bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of protein synthesis in Drosophila larvae using puromycin labelling
Authors: Deliu Lisa P. , Ghosh Abhishek , Grewal Savraj S.
Published: June 2017

Translational control of gene expression is an important regulator of growth, homeostasis and aging in Drosophila. The ability to measure changes in protein synthesis in response to genetic and environmental cues is therefore important in studying these processes. Here we describe a simple and cost effective approach to assay protein synthesis in Drosophila larval cells and tissues. The method is based on the incorporation of puromycin into nascent peptide chains. Using an ex vivo approach, we label newly synthesized peptides in larvae with puromycin and then measure levels of new protein synthesis using an anti-puromycin antibody. We show that this method can detect changes in protein synthesis in specific cells and tissues in the larvae, either by immunostaining or western blotting. We find that the assay reliably detects changes in protein synthesis induced by two known stimulators of mRNA translation - the nutrient/TORC1 kinase pathway and the transcription factor dMyc. We also use the assay to describe how protein synthesis changes through larval development and in response to two environmental stressors - hypoxia and heat-shock. We propose that this puromycin-labelling assay is a simple, but robust method to detect protein synthesis changes at the levels of cells, tissues or whole body in Drosophila.
SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE SOUL. CRIME AND REPENTANCE IN APOPHTHEGMATA PATRUM
Authors: VASILEIOU Fotis
Published: June 2017

«ΣΥΜΦΕΡΕΙ Τῌ ΨΥΧῌ»ΑΜΑΡΤΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΤΑΝΟΙΑ ΣΤΑ ΑΠΟΦΘΕΓΜΑΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΤΕΡΩΝΤὸ ἄρθρο ἀναφέρεται στὴν πεποίθηση χριστιανῶν καὶ ἐθνικῶν τοῦ5ου αἰώνα, ὅτι ἡ Ἐκκλησία ὑποδεχόταν στοὺς κόλπους της ὅλουςἀνεξαιρέτως τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς, ἀκόμα καὶ ἐκείνους ποὺ βαρύνονταν μὲεἰδεχθῆ ἐγκλήματα, καὶ τοὺς παρεῖχε τὴν εὐκαιρία νὰ βροῦν συγχώρηση.Ἑστιάζοντας στὴν διήγηση τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀπολλὼ τοῦ Σκητιώτη ἐξετάζεταιὁ τρόπος ποὺ ἐπέδρασε ἡ ἰδέα τῆς μετάνοιας κυρίως στὴ ζωὴ τῶν ἁπλῶνἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ στάση τῶν ἀσκητῶν ἀπέναντι στὸ δικαϊκὸσύστημα τῆς Αὐτοκρατορίας. Ὁ «ἀγροῖκος» Ἀπολλὼ μετὰ ἀπὸ ἕναἀποτρόπαιο ἔγκλημα ἐγκατέλειψε τὰ ἐγκόσμια καὶ βρῆκε καταφύγιοστὴ Σκήτη. Ἐκεῖ μέσω τοῦ σκληροῦ ἀσκητικοῦ κανόνα ποὺ ἐπέβαλεστὸν ἑαυτό του, κατάφερε ὄχι μόνο νὰ νιώσει ὅτι συγχωρήθηκε, ἀλλὰ νὰἐνταχθεῖ πλήρως στὴν ἀναχωρητικὴ κοινότητα καὶ να διαμορφώσει μιὰνέα ταυτότητα, ἐκείνη τοῦ «ἀββᾶ» Ἀπολλώ.
Guaranteed Minimum Income ‘à la Grecque’: The chronicle of a long-awaited scheme
Authors: Lalioti Varvara
Published: June 2017

This article chronicles the history of the guaranteed minimum income (GMI) in Greece, a third-generation social assistance scheme targeted at individuals and families facing extreme poverty. Greece has only recently experimented with the scheme, with full nationwide implementation being expected in January 2017. Drawing on an extensive range of primary and secondary sources and interviews with key stakeholders, the article first highlights how the indifferent and segmented attitudes of political parties, within an environment marked by the hesitant attitude or even absence from the GMI debate of other types of social and political actors who had influenced that debate in other countries, led to long-term inertia over the GMI. Moreover, the relatively recent decision to implement the scheme should be viewed in the light of the severe implications of the crisis and austerity measures. The article additionally focuses on the evaluation of the GMI pilot programme and shows how, despite its obvious utility, the evaluation underscores chronic problems of the Greek state, such as the improvisatory nature of policy-making, including the lack of an effective design for the evaluation process itself.
Charalampos Economou Barriers and facilitating factors in access to health services in Greece World Health Organization, Regional office for Europe, Copenhagen, 2015
Authors: Pantazopoulos Stavros
Published: June 2017

No abstract
Epithelial spindle orientation diversities and uncertainties: recent developments and lingering questions
Authors: Seldin Lindsey , Macara Ian
Published: June 2017

Mitotic spindle orientation is a conserved, dynamic, and highly complex process that plays a key role in dictating the cleavage plane, fate, and positioning of cells within a tissue, therefore laying the blueprint for tissue structure and function. While the spindle-positioning pathway has been extensively studied in lower-model organisms, research over the past several years has highlighted its relevance to mammalian epithelial tissues. Although we continue to gain critical insights into the mechanisms underlying spindle positioning, many uncertainties persist. In this commentary, we will review the protein interactions that modulate spindle orientation and we will present important recent findings that underscore epithelial tissue-specific requirements and variations in this important pathway, as well as its potential relevance to cancer.
Percutaneous cement augmentation for osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Authors: Sebaaly Amer , Rizkallah Maroun , Bachour Falah , Atallah Firas , Moreau Pierre Emmanuel , Maalouf Ghassan
Published: June 2017

