bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using dynein heavy chain 5 and creatine kinase levels in cervical fluid and blood for early diagnosing of ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Sahin Cagdas , Uygun Zihni Onur , Hortu Ismet , Akdemir Ali , Kocamanoglu Meltem , Ergenoglu Ahmet M. , Akcay Yasemin
Published: December 2020

Aim

Ectopic pregnancy is a life‐threatening problem in reproductive ages. Diagnosing ectopic pregnancy in the early period provides to reducing mortality and morbidity and gives an opportunity for medical treatment to preserve fallopian tubes. Evaluation of cervical fluid for determining ectopic pregnancy with new promising markers provided different aspects for diagnosing ectopic pregnancy in the present study.

Methods

In this prospective clinical study, ectopic pregnant patients as ectopic pregnancy group (n = 46), intrauterine pregnant patients as intrauterine pregnancy group (n = 29) and not‐pregnant patients as nonpregnancy group (n = 10) participated to study. Cervical fluid samples were collected with using merocel sponge. In addition, serum samples were obtained from patients. Dynein heavy chain 5 (DNAH5) and creatine kinase (CK) levels were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kits in samples.

Results

Reduced cervical fluid DNAH5 levels was diagnosed in ectopic pregnancy group compared to intrauterine pregnancy group (median 3.42 ng/mL; 25–75% percentile 0–9.56 ng/mL vs median 6.14 ng/mL; 1.40–8.31 ng/mL; P < 0.001). On the other hand, DNAH5 protein was not detected in nonpregnant patients' samples. In addition, statistical significant increased cervical fluid CK levels were diagnosed in ectopic pregnancy group compared to intrauterine pregnancy group (median 4477.61 IU/L; 0–64 925.37 IU/L vs 0 IU/L; 0–6832.30 IU/L; P = 0.006).

Conclusion

Measuring of CK and DNAH5 in cervical fluid could be promising markers for early diagnosing of ectopic pregnancy. Decreased DNAH5 levels in cervical fluid might be result from abnormal cilia function in ectopic pregnant patients.

ClinicalTrials.gov ID. NCT02995356.
Arabinogalactan‐like Glycoproteins from Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta) Show Unique Features Compared to Land Plants AGPs
Authors: Přerovská Tereza , Henke Svatopluk , Bleha Roman , Spiwok Vojtěch , Gillarová Simona , Yvin Jean‐Claude , Ferrières Vincent , Nguema‐Ona Eric , Lipovová Petra
Published: December 2020

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) encompass a diverse group of plant cell wall proteoglycans, which play an essential role in plant development, signaling, plant‐microbe interactions, and many others. Although they are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom and extensively studied, they remain largely unexplored in the lower plants, especially in seaweeds. Ulva species have high economic potential since various applications were previously described including bioremediation, biofuel production, and as a source of bioactive compounds. This article presents the first experimental confirmation of AGP‐like glycoproteins in Ulva species and provides a simple extraction protocol of Ulva lactuca AGP‐like glycoproteins, their partial characterization and unique comparison to scarcely described Solanum lycopersicum AGPs. The reactivity with primary anti‐AGP antibodies as well as Yariv reagent showed a great variety between Ulva lactuca and Solanum lycopersicum AGP‐like glycoproteins. While the amino acid analysis of the AGP‐like glycoproteins purified by the β‐d‐glucosyl Yariv reagent showed a similarity between algal and land plant AGP‐like glycoproteins, neutral saccharide analysis revealed unique glycosylation of the Ulva lactuca AGP‐like glycoproteins. Surprisingly, arabinose and galactose were not the most prevalent monosaccharides and the most outstanding was the presence of 3‐O‐methyl‐hexose, which has never been described in the AGPs. The exceptional structure of the Ulva lactuca AGP‐like glycoproteins implies a specialized adaptation to the marine environment and might bring new insight into the evolution of the plant cell wall.
Accuracy of point‐of‐care crossmatching methods and crossmatch incompatibility in critically ill dogs
Authors: Marshall Hayden , Blois Shauna L. , Abrams‐Ogg Anthony C. G. , Bersenas Alexa M. , Ruotsalo Kristiina , Monteith Gabrielle
Published: December 2020

Background

The performance of commercial point‐of‐care crossmatch (CM) tests compared to laboratory tube agglutination CM is unknown. Additionally, there is limited information regarding CM incompatibility in ill dogs.

Objectives

To determine if point‐of‐care major CM methods are accurate in detecting compatible and incompatible tests when compared to laboratory CM methods, and to identify factors associated with CM incompatibility in dogs.

Animals

Part 1 (prospective) included 63 client‐owned dogs potentially requiring blood transfusion. Part 2 (retrospective) included all dogs from part 1, plus medical records of 141 dogs with major CM results.

Methods

For part 1, major CM was performed using a tube agglutination assay (LAB‐CM), a gel‐based point‐of‐care test (GEL‐CM), and an immunochromatographic point‐of‐care test (IC‐CM). For part 2, medical record data were collected to determine rates of and risk factors for CM incompatibility.

