bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthropological reconstruction of the physical appearance of the «king» and «queen»
from the early Scythian burial and memorial complex of Arzhan-2
Authors: Veselovskaya E.V. , Galeev R.M.
Published: May 2020

Arzhan-2, the archaeological site of world significance, a national treasure of peoples of Tuva and Russia, located in the «Valley of Kings» (Piy-Khemsk District, Tyva Republic), was investigated in 2001–2004 by the Central Asian Archaeological Expedition of the State Hermitage Museum headed by K.V. Chugunov. The sites has been dated to the 7th c. BC and attributed to the Scythian-Siberian cultural community. When exploring the «royal» burial of the early Scythian site of Arzhan-2, the scientists faced the questions of the origin of the buried, periodization and chronology of the monument, its archaeological-cultural attribution, the autochthonous nature of the population that left it, and its relationship with other Eurasian early nomadic cultures. The present study is addressing the most important issue of the appearance of the buried people and characteristics of their anthropological type. The material for the study was comprised of male and female skulls from burial 5 of Arzhan-2 mound. The article describes in detail the process of reconstruction of the physical appearance of the deceased and provides examples of calculating ante mortem parameters based on craniometric measurements. The complex stages of preliminary work related to the restoration of skulls and manufacturing of their exact copies are highlighted. The results of the physical appearance reconstruction are presented in the form of visual museum objects — sculptural portraits. The scientific reconstruction of the ante mortem appearance on skulls of the «king» and «queen» was carried out in the Laboratory of Anthropological Reconstruction of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences by anthropologists Drs E.V. Veselovskaya and R.M. Galeev. In anthropological terms, the buried show a peculiar mosaic of Caucasoid and Mongoloid features. They are characterized by brachycephaly and dome-shaped head, with notably developed rugosity of the supercilium in the man and its absence in the woman. For the man, an average width of the face and a narrow forehead of medium height are noted. The woman has broad face and forehead, the height of the forehead is average. Both portraits are characterized by prominent position of eyeballs and large eyes. Man’s nose is short, prominent, with convex dorsum. Woman’s nose has a wavy dorsum, and is slightly prominent. On the male portrait, the cheekbones are moderate, on the female one — high and prominent. Faces of the «royal» persons are flattened in the upper part, with a certain degree of alveolar prognathism. The lower jaw of the man is medium in size, narrow in the corners. For the woman, some gracility of the lower jaw can be noted.
North Selkup state farms as a state social policy instrument
Authors: Stepanova O.B.
Published: May 2020

The city-forming role of the North Selkup state farms, as also the farms themselves, has not yet been the subject of a special research; the author had to «develop the virgin soil» exploring this topic. The study is based on materials from the Krasnoselkup Municipal Archive. Carried out was the analysis of the records for the Pol-yarny state farm for 1974–2000, the Tolkinskiy state farm for 1970–2004, the report of the Krasnoselkup Village Council for 1978, and the summary report on the performance of five local collective farms for the period of 1951–1961. Some information was gathered from the report of the Krasnoselkup oil and gas exploration expedition in 1979 stored in the Krasnoselkup Museum of Local Lore. Materials from conversations with the Krasnoselkup Dis-trict residents from the author’s field archive were also used. This study confirms that the state farms, built on traditional economic activities, played the role of town-forming enterprises for the Selkup villages and served as guarantors of the Selkup economic and social well-being. The dependence of the inhabitants of the villages (or the Selkup part of the villages’ population) on the state farms was expressed in the opportunity of employment in the traditional economic sector, as well as in the use of the village infrastructure created by the state farms. The city-forming function of the northern agricultural enterprises was the result of the state policy of supporting the indigenous peoples of the North; it originated during the collective farm time and reached its maximum develop-ment during the state farm period. Socialist modernization is generally considered to be an unprecedented disin-tegration, destruction and breakage of a stable economic culture, and associated with the strong turbulence of the everyday environment. Owing to the city-forming function of the Selkup state farms, as well as their social orienta-tion, the process of socialist changes among the Selkups proceeded gently, overall painlessly, improving the qual-ity of life and being associated with an understanding of its normality and the absence of practices for avoiding and leaving for the informal economy. Selkup state farms, together with the villagers entrusted to them, began to experience strong turbulence with the onset of the state crisis in 1991. The 1990s decade ended with collapse of the state farms, and with the social tragedy for the Selkup population.
Selenium-Dependent Readthrough of the Conserved 3’-Terminal UGA Stop Codon of HIV-1 Nef
Authors: Premadasa Lakmini , Dailey Gabrielle , Ruzicka Jan , Taylor Ethan
Published: May 2020