Thoracolumbar vertebral fracture incidents usually occur secondary to a high velocity trauma in young patients and to minor trauma or spontaneously in older people. Osteoporotic vertebral fractures are the most common osteoporotic fractures and affect one-fifth of the osteoporotic population. Percutaneous fixation by ‘vertebroplasty’ is a tempting alternative for open surgical management of these fractures. Despite discouraging initial results of early trials for vertebroplasty, cement augmentation proved its superiority for the treatment of symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral fracture when compared with optimal medical treatment. Early intervention is also gaining ground recently. Kyphoplasty has the advantage over vertebroplasty of reducing kyphosis and cement leak. Stentoplasty, a new variant of cement augmentation, is also showing promising outcomes. In this review, we describe the additional techniques of cement augmentation, stressing the important aspects for success, and recommend a thorough evaluation of thoracolumbar fractures in osteoporotic patients to select eligible patients that will benefit the most from percutaneous augmentation. A detailed treatment algorithm is then proposed.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2:293–299. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160057
The Islamophobic Inheritance of the Resurrected Saint Paul: From F. C. Baur's Judeo-Christianity to the Event
Authors: Anya Topolski
Published: June 2017

It is my aim to demonstrate how the nineteenth-century theologian F. C. Baur's influence reappears in the resurrected Paul which has a central role in Badiou and Žižek's respective projects. This essay begins with a sketch of the historical, theological, and political context of F. C. Baur's writings. In a nutshell, Baur's Hegelian-inspired reading of Paul relies on the explicit distinction between Pauline (or Gentile) Christianity and Judeo-Christianity. I then move to a selection of Badiou and Žižek's writings on Paul in order to establish Baur's considerable influence. This influence is most tangible in their accounts of Paul's pivotal role as the militant revolutionary figure that brought about the paradigmatic Truth-Event. While much has been said of both Badiou and Žižek's antisemitism, not enough attention has been paid to its islamophobic inheritance.
Hashtag Comedy: From Muslim Rage to #Muslimrage
Authors: Liz Sills
Published: June 2017

After Newsweek published an article in 2012 entitled “Muslim Rage and the Last Gasp of Islamic Hate,” Twitter proliferated with jokes under the hashtag #MuslimRage. These funny one-liners acted as rebuttals to the negative affect of the Newsweek article by opposing its images of uncontrolled ideological anger with funny quips about the innocuous nature of everyday Muslim life. This analysis argues that #MuslimRage tweets became sensational because of their unique form of argumentation through humor that could only happen through Twitter. Because tweets are iconic and enthymematic, they make arguments that function as a form of individualized, massively resonant counterpropaganda. For Muslims, digital jokes created cognitive space of action that directly combated negative stereotyping and public ridicule.
Effect of Different Mordants on Cotton Cloth Dyed with Aspergillus and Penicillium Dyes
Authors: Suciatmih Suciatmih , Hidayat Iman
Published: June 2017

Natural dyes are an important alternative to potentially harmful synthetic dyes. This research was conducted using three kinds of Aspergillus dyes and six kinds of Penicillium dyes. In this study, Aspergillus and Penicillium were grown in mineral salts glucose medium. Premordanting technique was followed using different mordants, namely alum, CaCO3, CuSO4 5H2O, FeSO4 7H2O, K2Cr2O7 and MnSO4 H2O on cotton cloth. The colour of filtrate and range of colours developed on dyed materials were measured by RHS colour chart. The results indicated that the colour of dyed cloth was influenced by the addition of mordants, andÂ  different shades were obtained from the same dye filtrate using different mordants. FeSO4 7H2O was found as the most influential mordant. The present study shows a new source of fungal dyes, which can be used as an alternative for dyeing cloth.
Comparative study of cloud platforms to develop a Chatbot
Authors: Patil Amit , K Marimuthu , A Nagaraja Rao , R Niranchana
Published: June 2017

Before chatbots there were simply bots: The invention of a chatbot brought us to the new era of technology, the era of conversation service. A chatbot is a virtual person that can effectively talk to any human being with the help of interactive conversion textual skill. Now a days there are many cloud-based platforms available for developing and deploying the chatbot such as Microsoft bot framework, IBM Watson, Kore, AWS lambda, Microsoft Azure bot service, Chatfuel, Heroku and many more but all those techniques has some drawbacks such as built-in Artificial Intelligence, NLP, conversion service, programming etc. This paper represents the comparison between all cloud-based chatbot technologies with some constraint such as built-in AI, setup time, completion time, complexity etc. Finally, by the comparison, we will get to know that which cloud platform is efficient and suitable for developing chatbot.
Projekcja ortograficznych form wewnątrzwyrazowych grup spółgłoskowych na transkrypcję fonologiczną na potrzeby systemu dzielenia na sylaby wyrazów języka polskiego
Authors: Śledziński Daniel
Published: June 2017

