bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The identity and self-perception of artists-managers
Authors: Szostak Michał , Sułkowski Łukasz
Published: March 2021

Manager’s and artist’s professional identities seem to be opposite, but there are many indications that this understanding is not justified in reality. Despite the contradictions, these two identities can intersect. The paper aims to define the characteristics of the artists-managers’ identity. The object of the study was qualitative research (n = 22) conducted in the form of in-depth interviews with key informants from the international environment. The practical objective was to verify common and contradicted features of the artist’s and the manager’s identities among artists-managers to understand the possibilities of reducing the intra-psychic tensions and ways of fruitful paradoxical thinking among managers and negative consequences for personalities and organizations. The study reveals common characteristics between the artist’s and manager’s identities and describes artists-managers’ identity. Although artists-managers experience diversity between both identities, they do not see them as contrary; they use paradoxical thinking, being experts in using personal seemingly contradictory characteristics to achieve outstanding performance. Acting in paradoxical contexts and focusing on the positive aspects of seemingly contradictory personal qualities, they find nonstandard creative solutions. By trying to understand and implement their self-construction, there is the possibility to reduce the intra-psychic tensions and negative consequences of seemingly opposite identities or goals among individuals in organizations. There is a synergy between the manager’s and artist’s identities. Understanding the nature and attributes of artistic creativity, aesthetic theories and the phenomenon of artist-manager’s identity can be a valuable contribution to the practice of management and organizational life.
A NANOTECNOLOGIA NO BRASIL E O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE PRODUTOS COM ATIVIDADE ANTIMICROBIANA
Authors: Dias Bruna , Ribeiro Erica , Gonçalves Ricardo , Oliveira Diego , Ferreira Tiago , Silva Breno
Published: March 2021

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN BRAZIL AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTS WITH ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY. Due to the tremendous technological potential and applicability in various industry branches, nanotechnology investments have been increasing over the years. In particular, the control of microorganisms using nanomaterials with antimicrobial action has aroused great interest in the industry. This control makes it necessary in the most diverse situations, such as food conservation, pharmaceutical industry, hospital environments, and even domestic and commercial environments. This extraordinary interest is due, in particular, to the physical-chemical characteristics of materials on a nanoscale that attributes greater efficiency in combating microorganisms. Therefore, researchers and entrepreneurs have directed investments and efforts towards developing new products and/or new applications for antimicrobial products already existing on the market. In this work, we made a brief presentation of the history of nanotechnology in Brazil with a focus on Brazilian companies that developed products or services with nanomaterials with antimicrobial action, and on the description of some of the existing applications in the Brazilian market, highlighting the productive potential of the parents.
Experimental Determination of Biologically Active Compounds in Pomace of Siberian Beet and Carrot
Authors: Kozhemayko Anastasia , Sergeeva Irina , Dolgolyuk Irina
Published: March 2021

Introduction. With the development of the food and processing industry, the matter of environmental pollution is becoming more

and more acute. Environmental protection is based on the principle of rational use of natural resources and sustainable technology. Vegetable pomace is a secondary raw material; its amount depends on the production technology and equipment. The observed

positive trend in the gross harvest of vegetables in open ground can increase the number of vegetable processing enterprises and

the capacity of existing enterprises. Eventually, waste will start accumulating at processing sites, and it will have to be used as raw

materials. The present paper features the content of biologically active substances in pomace of carrots and beets grown on the

territory of the Siberian region and introduces options for their further use in functional foods.

Study objects and methods. The research featured carrot pomace of the varieties Losinoostrovskaya, Nantskaya, and Queen of

Autumn, as well as beet pomace of varieties Cylinder and Bordeaux. All the samples were harvested in the Kemerovo region in 2019.

Determination of physical and chemical parameters was carried out using standard methods. Carotenoids, flavonoids, β-cyanine were

studied using spectrometry and photocolorimetric method.

Results and discussion. The experiment featured the content of bioactive substances in pomace of carrots and beets obtained during

industrial processing. The content of carotenoids in carrots (mg of β-carotene per 100 g of dry weight): for Losinoostrovskaya variety

– 23.56 ± 0.23; Nantskaya – 25.32 ± 0.18; Queen of Autumn – 20.78 ± 0.25. Flavonoid content (mg of catechol equivalent per

100 g of dry weight): Losinoostrovskaya – 12.02 ± 0.37; Nantskaya – 13.45 ± 0.56; Queen of Autumn – 11.50 ± 0.48. The content

of β-cyanine in beets (mg per 100 g of dry weight): Cylinder – 100.0 ± 8.5; Bordeaux – 35.0 ± 1.8. The nutritional value of carrot

and beet pomace with a mass fraction of moisture was 10%. The nutritional value of vegetable pomace is due to the high content

of dietary fiber; therefore, the raw materials can be considered for functional food production. The content of biologically active

substances in vegetable pomace (flavonoids, carotenoids, β-cyanines) can enhance the functional orientation of this secondary raw

material when used in food technologies for the production of food of high nutritional value.

