bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BIOMATERIALS BASED ON CHITOSAN AND ITS DERIVATIVES TO PREVENT ADHESION FORMATION
Authors:   Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences,, Konovalova Mariya , Tsaregorodtseva Daria , Svirshchevskaya Elena ,   I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University
Published: October 2021

An increase in the number and volume of surgical interventions leads to an increase in the frequency of postoperative adhesions. The development of the adhesion process in the abdominal cavity causes pain, a decrease in the quality of life of patients, a violation of the reproductive function of women as well as acute adhesion intestinal obstruction. Recently, polymer biomaterials, including those based on chitosan, have been widely used for the prevention of adhesions. Due to their biocompatibility and biodegradation ability, they do not require repeated operations to extract the material. It is believed that these materials act as barriers, physically separating the damaged surfaces. The molecular mechanism of their action is still poorly understood. In this review, the main mechanisms of adhesion formation, as well as ways to prevent them with the help of materials based on chitosan and its derivatives, are discussed.
STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CHITOSAN ON ITS HAEMOSTATIC ACTIVITY
Authors:   Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, St. Petersburg State Chemical and Pharmaceutical University,, Kadyseva Oksana V. , Bykov Vladimir N. , Strelova Olga Y. , Grebenyuk Alexander N. ,   N.Petrov NMRC of Oncology Health Department Russian Federation,
Published: October 2021

Chitosan are biopolymers that are actively used for the production of local haemostatic agents. The physicochemical characteristics that determine its biological properties include the molecular weight and the deacetylation degree. However, there is no linear relationship between these parameters and haemostatic activity. The most reliable method of confirming the effectiveness is still in vivo experiments. The ability to initiate haemostasis depends on the conformational transition of chitosan macromolecules. The highest efficiency in vitro was for samples in which the transition of a significant part of the molecules from the ‘rigid rod’ state to the ‘globule’ occurred at physiological pH. It is proposed to expand the list of indicators of chitosan that can be controlled to evaluate the quality of raw materials, related to haemostatic activity, to include the definition of the conformational transition at physiological pH.
STRUCTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF-ORGANISING CHITOSAN HYDROGELS
Authors:   Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering Lodz University of Technology,, Pieklarz Katarzyna , Tylman Michał , Modrzejewska Zofia , Galita Grzegorz , Majsterek Ireneusz ,   PGE Gornictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna S.A.,   Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry Medical University of Lodz
Published: October 2021

Creating innovative methods of treatment and regeneration of damaged tissues or organs is a key challenge of the twenty-first century. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of producing and characterising the properties of self-organising chitosan hydrogels prepared with the use of chitosan lactate/chloride and disodium hydrogen phosphate dodecahydrate as a cross-linking agent. The structure and supramolecular architecture of the biomaterials were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and polarised optical microscopy. Biological studies assessed cytotoxicity by contact with a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line. The colourimetric resazurin assay showed that the obtained chitosan hydrogels are non-cytotoxic materials. Thus, self-organising biomaterialshold great promise for application in tissue engineering.
Is There a Relationship Between the Severity of Preeclampsia and Fetal Renal Doppler Indices?
Authors: Afsari Elnaz , Abbasalizadeh Fatemeh , Fardiazar Zahra , Shahali Saeedeh , Ahmadi Yousef Soltan
Published: October 2021

Objectives: Preeclampsia is a high prevalence complication in pregnancy and is responsible for 36% of maternal mortality worldwide. The offspring of mothers with preeclampsia face many problems after birth and in their lifetime. The fetal renal is one of the most vulnerable organs following maternal preeclampsia. In this regard, the present study investigated the relationship between the severity of preeclampsia and fetal renal artery resistance and pulsatility. Materials and Methods: In general, 91 pregnant women were included and divided into control and preeclampsia groups. The control group included 43 women with normal pregnancy and the preeclampsia group consisted of 48 pregnant women who suffered from preeclampsia and were classified into patients in severe and non-severe preeclampsia groups each containing 24 cases. Renal artery Doppler ultrasound was performed, and then the systole/diastole ratio (S/D), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI) were measured as well. Results: The S/D ratio, RI, and PI significantly decreased in the preeclampsia group (P<0.001) compared to the control group. The S/D ratio in severe preeclampsia was significantly lower in comparison with non-severe preeclampsia (P<0.001). Finally, the amniotic fluid index was related to the PI (P<0.05), and severe preeclampsia significantly increased the pregnancy termination before 34 weeks (P<0.001). Conclusions: Preeclampsia deceased the resistance of renal arteries by altering the fetal renal blood flow. These changes can intensify in patients with severe preeclampsia compared to non-severe preeclampsia.
The Right to Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Grigutytė Neringa , Levickaitė Karilė , Grigaitė Ugnė
Published: October 2021

