bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circulating Oxytocin Is Genetically Determined and Associated With Obesity and Impaired Glucose Tolerance
Authors: Weingarten Mark Florian Joachim , Scholz Markus , Wohland Tobias , Horn Katrin , Stumvoll Michael , Kovacs Peter , Tönjes Anke
Published: August 2019

Context

Despite the emerging evidence on the role of oxytocin (OXT) in metabolic diseases, there is a lack of well-powered studies addressing the relationship of circulating OXT with obesity and diabetes.

Objectives and Design

Here, we measured OXT in a study cohort (n = 721; 396 women, 325 men; mean age ± SD, 47.7 ± 15.2 years) with subphenotypes related to obesity, including anthropometric traits such as body mass index [BMI (mean ± SD), 26.8 ± 4.6 kg/m2], waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; 0.88 ± 0.09), blood parameters (glucose, 5.32 ± 0.50 mmol/L; insulin, 5.3 ± 3.3 µU/mL), and oral glucose tolerance test to clarify the association with OXT. We also tested in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) whether the interindividual variation in OXT serum levels might be explained by genetic variation.

Results

The OXT concentration was increased in subjects with elevated BMI and positively correlated with WHR, waist circumference, and triglyceride levels. The OXT concentration in subjects with BMI <25 kg/m2 was significantly lower (n = 256; 78.6 pg/mL) than in subjects with a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 (n = 314; 98.5 pg/mL, P = 6 × 10−6) and with BMI >30 kg/m2 (n = 137; 106.4 pg/mL, P = 8 × 10−6). OXT levels were also positively correlated with plasma glucose and insulin and were elevated in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (P = 4.6 × 10−3). Heritability of OXT was estimated at 12.8%. In a GWAS, two hits in linkage disequilibrium close (19 kb) to the OXT reached genome-wide significant association (top-hit rs12625893, P = 3.1 × 10−8, explained variance 3%).

Conclusions

Our data show that OXT is genetically affected by a variant near OXT and is associated with obesity and impaired glucose tolerance.
Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside on Endocrine Pancreatic Function and Incretin Hormones in Nondiabetic Men With Obesity
Authors: Dollerup Ole L , Trammell Samuel A J , Hartmann Bolette , Holst Jens J , Christensen Britt , Møller Niels , Gillum Matthew P , Treebak Jonas T , Jessen Niels
Published: August 2019

Objective

Augmenting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism through dietary provision of NAD+ precursor vitamins translates to improved glucose handling in rodent models of obesity and diabetes. Preclinical evidence suggests that the NAD+/SIRT1 axis may be implicated in modulating important gut-related aspects of glucose regulation. We sought to test whether NAD+ precursor supplementation with nicotinamide riboside (NR) affects β-cell function, α-cell function, and incretin hormone secretion as well as circulating bile acid levels in humans.

Design

A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial in 40 males with obesity and insulin resistance allocated to NR at 1000 mg twice daily (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20). Two-hour 75-g oral glucose tolerance tests were performed before and after the intervention, and plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) were determined. β-Cell function indices were calculated based on glucose, insulin, and C-peptide measurements. Fasting plasma concentrations of bile acids were determined.

Results

NR supplementation during 12 weeks did not affect fasting or postglucose challenge concentrations of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, GLP-1, or GIP, and β-cell function did not respond to the intervention. Additionally, no changes in circulating adipsin or bile acids were observed following NR supplementation.

Conclusion

The current study does not provide evidence to support that dietary supplementation with the NAD+ precursor NR serves to impact glucose tolerance, β-cell secretory capacity, α-cell function, and incretin hormone secretion in nondiabetic males with obesity. Moreover, bile acid levels in plasma did not change in response to NR supplementation.
Higher Serum Sex Hormone–Binding Globulin Levels Are Associated With Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Men
Authors: Gyawali Prabin , Martin Sean A , Heilbronn Leonie K , Vincent Andrew D , Jenkins Alicia J , Januszewski Andrzej S , Adams Robert J T , O’Loughlin Peter D , Wittert Gary A
Published: August 2019

Context

Sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) levels are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. However, prospective data on the association between SHBG levels and CVD events are sparse, with conflicting results.

Objectives

To examine associations between serum SHBG, total testosterone (TT), and incident CVD and CVD-related mortality in middle-aged to elderly men.

Design and Methods

Data on 2563 community-dwelling men (35 to 80 years) were obtained from participants in the Men Androgen Inflammation Lifestyle Environment and Stress cohort. The analytic sample included 1492 men without baseline (2002 to 2007) CVD and with fasted morning serum SHBG and TT available at both baseline and follow-up (2007 to 2010) and without medications affecting TT or SHBG. Associations of baseline SHBG and TT, with incident CVD and CVD mortality, were analyzed using logistic regression for incident CVD and Cox proportional hazard regression for CVD mortality, adjusting for established CVD risk factors.