Results

Kappa agreement between the LAB‐CM and GEL‐CM methods could not be calculated due to a relative lack of incompatible results. Kappa agreement between the LAB‐CM and IC‐CM methods was 0.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0‐0.31,P= .007) indicating no agreement. The LAB‐CM incompatibility in transfusion‐naïve vs dogs that had a transfusion was 25% and 35%, (P= .3).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Compared to laboratory methods, point‐of‐care methods evaluated in our study lacked sensitivity for detecting incompatibilities. Dogs had similar rates of major CM incompatibility regardless of transfusion history. This suggests CM testing prior to transfusion be considered in all dogs however our study did not investigate clinical relevancy of incompatible LAB‐CM.
Exposing Indicators' Fragility: Sally Engle Merry's Contribution to the Study of Governance Indicators
Authors: Boggio Andrea
Published: December 2020

The work done by Sally Engle Merry around governance indicators provides a clear example of how her scholarship has been original and impactful. She devoted more than a decade to studying the emergence and use of indicators, a widely used strategy for assessing governance mechanisms. Her body of work on indicators includes three books and more than a dozen journal articles and book chapters. These contributions have reshaped the discourse and forced readers to confront the hidden truth about indicators: their imperfect nature as with any other human construct. I, selfishly, have borrowed from her work and used her lenses in contributing to the study and production of human rights indicators. I see my borrowing as a tribute to a must-read scholar whose ideas are worth entertaining and sharing through our work.
First histopathological bridging of the distance between Onufʼs nucleus and substantia nigra after olfactory bulbectomy—new ideas about the urinary dysfunction in cerebral neurodegenerative disease: an experimental study
Authors: Kanat Ayhan , Aydin Mehmet Dumlu , Akca Nezih , Ozmen Sevilay
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) in experimental studies induces neurochemical, neurodegenerative changes in various parts of the body. But no information is available about how OBX affects the spinal cord in rats. Our study aims to investigate this question.

Methods

Twenty‐eight male rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups: six as the control, six as the SHAM, and 16 as the study group in which OBX was performed. The animals were followed for 10 weeks. After decapitation of the animals, olfactory bulb (OB) volumes, the olfactory glomerulus (OG), and the neuron density of the ON (Onuf nucleus) per cubic centimeter at the L4‐S4 level were examined histopathologically and analyzed stereologically.

Results

The mean OB volume, remaining normal OG density, and degenerated neuron density (DND) of the ON was measured as 4.32 ± 0.21/mm3, 1842 ± 114/mm3, and 4 ± 1 /mm3 in the control (group I); 3.3 ± 0.14/mm3, 1321 ± 114/mm3, and 43 ± 8/mm3 in the SHAM (group II); and 1.672 ± 0.12/mm3, 852 ± 93/mm3, and 154 ± 11/mm3 in the study group (group III). There was a statistically significant difference between the SHAM and the study group (P < .05).

Conclusions

In this study, histopathological bridging between ON‐related lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and OBX was shown the first time. According to the findings, LUTS may be reversed by the protection of the affected spinal cord through the correction of olfaction impairment in neurodegenerative disease.
Adorno on Schenker: Reconstructing the Formation of a Critique
Authors: WEDLER SEBASTIAN
Published: December 2020

Since the publication in 1982 of Theodor Adorno's late lecture ‘On the Problem of Musical Analysis’, it has been well established that Adorno had an ambivalent attitude towards Heinrich Schenker's analytical method, to the extent that the two men are usually thought of as antagonists while sharing the same concern for a work‐immanent understanding of the content of music. Yet beyond this lecture, surprisingly little is known about Adorno's actual engagement with Schenker's writings. The aim of this article is twofold. First, drawing on hitherto unexamined sources held at the Theodor W. Adorno Archiv in Frankfurt am Main, this essay reconstructs and examines Adorno's engagement with Schenker's ideas and the work of two of the theorist's most influential advocates, Felix Salzer and Oswald Jonas. Based on this, secondly, the article places Adorno's ambivalent attitude towards Schenker's method within the broader scholarly and political debates of his time. In particular, it will be argued that Adorno's reception of Schenker can be understood in relation to three discursive concerns: (1) advocating the importance of Schoenberg's music‐theoretical thought, (2) questioning the methodological reorientation of postwar Austro‐German musicology and (3) reinforcing his opposition to positivism in the domain of musical analysis. In this way, this article aims to contribute to ongoing efforts to reconstruct and understand more fully the history of Schenker reception.
The interaction of insoluble Amyloid‐β with soluble Amyloid‐β dimers decreases Amyloid‐β plaque numbers
Authors: van Gerresheim Else F. , Herring Arne , Gremer Lothar , Müller‐Schiffmann Andreas , Keyvani Kathy , Korth Carsten
Published: December 2020

Objectives

The heterogeneity of Amyloid‐beta (Aβ) plaque load in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) has puzzled neuropathology. Since brain Aβ plaque load does not correlate with cognitive decline, neurotoxic soluble Aβ oligomers have been championed as disease‐causing agents in early AD. So far, investigating molecular interactions between soluble oligomeric Aβ and insoluble Aβ in vivo has been difficult because of the abundance of Aβ oligomer species and the kinetic equilibrium in which they coexist. Here, we investigated whether Aβ plaque heterogeneity relates to interactions of different Aβ conformers.

