dias , Cruz Aparecido Divino da
Published: June 2019

Objective:to describe the incidence of cancer cases in the direct victims of the accident, Groups I and II, and compare with overall cancer incidence rates for the population of Goiânia. Method: A descriptive study is presented herein, on the cohort of patients directly exposed and contaminated (Groups I and II) during the cesium-137 accident, which occurred in Goiania (Midwest Brazil) in 1987. The incident cases of malignant neoplasms diagnosed between 1988 and 2017 are described. Analysis included calculation of the Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI95%), according to gender. Results: In the 30-year period (1987-2017) following individual exposure, there were seven cancer cases in six directly exposed victims of the cesium-137 accident. Of these, five neoplasms occurred in men, in the esophagus (1), prostrate (3), bladder (1), and two in women, involving breast cancer (1) and skin melanoma (1). The accumulated incidence rates in the direct victims of the Cesium-137 accident were 327.9/100,000 for men and 148.6/100,000 for women. For the overall population of Goiânia, rates were 221.4/100,000 and 231.2/100,000 in men and women, respectively. The ratios of brute incidence rates (direct victims of Cesium-137/population of Goiânia) were 1.5 (IC95%:0.4;5.9) in men and 0.6 (IC95%:0.1;3.8) in women, with no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Cancer incidence in the direct victims of the Cesium-137 accident (Groups I and II), according to sex, was not different from the incidence in those not exposed to Cesium-137 in the municipality of Goiânia. Cancer risk was similar to that of the general population of the municipality of Goiânia
Consumo de fibras alimentares por universitários de Várzea Grande – Mato Grosso
Authors: Silva Hylana Siqueira da , Silva Luana Íris Alves da , Prado Bárbara Grassi , Silva Natália Bianca do Prado
Published: June 2019

Objetivo: analisar a frequência de consumo de fibras alimentares em universitários de Várzea Grande - MT. Métodos: estudo transversal com estudantes de um Centro Universitário de Várzea Grande - MT, em 2017. Foi aplicado um questionário sobre o consumo de alimentos ricos em fibras com 5 opções de respostas e cada uma dessas opções recebia uma pontuação que incluíam: menos de uma vez por semana (zero ponto); cerca de uma vez por semana (um ponto); duas a três vezes por semana (dois pontos); 4 a 6 vezes por semana (três pontos) e; diário (quatro pontos). As pontuações foram somadas e os indivíduos classificados em dieta pobre em fibras (pontuação menor ou igual a 19 pontos); consumo regular de fibras (20 a 29 pontos) e consumo adequado de fibras (maior ou igual a 30 pontos). Calculou-se o Índice de Massa Corporal e o risco para morbidades pela circunferência da cintura. Resultados: entre os avaliados, 77,2% eram do sexo feminino e 48,8% apresentaram um baixo consumo de fibras, 39,6% estavam com excesso de peso e 24,2% possuíam risco de morbidades. Os universitários apresentaram elevada frequência diária de consumo de frutas, verduras, legumes e leguminosas. Conclusão: quase metade dos entrevistados apresentou baixo consumo de fibras e frequência igual ou menor que uma vez por semana para os sucos naturais, cereais integrais e pão integral. Para a melhoria dos resultados, deve-se limitar o consumo de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados e dar preferência para alimentos naturais ou minimamente processados.
Avaliação de um protocolo clínico por enfermeiros no tratamento da sepse
Authors: Veras Raissa Ellen Silva de , Moreira Deborah Pedrosa , Da Silva Vanessa Dias , Rodrigues Sofia Esmeraldo
Published: June 2019

Objetivo: avaliar o uso de um protocolo clínico por enfermeiros no tratamento da sepse em um hospital particular. Metodologia: estudo do tipo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa realizado em um hospital de nível terciário com enfermeiros da emergência e unidades de terapia intensiva totalizando 14 participantes, no período de outubro e novembro de 2018. Utilizou-se para a coleta de dados um gravador e um formulário com perguntas semiestruturadas, avaliadas por meio da análise de conteúdo. Resultados: foram elaboradas quatro categorias intituladas: capacitação dos profissionais para manejo do protocolo; conhecimento acerca do protocolo sepse; desafios do enfermeiro no uso do protocolo; experiências exitosas: desfecho do paciente pós-protocolo. Conclusão: por meio deste estudo, foi possível evidenciar a atuação do enfermeiro diante de pacientes com quadro séptico. Nessa assistência, incidem ainda os desafios que eles enfrentam para que o processo tenha início e fim, e não seja interrompido por qualquer eventualidade, como demora dos serviços acionados. Reforça que o protocolo não é apenas mais um documento da assistência, e sim uma ferramenta importante para prestar o melhor cuidado de enfermagem, que causa impacto em custos hospitalares e melhoria da imagem do hospital no mercado.
Influence of ferritin levels and inflammatory markers on HbA1c in the Type 2 Diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Son Nazan Erenoglu
Published: June 2019