The relationship between mental health and human rights is integral and interdependent. There are clinical, social and economic reasons, as well as moral and legal obligations to advance mental health care as fundamental to human rights. Significant considerations for this matter are especially crucial when addressing the COVID-19 pandemic across the world. The aim of this research study was to analyse the responses to the ongoing pandemic, concerning the human rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities and the right to the mental health of the general population, in Lithuania. Methods included online surveys, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. This article presents the results as a complex picture containing lived experiences of mental health difficulties of the general population, barriers to accessing the needed support and services, as well as analysis of violations of human rights. It also highlights the need for more research on the long-term consequences of the pandemic and lockdowns on the mental health of the population; also, on how human rights of persons with mental health conditions, and especially those with psychosocial disabilities, can be better ensured and protected in Lithuania.
“Everything Seems Unreal”: How Adolescents Cope with COVID-19 Quarantine Experience
Authors: Adler Asta , Stančaitienė Gintė , Grauslienė Izabelė , Nasvytienė Dalia , Skabeikytė Gabrielė , Barkauskienė Rasa
Published: October 2021

Adolescents were a particularly vulnerable group at the time of the pandemic. Restrictions applied during quarantine brought a lot of stress and challenges for the youth. The aim of this study was to reveal how adolescents cope with challenges faced during the lockdown due to COVID-19. Twenty four 13–17-year-old adolescents participated in a qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews via Zoom. Findings revealed seven themes related to youth coping behavior during lockdown: 1. withdrawal behavior, 2. focus on particular activities, 3. social support seeking within family and via the internet with friends, 4. expression of overwhelming emotions, 5. protest against quarantine restrictions, 6. attempts to maintain “active oneself”, 7. search for the personal meaning of the lockdown. Understanding the coping behaviors and helping adolescents reflect their mental states in stressful situations could be effective interventions in order to reduce the risk of future psychological problems.
Risk of Behavioural and Emotional Disorders in Lithuanian School Aged Children as Assessed with SDQ During the Second Lockdown due to COVID-19
Authors: Jusienė Roma , Baukienė Edita , Breidokienė Rima
Published: October 2021

As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 and consequent restrictions, the distance education was introduced in Lithuania in 2020 spring (the first lockdown, lasted for around 3 months) and 2020 autumn (the second lockdown, still lasting, June 2021). The prevalence of children’s mental health problems during the first lockdown was similar to pre-epidemic rates in Lithuania, but the prolonged lockdown (and therefore school closure) might have more negative consequences on children’s mental health. This study aimed to reveal the incidence of mental health problems as rated by parents with a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire during the second lockdown in school aged children. This research sample included data of 514 children (46% girls), aged 7 to 14 years old (mean age 10.15 years, SD = 3.47). The children’s mental health problems were assessed using a Lithuanian version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, parental form, in April–May 2021. Results revealed that 29.6% of Lithuanian children had scores in the clinical (abnormal) range of emotional problems and 21.6% – of conduct problems. Based on total difficulties score, 31.6% of children get in clinical range of emotional and behavioural problems, as rated by parents by the end of the second lockdown. The results are compared to pre-pandemic epidemiological rates of emotional and behavioural problems reported and those documented after the first quarantine in Lithuania and highlight important findings for professionals and policy makers about the detrimental effects of prolonged lockdown and school closure on children’s mental health.
Traditional Worldviews of the Slavs and the Balts: Towards Cognitive Comparative Research
Authors: Niebrzegowska-Bartmińska Stanisława
Published: October 2021

Since the 1980s, research on linguistic worldview and collective identity, practised by anthropological, cultural, and cognitive linguists, has focused on identifying and defining the basic values of European culture against a possibly broad comparative background. If standard languages and national traditions have been under scrutiny in the project EUROJOS since 2009 (see the partial results in the five volumes of the “Axiological Lexicon of Slavs and Their Neighbours” and several other publications), value systems of folk cultures have not been studied systematically so far. I therefore propose to revive the idea of an ETNOEUROJOS project, parallel to EUROJOS. In an article published in 2013 in the journal Etnolingwistyka, I postulated that values in folk languages and cultures be investigated within the methodology of the Lublin-based “Dictionary of Folk Stereotypes and Symbols”, whose aim is to reconstruct the folk Polish view of the world and of humans. I now propose, by analogy to the project EUROJOS, to extend the scope of this new program onto the Baltic peoples. A survey conducted among distinguished researchers of Slavic and Baltic traditions has revealed a set of values important for the Slavs (life and health, fam ily and kinship, home, lan d, work and diligence, love, beauty, happiness, wisdom, can didness, honesty, faithfulness, justice, freedom, honour, faith/religion, and God) and for the Balts (lan d, bread, work, fam ily, home). The first stage of the project will be designed to reconstruct the four values common to both the Slavs and the Balts (lan d, work, fam ily, home), to propose parallel descriptions of these values, and to compare these cultural concepts for their semantic invariants. The descriptions obtained in the two projects, EUROJOS and ETNOEUROJOS, will help corroborate or refute the prevalent view that at the level of folk cultures, Slavic and Baltic communities are much closer than at the level of national, elite-shaped cultures.
Lexicographic Sources in the Lithuanian Language Worldview Research
Authors: Rutkovska Kristina
Published: October 2021

