bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-detector computed tomography in the assessment of tetralogy of Fallot patients: is it a must?
Authors: Shaaban Mahmoud , Tantawy Sara , Elkafrawy Fatma , Haroun Dina , Romeih Soha , Elmozy Wesam
Published: April 2020

Background

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) accounts for 10% of all CHD. It classically consists of ventricular septal defect (VSD), aortic overriding, right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction, and RV hypertrophy. There are many anatomic variants, associated intracardiac and extracardiac anomalies that must be taken into consideration when imaging and planning the surgical procedure needed. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), with its high spatial and temporal resolution, has a pivotal role in the evaluation of complex anatomical findings in both unrepaired and repaired TOF patients.

Main body

Though MDCT has a limited role in the initial diagnosis of TOF, it is particularly important when there is a question about anatomy of pulmonary arteries (PAs) (whether sizable, hypoplastic, or atretic), presence of major aorto-pulmonary collaterals (MAPCAs) and presence of additional VSDs. Additionally, MDCT is crucial in the diagnosis of different anatomical variants of TOF. TOF patients with absent pulmonary valve classically have hugely dilated PAs which raise an important question about the degree and severity of airways compression. This question can be accurately answered by MDCT. TOF with double-outlet RV (DORV) has variable degrees of aortic override which can be assessed by MDCT. An atrio-ventricular septal defect (AVSD) is seen in about 13% of TOF cases and typically occurs in patients with Down syndrome. MDCT can assess the size and extent of inlet VSD and size of both ventricles (balanced or unbalanced AVSD). Coronary artery anomalies are common and important association. MDCT can identify the presence of a major coronary artery crossing the RVOT, a left anterior descending (LAD) from RCA, or a dual LAD. The clinical importance of these anomalies is its susceptibility to injury during ventriculotomy incision required for TOF repair necessitating changing the usual approach of surgery.

Patients with reduced pulmonary blood flow undergo a systemic to pulmonary shunt. MDCT can assess the patency of the shunt, stenotic, or occluded segments. In surgically repaired TOF patients, MDCT can identify the sequalae and long-term complications including residual RVOT obstruction, conduit stenosis, RVOT patch aneurysm, RVH, and aortic root dilatation.

Conclusion

MDCT is a safe and reliable imaging modality that provides accurate assessment of anatomical variants and associated anomalies of TOF.
Staffing With Disease-Based Epidemiologic Indices May Reduce Shortage of Intensive Care Unit Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mascha Edward J. , Schober Patrick , Schefold Joerg C. , Stueber Frank , Luedi Markus M.
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUND:

Health care worker (HCW) safety is of pivotal importance during a pandemic such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and employee health and well-being ensure functionality of health care institutions. This is particularly true for an intensive care unit (ICU), where highly specialized staff cannot be readily replaced. In the light of lacking evidence for optimal staffing models in a pandemic, we hypothesized that staff shortage can be reduced when staff scheduling takes the epidemiology of a disease into account.

METHODS:

Various staffing models were constructed, and comprehensive statistical modeling was performed. A typical routine staffing model was defined that assumed full-time employment (40 h/wk) in a 40-bed ICU with a 2:1 patient-to-staff ratio. A pandemic model assumed that staff worked 12-hour shifts for 7 days every other week. Potential in-hospital staff infections were simulated for a total period of 120 days, with a probability of 10%, 25%, and 40% being infected per week when at work. Simulations included the probability of infection at work for a given week, of fatality after infection, and the quarantine time, if infected.

RESULTS:

Pandemic-adjusted staffing significantly reduced workforce shortage, and the effect progressively increased as the probability of infection increased. Maximum effects were observed at week 4 for each infection probability with a 17%, 32%, and 38% staffing reduction for an infection probability of 0.10, 0.25, and 0.40, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Staffing along epidemiologic considerations may reduce HCW shortage by leveling the nadir of affected workforce. Although this requires considerable efforts and commitment of staff, it may be essential in an effort to best maintain staff health and operational functionality of health care facilities and systems.
Sirtuin-1 regulates organismal growth by altering feeding behavior and intestinal morphology in planarians
Authors: Ziman Benjamin , Karabinis Peter , Barghouth Paul , Oviedo Néstor J.
Published: April 2020

Nutrient availability upon feeding leads to an increase in body size in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. However, it remains unclear how food consumption integrates with cell division at the organismal level. Here, we show that the NAD-dependent protein deacetylases sirtuins are evolutionarily conserved in planarians, and specifically demonstrate that the homolog of human sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) (encoded by Smed-Sirt-1), regulates organismal growth by impairing both feeding behavior and intestinal morphology. Disruption of Smed-Sirt-1 with RNAi or pharmacological inhibition of Sirtuin-1 leads to reduced animal growth. Conversely, enhancement of Sirtuin-1 activity with resveratrol accelerates growth. Differences in growth rates were associated with changes in the amount of time taken to locate food and overall food consumption. Furthermore, Smed-Sirt-1(RNAi) animals displayed reduced cell death and increased stem cell proliferation accompanied by impaired expression of intestinal lineage progenitors and reduced branching of the gut. Taken together, our findings indicate that Sirtuin-1 is a crucial metabolic hub capable of controlling animal behavior, tissue renewal and morphogenesis of the adult intestine.
Micro-stepping extended focus reduces photobleaching and preserves structured illumination super-resolution features
Authors: Hu Xian , Jalal Salma , Sheetz Michael , Bakke Oddmund , Margadant Felix
Published: April 2020