The HIV-1 nef gene terminates in a 3’-UGA stop codon, which is highly conserved in the main group of HIV-1 subtypes, along with a downstream potential coding region that could extend the nef protein by 33 amino acids, if readthrough of the stop codon occurs. Antisense tethering interactions (ATIs) between a viral mRNA and a host selenoprotein mRNA are a potential viral strategy for the capture of a host selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element (Taylor et al, 2016) [1]. This mRNA hijacking mechanism could enable the expression of virally encoded selenoprotein modules, via translation of in-frame UGA stop codons as selenocysteine (SeC). Here we show that readthrough of the 3’-terminal UGA codon of nef occurs during translation of HIV-1 nef expression constructs in transfected cells. This was accomplished via fluorescence microscopy image analysis and flow cytometry of HEK 293 cells, transfected with engineered GFP reporter gene plasmid constructs, in which GFP can only be expressed by translational recoding of the UGA codon. SiRNA knockdown of thioredoxin reductase 1 (TR1) mRNA resulted in a 67% decrease in GFP expression, presumably due to reduced availability of the components involved in selenocysteine incorporation for the stop codon readthrough, thus supporting the proposed ATI. Addition of 20 nM sodium selenite to the media significantly enhanced stop codon readthrough in the pNefATI1 plasmid construct, by >100%, supporting the hypothesis that selenium is involved in the UGA readthrough mechanism.
 Identification of Risk and Severity of Covid-19 Spread in Different Countries Worldwide
Authors: Kumar Jitendra , Kumawat Ayush , Datta Randeep , Trivedi Prabhat , Agiwal Varun , Kumar Saurabh , Kumar Ashok , Swaroop Shiv
Published: May 2020

All transmission disease depends on the transmission opportunity or medium like humans in COVID-19. Due to globalization and regular movement of people from one country to another, spread of COVID 19 reached to 208 countries till May 10, 2020. For any society health is major concern for humanity as well as administration. Any pandemic is declared as and when it reached at a particular severity level and control vice versa. So, we have continued the daily COVID 19 cases analysis and segregated till May 10, 2020. We have included at least 25 countries for the analysis purpose due to limitation of number of observations in the analysis. Maximum number of day’s data available for China is for 100 days, followed by Iran for 81 days, minimum number of days data is for 16 days for Western Sahara and Tajikistan.
Revisiting Quick Big Five Personality Test: Testing Measurement Invariance across Gender
Authors: ERDEM Devrim
Published: May 2020

Personality is a subject that has been studied because of the social, economic, individual, and educational implications of personality. The widely used model for measuring personality is the Five-Factor Model (FFM). The robustness of the factor structure of the FFM of personality has been provided among cultures and diverse samples. The measurement tools are used to identify differences between individuals or groups. However, in order to make meaningful comparisons, it is necessary to provide the measurement equivalence among the comparison groups. Thus the current study aimed to test the measurement invariance of the Quick Big Five (QBF) items that are used in many disciplines in Turkey. For this purpose, the QBF items were investigated in terms of configural, metric, scalar and strict invariance across gender. In this research, 1114 university students aged between 17-32 years were included in the sample. Firstly, several CFAs were performed for the whole sample and then both men and women separately. The findings of the CFA revealed that the QBF model fit the data. In addition, each of the 30 items of the scale was embedded into a related latent factor in both gender groups. Secondly, sequential multiple group CFA tests to examine measurement invariance were conducted. According to the findings, full configural, partial metric and scalar invariance were fulfilled across gender. However, strict invariance could not be achieved. Imaginative and inquisitive under the openness factor were determined to cause measurement non-invariance. In conclusion, latent mean comparisons can be made by excluding these two items across gender.
Benson's Relaxation Therapy and Sleep Quality among Elderlyat a Social Institution in Inakaka, Indonesia
Authors: Marasabessy Nur Baharia , Herawati Lucky , Achmad Irhamdi
Published: May 2020

Serious sleep disturbances among elderlies include attention or memory disorders, depression and often fall. A quasi experimental study design with pre-posttest with control group was performed to determine effect of Benson’s relaxation therapy on sleep quality among the elderly, and influences of sex, age anddisease suffered differences. Of a total of 46 elderlies from a Social Institute in Ambon, 29 were taken for the treatment group and 19 for the control group.The treatment group was interfered with Benson’s breathing relaxation for 14 days. Sleep quality was measured using Pittsburg sleep quality index form. Datawere analyzed using independent t-test and multivariate of variance with signifinat level 0.05. This study found that Benson’s relaxation therapy was able toimprove significantly the elderly sleep quality (p-value = 0.046), and no significant difference between sex, age and disease suffered in elderly sleep quality(p-value > 0.05). The Benson’s relaxation therapy was able to improve the elderly sleep quality especially in Inakaka Social Institution.
The Use of Hybrid Energy Storage Devices for Balancing the Electricity Load Profile of Enterprises
Authors: Belsky A. A. , Skamyin A. N. , Vasilkov O. S.
Published: May 2020