Results

In multivariable models, elevated baseline SHBG and lower baseline TT were independently associated with incident CVD (SHBG: OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.06 per SD increase in SHBG, P = 0.003; TT: OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.97 per SD decrease in TT; P = 0.03). A decrease in TT between time points was associated with incident CVD (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.92; P = 0.01). Neither SHBG nor TT was significantly associated with all-age CVD mortality [hazard ratio (HR), 0.69; 95% CI, 0.29 to 1.63; P = 0.40; and HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.28 to 1.26; P = 0.18, respectively].

Conclusions

Among all men and men >65 years, elevated SHBG and lower TT were independently associated with both a greater risk of CVD and an increased CVD mortality risk.
Androgens During the Reproductive Years: What Is Normal for Women?
Authors: Skiba Marina A , Bell Robin J , Islam Rakibul M , Handelsman David J , Desai Reena , Davis Susan R
Published: August 2019

Objective

Whether serum androgen levels can identify women with “androgen insufficiency” or “androgen excess” is unresolved; thus, what constitutes “normal” remains uncertain. We sought to determine whether androgens, including 11-oxygenated C19 steroids, vary with age, menstrual cycle, or body mass index (BMI), during the reproductive years.

Design and Setting

Cross-sectional study recruited from eastern Australian states.

Participants

A total of 588 women, aged 18 to 39 years, who were not pregnant, lactating, or using systemic hormone therapy, with regular menstrual cycles and no previous diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Main Outcome Measures

Sex steroids measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Results

Testosterone and androstenedione concentrations were significantly higher during the menstrual cycle mid- and luteal phases than in the early follicular phase, with median values across the cycle of 0.34 nmol/L (range, 0.04 to 1.01) and 1.97 nmol/L (range, 0.53 to 7.89), respectively. No cyclical variations were found in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA; 4.91 nmol/L; range, 0.08 to 23.51), 11-ketoandrostenedione (11KA; 7.99 nmol/L; range, 0.07 to 31.67), or 11-ketotestosterone (11KT; 1.27 nmol/L; range, 0.03 to 7.61). Overweight women had lower median testosterone (P < 0.05), DHEA (P < 0.05), and 11KA (P < 0.01) levels than normal-weight women. All C19 steroids were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in those aged 35 to 39 years than in those aged 18 to 25 years. The median 11KA/androstenedione (4.3:1) and 11KT/testosterone (3.9:1) ratios did not change with age, after adjustment for BMI and cycle stage.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated that 11KA and 11KT are stable across the menstrual cycle and make major quantitative contributions to the circulating androgen pool. All C19 androgens declined with age before menopause; hence, age-specific reference ranges are required for the interpretation of androgen levels in premenopausal women.
Diagnostic Accuracy of the Aldosterone–to–Active Renin Ratio for Detecting Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Pilz Stefan , Keppel Martin H , Trummer Christian , Theiler-Schwetz Verena , Pandis Marlene , Borzan Valentin , Pittrof Matthias , Obermayer-Pietsch Barbara , Grübler Martin R , Verheyen Nicolas , Stepan Vinzenz , Meinitzer Andreas , Voelkl Jakob , März Winfried , Tomaschitz Andreas
Published: August 2019

Context

The aldosterone–to–active renin ratio (AARR) is the recommended screening test for primary aldosteronism (PA), but prospective study data on its sensitivity and specificity are sparse.

Objective

To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the AARR for detecting PA.

Design

Prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

Setting

This study was conducted from February 2009 to August 2015 at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology of the Medical University of Graz, Austria.

Participants

Four hundred patients with arterial hypertension who were referred to a tertiary care center for screening for endocrine hypertension.

Intervention

Participants had a determination of the AARR (index test) and a second AARR determination followed by a saline infusion test (SIT) after 2 to 6 weeks. PA was diagnosed in individuals with any AARR ≥3.7 ng/dL/µU/mL [including a plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) of ≥9 ng/dL] who had a PAC ≥10 ng/dL after the SIT. We did not substantially alter antihypertensive drug intake.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary outcome was the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the AARR in diagnosing PA.

Results

A total of 382 participants were eligible for analyses; PA was diagnosed in 18 (4.7%) patients. The area under the ROC curve of the AARR in detecting PA was 0.973 (95% CI, 0.956 to 0.990). Sensitivity and specificity for a positive AARR in diagnosing PA were 100% (95% CI, 81.5% to 100.0%) and 89.6% (95% CI, 86.0% to 92.5%), respectively.

Conclusions

The AARR has good diagnostic accuracy for detecting PA.
Higher C-Peptide Level During Glucose Clamp Is Associated With Muscle Insulin Resistance in Nonobese Japanese Men
Authors: Kaga Hideyoshi , Tamura Yoshifumi , Takeno Kageumi , Kakehi Saori , Someya Yuki , Funayama Takashi , Furukawa Yasuhiko , Suzuki Ruriko , Sugimoto Daisuke , Kadowaki Satoshi , Nishitani-Yokoyama Miho , Shimada Kazunori , Daida Hiroyuki , Aoki Shigeki , Giacca Adria , Kanazawa Akio , Kawamori Ryuzo , Watada Hirotaka
Published: August 2019

Context

Circulating C-peptide is generally suppressed by exogenous insulin infusion. However, steady-state serum C-peptide (SSSC) levels during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in obese subjects are higher than in healthy subjects, which may contribute to hyperinsulinemia to compensate for insulin resistance. Even in healthy subjects, interindividual variations in SSSC levels are present; however, the characteristics of subjects with high SSSC levels in those populations have not been fully elucidated.

