bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bringing Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for New Drugs into the Clinical Laboratory: Removing Obstacles in Our Fight against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens
Authors: Kirby James E. , Brennan-Krohn Thea , Smith Kenneth P.
Published: September 2019

There are now several new antibiotics available to treat multidrug-resistant pathogens, and susceptibility testing methods for these drugs are increasingly available at the time of drug approval. However, lack of clarity regarding verification requirements remains a formidable barrier to introducing such testing in clinical laboratories, making these drugs practically unavailable for patient use.
The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase TBK1 Mediates the Degradation of Multiple Picornavirus VP3 Proteins by Phosphorylation and Ubiquitination
Authors: Li Dan , Yang Wenping , Ren Jingjing , Ru Yi , Zhang Keshan , Fu Shaozu , Liu Xiangtao , Zheng Haixue
Published: September 2019

TBK1 is an important adaptor protein required for innate immune response to viruses, but its other functions were unknown. In this study, we found that TBK1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that undergoes self-ubiquitylation
in vitro
in the presence of the E2 enzyme UbcH5c. In addition, multiple picornavirus VP3 proteins were degraded by TBK1 through its kinase and E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Our report provides evidence that TBK1 plays a role in viral protein degradation.
A Novel Tool for the Generation of Conditional Knockouts To Study Gene Function across the Plasmodium falciparum Life Cycle
Authors: Tibúrcio Marta , Yang Annie S. P. , Yahata Kazuhide , Suárez-Cortés Pablo , Belda Hugo , Baumgarten Sebastian , van de Vegte-Bolmer Marga , van Gemert Geert-Jan , van Waardenburg Youri , Levashina Elena A. , Sauerwein Robert W. , Treeck Moritz
Published: September 2019

One of the major limitations in studying
P. falciparum
is that so far only asexual stages are amenable to rapid conditional genetic modification. The most promising drug targets and vaccine candidates, however, have been refractory to genetic modification because they are essential during the blood stage or for transmission in the mosquito vector. This leaves a major gap in our understanding of parasite proteins in most life cycle stages and hinders genetic validation of drug and vaccine targets. Here, we describe a method that supports conditional gene deletion across the
P. falciparum
life cycle for the first time. We demonstrate its potential by deleting essential and nonessential genes at different parasite stages, which opens up completely new avenues for the study of malaria and drug development. It may also allow the realization of novel vaccination strategies using attenuated parasites.
The
Parauncinula polyspora
Draft Genome Provides Insights into Patterns of Gene Erosion and Genome Expansion in Powdery Mildew Fungi
Authors: Frantzeskakis Lamprinos , Németh Márk Z. , Barsoum Mirna , Kusch Stefan , Kiss Levente , Takamatsu Susumu , Panstruga Ralph
Published: September 2019

Powdery mildew fungi are widespread and agronomically relevant phytopathogens causing major yield losses. Their genomes have disproportionately large numbers of mobile genetic elements, and they have experienced a significant loss of highly conserved fungal genes. In order to learn more about the evolutionary history of this fungal group, we explored the genome of an Asian oak tree pathogen,
Parauncinula polyspora
, a species that diverged early during evolution from the remaining powdery mildew fungi. We found that the
P. polyspora
draft genome is comparatively compact, has a low number of protein-coding genes, and, despite the absence of a dedicated genome defense system, lacks the massive proliferation of repetitive sequences. Based on these findings, we infer an evolutionary trajectory that shaped the genomes of powdery mildew fungi.
First Days in the Life of Naive Human B Lymphocytes Infected with Epstein-Barr Virus
Authors: Pich Dagmar , Mrozek-Gorska Paulina , Bouvet Mickaël , Sugimoto Atsuko , Akidil Ezgi , Grundhoff Adam , Hamperl Stephan , Ling Paul D. , Hammerschmidt Wolfgang
Published: September 2019

