bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of CYP2B6 by Medicinal Plant Extracts: Implication for Use of Efavirenz and Nevirapine-Based Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) in Resource-Limited Settings
Authors: Thomford Nicholas , Awortwe Charles , Dzobo Kevin , Adu Faustina , Chopera Denis , Wonkam Ambroise , Skelton Michelle , Blackhurst Dee , Dandara Collet
Published: February 2016

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has greatly improved health parameters of HIV infected individuals. However, there are several challenges associated with the chronic nature of HAART administration. For populations in health transition, dual use of medicinal plant extracts and conventional medicine poses a significant challenge. There is need to evaluate interactions between commonly used medicinal plant extracts and antiretroviral drugs used against HIV/AIDS. Efavirenz (EFV) and nevirapine (NVP) are the major components of HAART both metabolized by CYP2B6, an enzyme that can potentially be inhibited or induced by compounds found in medicinal plant extracts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of extracts of selected commonly used medicinal plants on CYP2B6 enzyme activity. Recombinant human CYP2B6 was used to evaluate inhibition, allowing the assessment of herb-drug interactions (HDI) of medicinal plants Hyptis suaveolens, Myrothamnus flabellifolius, Launaea taraxacifolia, Boerhavia diffusa and Newbouldia laevis. The potential of these medicinal extracts to cause HDI was ranked accordingly for reversible inhibition and also classified as potential time-dependent inhibitor (TDI) candidates. The most potent inhibitor for CYP2B6 was Hyptis suaveolens extract (IC50 = 19.09 ± 1.16 µg/mL), followed by Myrothamnus flabellifolius extract (IC50 = 23.66 ± 4.86 µg/mL), Launaea taraxacifolia extract (IC50 = 33.87 ± 1.54 µg/mL), and Boerhavia diffusa extract (IC50 = 34.93 ± 1.06 µg/mL). Newbouldia laevis extract, however, exhibited weak inhibitory effects (IC50 = 100 ± 8.71 µg/mL) on CYP2B6. Launaea taraxacifolia exhibited a TDI (3.17) effect on CYP2B6 and showed a high concentration of known CYP450 inhibitory phenolic compounds, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid. The implication for these observations is that drugs that are metabolized by CYP2B6 when co-administered with these herbal medicines and when adequate amounts of the extracts reach the liver, there is a high likelihood of standard doses affecting drug plasma concentrations which could lead to toxicity.
Bioactive ZnO Coatings Deposited by MAPLE—An Appropriate Strategy to Produce Efficient Anti-Biofilm Surfaces
Authors: Oprea Alexandra , Pandel Loredana , Dumitrescu Ana , Andronescu Ecaterina , Grumezescu Valentina , Chifiriuc Mariana , Mogoantă Laurenţiu , Bălşeanu Tudor-Adrian , Mogoşanu George , Socol Gabriel , Grumezescu Alexandru , Iordache Florin , Maniu Horia , Chirea Mariana , Holban Alina
Published: February 2016

Deposition of bioactive coatings composed of zinc oxide, cyclodextrin and cefepime (ZnO/CD/Cfp) was performed by the Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The obtained nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The efficient release of cefepime was correlated with an increased anti-biofilm activity of ZnO/CD/Cfp composites. In vitro and in vivo tests have revealed a good biocompatibility of ZnO/CD/Cfp coatings, which recommend them as competitive candidates for the development of antimicrobial surfaces with biomedical applications. The release of the fourth generation cephalosporin Cfp in a biologically active form from the ZnO matrix could help preventing the bacterial adhesion and the subsequent colonization and biofilm development on various surfaces, and thus decreasing the risk of biofilm-related infections.
EU Regulation of Nanobiocides: Challenges in Implementing the Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR)
Authors: Brinch Anna , Hansen Steffen , Hartmann Nanna , Baun Anders
Published: February 2016

The Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) contains several provisions for nanomaterials (NMs) and is the first regulation in the European Union to require specific testing and risk assessment for the NM form of a biocidal substance as a part of the information requirements. Ecotoxicological data are one of the pillars of the information requirements in the BPR, but there are currently no standard test guidelines for the ecotoxicity testing of NMs. The overall objective of this work was to investigate the implications of the introduction of nano-specific testing requirements in the BPR and to explore how these might be fulfilled in the case of copper oxide nanoparticles. While there is information and data available in the open literature that could be used to fulfill the BPR information requirements, most of the studies do not take the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s nanospecific test guidelines into consideration. This makes it difficult for companies as well as regulators to fulfill the BPR information requirements for nanomaterials. In order to enable a nanospecific risk assessment, best practices need to be developed regarding stock suspension preparation and characterization, exposure suspensions preparation, and for conducting ecotoxicological test.
Myricetin: A Dietary Molecule with Diverse Biological Activities
Authors: Semwal Deepak , Semwal Ruchi , Combrinck Sandra , Viljoen Alvaro
Published: February 2016

