bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ensino de ética em cursos do campo de públicas: Uma análise a partir de Projetos Pedagógicos de Curso e das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais
Authors: Santos Laís Silveira , Serafim Mauricio C. , Zappellini Marcello Beckert , Zappellini Silvia Maria Knabben Corrêa , Borges Martha Kaschny
Published: February 2018

As Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN) do curso de graduação em Administração Pública trazem a discussão e o ensino da ética como conteúdo disciplinar básico e indispensável à formação do aluno. A partir dessa constatação, surgiu o interesse em saber como seu ensino é trabalhado e auxilia na formação profissional dos alunos dos cursos de graduação em Administração Pública no Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa documental em Projetos Pedagógicos de Cursos (PPC) do Campo de Públicas. Com base nos critérios de seleção definidos, foram relacionados quinze PPC para estudo. Os cursos do Campo de Públicas, norteados pelo ethos republicano e democrático, deveriam reproduzir esse princípio fundamental em todos os processos de ensino-aprendizagem e foi isso que se observou ao analisar os PPC, por meio das categorias de análise matriz curricular, ementas das disciplinas e perfil do egresso. Verificou-se que há, na maioria dos projetos, uma busca pela inserção da discussão da ação ética, crítica e reflexiva tanto durante o curso como na prática profissional. Em relação ao ensino de ética, acredita-se que, na medida em que o tema ganha força nas análises das organizações, ele pode induzir os administradores a desenvolverem um posicionamento mais reflexivo, crítico e socialmente responsável.
The Turkish adaptation study of The Mathematical Development Beliefs Scale
Authors: Karakuş Hilal , Akman Berrin , Ergene Özkan
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish adapted version of Mathematical Development Beliefs Scale developed by Platas (2015). The scale can also be used to determine preschool teachers’ beliefs about Mathematics education. After obtaining the permission from the developer of the questionnaire, the items of the questionnaire were run through a double-translation process where they were first translated into Turkish and then, retranslated into English. Then, the scale was sent to an expert in the field and the necessary corrections were made. The research was carried out with 203 preschool teachers working at kindergartens in state schools of the Ministry of National Education (MEB) and at kindergartens in private schools in Ankara. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were applied to the collected data. Based on these analyses, it was found that the adapted scale into Turkish consisted of 40 items, which were and gathered under four factors. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for the overall scale was .86. Test-retest correlation coefficient was found as r= .87. These values indicate that the questionnaire is highly reliable. The scale is found to be valid and reliable and appropriate to use in Turkish culture.
Creating and validating e-cases as educational tools in general practitioners’ continuing medical education context
Authors: Hadadgar Arash , Changiz Tahereh , Kononowicz Andrzej A. , Safaeian Leila , Mirshahzadeh Nahidossadat , Najimi Arash , Ahmadi Fatemeh , Mostafavizadeh Kamyar , Zary Nabil , Masiello Italo
Published: February 2018

Objective

This study aimed at creating electronic cases (e-cases) and analyzing their validity as a diagnostic assessment tool within the context of continuing medical education (CME) to measure general practitioners’ (GPs) knowledge of common infectious disease.

Methods

We designed assessment e-cases in an electronic CME platform. The e-cases were designed to measure GPs’ knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of common infectious disease in outpatient settings. The data collected were analyzed for five forms of evidence: content, response process, internal structure, relations with other variables and consequences.

Results

A total of 46 GPs participated in the study. Among them, 87% perceived the e-cases as resembling the patients whom they visit in their everyday practice. Although attendance in this activity made 85% of the participants more cautious about prescription of antibiotics, we could not detect any statistically significant association between the assessment scores and the physicians’ previous antibiotic prescription. The diagnostic assessment with e-cases was supported by most of the elements of validity evidence, including content, response process, internal structure and consequences.

Conclusions

Overall, evidence suggests that using e-cases might be a valid diagnostic assessment CME activity to measure GPs’ knowledge of common infectious disease, but more research is necessary.
Intraoperative optical imaging of metabolic changes after direct cortical stimulation – a clinical tool for guidance during tumor resection?
Authors: Oelschlägel Martin , Meyer Tobias , Schackert Gabriele , Kirsch Matthias , Sobottka Stephan B. , Morgenstern Ute
Published: February 2018

Brain tumor resection is even today one of the most challenging disciplines in neurosurgery. The current state of the art for the identification of tumor tissue during the surgical procedure comprises a wide variety of different tools, each with its own limitations and drawbacks. In this paper, we present a novel approach, the use of optical imaging in connection with direct electrical cortical stimulation (DCS), for identification of impaired tumor tissue and functional intact normal brain tissue under intraoperative conditions. Measurements with an optical imaging setup were performed as a proof of concept on three patients who underwent tumor resection of superficial gliomas. Direct electrical stimulations were applied on tumor tissue and surrounding brain tissue in each patient and characteristic features from the observed changes in the optical properties were compared between the different groups. The results reveal that in all patients a differentiation between non-functional tumor tissue and functional intact brain tissue was possible, and the technique might be a useful clinical tool in the future.
Analytical validation of the Hevylite assays for M-protein quantification
Authors: Jacobs Joannes F.M. , Haagen Inez-Anne , Lodder Astrid , van der Kroft Cieleke , de Kat Angelino Corrie M. , Croockewit Sandra , Nieuwenhuys Ed , Gelderman Kyra A.
Published: February 2018

Background:

The heavy/light chain (HLC) immunoassay quantifies the different heavy chain/light chain combinations of each immunoglobulin (Ig) class. This makes the HLC assay suited to quantify monoclonal immunoglobulins (M-protein) and for monitoring of patients with monoclonal gammopathies. This method is particularly advantageous for those samples in which electrophoretic quantification of the M-protein is not possible.