Objective

To investigate the clinical parameters associated with interindividual variations in SSSC levels in apparently healthy, nonobese Japanese men.

Design and Participants

We studied 49 nonobese (BMI < 25 kg/m2), healthy Japanese men. We evaluated SSSC and insulin sensitivity using hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with tracer. Intrahepatic lipid (IHL) was measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Results

We divided subjects into high and low SSSC groups based on the median SSSC value and compared their clinical parameters. Compared with the low SSSC group, the high SSSC group had IHL accumulation, impaired muscle insulin sensitivity, reduced insulin clearance, and hyperinsulinemia during a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). All of these factors were significantly correlated with SSSC.

Conclusions

In healthy, nonobese men, higher SSSC was associated with impaired muscle insulin sensitivity, IHL accumulation, and hyperinsulinemia during OGTT. These findings suggest that higher endogenous insulin secretion during hyperinsulinemia, along with reduced insulin clearance, may be an early change to maintain metabolic status in the face of moderate muscle insulin resistance, even in healthy, nonobese men.
Testicular Vein Sampling Can Reveal Gonadotropin-Independent Unilateral Steroidogenesis Supporting Spermatogenesis
Authors: Antonio Leen , Albersen Maarten , Billen Jaak , Maleux Geert , Van Rompuy Anne-Sophie , Coremans Peter , Marcq Philippe , Jørgensen Niels , Vanderschueren Dirk
Published: August 2019

Suppressed gonadotropins combined with high-normal serum testosterone concentrations in oligozoospermic men suggest either use of exogenous testosterone or presence of a testosterone-producing tumor. We describe the case of a 31-year-old man referred for primary infertility. Gonadotropins were undetectably low, but testosterone and estradiol were in the high-normal range. Semen analysis showed oligoasthenospermia. He denied using exogenous testosterone. Scrotal ultrasound showed microlithiasis and millimetric hypolucent lesions in the left testis but no intratesticular mass. Human chorionic gonadotropin was low. To investigate unilateral hormone secretion, selective testicular venous sampling was performed. Testosterone and estradiol were clearly higher on the left side than on the right (130 vs 26 nmol/L and 1388 vs 62 pmol/L, respectively), with a left spermatic vein–to-periphery gradient of 4.3 for testosterone and 13 for estradiol; there were no similar gradients on the right side. This finding confirms that all sex steroid secretion came from the left testis. The patient was therefore referred for left orchidectomy. Histopathology revealed multifocal seminoma, germ cell neoplasia in situ, and Leydig cell hyperplasia but no choriocarcinoma. However, gonadotrophin levels increased after orchidectomy, indicating that the source of gonadotropin-independent sex steroid secretion was removed. Testosterone and estradiol decreased to the mid-normal range. Sperm concentration improved. This report thus shows that endogenous testosterone secretion in one testicle supports spermatogenesis without measurable levels of gonadotropins. Selective testicular venous sampling is useful to identify the site of unilateral secretion when the clinical picture is inconclusive. However, histopathology could not reveal the factor that stimulated Leydig cell steroidogenesis.
A homolog of the ALOG family controls corolla tube differentiation in Torenia fournieri
Authors: Xiao Wei , Su Shihao , Higashiyama Tetsuya , Luo Da
Published: August 2019

Flowers of honey plants (Torenia) face various abiotic stressors, including rain, which can damage pollens and dilute nectar. Many Torenia species develop a modified corolla base termed corolla neck to prevent raindrops from contacting the nectar. Although this hypothesis was postulated long ago, direct validation is lacking. Here, we evaluated Torenia fournieri, the corolla tube of which differentiates into distinct regions, a conical tube above that connects to an inflated base through a constriction. This constriction and inflated base is collectively referred to as the corolla neck. Using transcriptomic sequencing and genome editing approaches, we characterized an ALOG gene, TfALOG3, involved in formation of the corolla neck. TfALOG3 was found expressed in the epidermis of the corolla neck. Cells in the corolla bottom differentiated and expanded in wild-type T. fournieri, whereas such cells in TfALOG3 loss-of-function mutants failed to develop into a corolla neck. Water easily contacted the nectary in the absence of the corolla neck. Taken together, our study unveils a novel gene that controls corolla tube differentiation and demonstrates a hypothetical property of the corolla neck.
An acute decrease in plasma membrane tension induces macropinocytosis via PLD2 activation
Authors: Loh Julie , Chuang Mei-Chun , Lin Shan-Shan , Joseph Jophin , Su You-An , Hsieh Tsung-Lin , Chang Yu-Chen , Liu Allen P. , Liu Ya-Wen
Published: August 2019