Objective: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a significant public health issue worldwide due to the associated comorbidities. Recent studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between blood glucose levels and serum ferritin levels in patients with type 2 DM. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between Ferritin Levels and Inflammatory Markers on HbA1c in the Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

Methods: This single-center, cross-sectional, controlled study included patients who were admitted to the Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders outpatient clinics of the Private Kütahya Hospital in the province of Kutahya in the Western Turkey. The study included a total of 172 patients, 84 of whom had type 2 DM and 88 without diabetes and constituted the control group. A total of 190 patients with DM were admitted to the Adult Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Outpatient Clinics of the hospital between July 1, 2018 and September 1, 2018, and among these, the study was conducted on 172 volunteer patients who met the study inclusion criteria and who did not have any missing data. The HbA1c levels, serum ferritin, hemoglobin (Hb), insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), lipid profiles, and uric acid levels were compared between the groups.

Results: The serum ferritin levels of the patients with type 2 DM significantly increased with increasing HbA1c levels (p<0.01). A strong positive correlation was found between serum ferritin levels and HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels (p<0.01).

Conclusions: Our study results show a significant relationship between HbA1c levels and serum ferritin and CRP levels, suggesting that serum ferritin and CRP levels can be used as a routine screening tool for the early diagnosis of DM. However, further large-scale, prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.1003

How to cite this:Son NE. Influence of ferritin levels and inflammatory markers on HbA1c in the Type 2 Diabetes mellitus patients. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(4):1030-1035. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.1003

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Trends and causes of maternal mortality in a tertiary care hospital over five years: 2013-2017
Authors: Rafiq Sonia , Syed Wajeeha , Ghaffar Simi Fayaz
Published: June 2019

Background and Objective: Maternal death measurement is essential to a country’s wellbeing and development status. In emerging countries like Pakistan, it remains an intimidating and failed public health challenge. Objectives of our audit were to estimate trends and causes of maternal demise in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan.

Methods: Between January 2013 to December 2017, a retrospective study was carried out at Medical Teaching Institute, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. A structured proforma was used to collect data from the medical records. To detect trends in mother demise maternal mortality ratio was calculated for each year and for all five years, Spss version 23 was used for data analysis.

Results: In the five-year periods 134 deaths were recorded. The maternal mortality during the study period was 431/100,000 live births. An unstable trend in mortality with two crowning periods in 2013 and 2017 was observed. Hemorrhage persisted as the foremost cause of maternal death over the five years period, accounting for 47.76% deaths followed by hypertension, accounting for 25.37% deaths. An increased risk of 35.08% was observed among women aged 25-29 years, followed by 26.11% in 20-24 years and 23.88% in >30 years.

Conclusion: There is a decreasing trend of maternal death from 2013 to 2016 but a slight increase was noted in 2017. Hemorrhage was the top cause responsible for the maternal death.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.1091

How to cite this:Rafiq S, Syed W, Ghaffar SF. Trends and causes of maternal mortality in a tertiary care hospital over five years: 2013-2017. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(4):1128-1131. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.1091

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Review Impact of environmental pollution, dietary factors and diabetes mellitus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Authors: Alhowikan Abdulrahman Mohammed , AL-Ayadhi Laila Yousef , Halepoto Dost Muhammad
Published: June 2019

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is complex neurodevelopmental condition described by impairments in three main behavioral areas: social deficits, impaired communication, and repetitive behaviors. Despite many years of vast study, the causes of ASD are still unknown. Various risk factors including genetic, infectious, metabolic and immunological have been investigated however, environmental, nutritional and diabetes related risk factors have not received sufficient attention. This study has provided an insight into the comprehensive interaction between environmental pollution, dietary factors and diabetes mellitus that could lead to the advancement of this debilitating neurodevelopment disorder. The literature search was done using PubMed and Google Scholar databases up to October 2018. Key words “Environmental Pollution”, “Nutritional Factors”, “Diabetes Mellitus”, “Autism Spectrum Disorder” were selected.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.269

How to cite this:Alhowikan AM, AL-Ayadhi LY, Halepoto DM. Impact of environmental pollution, dietary factors and diabetes mellitus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(4):1179-1184. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.269

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Effect of wearing cotton towel Ihram and plain Ihram on lung function among Hajj Pilgrims
Authors: Meo Sultan Ayoub , Iqbal Muhammad , Usmani Adnan Mahmood , Almana Abdulrahman Abdulaziz , Alrashed Abdulrahman Hamad , Al-Regaiey Khalid Abdullah
Published: June 2019

Objectives: Hajj is the world’s largest gathering to Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Wearing cotton made Ihram is a basic and an essential component of Hajj. The aim of this study was to investigate the lung functions among Hajj pilgrims who were wearing cotton towel ihram (ihram with fibers) compared to those who were wearing plain cotton ihram (ihram without fibers).