Materials and Methods

We took advantage of transgenic mice that generate exclusively Aβ dimers (tgDimer mice) but do not develop Aβ plaques or neuroinflammation during their lifetime, crossed them to the transgenic CRND8 mice that develop plaques after 90 days and measured Aβ plaque load using immunohistochemical and biochemical assays. Furthermore, we performed in vitro thioflavin T (ThT) aggregation assays titrating synthetic Aβ42‐S8C dimers into fibril‐forming synthetic Aβ42.

Results

We observed a lower number of Aβ plaques in the brain of double transgenic mice compared to tgCRND8 mice alone while the average plaque size remained unaltered. Corroborating these in vivo findings, synthetic Aβ‐S8C dimers inhibited fibril formation of wild‐type Aβ also in vitro, seen by an increased half‐time in the ThT assay.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that Aβ dimers directly interfere with Aβ fibril formation in vivo and in vitro. The variable interaction of Aβ dimers with insoluble Aβ seeds could thus contribute to the heterogeneity of Aβ plaque load in AD patients.
Aztecs Are Not Indigenous: Anthropology and the Politics of Indigeneity
Authors: Whittaker Catherine
Published: December 2020

To write about Indigeneity means already being deeply enmeshed in identity politics. The much researched rural south of Mexico City is a case in point. Anthropologists have described the Nahuatl speakers of Milpa Alta as “heirs of the Aztecs,” and knowledge of Nahuatl and folklore has become key to maintaining municipal land rights in the context of current multiculturalist politics. Thus, Nahuatl has become a politicized marker of prestige. This has led to various tensions, including acrimonious competition over what constitutes the “correct” way of speaking Nahuatl and frictions with newly arrived speakers of other Indigenous languages. To avoid exacerbating these tensions, I suggest that anthropologists should commit to decolonizing their work by politically and epistemologically situating it and by adopting participatory approaches, as well as an iterative, adaptive approach to research ethics. This means continuously reevaluating and tailoring one's ethics to concrete situations as they emerge—and never truly leaving “the field.” [Identity politics, decolonization, Nahuatl language]
Auxin efflux controls orderly nucellar degeneration and expansion of the female gametophyte in Arabidopsis
Authors: Wang Junzhe , Guo Xiaolong , Xiao Qiang , Zhu Jianchu , Cheung Alice Y. , Yuan Li , Vierling Elizabeth , Xu Shengbao
Published: December 2020

The nucellus tissue in flowering plants provides nutrition for the development of the female gametophyte (FG) and young embryo. The nucellus degenerates as the FG develops, but the mechanism controlling the coupled process of nucellar degeneration and FG expansion remains largely unknown.

The degeneration process of the nucellus and spatiotemporal auxin distribution in the developing ovule before fertilization were investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Nucellar degeneration before fertilization occurs through vacuolar cell death and in an ordered degeneration fashion. This sequential nucellar degeneration is controlled by the signalling molecule auxin.

Auxin efflux plays the core role in precisely controlling the spatiotemporal pattern of auxin distribution in the nucellus surrounding the FG. The auxin efflux carrier PIN1 transports maternal auxin into the nucellus while PIN3/PIN4/PIN7 further delivers auxin to degenerating nucellar cells and concurrently controls FG central vacuole expansion. Notably, auxin concentration and auxin efflux are controlled by the maternal tissues, acting as a key communication from maternal to filial tissue.
FBI Surveillance of the War Resisters League during the Vietnam War, 1965–1973
Authors: Perrotta Katherine
Published: December 2020

During the Vietnam War, the FBI conducted counterintelligence operations on many groups and individuals seen as communist collaborators and national security threats. The War Resisters League, a pacifist group, was not just a target of FBI surveillance but was cast by the agency as a seditious organization. FBI records and corroborating sources show that Hoover’s aim was to consolidate his own power over the Justice Department and, in the later years of the war in Vietnam, the White House. Since the majority of existing scholarship on FBI surveillance of the WRL focuses on the interwar period between World War I and World War II, this study expands this history into the critical period between 1965 and 1973. Within this history is Hoover’s process of casting the WRL as a threat and violating members’ civil liberties to “thwart” it. This process not only had an impact on the WRL’s ability to organize but also created a dynamic between nonviolent antiwar activists and the Department of Justice that remains resonant in the twenty‐first century.
Voice through the lens: Personal experience of those on methadone
Authors: Neace Kimberly S. , Amiri Azita , Langan‐Heins Jeannie
Published: December 2020

With the rise of opioid deaths and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) being the "gold standard," evidence lacks the quality of life for those on Methadone.

Objective

This study aimed to develop educational materials for communities and clinics about MMT and abstinence, utilizing the PhotoVoice technique to represent the voice of those on Methadone treatment (MMT) and abstinence for recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). Participants shared firsthand experiences of life on Methadone and abstinence, resulting in a short video clip and a poster.

Design

Participants were recruited following meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. An introduction letter was handed out, and questions were answered. After COVID‐19 Pandemic, further communications were delivered through Email. Five participants on Methadone and four who were abstinent were recruited. Participants were 18 years and over, male and female, were on MMT or abstinent for 6 months or more.