Methods:

In this study we tested the analytical performance of the HLC assay in 166 routine clinical samples and in 27 samples derived from the Dutch external quality assessment (EQA) for M-protein diagnostics (74 participating laboratories). Analytical accuracy was assessed by verification that the sum of the HLC-pairs equaled total Ig concentration. Sensitivity of the HLC assay was determined in a direct method comparison with immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE).

Results:

Comparison of HLC data with routine Ig diagnostics in 27 EQA samples showed very good correlation for both the quantification of polyclonal and monoclonal IgG, IgA and IgM (Pearson correlations [r] were 0.94, 0.99 and 0.99, respectively; slopes were 0.94, 1.07 and 0.98, respectively). The overall concordance between IFE and the HLC ratio was high (93%) with a Cohen κ coefficient of 0.84. Discrepancies between both assays were mainly caused by the higher sensitivity of IFE to detect monoclonality.

Conclusions:

We conclude that the HLC assay is an accurate method to quantify M-proteins that can improve monitoring of M-proteins in the beta fraction that cannot be quantified using electrophoretic techniques.
Schwierigkeiten der Bewertung von Stiftungshandeln: Das Beispiel Großbritannien
Authors: Siederer Nigel
Published: February 2018

Der Blick auf Stiftungen in Großbritannien macht zum einen die seit Jahrhunderten ungebrochene
Tradition deutlich, zum anderen aber auch, dass die britischen Stiftungen viel weniger als die in anderen Ländern in gesellschaftliche Diskurse eingreifen. Sie verstehen sich als Teile eines großen Sektors, in dem sie im wesentlichen eine unterstützende Funktion einnehmen. Sie sind daher, obwohl sie zum Teil eine erhebliche Grüße aufweisen, viel weniger als anderswo selbst Gegenstand der Debatte und Kritik.
Improved wood properties via two-step grafting with itaconic acid (IA) and nano-SiO2
Authors: Han Xiaoshuai , Yin Yihui , Zhang Qinqin , Li Ren , Pu Junwen
Published: February 2018

Itaconic acid (IA) with its trifunctional structure was first introduced into the wood cell lumen and cell wall, which functions as a grafting anchor for fixing various polymers via strong chemical bonds. Then nano-SiO2 was grafted to the IA-modified wood. Field-emission scanning electron microscope revealed that the grafting experiment was successful and that the modified cell wall thickness increased by 65%. The incorporated hydrophobic nano-SiO2 substructure reduced the wood’s hygroscopicity and improved its dimensional stability. The thermal stability of the new composite was also excellent. The presented approach is simple and efficient and the probability is high that it can be up-scaled to a level of a large-scale engineering material.
Investigation of the prevalence and causes and of legal abortion of teenage married mothers in Iran
Authors: Ghodrati Fatemeh , Saadatmand Narges , Gholamzadeh Saeid , Akbarzadeh Marzieh
Published: February 2018

Background

The therapeutic abortion law, in accordance with the fatwa issued by our Muslim jurisprudent approved by the parliament in 2005, has made major developments in dealing with cases of therapeutic abortions.

Objective

This study aimed at identifying the prevalence and causes of therapeutic abortion requests to the Legal Medicine Organization of Fars province, Shiraz, by pregnant teenager mothers.

Methods

This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive survey. In this study, all documents related to therapeutic abortion requests from the Legal Medicine Organization of Fars province (southern Iran) from 2006 to 2013 were investigated. The total sample size included 1664, out of which 142 were teenagers. Sampling was carried out using Convenience method. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software, version 16, descriptive statistics and χ2.

Results

In this study, 142 mothers were under 20 years of age (8.5%). The prevalence of fetal abortion license requests was 110 (78.6%) and for maternal causes was 30 (21.4%). There was no significant statistical correlation between fetal causes in different years (p = 0.083).

The most common causes of fetal abortion request were for thalassemia treatment in 78 cases (79.9%) followed by fetal malformations (20.9%); also, the most common maternal cause was thalassemia in 14 cases (51.9%) and depression in three cases (1.11%), respectively.

Conclusion

Our results showed that after approval of therapeutic abortion law, requests for therapeutic abortion due to fetal causes are extensively increasing. There is still a need for coordination of judicial, medical and legal authorities for prompt notification.
Effect of communication skills based group counseling on mothers’ sex dialogue with their adolescent daughters
Authors: Ziaei Tayebe , Ghanbari Gorji Maryam , Behnampour Naser , Rezaei Aval Masumeh
Published: February 2018

Background

Sex dialogue is one of the most critical and challenging topics between mothers and adolescents. The knowledge and skills of mothers in sex dialogue with their daughters are essential. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of group counseling based on communication skills on mothers through their sex dialogue with their daughters.