Methods: Ninety male, non-smoker, Hajj pilgrim volunteers with age ranged 20-60 years were selected. Forty five of them wore cotton towel ihram and 45 wore plain ihram. A day before leaving for Hajj and wearing ihram (6th Dhu-al-Hijjah) lung function base line parameters of Hajj pilgrims were determined. Hajj Pilgrims continuously wear ihram from 7-10th Dhu-al-Hijjah. In the afternoon of 10th Dhu-al-Hijjah, after removal of ihram, all parameters were repeated and at the completion of Hajj when all pilgrims return to their homes at Riyadh, all parameters were recorded again.

Results: Before wearing Ihram, anthropometric and lung function baseline parameters were recorded, no significant difference was found between the study population. After wearing Ihram on the 7th Dhu-al-Hijjah and its removal on the 10th Dhu-al-Hijjah significant decline in the lung function test parameters was observed among Hajj pilgrims who were wearing cotton towel ihram. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) 4.30±1.18 vs. 5.03±1.41 (p=0.01); Forced Expiratory Flow 25% (FEF-25%) 4.39±1.94 vs. 5.69±2.84 (p=0.03); Forced Expiratory Flow-50% (FEF-50%) 2.93±1.65 vs. 4.07±2.08 (p=0.01); Forced Expiratory Flow-75% (FEF-75%) 1.02±0.70 vs. 1.66±0.94 (p=0.002) compared to those who were wearing plain ihram.

Conclusions: Lung function test parameters were decreased among the Hajj pilgrims who were wearing cotton towel ihram compared to those who were wearing plain cotton ihram. The pattern of impairment of lung function shows an obstructive peripheral airway lung involvement. It is suggested to conduct further large sample size studies to confirm the present study observations and reach at better conclusions.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.727

How to cite this:Meo SA, Iqbal M, Usmani AM, Almana AA, Alrashed AH, Al-Regaiey KA. Effect of wearing cotton towel Ihram and plain Ihram on lung function among Hajj Pilgrims. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(4):893-898. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.727

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Visualization of the small RNA transcriptome using seqclusterViz
Authors: Pantano Lorena , Pantano Francisco , Marti Eulalia , Ho Sui Shannan
Published: June 2019

The study of small RNAs provides us with a deeper understanding of the complexity of gene regulation within cells. Of the different types of small RNAs, the most important in mammals are miRNA, tRNA fragments and piRNAs. Using small RNA-seq analysis, we can study all small RNA types simultaneously, with the potential to detect novel small RNA types. We describe SeqclusterViz, an interactive HTML-javascript webpage for visualizing small noncoding RNAs (small RNAs) detected by Seqcluster. The SeqclusterViz tool allows users to visualize known and novel small RNA types in model or non-model organisms, and to select small RNA candidates for further validation. SeqclusterViz is divided into three panels: i) query-ready tables showing detected small RNA clusters and their genomic locations, ii) the expression profile over the precursor for all the samples together with RNA secondary structures, and iii) the mostly highly expressed sequences. Here, we show the capabilities of the visualization tool and its validation using human brain samples from patients with Parkinson’s disease.
The study of the vocabulary of the English scientific literature to optimize the possibilities of teaching English in educational organizations of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
Authors: Башлуева Наталья , Bashlueva Natalya , Башлуева Мария , Bashlueva Mariya
Published: June 2019

he object of the study, which formed the basis of this article was to optimize the possibilities of teaching English in educational organizations of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, and the subject is studying the vocabulary of English scientific literature to optimize the possibilities of teaching English in educational organizations of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The aim of the work is to improve and optimize the use of the vocabulary of the English scientific literature to optimize the possibilities of teaching English in educational institutions of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, as well as developing recommendations for teachers on the use of scientific terminology in the process of teaching a foreign language to students and students of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The research methods used in this scientific work are the analysis and systematization of scientific literature on the subject of the research; statistical data processing methods.