In this article, the authors consider the possibility of using a hybrid energy storage system to even out the load profile of the enterprise. Solving the problem of rational use of energy storage taking into account the initial variable load schedule will significantly reduce not only the cost of electricity consumption by the enterprise, but also the costs of its production. Detailed characteristics  of  batteries  with  various  types  of  electrolytes  and  supercapacitors  are  given. A model of the active scheme of a hybrid electric energy storage system consisting of a lithium-ion battery and a supercapacitor unit with the corresponding characteristics is presented. The model was carried out by using the SimPowerSystems software in MatLab. During the simulation, the temperature and the aging effects and of the batteries were not taken into account. The selfdischarge parameter of the battery was also not presented. As a result of the simulation, discharge characteristics of supercapacitors and batteries were obtained based upon which the expediency of their combined use for leveling load profiles of various types was substantiated. The paper presents the results of the simulation of operating modes of a hybrid energy storage device, combining the advantages of two types of energy storage devices, as well as a diagram of delivered power to the network, corresponding to the specified parameters. The paper provides a mathematical description of the increasing power by hybrid storage system resulting from the combined use of supercapacitors and batteries. The paper presents the dependence of the power increase ratio on the frequency and the pulse current duty ratio, which proves that the maximum possible output power of the hybrid storage system can be several times greater than the power of a single battery having the same parameters.
A retrospective study of orthodontic treatment with pre-treatment gingival recessions
Authors: Antanaviciene Guoste , Smailiene Dalia , Baseviciene Nomeda , Zasciurinskiene Egle
Published: May 2020

Background: The development of gingival recessions (GR) after orthodontic treatment (OT) is well described in the literature. However, there is a lack of information about the changes in pre-existing GR during OT. Methods: This retrospective study aimed to examine the change of GR before and after OT. Intraoral photographs of 993 patients treated with fixed appliances between 2005 and 2017 were evaluated. Patients who had at least one GR on the vestibular surface of maxillary/mandibular teeth mesial to first molars were included. GR was measured on good quality plaster models before and after OT. The change of GR (T0-T1) was categorised into the three groups: worsened, did not change and improved (this group consisted of GR, which became better but did not disappear, and fully healed, which disappeared after OT)). The change of GR by ≥0.5 mm was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics (Version 22.0. Armonk, NY, USA). Results: Fifty-one (5.1%) patient had ≥1 GR before OT. Of them, 37 (72.5%) patients were included in the final analysis according to the inclusion criteria. GR before OT was found on 114 buccal/labial surfaces. At tooth level the median GR improvement was 0.55 (Q1; Q3: 0.12; 0.96) mm (p<0.001). GR improved in 67 teeth (58.7%), did not change in 41 (36.0%), and worsened in 6 (5.3%). Of the 67 GR, which improved, full healing was observed in 15 (22.4%) teeth. There was a lower chance for GR improvement in cases with pre-treatment open bite (OR 3.35; 95% CI: 1.14, 9.84; p=0.03) and dental Class III patients (OR 2.20; 95% CI: 0.92, 5.28; p=0.03). Conclusions: Based on the findings of the present retrospective study, it may be concluded that orthodontic treatment induces changes in gingival recessions. In more than half of the teeth, the improvement in gingival recession was observed. Class III malocclusion and reduced pre-treatment overbite had a negative impact on GR improvement.
The impact of long dry periods on the aboveground biomass in tropical forests: 20 years of monitoring
Authors: de Meira-Junior Milton Serpa , Pinto José Roberto Rodrigues , Ramos Natália Oliveira , Miguel Eder Pereira , Gaspar Ricardo de Oliveira , Phillips Oliver L
Published: May 2020

Background Long-term studies of community and population dynamics indicate that abrupt disturbances often catalyse changes in vegetation and carbon stocks. These disturbances include the opening of clearings, flooding, rainfall seasonality, and drought, as well as fire and direct human disturbance. Such events may be super-imposed on longer-term trends in disturbance, such as those associated with climate change (heating, drying), as well as resources. Intact neotropical forests have recently experienced increased drought frequency and fire, on top of pervasive increases in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, but we lack long-term records of responses to such changes especially in the critical transitional areas at the interface of forest and savanna biomes. Here, we present results from 20 years monitoring a valley forest (moist tropical forest outlier) in central Brazil. The forest has experienced multiple drought events and includes plots which have and which have not experienced fire. We focus on how forest structure (stem density and aboveground biomass carbon) and dynamics (stem and biomass mortality and recruitment) have responded to these disturbance regimes. Results Overall, the biomass carbon stock increased due to the growth of the trees already present in the forest, without any increase in the overall number of tree stems. Over time, both recruitment and especially mortality of trees tended to increase, and periods of prolonged drought in particular resulted in increased mortality rates of larger trees. This increased mortality was in turn responsible for a decline in aboveground carbon toward the end of the monitoring period. Fire in 2010, which occurred in only some of our plots, tended to exacerbate the trends of increasing mortality and losses of biomass carbon. Conclusion Prolonged droughts influence the mortality of large trees, leading to a decline in aboveground carbon stocks. Here, and in other neotropical forests, recent droughts are capable of shutting down and reversing biomass carbon sinks. These new results add to evidence that anthropogenic climate changes are already adversely impacting tropical forests.
Identification and validation of a commercial cryopreservation medium for the practical preservation of Dirofilaria immitis microfilaria
Authors: Shirozu Takahiro , Soga Akira , Fukumoto Shinya
Published: May 2020