Internalization of macromolecules and membrane into cells through endocytosis is critical for cellular growth, signaling and plasma membrane (PM) tension homeostasis. Although endocytosis is responsive to both biochemical and physical stimuli, how physical cues modulate endocytic pathways is less understood. Contrary to the accumulating discoveries on the effects of increased PM tension on endocytosis, less is known about how a decrease of PM tension impacts on membrane trafficking. Here, we reveal that an acute decrease of PM tension results in phosphatidic acid (PA) production, F-actin and phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2]-enriched dorsal membrane ruffling and subsequent macropinocytosis in myoblasts. The PA production induced by decreased PM tension depends on phospholipase D2 (PLD2) activation via PLD2 nanodomain disintegration. Furthermore, the ‘decreased PM tension–PLD2–macropinocytosis’ pathway is prominent in myotubes, reflecting a potential mechanism of PM tension homeostasis upon intensive muscle stretching and relaxation. Together, we identify a new mechanotransduction pathway that converts an acute decrease in PM tension into PA production and then initiates macropinocytosis via actin and PI(4,5)P2-mediated processes.
Structure folding of RNA kissing complexes in salt solutions: predicting 3D structure, stability, and folding pathway
Authors: Jin Lei , Tan Ya-Lan , Wu Yao , Wang Xunxun , Shi Ya-Zhou , Tan Zhi-Jie
Published: August 2019

RNA kissing complexes are essential for genomic RNA dimerization and regulation of gene expression, and their structures and stability are critical to their biological functions. In this work, we used our previously developed coarse-grained model with an implicit structure-based electrostatic potential to predict three-dimensional (3D) structures and stability of RNA kissing complexes in salt solutions. For extensive RNA kissing complexes, our model shows great reliability in predicting 3D structures from their sequences, and our additional predictions indicate that the model can capture the dependence of 3D structures of RNA kissing complexes on monovalent/divalent ion concentrations. Moreover, the comparisons with extensive experimental data show that the model can make reliable predictions on the stability for various RNA kissing complexes over wide ranges of monovalent/divalent ion concentrations. Notably, for RNA kissing complexes, our further analyses show the important contribution of coaxial stacking to the 3D structures and stronger stability than the corresponding kissing-interface duplexes at high salts. Furthermore, our comprehensive analyses for RNA kissing complexes reveal that the thermally folding pathway for a complex sequence is mainly determined by the relative stability of two possible folded states of kissing complex and extended duplex, which can be significantly modulated by its sequence.
The relationship between body mass index before pregnancy and the amount of weight that should be gained during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Özdilek Resmiye , Aba Yılda Arzu , Aksoy Sena Dilek , Şık Bulat Aytek , Akpak Yaşam Kemal
Published: August 2019

Objective: To investigate the adaptation of pregnant women to the recommended weight gain range according to body mass index (BMI) and to determine the factors affecting them.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in a university hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology unit (tertiary center) in Turkey. This study was conducted between March 2018 and August 2018 (6 months) in pregnant women. Pregnant women with chronic disease and receiving treatment during antenatal follow-up, with twin pregnancy, with a fetus with a congenital abnormality, and nutritional disturbance were excluded from the study. Eight hundred twelve pregnant women with normal antenatal follow-up and who volunteered to participate were included in the study.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 27.66±5.05 years. The mean weight and BMI before pregnancy were near standard in all participants. The group with the highest rate of recommended weight gain according to BMI before pregnancy was the group with low weight pregnant women. The ideal weight gain rate in all groups was 32%.

Conclusions: The groups with overweight and obese pregnant women according to BMI before pregnancy had the highest rates of weight gain, above the recommended limits. BMI before pregnancy directly affects weight gain during pregnancy and the importance of pre-pregnancy counseling and weight loss is emphasized once again.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.5.133

How to cite this:Ozdilek R, Aba YA, Aksoy SD, Sik BA, Akpak YK. The relationship between body mass index before pregnancy and the amount of weight that should be gained during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(5):1204-1209.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.5.133

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Association of medication administration errors with interruption among nurses in public sector tertiary care hospitals
Authors: - Raja - , - Badil - , - Sajid Ali , - Shaheen Sherali
Published: August 2019

Objectives: To determine the association of medication administration errors with interruption among nurses working at public sector tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was accomplished at two public sector healthcare facilities Civil Hospital, and Dow University Hospital, Karachi. The study was carried out from October 2017 to July 2018 over a period of 10 months. The sample was calculated by using OpenEpi version 3.0. By taking 56.4% of medication administration errors, 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level. The calculated sample size was 204 of both genders. The subjects both male and female nurses having a valid license from Pakistan Nursing Council and one year of clinical experience were enrolled in the study. The subjects were approached by using non-probability purposive sampling method. Validated and adapted questionnaire utilized to gather the data. Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 21.0.