Conclusion. The results obtained will make it possible to use the biochemical potential of plant raw materials in many aspects, as well

as to obtain new functional food products, thereby expanding the range of healthy foods.
Effect of Freezing Modes, Storage Time, and Defrosting Methods on Microbiological Quality Parameters of Apricots
Authors: Guseynova Batuch , Asabutaev Islam , Daudova Tatyana
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Low-temperature freezing technology extends the shelf life of perishable fruits as it causes a sharp slowdown in the biochemical and microbiological processes in frozen products. However, it cannot provide complete destruction of microorganisms.

The present research featured the reaction of apricot microbiota to the technological techniques of shock freezing. The research objective was to study the effect of low-temperature freezing modes (t = –25, –30, and –35°C), storage time (3 and 9 months), methods, and defrosting modes (in air at t = 5 and 22°C; in water at t = 5, 16, and 22°C; under the effect of microwave irradiation) on the surface microflora of apricots.

Study objects and methods. The experiment featured apricots of the varieties Uzden, Untsukulskiy Pozdniy, Honobah, Krasnoshchyokiy, and Shalakh. The microbiological profile of defrosted apricots was based on the State Standard.

Results and discussion. Fast freezing at t = –25°C provided a better inhibition of epiphytic microflora than at t = –30 and –35°C: aerobic-mesophilic and optionally anaerobic microorganisms – by 65.2–68.6%, yeast – by 61.5–69.0%, and mold – by 59.3–68.4%,

compared to their initial content on fresh apricots. During the initial period of refrigeration storage, the number of microorganisms decreased, while the subsequent nine-month storage (t = –18°C) led to a slight increase in microbiota. After nine months of storage, the number of microorganisms on defrosted fruits, depending on the variety, was the following: aerobic-mesophilic and optionally anaerobic microorganisms – 1.2×103–2.0×103 CFU/g, yeast – 14–26 CFU/g, and molds – 75–108 CFU/g. Defrosting of apricots by microwave irradiation resulted in a greater destruction of microorganisms than after traditional thawing in air and water.

Conclusion. The results of microbiological studies indicate that the shock freezing technology ensures the production of quick-frozen apricots that meet the requirements of Technical Regulations of the Customs Union No. 021/2011.
New Functional Product from Horsemeat in Sauce
Authors: Namsaraeva Zorigma , Khamaganova Inga , Damdinova Tatiana
Published: March 2021

Introduction. The priority task of the food industry is to provide population with functional products since the health of nation and its people largely depends on the diet. New formulations and technologies for meat products broaden the range of functional foods. Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of functional ingredients as it is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols. The present research featured horsemeat as a promising raw material of high nutritional and biological value. Horsemeat is a traditional food source for many nations. The research objective was to develop a new technology for horsemeat in sauce and to select the optimal thermal processing method.

Study objects and methods. The authors tested several methods of heat treatment and used a standard nine-point scale to assess the sensory properties of the finished product. The experiment involved standard physicochemical and organoleptic research methods. The color characteristics were described using digital image processing.

Results and discussion. The study delivered a new formulation of sauce with flaxseed oil, which improved the quality of the fat component of the finished product. The new sauce proved to be rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and possessed high sensory and technological properties. A comparative analysis of the heat treatment methods included traditional frying and stewing, cooking in a steam convection oven, and a sous-vide technology. The sous vide technology appeared to have the best structural-mechanical, physicochemical, and sensory properties. Software processing of digital images made it possible to compare the color of raw, semifinished, and cooked meat samples. The traditional cooking methods of frying and stewing showed the most pronounced changes in the color, while the sous-vide technology demonstrated a smooth color change. As for the quality of the finished product, it proved to satisfy 40% of daily intake for polyunsaturated fatty acids and 20% for tocopherol, which makes the product functional.

Conclusion. The new technology made it possible to expand the range of functional meat products. The new digital image processing program helped to register changes in shape and color of meat samples after various heat treatment methods.
Características sociodemográficas, clínicas y farmacológicas de adultos mayores con fracturas, en tres centros de referencia, Colombia
Authors: Valladales-Restrepo Luis Fernando , Durán-Lengua Marlene , Castro-Osorio Edgar Eduardo , Correa-Sánchez Yessenia , Machado-Alba Jorge Enrique
Published: March 2021

Introducción: las caídas y fracturas óseas son causas importantes de morbilidad y mortalidad en ancianos. Su etiología es multicausal comprendiendo, entre otros, prescripciones inadecuadas y osteoporosis. El objetivo fue identificar las características clínicas y farmacológicas de un grupo de adultos mayores con fracturas. Materiales y métodos: estudio de corte transversal que analizó las prescripciones realizadas un mes antes de la fractura, durante la hospitalización y al egreso de 220 pacientes de 60 o más años atendidos en tres centros de referencia de Colombia. Se analizó la calidad de las prescripciones mediante los criterios STOPP. Resultados: la edad media fue de 75,3±10,3 años y 68,2 % eran mujeres. La fractura de cadera fue la más frecuente (37,7 %) y se presentó una mortalidad intrahospitalaria del 2,3 %. La prescripción de suplementos de calcio/vitamina D y terapia antiabsortiva al egreso fue de 23,7 % y 12,1 %, respectivamente. Las prescripciones potencialmente inapropiadas al egreso se identificaron en 11,6 % de pacientes y tener cinco o más comorbilidades se asoció con mayor probabilidad de tenerlas (OR:9,44, IC95 %: 2,16-41,20). Conclusiones: generalmente, el personal médico no formula medicamentos antiosteporóticos como prevención secundaria, ni mejoran la calidad de las prescripciones de los pacientes con fracturas una vez que son dados de alta, por lo que se hace necesario el desarrollo de estrategias farmacológicas para ayudar a prevenir nuevos episodios de caídas y fracturas.
Deficiencia selectiva de inmunoglobulina A: manifestaciones clínicas, hallazgos de laboratorio y diagnóstico preciso
Authors: Franco-Gallego Alexander , Pelaez-Sánchez Ronald Guillermo , Trujillo Claudia Milena , Rojas Jessica Lineth , Correa Natalia , Franco José Luis
Published: March 2021