Results

Common themes among participants were extracted and discussed with the participants and a short video clip and a poster were developed.

Conclusion

Further study in MMT from the patient's perspective need to be explored. The PhotoVoice project revealed personal barriers, while on Methadone, that impede a full and rich life spiritually, mentally, and physically.
Adenocarcinoma arising in the multiple heterotopic submucosal glands of the intestine in a Satoyoshi syndrome patient: A case report
Authors: Tsugeno Yuta , Kawachi Hiroshi , Kirimura Susumu , Hirota Yuka , Shintaku Hiroshi , Ito Takashi , Kikuchi Akifumi , Ohtsuka Kazuo , Akashi Takumi , Kitagawa Masanobu
Published: December 2020

Satoyoshi syndrome is a rare multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology characterized by progressive muscle spasms, alopecia and diarrhea. Multiple protruding lesions with cystic glands, namely gastroenterocolitis cystica polyposa, manifest in the gastrointestinal tract. Since the first report of these lesions in 1977, which was unique to Satoyoshi syndrome, few studies have focused on their role, and the associated clinicopathological features are not well understood. Here, we report a 64‐year‐old Japanese woman with Satoyoshi syndrome who presented with multiple polypoid lesions in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon. Histologically, the polypoid lesions in the intestine comprised multiple heterotopic submucosal glands containing cystically dilated glands and smooth muscle fibers in the lamina propria mucosa and/or submucosa. Additionally, we observed stromal changes, such as fibrosis, discontinuous and thinning muscularis mucosae, and diffuse neural fiber proliferation in the entire intestinal tract. Furthermore, multiple foci of adenocarcinomas were identified within several heterotopic submucosal glands. We hypothesized that multiple heterotopic submucosal glands in the present case corresponded to previously reported gastroenterocolitis cystica polyposa, suggesting that these lesions are essential in the histopathology and are a unique manifestation of Satoyoshi syndrome.
Characterization of Erwinia sp. causing black rot of papaya (Carica papaya) first recorded in Okinawa Main Island, Japan
Authors: Hanagasaki Takashi , Yamashiro Maki , Gima Kozo , Takushi Tetsuya , Kawano Shinji
Published: December 2020

Since 2002, papaya black rot has been spreading over several islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. To devise a prevention strategy for the disease, microbiological research on the pathogen was conducted. Twelve strains were isolated from papaya infected with black rot showing symptoms such as water‐soaked lesions on stems and petioles, black spots on fruits, and rotted leaves turning yellow with necrotic spots. Through Koch's postulates, we confirmed that the isolated strains caused papaya black rot. Bacteriological assays showed that the strains have characteristics different from the type strains of Erwinia mallotivora, E. papayae, and E. psidii. Moreover, 16S rDNA sequence similarity searches showed that the isolated strains had less than 98.6% similarity with type strains. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences suggested that the isolated strains were possibly a novel species belonging to the genus Erwinia, as the strains formed an independent cluster and had low sequence similarity with the type strains. Earlier studies indicated that papaya black rot is caused by E. cypripedii. Therefore, we propose to add the Erwinia sp. isolated in this study to the list of papaya black rot pathogens.
Psychometric properties of outcome measures in non‐pharmacological interventions of persons with dementia in low‐and middle‐income countries: A systematic review
Authors: Du Bharath , Lakshminarayanan Monisha , Krishna Murali , Vaitheswaran Sridhar , Chandra Mina , Kunnukattil Sivaraman Shaji , Goswami Satyapal Puri , Rangaswamy Thara , Spector Aimee , Stoner Charlotte R.
Published: December 2020

Despite high burden of dementia in low‐and middle‐income countries (LMICs), only a small number of clinical trials of psychosocial interventions for persons with dementia (PwD) have been conducted in these settings. It is essential that such trials use appropriate outcome measures that are methodologically robust and culturally appropriate to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. We carried out a systematic review to examine the evidence base and psychometric properties of measures employed in these studies in LMICs. A systematic search of published literature on randomised controlled trials (RCT) of psychosocial interventions for PwD in LMICs between 2008 and April 2020 was carried out. Measures employed in each of the eligible studies were identified and through a focused search, we further explored the evidence base and psychometric properties employing Terwee criteria. Data extraction and quality appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. The review identified 41 measures from 17 RCTS which fulfilled eligibility criteria and they examined effectiveness across the domains of cognition (n = 16), behaviour and psychological symptoms (n = 11) and quality of life (n = 8). Of these 41, we were able to access relevant literature only for 18 and they were subject to psychometric analysis. Psychometric properties of these 18 instruments were at best modest, with Terwee scores ranging from 3 (low) to 15 (moderate). A majority of the studies were from China (n = 5) and Brazil (n = 6). The evidence base for the routinely employed measures in RCTs of non‐pharmacological interventions for PwD in LMICs is limited. The quality of adaptation and validation of these instruments is variable and studies are largely uninformative about their psychometric properties and cultural appropriateness to the study setting. There is an urgent need to develop scientifically robust instruments in LMIC settings that can be confidently employed to measure outcomes in trials of psychosocial interventions for PwD.
An Integrated Risk and Resilience Assessment of Sea Ice Disasters on Port Operation
Authors: Liu Xueqin , Chen Zhenhua
Published: December 2020

