bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated Extreme Real-Time PCR and High-Speed Melting Analysis in 52 to 87 Seconds
Authors: Myrick Joseph T , Pryor Robert J , Palais Robert A , Ison Sean J , Sanford Lindsay , Dwight Zachary L , Huuskonen Jarkko J , Sundberg Scott O , Wittwer Carl T
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND

Extreme PCR in <30 s and high-speed melting of PCR products in <5 s are recent advances in the turnaround time of DNA analysis. Previously, these steps had been performed on different specialized instruments. Integration of both extreme PCR and high-speed melting with real-time fluorescence monitoring for detection and genotyping is presented here.

METHODS

A microfluidic platform was enhanced for speed using cycle times as fast as 1.05 s between 66.4 °C and 93.7 °C, with end point melting rates of 8 °C/s. Primer and polymerase concentrations were increased to allow short cycle times. Synthetic sequences were used to amplify fragments of hepatitis B virus (70 bp) and Clostridium difficile (83 bp) by real-time PCR and high-speed melting on the same instrument. A blinded genotyping study of 30 human genomic samples at F2 c.*97, F5 c.1601, MTHFR c.665, and MTHFR c.1286 was also performed.

RESULTS

Standard rapid-cycle PCR chemistry did not produce any product when total cycling times were reduced to <1 min. However, efficient amplification was possible with increased primer (5 μmol/L) and polymerase (0.45 U/μL) concentrations. Infectious targets were amplified and identified in 52 to 71 s. Real-time PCR and genotyping of single-nucleotide variants from human DNA was achieved in 75 to 87 s and was 100% concordant to known genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Extreme PCR with high-speed melting can be performed in about 1 min. The integration of extreme PCR and high-speed melting shows that future molecular assays at the point of care for identification, quantification, and variant typing are feasible.
Pathologic Difference between Sepsis and Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Huerta Luis E , Rice Todd W
Published: November 2018

Background

Sepsis, defined as life-threatening organ failure caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Understanding the features that distinguish sepsis from bloodstream infections (and other types of infection) can help clinicians appropriately and efficiently target their diagnostic workup and therapeutic interventions, especially early in the disease course.

Content

In this review, sepsis and bloodstream infections are both defined, with a focus on recent changes in the sepsis definition. The molecular and cellular pathways involved in sepsis pathogenesis are described, including cytokines, the coagulation cascade, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Laboratory tests that have been evaluated for their utility in sepsis diagnosis are discussed.

Sepsis is defined not only by the presence of an infection, but also by organ dysfunction from a dysregulated host response to that infection. Numerous pathways, including proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines, the coagulation cascade, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction, help determine if a bloodstream infection (or any other infection) progresses to sepsis. Many biomarkers, including C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactic acid have been evaluated for use in sepsis diagnosis, although none are routinely recommended for that purpose in current clinical practice. While some laboratory tests can help distinguish the 2, the presence of organ dysfunction is what separates sepsis from routine infections.
The plight of the private press during the Zimbabwe crisis (2010–18)
Authors: Ruhanya Pedzisai
Published: November 2018

This study critically examines how the private press in Zimbabwe survived during periods of economic and political crises. In year 2010, the Zimbabwe media fraternity saw the re-opening of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ) after closure in 2003 and the emergence of the NewsDay, published by the Alpha Media Holdings (AMH). The study examines how these publishers survive the economic challenges in Zimbabwe, especially during the prolonged period of the Zimbabwe Crisis from 2010 to 2018. It critically investigates how these two publications have remained operational despite the limited advertising revenue – owing to company closures – and the adversarial relations with the government – a critical source of huge advertising revenue. Given that copy sales of newspapers hardly sustain business entities, this article explores the alternative sources of income and the impact of vested interests on alternative revenue for privately owned newspapers. It is a qualitative research based on findings from thirteen semi-structured in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of ANZ and AMH officials and journalists. Publishers have relied on two main survival strategies, namely, internal cost-cutting strategies and building good business relations with the ruling political elites. Internal cost-cutting strategies have included newsroom convergences, retrenchments, salary reductions and freezes, reduction of newspaper pages and shutting down national newspaper bureaus. External survival methods, on the other hand, have been seeking donor funding, attracting political investments and embracing the new political order for government protection in the event of failure to pay statutory obligations such as taxes and pensions.
An introduction to the manifesto for illustration pedagogy: A lexicon for contemporary illustration practice
Authors: Fauchon Mireille , Gannon Rachel
Published: November 2018

As illustration educators our role is to be at the forefront of championing the development and understanding of our subject. Through practice, debate and research we strive to extend the remits of contemporary illustration and provoke debate as to what may be achieved at the very heights of ambition. Questioning of the potentials of illustration has never been more urgent as we work to prepare students to enter into a rapidly expanding field. Changes in industry, the vast expansion of potential platforms and the shifting of hierarchy as illustrators become more autonomous has prompted professionals to interrogate new ways to apply their diverse skill sets. This, met with the development of illustration taught as an independent subject not beholden to other graphic art forms, has seen the emergence of increasingly experimental and interdisciplinary uses and placements of illustrative work. Within our community of educators there is a concerted effort to establish new benchmarks for the study of our subject, to provoke aspirational thinking amongst our student cohorts and to facilitate pioneering practice. The Manifesto for Illustration Pedagogy intends to nurture ambition for the future of contemporary illustration practice and support the development of a discipline-specific critical vocabulary.
Troubled and Troubling Texts: Writing Absence in Martine Delvaux’s Blanc dehors and Toi (Amy Coquaz)
Authors: Coquaz Amy
Published: November 2018