W niniejszym artykule omówiono moduł, który jest częścią rozwijanego systemu dzielenia na sylaby dla języka polskiego. Zadanie tego modułu polega na odwzorowaniu wewnątrzwyrazowych grup spółgłoskowych zapisanych w formie ortograficznej na zapis w transkrypcji fonologicznej. Odwzorowanie jest bardzo precyzyjne – poszczególne litery zapisu ortograficznego wewnątrzwyrazowych grup spółgłoskowych są przypisane do poszczególnych fonemów. Podstawowy cel omawianego modułu związany jest z potrzebą stosowania zasad fonologicznych (zasady sonorności oraz zasady maksymalnego nagłosu) w odniesieniu do wyrazów ortograficznych. Te zasady bazują na fonologicznej skali sonorności, która przypisuje do dźwięków mowy abstrakcyjne wartości liczbowe. Te wartości odzwierciedlają cechy fonetyczne właściwe dla poszczególnych dźwięków mowy – przede wszystkim stopień rozwarcia narządów artykulacyjnych. W języku polskim występują złożone relacje między płaszczyzną ortograficzną i płaszczyzną fonologiczną. Dlatego przypisywanie wartości sonorności bezpośrednio do liter ortograficznych nie jest możliwe.
European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS)
Authors: Makaronidis Alexandre
Published: June 2017

This article represents solely the views of its author. It is based on a transcript of a speech delivered at the international workshop on “Which accounting regulation for Europe’s economy and society?” organised under the auspices of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on 20 May 2015, in tribute to Mr Jérôme Haas (1963–2014), first chairman of the Accounting Standards Authority of France (ANC).
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a risk marker in cardiovascular disease
Authors: Sivalingam Zenthuja , Larsen Sanne Bøjet , Grove Erik Lerkevang , Hvas Anne-Mette , Kristensen Steen Dalby , Magnusson Nils Erik
Published: June 2017

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a promising diagnostic biomarker of early acute kidney injury. Increasing evidence suggests that NGAL may also be involved in inflammatory processes in cardiovascular disease. NGAL modulates the enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which is an important mediator of plaque instability in atherosclerosis. The complex formation between NGAL and MMP-9 therefore suggests that NGAL might play a role in progression of atherothrombotic disease. This review summarises current data on NGAL in atherosclerosis, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure.
Towards a dynamic behavioral profile: A diachronic study of polysemous sentir in Spanish
Authors: Jansegers Marlies , Gries Stefan Th.
Published: June 2017

This study examines the diachronic evolution of the polysemy of the Spanish verbsentir(‘to feel’) by means of a corpus-based dynamic behavioral profile (BP) analysis. Methodologically, it presents the first application of the BP approach to historical data and proposes some methodological innovations not only within the current body of research in historical semantics but also with regard to previous applications of the BP approach. First, whereas the majority of existing studies in quantitative historical semantics are largely based on observed frequencies or percentages of collocational co-occurrence, our study leverages more complex historical data that are based on the similarities of vectors. Second, this study also provides an extension of the methodological apparatus of the BP approach by complementing the traditional hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HAC) with a dynamic BP approach derived from multidimensional scaling maps (MDS). Theoretically, this methodology contributes to a comprehensive perspective on the process of Constructionalization and the nature of networks, which is illustrated on the basis of the development of the Discourse Marker (DM)lo siento(‘I’m sorry’).
An exponential-related function for decision-making in engineering and management
Authors: Aikhuele Daniel O. , Turan Faiz Mohd
Published: June 2017

An intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS model, which is based on an exponential-related function (IF-TOPSIS) and a fuzzy entropy method, has been proposed in this study. The exponential-related function, which represents the aggregated effect of positive and negative evaluations in the performance ratings of the alternatives, based on the intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) data. Serves, as a computational tool for measuring the separation distance of decision alternatives from the intuitionistic fuzzy positive and negative ideal solution to determine the relative closeness coefficient. The main advantage of this new approach is that (1) it uses a subjective and objective based approach for the computation of the criteria weight and (2) its simplicity both in its concept and computational procedures. The proposed method has successfully been implemented for the evaluation of some engineering designs related problems including the selection of a preferred floppy disk from a group of design alternatives, the selection of the best concept design for a new air-conditions system and finally, the selection of a preferred mouse from a group of alternatives as a reference for a new design. Also, for each of the three case studies, the method has been compared with some similar computational approaches.
Innate immunity orchestrates adipose tissue homeostasis
Authors: Lin Yi-Wei , Wei Li-Na
Published: June 2017

Obesity is strongly associated with multiple diseases including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver disease, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers, etc. Adipose tissue (AT), mainly brown AT (BAT) and white AT (WAT), is an important metabolic and endocrine organ that maintains whole-body homeostasis. BAT contributes to non-shivering thermogenesis in a cold environment; WAT stores energy and produces adipokines that fine-tune metabolic and inflammatory responses. Obesity is often characterized by over-expansion and inflammation of WAT where inflammatory cells/mediators are abundant, especially pro-inflammatory (M1) macrophages, resulting in chronic low-grade inflammation and leading to insulin resistance and metabolic complications. Macrophages constitute the major component of innate immunity and can be activated as a M1 or M2 (anti-inflammatory) phenotype in response to environmental stimuli. Polarized M1 macrophage causes AT inflammation, whereas polarized M2 macrophage promotes WAT remodeling into the BAT phenotype, also known as WAT browning/beiging, which enhances insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. This review will discuss the regulation of AT homeostasis in relation to innate immunity.
Survey about Classical and Innovative Definitions of the Power Quantities Under Nonsinusoidal Conditions
Authors: Bucci Giovanni , Ciancetta Fabrizio , Fiorucci Edoardo , Ometto Antonio
Published: June 2017