Methods

A randomized controlled field trial was conducted on 168 couples of mothers and their daughters selected by the stratified matching method and randomly divided into two control and intervention groups. The mothers in the intervention group participated in a communication-based consultation in groups consisting of 6–12 people for 6–7 weekly sessions, each one lasting 60 min. The data collection tool was a Persian-translated questionnaire by Jaccard for sex dialogue between mother and daughter. The data were analyzed using Chi-square (χ2), ANOVA with repeated measures and modified post hoc Bonferroni tests.

Results

There was a significant difference in the mean score of mother-daughter sex dialogue 1 week after intervention between the intervention (34.48 ± 8.74) and control (40.44 ± 9.49) groups (p = 0.001) and 1 month after the intervention between the intervention (30.41 ± 10.07) and control (42.47 ± 9.62) groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Through applying communication skills, an increase in mother-daughter sex dialogue frequency was observed after group counseling. Therefore, it is suggested to promote mother-daughter communication skills by accessing the mothers via schools, health centers and with the aid of midwifery counselors, midwives and other trained caretakers.
Facilitating factors of self-care among HIV-positive young women in Iran: a qualitative study
Authors: Oskouie Fatemeh , Kashefi Farzaneh , Rafii Forough , Gouya Mohammad Mehdi , Vahid-Dastjerdi Marzieh
Published: February 2018

Background

Providing care for chronic disease such as HIV is a growing challenge in the world. In order to address the challenges of linkage and care in chronic disease management, we need to identify factors that can influence people to get more involved in self-care. This study was part of an extensive qualitative study conducted in Tehran, Iran in 2016.

Methods

The data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted on 25 women with HIV, and were analyzed using grounded theory. Four main themes were identified as facilitating self-care among participants: health system support, clinicians’ support, family support and improved life expectancy. Sub-themes that emerged were free HIV tests; free medication; free membership in positive clubs; free psychological consultation; positive attitudes and friendly behavior from clinic staff; telephone follow up; support from husbands, mothers and peers; hope for recovery; hope for the future; and love for own children.

Results

Our results showed that, providing appropriate support and services, as well as a positive attitude of society towards HIV positive women, can contribute to adherence to self-care in young women with HIV.

Conclusion

Understanding the facilitating factors based on the patients’ experiences can contribute to the development of new policies and procedures to improve the care of these patients.
Predicting high school students’ health-promoting lifestyle: a test of the information, motivation, behavioral skills model
Authors: Molaifard Asieh , Mohamadian Hashem , Haghighi Zadeh Mohammad Hossein
Published: February 2018

Background and aim

Expenditure on adolescents’ health promotion is critical to enhancing quality of life and fundamental for the prosperity of countries. This study tried to investigate the relationships between information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model constructs as predictors of high school student’s health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) in Southwest Iran.

Methods

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 400 students in Southwest Iran. Sample size required for this study was obtained using Soper’s structural equation modeling (SEM) calculator. The stratified random sampling method was used in this study. A path analysis was taken to evaluate the HPL main determinants utilizing SEM.

Results

Information only had a significant indirect relationship with adolescents’ HPL. But, both motivation and behavioral skills constructs had significant direct and indirect relationship with adolescents’ HPL. The behavioral skill construct was the most imperative predictor variable. In general, behavioral skills construct (75%), motivation (66%) and knowledge (50%) constructs had the highest impact on HPL. The IMB model was able to explain 71% of the variance in adolescents’ HPL.

Conclusion

The findings of the study showed that the IMB model was appropriate for explaining adolescents’ HPL. It is necessary that actions are taken to improve behavioral skills and promote adolescents’ HPL.
Microgrid Architecture Evaluation for Small and Medium Size Industries
Authors: Bandeiras Filipe , Gomes Mário , Coelho Paulo , Fernandes José , Camacho Antonio , Castilla Miguel
Published: February 2018

The content of this paper addresses possible approaches that will eventually allow the development of microgrids for small and medium size industries on a massive scale. Therefore, it addresses in a comprehensive way, the most suitable communication technologies for microgrids in this type of enterprises. Several energy sources that can be implemented in industrial microgrids are also briefly addressed, including generation and storage units frequently adopted for power supply in small scale distribution grids. The overview of communication technologies and energy sources takes into account the financial limitations of small enterprises with the purpose of assisting the study of industrial microgrid architectures. In addition, a case study is presented in order to observe how a centralized and a decentralized deployment of energy sources affect the performance of a small or medium scale industrial microgrid. Since this sector is very important for the development of modern societies, it should make use of the most advanced infrastructures in order to be more sustainable, both environmentally and competitively. The practical limitations applied to industrial microgrids (e.g., lack of standards in the grid codes, some unfit technological performance and amiss system design) shows that the subject presented in this paper deserves much more research and developments. Thus, this work demonstrates the importance of the development of the microgrid for the small and medium-sized enterprises sector.
Faculty Experiences with Integrating Mandated High-Fidelity Human Patient Simulation (HF-HPS) Into Clinical Practice: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Press Madeline Maria , Prytula Michelle
Published: February 2018

Background

High fidelity human patient simulation (HF-HPS) is a teaching innovation in nursing education which may not be used to its full potential. This study seeks to understand the lived experiences of nurse faculty who are required to integrate HF-HPS into their teaching practice.