This article combines theory, analysis and creative writing to explore what it means to write absence. The two novels discussed, Martine Delvaux’sBlanc dehors(2015) and my own,Toi(unpublished), deal with absent fathers, but their true concern is absence itself, and the result is a troubled, perforated narrative. Drawing on feminist definitions of what it means to trouble, as well as on translation theory and discussions of translingual writing, the article explores the sense of fragmentation that comes from a layered self and narrative, and the resulting investigative mode the narrators of these novels live in. Through a discussion of the techniques used to create a sense of the underlying narrative of absence, the article argues that the process of bringing two opposites— narrative and non-narrative— ‘on a single surface’ highlights the need for both (Simon, 2006, 219). Troubled texts remind us of our plurality; they deconstruct it, study it, celebrate it. In the case of these two novels, the acceptance of plurality is closely linked to the mothers, who share in the narrative of absence. The narrators’ ultimate acceptance of absence as a narrative in its own right heals the divisions they imposed on themselves and allows them to reconnect to the mothers’ narratives.
The Words Change Everything: Haunting, Contagion and The Stranger in Tony Burgess’s Pontypool
Authors: Deshane Evelyn , Morton R. Travis
Published: November 2018

In 2018, O Canada’s lyrics were made gender neutral. This change comes at a time when certain key public figures refuse to use gender neutral language. The linguistic tension and ideological divide within Canada creates a haunted feeling around certain minority groups, leaving everyone feeling out of place. This article examines how viral ideas and word choices spread through media technologies via the ‘word virus’. We use the figure of the zombie to show how the word virus becomes bad ideology, one that spreads and takes over certain spaces and enacts the presence of the insider/outsider. To reflect on ‘word viruses’ gone awry, we borrow and build on scholarship from the emerging field of hauntology made popular by Jacques Derrida and Avery Gordon. Ultimately, we present Tony Burgess’s horror novel Pontypool Changes Everything turned Canadian horror film Pontypool as a speculative case study, since Burgess’s texts suggest that what is more infectious than the zombie-outsider is the insider’s own language, which identifies and labels the outsider. By positing a possible cure for the word virus within Pontypool, the film adaptation suggests that the ways in which we cease becoming infected with bad ideas is not to stop speaking or isolate ourselves through quarantine, but deliberately seek out the stranger in order to challenge and change the meaning of words.
Factors associated with glycemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus at a tertiary-care center in Thailand: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Dumrisilp Termpong , Supornsilchai Vichit , Wacharasindhu Suttipong , Aroonparkmongkol Suphab , Sahakitrungruang Taninee
Published: November 2018

Background

Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), even those with intensive insulin treatment regimens, often have higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels than adults.

Objective

To delineate the medical and psychosocial factors associated with glycemic control in an unselected pediatric population with T1D.

Methods

We included a cross-section of 58 adolescents (28 boys and 30 girls) aged 13.6 ± 4.0 years with T1D ≥1 year attending a well-established pediatric diabetes clinic in Thailand. Median diabetes duration was 4.1 years (range 1–18 years). Participants were divided into 2 subgroups according to their average HbA1c level over the past year. Those with good control (HbA1c <8%) (n = 13) were compared with those with poor control (HbA1c ≥8%) (n = 45). Data collected from self-report standardized questionnaires and medical records were used to compare variables between groups.

Results

Adolescents with good control used significantly less daily insulin and had higher family income, higher scores for family support, and quality of life (QoL) than those in the group with poor control (P < 0.05). Age, sex, puberty, duration of diabetes, insulin regimen, frequency of blood glucose monitoring, and self-report adherence did not differ between groups. By univariate logistic regression, the only factor associated significantly with poor glycemic control was a QoL score <25.

Conclusion

Adolescents with T1D may be at a higher risk of poor glycemic control if they have poor QoL, impaired family functioning, poor coping skills, and lower socioeconomic status, suggesting that psychosocial interventions could potentially improve glycemic control in this population.
Determinants of consanguinity and inbreeding coefficient in the multiethnic population of Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: Tufail Muhammad , Rehman Atta Ur , Malik Sajid
Published: November 2018

Background

Despite the high sociocultural preferences in contracting marriages among close relatives in Pakistan, marked regional differences exist in the prevalence of consanguinity. There is great interest to elucidate the sociodemographic variables underlying the heterogeneity in consanguinity prevalence in the various populations. The present study was conducted in the Mardan district of Pakistan, the second largest multiethnic Pashtun metropolis.

Objective

To find determinants of consanguineous unions.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study design, a convenience sample of 1,202 ever-married men from 3 tehsils of Mardan district was recruited in an unselected manner and data regarding their marital union types and sociodemographic variables were obtained by a structured interview. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used.