Today, electric power and energy measurements are widely required, practically in all the research, industrial and consumer applications. Power measurements are of importance primarily for the test, monitoring and maintenance of energy supply networks and electric equipment. The measurement of both electric power and energy is a still open research problem in the electrical engineering community. Phenomena like harmonic distortion, noise, transients, over-voltages and voltage dips have increased the difficulty in achieving accurate measurements, compared with the case of sinusoidal signals. Many of the non-active power component definitions that have been proposed cannot be implemented in the traditional electro-mechanical or solid-state meters, but require the adoption of more expensive and time-consuming digital techniques; recently, some new approaches for the definition of power quantities have been investigated. In this paper, a survey of the classical and innovative definitions is proposed, with the aim of summarize the different points of view outlined by the researchers. A case study of power factor correction in nonsinusoidal conditions is also presented, to give a numerical comparison about the power quantities measured according to the various approaches.
Relational Autonomy and Perfectionism
Authors: Stoljar Natalie
Published: June 2017

Joseph Raz’s The Morality of Freedom (1986) is well known for defending both a perfectionist form of liberalism and an ‘externalist’ conception of autonomy. John Christman proposes that there is a logical connection between the two theses and argues that externalist accounts of autonomy should be rejected on the basis that they are perfectionist. Christman’s perfectionism argument contains two premises: (i) externalist theories of autonomy entail political perfectionism and (ii) political perfectionism is not defensible. I argue that neither premise is true. Externalist theories of autonomy do not entail political perfectionism. Further, even assuming for the sake of argument that premise (i) is true, premise (ii) is false. The strongest challenge to political perfectionism is that it is incompatible with the value of respect. I argue that those defending political perfectionism misconstrue what is required for respect. Once we see that respect is secured through features inherent in processes, the value of respect can be reconciled with political perfectionism. Political perfectionism is a defensible thesis and premise (ii) is false.
Construction mediation and its hybridization: the case of the Hong Kong construction industry
Authors: Ng Pui-Lam , Banaitis Audrius
Published: June 2017

In view of the sophisticated nature of construction disputes, specialized dispute resolution mechanisms are of pivotal importance to the satisfactory settlement between disputing parties. Among the various construction dispute resolution mechanisms, mediation has been increasingly gaining recognition and acceptance. Its hybrid, namely mediation–arbitration (med-arb), has also emerged and has started receiving attention and appreciation. With special reference to the construction industry practice in Hong Kong, a commentary on the respective merits and demerits of construction mediation and construction med-arb, as well as the ways forward, are presented in this article.
The reaction of stock market returns to unemployment
Authors: Gonzalo Jesús , Taamouti Abderrahim
Published: June 2017

We empirically investigate the short-run impact of
Die verschleierte Konzernrichtlinie
Authors: Tarde Andreas
Published: June 2017

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Heritable Micro-environmental Variance Covaries with Fitness in an Outbred Population of Drosophila serrata
Authors: Sztepanacz Jacqueline L , McGuigan Katrina , Blows Mark W
Published: June 2017

The genetic basis of stochastic variation within a defined environment, and the consequences of such micro-environmental variance for fitness are poorly understood. Using a multigenerational breeding design in Drosophila serrata, we demonstrated that the micro-environmental variance in a set of morphological wing traits in a randomly mating population had significant additive genetic variance in most single wing traits. Although heritability was generally low (<1%), coefficients of additive genetic variance were of a magnitude typical of other morphological traits, indicating that the micro-environmental variance is an evolvable trait. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that the micro-environmental variance in wings was genetically correlated among single traits, indicating that common mechanisms of environmental buffering exist for this functionally related set of traits. In addition, through the dominance genetic covariance between the major axes of micro-environmental variance and fitness, we demonstrated that micro-environmental variance shares a genetic basis with fitness, and that the pattern of selection is suggestive of variance-reducing selection acting on micro-environmental variance.
From Suspicion and Accommodation to Structural Transformation: Enhanced Scholarship through Enhanced Community-University Relations
Authors: Van Katwyk Trish , Case Robert A.
Published: June 2017

While substantial efforts are being made in some universities to democratize the production, ownership, and use of knowledge through partnership with the community, significant barriers to community-university partnership persist, maintained through inequitable research relations, reductionist definitions of knowledge, and disincentives for faculty who are interested in community-based scholarship. The perseverance of this disconnect, we argue, is indicative of an existential aversion to community that lies deep within the psyche of the university. We liken the aversion to that of a disgust response, a social response that creates distance from that which is perceived to be dangerous, which in this case serves to preserve the university’s privileged status as knowledge producer. In this paper we bring forward arguments for the importance of community-engaged scholarship to the university’s civic role, to the pursuit of knowledge, and to the principles of democracy. We highlight promising advances in how some universities are accommodating community partnership within their definitions of scholarship and academic production, and, drawing upon Gordon’s theory of structural transformation and Bourdieu’s conceptualization of agency and habitus, we consider how such changes might be brought about at a deeper, structural level within the university.
Amiodarone in cardiac transplant waiting list patients with severe heart failure
Authors: Koloskova N. N. , Poptsov V. N. , Salikhova G. M.
Published: June 2017