Myricetin is a common plant-derived flavonoid and is well recognised for its nutraceuticals value. It is one of the key ingredients of various foods and beverages. The compound exhibits a wide range of activities that include strong anti-oxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. It displays several activities that are related to the central nervous system and numerous studies have suggested that the compound may be beneficial to protect against diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The use of myricetin as a preserving agent to extend the shelf life of foods containing oils and fats is attributed to the compound’s ability to protect lipids against oxidation. A detailed search of existing literature revealed that there is currently no comprehensive review available on this important molecule. Hence, the present work includes the history, synthesis, pharmaceutical applications and toxicity studies of myricetin. This report also highlights structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action for various biological activities.
Dietary Flavonols Intake and Risk of Esophageal and Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
Authors: Xie Yan , Huang Shifeng , Su Yuxi
Published: February 2016

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC) are common cancers and leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. Many studies have investigated the association between dietary flavonols intake and the risk of EC and GC, but the results are inconsistent. Hence, we conducted a systematic analysis of relevant population-based studies to assess the association and derive a more precise estimation. Methods: The Cochrane, PubMed and Embase databases were searched to identify articles published through January 2016 that met the predetermined inclusion criterion. Twelve studies involving 4593 patients and 519,378 controls were included. Results: The summary odds ratios (ORs) of EC, GC and the two combined were respectively 0.88 (95% CI: 0.73–1.08), 0.80 (95% CI: 0.70–0.91) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74–0.92) for the highest category of dietary flavonols intake compared with the lowest. No significant heterogeneities were observed in these studies. Further analysis showed that the pooled ORs of EC and GC for cohort, population-based case-control and hospital-based case-control studies were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.61–1.34), 0.92 (95% CI: 0.72–1.18), 0.68 (95% CI: 0.38–1.24) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.65–1.06), 0.84 (95% CI: 0.45–1.59), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56–0.88). The subgroup analyses revealed a significant association of flavonol intake with a reduced risk of noncardia gastric adenocarcinoma but not gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Moreover, significant inverse associations of flavonol intake with GC risk were observed in women but not in men, in smokers but not in nonsmokers, in European populations but not in American populations. Similarly, a significant inverse association of flavonols intake with EC risk was also observed in smokers but not in nonsmokers. Conclusion: High intake of dietary flavonols is significantly related to a reduced risk of GC, especially in women and smokers.
Automatic 1H-NMR Screening of Fatty Acid Composition in Edible Oils
Authors: Castejón David , Fricke Pascal , Cambero María , Herrera Antonio
Published: February 2016

In this work, we introduce an NMR-based screening method for the fatty acid composition analysis of edible oils. We describe the evaluation and optimization needed for the automated analysis of vegetable oils by low-field NMR to obtain the fatty acid composition (FAC). To achieve this, two scripts, which automatically analyze and interpret the spectral data, were developed. The objective of this work was to drive forward the automated analysis of the FAC by NMR. Due to the fact that this protocol can be carried out at low field and that the complete process from sample preparation to printing the report only takes about 3 min, this approach is promising to become a fundamental technique for high-throughput screening. To demonstrate the applicability of this method, the fatty acid composition of extra virgin olive oils from various Spanish olive varieties (arbequina, cornicabra, hojiblanca, manzanilla, and picual) was determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy according to this protocol.
Enhancement of Carbon Nanotube Particle Distribution in PPS/PEEK/Carbon Nanotube Ternary Composites with Sausage-Like Structure
Authors: Cao Lin , Deng Shuling , Lin Zhidan
Published: February 2016

Carbon nanomaterial particles were selectively distributed in an incompatible and high-melting-temperature polymer blend interface, or in a particular phase, to obtain conductive composites. The composite products revealed poor morphology stability and mechanical performance due to processing several times. Poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) polymers with large differences of processing temperatures were selected as blend components to obtain a compatible blend. PPS/PEEK/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) ternary nanocomposites were prepared using a controlled melt blending process. The composite samples with similar sausage-like structures of PEEK, as a dispersed phase, promote MWCNT to maximize concentration distribution in the PPS continuous phase. As a result, the theoretical percolation threshold of the composite reduced to 0.347 wt %. Moreover, the conductivity of the composite remained stable even after processing several times. CNTs revealed a particular effect when distributed selectively in this kind of system: it can enhance the dispersion of phases and also provide conductivity to the blend at small CNT contents, which can provide more useful ideas for the development of high-melting-temperature and antistatic or conductive plastic materials.
An Exploration of Specialist Palliative Care Nurses’ Experiences of Providing Care to Hospice Inpatients from Minority Ethnic Groups—Implication for Religious and Spiritual Care
Authors: Henry Andrea , Timmins Fiona
Published: February 2016

The aim of this research study was to gain an understanding of nurses’ experiences of providing care to patients from minority ethnic groups within the specialist palliative care inpatient unit of an Irish hospice. Five nurses working in a hospice inpatient unit with experience in providing care to patients from minority ethnic groups were interviewed using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Analysis of the data resulted in the emergence of two distinct constructs, “encountering a landscape of diversity” and “negotiating this landscape”, each one comprising three themes. Findings relating to religion and supporting patients’ religious needs were dominant in four of the six emergent themes—death and dying, acceptance, feeling their way, and being resourceful. The findings presented in this paper highlight the personal and professional challenges facing nurses when providing care in the context of religious diversity. In addition, participants’ descriptions of their endeavours to negotiate the challenges in the context of these differences are identified. By applying these findings in practice, healthcare professionals hold the potential to positively impact the quality-of-life of patients, their families, and their experiences of hospice care in Ireland.
Diurnal Variability of Turbidity Fronts Observed by Geostationary Satellite Ocean Color Remote Sensing
Authors: Hu Zifeng , Pan Delu , He Xianqiang , Bai Yan
Published: February 2016