Results

Consanguineous unions accounted for 44% of all marriages, and the inbreeding coefficient was calculated as 0.0258. Regression analyses revealed that 6 variables were significant predictors of consanguinity, namely, tehsil, age, year of marriage, caste (zaat/biradari) system, area of house, and marriage arrangement of the respondent, while 6 other variables, namely, rural/urban origin, literacy, occupation, monthly income, household type, and number of family members, were not found to be significant. Regression analyses showed that there were different combinations of variables predictive of consanguinity among the various tehsils.

Conclusions

The prevalence of consanguinity in the Mardan district was found to be lower than that in many other districts of Pakistan. National regional differences exist in consanguinity, and the combination of predictive factors varies greatly.
Postoperative cure in Iranian patients with gastric cancer: estimating the crude conditional probability in a relative survival setting in the presence of competing risks
Authors: Paknazar Fatemeh , Mahmoudi Mahmood , Mohammad Kazem , Zeraati Hojjat , Mansournia Mohammad Ali , Yaseri Mehdi
Published: November 2018

Background

Following treatment, cancer patients may be clinically cured. However, they may die for reasons other than cancer, called competing risks.

Objective

To estimate postoperative cure while considering the competing risks in Iranian patients with gastric cancer.

Method

Data were obtained from the Cancer Institute of Imam Hospital in Tehran. The analysis was conducted within the framework of relative survival by fitting the data to a flexible parametric cure model, taking into account the competing risks using general population data by adjusting for age, sex, and year of diagnosis.

Results

Of the 326 patients (224 male and 102 female) whose data were included, 235 deaths (72.1%) occurred during the follow-up period. The probability of conditional cure in terms of crude ratios of dying from causes other than gastric cancer in the surviving patients increased with the passage of time, and the slope of excess mortality approached almost 0 after 7 years. The estimated cure ratios showed a variation from 69% for 50-year-old men with diagnosis at early stages (I and II) to 3% for 80-year-old women with diagnosis at stage IV.

Conclusion

The ratio of patients in Iran who were estimated to die from cancer reduced significantly with the passage of time following the diagnosis, and the statistical cure point was estimated to be 7 years after diagnosis. However, aging was shown to be inversely associated. Although the same trend was observed in both sexes, we showed that men were statistically more likely to reach the cure point.
The Anti-biofilm Activity of Nanometric Zinc doped Bioactive Glass against Putative Periodontal Pathogens: An in vitro Study
Authors: Esfahanizadeh Nasrin , Nourani Mohammad Reza , Bahador Abbas , Akhondi Nasrin , Montazeri Mostafa
Published: November 2018

Colonization of periodontal pathogens on the surgical sites is one of the primary reasons for the failure of regenerative periodontal therapies. Bioactive glasses (BGs) owing to their favorable structural and antimicrobial properties have been proposed as promising materials for the reconstruction of periodontal and peri-implant bone defects. This study aimed to investigate the antibiofilm activity of zinc-doped BG (Zn/BG) compared with 45S5 Bioglass® (BG®) on putative periodontal pathogens. In this in vitro experimental study, the nano BG doped with 5-mol% zinc and BG® were synthesized by sol-gel method. Mono-species biofilms of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. a), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. g), and Prevotella intermedia (P. i)were prepared separately in a well-containing microplate. After 48 hours of exposure to generated materials at 37°C, the anti-biofilm potential of the samples was studied by measuring the optical density (OD) at 570nm wavelengths with a microplate reader. Two-way ANOVA then analyzed the results. Both Zn/BG and BG® significantly reduced the biofilm formation ability of all examined strains after 48 hours of incubation (P=0.0001). Moreover, the anti-biofilm activity of Zn/BG was significantly stronger than BG® (P=0.0001), which resulted in the formation of a weak biofilm (OD<1) compared with a moderately adhered biofilm observed with BG® (1<OD<2). Zn/BG showed a significant inhibitory effect on the biofilm formation of all examined periodontal pathogens. Given the enhanced regenerative and anti-biofilm properties of this novel biomaterial, further investigations are required for its implementation in clinical situations.
Droplet digital PCR for the simultaneous analysis of minimal residual disease and hematopoietic chimerism after allogeneic cell transplantation
Authors: Waterhouse Miguel , Pfeifer Dietmar , Duque-Afonso Jesus , Follo Marie , Duyster Justus , Depner Melanie , Bertz Hartmut , Finke Jürgen
Published: November 2018

Background

Minimal residual disease (MRD) and hematopoietic chimerism testing influences clinical decision and therapeutic intervention in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, treatment approaches to induce complete donor chimerism and MRD negativity can lead to complications such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and marrow aplasia. Therefore, there is a need for comprehensive characterization of the molecular remission status after transplantation.

Methods

We analyzed 764 samples from 70 patients after HSCT for the simultaneous measurement of chimerism and molecular targets used for MRD testing with a digital PCR (dPCR) platform.