The article examines the use of dictionaries in the language worldview research. It raises questions about the limitations of the “lexicographic worldview“, presents researchers’ doubts about the objectivity and scientificity of this type of research, and provides arguments in favor of the research. The second part of the article introduces and discusses the procedure of lexicographic analysis in more detail. Examining the image of the MOTHER concept reflected in Lithuanian lexicography, the thought is put forward that the reliability of such an analysis is guaranteed by its complexity. At the same time, it is emphasized that analysis of the concept should in no way be based solely on lexicographic sources, drawing conclusions about the structure of the concept on the basis of only a few examples, possibly accidentally included in the dictionary. An important role in the reconstruction of the concept is played by the stability of the distinguished features, their regular repetition in various texts, the constancy of the lexemes / phrases / phrasemes conveying these features, and their persistence in speech.
Polish Dialectal Phrasematics – the State of Research (for the Five-year Period 2015–2020), Methods and Perspectives
Authors: Rak Maciej
Published: October 2021

The article has three goals. The first is to present the history of research on Polish dialectal phrasematics. In particular, attention was paid to the last five years, i.e. the period 2015–2020. The works in question were ordered according to the dialectological key, taking into account the following dialects: Greater Polish, Masovian, Silesian, Lesser Polish, and the North and South-Eastern dialects. The second goal is to indicate the methodologies that have so far been used to describe dialectal phrasematics. Initially, component analysis was used, which was part of the structuralist research trend, later (more or less from the late 1980s) the ethnolinguistic approach, especially the description of the linguistic picture of the world, began to dominate. The third goal of the article is to provide perspectives. The author once again (as he did it in his earlier works) postulates the preparation of a dictionary of Polish dialectal phrasematics.
Metaphorical Conceptualization of ANGER, FEAR and SHAME in Lithuanian: In Search of Cultural Content
Authors: Bogdzevič Monika
Published: October 2021

The article discusses the conceptual images of ANGER, FEAR and SHAME in Lithuanian. The aim of the paper is to show the cognitive and cultural basis for the perception, valuation and linguistic expression of feelings of anger, fear and shame in Lithuanian. Conceptual metaphors and, in some cases, conceptual metonymies are used to reveal tendencies in thinking about these feelings. To this end, linguistic constructs are used to express various aspects of anger, fear and shame as well as the norms and behaviors associated with them. The research inventory consists of lexemes belonging to the categories of anger, fear and shame, composite linguistic units, which contain these lexemes or which are regularly associated semantically with the said lexemes, as well as derivatives derived from metonymic and metaphorical transfers and phraseological compounds. The structure of the article is measured by the source domains of the conceptual metaphors of ANGER, FEAR and SHAME. On this basis, first of all, the conceptual metaphors of the common source domain, which reveal the common patterns of perception of anger, fear and shame, are discussed (CONTAINER / CLOSED SPACE / UP and DOWN MOVEMENT / BALANCE; HUMAN / COMPANION / ENEMY; ANIMAL / BEAST; ARTEFACT; HEAT (FIRE) / COLD; DISEASE), the following are the directions of linguistic conceptualization specific to individual feelings only (PAIN / SUFFERING; BITTER / POISON; NATURAL FORCES / AIR / DARKNESS; PLANT (TREE / CEREALS); WATER (SEA / RIVER); DEVIL) First one reveal the common cognitive basis of the perception and evaluation of the feelings of ANGER, FEAR and SHAME, the second allows us to see the cultural layer of latter.
Analysis of Linguo-cultural Picture of LIE in Systemic Data
Authors: Snukiškienė Irena
Published: October 2021

The article presents Lithuanian linguistic cultural image of LIE (MELAS) reconstructed from lexicographic data. The analysis of the lexicographic definitions of this lexeme in Lithuanian dictionaries (The Dictionary of Lithuanian Language, The Dictionary of Contemporary Lithuanian, the dictionaries of synonyms and antonyms and Lithuanian etymological sources) provides two views of the concept: synchronic and diachronic. The diachronic view shows the semantic development of the word, the specification of its meaning (the loss of the primary and the acquisition of new meanings). The synchronic view shows the basic meaning of the concept and its profiles in contemporary language. The research revealed that the basic meaning is LIE as a subject’s purposeful distortion of reality with the purpose of deception. The dominating aspects are: a subject’s purposeful activity and an object that a subject wants to deceive. Lexicographic data distinguished several profiles of LIE: (1) LIE as entertainment (when lie is used for joking, visual storytelling and has no negative purpose), (2) LIE as unethical issue (when lying is seen as negative, sinister activity) and (3) LIE as psychologically necessary element of life (when lie is seen as useful, helping to get out of difficult situations). The analysis is concluded with the cognitive definition of lie, providing its linguo-cultural view in Lithuanian.
The Perception of Neighbour in CMLL Publicistics
Authors: Vaičiulytė-Semėnienė Loreta
Published: October 2021