Monitoring front dynamics is essential for studying the ocean’s physical and biogeochemical processes. However, the diurnal displacement of fronts remains unclear because of limited in situ observations. Using the hourly satellite imageries from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) with a spatial resolution of 500 m, we investigated the diurnal displacement of turbidity fronts in both the northern Jiangsu shoal water (NJSW) and the southwestern Korean coastal water (SKCW) in the Yellow Sea (YS). The hourly turbidity fronts were retrieved from the GOCI-derived total suspended matter using the entropy-based algorithm. The results showed that the entropy-based algorithm could provide fine structure and clearly temporal evolution of turbidity fronts. Moreover, the diurnal displacement of turbidity fronts in NJSW can be up to 10.3 km in response to the onshore-offshore movements of tidal currents, much larger than it is in SKCW (around 4.7 km). The discrepancy between NJSW and SKCW are mainly caused by tidal current direction relative to the coastlines. Our results revealed the significant diurnal displacement of turbidity fronts, and highlighted the feasibility of using geostationary ocean color remote sensing technique to monitor the short-term frontal variability, which may contribute to understanding of the sediment dynamics and the coupling physical-biogeochemical processes.
IKONOS Image-Based Extraction of the Distribution Area of Stellera chamaejasme L. in Qilian County of Qinghai Province, China
Authors: Li Jingzhong , Liu Yongmei , Mo Chonghui , Wang Lei , Pang Guowei , Cao Mingming
Published: February 2016

Stellera chamaejasme L. (S. chamaejasme) is one of the primary toxic grass species (poisonous plants) distributed in the alpine meadows of Qinghai Province, China. In this study, according to the distinctive phenological characteristics of S. chamaejasme, the spectral differences between S. chamaejasme in the full-bloom stage and other pasture grasses were analyzed and the red, blue, and near-infrared bands of IKONOS image were determined as the diagnostic bands of S. chamaejasme recognition. Feature indexes related to S. chamaejasme were established using the diagnostic bands, and \(NDVI_{blue} = (\rho_{nir} − \rho_{blue})/(\rho_{nir} + \rho_{blue})\) obtained as S. chamaejasme sensitive index based on the linear regression analysis between the indexes derived from field spectra and the actual cover fraction of S. chamaejasme communities. The distribution area of S. chamaejasme was extracted by using the index \(NDVI_{blue}\) derived from IKONOS multispectral image in Qilian County of Qinghai Province, China and the verified result reached an overall accuracy of 90.71%. The study indicated that high resolution multispectral satellite images (such as IKONOS images) had significant potential in remote sensing recognition of toxic grass species.
The Potential of Autonomous Ship-Borne Hyperspectral Radiometers for the Validation of Ocean Color Radiometry Data
Authors: Brando Vittorio , Lovell Jenny , King Edward , Boadle David , Scott Roger , Schroeder Thomas
Published: February 2016

Calibration and validation of satellite observations are essential and on-going tasks to ensure compliance with mission accuracy requirements. An automated above water hyperspectral radiometer significantly augmented Australia’s ability to contribute to global and regional ocean color validation and algorithm design activities. The hyperspectral data can be re-sampled for comparison with current and future sensor wavebands. The continuous spectral acquisition along the ship track enables spatial resampling to match satellite footprint. This study reports spectral comparisons of the radiometer data with Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-Aqua for contrasting water types in tropical waters off northern Australia based on the standard NIR atmospheric correction implemented in SeaDAS. Consistent match-ups are shown for transects of up to 50 km over a range of reflectance values. The MODIS and VIIRS satellite reflectance data consistently underestimated the in situ spectra in the blue with a bias relative to the “dynamic above water radiance and irradiance collector” (DALEC) at 443 nm ranging from 9.8 × 10−4 to 3.1 × 10−3 sr−1. Automated acquisition has produced good quality data under standard operating and maintenance procedures. A sensitivity analysis explored the effects of some assumptions in the data reduction methods, indicating the need for a comprehensive investigation and quantification of each source of uncertainty in the estimate of the DALEC reflectances. Deployment on a Research Vessel provides the potential for the radiometric data to be combined with other sampling and observational activities to contribute to algorithm development in the wider bio-optical research community.
Grüt: A Gardening Sensor Kit for Children
Authors: Valpreda Fabrizio , Zonda Ilaria
Published: February 2016