Method

A phenomenological methodology was used. Seventeen female nurse faculty teaching in the second year of a new collaborative bachelor of science in nursing program were interviewed about their experiences integrating mandated HF-HPS into their teaching practices.

Results

Six themes describing the participants’ experiences were identified: striving for self-efficacy, struggling to maintain autonomy, being part of a community of practice, adopting HF-HPS as a teaching innovation, being an advocate, and being proud. An emerging theme, being an outsider, was discussed.

Conclusion

This research has implications for nurse faculty and educational administrators integrating a new teaching innovation.
Blood troponin levels in acute cardiac events depends on space weather activity components (a correlative study)
Authors: Stoupel Eliiyahu , Radishauskas Richardas , Bernotiene Gailute , Tamoshiunas Abdonas , Virvichiute Daiva
Published: February 2018

Background:

Many biological processes are influenced by space weather activity components such as solar activity (SA), geomagnetic activity (GMA) and cosmic ray activity (CRA). Examples are total mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke (cerebrovascular accident), sudden cardiac death, some congenital maladies (congenital heart disease and Down syndrome), many events in neonatology, ophtalmology, blood pressure regulation, blood coagulation, inflammation, etc. The aim of this study was to check if the level of blood troponins (Tns) – markers of myocardial damage and recognized components of modern description of AMI – is connected with the mentioned space weather parameters.

Methods:

Patients admitted to a 3000-bed tertiary university hospital in Kaunas, Lithuania, with suspected AMI were the object of the study. Data for the time between 2008 and 2013 – 72 consecutive months – were studied. Of the patients, 1896 (1398 male, 498 female) had elevated troponin I (Tn I) or troponin T (Tn T, sensitive Tn) levels. Normal values were 0.00–0.03 ng/mL for Tn I and 0.00–14.00 ng/mL for Tn T. Monthly means and standard deviation of Tn I and Tn T were compared with monthly markers of SA, GMA and CRA. Pearson correlation coefficients and their probabilities were established (in addition to the consecutive graphs of both comparing physical and biological data). The cosmophysical data came from space service institutions in the United States, Russia and Finland.

Results:

AMI was diagnosed in 1188 patients (62.66%), and intermediate coronary syndrome in 698 patients (36.81%). There were significant links of the Tn blood levels with four SA indices and CRA (neutron activity in imp/min); there was no significant correlation with GMA indices Ap and Cp (p=0.27 and p=0.235). Tn T levels significantly correlated with the GMA indices and not with the SA and CRA levels (Ap: r=0.77, p=0.0021; Cp: r=0.729, p=0.0047).

Conclusions:

First, the monthly level of blood Tn I in ACS is significantly correlated with the indices of SA (inverse) and with CRA (neutron); second, no significant correlation with the GMA indices was found; and third, the Tn T levels showed significant links with the GMA indices and none with SA and CRA (neutron).
Losartan improves renal function and pathology in obese ZSF-1 rats
Authors: Su Zhi , Widomski Deborah , Nikkel Arthur , Leys Laura , Namovic Marian , Donnelly-Roberts Diana , Gopalakrishnan Murali , McGaraughty Steve
Published: February 2018

Background:

Losartan, a blocker of the angiotensin II type I receptor, is an important part of the standard of care for diabetic nephropathy (DN). The obese ZSF-1 rats display many aspects of the clinical features of human Type II DN. The current study was designed to examine the treatment effects of losartan on obese ZSF-1 rats and to evaluate the impact of the onset of dosing on efficacy.

Methods:

The rats (7–10 weeks) underwent a right uninephrectomy (Unx) or sham surgery. Losartan (3, 10, 30 mg/kg) was dosed 3 or 9 weeks post-Unx and continued for 12 weeks.

Results:

Treatment with losartan reduced urinary protein excretion and blood lipids (triglyceride and cholesterol) dose-dependently in both studies. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was significantly lower in obese ZSF-1 rats compared with those in lean rats, and losartan was efficacious against this endpoint, in particular with the earlier onset of treatment. Losartan also decreased tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and similar to GFR, earlier treatment conferred beneficial actions even at the lowest dose of 3 mg/kg. Several urinary biomarkers were elevated in the obese ZSF-1 rats, but the levels of sTNFR1, TIMP-1, L-FABP and KIM-1 were the only markers decreased by losartan.