Results

Mixed chimerism (MC) was detected in 219 samples from 37 patients. The mean percentage of host derived DNA in these clinical samples was 4.3%. Molecular relapse with a positive MRD marker and/or increased WT1 expression was observed in 15 patients. In addition to WT1 overexpression, other MRD positive markers were: NPM1 (Type A, B, K), DNMT3A (R882H), MLL-PTD, IDH1 (R132H) and KRAS (G12S). Increasing MC was observed in 15 patients. This group of patients showed either a positive MRD marker, increased WT1 expression or both. Next, we analyzed whether MC or the molecular target for MRD was first detected. MC and MRD marker positivity in this group was first detected in six and two patients, respectively. In the remaining seven patients MC and MRD positivity was detected simultaneously.

Conclusions

The combination of MRD and chimerism markers in a dPCR platform represents a practical, sensitive and accurate diagnostic tool for the comprehensive assessment of the molecular remission status of patients undergoing HSCT.
Photovoltaic light valving induced in a vertically aligned nematic liquid crystal on a x-cut Fe:LiNbO3substrate
Authors: Lorenz Alexander , Jiao Lin , Evans Dean R.
Published: November 2018

Photovoltaic fields induced in x-cut Fe-doped lithium niobate (Fe:LiNbO3)were used to achieve optically induced defect formation and light valving in a vertically aligned nematic liquid crystal. Initially, the optical axis of the LC was vertically aligned (along the surface-normal of the planar, photovoltaic substrates) throughout the whole sample. Samples were exposed with a focused continuous wave laser beam and investigated via microscopic imaging in-between crossed polarizers. The optical axis of the planar, x-cut Fe:LiNbO3 substrates was in the substrate plane and oriented parallel to one of the polarizers, which resulted in an initially dark state. Optically induced surface fields (with high in-plane components) generated within the substrates led to director reorientations and defect formation. Accordingly, the samples were locally switched into a transmissive state. The area affected by exposure was larger (300 μm) than the FWHM of the Gaussian exposure beam (14 μm). Switching from dark to bright states (light valving) could be achieved in the investigated samples much more eficiently than in previously investigated samples with z-cut Fe:LiNbO3-substrates. Realignments of the LC director were induced at lower optical power density (140 mW/cm2) than would be required to excite the intrinsically present nonlinear optical responses in a nematic LC such as the light induced Fredericks transition.
Drug target prediction using chem- and bioinformatics
Authors: Guedes Rita C. , Rodrigues Tiago
Published: November 2018

The biological pre-validation of natural products (NPs) and their underlying frameworks ensures an unrivaled source of inspiration for chemical probe and drug design. However, the poor knowledge of their drug target counterparts critically hinders the broader exploration of NPs in chemical biology and molecular medicine. Cutting-edge algorithms now provide powerful means for the target deconvolution of phenotypic screen hits and generate motivated research hypotheses. Herein, we present recent progress in artificial intelligence applied to target identification that may accelerate future NP-inspired molecular medicine.
Durability of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer bars in wet-dry cycles alkali-salt corrosion
Authors: Liu Jianxun , Li Ning , Chen Meirong , Yang Jianping , Long Biao , Wu Zhishen
Published: November 2018

Basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars have been increasingly applied to offshore structures, which are subjected to seawater corrosion and wet-dry cycles during their service time. This study evaluated the alkali-salt resistance performance of BFRP bars with different resin matrix types under wet-dry cycles. The tensile and shear strength of BFRP bars were tested. As a comparison, experiments of BFRP bars under continuous immersion were also conducted. The mechanisms of the two different conditions were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A relationship was established between the degradations under continuous immersion and wet-dry cycling. The results demonstrated that the alkali-salt resistance of vinyl resin matrix BFRP bars was superior to that of epoxy resin matrix BFRP bars under wet-dry cycles. Furthermore, according to the data obtained under continuous immersion, a time shift factor for predicting the durability of BFRP bars under wet-dry cycles was proposed.
Stereotyping in representing the “Chinese Dream” in news reports by CNN and BBC
Authors: Wang Jiayu
Published: November 2018

This paper examines how the slogan of the “Chinese Dream” is represented in two western news reports on the CNN and the BBC websites. They are among the first news reports which introduce the “Chinese Dream” into the US and the UK, respectively. The analysis of both the verbal news texts and the visuals shows that the reporters use different discursive strategies to manipulate the ideological orientation of the social actors and social actions in discourse. Through the analysis, this study shows how different discursive resources conceptualized in Theo van Leeuwen’s work, Discourse and practice: New tools for critical discourse analysis, are used to stereotype “the other’s” politics and political discourse in BBC and CNN’s news texts, and perpetuate a Eurocentric view on perceiving contemporary Chinese political discourse.
Using Maize Chromosome Segment Substitution Line Populations for the Identification of Loci Associated with Multiple Disease Resistance
Authors: Lopez-Zuniga Luis O , Wolters Petra , Davis Scott , Weldekidan Teclemariam , Kolkman Judith M , Nelson Rebecca , Hooda K S , Rucker Elizabeth , Thomason Wade , Wisser Randall , Balint-Kurti Peter
Published: November 2018