Food waste is one of the main problems in our society. This is mainly caused by people’s behaviors and attitudes, which influence the whole food chain, from production to final consumption. In fact, food is generally perceived as a commodity by adults, who transmit this behavior to children, who in turn do not develop any consciousness about food’s source. One way to reduce the problem seems to be by changing consumers’ attitudes, which develop during the early years of childhood. Research has shown that after attending school garden classes, children’s food-related behavior changes. Growing crops is not always easy—it can’t be done in the domestic space, and this lead to a loss of the long term positive effects. This paper presents a project that tries to teach children how to grow their own food indoors and outdoors, mixing real and virtual reality, connecting something natural like a plant to the Internet of Things (or IOT, a network of physical objects virtually connected to each other and to the web). The use of sensors related to an app makes this process more fun and useful for educational purposes. The aim of the project is to change children’s attitude towards food, increasing their knowledge about production and consumption, in order to reduce waste on a long term basis. The research has been developed in collaboration with Cisco NL and MediaLAB Amsterdam. The user testing has been executed with Dutch children in Amsterdam.
Can Fundamental Movement Skill Mastery Be Increased via a Six Week Physical Activity Intervention to Have Positive Effects on Physical Activity and Physical Self-Perception?
Authors: Bryant Elizabeth , Duncan Michael , Birch Samantha , James Rob
Published: February 2016

Background: Previous research has suggested a positive relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMS) mastery and physical activity (PA) level. Research conducted on interventions to improve FMS mastery is equivocal and further research is needed. Methods: An intervention group of 82 children (35 boys and 47 girls) and a control group of 83 children (42 boys and 41 girls) were recruited from Years 4 and 5 (mean age ± SD = 8.3 ± 0.4 years) of two schools in Central England. The intervention included a combination of circuits and dancing to music. Pre and post intervention tests were conducted. Tests included: subjective assessment of eight FMS; objective measurement of two FMS; four day pedometer step count recording; height and mass for Body Mass Index (BMI); and the completion of Harter et al.’s (1982) self-perception questionnaire. Results: Following a two (pre to post) by two (intervention and control group) mixed-model ANOVA it was highlighted that the intervention group improved mastery in all eight FMS, and increased both daily steps and physical self-perception. Conclusions: It can be concluded that focussing one Physical Education (PE) lesson per week on the development of FMS has had a positive benefit on FMS, PA level and physical self-perception for the children in this study.
Emission Laws and Influence Factors of Greenhouse Gases in Saline-Alkali Paddy Fields
Authors: Tang Jie , Liang Shuang , Li Zhaoyang , Zhang Hao , Wang Sining , Zhang Nan
Published: February 2016

The study of greenhouse gas emissions has become a global focus, but few studies have considered saline-alkali paddy fields. Gas samples and saline-alkali soil samples were collected during the green, tillering, booting, heading and grain filling stages. The emission fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O as well as the pH, soil soluble salt, available nitrogen, and soil organic carbon contents were detected to reveal the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission laws and influence factors in saline-alkali paddy fields. Overall, GHG emissions of paddy soil during the growing season increased, then decreased, and then increased again and peaked at booting stage. The emission fluxes of CO2 and CH4 were observed as having two peaks and a single peak, respectively. Both the total amount of GHG emission and its different components of CO2, CH4, and N2O increased with the increasing reclamation period of paddy fields. A positive correlation was found between the respective emission fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O and the available nitrogen and SOC, whereas a negative correlation was revealed between the fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O and soil pH and soil conductivity. The study is beneficial to assessing the impact of paddy reclamation on regional greenhouse gas emissions and is relevant to illustrating the mechanisms concerning the carbon cycle in paddy soils.
NF45 and NF90 Bind HIV-1 RNA and Modulate HIV Gene Expression
Authors: Li Yan , Belshan Michael
Published: February 2016

A previous proteomic screen in our laboratory identified nuclear factor 45 (NF45) and nuclear factor 90 (NF90) as potential cellular factors involved in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication. Both are RNA binding proteins that regulate gene expression; and NF90 has been shown to regulate the expression of cyclin T1 which is required for Tat-dependent trans-activation of viral gene expression. In this study the roles of NF45 and NF90 in HIV replication were investigated through overexpression studies. Ectopic expression of either factor potentiated HIV infection, gene expression, and virus production. Deletion of the RNA binding domains of NF45 and NF90 diminished the enhancement of HIV infection and gene expression. Both proteins were found to interact with the HIV RNA. RNA decay assays demonstrated that NF90, but not NF45, increased the half-life of the HIV RNA. Overall, these studies indicate that both NF45 and NF90 potentiate HIV infection through their RNA binding domains.
A Methodology to Assess the Water Energy Food Ecosystems Nexus in Transboundary River Basins
Authors: De Strasser Lucia , Lipponen Annukka , Howells Mark , Stec Stephen , Bréthaut Christian
Published: February 2016

The “nexus” is a potentially very appropriate approach to enhance resource efficiency and good governance in transboundary basins. Until now, however, evidence has been confined to isolated case studies and the nexus approach remains largely undefined. The methodology presented in this paper, developed for preparing a series of nexus assessments of selected river basins under the Water Convention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), is a timely contribution to this ongoing debate. The nexus assessment of a transboundary basin has the objective of identifying trade-offs and impacts across sectors and countries and to propose possible policy measures and technical actions at national and transboundary levels to reduce intersectoral tensions. This is done jointly with policy makers and local experts. Compared to an Integrated Water Resource Management approach, the water energy food ecosystems nexus approach concurrently considers multiple sectors and their evolution. This offers the opportunity to better involve key economic sectors—energy and agriculture in particular—in the dialogue over transboundary water resource uses, protection and management.
A TWO-PARAMETER CRITERION FOR CLASSIFYING THE EXPLODABILITY OF MASSIVE STARS BY THE NEUTRINO-DRIVEN MECHANISM
Authors: Ertl T. , Janka H.-Th. , Woosley S. E. , Sukhbold T. , Ugliano M.
Published: February 2016