Despite progress made in confocal microscopy, even fast systems still have insufficient temporal resolution for detailed live-cell volume imaging, such as tracking rapid movement of membrane vesicles in three-dimensional space. Depending on the shortfall, this may result in undersampling and/or motion artifacts that ultimately limit the quality of the imaging data. By sacrificing detailed information in the Z-direction, we propose a new imaging modality that involves capturing fast ‘projections’ from the field of depth and shortens imaging time by approximately an order of magnitude as compared to standard volumetric confocal imaging. With faster imaging, radiation exposure to the sample is reduced, resulting in less fluorophore photobleaching and potential photodamage. The implementation minimally requires two synchronized control signals that drive a piezo stage and trigger the camera exposure. The device generating the signals has been tested on spinning disk confocal and instant structured-illumination-microscopy (iSIM) microscopes. Our calibration images show that the approach provides highly repeatable and stable imaging conditions that enable photometric measurements of the acquired data, in both standard live imaging and super-resolution modes.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
The Influence of Peers in Worker Misconduct: Evidence from Restaurant Theft
Authors: Chan Tat Y. , Chen Yijun , Pierce Lamar , Snow Daniel
Published: April 2020

Problem definition: Misconduct, such as theft, is a major problem in operational settings, and staffing decisions can either amplify or mitigate this problem as workers influence their peers’ behavior. Peers are known to influence coworker productivity and likely also affect counterproductive behaviors. Academic/practical relevance: Many studies have shown how mechanisms such as helping, knowledge transfer, teaching, and social pressure generate productivity peer effects in service and other settings. Yet few papers empirically examine these effects in counterproductive behaviors. We argue that while the same mechanisms driving productivity spillovers also generate peer effects in misconduct, an additional effect—strategic peer response—reflects how coworkers, under managerial monitoring, adjust misconduct in response to peers’ daily behavior. An additional contribution of this paper is to identify the effect of peers on operational performance in a firm setting. Methodology: We use transaction and theft data from 83,153 servers at 1,049 restaurants across 46 states in the United States. We employ instrumental variable (IV) models to account for both reflection problems and correlated error terms in same-day peer theft. We use Monte Carlo simulations to present how biases identified by a combination of ordinary least squares (OLS) and IV models suggest that managerial oversight might generate negative correlation in the same-day error terms of peers that reflects strategic peer responses. Results: Our results show that although servers are more likely to steal when working with high-theft peers, they steal less as peers steal more on a given day. We also show that this negative correlation in daily peer theft is higher under an information technology system that increases managerial oversight by reporting likely theft to managers. Importantly, we demonstrate how reflection effects can significantly amplify even small peer-effect coefficients to have large organizational implications. Our parameter estimates indicate that doubling a single worker’s average theft amount will increase total theft in an average restaurant by 76%. Doubling all workers’ theft amounts increases totals by 550%. Finally, we show that the positive peer effect from high-theft coworkers only exists for new workers in their first three to five months on the job, consistent with imprinting mechanisms that include knowledge transfer and norms. Managerial implications: The results show that the costs of employing unethical workers is higher than the direct cost of those workers’ misconduct because their behavior spills over into coworkers’ actions and amplifies through reflection effects. Yet our results also suggest that this contagion can be mitigated by managerial oversight. So long as there is sufficient monitoring of misconduct, workers will strategically limit such behavior in response to peers.
Cooped up? Approaches to at-home exercise
Authors: Kaye Sue
Published: April 2020

In the present COVID-19 pandemic, people are being asked to severely limit their movements outside the home, with exercise classes, group runs and so on all banned. At the extreme is total self-isolation in the home. Physical activity is beneficial for both physical and mental health. These restrictions may be extremely challenging mentally, and particularly for people who are used to a high level of physical activity, whether specifically undertaking exercise or simply as part of their daily life and job. For those who are less active, it can be hard to know where to start. This article provides suggestions for physical activities that can be carried out at home, without needing special equipment.
Stepwise calibration of plenoptic cameras based on corner features of raw images
Authors: Liu Qingsong , Xie Xiaofang , Zhang Xuanzhe , Tian Yu , Li Jun , Wang Yan , Xu Xiaojun
Published: April 2020

Plenoptic cameras are increasingly gaining attention in various fields due to their ability to capture both spatial and angular information of light rays. Accurate geometric calibration can lay a solid foundation for the applications that use the plenoptic camera. In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we first introduce an accurate corner detection method based on a novel selection and refinement strategy. The detected-corner candidates on raw images are selected by a random sample consensus (RANSAC)-based algorithm and optimized by the photometric similarity, as well as the sub-pixel refinement. In addition, a robust and accurate stepwise calibration method is proposed based on separated intrinsic parameters, including parameters related to the pinhole model and those unique to the plenoptic camera. Experiments on both simulated and real data demonstrate that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods and is able to support a more accurate calibration of plenoptic cameras.
Brewster prism coupler for the intracavity excitation of TM guided modes
Authors: Shulga Aleksandr
Published: April 2020