La inmunoglobulina A (IgA) es el isotipo de anticuerpo más abundante en los humanos y fundamentalmente participa en la defensa contra las infecciones y el desarrollo de la tolerancia inmune en las mucosas. La deficiencia de IgA es la inmunodeficiencia más frecuente en humanos, pero comúnmente es asintomática y transitoria. Para diagnosticarla, se cuantifica la concentración de IgA en sangre y se evalúa la magnitud de su disminución. De acuerdo con esta evaluación se clasifica en deficiencia parcial (DPIgA) o deficiencia total (DTIgA). Adicionalmente, si solo se afectan los niveles de IgA sin alteraciones de otras inmunoglobulinas séricas como IgM e IgG o subclases de inmunoglobulina G, entonces se denomina como deficiencia selectiva de IgA (DSIgA). La deficiencia selectiva de IgA es de mayor relevancia clínica y considerada un error innato de la inmunidad, aunque su etiología aún es desconocida y clínicamente se asocia a infecciones de los tractos respiratorio y gastrointestinal, alergias y manifestaciones autoinmunes. Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos científicos en PubMed, Scopus, SciELO y Redalyc sobre la deficiencia selectiva de inmunoglobulina A, con el objetivo de realizar una revisión temática sobre las manifestaciones clínicas, el diagnóstico y el adecuado manejo clínico de los pacientes con esta inmunodeficiencia. Se propone un nuevo algoritmo clínico con el objetivo de mejorar el diagnóstico y brindar un adecuado manejo clínico de los pacientes con esta inmunodeficiencia. Un paciente con deficiencia selectiva de IgA se caracteriza por infecciones recurrentes de los tractos gastrointestinal y respiratorio, en asociación con manifestaciones alérgicas y autoinmunes en individuos mayores de cuatro años, con niveles de IgA sérica menores de 7 mg/dL y con niveles normales de IgG e IgM, y en quienes se hayan descartado defectos relacionados con los linfocitos T u otras causas de hipogammaglobulinemia. Con respecto al manejo clínico, se deben ajustar los esquemas de vacunación e implementar profilaxis antibiótica en las infecciones graves y recurrentes. Para mejorar el pronóstico se debe realizar una atención del paciente por un equipo médico interdisciplinario y un seguimiento continuo por un prolongado periodo de tiempo.
Simulation of a leak's growth process in water distribution systems based on growth functions
Authors: Guo Guancheng , Liu Shuming , Jia Dailin , Wang Shanhe , Wu Xue
Published: March 2021

Water loss in water distribution systems is one of the major problems faced by water utilities. The components of water losses should be accurately assessed and their priority should be determined. Generally, water balance analysis is used to quantify different components of water losses and identify the main contributor to high leakage rates. The leak flow rate is assumed to be static within a given calculation period during the calculation of real losses. Errors will inevitably arise during this process. This is mainly due to our limited understanding of a leak's growth process. To overcome this problem, the current work proposes the use of growth functions to represent a leak's growth process and establish a functional relationship between the leak flow rate and the leak duration. A leakage development model is adopted to simulate a leak's growth process and optimize the parameters of growth functions. The results show that the Richards function performs better than other growth functions and its mean absolute percentage error is 15.33%. Furthermore, the growth function could be used to calculate real losses and has the prospect of evaluating the effects of leakage detection.
Nature of sorption of trivalent arsenic on novel iron oxyhydroxide stabilized starch/OMMT composite: A mechanistic approach
Authors: Gogoi P. , Das M. , Begum P. , Maji T. K.
Published: March 2021

Materials which are chemically, energetically and operationally acceptable for arsenic water treatment are highly required. In this study a hybrid material (SICC) of aminated starch, oxyhydroxide of iron and OMMT clay has been demonstrated for arsenic treatment. This new material was highly efficient in arsenic water treatment which could reduce arsenic concentration far below detection limits. All binding interactions during material preparation and arsenic sorption were exclusively characterized with FT-IR, XRD and other spectroscopic tools. A molecular modeling on the basis of density functional theory was carried out to verify the above findings. Influence of material dose, treatment time, initial ion concentration, varying temperatures, etc., on extent of sorption was studied in detail. The thermodynamic parameters viz. ΔG (>–11 kJ/mol), ΔH (42.48 kJ/mol), ΔS (177.6 JK−1 mol−1) and E a (59.16 kJ/mol) determined the feasibility of the process, its endothermic behavior and most importantly the chemical nature of the sorption accompanied by ion-exchange to some extent. The sorption followed a monolayer chemisorption pattern as determined by the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.973, R L = 0.081) with a qmax = 2.04 at 303 K. The binding of As(III) on the material was governed by a pseudo second order kinetic model.
The variation and attribution analysis of the runoff and sediment in the lower reach of the Yellow River during the past 60 years
Authors: Wang Hongxiang , Liu Jinghang , Guo Wenxian
Published: March 2021