Results: In this study, total 204 nurses were included, almost half (52%) of them were male. Majority of (82.3%) study participants had age between 25-35 years old. There were total 716 medications given by 204 nurses. Out of these, 295 (41.2%) were antibiotics, other common medications were acid-suppressive, analgesic and antiemetic 14.5%, 15.9% and 11.2% respectively. Among all 716 medications, 644 (89.9%) were given intravenously whereas only 6.7% drugs given orally. A significant association has been found between medication administration errors and interruption like talking with other health care personnel, patients or attendant queries, phone calls (p-value=<0.001). Nearly 91% of the study nurses who were interrupted during medication committed medication errors.

Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a significant association between medication administration errors with interruption among nurses.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.5.287

How to cite this:Raja, Badil, Ali S, Sherali S. Association of medication administration errors with interruption among nurses in public sector tertiary care hospitals. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(5):1318-1321. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.5.287

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Determinants of drug entry into the developing brain
Authors: Koehn Liam , Habgood Mark , Huang Yifan , Dziegielewska Katarzyna , Saunders Norman
Published: August 2019

Background: A major concern for clinicians in prescribing medications to pregnant women and neonates is the possibility that drugs might have damaging effects, particularly on long-term brain development. Current understanding of drug permeability at placental and blood-brain barriers during development is poor. In adults, ABC transporters limit many drugs from entering the brain; however, little is known about their function during development.

Methods: The transfer of clinically relevant doses of paracetamol (acetaminophen), digoxin and cimetidine into the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was estimated using radiolabelled drugs in Sprague Dawley rats at three developmental stages: E19, P4 and adult. Drugs were applied intraperitoneally either acutely or following chronic exposure (for five days). Entry into brain, CSF and transfer across the placenta was measured and compared to three markers (L-glucose, sucrose, glycerol) that cross barriers by “passive diffusion”. The expression of ABC transporters in the brain, choroid plexus and placenta was estimated using RT-qPCR.

Results: All three drugs entered the developing brain and CSF in higher amounts than the adult brain and CSF. Comparisons with “passive” permeability markers suggested that this might be due to age-related differences in the functional capacity of ABC-efflux mechanisms. In adult animals, chronic treatment reduced digoxin (12% to 5%, p<0.01) and paracetamol (30% to 21%, p<0.05) entry compared to acute treatment, with the decrease in digoxin entry correlating with up-regulation of efflux transporter abcb1a (PGP). In fetal and newborn animals, no gene up-regulation or transfer decreases were observed. Instead, chronic paracetamol treatment resulted in increased transfer into the fetal brain (66% to 104%, p<0.001).

Conclusions: These results suggest that the developing brain may be more at risk from acute drug exposure than the adult brain due to reduced efflux capacity and at greater risk from chronic treatment due to a lack of efflux mechanism regulatory capacity.
Cultural Differences and Negotiations in Inter-Caste Marriages: A Study in Bengaluru
Authors: N Prajwal
Published: August 2019

B R Ambedkar (1936) had suggested inter-caste marriages as one of the potential remedies to annihilate caste system. He later contradicted this stance in the latter half of his academic journey by comparing inter-caste marriages to „force-feeding and artificial ways. 'Even after 80 years, the society is still divided between the effects of inter-caste marriages on the centuries-old caste system. Inter-caste marriage in the country was not a very common event till the 2000s after which its instances have been steadily increasing as per the reports from both the IHDS (2011) and NFHS (2005-2006). The more critical aspect of this uptrend of inter-caste marriage should be the interaction and negotiation of cultural differences among couples during the process of union. This qualitative study among 20 individuals (10 couples) in Bengaluru, looks into the various ways in which the inter-caste couples adjust their lifestyles, make decisions about their cultural practices and their children‟s socialization. The assumptions are laid in the backdrop of B. R. Ambedkar‟s work on the caste system and the study attempted to understand the subtle evolution of caste in the exogamous marriages. The study has also attempted to preempt the variety of bearings such inter-caste marriages can have on the future of caste system.
A History of the Future: Time-Travel, Technology, Dystopia, and Postcolonial Anxiety in Vandana Singh’s “Delhi”
Authors: Vinod Meera , Jayadevan Gaana
Published: August 2019

The paper examines postcolonial concerns arising in and through the science fiction, “Delhi,” by Vandana Singh as the author consciously deviates from generic conventions of the structures of Western science fiction. We argue that the protagonist in “Delhi” could be viewed as a postcolonial subject experiencing alienation and powerlessness. The character‟s postcolonial subjectivity is traced through Singh‟s manipulations of western science fiction tropes vis-à-vis time-travel, technology, dystopia, and narrative techniques. Using „abrogation‟ and „appropriation‟ (Ashcroft, Griffiths & Tiffin, 1989), and Ricoeur‟s Time and Narrative (1988), the paper analyses how postcolonial elements are foregrounded. It also examines the larger implications of engaging in a postcolonial reading of a science fiction text produced from a technologically developing Indian context.
Entrepreneurships and Startup Programmes: Opportunities in Travel and Tourism
Authors: Jacob Megha
Published: August 2019