A new type of prism coupler for intracavity excitation of TM guided modes in a planar waveguide is described. The prism coupler is made in the form of a parallelepiped with input and output faces inclined at the Brewster angle to intracavity radiation. It is shown that the prism base angle and base-to-height ratio are strongly determined by the refractive index of the prism material and the effective waveguide index of the corresponding guided mode of the waveguide structure. The expressions for calculating these parameters are presented.
The Drafted Body
Authors: Schaffzin Gabi
Published: April 2020

The Measure of Man—a guide for industrial designers, complete with scores of anthropometric data points—features hundreds, if not thousands, of meticulously calculated measurements of various human bodies. To the industrial designer, engineer, fabricator, CAD operator, drafter, or architect the aesthetic elements of Measure of Man and its descendents should seem familiar, as they use the same visual language as the engineering drawing or architectural blueprint. After reviewing the projects themselves, the standards which their aesthetic stylings mirror, and a number of historical antecedents, I will enact a Foucauldian discourse analysis, eventually arguing that projects such as the Human Design Manual implicate the normalized and classified human body in the construction of our built world, but they also reify the power held by those with the expertise in the standardized visual language of drafting and engineering.
“The Living Dead”
Authors: Singh Ranjit
Published: April 2020

This paper follows the mutual shaping of data records and citizens as data subjects to illustrate how precarious forms of citizenship emerge in the use of biometrics-based digital technologies for governance. It presents a case of using Aadhaar, India’s biometrics-based unique identification project, in the delivery of welfare pensions to the elderly, widows, and the disabled in Rajasthan. In March 2016, pensions of about 757,000 beneficiaries were cancelled for a variety of reasons ranging from the beneficiary is “dead” or “duplicate” to other ineligibility criteria such as age or income. When Right to Information activists organized public hearings on these cancellations, they found many beneficiaries who were alive but declared “dead” on record. This paper explores this case of the “living dead” to conceptualize orphaning from information infrastructures as processes that render citizens residual in the mutual shaping of their lives with their data records.
Animating the Kinetic Trace: Kate Bush, Hatsune Miku, and Posthuman Dance
Authors: Bergen Hilary
Published: April 2020

This project emerges from a recent research-creation project involving MikuMikuDance (MMD), a freeware animation program where 3D models can be maneuvered, posed and choreographed into various dance sequences through the use of motion data and digital manipulation. In a dance translation that involves the choreography for Kate Bush’s song, “Wuthering Heights,” a Microsoft Kinect, and the freeware interface MikuMikuDance, created for Japanese virtual idol, Hatsune Miku, dance is revealed to be both rooted in the body and distributed across collective bodies and screens. By relinquishing biometric control, and allowing data to “dance,” this project eschews mimetic realism for an attempt to learn the machine’s “truth,” and proposes failure as a mode of resistance to systems of control, making way for an assemblage of relational bodies that dance within and through one another.
Digital Drapery and Body Schema-tics
Authors: Leberg Dan
Published: April 2020

This paper provides a theoretical framework for analyzing motion capture acting for film as a creative professional collaboration between actors and animators. Animators are framed as the draper (rathe than the drafter) of the synthespian’s digital costume, informed but not overdetermined by the raw data of the motion capture actor’s performance. Similarly, the data ensuing from the actor’s performance is analyzed in the neuroscientific terms of body image versus body schema, which makes a distinction between the self’s physical appearance and the self’s capacity for action. The paper concludes that ethnographic research on motion capture acting with this new terminology will provide a holistic view of the collective creative processes in digital cinematic production.
Extravagant Fragility
Authors: Tetrault Ella
Published: April 2020

A personal reflection on the press days of the 58th Venice Biennale, May You Live in Interesting Times, curated by Ralph Rugoff with a focus on the ecological messages in the French, Lithuanian, Ghanain and Canadian pavilions as well as the history of the Venice Biennale and the unique nationalist structure of the biennale.
Beads they’re sewn so tight
Authors: Huard Adrienne
Published: April 2020

Curated by Lisa Myers, Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto, October 10, 2018 - May 26, 2019

This exhibition demonstrates a shift from archaic notions of Indigenous cultural production and celebrates the ongoing perseverance of Indigenous knowledges, which are steeped in technological advancements. By challenging the idea of “tradition”, it allows these artists to generate discussions towards new modes of Indigenous cultural display and tradition. Acknowledging that Indigenous beading and quillworks continue to be a symbol of our resilience and political sovereignty, this exhibition embraces the grounded progression of innovation within our visual culture.
Candace Hicks, Many Mini Murder Scenes
Authors: Newman Inbal
Published: April 2020

Women & Their Work Gallery, Austin, TX, 29 September - 8 November 2018

This review examines works by artist Candace Hicks, with special attention given to those in the 2018 exhibit Many Mini Murder Scenes. Hicks’s practice as a printmaker and book artist explores embroidered composition notebooks, encoded text in books and on posters, and interactive exhibits. The pieces in this exhibit include dioramas from murder mystery novel scenes with invisible ink clues and contrasting large scale papercraft images.
Tear Gas Epiphanies
Authors: Khayambashi Shahbaz
Published: April 2020

Kirsty Robertson (McGill-Queens University Press, 2019), 432 pages.