The water and sediment regimes of the Yellow River are the basis of decision-making of major projects of the Yellow River. Based on water and sediment data at the Huayuankou station, Gaocun station, Aishan station, and Lijin station in the lower reach of the Yellow River, the Mann–Kendall test, the T-test for differences, wavelet analysis, slope change ratio method and the double cumulative curve method were applied to analyze the runoff and sediment regime alteration. The results show that the water and sediment of the lower Yellow River have a significant downward trend, and the annual sediment decreases significantly compared with the annual runoff. The annual runoff and sediment of the four hydrological stations changed around the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. The water and sediment of hydrological stations have periodic variations on multiple time-scales, but the variation scales are different. Precipitation, human activities and other factors lead to the decreasing trend of water and sediment in the lower Yellow River, and their contribution rates to the change of water and sediment are also different. Precipitation contributed 0.15%–8.71% and 0.06%–22.32% to the reduction of runoff and sediment load at the hydrological stations, while human activities contributed 91.29%–99.85% and 77.68%–102.21% to the reduction of runoff and sediment load, respectively. Human activity is the main factor in runoff and sediment reduction.
An inverse design method for determining the optimal tributary flow into a main stream in a rainstorm period
Authors: Liu Lei , Chen Huimin , You Xue-Yi
Published: March 2021

To ensure water quality at the control cross-section of main streams (CCMS) in a rainstorm period, an inverse design method was proposed to determine the optimal discharge flow of tributary rivers. The design variables are tributary discharges and the target variables are the required concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) at CCMS. The relationship between target variables and design variables was identified using an artificial neural network (ANN). The database was obtained by Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) and the optimal tributary discharges were obtained by a genetic algorithm (GA) coupled with well trained ANN. The results showed the following results: (a) The relative prediction errors of ANN are mostly less than 5%. (b) When the inlet flow rate is 0 m3/s, 30 m3/s, 50 m3/s, 100 m3/s and 200 m3/s, the optimization total discharges of tributaries are 5.7 m3/s, 12.5 m3/s, 18.6 m3/s, 33.4 m3/s and 61.8 m3/s, respectively. (c) Most of optimization plans entirely satisfy the water quality requirements at CCMS except a few plans, in which the relative errors between optimized results and required values of COD and DO are less than 0.4% and 0.1%, respectively. The study showed that the inverse design method is efficient for determining the optimal discharges of multiple tributaries.
Spatial and seasonal variability in the water chemistry of Kabar Tal wetland (Ramsar site), Bihar, India: multivariate statistical techniques and GIS approach
Authors: Gupta Deepak , Ranjan Rajesh Kumar , Parthasarathy Purushothaman , Ansari Afroz
Published: March 2021

This study was performed to evaluate the spatial and temporal distribution of major ions in water samples of a newly designated Ramsar site, namely Kabar Tal (KT) wetland of Bihar. Samples were collected during summer, monsoon, and winter seasons. The analytical and GIS results show that concentration of electrical conductivity, chloride, and nitrate are higher in summer than monsoon and winter. However, the concentration of major cations such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are higher in winter than monsoon and summer. In addition, major anions like sulphate and phosphate concentration is higher during monsoon than summer and winter. Multivariate statistical tool (discriminant analysis) results suggest that temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, sulphate, and potassium are the major parameters distinguishing the water quality in different seasons. The study confirms that seasonal variations are playing a major role in the hydrochemistry of KT wetland. Overall, this work outlines the approach towards proper conservation and utilization of wetlands and to assess the quality of surface water for determining its suitability for agricultural purposes. Overall, this work highlights the approach towards estimating the seasonal dynamics of chemical species in KT wetland and its suitability for irrigation purposes.
The extraction and process optimization of Cu (II) and Cd (II) using Pickering emulsion liquid membrane
Authors: Murugan P. , Bhuvaneshwari S. , Vidhyeswari D.
Published: March 2021

In the present study, the extraction of divalent heavy metals like copper [Cu (II)] and cadmium [Cd (II)] using a Pickering Emulsion Liquid Membrane (PELM) has been investigated by using three different surfactants such as Amphiphilic silica nanowires (ASNWs), Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Alumina) and Sorbitan monooleate (SPAN 80). The influence of the process parameters such as pH, the stripping phase concentration, the agitation speed, and the carrier concentration on the extraction efficiency have been examined to find the optimum conditions at which the maximum recovery of Cu (II) and Cd (II) could take place. At optimum conditions, the extraction efficiency of 89.77% and 91.19% for Cu (II) and Cd (II) ions were achieved. Non-edible oils were used as diluent in this present study to reduce the need for toxic organic solvents in preparing PELM. The impact of each process factor on the extraction efficiency of Cu (II) and Cd (II) ions has been verified using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The higher values of F and lower values of P (less than 0.05) indicate pH is the most significant parameter on the percentage extraction of Cu (II) and Cd (II) using the Taguchi design approach.
Síndrome Hemolítico-Urêmica Típica em adulto
Authors: Nogueira Castro Bruna , Nogueira Castro Ana Flávia , Barbosa Medeiros Rafaela , Da Silva Lima Luciano
Published: March 2021