Heart transplantation is the «gold standard» of severe heart failure treatment. Sudden arrhythmic death is the leading cause of death among these patients. Amiodarone is the only antiarrhythmic drug with beneficial effect on survival of patients with end-stage heart failure. Given its long half-life, pre-transplant use of amiodarone has been extensively discussed focusing on divergent results regarding morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation. Its adverse clinical events after transplantation remain debatable. This review is aimed at evaluation of the impact of amiodarone pretransplant use on mortality and complications after heart transplantation.
Comparative analysis of diagnostic significance of biomarkers’ panels in cardiac recipients in the long term period after transplantation
Authors: Shevchenko O. P. , Aksyonova A. V. , Ulybysheva А. А. , Mozheiko N. P. , Nikitina E. A. , Orlov V. I. , Stakhanova E. A. , Shevchenko А. О.
Published: June 2017

Aim. To perform comparative analysis of the diagnostic efficacy of sCD40L, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A and ST2 in recipients with cardiac rejection in different periods after transplantation. Materials and methods. The study included 144 cardiac recipients aged from 12 to 71 (mean age 44 ± 14) years old, among those 112 were men. Venous blood plasma taken on the same day with endomyocardial biopsy was used for the study. The concentrations of soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) were measured using xMAP technology. The concentrations of ST2 were measured by ELISA. Results. Men had significantly higher levels of ST2 and VEGF-A compared to women (p = 0.03). No correlation was found between the levels of biomarkers (sCD40L, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, ST2) and age, diagnosis before transplantation, presence of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Comparative analysis of the biomarkers’ levels didn’t show significant difference between patients with heart transplant rejection and without it in the first month and in the first year after transplantation. The ST2 level was significantly higher in patients with heart rejection (p = 0.01) in the long term period (1–5 years) after transplantation compared to patients without rejection. Relative risk of cardiac transplant rejection was significantly higher in patients with high (>22.8 ng/ml) ST2 level (RR = 2.59 ± 0.33; Se – 35%, Sp – 93%). However, its combination with other biomarkers improved their diagnostic value. Relative risk for panel including ST2, VEGF-A and PDGF-BB 3.47 ± 0.55, Se – 57%, Sp – 91%; relative risk for panel including ST2, sCD40L and PDGF-BB was 3.75 ± 0.59, Se – 50%, Sp – 92%. The highest diagnostic efficacy for the heart transplant rejection was reached by a panel of biomarkers that included ST2 and PDGF-BB (RR = 5.0 ± 0.56 [95% CI 1.68–14.92], Se – 63%, Sp – 94%). Conclusion. ST2 had the biggest diagnostic value for heart transplant rejection in the long term period after heart transplantation. Its usage as a part of complex tests with other biomarkers improves the sensitivity of noninvasive diagnosis of the cardiac rejection. The highest diagnostic significance for cardiac transplant rejection in the long term period was shown by a panel of ST2 and PDGF-BB.
Everolimus in clinical practice after liver transplantation: a single-center experience
Authors: Gerasimova O. A. , Granov D. A. , Zherebtsov F. K.
Published: June 2017

Aim. Single-center analysis of everolimus treatment after liver transplantation. Materials and methods. 23 patients having received Certican after OLT in RSCRST were observed in period from 6 months to 5 years; comparison group consisted of 50 patients who received immunosuppressive scheme with tacrolimus. Conversion to everolimus was performed in the period from 1 month after OLT after discharge and at later time according to the indications: hepatocellular cancer, cumulative CNI nephrotoxicity, the development of malignancies, and intolerance to CNI. The concentrations of CNI and everolimus in the blood (target concentration of tacrolimus 1.5–2 ng/ml, everolimus 3–8 ng/ml) were monitored. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was determined using the CKD-EPI equation. Adverse events of everolimus were evaluated. Results. The immunosuppressive scheme with everolimus is presented; adverse events with dose-dependent hypercholesterolemia (34.7%) as the main; the average level of blood cholesterol was not significantly different from that in the control group, 5.6 ± 0.9 vs 5.1 ± 1.4 mmol/l (Z = 1.3, p = 0.17). Renal function was stable throughout the observation period (35 ± 16 months). GFR (CKD-EPI) before conversion was 75.8 ± 17.5 ml/min. 6 patients treated with Certican for 5 years had final GFR 96.6 ± 5.1 ml/min. GFR in the group of Certican at 12 months post conversion was 87.5 ± 16.3 ml/min vs 94.2 ± 16.8 ml/min (p = 0.08) in the control group. We revealed metastases to the liver and lungs in 5 patients from 13 patients with HCC, survival rate in this group depended on the compliance with the Milan criteria (Z = 2.4, p = 0.02). Conclusion. Everolimus allows maintaining of a stable renal function to prevent progression of renal failure; conversion should be initiated as early as possible. Combination of everolimus with reduced dose of CNI is optimal. Despite the fact that side effects are developing in most patients, adequate monitoring of immunosuppressive drug concentration and timely dose adjustments are able to reduce their severity, discontinuation of Certican is not required.
Right lobe liver transplantation in patient with fulminant form of the Wilson’s disease from AB0-incompatible relative donor
Authors: Monakhov A. R. , Tsiroulnikova O. M. , Dzhanbekov T. A. , Dzhiner D. , Pashkova I. E. , Mozheiko N. P. , Khizroev K. M. , Gautier S. V.
Published: June 2017