This is a review of Kristy Robertson’s Tear Gas Epiphanies: Protest, Culture, Museums, which deals with the use of museums as spaces of protest, both as a location and as a target. She uses a series of case studies to study this esoteric cross-section to more closely understand the intricacies.
Dysphagia as a Presentation of Celiac Disease
Authors: Lee Ada , Tobin Michelle , Cherian Julie , Chawla Anupama
Published: April 2020

Dysphagia is an uncommon symptom for celiac disease (CD). Typically, patients with CD present with abdominal pain, diarrhea, steatorrhea, weight loss, growth failure, anemia, or fatigue. We report a case of dysphagia in a pediatric patient with negative celiac serologies and positive histologic findings suspicious for CD. Our patient's dysphagia resolved after being placed on a gluten-free diet. Repeat interval endoscopy on a gluten-free diet to assess for resolution of histological changes confirmed the diagnosis of CD. In patients with dysphagia, CD should be considered in the differential diagnosis despite negative celiac serologies.
Perforated Hemocholecyst: An Unintended Consequence of Endoscopic Variceal Ligation?
Authors: Gasser Mary C. , Sadowski Brett W. , Baird Dean E. , Kwok Ryan M.
Published: April 2020

Ectopic varices are a rare sequelae of portal hypertension and present in unique ways, which may not always prompt consideration. Furthermore, endoscopic interventions on venous collaterals in the setting of portal hypertension affect the portal system hemodynamics, which may further complicate the clinical picture. We report a man with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis who developed hemocholecyst complicated by perforation with hemoperitoneum soon after endoscopic variceal ligation of the esophageal varices in the setting of retrospectively discovered gallbladder varices.
Hepatic Steatosis Resulting From LMNA-Associated Familial Lipodystrophy
Authors: Mahdi Layth , Kahn Allon , Dhamija Radhika , Vargas Hugo E.
Published: April 2020

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease worldwide, with potential causes stemming from obesity, metabolic syndrome, genetic disorders, and drug toxicity. We report a 42-year-old woman with lipodystrophy and NAFLD due to a pathogenic variant in the LMNA (D300N) gene. This case report attempts to encourage clinicians to consider genetic diseases, specifically lipodystrophies, when working up uncommon causes of NAFLD.
Pre-analytical issues in liquid biopsy – where do we stand?
Authors: Fleischhacker Michael , Schmidt Bernd
Published: April 2020

It is well documented that in the chain from sample to the result in a clinical laboratory, the pre-analytical phase is the weakest and most vulnerable link. This also holds for the use and analysis of extracellular nucleic acids. In this short review, we will summarize and critically evaluate the most important steps of the pre-analytical phase, i.e. the choice of the best control population for the patients to be analyzed, the actual blood draw, the choice of tubes for blood drawing, the impact of delayed processing of blood samples, the best method for getting rid of cells and debris, the choice of matrix, i.e. plasma vs. serum vs. other body fluids, and the impact of long-term storage of cell-free liquids on the outcome. Even if the analysis of cell-free nucleic acids has already become a routine application in the area of non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) and in the care of cancer patients (search for resistance mutations in the EGFR gene), there are still many unresolved issues of the pre-analytical phase which need to be urgently tackled.
miRNA-186 improves sepsis induced renal injury via PTEN/PI3K/AKT/P53 pathway
Authors: Li Min , Li Wei , Ren Feng-Qin , Zhang Ming-li
Published: April 2020

Aim

The aim of this study is to explain the effects of miRNA-186 in renal injury induced by sepsis.

Methods

The Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: the Sham group, Sepsis model group and the miRNA-186 group based on the model group; there were 9 rats in every group. The rat sepsis model was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The rats of the miRNA-186 group were injected miRNA-186 from caudal vein. The rats of the difference group were killed after operation 24 h. The kidneys of the difference groups were taken for histopathological and cell apoptosis analysis by H&E and TUNEL assay. The relative protein expressions were measured by WB assay. miRNA-186 target to Phosphatase and tensin homologous protein (PTEN).

Results

Compared with the Sham group, the kidney histopathological and cell apoptosis rates of the model group were significantly damaged (P<0.05, respectively), however, the kidney histopathological and cell apoptosis rate of miRNA-186 group were significantly improved compared with the model group (P<0.05, respectively). The relative protein expressions were significantly different among 3 groups (P<0.05, respectively). The PTEN was the target of the miRNA-186.