Conclusions:

Losartan was renoprotective in the ZSF-1 rats with DN, improving both the pathological and functional parameters of the disease. Importantly, the data also highlight the importance of treatment at earlier stages of the disease for protecting against decline in the GFR and the development of fibrosis.
Vitamin D deficiency in childhood: old lessons and current challenges
Authors: Antonucci Roberto , Locci Cristian , Clemente Maria Grazia , Chicconi Elena , Antonucci Luca
Published: February 2018

Hypovitaminosis D in childhood is a re-emerging public health problem in developed countries. New life style habits, current “epidemics” of obesity in children and adolescents worldwide, and other preventable risk factors may play a role in favoring the occurrence of vitamin D deficiency. In addition to skeletal consequences, hypovitaminosis D has been found to be involved in the development of serious health extra-skeletal problems in childhood, including atopy and autoimmunity. The increasing concerns about the global health impact of vitamin D deficiency make further research necessary to fill the gaps of knowledge in this field, and particularly to establish universally accepted “normal” serum 25(OH)D levels in the pediatric population, and to improve strategies for the screening, prevention and treatment of hypovitaminosis D. This review discusses the key points of hypovitaminosis D in childhood in the light of new knowledge, and highlights the limitations of current strategies to control this condition.
Natural Kinds, Causal Profile and Multiple Constitution
Authors: Kistler Max
Published: February 2018

The identity of a natural kind can be construed in terms of its causal profile. This conception is more appropriate to science than two alternatives. The identity of a natural kind is not determined by one causal role because one natural kind can have many causal roles and several functions and because some functions are shared by different kinds. Furthermore, the microstructuralist thesis is wrong: The identity of certain natural kinds is not determined by their microstructure. It is true that if A and B have the same microstructural composition then a sample of a chemical substance A is of the same chemical substance as a sample of B. However, the reverse does not hold. It is not the case that if a sample of a chemical substance A is of the same chemical substance as a sample of B then A and B have the same microstructural composition. This is because a macroscopic NK can be “multiconstituted” by different microstructures.
Crystal structural of 2-amino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitrile, C17H16N2O3
Authors: Su Yi-Yan
Published: February 2018

C17H16N2O3, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 8.6539(4) Å, b = 16.7491(9) Å, c = 10.5511(5) Å, β = 104.304(5)°, V = 1481.92(13) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.043, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.121, T = 293 K.
Crystal structure of catena-poly[aqua(μ2-1,3-bis(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)propane-κ2
N:N′)-(μ2-5-(tert-butyl)isophthalate-κ3
O,O′:O′′)nickel(II)], C29H30N4NiO5
Authors: Zhou Zhan , Zhou Zhe , Jing Peng-Jing
Published: February 2018

C29H30N4NiO5, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 10.0887(15) Å, b = 11.2076(17) Å, c = 13.277(2) Å, α = 87.780(2)°, β = 72.138(2)°, γ = 67.129(2)°, V = 1311.0(3) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0461, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1048, T = 296.15 K.
Crystal structure of catena-poly[(μ
2-dicyanamido-κ
2
N:N′)-(μ
2-2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethan-1-olato-κ
3
N,O:O′)copper(II)], C9H8CuN4O
Authors: Xiangqing Fang , Jiajia Xu , Qi Wu , Liguo Yang , Ya Li
Published: February 2018

C9H8CuN4O, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 7.6740(6) Å, b = 8.6401(8) Å, c = 8.8869(9) Å, α = 109.201(2)°, β = 106.629(1)°, γ = 105.410(1)°, V = 489.21(8) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0406, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0993, T = 298(2) K.
Crystal structure of catena-poly[diaqua-bis(μ2-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylato-κ2
N:O)nickel(II)] dihydrate, C16H18N4NiO8
Authors: Xin Wang , Qingyun Liu , Liguo Yang , Nana Liu , Yuqiang Dai
Published: February 2018

C16H18N4NiO8, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 16.1598(8) Å, b = 8.7803(5) Å, c = 14.1809(11) Å, β = 118.197(1)°, V = 1773.32(19) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0220, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0598, T = 273(2) K.
Crystal structure of 9,10-dimethoxy-5,6-dihydro-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-g]isoquinolino[3,2-a]isoquinolin-7-ium chloride — 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid — water (2/1/5), C48H54N2Cl2O17
Authors: Zhang Mei , Lou Benyong , Huang Xiaodong , Huang Yali
Published: February 2018

C48H54N2Cl2O17, orthorhombic, Pnma (no. 62), a = 28.3651(8) Å, b = 22.8464(6) Å, c = 7.1341(2) Å, V = 4623.2(2) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0437, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1225, T = 100(2) K.
The crystal structure of 8-chloro-7-ethyl-1,3-dimethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione, C9H11ClN4O2
Authors: Ali Syed Saeed , Al-Obaid Abdulrahman M. , Hosten Eric C. , Bari Ahmed
Published: February 2018

C9H11ClN4O2, orthorhombic, Pbca (no. 61), a = 8.9735(4) Å, b = 12.2946(7) Å, c = 19.3751(11) Å, V = 2137.6(2) Å3, Z = 8, R
gt(F) = 0.0355, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1087, T = 200(2) K.
Crystal structure of {5,5′-((propane-1,3-diylbis(azanylylidene))bis(methanylylidene))bis(3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2,4-dimethylpyrrol-1-ido)-κ4
N,N′,N′′,N′′′}zinc(II), C23H30N4O4Cu
Authors: Han Xue-Feng , Yang Qing-Wen , Yang Miao , Wu Wei-Na
Published: February 2018

C13H17N3OS, monoclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 7.746(6) Å, b = 12.344(9) Å, c = 12.655(9) Å, α = 95.766(7)°, β = 98.007(7)°, γ = 101.595(13)°, V = 1163.4(15) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0550, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1616, T = 296(2) K.
External Territorial Threats and Tolerance of Corruption: A Private/Government Distinction
Authors: Miller Steven V.
Published: February 2018