Southern Leaf Blight (SLB), Northern Leaf Blight (NLB), and Gray Leaf Spot (GLS) caused by Cochliobolus heterostrophus, Setosphaeria turcica, and Cercospora zeae-maydis respectively, are among the most important diseases of corn worldwide. Previously, moderately high and significantly positive genetic correlations between resistance levels to each of these diseases were identified in a panel of 253 diverse maize inbred lines. The goal of this study was to identify loci underlying disease resistance in some of the most multiple disease resistant (MDR) lines by the creation of chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) populations in multiple disease susceptible (MDS) backgrounds. Four MDR lines (NC304, NC344, Ki3, NC262) were used as donor parents and two MDS lines (Oh7B, H100) were used as recurrent parents to produce eight BC3F4:5 CSSL populations comprising 1,611 lines in total. Each population was genotyped and assessed for each disease in replicated trials in two environments. Moderate to high heritabilities on an entry mean basis were observed (0.32 to 0.83). Several lines in each population were significantly more resistant than the MDS parental lines for each disease. Multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL) for disease resistance were detected for each disease in most of the populations. Seventeen QTL were associated with variation in resistance to more than one disease (SLB/NLB: 2; SLB/GLS: 7; NLB/GLS: 2 and 6 to all three diseases). For most populations and most disease combinations, significant correlations were observed between disease scores and also between marker effects for each disease. The number of lines that were resistant to more than one disease was significantly higher than would be expected by chance. Using the results from individual QTL analyses, a composite statistic based on Mahalanobis distance (Md) was used to identify joint marker associations with multiple diseases. Across all populations and diseases, 246 markers had significant Md values. However further analysis revealed that most of these associations were due to strong QTL effects on a single disease. Together, these findings reinforce our previous conclusions that loci associated with resistance to different diseases are clustered in the genome more often than would be expected by chance. Nevertheless true MDR loci which have significant effects on more than one disease are still much rarer than loci with single disease effects.
Biochemical screen correction possibilities in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Feisa S. V. , Rostoka-Reznikova M. V. , Tovt-Korshynska M. I. , Siksai L. T.
Published: November 2018

The rationale for this study is the controversial data regarding the efficacy of hepatoprotectors and antioxidants for lipid profile correction in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the prevalence of which is increasing especially in association with diabetes mellitus. We examined 100 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients (40–75 years old) with concomitant type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 73) or without it (n = 27), the groups were standardized by age and gender. In patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with diabetes mellitus we revealed significantly higher rates of total cholesterol, triglycerides and atherogenic factor in association with a significantly lower high-density lipoproteins level versus the group of patients without concomitant diabetes. We recommended the modification of lifestyle as basic management of their condition to all patients, hypoglycemic therapy with metformin to persons with concomitant diabetes mellitus and rosuvastatin to patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without diabetes. In addition, 25 patients received essential phospholipids (2 caps. 3 times a day) and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (1000 mg per day) for 3 months; 26 patients – α-lipoic acid (600 mg daily) for 3 months, 22 patients received rosuvastatin (10 mg daily), 27 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without diabetes mellitus received rosuvastatin (10 mg daily). We evaluated the treatment efficiency after 3 months treatment, and the remote consequences – 12 months after the start of combined treatment. After 3 months, the alanine-aminotransferase rate had decreased by 15.1% in the group taking combined essential phospholipids and ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids and by 12.9% in the group taking alpha-lipoic acid, which was significantly larger than in the rosuvastatin group (7.5%); gamma-glutamate transpeptidase level decreased by 16.7%, 18.7% and 9.4% respectively indicating anticholestatic and hepatoprotective effect of both proposed treatment combinations. The same tendency of cytolysis and cholestasis processes inhibition was observed after 12 months as well. In conclusion, the combination of standard treatment with antioxidant and hepatoprotective agents (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with essential phospholipids or only alpha-lipoic acid) promotes both cytolysis and cholestasis syndromes inhibition in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with concomitant type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Samizdat magazine “Porogy”: typological peculiarities, problems, genres
Authors: Melnykova O.
Published: November 2018

In order to determine the current trends of the samvydav the genre-thematic analysis of the magazinel "Porogy" is implied. Typological peculiarities, problems, genres are under consideration during the process of analysis.Ukrainian illegal press which had no clear periodicity and no defined mechanism of distribution, reported of human rights violation on the territory of the Soviet Union, creation of national liberation movement and civil rights protection movement as well as, among other issues, told about repressions of creative and academic intelligentsia. It is worth mentioning among self-published press the magazine named “Porogy”, which had definite circulation and was distributed sporadically in 1988–1990.The historical experience of 1985–1991 in times of “pluralism of thoughts” proves the effectiveness of a greater number of media and channels of alternative sources. Dissidents, as interpreters of reality, in particular, the authors of the magazine “Pogory”, changed the attitude of citizens of the Ukraine towards the official authorities, the Soviet ideology and history, gradually reframing it.At the regional level, magazine “Pogory” raised acute problems, popularized national culture and history, and therefore its content became public. The authors and editorial board of the magazine offered ways to solve socio-cultural and political problems of the country. Preservation of cultural, historical, ethnographic heritage, popularization of the Ukrainian language, coverage of the problem of interconfessional relations were topical and socially significant themes. In the paper the journalistic genres of the magazine “Poorogy” are reviewed and analyzed. The authors of the alternative channel of communication changed their meanings, published silent and forbidden information, offered the audience alternative content.The results of the article can be used while teaching the course "Modern Writing on Current Affairs".
Polifarmácia e fatores associados em idosos diabéticos
Authors: Corralo Vanessa Da Silva , Binotto Vanessa Marconatto , De Sá Clodoaldo Antônio , Bohnen Lilian Caroline , Santos Guilherme Augusto Gonzaga dos
Published: November 2018