Conclusion

miRNA-186 over-expression has effects that improve renal injury induced by sepsis via PTEN pathway.
The Firing of Theta State-Related Septal Cholinergic Neurons Disrupt Hippocampal Ripple Oscillations via Muscarinic Receptors
Authors: Ma Xiaoyu , Zhang Yiyao , Wang Lina , Li Na , Barkai Edi , Zhang Xiaohui , Lin Longnian , Xu Jiamin
Published: April 2020

The septo-hippocampal cholinergic system is critical for hippocampal learning and memory. However, a quantitative description of thein vivofiring patterns and physiological function of medial septal (MS) cholinergic neurons is still missing. In this study, we combined optogenetics with multichannelin vivorecording and recorded MS cholinergic neuron firings in freely behaving male mice for 5.5–72 h. We found that their firing activities were highly correlated with hippocampal theta states. MS cholinergic neurons were highly active during theta-dominant epochs, such as active exploration and rapid eye movement sleep, but almost silent during non-theta epochs, such as slow-wave sleep (SWS). Interestingly, optogenetic activation of these MS cholinergic neurons during SWS suppressed CA1 ripple oscillations. This suppression could be rescued by muscarinic M2or M4receptor antagonists. These results suggest the following important physiological function of MS cholinergic neurons: maintaining high hippocampal acetylcholine level by persistent firing during theta epochs, consequently suppressing ripples and allowing theta oscillations to dominate.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe major source of acetylcholine in the hippocampus comes from the medial septum. Early experiments found that lesions to the MS result in the disappearance of hippocampal theta oscillation, which leads to speculation that the septo-hippocampal cholinergic projection contributing to theta oscillation. In this article, by long-term recording of MS cholinergic neurons, we found that they show a theta state-related firing pattern. However, optogenetically activating these neurons shows little effect on theta rhythm in the hippocampus. Instead, we found that activating MS cholinergic neurons during slow-wave sleep could suppress hippocampal ripple oscillations. This suppression is mediated by muscarinic M2and M4receptors.
Learning Habits: Does Overtraining Lead to Resistance to New Learning?
Authors: Schmidt James R. , De Houwer Jan , Moors Agnes
Published: April 2020

We explore the development of habitual responding within the colour-word contingency learning paradigm, in which participants respond to the colour of neutral words. Each word is most often presented in one colour. Learning is indicated by faster responses to the colour when the word is presented in the expected rather than in the unexpected colour. In Experiment 1, participants took part in two sessions, separated by one day. Critically, one set of words was trained across both days, and other new sets of words were introduced at various time points. Overall performance was faster on trials with overtrained words. Additionally, contingency effects were larger for overtrained words than for words introduced on Day 2. Removing the contingency had a similar impact on the learning effect for overtrained and new words. However, during a counterconditioning phase, where the words were made predictive of new colours, the previous contingency continued to influence performance for overtrained words but not for more recently introduced words. Relatedly, the new contingency was not acquired for the overtrained words. The reverse pattern was observed for recently-introduced words, with the newly-introduced contingency rapidly acquired and the influence of the old contingency quickly extinguished. In Experiments 2 and 3, however, both new and old learning effects were observed for both overtrained and recently-acquired contingencies. The net results suggest that while contingency learning effects are highly pliable during initial and subsequent learning, early-acquired contingency knowledge is maintained after removal of the contingency. Implications for models of learning are discussed.
The First Publication of Mendeleev’s Periodic System of Elements
Authors: Druzhinin Petr A.
Published: April 2020

This study explores the full set of handwritten and printed materials associated with the 1869 publication of the first version of Dmitrii Mendeleev’s periodic system of elements: “An Attempt at a System of Elements Based on Their Atomic Weight and Chemical Affinity.” Using innovative historical research methods, the author has been able to refute the publication date traditionally associated with the first version of the periodic table, as well as to establish an accurate chronology of its subsequent publications. This task was made possible through the discovery of previously unknown handwritten materials in Mendeleev’s personal archive and the Russian State Historical Archive. This typographical analysis of the first publication of Mendeleev’s periodic table represents a rare and unusual opportunity in the history of science: it gives us the chance to observe how, in the process of publishing the results of a scientific study, a researcher comes to realize that what he has discovered is, in fact, a major scientific breakthrough and begins to take the necessary steps toward establishing his scientific priority.
ДІАГНОСТИКА РІВНЯ ДОМАГАНЬ І САМООЦІНКИ ШКОЛЯРІВ НА МЕЖІ ЕПОХИ ДИТИНСТВА ТА ПІДЛІТКОВОГО ВІКУ
Authors: Сіткар Віктор
Published: April 2020

В статті наголошується, що емпіричні дослідження різних аспектів дитинства формують думку про загальний фон соціальної ситуації, яка впливає на розвиток особистості в підлітковому віці. Діа­гнос­тика рівня домагань та самооцінки у школярів на межі дитинства та підліткового віку поповнює банк наукових даних про складну систему особистісного становлення, яке має необмежену множинність шляхів розвитку у напрямку поступового розширення можливостей особистості. На підставі наявного потенціалу визначається психосоціальний баланс в суспільстві, від якого залежать стійкість соціальної системи і траєкторія її розвитку в майбутньому.

У дослідженні виявлено, що у респондентів обох вибірок проявляється нереалістичне, некритичне ставлення до власних можливостей, бо середній показник у них перевищує 90 балів. Проте показники висоти самооцінки – вже різні в обох групах обстежуваних.