This article deals with the content of neighbour on the basis of the forms of the noun ‘neighbour’ (Lith. kaimynas). Efforts are made to strike a balance between the structural and the cognitive approach to its meaning. The sample base for the study consists of 700 published sentences sourced in the Corpus of the Modern Lithuanian Language (CMLL) compiled by the Centre for Computational Linguistics at the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas.The study has revealed a neighbour to be someone who experiences a certain mental state, someone who, in his or her (un)favourable response to the environment, affects another person in a relatively close space. Emotionally charged, this effect shows a neighbour who is a nice or a bad person to live next-doors with. The (dis)harmony of attitudes, values, and actions grounded on an (un)favourable mind-set defines a dynamic coexistenceof neighbours, or a failure to coexist.When it comes to the perception of neighbour that shifts in time, what matters is the shared space of the neighbours that has its relative boundaries and is measured as a distance – the closeness resulting in the distinction between a close > distant neighbour; yet even more important is the camaraderie – the proximity of attitudes, values, and the actions that they define – something that the dictionary definitions of the word neighbour tend to omit – and the related gradational differences between a homey > strange neighbour. When it comes to building and maintaining proximity, it is the neighbour’s temper, polite and supportive interaction, and behaviour that favours another person, such as sharing things with them and all kinds of assistance, especially in need, that matters. As the mind-sets, values, and behaviours assimilate, the neighbours become one – they become homey to each other. And the axis of oneness grounded on favour in neighbourhood is God.
Effect of the Width of Gaussian Wave Packets on the Stability of the Nuclei
Authors: Goyal Supriya
Published: October 2021

The role of the range of interaction on the stability of the nuclei propagating with and without momentum dependent interactions is analyzed within the framework of Quantum Molecular Dynamics (QMD) model. A detailed study is carried out by taking different equations of state (i.e., static soft and hard and the momentum dependent soft and hard) for the selected nuclei from 12C to 197Au. Comparison is done by using the standard and the double width of the Gaussian wave packets. We find that the effect of the double width of the Gaussian wave packets on the stability of the initial stage nuclei cannot be neglected. The nuclei having double width do not emit free nucleons for a long period of time. Also, the ground state properties of all the nuclei are described well. In the low mass region, the obtained nuclei are less bound but stable. Heavy mass nuclei have proper binding energy and are stable.
Impact of Nuclear Deformation on Neutron Dripline Prediction: A Study of Mg Isotopes
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Thakur Virender , Dhiman Shashi K.
Published: October 2021

We have employed the relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (RHB) model with density-dependent meson-exchange interaction and separable pairing to investigate neutron dripline mechanisms for heavy Mg isotopes. In the present study, 40Mg is predicted to be dripline nuclei. The calculations are carried out by taking axial deformation into account. An investigation of shape transition is also done for even-even 32-42Mg isotopes. Our prediction for neutron dripline for 40Mg is consistent with some recent studies.
Texture One Zero Model Based on A4 Flavor Symmetry and its Implications to Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay
Authors: Verma Rishu , Kashav Monal , B Ankush , Sharma Gazal , Verma Surender , Chauhan B. C.
Published: October 2021

Neutrinos are perhaps the most elusive particles in our Universe. Neutrino physics could be counted as a benchmark for various new theories in elementary particle physics and also for the better understanding of the evolution of the Universe. To complete the neutrino picture, the missing information whether it is about their mass or their nature that the neutrinos are Majorana particles could be provided by the observation of a process called neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. Neutrinoless double beta decay is a hypothesised nuclear process in which two neutrons simultaneously decay into protons with no neutrino emission. In this paper we proposed a neutrino mass model based on A4 symmetry group and studied its implications to 0νββ decay. We obtained a lower limit on |Mee| for inverted hierarchy and which can be probed in 0νββ experiments like SuperNEMO and KamLAND-Zen.
Suggestive changes of human papillomavirus infection in students at a public university
Authors: Núñez J. , Romano A. , Medina M. , Cardozo R.A.
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections are a global public health problem.
Objective: to analyze the results of cervical-vaginal cytologies with suggestive changes of Human Papillomavirus infection in students of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Carabobo, who was attended the gynecology consultation of the Ambulatory “Nuestra Seora de la Luz” in 2016-2017.
Method: descriptive, cross-sectional study. Population consisting of all students of the Faculty of Health Sciences who was attended the Gynecology Consultation at the Ambulatory mentioned above during the period under study. Non-probabilistic and intentional sample, inclusion criteria: age, acceptance to belong to the study by signing informed consent, and not suffering pathologies at the time of sampling or being pregnant. The collection of the information was carried out through the interview and subsequent cytological examination, and the cytological study was expressed according to the BETHESDA 2001 system. The sample for cervical-vaginal cytology was performed according to standard procedure.
Results: average age of 21.43-2.47 years, 40.2% belonging to the low mean stratum, 9.2% smokers, sexarquia in ages 18-20 years in 52.6% of cases, 70% with 2 or 3 pairs. As for the cytology result, 9.2% was suggestive for Human Papillomavirus infection, while with the BETHESDA 2001 System, in the epithelial cell abnormalities section, 63.6% showed low-grade Human Papillomavirus -associated.
Conclusions: in the sample, the suggestive changes to Human Papillomavirus infection, was higher than that found in other countries, whereas most interviewees presented risk factors to contract it, so emphasis on education is recommended conducting annual cytology to the at-risk population.
Composites of functional polymers: Toward physical intelligence using flexible and soft materials
Authors: Ford Michael J. , Ohm Yunsik , Chin Keene , Majidi Carmel
Published: October 2021