The preferred target of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is human resting B lymphocytes. We found that their infection induces a well-coordinated, time-driven program that starts with a substantial increase in cell volume, followed by cellular DNA synthesis after 3 days and subsequent rapid rounds of cell divisions on the next day accompanied by some DNA replication stress (DRS). Two to 3 days later, the cells decelerate and turn into stably proliferating lymphoblast cell lines. With the aid of 16 different recombinant EBV strains, we investigated the individual contributions of EBV’s multiple latent genes during early B-cell infection and found that many do not exert a detectable phenotype or contribute little to EBV’s prelatent phase. The exception is EBNA2 that is essential in governing all aspects of B-cell reprogramming. EBV relies on EBNA2 to turn the infected B lymphocytes into proliferating lymphoblasts preparing the infected host cell for the ensuing stable, latent phase of viral infection. In the early steps of B-cell reprogramming, viral latent genes other than EBNA2 are dispensable, but some, EBNA-LP, for example, support the viral program and presumably stabilize the infected cells once viral latency is established.
Dynamic Emergence of Mismatch Repair Deficiency Facilitates Rapid Evolution of Ceftazidime-Avibactam Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Acute Infection
Authors: Khil Pavel P. , Dulanto Chiang Augusto , Ho Jonathan , Youn Jung-Ho , Lemon Jamie K. , Gea-Banacloche Juan , Frank Karen M. , Parta Mark , Bonomo Robert A. , Dekker John P.
Published: September 2019

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria represents one of the most consequential problems in modern medicine, and its emergence and spread threaten to compromise central advances in the treatment of infectious diseases. Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) belongs to a new class of broad-spectrum beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations designed to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Understanding the emergence of resistance to this important new drug class is of critical importance. In this work, we demonstrate that evolved mismatch repair deficiency in
P. aeruginosa
, an important pathogen responsible for significant morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients, may facilitate rapid acquisition of resistance to CZA in the context of acute infection. These findings are relevant for both diagnosis and treatment of antimicrobial resistance emerging in acute infection in the hypermutator background and additionally have implications for the emergence of more virulent phenotypes.
Discovery of the Lyme Disease Agent
Authors: Barbour Alan G. , Benach Jorge L.
Published: September 2019

A detailed first-hand account of the events leading up to the discovery of the Lyme disease agent has been lacking. Nearly 40 years have elapsed since the discovery of the organism that was named
Borrelia burgdorferi
. There are thousands of articles in the scientific and medical literature on this organism and the disease that it causes. In the interval since the organism’s discovery, however, misconceptions have arisen regarding not only the disease but the discovery itself.
Perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy: a national survey of end-of-life decisions and palliative care
Authors: Arnaez Juan , Herranz-Rubia Nuria , Garcia-Alix Alfredo
Published: September 2019

Objective

To explore end-of-life (EoL) decision-making and palliative care in hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) nationwide.

Methods

A cross-sectional national study on moderate-to-severe HIE in newborns ≥35 weeks’ gestational age in 2015, including all 57 level III units that offered hypothermia. Forty-one questions were included to explore how the prognosis is established, as well as timing of the decision-making process, and also how ongoing palliative care is offered.

Results

The main difficulties in EoL decisions lie in the scarce time to make an early, accurate prognosis. Only 20% shared the neurological prognosis with the parents within 72 hours of life, and in only a third of the centres is the nurse present when the prognostic information is given to the family. Almost 50% do not use protocols to order the EoL process. Practically, all centres (91%) reported taking into account the wishes of the parents. However, in 30% the team does not always reach consensus on how the withdrawal process. Specialised psychological support is available in 54% of the hospitals; in more than 50%, interviews are not arranged to examine the grieving process with parents.

Conclusions

There are four areas for improvement in the comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the EoL decision in the patient with HIE: (1) the need for EoL and interdisciplinary palliative care protocols, (2) participation of nurses in the process and improvement in the nurse–physician communication, (3) psychological support for parents involved in the EoL decisions and (4) implementation of strategies to give support during the grieving process.
Chromosomal microarray analysis in prenatal diagnosis: ethical considerations of the Belgian approach
Authors: Muys Joke , Blaumeiser Bettina , Janssens Katrien , Loobuyck Patrick , Jacquemyn Yves
Published: September 2019

Detection of genetic aberrations in prenatal samples, obtained through amniocentesis or chorion villus biopsy, is increasingly performed using chromosomal microarray (CMA), a technique that can uncover both aneuploidies and copy number variants throughout the genome. Despite the obvious benefits of CMA, the decision on implementing the technology is complicated by ethical issues concerning variant interpretation and reporting. In Belgium, uniform guidelines were composed and a shared database for prenatal CMA findings was established. This Belgian approach sparks discussion: it is evidence-based, prevents inconsistencies and avoids parental anxiety, but can be considered paternalistic. Here, we reflect on the cultural and moral bases of the Belgian reporting system of prenatally detected variants.
Shallow penetrometer tests: theoretical and experimental modelling of the rotation stage
Authors: Schneider M.A. , Stanier S.A. , White D.J. , Randolph M.F.
Published: September 2019