Зокрема, за критерієм Стьюдента, не виявлено відмінностей між самооцінкою за такими показниками як: уміння багато чого робити своїми руками (показник 0,14), розум і здібності (0,58), впев­не­ність у собі (0,85) та авторитет в однолітків (1,18). В отриманих результатах самооцінки за показниками зовнішність (2,82), здоров’я (3,2) та характер (5.44) між учнями ЗОШ № 9 та ЗОШ № 13 вже існують відмінності, бо вони перевищують табличний t-критерій, який дорівнює відповідно 1,98 (для 0,05) та 2,63 (для 0,01), Зауважимо, що в респондентів ЗОШ № 9 виявлено сильну ступінь розходження між само­оцінкою та рівнем домагань за двома показниками, а саме: характер та впевненість у собі, де числові вираження рівня домагань є вищими від показників самооцінки. Це пояснюється тим, що соціальні та функціональні умови шкіл, в яких відбувається навчальна та інша діяльність учнів - різні
Recent Warnings about Antihypertensive Drugs and Cancer Risk: Where Do They Come From?
Authors: Battistoni Allegra , Volpe Massimo
Published: April 2020

The recent decrease in mortality related to cardiovascular diseases has largely been due to the more effective treatment of cardiovascular risk factors and secondary prevention therapies. More people than ever are now on long-term medications. Hypertension, which is one of the most common cardiovascular risk factors, requires life-long treatment. Recent evidence has focused attention on the risk of cancer that may be associated with the long-term use of antihypertensive therapy. This article summarises available evidence surrounding three recent events in this setting. Even though this is a crucial patient safety issue, there are no conclusive answers at this time and further studies are required.
Estimation of GPS L2 Signal Observables Using Multilayer Perceptron Artificial Neural Networks for Positional Accuracy Improvement
Authors: Negri Cassio Vinícius Carletti , Segantine Paulo Cesar Lima
Published: April 2020

In recent decades, due to the increasing mobility of people and goods, the rapid growth of users of mobile devices with location-based services has increased the need for geospatial information. In this context, positioning using data collected by the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (multi-GNSS) has gained more importance in the field of geomatics. The quality of the solutions is related, among other factors, to the receiver’s type used in the work. To improve the positioning with low-cost devices and to avoid additional user expenses, this work aims to propose the implementation of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to estimate the GPS L2 carrier observables. For this, a network model was selected through the cross-validation (CV) technique, the observations were estimated, and the accuracy of the solutions was analyzed. The CV technique demonstrated that a Multilayer Perceptron with four intermediate layers and one with one intermediate layer are the most appropriate configurations for this problem. The dual-frequency RINEX processing (with artificial data) revealed significant improvements. For some tests, it was possible to comply with the rural property georeferencing regulations of the Brazilian National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA). The results indicate, therefore, that the methodological proposal of the present investigation is very promising for approximating the quality of positioning reachable using a dual-frequency receiver.
Índice de masa corporal y capacidad cardiorrespiratoria en docentes de colegios públicos de Barranquilla, Colombia
Authors: Vidarte-Claros José Armando , Fontalvo-Navarro Shirley , Herazo-Beltrán Alix Yaneth , Vélez-ÁLvarez Consuelo
Published: April 2020

Introducción. La capacidad cardiorrespiratoria (CCR) es un excelente indicador para medir la salud, pues su disminución puede ser un marcador temprano de alteraciones en el sistema cardiovascular.Objetivo. Determinar la relación entre el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y la CCR en docentes de colegios públicos de Barranquilla, Colombia.Materiales y métodos. Estudio descriptivo con diseño transversal y correlacional realizado entre octubre de 2015 y mayo de 2016 en una muestra de 363 docentes de colegios públicos de Barranquilla. Se recolectaron los datos sociodemográficos de los participantes, y se utilizó el test de Rockport o test de la milla para medir su IMC y CCR.Resultados. La media de edad fue 48.1±9.4 años, el 72.1% de los participantes fueron mujeres y el 65.55% de la población tuvo un IMC>25 kg/m2. Por otra parte, la CCR obtuvo una media de 26.4 mL/kg/min y mostró una correlación inversa con el IMC (p<0.05).Conclusión. Teniendo en cuenta la alta prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad y la baja CCR observadas en la población estudiada, es necesario implementar programas de promoción y prevención de la salud que estén mediados por la actividad física y el componente nutricional, y que ayuden a la adquisición de estilos de vida saludables.
Actividad neurotóxica del veneno de serpientes del género Micrurus y métodos para su análisis. Revisión de la literatura
Authors: Bolívar-Barbosa Janeth Alejandra , Rodríguez-Vargas Ariadna Lorena
Published: April 2020