The scientific novelty of the research consists in expanding, supplementing and refining scientific views on optimizing the possibilities of teaching English in educational institutions of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The practical significance of the results lies in the substantiation of the possibility of using the vocabulary of the English scientific literature in the process of teaching a foreign language to cadets and students of the Russian Interior Ministry.
Minimal Frames and Transparent Frames for Risk, Time, and Uncertainty
Authors: Leland Jonathan W. , Schneider Mark , Wilcox Nathaniel T.
Published: June 2019

Behavior differs between transparent and nontransparent presentations of decisions, but “transparent presentation” has not been precisely defined. We formally define “transparent frames” for risk and time, establish their uniqueness, provide algorithms for constructing them, and compare them with “standard” presentation formats. A logic emerges for predicting systematic shifts in choice under risk and over time, and how violations of rational choice theory will depend on frames. An experiment verifies most of those predictions in choice under risk. We extend results to choice under uncertainty and also predict frame dependence of ambiguity aversion, a result supported by recent experimental evidence.

This paper was accepted by Elke Weber, judgment and decision making.
A Mean Field Competition
Authors: Nutz Marcel , Zhang Yuchong
Published: June 2019

We introduce a mean field game with rank-based reward: competing agents optimize their effort to achieve a goal, are ranked according to their completion time, and are paid a reward based on their relative rank. First, we propose a tractable Poissonian model in which we can describe the optimal effort for a given reward scheme. Second, we study the principal–agent problem of designing an optimal reward scheme. A surprising, explicit design is found to minimize the time until a given fraction of the population has reached the goal.
Kebijakan Spin-off dan Efisiensi Perbankan Syariah di Indonesia
Authors: Pambuko Zulfikar Bagus
Published: June 2019

The study aims to analyse the spin-off policies’ impact on the Islamic banks’ efficiency in Indonesia. The study was conducted on five spin-off Islamic banks and efficiency were measured by the BOPO ratio. The research variables used were dummy spin-off, ROA, FDR, and economic growth. Data analysis used panel data regression on annual data from 2008 to 2018. The results suggest that, first, the implementation of spin-off policy significantly increased the operational efficiency of Islamic banking. Second, ROA also has a negative effect on efficiency. Third, FDR and economic growth have no significant effect on the Islamic banks’ efficiency in Indonesia.
LIBERDADE COMO ESSÊNCIA HUMANA: O PROBLEMA DO SUJEITO NO JOVEM MARX
Authors: Jesus Cristian Arão Silva de
Published: June 2019

Este artigo possui como objetivo analisar a questão da essência humana na obra do jovem Marx. Apresentando uma perspectiva contrária à ideia da existência de um corte epistemológico que cria duas fases absolutamente distintas na filosofia de Marx, pretende-se argumentar que o conceito de essência desenvolvido nos manuscritos de 1844 constitui-se como um importante fundamento para o materialismo histórico. Dessa forma, é oferecida também uma perspectiva diferente do argumento que defende a existência de um antimaterialismorelacionado ao conceito “essência”. A interpretação da essência humana como liberdade permite compreender que não há nada de extra-material na definição do ser humano, pois a única característica que sempre acompanhará o homem é a capacidade de se autotransformar através da atividade prática.
Anomalías pedagógicas
Authors: Nieto Fernández Enrique
Published: June 2019

Hablamos constantemente del aprendizaje de los estudiantes, pero no tanto del aprendizaje de los profesores que también sucede en el aula. Los esfuerzos vigilantes de las instituciones formativas no suelen reparar en los efectos transformadores sobre los profesores. La enseñanza es una de las profesiones con mayor índice de enfermedades particulares, tanto físicas como mentales. Y quizás esto también sea debido a la falta de programación de estas transformaciones previsibles del docente en el aula. Algo así como haber obviado los aprendizajes y desaprendizajes que también afectan ¡y cómo! al profesor.
El hormigón latente de la Bienal de Venecia 2012-2018. Del vacío ubicuo de SMAO-lab al vacío virtual de Becoming.
Authors: Cantero García-Moncó Mariana
Published: June 2019

En el Pabellón de España de la Bienal de Arquitectura de Venecia de 2012, suspendida de una de las cerchas del ala este, flota una cúpula blanca. El espacio contenido entre ella y el plano del suelo es un vacío que habla de materia construida; en otro lugar, pero construida. En 2018 la exposición del Pabellón de España expresa otro vacío; parece que la situación socioeconómica del país ha hecho surgir una acepción nueva. La materia es en este caso la que ha sido contenida durante diez años, y encontramos un vacío de otro cariz, el del hormigón latente.Este artículo establece una comparativa entre las exposiciones del pabellón de Venecia 2012 y 2018 a través del concepto de vacío, haciendo también referencia a la de 2016 por su estrecha relación con la inmediatamente posterior. Se realiza, así, un recorrido que arranca del carácter fenomenológico del vacío construido por SMAO-lab, a otro tipo de vacío claramente marcado por el contexto de la crisis española, llegando a remover las bases de la disciplina arquitectónica desde la docencia.