A Síndrome Hemolítico-Urêmica (SHU) pertence ao grupo das microangiopatias trombóticas (MAT) e afeta mais comumente crianças com menos de 6 anos de idade. A SHU pode ser classificada em dois tipos: Típica e atípica. A SHU típica é causada por bactérias principalmente a Escherichia coli produtoras de toxina shiga (STEC). O quadro clínico da SHU- STEC se apresenta inicialmente por uma gastroenterite e evolui para a tríade de anemia hemolítica não imune, trombocitopenia e injúria renal aguda. Este relato consiste no caso de uma paciente de 49 anos previamente saudável com um quadro de SHU típica que iniciou com uma infecção intestinal e após alguns dias evoluiu com anemia hemolítica não imune, trombocitopenia e insuficiência renal aguda. A base do tratamento é o de suporte e a paciente foi devidamente tratada com hidratação precoce, hemodiálise e transfusão sanguínea, entretanto, desenvolveu um quadro de sepse de foco abdominal e foi a óbito após 19 dias de internação na Unidade de terapia Intensiva. A SHU típica é uma doença rara e com relativa subnotificação em adultos, destacando a importância do reconhecimento precoce da doença, afim de notificar os casos em adultos estimulando estudos para melhorar o tratamento das evoluções desfavoráveis da doença principalmente por se manifestar de forma mais grave nessa faixa etária.
Phenolic Compounds in Prevention and Treatment of Skin Cancers: A Review
Authors: Gado Francesca , Digiacomo Maria , Salsano Jasmine Esposito , Macchia Marco , Manera Clementina
Published: March 2021

Several clinical studies have shown that exposure of skin to solar ultraviolet
(UV) radiation causes adverse effects, such as inflammation, oxidative stress and DNA
damage. As a result, different skin disorders can arise, among which are skin cancer, including
non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and melanoma (MM). Phenolic compounds
are plant-derived secondary metabolites with a well-known antioxidant activity, able to
counteract the negative effects of UV radiation. In this review, we discuss the effects of
some selected phenols on NMSC and MM, demonstrating that they can be useful in the
prevention and in the treatment of these types of tumors. Moreover, we report the mechanisms
by which these phenols carry out their antitumor action. In vitro and in vivo
studies have highlighted that many phenols are capable of inducing photoprotection,
apoptosis and autophagy. They can also reduce DNA methylation, tumorigenesis, tumor
incidence and proliferation. Moreover, we describe some examples of plant extracts,
whose anticancer activity appears to be better than that of single phenols. A great concordance
of results emerged, despite the differences in experimental methods. Therefore, the
knowledge compiled here could provide the basis for conducting some well-organized
clinical trials to validate the chemopreventive and the therapeutic potential of some
phenolic compounds in patients with NMSC and MM.
Clinical Application of the Vestibular Stimulation Effect on Balance Disorders with Dementia
Authors: Nakamagoe Kiyotaka , Yamada Shiori , Kawakami Rio , Maeno Takami , Koganezawa Tadachika , Tamaoka Akira
Published: March 2021

Background:

In a previous study on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we showed that vestibular
dysfunction derived from cerebral disorders contributes to balance disorders. No previous clinical
study has attempted to prevent the progression of balance disorders in dementia patients
through vestibular stimulation using an air caloric device.

Objective:

The purpose of this pilot study was to delay the progression of balance disorders by inducing
vestibular compensation, specifically by utilizing the effect of vestibular stimulation to activate
the cerebrum.

Methods:

Fifteen individuals were randomized and classified into a stimulation group or a nonstimulation
group. Eight AD patients underwent vestibular stimulation every 2 weeks for 6 months in
the stimulation group. Seven AD patients participated in the nonstimulation group (the control
group). Both groups were subsequently evaluated using a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE),
stepping test, caloric test, and smooth pursuit eye movement test just before starting the study
and 6 months later.

Results:

For balance parameters, the various tests did not show any significant differences between
the two groups. However, in the stepping test, the decline rate tended to be higher in the nonstimulation
group than in the stimulation group. The stimulation group’s rate of decline in MMSE scores
was lower than that of the nonstimulation group (p=0.015). No adverse events were tracked during
the present study.

Conclusion:

Repeated vestibular stimulation might help patients retain greater balance and higher
function. To prove these effects, the future clinical application will require an increased number of
cases and longer periods of vestibular stimulation. This study showed that vestibular stimulation by
air caloric device is safe and tolerable in patients with AD.
Apolipoprotein E Gene Revisited: Contribution of Rare Variants to Alzheimer’s Disease Susceptibility in Southern Chinese
Authors: Yee Anita , Tsui Nancy B.Y. , Kwan Rick Y.C. , Leung Angela Y.M. , Lai Claudia K.Y. , Chung Teresa , Lau Johnson Y.N. , Fok Manson , Dai David L.K. , Lau Lok-Ting
Published: March 2021

Background:

APOE ε4 is the best-known risk factor for late-onset alzheimer’s disease (AD). Population studies have demonstrated a relatively low prevalence of APOE ε4 among Chinese population, implying additional risk factors that are Chinese-specific may exist. Apart from - alleles, genetic variation profile along the full-length APOE has rarely been investigated.