Wilson’s disease is a rare congenital disease caused by deficiency of the copper-transporting P-type ATPase-B enzyme. The course of disease varies widely from the latent form to the acute liver failure which is observed in 5% of Wilson’s disease cases. This clinical case represents experience of liver transplantation as the only curative treatment for patients with fulminant form of Wilson’s disease demonstrating excellent postoperative results. Living donor liver transplantation allows performing the operation in the shortest possible time which is necessary in acute liver failure. The plasmapheresis with plasma exchange AB (IV) allows preparing the patient for transplantation with incompatible blood group.
High phenotypic variability in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease
Authors: Smid Jerusa , Studart Neto Adalberto , Landemberger Michele Christine , Machado Cleiton Fagundes , Nóbrega Paulo Ribeiro , Canedo Nathalie Henriques Silva , Schultz Rodrigo Rizek , Naslavsky Michel Satya , Rosemberg Sérgio , Kok Fernando , Chimelli Leila , Martins Vilma Regina , Nitrini Ricardo
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker is a genetic prion disease and the most common mutation is p.Pro102Leu. We report clinical, molecular and neuropathological data of seven individuals, belonging to two unrelated Brazilian kindreds, carrying the p.Pro102Leu. Marked differences among patients were observed regarding age at onset, disease duration and clinical presentation. In the first kindred, two patients had rapidly progressive dementia and three exhibited predominantly ataxic phenotypes with variable ages of onset and disease duration. In this family, age at disease onset in the mother and daughter differed by 39 years. In the second kindred, different phenotypes were also reported and earlier ages of onset were associated with 129 heterozygosis. No differences were associated with apoE genotype. In these kindreds, the codon 129 polymorphism could not explain the clinical variability and 129 heterozygosis was associated with earlier disease onset. Neuropathological examination in two patients confirmed the presence of typical plaques and PrPsc immunopositivity.
Revisiting head circumference of Brazilian newborns in public and private maternity hospitals
Authors: Amorim Maria do Socorro Teixeira , Melo Aurea Nogueira de
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT Objective To revisit the head circumference (HC) of newborns in public and private maternity hospitals; to correlate our findings with the gestational age, gender, and type of delivery; and build and validate graphs and curves. Methods This was a prospective study performed on healthy newborns. Differences in HC were analyzed as a function of gestational age, gender, the healthcare system and the type of delivery. Smoothed percentile curves were created using the least mean squares method. Results Of the included newborns, 697 were born in private maternity hospitals and 2,150 were born in public maternity hospitals. In all, 839 were born by vaginal delivery, and 1,311 were born by cesarean delivery. At 37 to 42 weeks of gestation, male newborns had a larger HC than females. Infants born in private maternity and those born by cesarean delivery had a larger HC. Conclusion An important result of the present study is that our analyses allowed us to generate curves and statistically-validated graphs that can be used in clinical neonatal practice.
Is there a relationship between narcolepsy, multiple sclerosis and HLA-DQB1*06:02?
Authors: Lorenzoni Paulo José , Werneck Lineu Cesar , Crippa Ana Christina de Souza , Zanatta Alessandra , Kay Cláudia S. Kamoi , Silvado Carlos Eduardo S. , Scola Rosana Herminia
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT We studied multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with the HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele and compared them with MS patients who did not carry the HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele. We analyzed clinical and neurophysiological criteria for narcolepsy in six MS patients with HLA-DQB1*06:02, compared with 12 MS patients who were HLA-DQB1*06:02 non-carriers. Only two patients with HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele scored higher than 10 on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Polysomnography recording parameters and the multiple sleep latency test showed an absence of narcolepsy in the study group. Our study suggested no significant correlation between narcolepsy, MS and HLA-DQB1*06:02. The HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele alone was not sufficient to cause MS patients to develop narcolepsy.
ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA USED AS BIOINOCULANTS IN MICROPROPAGATED BANANA SEEDLINGS
Authors: SOUZA GLEIKA LARISSE OLIVEIRA DORASIO DE , SILVA DEIVISSON FERREIRA DA , NIETSCHE SILVIA , XAVIER ADELICA APARECIDA , PEREIRA MARLON CRISTIAN TOLEDO
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT The use of bio-fertilizers and microbial inoculants that promote plant growth and increased yield has been accepted as an alternative to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of plant growth promoting bacteria inoculation on growth and quality of micropropagated banana seedlings ‘Prata Anã’. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications and the treatments consisted of 24 isolates of endophytic bacteria. The isolates EB-50 (Bacillus sp.) and EB-133 (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) characterized as diazotrophic, the EB-51 (Bacillus pumilus) indicate for inorganic phosphate solubilization and EB-55(Bacillus subtilis) and EB-40 (Bacillus sp.) indole-3-acetic acid producers have provided significant increases for length, pseudostem diameter, fresh masses and dry masses in ‘Prata Anã’ micropropagated banana seedlings.
Incidence of colorectal cancer in young patients
Authors: CAMPOS FÁBIO GUILHERME C. M. DE , FIGUEIREDO MARLENY NOVAES , MONTEIRO MARIANE , NAHAS SÉRGIO CARLOS , CECCONELLO IVAN
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT Sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) is traditionally diagnosed after de sixth decade of life, although a small percentage of cases are diagnosed in patients under 40 years of age, and incidence is increasing. There exists a great volume of controversy regarding clinical outcome of young patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) when compared to elder counterparts. Our aims were to evaluate the rate of CRC in young patients, to review the pertaining literature and to discuss outcomes and clinical prognosis. A retrospective review involving patients with CRC was undertaken, focusing on age at diagnosis. The information extracted from this literature review showed a trend towards a decreased incidence in older people with an opposite effect among adolescents and young adults. Moreover, biological aggressiveness in young adults diagnosed with CRC has not been fully recognized, although it is usually diagnosed later and in association with adverse histological features. Besides that, these features don't affect outcome. These apparent increase in CRC incidence among young patients during the last decades raises the need for a greater suspicious when evaluating common symptoms in this group. Thus, educational programs should widespread information for both population and physicians to improve prevention and early diagnosis results.
Immediate reconstruction with autologous fat grafting: influence in loco regional recurrence in breast cancer
Authors: STUMPF CAMILE CESA , BIAZUS JORGE VILLANOVA , ZUCATTO FERNANDO SCHUH ÂNGELA ERGUY , CERICATTO RODRIGO , CAVALHEIRO JOSÉ ANTÔNIO CRESPO , DAMIN ANDREA PIRES SOUTO , MELO MÁRCIA PORTELA
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate local and systemic recurrence of breast cancer in patients submitted to autologous fat grafting in the immediate reconstruction after conservative surgery for breast cancer. Methods: this is a historical cohort study comparing 167 patients submitted to conservative surgery without reconstruction (conservative surgery group) with 27 patients submitted to conservative treatment with immediate graft reconstruction, following the Coleman's technique (lipofilling group). All patients had invasive carcinoma and were operated by a single surgeon from 2004 to 2011. The postoperative follow-up time was 36 months. Results: the overall incidence of local recurrence was 2.4%. No patient in the lipofilling group had local recurrence during the study period. For systemic recurrence, the rates obtained were 3.7% (one patient) for the fat grafting group and 1.8% (three patients) for the conservative surgery group without reconstruction. Conclusion: there was no significant difference for local or systemic recurrence in the groups studied. Immediate autologous fat grafting appears to be a safe procedure.
Literacia Pré-Escolar e Desempenho na Leitura na Instrução Primária
Authors: Pinto Patrícia , Lopes João A.
Published: June 2017