Materials that can assist with perception and responsivity of an engineered machine are said to promote physical intelligence. Physical intelligence may be important for flexible and soft materials that will be used in applications like soft robotics, wearable computers, and healthcare. These applications require stimuli responsivity, sensing, and actuation that allow a machine to perceive and react to its environment. The development of materials that exhibit some form of physical intelligence has relied on functional polymers and composites that contain these polymers. This review will focus on composites of functional polymers that display physical intelligence by assisting with perception, responsivity, or by off-loading computation. Composites of liquid crystal elastomers, shape-memory polymers, hydrogels, self-healing materials, and transient materials and their functionalities are examined with a viewpoint that considers physical intelligence.

Graphic Abstract
The use of UAV data for photogrammetric documentation
Authors: Piech Izabela , Borgiasz Artur
Published: October 2021

Photogrammetry is a rapidly developing fi eld of science, using new technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and digital cameras. Currently, unmanned aerial vehicles are not only used for amateur or professional commemorative aerial photos, but also have much more specialized applications. New technologies allow for faster development of numerous fields of science and provide better results with less work and resources. Unmanned aerial vehicles are used for photogrammetric raids, which produce photogrammetric images of terrain surface or buildings. This allows the generation of orthophotos, and even three-dimensional terrain models, enabling further analysis of a research area. The aim of the study was to make an orthophotomap of the cemetery in the Sułoszowa municipality on the basis of data obtained during a drone raid and to compare it with the existing orthophotomap. The goal was planned to be achieved through the following steps: importing images to Agisoft PhotoScan and georeferencing them to ensure metricity of subsequent studies, generating an orthophotomap and a cloud of points mapping the studied area, compilating and comparing the resulting numerical data, as well as graphic data.
Vertical displacement measurements as an important aspect of education of geodetic surveyors
Authors: Muszyński Zbigniew , Kujawa Paulina
Published: October 2021

The rapid development of industry, the automation of production, processing, and mining processes increasingly put more demands on the scope and accuracy of geodetic surveying. Obtaining precise data on the spatial location of objects involved in the production process is indispensable for the effi cient management of that process. Registered changes in the geometry of objects may indicate potential threats that may adversely aff ect the safe operation of the given object. One of the most diffi cult tasks in engineering surveying is the control of displacements and deformations of building objects and their surroundings. Th is issue is very broad and concerns most industrial facilities, including opencast mines, landslide areas, cooling towers, water dams, as well as securing deep excavations in compact urban development, verticality control of industrial chimneys and wind farms. Each object has its own specifi c features and requires an individual approach in the fi eld of measuring network design, the selection of an appropriate measurement technique, and systematic geodetic monitoring of displacements. The key aspect is the professional experience of the surveyor – the geodesist who is managing this type of work. Already at the stage of educating future engineers, it is important not only to provide them with appropriate theoretical knowledge, but also to enable them to acquire practical skills. For this reason, science camps have been organized since 2013 as part of the process of educating geodesy and cartography students at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology. The thematic scope of the camps includes the measurement of displacements of a unique engineering structure over 50 meters high, which is the fi gure of Christ the King of the Universe, located in Świebodzin. Students gain professional experience using the latest measuring instruments: digital precision levels, motorized electronic total stations, GNSS satellite receivers, and laser scanners. The students, who face real-life surveying challenges, gain valuable professional experiences that improve their qualifi cations and better prepare them for their future work. The article presents science camps as one of the additional forms of educating surveyors. The scope of work performed during the science camp is presented, and the basic measurement techniques are described. Particular attention was paid to the empirical assessment of the accuracy of the results of measurements of vertical displacements performed by students using the precision levelling method. For the measurement data collected over a period of 8 years, the mean levelling errors were calculated on the basis of the analysis of the levelling sections and polygons. The obtained accuracy meets the requirements for measurements performed in order to determine vertical displacements.
Genetic Polymorphisms of the TGFB1 Signal Peptide and Promoter Region: Role in Wilms Tumor Susceptibility?
Authors: Ishibashi Cintya Mayumi , Oliveira Carlos Eduardo Coral de , Guembarovski Roberta Losi , Banin-Hirata Bruna Karina , Vitiello Glauco Akelinghton Freire , Guembarovski Alda Losi , Amarante Marla , Oliveira Karen Brajão de , Kishima Marina Okuyama , Ariza Carolina Batista , Watanabe Maria Angelica Ehara
Published: October 2021