Objetivos El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los factores asociados a la polifarmacia y el uso de medicamentos potencialmente inapropiados (MPI) en ancianos con diabetes.Métodos Se estudiaron 41 varones (edad = 69,9 ± 6,9 años) y 86 mujeres (edad = 71,1 ± 7,7 años), diagnosticados con diabetes tipo 2. Para la evaluación de las condiciones de salud, uso de medicamentos, polifarmacia y factores asociados, se utilizó el cuestionario adaptado de Morais. Los fármacos se clasificaron de acuerdo con el Sistema de Clasificación Terapéutico-Químico y Anatómico y para identificar el MPI adoptamos los criterios de Beers-Fick y Prisco. Para el análisis de datos utilizamos estadística descriptiva y pruebas de chi-cuadrado de Pearson y Test Exacto de Fisher.Resultados Toda la población estudiada usaban medicación. El consumo promedio fue de 5,8 fármacos por persona, desde 2 a 14, con una prevalencia de polifarmacia de 85%. Entre los factores estudiados, sólo el retiro o jubilación mostró una asociación estadísticamente significativa (p<0,05) con la polifarmacia. Las enfermedades más prevalentes fueron: hipertensión arterial (92,8%), problemas cardíacos (70,8%), circulatorios (40,8%) y problemas osteoarticulares (44,5%). Doce de los medicamentos utilizada por ancianos fueron considerados potencialmente inapropiados y el 47,2% de los sujetos del estudio hicieron uso de estas medicinas con regularidad.Conclusiones Los datos de este estudio sugieren nuevas formas de pensar acerca de la asistencia farmacéutica, desde un punto de vista práctico y sistémico, y no sólo como la compra y distribución de medicamentos.
Practical issues in design and construction of dam earthworks
Authors: Neeve David , Brown Alan John
Published: November 2018

The paper describes examples of common pitfalls in design and construction of earthworks to construct dam embankments retaining large raised reservoirs, focusing mainly on new flood storage reservoirs. It concludes with key considerations for clients, engineers and contractors. It is intended as a briefing to less-experienced colleagues, rather than repeating information in standard textbooks. It is structured to follow the process from initial planning of the source(s) of earthworks through design and construction to operation and maintenance issues.
Придет ли время "случайных" людей во власти?
Authors: Алексеева Татьяна , Лошкарев Иван , Пареньков Даниил
Published: November 2018

В статье анализируется понятие политической лотереи – не только как способа отбора кандидатов на властные должности, но и как полноценного политического института. Использование лотерей в таком качестве имеет давнюю традицию, уходящую корнями в опыт древнегреческих полисов – прежде всего Афин. В наши дни политические лотереи применяются в ряде государств, в том числе в Ирландии и Германии. В других государствах обсуждаются целесообразность и конкретные формы реализации отбора “случайных” людей в органы, принимающие политические решения. Авторы выделяют несколько подходов к рассматриваемому феномену. Минималисты полагают, что использование политических лотерей и широкие дискуссии между отобранными делегатами могут быть полезными только на локальном уровне и при решении узких вопросов. Инклюзивисты настаивают, что политические лотереи применимы в различных ситуациях и масштаб их применения не следует ограничивать локальным уровнем принятия решений: органы, отобранные с помощью политических лотерей, можно встраивать в систему существующих политических институтов. Наконец, максималисты полагают, что способ отбора позволит сформировать политический режим нового типа, который обеспечит более справедливое представительство интересов граждан. В статье разбираются аргументы и пункты разногласий представителей трех подходов, а также имеющиеся проекты создания “лотерейных” политических институтов. Авторы анализируют причины обращения к практике политических лотерей и, как следствие, определяют преимущества случайного отбора на должности: сокращение коррупционной составляющей в процессе отбора, репрезентативность выборки со статистической точки зрения и снижение значимости традиционных социальных и политических разделительных линий. Авторы приходят к выводу, что политические лотереи имеют и недостатки, среди которых необходимо отметить громоздкость функционирования соответствующих органов и необходимость поиска нового формата сдержек и противовесов.
Iogurte com redução calórica enriquecido de aveia com sabor de polpa de manga Tommy Atkins congelada
Authors: Barbosa Maiane Silva , De Lima Gonçalves Gilmara Fernandes , Lima Lucélia Kátia , Pereira de Lima Oliveira Suely Cristina , Neto João Ferreira
Published: November 2018