Objective:

In this study, we filled this gap by comprehensively determining all genetic variations in APOE and investigated their potential associations with late-onset AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in southern Chinese.

Methods:

Two hundred and fifty-seven southern Chinese participants were recruited, of whom 69 were AD patients, 83 had MCI, and 105 were normal controls. Full-length APOE from promoter to 3′UTR regions were sequenced. Genetic variants were identified and compared among the three groups.

Results:

While APOE ε4 was more significantly found in AD patients, the prevalence of APOE ε4 in southern Chinese AD patients was the lowest when compared to other areas of China and nearby regions, as well as other countries worldwide. We further identified 13 rare non-singleton variants in APOE. Significantly more AD patients carried any of the rare non-singleton variants than MCI and normal subjects. Such difference was observed in the non-carriers of ε4-allele only. Among the identified rare variants, the potential functional impact was predicted for rs532314089, rs553874843, rs533904656 and rs370594287.

Conclusion:

Our study suggests an ethnic difference in genetic risk composition of AD in southern Chinese. Rare variants on APOE are a potential candidate for AD risk stratification biomarker in addition to APOE-ε4.
Disrupted White Matter Networks from Subjective Memory Impairment to Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Shao Wen , He Xuwen , Li Xin , Tao Wuhai , Zhang Junying , Zhang Shujuan , Wang Lei , Qiao Yanan , Wang Yu , Zhang Zhanjun , Peng Dantao
Published: March 2021

Background and Objective:

Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is a preclinical stage
prior to amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) along with the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) continuum.
We hypothesized that SMI patients had white matter (WM) network disruptions similar to
those in aMCI patients.

Methods:

We used diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory to construct, analyze,
and compare the WM networks among 20 normal controls (NC), 20 SMI patients, and 20 aMCI
patients.

Results:

Compared with the NC group, the SMI group had significantly decreased global and local
efficiency and an increased shortest path length. Moreover, similar to the aMCI group, the SMI
group had lower nodal efficiency in regions located in the frontal and parietal lobes, limbic systems,
and caudate nucleus compared to that of the NC group.

Conclusion:

Similar to aMCI patient, SMI patients exhibited WM network disruptions, and detection
of these disruptions could facilitate the early detection of SMI.
Piper sarmentosum Roxb. Attenuates Beta Amyloid (Aβ)-Induced Neurotoxicity Via the Inhibition of Amyloidogenesis and Tau Hyperphosphorylation in SH-SY5Y Cells
Authors: Chan Elaine W.L. , Yeo Emilia T.Y. , Wong Kelly W.L. , See Mun L. , Wong Ka Y. , Yap Jeremy K.Y. , Gan Sook Y.
Published: March 2021

Background:

In Alzheimer’s disease, accumulation of beta amyloid (Aβ) triggers amyloidogenesis
and hyperphosphorylation of tau protein leading to neuronal cell death. Piper sarmentosum
Roxb. (PS) is a traditional medicinal herb used by Malay to treat rheumatism, headache and
boost memory. It possesses various biological effects, such as anti-cholinergic, anti-inflammatory,
anti-oxidant and anti-depressant-like effects.

Objective:

The present study aimed to investigate neuroprotective properties of PS against Aβ-induced
neurotoxicity and to evaluate its potential mechanism of action.

Methods:

Neuroprotective effects of hexane (HXN), dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA)
and methanol (MEOH) extracts from leaves (L) and roots (R) of PS against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity
were investigated in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Cells were pre-treated with PS for
24 h followed by 24 h of induction with Aβ. The neuroprotective effects of PS were studied using
cell viability and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays. The levels of extracellular Aβ and
tau proteins phosphorylated at threonine 231 (pT231) were determined. Gene and protein expressions
were assessed using qRT-PCR analyses and western blot analyses, respectively.

Results:

Hexane extracts of PS (LHXN and RHXN) protected SH-SY5Y cells against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity,
and decreased levels of extracellular Aβ and phosphorylated tau (pT231). Although extracts
of PS inhibited Aβ-induced ROS production, it was unlikely that neuroprotective effects
were simply due to the anti-oxidant capacity of PS. Further, mechanistic study suggested that the
neuroprotective effects of PS might be due to its capability to regulate amyloidogenesis through
the downregulation of BACE and APP.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that hexane extracts of PS confer neuroprotection against Aβ-
induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells by attenuating amyloidogenesis and tau hyperphosphorylation.
Due to its neuroprotective properties, PS might be a potential therapeutic agent for
Alzheimer’s disease.
Evaluation of the factors affecting the formation of humoral immunity to the SARS-COV-2 coronavirus in medical students and doctors of the Republic of Crimea during active phase of the COVID-19 pandemia
Authors: Kubyshkin A. V. , Fomochkina I. I. , Krutikov E. S. , Sataieva T. P. , Ageeva E. S. , Zakharova А. N.
Published: March 2021

Purpose: to study the factors that affect the indicators of humoral immunity in medical students and doctors of the city of Simferopol by means of questionnaires and serological testing. The data obtained may indicate a fairly high involvement of medical students and medical workers in the processes of formation of population immunity to COVID-19.