Risk and resilience assessment of disasters plays a critical role in decision making for emergency response and postdisaster recovery. Yet, there is still a lack of modeling framework that could capture the effectiveness of economic resilience under uncertain disaster conditions. The objective of this study is to develop a novel integrated framework that is able to help decisionmakers understand the effectiveness of resilience performance under various risk conditions. Using hazard data of the Bohai Sea and throughput data of the Port of Yingkou (China) as an example, the copula‐modeling method was adopted for the risk assessment of sea ice disasters on seaport operations. This study shows that the Gumbel Copula method, with consideration of ice thickness level and area of ice cover, provides the most robust risk assessment outcome. In addition, a grid chart system with an overlap of a joint return period and port throughput change provides a straightforward understanding of resilience performance under different risk levels. In particular, economic resilience tactics, such as production recapture and effective management, were confirmed to be effective resilience strategies, especially when a risk level is high, as port operational losses can be avoided up to 86.8%. Overall, the study provides insights that could help stakeholders improve the effectiveness of disaster risk management through an improved understanding of the linkage between risk and resilience.
Dental trauma experience of visually impaired and sighted children residing in residential schools – a comparative cross‐sectional study
Authors: Rathore Kanupriya , Rao Dinesh , Masih Updesh
Published: December 2020

Aim

To assess and compare the prevalence of dental trauma in a population of 9‐ to 16‐year‐old children with partially impaired vision and sighted children of Jodhpur city, Rajasthan State in India.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, 121 children with partial impairment of vision were compared with a control group of 356 sighted children for traumatic injuries to the permanent dentition. Children in both the group were aged between 9 and 16 years and residing in a residential school. The survey was carried out using Ellis and Davy's classification of tooth fracture. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis, and the Chi‐square test was used to compare different variables with P < .05.

Results

The overall prevalence rates of traumatic dental injury (TDI) in the visually impaired and sighted groups were 24.79% and 9.39%, respectively (P = .000). Enamel fracture was the most common type of injury, and the maxillary central incisor was most frequently involved in both the groups. Children with overjet >3 mm sustained TDI more frequently in visually impaired children. TDI was higher in children with overjet ≤3 mm in sighted groups (P = .000). In both the groups children with inadequate lip coverage had higher occurrence of TDI (P = .000).

Conclusion

Dental trauma appeared to be more frequent in visually impaired compared to sighted children. The unmet treatment need for children with TDI was very high.
Hemodialysis taping styles and their effect on reducing the chance of venous needle dislodgement
Authors: Chan Dominic Y. F. , Dobson Scott , Barber Tracie
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Vascular access complications are common among hemodialysis patients, although most are not immediately life‐threatening. However, inconsistent taping techniques and incompatible detection mechanisms may lead to venous needle dislodgement (VND), which can lead to catastrophic blood loss. Taping technique does not always meet the recommended best practice and there may be no available protocol for new staff.

Methods

Three commonly used taping patterns (the Chevron, butterfly, and overlapping styles) were tested in a mechanical engineering laboratory to determine the forces that each method was capable of withstanding.

Results

While all taping styles were confirmed to have an adhesive force stronger than the inherent force from the venous jet flow of blood, the overlapping style was found to have limited capability beyond this minimum criterion. Both the butterfly and Chevron styles demonstrated excellent holding capability, with elongation of dislodgement particularly noted for the butterfly style, and slightly stronger hold noted for the Chevron style. The Chevron style may be better suited to lateral movements from all directions, due to the taping direction.

Conclusions

We recommend that either the Chevron or butterfly style is used for dialysis needle taping, with the butterfly better suited to home dialysis (where monitors may be used) and the Chevron better suited for in‐care patients who may present erratic movements. The overlapping style is not recommended for use.
The role of Interleukin‐32 in autoimmunity
Authors: de Albuquerque Rafael , Komsi Elina , Starskaia Inna , Ullah Ubaid , Lahesmaa Riitta
Published: December 2020

Interleukin‐32 (IL‐32) is a pro‐inflammatory cytokine that induces other cytokines involved in inflammation, including tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐1β. Recent evidence suggests that IL‐32 has a crucial role in host defence against pathogens, as well as in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation. Abnormal IL‐32 expression has been linked to several autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases, and a recent study suggested the importance of IL‐32 in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. However, despite accumulating evidence, many molecular characteristics of this cytokine, including the secretory route and the receptor for IL‐32, remain largely unknown. In addition, the IL‐32 gene is found in higher mammals but not in rodents. In this review, we outline the current knowledge of IL‐32 biological functions, properties, and its role in autoimmune diseases. We particularly highlight the role of IL‐32 in rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.
Pension Reform Disabled*
Authors: Galaasen Sigurd Mølster
Published: December 2020