The aim of the present study was to investigate the rs1800468 (G-800A), rs1800469 (C-509T), rs1800470 (C29T), and rs1800471 (G74C) TGFB1 genetic polymorphisms and their haplotype structures in patients with Wilms Tumor (WT) and neoplasia-free controls. The genomic DNA was extracted from 35 WT patients and 160 neoplasia-free children, and the TGFB1 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The haplotype structures were inferred, and permutation and logistic regression tests were performed to check for differences in haplotype distribution between the control and WT individuals. Positive associations were found in the recessive model for rs1800469 T allele (OR: 8.417; 95% CI: 3.177 to 22.297; P < 0.001) and for the rs1800470 C allele (OR: 3.000; 95% CI: 1.296 to 6.944; P = 0.01). Haplotype analysis revealed a significant negative association between GCTG and WT (OR: 0.236, 95% CI: 0.105 to 0.534; P = 0.0002); by contrast, the GTTG haplotype was associated with increased risk for WT (OR: 12.0; 95% CI: 4.202 to 34.270; P < 0.001). Furthermore, rs1800469 was negatively correlated with tumor size and a trend toward a positive correlation for capsular invasion was observed in the dominant model (Tau-b: −0.43, P = 0.02 and tau-b: 0.5, P = 0.06, respectively). This is the first study with rs1800468, rs1800469, rs1800470, and rs1800471 TGFB1 polymorphisms in WT, and our results suggest that the TGFB1 promoter and signal peptide region polymorphisms may be associated with WT susceptibility and clinical presentation.
Caracterización de cepas de Escherichia coli uropatógena aisladas del tracto urinario de mujeres durante el embarazo
Authors: García Cervantes P. C. , Castañeda Meléndrez A. M. , Osuna Ramírez I. , Bernal Reynaga R.
Published: October 2021

Escherichia coli uropatógena (UPEC) es el principal agente etiológico involucrado en las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITU), una de las infecciones bacterianas más comunes en seres humanos. Las ITU son más prevalentes en mujeres, donde el riesgo de padecerlas aumenta durante el embarazo. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de ITU producidas por UPEC en pacientes embarazadas, así como los factores de virulencia y la resistencia a antibióticos de las cepas aisladas. Se identificó a Escherichia coli mediante pruebas bioquímicas convencionales, para posteriormente realizar su genotipificación mediante PCR para la identificación de los factores de virulencia. El análisis de susceptibilidad a antibióticos se realizó mediante el método de Kirby-Bauer de difusión en agar. La prevalencia de ITU en pacientes embarazadas fue de 32%, siendo UPEC el microorganismo más prevalente (36%) en las infecciones. Se determinó que las cepas de UPEC fueron resistentes principalmente a ampicilina (100%), carbenicilina y cefalotina (89%). El gen agn43 fue el más prevalente (78%) en las cepas de UPEC, seguido de papC (67%). Interesantemente, una de las cepas aisladas poseía hasta seis genes de virulencia. Finalmente, nuestro estudio muestra que las ITU en pacientes embarazadas son ocasionadas principalmente por cepas de UPEC, las cuales poseen factores de virulencia y de resistencia a múltiples antibióticos, lo que en su conjunto dificulta el tratamiento de las infecciones e incrementa la posibilidad del desarrollo de complicaciones durante el embarazo.
CHEMERIN AS A POTENTIAL REGULATOR OF MITOCHONDRIAL QUALITY CONTROL IN OBESE PATIENTS
Authors: Vulf M. A. , Shunkina (Skuratovskaia) D. A. , Hung V. , Komar A. A. , Zatolokin P. A. , Kirienkova E. V. , Gazatova N. D. , Litvinova L. S.
Published: October 2021

In obese patients, the relationship between the content of chemerin in blood plasma and the expression of genes TFAM, Drp1, MFN2, SOD, BAX, responsible for quality control of mitochondria, in insulin-dependent tissues (adipose tissue, liver) was revealed. The tissue-specific features of gene expression (TFAM, Drp1, MFN2, SOD, BAX), the number of mtDNA copies in the studied depots in obese patients were established. It has been proven that a change (decrease) in the number of mtDNA copies in insulin-dependent tissues can have a protective effect on mitochondria under conditions of increased oxidative stress. It was found that in patients without type 2 diabetes, an increase in chemerin production promotes the activation of the antioxidant system in the visceral adipose tissue but not in the liver. On the contrary, all obese patients with type 2 diabetes showed a decrease (compared with patients without type 2 diabetes) in the plasma level of chemerin. Thus, the low content of chemerin in the blood plasma in patients with type 2 diabetes mediates the formation of mitochondrial dysfunction in insulin-dependent tissues (adipose tissue, liver).
CORRELATION ANALYSIS BETWEEN LABORATORY IMMUNE AND METABOLIC PARAMETERS IN CHRONIC BRAIN ISCHEMIA STAGES I AND II ALONG WITH HYPERTENSION AFTER TREATMENT
Authors: Bystrova N. A. , Shulginova A. A. , Konoplya A. I.
Published: October 2021