Introducción. Las serpientes del género Micrurus son animales de hábitos fosoriales, de temperamento pasivo y escasa producción de un potente veneno con características neurotóxicas que bloquean la transmisión sináptica en la placa neuromuscular.Objetivo. Presentar un panorama general de la neurotoxicidad del veneno de las serpientes Micrurus y su caracterización funcional mediante métodos de análisis ex vivo.Materiales y métodos. Se realizó una revisión de la literatura en MedLine y ScienceDirect usando términos específicos y sus combinaciones. Estrategia de búsqueda: tipo de estudios: artículos sobre la neurotoxicidad del veneno de serpientes Micrurus y técnicas para determinar su actividad neurotóxica mediante modelos in vitro, in vivo y ex vivo; periodo de publicación: sin limite inicial a junio de 2018; idiomas: inglés y español.Resultados. De los 88 estudios identificados en la búsqueda inicial, se excluyeron 28 por no cumplir los criterios de inclusión (basándose en la lectura de títulos y resúmenes); además, se incluyeron 8 documentos adicionales (libros e informes), que, a criterio de los autores, complementaban la información reportada por las referencias seleccionadas. Los estudios incluidos en la revisión (n=68) correspondieron a las siguientes tipologías: investigaciones originales (n=44), artículos de revisión (n=16) y capítulos de libros, informes, guías y consultas en internet (n=8).Conclusiones. Los estudios que describen el uso de preparaciones ex vivo de músculo y nervio para evaluar el efecto de neurotoxinas ofrecen un buen modelo para la caracterización del efecto presináptico y postsináptico del veneno producido por las serpientes Micrurus.
Detection of meningococcus, pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, and group A streptococcus DNA in pediatric adenoid bioptats
Authors: Kombarova S. Yu. , Bichucher A. M. , Soldatsky Y. L. , Yunusova R. Yu. , Skirda T. A. , Martynenko I. G. , Golovina L. I. , Edgem S. R. , Severin T. V. , Melnikov V. G.
Published: April 2020

Meningococcal, pneumococcal, streptococcal A and Haemophilus influenzae infections are manifested in different clinical forms, ranging from bacterial carriage to generalized life-threatening conditions. However, a connection between bacterial carriage and disease development has not been fully explored. A PCR assay was performed with adenoid biopsy samples collected from 112 children after planned adenotomy to detect Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, H. influenzae carriage. A DNA specific to at least one of the four studied microbial species was found in 104 samples (92.86%) so that: meningococcal DNA was detected in one sample (0.9%), pneumococcal — in 98 (87.5%), H. influenzae — in 19 (16.96%), and streptococcal A — in 42 (37.5%) samples. However, none of these species was found in 8 children (7.14%). A sole S. pneumoniae was detected in 54 samples (48.2%), whereas S. pyogenes — in 5 samples (4.5%). Moreover, two bacterial species were simultaneously as follows: N. meningitidis and S. pneumoniae — in 1 sample (0.9%), S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae — in 7 samples (6.3%); H. influenzae and S. pyogenes — in 1 sample (0.9%); S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes — in 25 samples (22.3%). A triple combination consisting of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae and S. pyogenes bacteria were detected together in 11 patients (9.8%). Meningococcal serogrouping revealed no connection with any of the 6 most common global serogroups responsible for epidemic incidence rise (A, B, C, W-135, X, Y). A clear tendency for prevalence of S. pyogenes DNA in adenoid pediatric biopsies in children diagnosed with “Adenoids and tonsils hypertrophy” vs. “Adenoids hypertrophy” was observed. It is noteworthy, a high relative prevalence of pneumococcal carriage (87.5%), found by us was of special importance. Pediatric carriers serving as a reservoir for virulent pneumococcal species pose a threat both for themselves and surrounding people. Thus, PCR-based data of adenoid biopsies may be a promising approach for future studies, as a potential to identify live viable but nonculturable bacteria in clinical specimens will contribute to a more accurate assessment of carriage rate of meningococci, pneumococci, H. influenzae and group A streptococci.
In vitro interaction of hormone-conditioned neutrophils with commensal and uropathogenic Escherichia coli biofilms
Authors: Maslennikova I. L. , Nekrasova I. V. , Orlova E. G. , Gorbunova O. L. , Shirshev S. V.
Published: April 2020

The aim of the work was to examine an interaction between neutrophils conditioned with chorionic gonadotropin, estriol, kisspeptin, leptin, ghrelin and commensal and uropathogenic Escherichia coli biofilms. Peripheral blood neutrophils isolated from healthy non-pregnant women in the first phase of the menstrual cycle (n = 8) were cultured in vitro for 1 hour together with hormones at concentration corresp onding to their level in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. An interaction of neutrophils with commensal E. coli TG1 and uropathogenic E. coli DL82 (UPEC) biofilms was assessed 1 hour later. The biofilm biomass, activity of myeloperoxidase and cathepsin G was measured spectrophotometrically on a microplate reader Synergy H1 (BioTec, USA). Neutrophils conditioned with chorionic gonadotropin (10; 100 IU/ml), estriol (2; 20 ng/ml) and leptin (10 ng/ml) were found to enhance their potential to destroy solely opsonized commensal E. coli biofilm, without affecting the UPEC biofilm. The biomass of non-opsonized biofilm of commensal E. coli TG1 decreased after interaction with neutrophils conditioned with estriol (2 ng/ml), kisspeptin (9.6 pM) and ghrelin (0.83 ng/ml). In contrast, non-opsonized UPEC biofilm was more destroyed by neutrophils exposed to low- vs. high-dose chorionic gonadotropin (10 IU/ml and 100 IU/ml, respectively) or control group. Myeloperoxidase secretion increased when UPEC interacted with neutrophils conditioned with estriol at concentration of 2 ng/ml. Comparing the two E. coli strains allowed to find that chorionic gonadotropin (10 IU/ml) and estriol (20 ng/ml) enhanced activity of neutrophil myeloperoxidase after interaction with UPEC biofilms to a greater extent than with E. coli TG1 biofilms. Estriol (20 ng/ml) and kisspeptin (9 pM) reduced activity of neutrophil cathepsin G after interaction with UPEC biofilms.
Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genetic markers in blood-sucking ticks in suburban park zones in Saint Petersburg
Authors: Panferova Yu. A. , Vaganova A. N. , Freylikhman O. A. , Tretyakov K. A. , Medvedev S. G. , Shapar’ A. O. , Tokarevich N. K.
Published: April 2020