This paper builds a quantitative life‐cycle model with endogenous retirement to study how disability insurance (DI) and old‐age pension programs interact with health and wages to determine retirement age. Individuals face uncertain future health and wages, and if in bad health, they can retire with DI before reaching the statutory retirement age. I use the model to evaluate the macroeconomic impact of pension reforms. The main contribution is that, in contrast to standard macro pension models, my model includes DI as another endogenous retirement margin. I show that it is crucial to account for program substitution when evaluating welfare reforms.
Monetary policy frameworks in the Middle East and North Africa: How do they compare with other groupings?
Authors: Cobham David
Published: December 2020

This paper presents a classification of the monetary policy frameworks (MPFs) of 19 MENA countries from 1974 to 2017. It identifies the key trends in the region and contrasts them with the trends among three other groups: advanced countries, emerging countries and Latin American countries. It considers likely reasons for the MPF choices of MENA governments and notes the economic performance associated in the region and elsewhere with different MPFs. It examines how these MPF choices relate to trends in central bank independence and transparency, and in democracy and governance. Finally, it brings these elements together in an argument that a move to democracy in the MENA countries could open the way to monetary policy frameworks that would offer improved economic performance.
Ethnicity as a predictor of gender segregation among young children in an informal urban settlement in Kenya
Authors: Fouts Hillary N. , Bader Lauren R. , Neitzel Carin L. , Salinas Daniela A.
Published: December 2020

Although the emergence of gender segregation in early childhood is a well‐established pattern in formal settings (i.e., group childcare, preschool) from research predominantly in North America, little is known about the gender segregation among young children in Sub‐Saharan Africa, especially in the contexts of ethnically diverse informal urban settlements. Using naturalistic observations of 62 focal‐children (2 to 4 year olds) from 4 ethnic groups (Kamba, Kikuyu, Luo, and Maasai) in one informal urban settlement in Kenya, we examined the gender segregation in social interactions and proximity to other children in their daily lives. Focal‐children's ethnicity, age, and gender were considered as potential predictors of gender segregation (i.e., tendency to spend time in close proximity or social interaction with children of their same gender). Ethnicity was the best predictor of gender segregation, as Maasai children exhibited more evidence of gender segregation than children of other ethnicities. Age and gender did not predict the patterns of gender segregation in this sample. Findings are discussed with respect to cultural roles related to gender, ethnically diverse urban communities, social development in early childhood, and prevalent assumptions about the universality of gender segregation in early childhood.
The multisensory engagement with the Qur'an: Teaching the Qur'an beyond the written word
Authors: Umashankar Rachana Rao
Published: December 2020

The Qur'an in the Islamic tradition, understood as the veritable word of God addressed directly to Muhammad, is much more than sacred text: it is the embodiment of the divine in humanity's midst. This understanding has impacted how Muslims engage with it, resulting in what I term the “multisensory engagement with the Qur'an.” That is, Muslims primarily engage with the Qur'an through visual, aural, oral, tactile, and emotive avenues. And yet, in most undergraduate religion courses, the Qur'an is taught only as text and not asbeyondtext. Through a brief survey of the Islamic conceptualization of the Qur'an, I propose that a deliberate strategy is needed to give non‐textual modes of engagement equal space. Since Religious Studies pedagogies should be more in line with how the Qur'an is used and understood by Muslims, I offer a sample pedagogical model to teach this multisensory engagement with the Qur'an.
The immunophilin Zonda controls regulated exocytosis in endocrine and exocrine tissues
Authors: de la Riva‐Carrasco Rocío , Perez‐Pandolfo Sebastián , Suárez Freire Sofía , Romero Nuria M. , Bhujabal Zambarlal , Johansen Terje , Wappner Pablo , Melani Mariana
Published: December 2020

Exocytosis is a fundamental process in physiology, that ensures communication between cells, organs and even organisms. Hormones, neuropeptides and antibodies, among other cargoes are packed in exocytic vesicles that need to reach and fuse with the plasma membrane to release their content to the extracellular milieu. Hundreds of proteins participate in this process and several others in its regulation. We report here a novel component of the exocytic machinery, the Drosophila transmembrane immunophilin Zonda (Zda), previously found to participate in autophagy. Zda is highly expressed in secretory tissues, and regulates exocytosis in at least three of them: the ring gland, insulin‐producing cells and the salivary gland. Using the salivary gland as a model system, we found that Zda is required at final steps of the exocytic process for fusion of secretory granules to the plasma membrane. In a genetic screen we identified the small GTPase RalA as a crucial regulator of secretory granule exocytosis that is required, similarly to Zda, for fusion between the secretory granule and the plasma membrane.
The cytologic and histologic diagnosis of ureteral fibroepithelial polyp in a dog
Authors: Etzioni Athema L. , Raskin Rose E. , Van Alstine William G. , Yu Jeff
Published: December 2020