Materials and methods: from 14.09.20 to 06.10.20 the 67 students, as well as 19 doctors and nurses living in the Republic of Crimea have been examined by the method of enzyme immunoassay to detect IgG serum antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. All the examined subjects completed the online questionnaire.

Results: According to the ELISA the antibodies to CoV-19 were detected in 14 students (20,9% [18,3%; 25,1%]), as well as in 6 health workers (31,6% [28,9%; 34,2%]) of the total examined number. The survey revealed a number of adverse factors that contribute to the depletion of the body's immune reserves in both students and medical professionals.

Conclusion: the studies of the seroprevalence to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in various population groups, as well as the mechanisms and features of seroconversion, the kinetics of the immune response and the intensity of humoral immunity may possess an extremely important role in developing the strategy and tactics of antipandemic measures and in the future COVID-19 vaccine prophylaxis.
Association of beta-adrenergic reactivity index of erythrocyte membranes in myocardial infarction with genetic features of the beta-adrenoreceptor apparatus
Authors: Garganeeva A. A. , Aleksandrenko V. А. , Kuzheleva E. A. , Afanasiev S. A. , Rebrova T. Y. , Muslimova E. F. , Maksimov I. V.
Published: March 2021

Objective: To study the association of beta-adrenergic reactivity index of erythrocyte membranes with polymorphisms of the beta-1-adrenergic receptor gene ADRB1 (Ser49Gly and Arg389Gly).

Material and methods: the study included 62 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) — 49 men (median age of 58.0 (47.5; 64.5) years) and 13 women (median age of 76.0 (61.5; 81.0) years). All patients underwent analysis of beta-adrenoreactivity of erythrocyte membranes using the BETA-ARM AGAT reagent kit within the first 6 hours from the onset of MI. The patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the value of the beta-adrenergic reactivity index (β-ARM). The first group (n = 11) included patients with a normal P-ARM level (from 2 to 20 conventional units). The second group (n = 51) consisted of patients with increased values of β-ARM (more than 20 standard units). Genetic analysis for the determination of ADRB1 gene polymorphisms (Ser49Gly and Arg389Gly) was carried out by isolating DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes (Wizard Genomic DNA Purification Kit) with PCR amplification and further electrophoretic detection. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out using Statistica 10 software and the demo version of IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0.

Results: patients with elevated β-APM values were characterized by higher levels of myocardial necrosis markers in the blood (CPK, CPK-MB, and troponin I) in acute myocardial infarction than for patients of the first group (p = 0.009, p = 0.032 and p = 0.001, respectively). In addition, the second group of patients was characterized by a more frequent development of acute left ventricular failure (33.3%, p = 0.026), as well as a history of arterial hypertension before the development of index MI (90.2%, p = 0.044). With regard to the Arg389Gly polymorphism, significant differences were found among patients with normal and increased P-APM values in the acute period of MI. Thus, the second group of patients consisted mainly of carriers of the 1165CC genotype of the ADRB1 gene (n = 29, 56.9%, p = 0.043). The carriage of the 1165G allele was much more often observed among patients of the first group (81.8%; OR = 5.93; CI 1.16-30.25; p = 0.043).

Conclusion: an association of the 1165CC genotype of the Arg389Gly polymorphism of the ADRB1 gene with increased β-APM values in acute MI was established. The detected associations may indicate a possible genetic predisposition to SAS hyperactivation, and also indicate the need for further study of polymorphisms and the level of expression of the ADRB1 gene in patients with high individual values of β-APM established in the acute period of MI.
Awareness of Krasnodar Territory doctors about modern approaches to the treatment of dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension
Authors: Skibitskiy V. V. , Fendrikova A. V. , Kudrashov E. A. , Skibitskiy A. V.
Published: March 2021

Aim:to assess the awareness of doctors about the main provisions of the European and Russian clinical guidelines for the management of patients with dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension (AH).

Material and methods.Anonymous survey of 584 physicians and cardiologists of Krasnodar and Krasnodar Territory was carried out. The questionnaire contained 9 multiple-choice questions.

Results:according to the results of the questionnaire, 1/3 of doctors knew the target values of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in very high-risk patients. If the target level of LDL cholesterol was not achieved on an adequate dose of statin, 75.1% of colleagues would not have added ezetimibe. For hypertriglyceridemia in patients receiving an adequate dose of statins, 47% of physicians would prescribe treatment that does not comply with clinical guidelines. More than half of the doctors gave correct answers to the questions about antihypertensive therapy. However, the target level of blood pressure was incorrectly indicated by 47.3% of respondents, 71.6% of colleagues made a mistake with the tactics of starting therapy, and 51.5% of doctors incorrectly assessed the situation with the prescription of a triple fixed combination of drugs.