Thus far, judging the fate of a massive star (either a neutron star [NS] or a black hole) solely by its structure prior to core collapse has been ambiguous. Our work and previous attempts find a nonmonotonic variation of successful and failed supernovae with zero-age main-sequence mass, for which no single structural parameter can serve as a good predictive measure. However, we identify two parameters computed from the pre-collapse structure of the progenitor, which in combination allow for a clear separation of exploding and nonexploding cases with only a few exceptions (∼1%–2.5%) in our set of 621 investigated stellar models. One parameter is M
4, defining the normalized enclosed mass for a dimensionless entropy per nucleon of s = 4, and the other is

, being the normalized mass derivative at this location. The two parameters μ
4 and M
4
μ
4 can be directly linked to the mass-infall rate,

, of the collapsing star and the electron-type neutrino luminosity of the accreting proto-NS,

, which play a crucial role in the “critical luminosity” concept for the theoretical description of neutrino-driven explosions as runaway phenomena of the stalled accretion shock. All models were evolved employing the approach of Ugliano et al. for simulating neutrino-driven explosions in spherical symmetry. The neutrino emission of the accretion layer is approximated by a gray transport solver, while the uncertain neutrino emission of the 1.1 M
⊙ proto-NS core is parameterized by an analytic model. The free parameters connected to the core-boundary prescription are calibrated to reproduce the observables of SN 1987A for five different progenitor models.
Why Do Patients with Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases Discontinue Their Biologics? An Assessment of Patients’ Adherence Using a Self-report Questionnaire
Authors: Betegnie Anne-Laure , Gauchet Aurélie , Lehmann Audrey , Grange Laurent , Roustit Matthieu , Baudrant Magalie , Bedouch Pierrick , Allenet Benoît
Published: February 2016

Objective.

Concerns have been raised about nonadherence behavior among patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) receiving biologics. This nonadherence may be caused by various factors. The main objective was to explain why patients discontinue their biologics of their own accord.

Methods.

A quantitative and descriptive study was performed using a self-report questionnaire that was sent through the Internet to members of different patient associations. Sociodemographic data, medical and therapeutic history, management of biologic administration, previous experiences, and patients’ beliefs and perceptions about treatment efficacy and side effects were studied to explain self-discontinuation (SD).

Results.

A total of 581 patients answered the questionnaire between June 16, 2012, and July 4, 2012, including patients with ankylosing spondylitis (351/581, 60.4%), rheumatoid arthritis (196/581, 33.7%), psoriatic arthritis (30/581, 5.2%), and other CIRD (4/581, 0.7%). More than 1000 different biologics were described by the 581 patients, with a median of 2 lines per patient. Eighty-six patients discontinued their biologics of their own accord (14.8%). In a multivariate analysis, factors that were significantly related to SD were low level of pain, more than 1 line of biologics tried, self-administration of biologics, negative beliefs about the treatment, and a lack of medical and social support.

Conclusion.

Five predictive factors of this SD were identified, which should be assessed in routine with patients with CIRD receiving biologic treatment: pain, treatment history, self-administration of injections, negative beliefs about treatment, and a lack of perceived medical and social support.
Carotid Atherosclerosis in Adult Patients with Persistently Active Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Compared with Healthy Controls
Authors: Evensen Kristin , Aulie Hanne Aaserud , Rønning Ole Morten , Flatø Berit , Russell David
Published: February 2016

Objective.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease in childhood. It is regarded as a systemic inflammatory disease with possible increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to assess carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid stenosis as surrogate measures for CVD in adults with longterm active JIA and healthy age- and sex-matched controls.

Methods.

Seventy-five patients with JIA (age 28–45 yrs) with persistently active disease at least 15 years after disease onset were reexamined after a median of 29 years and compared with 75 matched controls. Patients and controls were examined by color duplex ultrasound of the carotid arteries to compare carotid IMT and carotid stenosis in the 2 groups.

Results.

Patients with JIA did not have increased carotid IMT values compared with the controls (mean ± SD: 0.56 mm ± 0.09 vs 0.58 mm ± 0.07, p = 0.289). Patients with a higher disease activity indicated by the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score value above the median value had increased carotid IMT compared with the patients with a lower value, but not statistically different compared with controls. No carotid stenoses were detected in patients or controls.

Conclusion.

We found similar carotid IMT values in adult patients with JIA and controls.
Phenotypic Characterization of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in African American Children
Authors: Fitzpatrick Lauren , Broadaway K. Alaine , Ponder Lori , Angeles-Han Sheila T. , Jenkins Kirsten , Rouster-Stevens Kelly , Pelajo Christina F. , Conneely Karen , Epstein Michael P. , Lopez-Benitez Jorge , Vogler Larry B. , Prahalad Sampath ,   The CARRA Registry Investigators
Published: February 2016

Objective.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) affects children of all races. Prior studies suggest that phenotypic features of JIA in African American (AA) children differ from those of non-Hispanic white (NHW) children. We evaluated the phenotypic differences at presentation between AA and NHW children enrolled in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry, and replicated the findings in a JIA cohort from a large center in the southeastern United States.