RESUMO A literacia pré-escolar tem recebido uma crescente atenção. Neste estudo, participaram 70 crianças que iniciaram o 1.º ano de escolaridade no ano letivo 2009/10 e que, na educação pré-escolar, frequentaram três instituições com abordagens diferenciadas de leitura e de escrita. O estudo inclui quatro medidas repetidas no tempo nas áreas da fonologia, reconhecimento de letras, palavras e velocidade de leitura. Os resultados sugerem que a abordagem específica à leitura na educação pré-escolar condiciona o desempenho da leitura na instrução primária. Contudo, essa influência parece ser atenuada com o tempo. Por outro lado, verificou-se que sujeitos que receberam instrução direta de leitura em idade pré-escolar (mas não treino fonológico) obtêm resultados significativamente superiores em tarefas fonológicas aos de sujeitos que receberam treino fonológico prolongado (mas não de leitura).
Participação da Família no Tratamento em Saúde Mental como Prática no Cotidiano do Serviço
Authors: Martins Pedro Pablo Sampaio , Guanaes-Lorenzi Carla
Published: June 2017

RESUMO Transformações na lógica do cuidado em saúde mental, no Brasil, deram início a um importante debate sobre o lugar da família no tratamento. No contexto desse debate, o presente artigo tem por objetivo compreender como familiares de pacientes de um Hospital-Dia constroem sentidos sobre sua participação no tratamento. Foram conduzidas 10 entrevistas. A análise temática realizada apontou para cinco formas de participação dos entrevistados no tratamento. São elas: cuidado à família, aprendizado sobre a doença mental, transformação das relações familiares, cuidado com o familiar em semi-internação e cuidado mútuo entre as famílias. Discutimos como a construção do apoio às famílias ocorre no cotidiano do serviço por meio do investimento na qualidade das relações entre profissionais, pacientes e familiares.
A comunicação de Más Notícias na UTI: Perspectiva dos Médicos
Authors: Monteiro Daniela Trevisan , Quintana Alberto Manuel
Published: June 2017

RESUMO Este estudo objetivou compreender o processo de comunicação de más notícias no contexto da uma Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo para adultos, na perspectiva dos médicos. Configurou-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório e descritivo. Os dados foram coletados a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas e observação registrada em diário de campo. Participaram 12 médicos de um hospital-escola do interior do Rio Grande do Sul. A análise foi realizada por meio da análise de conteúdo. Destacam-se dificuldades dos médicos em comunicar más notícias, bem como o uso de mecanismos de defesa para realizar essa tarefa. Considera-se necessário resgatar a importância da reflexão sobre a relação médico-familiar como prática diária tão importante para a medicina.
Processos Cognitivos Visuoespaciais e Ambiente Visual Circundante: Implicações Educacionais
Authors: Rodrigues Pedro F. S.
Published: June 2017