Startup India programme of Government of India and various state government initiatives to promote startup ventures have started to boost entrepreneurships. Several venture capital firms have been actively looking at Indian startup sector for investment and partnerships. Among the startups set up in the recent years, especially after the launch of startup programme of Government of India,
Sustainability Issues of Aqua Tourism in Kerala
Authors: Akash J H , Aram I Arul
Published: August 2019

Tourism is interlinked with the natural environment and generates a lot of employment opportunities. The rapid growth of tourism industries has led to the destruction of nature because in most cases, tourism industry concentrates only on economic viability. The development of the tourism industry should balance with ecology, society, culture, and economy for their sustainability. The quality of nature is essential for tourism. The negative impact of tourism development can gradually destroy natural environmental resources on which it depends. In this paper, the authors describe the effects of tourism on natural resources, environmental pollution, and recent issues associated with Kerala tourism with specific reference of coastal areas.
Shoe Repair Technology
Authors: Леденева Ирина , Ledeneva Irina
Published: August 2019

Brief information on shoe repair services, tools and materials is provided. Issues related to anthropometry of the lower extremities and shoe pads are reflected. The characteristic of repairing the top and bottom of shoes of various fastening methods is given. The technology of restoration, updating and refinement of shoes is described. Typical technological processes are given and information on innovative finishing materials is given.
Archimedean Utility Copulas with Polynomial Generating Functions
Authors: Abbas Ali E. , Sun Zhengwei
Published: August 2019

Archimedean utility copulas comprise the general class of multiattribute utility functions that have additive ordinal preferences and are strictly increasing with each argument for at least one reference value of the complementary attributes. The construction of an Archimedean utility copula requires an assessment of an individual utility function for each attribute as well as a single generating function. The assessment of individual utility functions for the attributes of a decision has had a large share of literature coverage, but there has been much less literature on the construction of the generating function for the Archimedean functional form. This paper focuses on the assessment of Archimedean utility copulas with polynomial generating functions. We provide methods to assess these generating functions and derive bounds on the types of utility surfaces that they provide. We demonstrate that linear generating functions correspond to the multiplicative form of mutual utility independence, and then we show how higher-order polynomial generating functions allow more flexibility in the types of multiattribute utility functions and corner values that can be modeled. The results of this paper provide a new method to help the analyst construct multiattribute utility functions in a simple way when utility independence conditions do not hold.
A Criterion Space Method for Biobjective Mixed Integer Programming: The Boxed Line Method
Authors: Perini Tyler , Boland Natashia , Pecin Diego , Savelsbergh Martin
Published: August 2019

Despite recent interest in multiobjective integer programming, few algorithms exist for solving biobjective mixed integer programs. We present such an algorithm: the boxed line method. For one of its variants, we prove that the number of single-objective integer programs solved is bounded by a linear function of the number of nondominated line segments in the nondominated frontier. This is the first such complexity result. An extensive computational study demonstrates that the box line method is also efficient in practice and that it outperforms existing algorithms on a diverse set of instances.
Production Campaign Planning Under Learning and Decay
Authors: Jahandideh Hossein , Rajaram Kumar , McCardle Kevin
Published: August 2019

Problem definition: We analyze a catalyst-activated batch-production process with uncertainty in production times, learning about catalyst-productivity characteristics and decay of catalyst performance across batches. The goal is to determine the quality level of batches and to decide when to replenish a catalyst so as to minimize average costs, consisting of inventory-holding, backlogging, and catalyst-switching costs. Academic/practical relevance: This is an important problem in a variety of process-industry sectors, such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemicals, but has not been adequately studied in the academic literature. This paper also contributes to the stochastic economic lot-sizing literature. Methodology: We formulate this problem as a semi-Markov decision process (SMDP) and develop a two-level heuristic to solve this problem. The heuristic consists of a lower-level problem that plans the duration of batches within the current campaign to maximize the efficiency of the catalyst while ensuring that the target attribute level for each batch is set to meet a quality specification represented by an average attribute level across all the batches in a campaign. The higher-level problem determines when to replace the costly catalyst as its productivity decays. To evaluate our heuristic, we present a lower bound on the optimal value of the SMDP. This bound accounts for all costs, as well as the randomness and discreteness in the process. We then extend our methods to multiple-product settings, which results in an advanced stochastic economic lot-sizing problem. Results: We test our proposed solution methodology with data from a leading food-processing company and show that our methods outperform current practice with an average improvement of around 22% in costs. In addition, compared with the stochastic lower bounds, our results show that the two-level heuristic attains near-optimal performance for the intractable multidimensional SMDP. Managerial implications: Our results generate three important managerial insights. First, our simulation-based lower bound provides a close approximation to the optimal cost of the SMDP, and it is nearly attainable by using a relatively simple two-level heuristic. Second, the reoptimization policy used in the lower-level problem adequately captures the value of information and Bayesian learning. Third, in the higher-level problem of choosing when to replace a catalyst, the intractable multidimensional state of the system is efficiently summarized by a single statistic: the probability of inventory falling below a specific threshold.
Stock Market Reaction to Supply Chain Disruptions from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Hendricks Kevin B. , Jacobs Brian W. , Singhal Vinod R.
Published: August 2019