Conclusion:а significant part of practicing doctors (therapists and cardiologists) were not sufficiently informed about the main provisions of the new recommendations and were guided by old (outdated) ideas.
The Future of Clinical Islet Transplantation in the United States
Authors: Knoll Michael F , Knoll Carmela A , Bottino Rita , Trucco Massimo , Bertera Suzanne ,   Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Published: March 2021

Clinical islet transplantation was first realized over four decades ago at the University of Minnesota. Autologous islet transplantation is now widely recognized as a treatment to prevent diabetes in patients after pancreas excision and is offered at major transplant centers throughout the United States and the world. Type 1 diabetes represents a much larger demographic in which islet transplantation may benefit patients. Allogeneic islet transplantation can now offer similar outcomes to pancreas transplantation in a subset of patients with labile type 1 diabetes with less risk than whole organ transplantation. It is recognized as a standard of care in nations around the world but not in the United States, despite the important developmental role US scientists and physicians have played. Early reports of islet transplantation focused on insulin independence that proved to diminish over time. However, regardless of insulin status, islet transplantation provides benefits ranging from improved quality of life to reduction in diabetic complications. A National Institutes of Health sponsored multi-center Phase 3 Clinical Trial (CIT-07) demonstrated safety and efficacy, although the Food and Drug Administration chose to consider islets as a biologic that requires licensure, which makes offering the procedure in the clinic very challenging. Until regulations can be brought into communion with international standards, allogeneic islet transplantation in the United States is unlikely to match international levels of success and once promising programs are left to wither on the vine. Food and Drug Administration approval would open the door for third party medical reimbursement and allow many patients the opportunity to enjoy better health and quality of life. Establishment of clinical islet transplantation for type 1 diabetes would lead to optimizations in procedures making it more efficacious and cost effective while offering support for ongoing islet xenotransplantation studies that could bring islet transplantation to even more patients.
Echo Chamber Effect in Rumor Rebuttal Discussions About COVID-19 in China: Social Media Content and Network Analysis Study (Preprint)
Authors: Wang Dandan , Qian Yuxing
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND

The dissemination of rumor rebuttal content on social media is vital for rumor control and disease containment during public health crises. Previous research on the effectiveness of rumor rebuttal, to a certain extent, ignored or simplified the structure of dissemination networks and users’ cognition as well as decision-making and interaction behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to roughly evaluate the effectiveness of rumor rebuttal; dig deeply into the attitude-based echo chamber effect on users’ responses to rumor rebuttal under multiple topics on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, in the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic; and evaluate the echo chamber’s impact on the information characteristics of user interaction content.

METHODS

We used Sina Weibo’s application programming interface to crawl rumor rebuttal content related to COVID-19 from 10 AM on January 23, 2020, to midnight on April 8, 2020. Using content analysis, sentiment analysis, social network analysis, and statistical analysis, we first analyzed whether and to what extent there was an echo chamber effect on the shaping of individuals’ attitudes when retweeting or commenting on others’ tweets. Then, we tested the heterogeneity of attitude distribution within communities and the homophily of interactions between communities. Based on the results at user and community levels, we made comprehensive judgments. Finally, we examined users’ interaction content from three dimensions—sentiment expression, information seeking and sharing, and civility—to test the impact of the echo chamber effect.

RESULTS

Our results indicated that the retweeting mechanism played an essential role in promoting polarization, and the commenting mechanism played a role in consensus building. Our results showed that there might not be a significant echo chamber effect on community interactions and verified that, compared to like-minded interactions, cross-cutting interactions contained significantly more negative sentiment, information seeking and sharing, and incivility. We found that online users’ information-seeking behavior was accompanied by incivility, and information-sharing behavior was accompanied by more negative sentiment, which was often accompanied by incivility.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings revealed the existence and degree of an echo chamber effect from multiple dimensions, such as topic, interaction mechanism, and interaction level, and its impact on interaction content. Based on these findings, we provide several suggestions for preventing or alleviating group polarization to achieve better rumor rebuttal.
Professional Social Media Usage and Work Engagement Among Professionals in Finland Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Four-Wave Follow-Up Study (Preprint)
Authors: Oksa Reetta , Kaakinen Markus , Savela Nina , Hakanen Jari J , Oksanen Atte
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed work life profoundly and concerns regarding the mental well-being of employees’ have arisen. Organizations have made rapid digital advancements and have started to use new collaborative tools such as social media platforms overnight.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aimed to investigate how professional social media communication has affected work engagement before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of perceived social support, task resources, and psychological distress as predictors and moderators of work engagement.

METHODS

Nationally representative longitudinal survey data were collected in 2019-2020, and 965 respondents participated in all 4 surveys. Measures included work engagement, perceived social support and task resources, and psychological distress. The data were analyzed using a hybrid linear regression model. 

RESULTS

Work engagement remained stable and only decreased in autumn 2020. Within-person changes in social media communication at work, social support, task resources, and psychological distress were all associated with work engagement. The negative association between psychological distress and work engagement was stronger in autumn 2020 than before the COVID-19 outbreak.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted pressure on mental health at work. Fostering social support and task resources at work is important in maintaining work engagement. Social media communication could help maintain a supportive work environment.