What makes individuals tolerate government corruption? Can citizens tolerate government corruption but be intolerant of corrupt behavior in society? I argue not all attitudes toward corruption are the same. External territorial threats elicit a tolerance of government corruption since citizens allow for government corruption when they are concerned for their security. However, citizens become intolerant of corruption in society because they view this as maximizing individual welfare at the expense of the common good (i.e. security). Using data from three unique cross-national surveys, I find that citizens under territorial threat are less likely to think corruption is an important problem, are more likely to tolerate government corruption, but are less likely to tolerate corruption by private citizens.
Melt processing of high alcoholysis poly(vinyl alcohol) with different polyol plasticizers
Authors: Xiang Aimin , Wang Hailiang , Liu Di , Ma Songbai , Zhang Xing , Tian Huafeng
Published: February 2018

Flexibile high hydrolysis degree poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films with different polyol plasticizers were obtained by melt processing in the presence of water, and the plasticizing effect of polyols was studied. The results showed that with the incorporation of polyols, the torque decreased, suggesting the improved melt flowing ability of PVA. Higher molecular weight polyols with more –OH groups exhibited higher efficiency to improve the melt flowing ability. The incorporation of polyol plasticizers did not change the crystalline structure of PVA but decreased crystalline degrees. The transmittance decreased with the increase in plasticizer content. The flexibility of PVA films was dramatically enhanced after being plasticized with polyols. The polyols with higher molecular weight possessed a higher stablity in PVA films and resulted in less weight loss during the thermal degradation process. It was suggested that a combination of different polyol plasticizers would be a better choice to obtain the PVA films with overall excellent properties.
Adsorption behavior of U(VI) on doped polyaniline: the effects of carbonate and its complexes
Authors: Liu Jun , Zhao Changsong , Yuan Guoyuan , Li Feize , Yang Jijun , Liao Jiali , Yang Yuanyou , Liu Ning
Published: February 2018

In carbonate-buffer seawater or salt lake brines, three main uranium complexes, U(VI)-CO3 and Ca/Mg-U(VI)-CO3 complexes had been highlighted so far. In this paper, the effects of carbonate and its complexes on U(VI) adsorption onto doped polyaniline (PANI) were investigated using batch adsorption experiments. The adsorption equilibrium of U(VI) on doped PANI was reached within 30 min of contact time when U(VI)-CO3 complexes dominated the aqueous chemistry. Pseudo-second order and Langmuir isotherm models indicated that adsorption occurred on the homogeneous surface via monolayer chemisorption. Moreover, the increase in pHinitial, dissolved carbonate, calcium and magnesium concentrations could suppress the uranium adsorption process. The adsorption mechanisms under the weakly basic conditions were primarily involved in uranium anion species adsorption on nitrogen-containing functional groups instead of the anion exchange reactive sites on the doped PANI surface sites, whereas the U(VI)-CO3 complexes had a greater affinity than the Ca/Mg-U(VI)-CO3 complexes. The findings of this study are significant for the extraction of uranium resources from salt lake brines or seawater and for the prediction of uranium adsorption behaviors in weakly basic solution environments.
Recent studies on cellular and molecular mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease: focus on epigenetic factors and histone deacetylase
Authors: Dubey Harikesh , Gulati Kavita , Ray Arunabha
Published: February 2018

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders mainly affecting elderly people. It is characterized by progressive loss of memory and cognitive function. More than 95% of AD cases are related to sporadic or late-onset AD (LOAD). The etiology of LOAD is still unclear. It has been reported that environmental factors and epigenetic alterations play a significant role in AD pathogenesis. Furthermore, recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified 10 novel risk genes: ABCA7, APOE, BIN1, CD2AP, CD33, CLU, CR1, MS4A6A, MS4A4E, and PICALM, which play an important role for LOAD. In this review, the therapeutic approaches of AD by epigenetic modifications have been discussed. Nowadays, HDAC inhibitors have clinically proven its activity for epigenetic modifications. Furthermore, we try to establish the relationship between HDAC inhibitors and above mentioned LOAD risk genes. Finally, we are hoping that this review may open new area of research for AD treatment.
Neuromuscular synergies in motor control in normal and poststroke individuals
Authors: Israely Sharon , Leisman Gerry , Carmeli Eli
Published: February 2018

Muscle synergies are proposed to function as motor primitives that are modulated by frontal brain areas to construct a large repertoire of movement. This paper reviews the history of the development of our current theoretical understanding of nervous system-based motor control mechanisms and more specifically the concept of muscle synergies. Computational models of muscle synergies, especially the nonnegative matrix factorization algorithm, are discussed with specific reference to the changes in synergy control post-central nervous system (CNS) lesions. An alternative approach for motor control is suggested, exploiting a combination of synergies control or flexible muscle control used for gross motor skills and for individualized finger movements. Rehabilitation approaches, either supporting or inhibiting the use of basic movement patterns, are discussed in the context of muscle synergies. Applications are discussed for the use of advanced technologies that can promote the recovery and functioning of the human CNS after stroke.
Gut microbiome and depression: what we know and what we need to know
Authors: Winter Gal , Hart Robert A. , Charlesworth Richard P.G. , Sharpley Christopher F.
Published: February 2018