Problem definition: This paper provides empirical evidence on the effect of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) on the financial performance of firms. Academic/practical relevance: The GEJE was characterized as the most significant disruption ever for global supply chains. In its aftermath, there was a great deal of debate about the risks and vulnerabilities of global supply chains, and there were calls to redesign and restructure supply chains. Methodology: We empirically estimate the effect of the GEJE on the stock prices of firms. Our analyses are based on a global sample of 470 firms collected from articles and announcements in the business press that identify affected firms, as well as 382 firms that are not mentioned in the business press but are in industries potentially subject to contagion or competitive effects. Results: We estimate that firms experiencing supply chain disruptions as a result of the GEJE lost on average 5.21% of their shareholder value during the one-month period after the GEJE. For Japanese firms, the effect was much more severe with an average 9.32% loss in shareholder value. Non-Japanese firms averaged a 3.73% loss in shareholder value. We also find that upstream and downstream supply chain propagation effects from the GEJE are negative, and the contagion effect on firms related to the nuclear industry is very negative. For firms in the rebuilding industries or competitors to firms affected by the GEJE, the competitive effect from the GEJE is positive. Managerial implications: The loss suffered by both Japanese firms and non-Japanese firms experiencing supply chain disruptions as a result of the GEJE is economically significant. Although the loss is more severe for firms whose operations were directly affected by the GEJE, it is also significant for firms who experienced indirect effects from their upstream and downstream supply chain partners, further confirming the importance of supply chain risk mitigation strategies.
NHS screening programmes
Authors: Peate Ian
Published: August 2019

This is the first article in a series that will focus on a range of NHS screening programmes that are available across the UK. The provision of NHS screening programmes available in each country of the UK differs slightly, as do public health services.

This first article provides insight and understanding of the thinking behind population screening, and explains the differences between screening and testing.

Various charities and voluntary organisations are working with statutory bodies to encourage screening uptake among various populations; they are calling for better information and easier access to the various screening programmes.

The healthcare assistant and assistant practitioner (HCA and AP) are public health practitioners, whose role in improving screening uptake is highlighted in this article.
Dementia 3. Vascular dementia: diagnosis, treatment and medical management
Authors: Nazarko Linda
Published: August 2019

In the UK, an estimated 954 000 people have dementia. Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common type of dementia and affects around 257 607 people ( Prince et al, 2014:16 —Table 4). This article, the third in a series, explains about the pathophysiology and clinical features of VaD, how it can be prevented, how it is diagnosed and the medication used to treat VaD.
Violence and abuse against women: issues in maternity care
Authors: Lindsay Pat , Linay Denise
Published: August 2019

Every individual has the right to live a life free from fear of exploitation, abuse or neglect. Sadly, some childbearing women live in circumstances which threaten the health and even the life of themselves, their children/their unborn babies.

Healthcare professionals have a duty to support the woman and report if they suspect a woman or her child are at risk. The risk may take different forms and not all are easy to identify. As maternity support workers work closely with women and families, they are in a good position to identify women who seem to be at risk.

By being aware of the key issues and reporting concerns to the midwife, serious harm may be averted.
Clinical suspicion regarding needle decompression for patients with chest trauma
Authors: Beaven Alastair , Harrison James , Porter Keith , Steyn Richard
Published: August 2019

Background:

Needle decompression of the chest is indicated for patients in a critical condition with rapid deterioration who have a life-threatening tension pneumothorax.

Aim:

To reassure UK prehospital care providers that needle decompression of the chest is not commonly required in chest trauma patients, and most can be safely managed without it.

Methods:

Case studies as part of a major trauma network continuous review process have revealed instances of needle decompression in the absence of tension pneumothorax. Images are presented where needle decompression was attempted in the absence of tension pneumothorax.

Context:

Expert opinion from our network's multidisciplinary trauma team discuss the occurrence of tension pneumothorax in self-ventilating patients, and the idea that tension pneumothorax is rare in the UK civilian trauma population is acknowledged. Other causes of chest hypoventilation are discussed.
Prospective Teachers' Views on Beauty Criteria
Authors: Uysal Huseyin , Yilmaz Adem
Published: August 2019

Art is one of the most powerful ways of expressing an individual's internal state, expectations and needs with an aesthetic attitude. Different materials can be used during the expression process including colour, line, sound, movement, word, object and so on. Although the materials used in these branches of art are different from each other, the path followed in the application process and the final results are the same “to reveal an aesthetic product”. In order for an artistic practice to mature and reach the beautiful one, the practitioner must have the art education discipline and acquire certain knowledge, skills and understanding of the art field concerned. The art of painting, which is one of the plastic arts, provides the ability to search for beauty through lines and colours on two dimensional surfaces, to create compositions and express the individual's self with this composition, also has its own beauty value criteria. From this point of view, it was aimed to determine the opinions of the prospective teachers studying in the Department of Painting Education in the study about the beauty criteria that should be in the picture. In this study, survey method which is one of the quantitative research methods was preferred. As a data collection tool, a five - point Likert - type scale was developed by the researchers, and 25 items were used. 110 prospective teachers from various grades participated in the study. The results of the research showed that the prospective teachers greatly contributed to the beauty criteria that should be in the picture.
Synthesis of new analogs of 3-methyl-[1,2,4] triazolo [3,4-a] phthalazines via Suzuki coupling and evaluation of their anticancer and antimicrobial activity
Authors: Ravi Kumar Gollapudi , Kurmarayuni Chandra Mohan , Indupalli Manideepa , Pallapati Ramya Krishna , Bollikolla Hari Babu
Published: August 2019