A 6‐year‐old, intact male, brindled, 30‐Lb English Bulldog presented to the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a recurrent history of hematuria, periuria, and lethargy that responded temporarily to antibiotic therapy. The work‐up included a complete blood count, serum biochemical profile, complete urinalysis, diagnostic imaging (abdominal radiographs and ultrasound with contrast urography), and exploratory laparotomy. The diagnostic imaging findings and subsequent exploratory revealed a unilateral, intraluminal, right‐sided, 3‐cm ureteral mass extending from the proximal ureter into the renal pelvis. Subsequently, a unilateral right‐sided ureteronephrectomy followed by biopsy with cytopathology/cytology (impression smears) and histopathology of the ureteral mass was performed. The cytopathologic interpretation was benign mesenchymal proliferation with mildly atypical urothelial cells. The association of this mass with vascular tissue and a benign nuclear appearance on cytology is similar to reports of fibroepithelial polyps (FEPs) and myxomatous tumors. Histopathology diagnosed the mass as an FEP. Cytopathology proved useful in the presumptive diagnosis of this benign urothelial polyp. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report using cytopathology to depict and characterize FEPs in veterinary and human medical literature.
Validation of a standardized donor health questionnaire across substances of human origin
Authors: Sandner Sabrina , Merz Eva‐Maria , van den Hurk Katja , van Kraaij Marian , Mikkelsen Christina , Ullum Henrik , Clement Michel
Published: December 2020

Background and objectives

A donor health questionnaire (DHQ) aims to ensure the safety of donors and recipients of transfusions or transplantations with blood components, plasma‐derived medicinal products, tissues, haematopoietic stem cells and medically assisted reproduction (in short substances of human origin; SoHO). Currently, many different DHQs exist across countries and SoHO. TRANSPOSE (TRANSfusion and transplantation PrOtection and SElection of donors) developed and validated a standardized DHQ to use across countries and SoHO. We tested whether participants understand the questions and provide honest answers.

Methods

For the validation of the standardized DHQ, two demographically representative online surveys were conducted in Germany (N = 3329) and Austria (N = 3432). We surveyed whether participants understood each DHQ question and would answer the questions truthfully. We used experimental settings to test whether there is a difference between mode of administration (print vs. online), the order of the questions (subject vs. chronological order), and the positioning of thegeneral state of healthquestion (beginning vs. end) in the DHQ. Using regression models, we tested the DHQ’s impact on participant mood after completion and on socially desirable response behaviour.

Results

Participants understood the DHQ questions well and would answer them honestly. Nevertheless, the data show different levels of understanding and honesty when responding. Administration mode was the only characteristic that had a significant influence on mood, with the online version resulting in a more favourable mood in comparison to the printed version.

Conclusion

The DHQ was well understood and had a low dishonest tendency. Our findings can serve as an impulse for further research on DHQ criteria across other SoHO and countries.
Hypothesis of Twin Deficits in Cote d’Ivoire: The Nonlinear Effect Analysis with a Smooth Transition Autoregression Model (STAR)
Authors: Lopez GREKOU Gahié
Published: December 2020

This paper tests the hypothesis of double deficit in Côte d'Ivoire in non-linear aid framework, using an autoregressive smooth transition model (STAR). The main results validate the hypothesis of double deficit in Côte d' Ivoire. The effect of current balance on budget balance is greater than budget balance on current balance. Moreover, the rapid effects of current account instability on fiscal balance reveal the lack of expectation by economic agents that leads to current account deterioration compared to the deterioration of budget balance.  Thus, economic policies aimed at influencing the effect on current balance would be more effective than those aimed at the effect on budget balance. In other words, Ivorian economy adopts a Keynesian performance in the event of current account shocks and performance that tend to be more or less Ricardian in presence of fiscal policy shock.
Melanotan II, a melanocortin agonist, partially rescues the impaired thermogenic capacity of pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide deficient mice
Authors: McMillan Thecla Rae , Forster Maeghan A. M. , Short Landon I. , Rudecki Alexander P. , Cline Daemon L. , Gray Sarah L.
Published: December 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Can chronic treatment of pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) deficient mice with the melanocortin agonist melanotan II during cold acclimation rescue the impaired thermogenic capacity previously observed in PACAP deficient mice?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Using a genetic model of PACAP deficiency, this study provides evidence that PACAP acts upstream of the melanocortin system in regulating sympathetic nerve activity to brown adipose tissue in mice.

Impaired adipose tissue function in obesity, including reduced thermogenic potential, has detrimental consequences for metabolic health. Hormonal regulation of adaptive thermogenesis is being explored as a potential therapeutic target for human obesity. Pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide expressed in nuclei of the hypothalamus known to regulate energy expenditure, and functional studies reveal a role for PACAP in the central regulation of thermogenesis, although mechanisms are not well understood. We hypothesized that PACAP acts upstream of the melanocortin system to regulate sympathetic nerve activity to stimulate thermogenesis. To assess this, female PACAP−/− and PACAP+/+ mice were given daily peripheral injections of a melanocortin receptor agonist, melanotan II (MTII), for 3 weeks during cold acclimation, and the effect of MTII on thermogenic capacity and adipose tissue remodelling was examined by physiological and histological analyses. MTII partially rescued the impaired thermogenic capacity in PACAP−/− mice as compared to PACAP+/+ mice as determined by measuring noradrenaline‐induced metabolic rate. In addition, MTII treatment during cold acclimation corrected the previously identified deficit in lipid utilization in response to adrenergic stimulation in PACAP−/− null mice, suggesting impaired lipid mobilization may contribute to the impaired thermogenic capacity of PACAP−/− mice. Results presented here provide physiological evidence to suggest that PACAP acts upstream of melanocortin receptors to facilitate sympathetically induced mechanisms of adaptive thermogenesis in response to cold acclimation.
Investigating Coupled Train-Bridge-Bearing System Under Earthquake- and Train-Induced Excitations
Authors: Li Hongwei , Gomez Daniel , Dyke Shirley J. , Xu Zhaodong , Dai Jun
Published: December 2020