Background Dirofilaria immitis is a parasitic nematode transmitted by mosquitoes and the cause of heartworm disease in dogs and dirofilariasis in humans and other mammals. The parasite is endemic worldwide. Vector stage research requires a reliable supply of D. immitis microfilariae (mf). It is believed that cryopreserved mf would retain viability and provide a powerful tool for vector stage research. However, reports on cryopreservation of D. immitis mf are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to validate commercial cryopreservation media to establish a practical, convenient, and reproducible storage procedure for D. immitis mf. Methods Six different commercially available cryopreservation media were compared with the traditional polyvinylpyrrolidone-dimethyl sulfoxide (PVP-DMSO) preservation solution. In vitro viability of purified D. immitis mf and mf-infected total blood was analyzed using a motility assay and propidium iodide staining. In vivo infectivity of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with cryopreserved mf was assessed using a mosquito survival test and quantifying the number of infective third stage larvae (L3) after 13 d post-infection. Results Purified mf cryopreserved in CultureSure showed the best viability when compared to mf cryopreserved in the remaining five commercially available media and PVP-DMSO. Viability of mf in mf-infected total blood cryopreserved in CultureSure varied with the ratio of infected blood to CultureSure. Optimum results were obtained with 200 µL mf-infected blood:800 µl CultureSure. CultureSure was also the optimum medium for cryopreserving mf prior to infectivity of Ae. aegypti. The number of L3 was approximately the same for CultureSure cryopreserved mf (3×-concentrated solution) and non-cryopreserved fresh mf. Conclusions CultureSure is an optimal commercial cryopreservation solution for the storage of D. immitis purified mf, mf-infected total blood, and mf used for in vivo mosquito experiments. Furthermore, this study describes an easy preservation method for clinical D. immitis -infected blood samples facilitating vector stage studies, as well as the education of veterinarians.
Health Technology Assessment and priority setting for Universal Health Coverage: A qualitative study of stakeholders capacity, needs, policy areas of demand and perspectives in Nigeria
Authors: Uzochukwu Benjamin Sunday , Okeke Chinyere Cecilia , O’Brien Niki , Ruiz Francis , Sombie Issiaka , Hollingworth Samantha
Published: May 2020

Introduction Health technology assessment (HTA) is an effective tool to support priority setting and generate evidence for decision making especially en route to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). We assessed the capacity needs, policy areas of demand, and perspectives of key stakeholders for evidence-informed decision making in Nigeria where HTA is still new. Methods We surveyed 31 participants including decision makers, policy makers, academic researchers, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, development partners, health professional organizations. We revised an existing survey to qualitatively examine the need, policy areas of demand, and perspectives of stakeholders on HTA. We then analyzed responses and explored key themes. Results Most respondents were associated with organizations that generated or facilitated health services research. Research institutes highlighted their ability to provide expertise and skills for HTA research but some respondents noted a lack of human capacity for HTA. HTA was considered an important and valuable priority-setting tool with a key role in the design of health benefits packages, clinical guideline development, and service improvement. Public health programs, medicines and vaccines were the three main technology types that would especially benefit from the application of HTA. The perceived availability and accessibility of suitable local data to support HTA varied widely but was mostly considered inadequate and limited. Respondents needed evidence on health system financing, health service provision, burden of disease and noted a need for training support in research methodology, HTA and data management Conclusion The use of HTA by policymakers and communities in Nigeria is very limited mainly due to inadequate and insufficient capacity to produce and use HTA. Developing sustainable and institutionalized HTA systems requires in-country expertise and active participation from a range of stakeholders. Stakeholder participation in identifying HTA topics and conducting relevant research will enhance the use of HTA evidence produced for decision making. Therefore, the identified training needs for HTA and possible research topics should be considered a priority in establishing HTA for evidence-informed policy making for achieving UHC particularly among the most vulnerable people in Nigeria.
What is the impact of knee morphology on posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture in men and women: a case control study
Authors: Fan Ning , Zheng Yong-chen , Zang Lei , Yang Cheng-gang , Yuan Shuo , Du Peng , Liu Yan-mei , Zhao Qing , Wang Jin-wei
Published: May 2020