The population has been seeking changes in eating habits to improve health and well-being. There is a demand for practical products with low fat content and products that have natural components in their composition that play a functional constituent role. The objective of this study was the development of a calorie-reduced flavored-fortified yogurt with Tommy Atkins mango pulp and the evaluation of its chemical and microbiological stability for 21 days of storage at 4 ° C. Four formulations F1, F2, F3 and F4 were developed, and they differed in the concentration of pulp and oats. The formulation, F1 (Control) (21.43% pulp with no oats addition ), F2 (2.26% oat and 15.04% mango pulp), F3 (4.58% oat and 11.45% mango pulp) and F4 (7.75% oats and 6.98% mango pulp). The determined physico-chemical parameters were moisture (84,28 ± 0,40%, 82,16 ± 0,12%, 80,70 ± 0,16%, 78,53 ± 0.30%), lipids (1.2 ± 0.10%,,05 ± 0.05%, 1,15 ± 0.05%, 1.20 ± 0.00%), proteins (3,06 ± 0,16%, 3,65 ± 0,33%, 4,33 ± 0,19%, 4,70 ± 0,79%)respectively. The use of oats and mango pulp is a viable alternative when combined with the formulations for they increase both nutritional and technological values and they have become a trend in the food sector.
Cinemática Inversa com Redes Neurais Aplicadas em Robôs Manipuladores
Authors: Daltro Duarte Gabriel , Pereira Mego Quinteros Claudio , Araújo Lincoln Machado
Published: November 2018

Today’s world is going through what is known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Robots have been gaining more and more space in the industry and going beyond expectations. The use of robots in industry is related to the increasing production and the quality of the electronic products. For an accurate movement of a robot manipulator it is necessary to obtain its inverse kinematic model, however, obtaining this model requires the challenging solution of a set of nonlinear equations. For this system of nonlinear equations there is no generic solution method. In view of this matter, this research aims to solve the problem of the inverse kinematics of a robot manipulator using artificial neural networks without the need to model the robot’s direct kinematics. Two neural network training methodologies, called offline training and online training were used. The basic difference between these two is that in the offline methodology all training points are obtained before any training of the neural network occurs, whereas in online training the use of a training method is recurrent. As the robot moves, new training points are obtained and training processes with the new acquired points are executed, allowing a learning process of continuous inverse kinematics. To validate the proposed methodology a prototype of a manipulated planar robot with one degree of freedom was developed and several architectures of neural networks were tested to find the optimal architecture. The offline training methodology obtained very satisfactory results for most of the neural network architectures tested. The online training only achieved satisfactory results in neural network architectures with quantities of neurons much larger than the quantities used in the architectures used in offline training and still obtained inferior results. The neural networks trained in offline mode, when compared to the training networks in the online mode, presented a greater capacity of generalization and a smaller value of output error. The online training has only achieved satisfactory results in neural network architectures with quantities of neurons much larger than the quantities used in the trained architectures in offline mode.
CARACTERIZAÇÃO DO REFLORESTAMENTO DE PARICÁ NA MICRORREGIÃO DE PARAGOMINAS-PA
Authors: Santos Iêdo Souza , Salim Salomão , Pereira Paulo Cezar Gomes
Published: November 2018

O estado do Pará possui uma área extensa de florestas, ricas em espécies que apresentam valor comercial madeireiro e impulsionam de forma direta a economia da Amazônia. Na Microrregião de Paragominas-PA, a produção de compensados constitui uma importante alternativa econômica para o comércio local. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar a produção da madeira de Paricá proveniente de reflorestamento, como matéria-prima utilizada na produção de compensado, por empresas beneficiadoras sediadas na Microrregião de Paragominas-PA. Foi conduzido um estudo de caso de caráter exploratório e descritivo, para quantificação da produção, identificação da matéria prima utilizada, e análises da estrutura de mercado, do parque tecnológico e da mão de obra empregada. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas, observação pessoal, conversas informais, participação em reuniões e análise de documentos. Nos resultados, observou-se que as propriedades pesquisadas eram classificadas como de médio e grande porte. Numa mesma área, as espécies de paricá dividiam espaço com eucalipto e soja. As disposições mais utilizadas nas plantações foram: quadrada (3,5m x 3,5m e 3,2m x 3,2m) e retangular (3,0m x 3,5m), contendo respectivamente 816, 976 e 952 árvores por hectare. Contudo, fatores como economia, políticas públicas, insuficiência de embasamentos científicos e tecnologia influenciam na consolidação e no potencial de abastecimento do mercado de compensado regional.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Florestas Plantadas, Madeira Nativa, Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber x Ducke) Barneby.
PERFIL DE CONSUMO E DO CONSUMIDOR DE PEIXE DO MUNICÍPIO DE SINOP, MATO GROSSO
Authors: Vasconcelos Leandro Sephane , Oliveira Sullyvan Silva , Andrade Moreira Paula Sueli , Sayuri Otani Fabrizia
Published: November 2018