The dynamic interaction between a bridge and a moving train has been widely studied. However, there is a significant gap in our understanding of how the presence of isolation bearings influences the dynamic response, especially when an earthquake occurs. Here, we formulate a coupled model of a train-bridge-bearing system to examine the bearings’ dynamic effects on the system responses. In the analysis, the train is modeled as a moving oscillator, the bridge is a one span simply supported beam and one isolation bearing is installed under each support of the bridge. A mathematical model using fractional derivatives is used to capture the viscoelastic properties of the bearings. The vertical response is the focus of this investigation. Dynamic substructuring is used in modeling to efficiently capture the coupled dynamics of the entire system. Illustrative numerical simulations are carried out to examine the effects of the bearings. The results demonstrate that although the presence of bearings typically decreases the bridge seismic responses, there is a potential to increase the bridge response induced by the moving train.
Mitigation of Stick-Slip Vibrations in Drilling Systems With Tuned Top Boundary Parameters
Authors: Liu Xianbo , Zhang Zhao , Zheng Xie , Long Xinhua , Meng Guang
Published: December 2020

Aiming at preventing stick-slip oscillations in drilling systems for oil and gas explorations, a reduced-order model is proposed to capture the nonlinear torsional dynamics of drilling operations. In this model, the drill string structure is simplified as a single-degree-of-freedom (DOF) system suffering from dry frictions at the drill bit, while the electromechanical boundary generated by the top drive system is modeled as another tunable DOF used for stick-slip suppression. To simplify and parameterize the problems, a normalized 2DOF system with negative damping and tunable parameters is deduced via nondimensionalization and linearization. Based on this system, stability criteria are obtained analytically in the five-dimensional parametric space. Stable regions and the optimized boundary parameters are found analytically. The results suggest that the system can be stabilized by an optimally tuned boundary when and only when the magnitude of the negative damping is no greater than 2. It also reveals that the stability deteriorates if the inertia on the top is huge and nonadjustable, which is the commonest scenario for commercial drilling rigs nowadays. Finally, applications of the tuned boundary in a typical drilling system for stick-slip mitigation are conducted and verified numerically. The results indicate that the control performance can be potentially enhanced by three to five times, via an additional virtual negative inertia generated by the top drive motor. This research provides an alternative approach to fully optimize the top boundary for curing stick-slip vibrations in drilling systems.
Acoustical characterization of a portable pneumatic infrasound source
Authors: Barlett Martin L. , Muir Thomas G. , Slack Charles M. , Hamilton Mark F.
Published: December 2020

A portable infrasound source based on a pneumatic siren design is described. The source is capable of producing narrowband tone bursts over a frequency range of approximately 0.25–10 Hz. The acoustical characteristics of the infrasound source are presented, including measured sound pressure levels and horizontal directivity. The methodologies for processing the received acoustic signals are reported, and comparisons of measurements are made with a simple multipole model of the source. Measurements indicate that the pneumatic infrasound siren can be useful for a variety of applications for which a controlled, known infrasound source is required.
The Relationship of Self-efficacy and Explicit and Implicit Associations on the Intention–Behavior Gap
Authors: Divine Alison , Berry Tanya , Rodgers Wendy , Hall Craig
Published: December 2020

Background:Recent physical activity research is limited by intention–behavior discordance and is beginning to recognize the importance of automatic processes in exercise. The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of multidimensional exercise self-efficacy (SE), explicit–implicit evaluative discrepancies (EIEDs) for health, and appearance on the intention–behavior gap in exercise.Methods:A total of 141 middle-aged inactive participants (mean age = 46.12 [8.17] y) completed measures of intentions, SE, and explicit and implicit evaluations of exercise outcomes. The participants were classified as inclined actors (n = 107) if they successfully started the exercise program and inclined abstainers (n = 35) if they were not successful.Results:The inclined actors and abstainers did not differ on intentions to exercise; however, the inclined actors had higher coping SE and lower EIEDs for health. In addition, the coping SE (Exp [β] = 1.03) and EIEDs for health (Exp [β] = −0.405) were significant predictors of being an inclined actor.Conclusions:The interaction between explicit and implicit processes in regard to health motives for exercise appears to influence the successful enactment of exercise from positive intentions. As most physical activity promotion strategies focus on health as a reason to be active, the role of implicit and explicit evaluations on behavioral decisions to exercise may inform future interventions.
No Endospore Formation Confirmed in Members of the Phylum
Proteobacteria
Authors: Beskrovnaya Polina , Fakih Doaa , Morneau Isabelle , Hashimi Ameena , Guadarrama Bello Dainelys , Xing Shipei , Nanci Antonio , Huan Tao , Tocheva Elitza I.
Published: December 2020

Bacterial endospore formation is an important process that allows the formation of dormant life forms called spores. Organisms able to sporulate can survive harsh environmental conditions for hundreds of years.