Determination of interrelationships between impairments of laboratory parameters of immune and metabolic status in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia of I-II stages was carried out. The study included 104 patients, of which 76 were female and 28 males, with CCI on the background of II degree hypertension, of which 52 patients were with stage I and 52 with stage II at the age of 50 ± 5 years. Also, clinical and laboratory parameters were studied in 22 healthy donors of the same age. Evaluation of clinical and laboratory data was carried out at the beginning of treatment and 2 weeks after its end. The sorption capacity of erythrocytes and the sorption capacity of the glycocalyx (SEG), the activity of lipid peroxidation processes, the state of the antioxidant system were determined in blood plasma and erythrocytes, the level of stable metabolites of nitric oxide (SMNO), neopterin, C-reactive protein, cytokines (TNFα, IL- 1β, IL-8, IFNγ, IL-18, G-CSF, IL-4, IL-10), immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG, IgA), complement system components (C3, C4, C5, C5А), the phagocytic and oxygen-dependent activity of polymorphonuclear blood leukocytes. Comparative assessment of the results of correlation, factorial and cluster analyzes for assessing the parameters of the immune and metabolic status in patients with stage I CCI revealed the most significant laboratory parameters necessary for determination in the clinic for objective assessment of the severity of immune and metabolic disorders: TNFα, IL-8, IL-10, SMNO and NEG. In patients with CCI stage II, to objectively assess the severity of immune and metabolic disorders, TNFα, IL-8, IL-17, IL-10, the phagocytic number of neutrophils and SEG are recommended.
EXAMINING LOCALLY EXPRESSED mRNA OF INFLAMMATORY MEDIATOR GENES IN A MODEL OF RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM ATROPHY AND RETINAL DEGENERATION INDUCED BY SUBRETINAL SALINE INJECTION IN RABBITS
Authors: Neroev V. V. , Balatskaya N. V. , Svetlova E. V. , Neroeva N. V. , Ilyukhin P. A. , Ryabina M. V. , Karmokova A. G.
Published: October 2021

Degenerative-dystrophic retinal diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are now considered to be the lead cause of blindness and low vision in developed countries, with a steadily increasing trend. Recent publications provide evidence for the involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in TMD development and progression unveiled due to advances in innate and adaptive immunity research. However, the immunopathogenesis of atrophic AMD form, “geographic atrophy” (GA) remains largely unstudied. Objective: to investigate local mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-18, CCL2/MCP-1 in a model of RPE atrophy induced after subretinal injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution in experimental rabbits. The investigation was carried out in tissue complex retina-RPE-choroid (TC) samples isolated from eyes of 23 albino New Zealand rabbits after modeling RPE atrophy by subretinal injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution and 5 healthy rabbits lacking eye lesions. Animals in the experimental group (one week before surgical intervention, in the early period, and in the period of sustained RPE atrophy formation) and controls were subjected to optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ocular fundus autofluorescence (FAF). Evaluation of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression levels in TC was performed by RT-PCR. Results. Subretinal injection of 0.01 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution induced experimental RPE atrophy development in rabbits vs. control that was associated with multidirectional changes of IL-1β, IL-18, MCP-1/CCL2 gene mRNA expression. Three types of response in the TC, formed during development of atrophic changes and determined by the value of local cytokine gene expression were characterized: 1) hypo/ no response – decreased/no expression; 2) normal response – moderate increase; 3) hyper response – overexpression. 69.6% of animals with persistent atrophy had a moderate to hypertrophic increase in locally expressed mRNA MCP-1/CCL2, whereas 30% cases had significantly increased IL-1β mRNA expression – factors damaging the blood-retinal barrier and contributing to posterior segment immune privilege. It should be taken into account while developing new strategies for treatment of ophthalmic pathology, in particular the currently actively studied and tested options for RPE stem cell transplantation into subretinal space. The data obtained may be useful to investigate various types of RPE atrophy and develop new strategies of ophthalmopathology treatment in preclinical studies.
Smart Classrooms and E-learning
Authors: Shekhar Mayank , Shekhar Shashank
Published: October 2021