A series of new N-aryl substituted phenyl acetamide analogs of 3-methyl-[1,2,4] triazolo[3,4-a] phthalazines were synthesized starting from commercially available, in-expensive phthalic anhydride in good yields (65-75 %) via Suzuki Coupling. These compounds were tested for inhibition activity against HCT 116 cancer cell line by using MIT assay. Among the library of compounds, N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-(3-methyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-a]phthalazin-6-yl)phenyl) acetamide followed by 2-(4-(3-methyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-a]phthalazin-6-yl)phenyl)-N-(m-tolyl) acetamide and Â N-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-(3-methyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-a]phthalazin-6-yl)phenyl) acetamide Â were found to be active compounds with IC50 of 70 to and 90 Âµg mL-1. Further, the compounds were also screened for their antimicrobial activities.
Structure, Infrared and Raman spectroscopic studies of the new Ba(NbV 0.5MIII0.5)(PO4)2 (MIII = Al, Cr, Fe, In) yavapaiite compounds ‘series
Authors: Fakhreddine Rachid , Aatiq Abderrahim
Published: August 2019

Synthesis and structural study of the new Ba(NbV 0.50MIII 0.50)(PO4)2 (MIII = Al, Cr, Fe, In) phosphates, abbreviated as [BaNbM], were reported here for the first time. Structures of [BaNbM] compounds, obtained by solid-state reaction in air atmosphere, were determined at room temperature from X-ray powder diffraction using the Rietveld method. The four studied compoundsfeature the yavapaiite-type structure, with space group C2/m ( 3 C2h , N°12) and Z = 2. Their framework can be described as consisting of dense slabs of Nb(M)O6 octahedra and PO4 tetrahedra interconnected via corner-sharing, alternating along the c-axis with layers of Ba cations in ten-fold coordination. Raman and Infrared spectroscopic study were used to obtain further structural information about the nature of bonding in selected compositions. Assignments of Nb-O, M-O and P-O Raman and Infrared bands, in [BaNbM] compounds, were based on those already known in the literature for niobium and phosphates oxides. Some empirical relationships, connecting Raman stretching frequencies to the obtained Nb-O and P-O distance values, were also used for assignments of various Raman bands
Numerical simulation of Effect of Contact Pressure on Mechanical Behavior of Gas Diffusion Layers (GDL) and PFSA Membrane Assembly
Authors: Ettouhami Mohamed Karim , Atifi Adil , Mounir Hamid , Amadane Yassine
Published: August 2019

In this study, a Finite Element model has been implemented based on numerical modelling simulations to predict the mechanical behaviour of a representative unit of the fuel cell stack. The GDL deformation has been modelled as a combination of elastic deformation and fibres slippage. Mechanical stresses distribution and deformation are presented concerning the previous model work l with nonlinear orthotropic behaviour of the GDL. The results also show that the state of the stresses in the membrane are highly heterogeneous and largely exceed its elastic limit. The results show that the influence of the temperature variation is not significant in generating stresses. However, the influence of the moisture variation is very significant in generating stresses. Therefore, the increase in relative humidity from 30% to 90° % at T=25°C causes an increase in the maximum Von Mises stress of 0.0836MPa.
Reactivity Indices related to DFT Theory, the Electron Localization Function (ELF) and Non-Covalent Interactions (NCI) Calculations in the Formation of the non-Halogenated Pyruvic Esters in Solution
Authors: Jorio Souad , Salah Mohammed , Abou El Makarim Hassna , Tabyaoui Mohammed
Published: August 2019

The non-halogenated pyruvic esters are essential compounds, considering that they exhibit particular properties, due to the proximity of two functional groups: carbonyl and ester. These molecules can be obtained from the approach of the Lewis acid MgI2 on the iodinated pyruvic ester by using sodium hydrogen sulfite in aqueous solution, which selectively reduces the carbon-iodine bond of the iodinated pyruvic ester. The sites of attack of hydrogen sulfite of this reaction remained uncertain and were the subject of a debate between the experimenters. Our aim in this work is to determine the more favorable sites of attack by using the local indices (Parr functions). To approve the structure of the reagents, we have conducted a topological analysis of electron localization function (ELF). To reveal the type of interaction in the "ester pyruvic-hydrogen sulfite" complex, we have performed a non-covalent interactions (NCI) calculation. The analysis of local indices and NCI analysis of electron density indicate that the approach of the hydrogen sulfite ion will take place on the iodine atom elucidating the preferable site of the attack.