Background
Several studies on the relationship between morphological parameters and traumatic diseases of the knee have already been conducted. However, few studies focused on the association between knee morphology and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fracture in adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of knee morphology on PCL avulsion fracture and determine risk factors in men and women separately.
Methods
A retrospective case-control study of 48 patients (comprised 25 men and 23 women) with PCL avulsion fracture compared with 48 age- and sex-matched controls was performed from 2012 to 2018. MRI measurements of the knee were acquired in the sagittal, coronal, and axial sequences. The assessed measurements including intercondylar notch width index, medial/lateral posterior tibial slopes, and coronal tibial slope were compared between case and control groups in both women and men. Univariable and binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors that were associated with PCL avulsion fracture.
Results
When female patients were analyzed, the notch width index (coronal) was significantly smaller, and the lateral posterior tibial slope was significantly higher in the case group. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the notch width index (coronal) (B = -0.307, OR = 0.735, p = 0.025) was found to be an independent factor. When male patients were analyzed, no radiographic parameter was found to have a statistical difference between the case and control groups.
Conclusions
Notch width index (coronal) and lateral posterior tibial slope were found to affect PCL avulsion fracture in women, but no such measurements affected the PCL avulsion fracture in men. Furthermore, a smaller notch width index (coronal) in women was found to be a risk factor in PCL avulsion fracture.
Gender differences in attrition rates of hospital-based medical specialty programs: attributable to gender composition of the clinical specialty?
Authors: Butterman Olivia , Slenter Victor , Velden Lud Van der , Batenburg Ronald
Published: May 2020

Background

Since 1999 the Advisory Committee on Medical Manpower Planning (ACMMP) advises the Dutch government on the medical workforce capacity and the intake in training programs, as to achieve or maintain a balance on the labour market. One of the key parameters the ACMMP uses when calculating the required intake in training programs, is the attrition rate.
Methods

In total 11,579 trainees enrolled in hospital-based programs from January 1st 2003 until 31st of December 2012, for 26 specialisms. To explore possible explanations for the gender differences in attrition rate per specialty, additional information was gathered: the percentage of males per program, the total number of specialists in training, the duration of the training and the percentage of males currently working in that specialty.
Results

One training program was excluded, due to the small size of that training program (62 trainees) and the large outliers it produced. Regression analyses were done, showing significant explanations of the variation in the difference between male and female attrition rates (Y1), for the proportion of males working in the profession per 01-01-2003 (R2: .545, F(27,60), p < .000), the proportion of males in training per 01-01-2003 (R2: .417, F(16,01), p < .000) and a small effect for the relationship with the total attrition rate for each training program (R2: .163, F(4,46), p < .046). There was also a significant effect for the duration of the specialty training (R2: .299, F(9,85), p < .005). A Kruskal-Wallis test was preformed to analyse the difference in attrition by type of specialty. The difference between the types of specialisms were significant (H = 6,66, p. 0,036).
Conclusions

Attrition rates in Dutch hospital-based specialty programs differ between males and females in a way that more males tend to drop-out from training when the specialty is dominated by women and, importantly, vice versa as well. The relationships found needs to be explored, in particular as the duration and nature of the specialty training seem to interact with gender ratios in the training programs and occupations longer training programs tend to have more males on them. Furthermore, more insight is needed in the selection and identification processes among residents in specialty training.
Prevalence of Sexual Assault and Use of Emergency Contraceptives Among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Dodoma city, Central Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Authors: ELIUFOO ELIHURUMA , Masubho Yohana Swebe , Moshi Fabiola Vicent , Kibusi Stephen Methew
Published: May 2020

Background

Female Commercial Sex Workers (FCSW) are in a constant risk of being abused by their customers or community. With the increased rate of unwanted pregnancies signify the problem in preventive measures and emergency contraception. This study aimed on assessing prevalence of sexual assault and use of emergency contraceptives among female commercial sex workers in Dodoma city, Tanzania.
Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to 326 female commercial sex workers with a snow ball sampling technique in 10 administrative wards of Dodoma city where by selection of 10 wards from 41 total wards was performed systematically through excel.
Results

Majority of study respondents 58% were aged between 21 to 31 years. More than a half (51.8%) had experienced sexual assault and majority (64.4%) had never used emergency contraceptives. There was significant relationship between use of emergency contraceptives with variable like ever being pregnant (p = 0.002), ever used drug (p < 0.001), level of education (p = 0.009) and ever heard about emergency contraceptives (p < 0.001). After adjusting for the confounders, the determinants of emergency contraceptives use among female commercial sex workers were level of education; ordinary secondary education (AOR = 0.373 at 95% CI = 0.158–0.878, p = 0.024), College level of education (AOR = 0.131 at 95% CI = 0.036–0.469, p = 0.002), ever used drug (AOR = 0.197 at 95% CI = 0.197–0.608, p < 0.001) and ever heard about emergency contraceptives (AOR = 6.2 at 95% CI = 3.443–11.17,p < 0.001).
Conclusion

FCSW suffer a significant sexual assault which most of them are afraid to report these assaults basing on the nature of worker being illegal. Most of them heard about emergency contraceptives but few of them are consuming them in their protection against unwanted and unplanned pregnancy.
The Social Construction of the Social Epigenome and the Larger Biological Context
Authors: deichmann ute
Published: May 2020