Methods.

Children with JIA enrolled in the multicenter CARRA Registry and from Emory University formed the study and replication cohorts. Phenotypic data on non-Hispanic AA children were compared with NHW children with JIA using the chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results.

In all, 4177 NHW and 292 AA JIA cases from the CARRA Registry and 212 NHW and 71 AA cases from Emory were analyzed. AA subjects more often had rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive polyarthritis in both the CARRA (13.4% vs 4.7%, p = 5.3 × 10−7) and the Emory (26.8% vs 6.1%, p = 1.1 × 10−5) cohorts. AA children had positive tests for RF and cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (CCP) more frequently, but oligoarticular or early onset antinuclear antibody (ANA)-positive JIA less frequently in both cohorts. AA children were older at onset in both cohorts and this difference persisted after excluding RF-positive polyarthritis in the CARRA Registry (median age 8.5 vs 5.0 yrs, p = 1.4 × 10−8).

Conclusion.

Compared with NHW children, AA children with JIA are more likely to have RF/CCP-positive polyarthritis, are older at disease onset, and less likely to have oligoarticular or ANA-positive, early-onset JIA, suggesting that the JIA phenotype is different in AA children.
La question du réel
Authors: Devès Maud H.
Published: February 2016

Cet article tire profit des enseignements de la psychanalyse pour explorer la place que les « scientifiques » peuvent, et ne peuvent pas, tenir face aux demandes qui leur sont adressées. Il explore le transfert qui s’opère envers la Science au travers des figures du monstre et de la Catastrophe. Parce qu’elles confrontent l’individu et le collectif à la question du réel, de sa mise en discours et en récit, les situations de catastrophes permettent de souligner le caractère potentiellement traumatogène du projet scientifique, constat qui invite à distinguer la pratique de la recherche et la situation d’expertise.
Enjeux psychiques des tentatives de suicide par arme à feu
Authors: Demeule Caroline
Published: February 2016

La tentative de suicide par arme à feu attaque le visage, support symbolique de l’identité. L’explosion faciale peut se comprendre comme une monstrification, mais elle est avant tout une monstration, exposée au regard de l’autre. À partir d’une analyse clinique, l’hypothèse d’une identification mélancolique partielle au visage mort permet de rendre compte de la fragilité de l’inscription symbolique du visage et de la renaissance psychique paradoxale que procure le fracas facial : c’est en détruisant le visage, objet d’un regard défaillant en des temps précoces, que le sujet peut dépasser cette identification et se sentir exister.
Le corps féminin et la chirurgie esthétique
Authors: Lindenmeyer Cristina
Published: February 2016

Si, du temps de Freud, le corps de l’hystérique avec ses crises spectaculaires était le moyen d’accès à la problématique des destins de la sexualité en lien avec l’organisation sociale de l’époque, aujourd’hui, en quoi les hystériques convertissent-elles leurs corps ? À partir de la pratique psychanalytique avec des femmes qui ont eu recours à la chirurgie esthétique, l’auteure s’est posé les questions suivantes : en quoi ces expériences de transformations du corps nous interrogent-elles au travers de la psychanalyse ? Quels sont les fantasmes qui animent de telles démarches ? L’auteure soutient l’idée que le recours aux transformations esthétiques de « comblement » ou « d’augmentation » sont de nouvelles modalités hystériques d’aménagement contre l’angoisse de castration. Et cela en complaisance avec le dispositif social.
« Enfants de la rue » : du morcellement à l’émergence du sujet
Authors: Monteiro de Barros Paula Cristina , Zmeri Frej Nanette , de Fatima Vilar de Melo Maria
Published: February 2016

Ce travail part d’une expérience clinique institutionnelle auprès d’adolescents, marqués par la violence, l’abandon, l’exclusion sociale, qui vivent dans la rue (Brésil) et errent en quête d’un lieu vers lequel se tourner. Tandis que, dans la rue, ils se qualifient de « pelletée de gens », une adolescente a un jour appelé sa psychologue une « fouilleuse d’ordures », ce que nous considérons comme une demande d’unification face à la menace de « dilacération ». Nous nous appuyons sur le schéma optique de Lacan afin d’analyser la place qu’occupent ces adolescents et l’institution de l’Assistance sociale qui, en tant qu’adresse symbolique, véhicule l’émergence du sujet.
Effectiveness and Safety of Zoledronic Acid in the Treatment of Osteoporosis
Authors: Hsieh Po-Ching
Published: February 2016