RESUMO Nesta revisão de literatura, abordamos a importância da atenção seletiva, da inibição e da memória de trabalho na aprendizagem das crianças. Começamos por apresentar as suas definições e principais mecanismos funcionais. Apresentamos igualmente conclusões de vários estudos que abordam a importância desses processos, sobretudo em tarefas visuoespaciais. Finalmente, abordamos o papel que o ambiente visual circundante desempenha na aprendizagem, chamando a atenção para uma lacuna que se verifica em grande parte dos estudos: a sua pouca validade ecológica. É também defendido que o ambiente visual externo deve ser considerado nos modelos explicativos dos processos cognitivos básicos. Conclui-se o trabalho alertando para a necessidade de se estudar de forma mais sistemática a relação entre estes dois elementos (cognição e ambiente).
O Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos e o caso da guerrilha do Araguaia: impactos no Brasil
Authors: Bernardi Bruno Boti
Published: June 2017

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é analisar como e por que a normatividade do Sistema Interamericano de Direitos Humanos (SIDH) sobre o tema da justiça de transição tem encontrado obstáculos para o seu impacto no Brasil. A partir de um desenho de pesquisa qualitativa que se baseou na realização de entrevistas, além da consulta a fontes secundárias e sentenças judiciais, argumenta-se que a ausência de Organizações Não Governamentais (ONGs) litigantes e com capacidade de atuação transnacional interessadas na agenda de justiça de transição compromete o impacto do SIDH. Além disso, a continuidade institucional do Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), bem como sua composição e cultura jurídica herdadas da ditadura, contribuíram para preservar a irrelevância do direito internacional dos direitos humanos dentro do tribunal e reforçar,no processo de revisão judicial, a prática do “positivismo à la carte”(Ventura, 2011), que extrapola a análise do texto escrito da lei e adota, convenientemente, outras matrizes exegéticas, como o método histórico utilizado durante o exame da Lei de Anistia, mesmo quando isso implica a manutenção do legado da legislação autoritária, da qual o STF erigiu-se como grande defensor junto das Forças Armadas.
Chemical composition, microbiological properties, and fatty acid profile of Italian-type salami with pork backfat substituted by emulsified canola oil
Authors: Backes Angela Maria , Cavalheiro Carlos Pasqualin , Stefanello Flávia Santi , Lüdtke Fernanda Luísa , Terra Nelcindo Nascimento , Fries Leadir Lucy Martins
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT: Vegetable oils have been used to substitute pork backfat to improve the fatty acid profile of fermented sausages. The aim of this study was to assess the chemical composition, microbiological properties, and fatty acid profile of Italian-type salami with pork backfat substituted (15% and 30%) by emulsified canola oil. Fat contents decreased while moisture contents increased in Italian-type salami with emulsified canola oil. The growth of lactic acid bacteria in salami was not affected by canola oil and absence of fecal coliforms, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Salmonella were reported during processing of fermented sausages. Lower levels of saturated fatty acids (SAFAs), higher levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were observed in salami with emulsified canola oil. Together, our results indicated that substituting pork backfat with emulsified canola oil improved the nutritional values of Italian-type salami.
Mechanical flexural ex vivo study of osteotomized swine femurs stabilized with two types of polyamide 12 rods
Authors: Almeida Juliana Scarpa da Silveira , Garcia Débora de Oliveira , Bortholin Renato Camargo , Razzino Carlos Amaral , Honsho Cristiane dos Santos , Dias Fernanda Gosuen Gonçalves , de Mattos-Junior Ewaldo , Dias Luis Gustavo Gosuen Gonçalves
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT: Long bone fractures are commonly in surgery routine and several bone imobilization techniques are currently available. Technological progress has enabled to use low cost materials in surgical procedures. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of polyamide 12 rods, solid and hollow in swine femurs, comparing them through flexion strength. This study had as second aim to fix the locking errors, commom place in interlocking nails, once polyamide 12 allows perforation in any direction by orthopaedic screw. Six groups were used: G1 - eight whole swine femurs; G2 - eight whole swine femurs with drilled medullary canal; G3 - two solid polyamide 12 rods; G4 - two hollow polyamide 12 rods; G5 - eight osteotomized drilled swine femurs with a solid polyamide 12 rod implanted in the medullary canal and locked by four 316L stainless steel screws; and G6 - similar to G5 but using hollow rods instead of solid ones. No significant differences were observed for the modulus of rupture between solid and hollow rods, demonstrating that both rods had similar performances. These results led to the speculation that the addition of other polymers to the hollow rods could increase their strength and thus the bone-implant system. Furthermore, the comparison between G1, G5 and G6 could be analyzed using the finite element method in future. New polymeric materials may be developed based on the data from this study, strengthening the bone-implant system and making possible screws to be placed in any direction, nullifying the detrimental forces on the fracture site.
Plant extract and essential oils added as antimicrobials to cheeses: a review
Authors: Gouvea Fabiola dos Santos , Rosenthal Amauri , Ferreira Elisa Helena da Rocha
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT: Cheese is a food that is highly susceptible to contamination by pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, which can result in a decrease in its shelf life and cause serious risks to the consumers’ health. Consumers always require healthy food, free of synthetic preservatives, inducing a search for natural alternatives to ensure safety of the products. Essential oils and plant extracts emerge as an alternative for aiding cheese preservation. Some substances have demonstrated good effects against most pathogens and cheese spoilage microorganisms. However, intrinsic and extrinsic factors may influence the actions of these compounds when incorporated into cheese, besides affecting the product characteristics. This review aims at discussing the antimicrobial efficiency of plant extracts and essential oils as well as the impact of their incorporation on lactic bacteria and the sensory characteristics of products.