Este trabalho foi efetuado no perímetro urbano do município de Sinop, no norte do estado brasileiro de Mato Grosso. O objetivo desse estudo foi caracterizar o perfil de consumo e consumidor de peixe, que reside no município de Sinop, Mato Grosso. Foram aplicados 448 questionários em locais de intenso fluxo diário de pessoas. Utilizou-se um questionário constituído de 37 questões descritivas, que abrangeu os seguintes pontos de interesse: características socioeconômicas do entrevistado, quantificação do consumo, determinantes do consumo, preferências de consumo e conhecimento sobre a cadeia de produção. A coleta de dados foi realizada no período de 06 fevereiro a 13 de março de 2017. O perfil do consumidor de peixe de Sinop foi formado pelos fatores sexo, idade, estado brasileiro de origem, escolaridade e renda familiar. De modo geral os resultados indicaram que o percentual dos entrevistados que afirmaram consumir peixe foi maior que 90%. Apesar do município estar localizado em uma região de grande potencial para a produção de peixe a frequência e quantidade de consumo são baixas. O consumo de peixe em Sinop é influenciado diretamente pela renda familiar dos consumidores, influência cultural e hábitos alimentares dos colonizadores do município. As espécies preferidas são a matrinxã e o tambaqui, seguidos do Pintado da Amazônia. A qualidade e o preço são fatores importantes para o consumo. O consumidor sugere principalmente a diminuição do preço do peixe e a melhoria da qualidade e higiene do produto e locais de venda.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Mercado, Pescado, Qualidade.
ESTUDO DA EVOLUÇÃO DO CULTIVO DE COCO EM MUNICÍPIOS DO ESTADO DO PARÁ E NOS PRINCIPAIS ESTADOS BRASILEIROS PRODUTORES
Authors: Alves Keila De Nazaré Amaral , Almeida Gabriela Mourão de , Lobato Whesley Thiago dos Santos , Souza Antonio Maricélio Borges de , Souza Antonio Alan Santos de , Vidal Deice Juane Ferreira , Silva Daniella Amor Cunha da , Pereira Wanderson Cunha
Published: November 2018

Originária do sudeste asiático a cultura do coco (Cocos nucifera L.) chegou ao Brasil em meados dos anos 50, pelo estado da Bahia e se disseminou pelo litoral brasileiro. Possuindo duas variedades principais, a variedade Typica e a Nana, das quais é possível se obter uma grande variedade de produtos. Com base nisso, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar a dinâmica da evolução do cultivo de coco nas principais regiões do Brasil, nos principais estados produtores e nas principais cidades produtoras do estado do Pará. Para isso foi realizado um levantamento de dados secundários do IBGE sobre Área Destinada a Colheita (ha), Área Colhida (ha) e Quantidade Produzida (Ton.) dos anos de 2007, 2011 e 2015, para obter uma maior variabilidade e assim observar o crescimento da cultura nos últimos nove anos disponíveis e também pelo fato do ano de 2007 marcar o início de políticas de incentivo para o cultivo do coco. Foi possível perceber que apenas a região Nordeste apresentou crescimento na Área destinada a Colheita, Colhida e Quantidade Produzida. E verificou-se que a Bahia também foi o estado que mais cresceu nesses mesmos aspectos. Enquanto no Pará, Tome-Açu e Moju são os municípios que estão em pleno crescimento de cultivo de coco. Pode-se concluir que Moju município que mais avança em crescimento, devido seu grande potencial de investimento em produtos extraídos do coco. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Economia, Modelagem, Plantio.
INFLUÊNCIA DE DIFERENTES DOSES DE FÓSFORO NO CRESCIMENTO DE MUDAS DE CUMARU
Authors: Diniz da Rocha Bianca , Aguiar Lima Gisele , Silva da Rocha Jobert , Rennan Nunes Alves Fabisson , Valente de Oliveira Douglas , Fernanda de Lima Lobato Laura , Patrícia de Oliveira Figueira Elizandra , Stephanie Souza Barbosa Kamila
Published: November 2018

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes dosagens de fósforo no crescimento de mudas de Cumaru (Dipteryx odorata (Aubl.) Willd.) em condições de viveiro. O experimento foi conduzido em Viveiro experimental da Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará –UFOPA, no período de Junho a Setembro de 2016. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com 5 tratamentos e 4 repetições, totalizando 20 parcelas. Os tratamentos testados foram: testemunha (sem adição de fósforo), 100, 200, 400, 800 kg/ha de fosfato simples. Foi avaliado o crescimento em altura, diâmetro do colo, massa fresca aérea, massa fresca radicular, massa fresca total, massa seca aérea, massa seca radicular, massa seca total e, posteriormente, Índice de Qualidade de Dickson. Seguiram os testes de Kolmogorov-Smirnbov para normalidade dos dados, Bartlett para homogeneidade das variâncias dos tratamentos e Fischer para Análise de Variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. Conclui-se que a dosagem de 200 Kg/ha de P é o tratamento mais significativo ao desenvolvimento de mudas em viveiro. Quanto aos parâmetros de desenvolvimento morfológico das plântulas, apresentaram-se não significativo a todos os tratamentos à base de adubação fosfatada adotados. O Índice de qualidade de mudas calculado (IQD), indicou que todos os níveis de adubação fosfatada testados, geraram mudas aptas a instalação em campo, após 60 dias em condições de viveiro.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Dipteryx odorata, Fisiologia vegetal, Nutrição mineral.