The effectiveness of current treatments for osteoporosis is limited by poor patient compliance. However, a favorable dosing regimen of zoledronic acid (ZA) has the potential to improve patient compliance and thus clinical outcomes. The author conducted a retrospective analysis to examine adherence to and the antiosteoporotic effects of a once-yearly infusion of 5 mg of ZA in Taiwanese patients with osteoporosis for up to 48 months. Five men and 149 postmenopausal women (mean age, 77.1 years) were included. Prior to ZA treatment, 66.2% of patients had fractures; most patients discontinued previous treatments due to compliance or convenience issues. Approximately 85% of patients received at least 2 infusions of ZA. Following ZA treatment, bone mineral density improved from baseline at 12 months (11% from baseline;
P
=.01) and 48 months (20.7% from baseline;
P
=.009). In addition there was a significant reduction in mean beta-C-telopeptide at all time points from 12 (
P
<.001) to 36 months (
P
=.010). New clinical fractures occurred in 16 (10.4%) patients, of which 12 patients experienced a single fracture. Zoledronic acid had an acceptable safety profile; no adverse events were considered to be drug related. Treatment with ZA improved bone health by enhancing bone mineral density and reducing bone turnover, even in high-risk patients. Low fracture rates and high adherence further elucidate the benefits of ZA in the treatment of osteoporosis. [
Orthopedics.
2016; 39(2):e263–e270.]
Use of the G-guide for Measuring Stem Antetorsion During Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Fujihara Yuki , Fukunishi Shigeo , Fukui Tomokazu , Nishio Shoji , Okahisa Shohei , Takeda Yu , Kurosaka Kenji , Yoshiya Shinichi
Published: February 2016

Implant positioning is one of the critical factors influencing postoperative outcomes in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Several studies have reported that the postoperative antetorsion (AT) measurement for the femoral stem inserted without navigation showed wide variability. The current authors developed a simple instrument, the Gravity-guide (G-guide), for intraoperative assessment of stem AT and adjustment. They evaluated the effectiveness of the G-guide with postoperative computed tomography (CT) examination. Ninety patients (96 hips) who underwent primary THA using the G-guide for stem adjustment were evaluated. The G-guide consists of 2 parts: one attached to the lower leg and the other attached to the handle of the rasp. The G-guide was used to evaluate the AT at the time of inserting the final rasp. In addition, the AT value in the G-guide evaluation system required correction by the angle obtained in the preoperative epicondylar view. Intraoperative stem AT was defined as the sum of the intraoperative G-guide value and the correction angle. Postoperative AT was evaluated by CT examination. The discrepancy between the intra- and postoperative measurements was 4.6°±4.1°. Acceptable accuracy with discrepancy of less than 5° and 10° was achieved in 66 (69%) hips and 85 (89%) hips, respectively. The use of the G-guide could effectively reduce the variability of stem anteversion compared with manual adjustment. This study proved the effectiveness of the newly developed G-guide system in intraoperative stem AT adjustment. [
Orthopedics.
2016; 39(2):e271–e275.]
Short-term Results of Robinson Type 2B2 Clavicular Fractures Treated Conservatively or Surgically
Authors: Malkoc Melih , Korkmaz Ozgur , Bayram Erhan , Ormeci Tugrul , Isyar Mehmet , Yilmaz Murat , Seker Ali
Published: February 2016

The most frequently treated injuries, representing approximately 82% of all clavicular fractures, involve the midshaft clavicle. Historically, most acute displaced midshaft clavicular fractures were treated nonsurgically. However, the outcomes of nonsurgical treatment have recently been thought to be not as good as expected in the past, and the trend is to treat these fractures surgically. The goal of this study was to evaluate the short-term clinical outcomes of Robinson type 2B2 clavicular fractures treated conservatively vs with locked plate fixation. Among 59 patients included in the study, 30 patients (mean age, 45±13.7 years; range, 30–62 years) treated conservatively were designated as group A, and 29 patients (mean age, 38.8±11.1 years; range, 20–60 years) treated with locked plate fixation were designated as group B. All patients were evaluated using Oxford and Constant scoring systems at final follow-up. Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12–24 months). In group A, mean Constant score was 70.5±15.1 (range, 98-43) and mean Oxford score was 46.6±1.3 (range, 49-44) at final follow-up. In group B, mean Constant score was 89.2±8 (range, 100-77) and mean Oxford score was 46.5±1.2 (range, 48-44) at final follow-up. Callus was detected radiographically in both groups at 6-week follow-up. Patients in groups A and B started active range-of-motion exercises at weeks 6 and 3 after treatment, respectively. Locked plate fixation of Robinson type 2B2 clavicular fractures can be the first treatment option because of good clinical results, low complication rates, and good cosmesis. [
Orthopedics.
2016; 39(2):e276–e279.]
Les masques en forme de cœur des zones forestières en Afrique centrale
Authors: Neyt François
Published: February 2016

La production artistique des peuples habitant les zones forestières en Afrique centrale se présente comme un système original complexe. Les éléments formels y sont en relation, tels les signes corporels, les institutions sociales, la nomenclature des figures de proue (chef, nganga, devin, forgeron), les signes naturels perçus comme des esprits ou des présences ancestrales. Cette étude se limite à examiner les visages en forme de cœur, archétype important.
Ndebele d’Afrique du Sud
Authors: Valentin Manuel
Published: February 2016

En quelques années seulement, en pleine période de boycott culturel international contre l’apartheid, les Ndebele d’Afrique du Sud sont parvenus à faire reconnaître leur culture grâce à leurs techniques de peinture murale et à leur production d’ouvrages perlés. La géométrisation des motifs et les contrastes de couleurs en aplats ont séduit tant les chercheurs blancs sud-africains que les média et les touristes étrangers. L’émergence de cette « esthétique traditionnelle récente » s’inscrit dans une stratégie de reconnaissance identitaire qui prend sa source dans l’histoire même de la formation du peuple ndebele. Depuis la fin de l’apartheid se pose la question du devenir de ce style et du statut artistique acquis par ses deux principales représentantes.
Generation of Regular Pore System in Silicon by Means of Nanoindentation
Authors: Dmitrievskiy Alexander A. , Guseva Darya G. , Efremova Nadezhda Yu. , Stolyarov Roman A.
Published: February 2016