Gut microbiome diversity has been strongly associated with mood-relating behaviours, including major depressive disorder (MDD). This association stems from the recently characterised bi-directional communication system between the gut and the brain, mediated by neuroimmune, neuroendocrine and sensory neural pathways. While the link between gut microbiome and depression is well supported by research, a major question needing to be addressed is the causality in the connection between the two, which will support the understanding of the role that the gut microbiota play in depression. In this article, we address this question by examining a theoretical ‘chronology’, reviewing the evidence supporting two possible sequences of events. First, we discuss that alterations in the gut microbiota populations of specific species might contribute to depression, and secondly, that depressive states might induce modification of specific gut microbiota species and eventually contribute to more severe depression. The feasibility of both sequences is supported by pre-clinical trials. For instance, research in rodents has shown an onset of depressive behaviour following faecal transplantations from patients with MDD. On the other hand, mental induction of stress and depressive behaviour in rodents resulted in reduced gut microbiota richness and diversity. Synthesis of these chronology dynamics raises important research directions to further understand the role that gut microbiota play in mood-relating behaviours, which holds substantial potential clinical outcomes for persons who experience MDD or related depressive disorders.
Experimental models of focal and multifocal cerebral ischemia: a review
Authors: Meadows Kristy L.
Published: February 2018

Rodent and rabbit stroke models have been instrumental in our current understanding of stroke pathophysiology; however, translational failure is a significant problem in preclinical ischemic stroke research today. There are a number of different focal cerebral ischemia models that vary in their utility, pathophysiology of causing disease, and their response to treatments. Unfortunately, despite active preclinical research using these models, treatment options for ischemic stroke have not significantly advanced since the food and drug administration approval of tissue plasminogen activator in 1996. This review aims to summarize current stroke therapies, the preclinical experimental models used to help develop stroke therapies, as well as their advantages and limitations. In addition, this review discusses the potential for naturally occurring canine ischemic stroke models to compliment current preclinical models and to help bridge the translational gap between small mammal models and human clinical trials.
Distance-correlation based gene set analysis in longitudinal studies
Authors: Sun Jiehuan , Herazo-Maya Jose D. , Huang Xiu , Kaminski Naftali , Zhao Hongyu
Published: February 2018

Longitudinal gene expression profiles of subjects are collected in some clinical studies to monitor disease progression and understand disease etiology. The identification of gene sets that have coordinated changes with relevant clinical outcomes over time from these data could provide significant insights into the molecular basis of disease progression and lead to better treatments. In this article, we propose a Distance-Correlation based Gene Set Analysis (dcGSA) method for longitudinal gene expression data. dcGSA is a non-parametric approach, statistically robust, and can capture both linear and nonlinear relationships between gene sets and clinical outcomes. In addition, dcGSA is able to identify related gene sets in cases where the effects of gene sets on clinical outcomes differ across subjects due to the subject heterogeneity, remove the confounding effects of some unobserved time-invariant covariates, and allow the assessment of associations between gene sets and multiple related outcomes simultaneously. Through extensive simulation studies, we demonstrate that dcGSA is more powerful of detecting relevant genes than other commonly used gene set analysis methods. When dcGSA is applied to a real dataset on systemic lupus erythematosus, we are able to identify more disease related gene sets than other methods.
Nonlinear Taylor rules: evidence from a large dataset
Authors: Ma Jun , Olson Eric , Wohar Mark E.
Published: February 2018

In this paper we estimate nonlinear Taylor rules over the 1986–2008 sample time period and augment the traditional Taylor rule by including principal components to better model Federal Reserve policy. Including principal components is useful in that they extract information about the overall economy from multiple economic indicators in a statistically optimal way. Additionally, given that uncertainty may influence Federal Reserve decisions, we incorporate an uncertainty index in the reaction function of the Federal Reserve. We find substantial evidence that the Federal Reserve responded to increases in macroeconomic uncertainty by cutting the Federal Funds rate over the sample period. We also find evidence that the Federal Reserve responded aggressively to increases in capacity utilization, especially when the inflation rate was above 2%.
From structure topology to chemical composition. XXV: new insights into the close packing of cations in the structures of the seidozerite-supergroup TS-block minerals
Authors: Sokolova Elena , Cámara Fernando
Published: February 2018