Epigenetics researchers in developmental, cell, and molecular biology greatly diverge in their understanding and definitions of epigenetics. In contrast, social epigeneticists, e.g. sociologists, scholars of STS, and behavioural scientists, share a focus on what they allege to be environmentally-caused and trans-generationally inherited epigenetics. Their emphasis on the environment and so-called Lamarckian inheritance may be the result of wishful thinking and a predilection for the environment, not the gene, as defining factor for phenotypes. However, it also reflects an interdisciplinary power struggle with genetics, in which epigenetics appears to grant the social sciences a higher epistemic status. This article argues that social epigeneticists make far-reaching claims while ignoring widely confirmed scientific evidence, such as the dependence of epigenetic marks on DNA sequence specific events, and the lacking evidence for the lasting influence of the environment on epigenetic marks. Moreover, they treat as given crucial questions that are far from resolved, such as what, if any, the role of DNA methylation is in the complex biochemical system of regulating gene activity. Such shortcomings are not confined to epigenetic studies in the social study of science and behavioural sciences. The article points out biases and media hypes in scientific studies of epigenetics and calls attention to an apparent bias among scientific journals that prefer papers that promote transgenerational epigenetic inheritance over articles that critique it. The article concludes that while research labelled epigenetics contributes significantly to our knowledge about chromatin and the genome, it does not, as is often claimed, rehabilitate Lamarck or overthrow the fundamental biological principles of gene regulation, which are based on specific regulatory sequences of the genome.
Long term clinical impact of successful recanalization of chronic total occlusion in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Tsai Chuan-Tsai , Huang Wei-Chieh , Teng Hsin-I , Tsai Yi-Lin , Lu Tse-Min
Published: May 2020

Background
Diabetes mellitus is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease and frequently associated with multivessels disease and poor clinical outcomes. Long term outcome of successful revascularization of chronic total occlusions (CTO) in diabetes patients remains controversial.
Methods and results
From January 2005 to December 2015, 739 patients who underwent revascularization for CTO in Taipei Veterans General Hospital were included in this study, of which 313 (42%) patients were diabetes patients. Overall successful rate of revascularization was 619 (84%) patients whereas that in diabetics and non-diabetics were 265 (84%) and 354 (83%) respectively. Median follow up was 1095 days (median: 5 years, interquartile range: 1–10 years). During 3 years follow-up period, 59 (10%) in successful group and 18 (15%) patients in failure group died. Although successful revascularization of CTO was non-significantly associated with better outcome in total cohort (Hazard ratio (HR):0.593, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.349–0.008, P:0.054), it might be associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.307, 95% CI: 0.156–0.604, P: 0.001) and CV mortality (HR: 0.266, 95% CI: 0.095–0.748, P: 0.012) in diabetics (P: 0.512). In contrast, successful CTO revascularization didn’t improve outcomes in non-diabetics (all p > 0.05). In multivariate cox regression analysis, successful CTO revascularization remained an independent predictor for 3-years survival in diabetic subgroup (HR: 0.289, 95% CI: 0.125–0.667, P: 0.004). The multivariate analysis result was similar after propensity score matching (all-cause mortality, HR: 0.348, 95% CI: 0.142–0.851, P: 0.021).
Conclusion
Successful CTO revascularization was associated with reduced long term all-cause/cardiovascular mortality in diabetics but not in non-diabetic population.
Simulation-based Mastery Improved Nursing Skills in Bsc Nursing Students: A Quasi-experimental Study
Authors: Mehdipour-rabori Roghaye , Bagheryan Behnaz , nematollahi monirsadat
Published: May 2020

Background:Clinical education is an essential part of nursing education. Selected clinical teaching methods influence it. Simulation-based mastery learning has been used to improve clinical skills among nursing students and may provide a novel way to enhance nursing skills.The object of this study was to assessthe effect of the simulation-based mastery learning on the clinicalskills of undergraduate nursing students from 2017 till 2019.Methods:This study was a quasi-experimental study withtwo groups (the control and intervention).After receiving written consent, one 117 studentsselected random convenience sampling. The intervention group participated in a simulation-based mastery learning intervention, and the control group received no intervention except for traditional training.The students of both groups completed the demographic information questionnaire and the checklist before and after the intervention. The results were analyzed by SPSS version 21 using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results:The results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups before the intervention (p> o.o5). Also, that students’ performance in the intervention group and control group improved significantly at the post-test compared to baseline(p<0.05), implying that the simulation-based mastery model of the intervention group significantly more effective compared to that of the control.Conclusion: Thesefindings showed that mastery learning strategy improved the clinical skills ofundergraduatenursing students.The results suggest that other nursing and health profession’s programs can develop a successful mastery-based learning model.
Factors affecting adolescents’ participation in randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare interventions: the case of the STEPSTONES project
Authors: Saarijärvi Markus , Wallin Lars , Moons Philip , Gyllensten Hanna , Bratt Ewa-Lena
Published: May 2020