Regular pore system (RPS) was generated in monocrystalline silicon by means of electrochemical anodization of the surface after forming “matrices” of indenter imprints. The morphology of the obtained RPSs was examined using scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that decrease in the distance between the indentations (indentation depth h = 140 nm) allows to obtain RPSs with crosswise pore sizes d < 300 nm, which is unattainable by photolithography technique. The data indicate that nanoimprint method can be employed to create regular systems of micro-and nanopores in silicon.
Effect of Synthesis Conditions on Size Characteristics of Nickel and Cobalt Nanostructured Powders
Authors: Lapsina Polina , Kagakin Evgeniy , Popova Anna , Vladimirov Alexander , Sachkov Victor I.
Published: February 2016

In this paper one of the numerous chemical methods to obtain nanostructured powders of nickel and cobalt by reduction of mix of sparingly soluble metal carbonates with hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent is considered. The influence of preparation conditions (concentration of the reducing agent, temperature, magnetic field) on size-characteristics of powders is studied. Size of nickel nanocrystallites varies in range 17-23 nm, the range for cobalt crystallites is 23-33 nm. It is found that the optimal temperature range is 80-95 °C to reduce carbonates of nickel and cobalt by the hydrazine hydrate. Application of magnetic field during the reduction of the crystal nickel carbonate to metal nickel helps to change the shape and size characteristics of the powders.
Radiation-Chemical Modification of PVDF Films as a Method of Creating Proton-Conducting Membranes
Authors: Sokhoreva Valentina , Dubrova Natalya A. , Dyussembekova Akbota
Published: February 2016

In this work we represent the results for the development of proton conductive membranes by radiochemical modification of thin PVDF films with their subsequent sulfonation. Radiation source were 4He ions with energy of 27 MeV produced by cyclotron R-7M the FTI TPU. The results of IR-spectroscopy, gravimetric analysis and microscopy are represented to evaluate changes in membranes properties. It was shown that the deepness of modificated gel can be controlled by radiation.
Hydrogen Concentration Measurements at Titanium Layers by Means of Thermo-EMF
Authors: Lider Andrey M. , Larionov Vitalii V. , Syrtanov Maxim S.
Published: February 2016

The thermo-emf and electrical resistivity of hydrogenated titanium were measured. Hydrogen concentration in titanium varies from 0.005 to 0.25%. We have compared the methods regarding their sensitivity to the alteration of thermo-emf and electrical resistivity during titanium hydrogenation. The accuracy of the obtained results was verified by comparing them with the results for palladium. It was demonstrated that the method implementing thermo-emf is sensitive to hydrogen concentration in titanium at different depth of the alloy. On the basis of performed measurements, we have proposed a graphical method for detecting the change in titanium structure.
High Temperature and Heat Insulated Calcium Silicate Materials
Authors: Pugovkina Yulya , Kutugin Viktor , Ostroumova Alina , Rymanova Irina
Published: February 2016

Calcium silicate plates of Danish company «Skamol» possess better heat and power characteristics than the domestic materials, but because of import the cost of these plates is very high. Due to this reason we obtained the alternative domestic product. According to the hypothesis the synthesized samples, with proper characteristics were received. Further technology development will allow us to produce ultralight materials with high structural characteristics.
The Evolution of Defects in Zirconium in the Process of Hydrogen Sorption and Desorption
Authors: Laptev Roman S. , Lider Andrey M. , Bordulev Yuriy S. , Kudiiarov Viktor N. , Gvozdyakov Dmitriy V.
Published: February 2016

The influence of hydrogen sorption-desorption cycles on defect structure of Zr-1Nb alloy was investigated. Specimens were hydroganated from gas atmosphere at temperature 500 °C and pressure 2 atm up to the hydrogen concentration equal to 0.05 wt.% for each cycle. The hydrogen concentration during saturation was determinate by the volumetric method. Then samples were annealed at temperature 900 °C with the heating rate of 4 °C/s. The lattice defects were studied by means of positron lifetime spectroscopy (PLS) and doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS). New experimental data about the evolution of the average positron lifetieme τavg, as well as the relative changes in the parameters S, W depending treatment stage in Zr-1Nb alloy during thermo hydrogen proccessing was obtained.
Synthesis of Highly Deactivated Polyhalogenated Aromatic Compounds
Authors: Sobolev Vasily , Ivlev Sergey , Shagalov Vladimir , Ostvald Roman , Zherin Ivan
Published: February 2016

The barium fluorobromate(III) was obtained as the product of interaction between barium fluoride and bromine(III) trifluoride. The heat of formation of Ba(BrF4)2 was found by isothermal calorimetry method. By the TG/DT analysis the thermal stability of Ba(BrF4)2 was researched. It was found that this compound is mostly stable in the atmosphere or argon up to 250 °C. It was shown that bromine trifluoride and its derive compounds with alkali and alkali-earth metals fluorides can be applied like a highly-active brominating agent in case of production of various composite materials based on polyhalogenated aromatics.