The titanium-silicate (TS) block is the main structural unit in the 45 seidozerite-supergroup minerals; it consists of a central O (O=Octahedral) sheet and two adjacent H (H=Heteropolyhedral) sheets where Si2O7 groups occur in the H sheets. The three HOH sheets of the TS block form a three-layered close packing of cations with an ABC repeat; mean cation–cation distances are 3.41 Å. Minerals of the seidozerite supergroup are divided into four groups based on the content of Ti and topology and stereochemistry of the TS block: in rinkite, bafertisite, lamprophyllite and murmanite groups, Ti (+Nb+Zr+Fe3++Mg+Mn)=1, 2, 3 and 4 apfu, respectively. All TS-block structures consist either solely of TS blocks or of two types of block: the TS block and an I (intermediate) block that comprises atoms between two TS blocks. The TS block propagates close packing of cations into the I block. There are two types of close-packed layers of cations in the I block: (I) a layer of Na+ and P5+ with mean cation–cation distances of 3.41 Å and (II) a layer of Ba2+ (+K+, Sr2+ and Na+) with mean cation–cation distances of 4.73 Å. The general topology of the TS block is independent of the topology and chemical composition of the I block. However direct interaction between TS and I blocks takes place in the crystal structures of jinshajiangite, bobshannonite, bafertisite, hejtmanite, delindeite and cámaraite. Interaction of Ba atoms in the I block and F (+O) atoms of the TS block results in doubling of the minimal translations, 2t
1 and 2t
2, and a concomitant change in symmetry of the structure from primitive to C-centered.
Single-crystal analysis of nanodomains by electron diffraction tomography: mineralogy at the order-disorder borderline
Authors: Mugnaioli Enrico , Gemmi Mauro
Published: February 2018

Electron diffraction tomography is a powerful emerging method for the structure characterization of materials available only as sub-micrometric grains. This technique can in fact deliver complete 3D information from a single crystal of few hundreds or few tens of nanometers, allowing the analysis of polyphasic or polytypic mixtures that generally cannot be fully addressed by X-ray methods. In this paper, we report and discuss three mineralogy-related study cases where electron diffraction tomography was the only way for achieving a proper description of the sample, by the identification and the structure determination of all the phases or all the polytypes within. We also show how electron diffraction tomography and dynamical refinement can be combined for finding accurate atomic positions and localizing hydrogen atoms at room conditions. Finally, we stress the future potential of this method in the fields of mineralogy and experimental petrology, where till now many samples cannot be properly described because nanocrystalline, polyphasic or disordered. Electron diffraction tomography can be used for detecting unexpected or unknown phases in high-pressure synthetic yields or for the characterization of fine rocks formed under extreme conditions, like impactites or meteorites. Eventually, this method allows the structure characterization of single domains that are ordered only at the scale of few cell repetitions, and therefore it makes possible investigating those materials at the borderline between crystalline and amorphous matter and delivers crucial and unique elements for the understanding of the first stages of solid matter organization.
A sejten kívüli szabad DNS felszabadulásának és degradációjának in vivo elemzése
Authors: Barták Barbara Kinga , Nagy Zsófia Brigitta , Spisák Sándor , Tulassay Zsolt , Dank Magdolna , Igaz Péter , Molnár Béla
Published: February 2018

Abstract:

Introduction: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was first detected in human plasma in the 1940s, but the knowledge on its regulation and rate of release is incomplete. CfDNA can originate from both normal and tumour cells. Aim: Our aims were to investigate the rate of cfDNA’s release in SHO mice/HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line xenograft model and to define the decay of methylated and non-methylated DNA fragments in C57BL/6 bloodstream. Method: SHO mice were xenografted with human HT-29 cells, than blood samples were collected over 2 months. CfDNA was isolated, then quantified by real-time PCR with highly specific genomic and mitochondrial human and mouse primer sets. This method permitted to define the ratio of human/mouse DNA. To assess the degradation rate of cfDNA, 3000 bp sized methylated and non-methylated DNA fragments were injected into healthy and C38 tumour-cell vaccinated C57BL/6 mice’s bloodstream. The decay of amplicons was measured with 19 PCR assays. Results: The amount of human DNA until the 2nd week was below the limit of detection. From the third week, a continuous growth was experienced, which reached 18.26% by the 8th week. Moreover, it was found that in healthy animals the non-methylated DNA disappears from the plasma after 6 hours, while the methylated fragment was detectable even after 24 hours. In animals with tumour, both amplicons were detectable after 24 hours. Conclusion: The examination of the role and mechanism of cfDNA shows an increasing level of interest. This work can contribute to a better understanding of the release and degradation of cfDNA. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(6): 223–233.
Pszichiátriai tünetekkel jelentkező neuroszifilisz négyéves utánkövetése
Authors: Tombor László , Salacz Pál , Jankelovics Éva , Hidasi Zoltán
Published: February 2018

Abstract:

The authors present a case of neurosyphilis associated with predominant psychiatric symptoms. The elderly man was admitted because of confused behavior, maniform state, lack of critical judgement and grandiose delusions. On admission, right central facial nerve paresis, hand tremor and parkinsonism were also found. Acute brain imaging and routine laboratory tests failed to identify a firm etiology of the confusional state. The psychiatric treatment resulted in complete recovery from delirium. Afterwards, maniform psychosis dominated the clinical picture for which antipsychotics were administered. Later, rapid cognitive deterioration and progression of motor symptoms were observed. MRI revealed cortical and hippocampal atrophy and white matter hyperintensities. Lumbar puncture found pleocytosis and elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein levels. Neurosyphilis had been confirmed by serologic tests. The cognitive symptoms improved and the psychiatric symptoms remitted under penicillin treatment. Four years after diagnosis, there is a gradual progression in the cognitive decline. Two additional hospitalizations were necessary due to the relapses of psychiatric symptoms. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(6): 234–238.