Tick-borne bacterial and viral infections are widespread in middle latitudes of the Northern hemisphere. Natural foci of such infections coincide with geographic areas inhabited by ixodid ticks. Ixodid tick-borne borreliosis is a pressing issue for some territories of Russia, especially for the North-Western Federal District and St. Petersburg megalopolis as well as adjacent areas of the Leningrad District, where people may become infected after tick bite in recreational zones in suburban park areas. Currently, very few publications regarding prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in St. Petersburg area are available. In our study, questing ticks flagged in park zone (northern coast of Finnish Gulf, Kurortny District) were examined with PCR for carriage of pathogenic B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex. In addition, samples positive for Borrelia DNA signal were further genotyped with species-specific primers against rpoBgene fragment. It was found that Ixodes persulcatus dominated in this area. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. complex comprised 9.33%. Genospecies B. afzelii and less frequently B. garinii were detected. A mixt-infection with two Borel-lia species was detected in one sample. Interestingly, all Borrelia-infected ticks belonged to I. persulcatus suggesting a closer association for certain species in «pathogen-vector» system. Our findings are essential in investigating distribution of ixodid borreliosis foci in St. Petersburg and suburbs, obtaining new data regarding epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment and prevention of this infection. It is noteworthy than prevalence of pathogenic Borrelia spp. vs. tick-borne encephalitis virus in vectors was higher thereby accounting for its higher morbidity. Comparing our data with those published elsewhere by European researchers allows to note that prevalence of pathogenic Borrelia spp. in ticks varies broadly in diverse geographic regions. It is necessary to take into consideration that prevalence of Borrelia markers achieves ~10% in ticks given frequent attendance of park areas near St. Petersburg that point at risk of developing bor-reliosis in recreational zones.
Rat peripheral blood leukocyte subset composition, hemogram, lymphoid organ and body morphometry after exposure to biologically active substances derived from Hirudo verbana saliva
Authors: Aminov R. F. , Frolov A. K. , Fedotov Ye. R.
Published: April 2020

Medical community has noted that the prevalence of allergic diseases by steadily tends to rise resulting from using synthetic drugs ecological catastrophe. In this regard, more and more attention is increasingly being paid to natural therapeutic approaches, one of which is based on applying hirudotherapy. There were used 40 pubescent outbred female rats and their 200 pups born during experiment. In particular, female rats underwent leeching in the subscapular region 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after mating by applying medical leeches weighing 400 ± 10 mg. Next, relevant progeny was examined at day 1, 15, 30, 45, and 60 after birth, whereas female rats– after weaning. Experiment was designed to assess diverse parameters in accordance with the age-related rat development: newborn pups – 1-5 days old, day 6-21 – suckling period, day 22-50 – onset of puberty, day 60 onward – puberty. After measuring body morphometric parameters, female rats were sacrificed by decapitation under ether narcosis on day 60, whereas rat pups – at various time points. followed by autopsy and collecting blood sample into a sterile centrifuge tube by using 2% Spofa crystalline heparin (8:1) to be further examined by standard assays: morphometry of rat body, spleen and thymus; measuring total leukocyte count; CBC with differential; RBC; hemoglobin level; color index. Statistical data processing was performed by calculating arithmetic mean, error of arithmetic mean, standard deviation by using SPSS version 21.0 and Microsoft Office Excel 2010 software. Significance of differences was estimated by using Student's t test, and set at p≤0.05. Our study demonstrated medical leech saliva components applied during hirudolotherapy exerted an immune-augmenting effect of on morphometric body, thymus and spleen parameters. Moreover, starting from day 1, total leukocyte count, RBC, and hemoglobin level were increased in the experimental group. Moreover, we convincingly demonstrated a stimulatory effect of medical leech saliva components on histogenetic reactions at various ontogenetic stages in both female rats and their progeny. In the former, such morphogenetic effect was maintained for more than 70 days after the last leeching: on week 2 after mating and 30 days after delivery. Changes in morphological and hematological evidence about enhanced morphogenetic function of immune system in response to saliva-derived biologically active substances released by medicinal leeches.