Background
Recruitment of adolescents to intervention studies is a known challenge. For randomized controlled trials (RCT) to be generalizable, reach must be assessed, which means ascertaining how many of the intended population actually participated in the trial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reach and representativeness of an RCT evaluating the effectiveness of a complex intervention for adolescents with chronic conditions.
Methods
A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was employed. Firstly, quantitative cross-sectional data from the RCT, patient registries and medical records were collected and analysed regarding baseline differences between participants and non-participants in the trial. Secondly, qualitative data on their reasons for participating or not were collected and analysed with content analysis to explain the quantitative findings.
Results
Participants showed larger differences in effect sizes and a significantly more complex chronic condition than non-participants. No other statistically significant differences were reported, and effect sizes were negligible. Reasons for declining or accepting participation were categorized into three main categories: altruistic reasons, personal reasons and external reasons and factors.
Conclusions
Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings showed that participation in the RCT was affected by disease complexity, the perceived need to give back to healthcare and research and the adolescents’ willingness to engage in their illness. To empower adolescents with chronic conditions and motivate them to participate in research, future intervention studies should consider developing tailored recruitment strategies and communications with sub-groups that are harder to reach.
Phyllostachys edulis (moso bamboo) ages significantly affect soil nitrogen transformation and endophytic microbes but niche differentiations outweigh ages in shaping microbial communities of moso bamboo-soil system
Authors: ZHANG MANYUN , Wang Weijin , Bai Shahla Hosseini , Xu Zhihong , Yun Zhe , Zhang Wenyuan
Published: May 2020

Background: Phyllostachys edulis (moso bamboo) is a key source of non-wood forest products. Clarifying the linkage among bamboo growth, soil nutrient and core microbe can expand the horizon on nutrient management practices and functional endophytic and rhizospheric microbes.Results: In this study, young (0.5-yr), mature (2.5-yr and 4.5-yr) and old (6.5-yr) bamboo plants were selected in a moso bamboo field, and above-ground tissues, below-ground roots (rhizomes) and rhizospheric soils were sampled. The bamboo biomass, soil properties and endophytic microbes were determined and quantify their comprehensive relationships. Bamboo ages had negligible impacts on the bamboo height, diameter at breast height and above-ground biomass. Organic matter and nitrogen (N) contents in the rhizospheric soil of the 0.5-yr bamboo were significantly higher than those of the other three age groups. The rhizospheric soil of the 6.5-yr bamboo had the lowest N mineralization rate and urease activity. Significant differences in bacterial and fungal communities were found in the above-ground tissues but not in the rhizospheric soils associated with plants of different ages. Bacterial and fungal community structures in the above-ground tissues were significantly different from their counterparts in the rhizospheric soils. Conclusions: Bamboo ages significantly affected N transformation rates, functional gene abundances and urease activities of rhizospheric soils and endophytic bacterial community structures. However, niche differentiations outweighed ages in shaping the whole microbial communities of bamboo aboveground tissues, roots and rhizospheric soils. In the future, moso bamboo management should consider balanced applications of ammonium-N and other nutrients and utilisations of Chytridiomycota to stimulate moso bamboo growth.
Development and Validation of a Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord) for Use Among University Students
Authors: Lohanan Trustsavin , Leesawat Thanakorn , Wongpakaran Tinakon , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Karawekpanyawong Nuntaporn , Oon-Arom Awirut , Kuntawong Pimolpun
Published: May 2020

Background: The screening instrument for borderline personality disorder (SI-Bord) consists of a 5-item self-reported questionnaire on the key features of BPD from the DSM-5 using a 5-point Likert scale. This study investigated its validity and reliability in screening for BPD in university students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of university students in Thailand between November and December 2019. An online assessment gathered demographic data and results from the SI-Bord, the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Participants whose SI-Bord scores were ≥ 1 were randomly selected to be interviewed and assessed for a BPD diagnosis by four psychiatrists using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II) as a reference point. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.925 (95% CI, 0.805–0.979) ensured inter-rater reliability between the four psychiatrists. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the SI-Bord, as compared to that of the SCID-II, were determined to indicate the cut-off score. The Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) was analyzed to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy.Results: The study included 342 students aged 18–25 years (the mean age was 20.25 ± 1.4 years), 80.4% of whom were female. Among the 68 participants selected for an online interview, 16 were diagnosed with BPD. The cut-off score of the SI-Bord was > 9, as suggested by the Youden index, yielding a sensitivity of 56.3% and a specificity of 92.3%. It had a positive predictive value of 69.2% and negative predictive value of 87.3%. The SI-Bord had adequate discriminative power between cases and non-cases of BPD, with the area under the ROC curve being 0.83. Cronbach’s alpha for the SI-Bord was 0.76, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The SI-Bord score was positively correlated to PHQ-9 and PSS-10 scores (r = 0.67 and r = 0.69, p < 0.001, respectively) and negatively correlated to MSPSS (r = − 0.50, p < 0.001). The prevalence of BPD in the sample was 6.4%, according to the cut-off score > 9.Conclusion: The SI-Bord demonstrated good reliability and validity for screening BPD in university students.
Enzyme additives influence bacterial communities of Medicago sativa silage as determined by Illumina sequencing
Authors: Hu Zongfu , Ma Deying , Niu huaxin , Chang Jie , Yu Jianhua , Tong Qing , Li Shuguo
Published: May 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of enzymes (cellulase combined with galactosidase),, and the combination of these enzymes with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) on bacterial diversity using high-throughput sequencing. Alfalfa forages were treated without or with cellulase + ɑ-galactosidase (CEGA), cellulase + LP (CELP), ɑ-galactosidase + LP (GALP). After 56 days of ensiling, All the treated silages exhibited improved fermentation quality as reflecting by decreased pH, ammonium-N and increased lactic acid levels compared to the control silage. Enzymatic treatment improved nutrients value by increased the level of crude protein and decreased the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) level. Treatment of the silage significantly changed the bacterial community, as determined by the PCoA test. LAB dominated the bacterial community of the treated silage after ensiling. The dominant bacteria from Garciella, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus in control silage changed to Lactobacillus and Pediococcus in CEGA silage, and Lactobacillus in CELP and GALP silages. Collectively, enzymes and enzyme in combination with inoculants both greatly increased the abundance of LAB, with Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus in enzymes only silge (CEGA) and Lactobacillus in enzyme combination with inoculants silage (CELP and GALP).
Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion After Reduction Using the Percutaneous Pedicle Screw System in the Lateral Position for Meyerding Grade II Spondylolisthesis: A Preliminary Report of a New Lumbar Reconstruction Strategy
Authors: Takami Masanari , Taiji Ryo , Okada Motohiro , Minamide Akihito , Hashizume Hiroshi , Yamada Hiroshi
Published: May 2020