This paper deals with the growing popularity of smart classrooms and E-learning in the field of education. Technology these days has spread its reach to every sector and has become one of those major things to rely on. It is definitely handier for students and teachers. E-learning refers
to the use of electronic media and information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. A renewed and focused attention is being given to universalization of computer literacy and integration of ICT in schools and other institutions in the tertiary sector. The extent to which e-learning
assists other learning and teaching approaches is variable, ranging on a continuum from none to fully online distance learning. A variety of descriptive terms have been employed (somewhat inconsistently) to categorize the extent to which the technology is used.
 The term "hybrid
learning" may refer to classroom aids and laptops, or may refer to approaches in which traditional classroom time is reduced but not eliminated, and is replaced with some online learning.
Health education for hospitalized patient in nursing care: a conceptual analysis
Authors: Ferreira Priscila Brigolini Porfírio , Porto Isaura Sententa , Santo Fatima Helena do Espirito , Figueiredo Nebia Maria Almeida de , Enders Bertha Cruz , Cameron Lys Eiras , Araújo Silvia Teresa Carvalho de
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT Objectives: to define the concept of Health Education of Hospitalized Patient. Methods: the study used the conceptual analysis based on Walker and Avant strategies: Derivation, Synthesis, and Analysis of the concept. Researchers conducted 35 interviews with nurses who worked in direct care to patients admitted to a Hospital-School, and a bibliographic search on the CINAHL, Medline/PubMed®, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, and BDENF databases. Results: the study identified the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of the concept and defined the concept of Health Education of Hospitalized Patient as “the action of sharing knowledge about the promotion, prevention, recovery and rehabilitation concerning to health based on reciprocity between nurses and patients, family members and companions, in a systematized or unsystematic way”. Final Considerations: the identification of antecedents, attributes, consequences, and empirical references enabled the theoretical definition unprecedented of this concept and its applicability in practice, contributing to science and hospital nursing care.
Methodological path to reach the degree of saturation in qualitative research: grounded theory
Authors: Moura Cleson Oliveira de , Silva Ítalo Rodolfo , Silva Thiago Privado da , Santos Karoliny Alves , Crespo Maria da Conceição Albernaz , Silva Marcelle Miranda da
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT Objectives: to achieve the degree of saturation in study that applied the grounded theory. Methods: qualitative research, carried out in four Family Health Units, between June 2018 and May 2019. The data from the interviews with 30 health professionals and non-participant observation were coded in the stages: open, axial and integration. Results: the degree of saturation was achieved by two conceptual models - theoretical saturation and inductive thematic. Theoretical saturation was considered: the development of conceptual codes and observation, in the collection and analysis of data, when they generated new categories/subcategories or only indicated increasing instances. For thematic inductive saturation, the use of new codes based on each interview stood out. Final Considerations: the visual layout for the number of codes, the theoretical scope of the concepts and the delimitation of the sample groups guided the identification of the degree of saturation for the development of the conceptual body that supported the substantive theory.
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy by adults living with HIV/aids: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Miranda Mariana de Morais Fortunato , Oliveira Dayanne Rakelly de , Quirino Glauberto da Silva , Oliveira Célida Juliana de , Pereira Maria Lúcia Duarte , Cavalcante Edilma Gomes Rocha
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT Objective: To verify the association between adherence to antiretroviral treatment by adults with HIV/AIDS and sociodemographic factors, social and clinical support. Methods: Cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach. Participation of 230 patients. Questionnaires of sociodemographic characterization, social and clinical support, and assessment of adherence to antiretroviral treatment were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Results: Adherence was classified as good/adequate. An association with sex, income, employment, and level of education was noted. In social support: having access to health services; communication with health professionals; health education; having support to allow venting/talking about issues; information on HIV/AIDS; and company for leisure. In the clinical profile: non-interruption of the drug treatment due to absence from the service or due to changes in the medical prescription. Conclusion: Adherence was classified as good/adequate and especially associated with social support factors, which should be enhanced in clinical practice.
Knowledge about antineoplastic drugs: implications for the health of nursing workers in a general hospital
Authors: Batista Kely Cristine , Sousa Kayo Henrique Jardel Feitosa , Ruas Cristiane Aguiar da Silva , Zeitoune Regina Célia Gollner
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT Objectives: to understand, from a worker’s health perspective, the knowledge of nursing professionals about the use of antineoplastic drugs in a general hospital. Methods: a descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach. It was conducted at a university hospital, between April and August 2018, with 35 nursing professionals who responded to a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was used for data treatment. Results: from the data, three thematic categories emerged, related to the nursing professionals’ knowledge about antineoplastic drugs and their effects on workers’ health; situations in which exposure to these drugs occurs; and protection mechanisms for the patient, the environment, and the worker. Final Considerations: the nursing professionals had little knowledge about antineoplastic drugs. The practices related to handling and the necessary protective measures to deal with these drugs were empirically determined and relatively subsidized the knowledge acquired by the professionals.
Breast cancer screening program for risk groups: facts and perspectives
Authors: Marques Carla Andréia Vilanova , Figueiredo Elisabeth Níglio de , Gutiérrez Maria Gaby Rivero de
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACT Objectives: to measure the frequency and compliance of breast cancer screening, according to the risk for this disease. Methods: a cross-sectional study with 950 female users of 38 public Primary Health Care services in São Paulo, between October and December 2013. According to UHS criteria, participants were grouped into high risk and standard risk, and frequency, association (p≤0.05), and screening compliance were measured. Results: 6.7% had high risk and 93.3% standard risk, respectively; in these groups, the frequency and compliance of clinical breast examination were 40.3% and 37.1%, and 43.5% and 43.0% (frequency p=0.631, compliance p=0.290). Mammograms were 67.7% and 35.5% for participants at high risk, and 57.4% and 25.4% for those at standard risk (frequency p=0.090, compliance p=0.000). Conclusions: in the groups, attendance and conformity of the clinical breast exam were similar; for mammography, it was higher in those at high risk, with assertiveness lower than the 70% set in UHS.