Background:Utilization of a cage with a large footprint in lateral lumbar interbody fusion(LLIF) for the treatment of spondylolisthesisleads to a high fusion rate and neurological improvement owing to the indirect decompression effect and excellent alignment correction. However, if an interbody space is too narrow for insertion of an LLIF cage for cases of spondylolisthesis of Meyerding grade II or higher, LLIF cannot be used. Therefore, we developed a novel strategy, LLIF after reduction by the percutaneous pedicle screw (PPS) insertion system in the lateral position (LIFARL), for surgeons to perform accurate and safe LLIF with PPS in patients with such pathology. This study aimed to introduce the new surgical strategy and to present preliminary clinical and radiological resultsof patients with spondylolisthesis of Meyerding grade II.Methods:Six consecutive patients (four men and two women; mean age, 72.7 years-old; mean follow-up period, 12.3 months) with L4 spondylolisthesis of Meyerding grade II were included. Regarding the surgical procedure, first, PPSs were inserted into the L4 and L5 vertebrae fluoroscopically, and both rodswere placed in the lateral position. The L5 set screws were fixed tightly, and the L4 side of the rod was floated. Second, the L4 vertebra was reduced by fastening the L4 set screws sothat they expanded the anteroposterior width of the interbody space.At that time, the L4 set screws were not fully tightened to the rods to prevent the endplate injury. Finally, the LLIF procedure was started. After inserting the cage, a compression force was added to the PPSs, and the L4 set screws were completely fastened. Results:The mean operative time was 183 min, and the mean blood loss was 90.8 mL. All cages were positioned properly. Visual analog scale score and Oswestry disability index improved postoperatively. Bone union was observed in all four patients who could be followed up for more than 12 months.Conclusion:For cases with difficulty in LLIF cage insertion for Meyerding grade II spondylolisthesis due tothe narrow anteroposterior width of interbody space, LIFARL is an option to achieve LLIF combined with posterior PPS accurately and safely.Trial registration:UMIN-Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000040268,Registered 29 April 2020,https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000045938
All –arthroscopic Repair of Atzei Class II and III Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Tears Using the Fast-fix Suture Device
Authors: Tsai Mengchun , Lin Yi-Hsuan , Chiu Chih-Hao , Cheng Chun-Ying , Chan Yi-Sheng , Chen Alvin Chao-Yu
Published: May 2020

BackgroundThe study is aimed to propose an arthroscopic repair technique using a pre-tied suture device for peripheral TFCC tear with proximal component involvement.Methods Through a retrospective review in the medical records of patients who underwent unilateral arthroscopic repair for TFCC Palmer IB lesion between 2017 and 2019, 12 patients were arthroscopically diagnosed as proximal component tear and received more than one year follow-up postoperatively. The arthroscope was introduced from 6R portal to discriminate Atzei class II from III lesions by a “visualization test”, and to supervise the repair procedure using pre-tied FasT-Fix suture device from 3-4 portal. Two poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) blocks were further advanced along the device needle to finally seat outside the ulnar joint capsule, followed by gradually tightening the pre-tied suture loop until the TFCC periphery was securely repositioned and held stably. Results Operation time averaged 87 minutes. Four patients were diagnosed to be Atzei class II lesion as full thickness tear of distal component was arthroscopically identified from 6R portal while the other 8 exhibited partial thickness tear and were categorized as class III lesion. Follow-up averaged 15 months with a range of 12 to 24 months. Myao modified wrist score improved from 61.3 preoperatively to 90.4 at the latest visit. Conclusion A novel technique for diagnosis and all-arthroscopic repair in TFCC Atzei class II and III lesions using a pre-tied suture device is a feasible and safe option with promising results.