Shallow penetrometers are a new type of device that measures the properties of surficial offshore sediments via multi-phase tests involving penetration, dissipation, and rotation stages. In fine-grained soils such as silts and clays, these testing stages yield properties relevant to subsea pipeline and shallow foundation design; namely, undrained strength, consolidation, and interface friction. This paper describes the fundamentals of the rotation stage, including models required for data interpretation, encompassing both a total and an effective stress framework. Additionally, new relationships to evaluate the pore pressure scaling factor, which is a key interpretation parameter required to convert discrete measurements of pore pressure on the penetrometers to an average pore pressure over the contact area, are developed based on large-deformation finite element simulations. Results from an experimental campaign using kaolin clay samples are presented, illustrating the potential of the devices to rapidly and repeatably measure interface friction properties of fine-grained sediments offshore. The results compare well with comparative measures obtained from shear box tests conducted at similarly low effective stress levels. Recommendations regarding future in situ applications are given at end of the paper.
Inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii by blue light illumination and the resulting oxidative damage to fatty acids
Authors: Chu Zhaojuan , Hu Xiaoqing , Wang Xiaoyuan , Wu Jiaxin , Dai Tianhong , Wang Xiaohong
Published: September 2019

Blue light (BL) exerts an antimicrobial effect on pathogenic bacteria. It has been hypothesized that its bactericidal activity depends upon the generation of reactive oxygen species (such as anion superoxides) and the resultant cellular damage. However, some aspects of this hypothesis needed to be tested and investigated. Thus, the work conducted herein examined the molecular impact of BL treatment on Cronobacter sakazakii, an emerging foodborne pathogen. The results showed that BL exhibited an efficient bactericidal effect against C. sakazakii. Under a sublethal BL dose, both intracellular anion superoxides and malondialdehyde (a marker of oxidative stress) contents were increased gradually. Moreover, permeability of the outer membrane was increased by approximately 50%, indicating membrane damage. Further investigation revealed alterations to cellular fatty acid profiles, with a decrease and disappearance of unsaturated fatty acids, including C18:2, C16:1, and C18:1. These data indicate that bacterial lipids, especially unsaturated fatty acids, are important molecular targets of BL photo-oxidation. The transcriptional response of bacteria to BL was also studied, and it was found that three genes were upregulated, including genes encoding antioxidants. The current study contributes towards an improved understanding of the bactericidal mechanisms of BL and highlights the importance of lipid and membrane damage.
Identifying learning outcomes for a Canadian pedology field school: addressing the gap between new graduates’ skills and the needs of the current job market
Authors: Masse Jacynthe , Yates Thomas , Krzic Maja , Unc Adrian , Chen Z. Chi , Quideau Sylvie , Hodgson Kyle , Warren C. James
Published: September 2019

To address concerns among members of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS) regarding the discipline’s capacity to train new soil professionals, specifically in pedology and field skills, members of the CSSS’s soil education and pedology committees have proposed to develop a pedology field school. To aid in the selection of learning outcomes that are relevant to professional practice, an online survey was sent to Canadian soil professionals within private industry and governmental organizations. Professional feedback was also requested regarding the creation of a web-based national soil education resource and the certification of soil pedological skills. According to the survey results, the quality of new graduates’ pedology and field skills was perceived as poor. Certain soil field skills and knowledge were thought to be either completely absent from the current Canadian curriculum (e.g., spatial variability of soil processes), or not well mastered by graduates (e.g., interpreting soil survey reports). Important learning outcomes were identified, such as interpreting soil survey information, soil mapping, and soil-landscape classification with soil description–classification and soil genesis content needed as a refresher. Taking into consideration existing regional field schools, we recommend that the CSSS co-create, where needed, and coordinate, where they already exist, regional pedology field schools throughout Canada. We also propose that the CSSS develop a national pedology certification and a web-based soil education resource. Also, further study is necessary to shed light on the contribution of non-disciplinary graduates to the professional practice and the impact this has on the perception of soil education in Canada.
Science should not be left behind during the design of a marine protected area: meeting conservation priorities while integrating stakeholder interests
Authors: Muntoni Manuel , Devillers Rodolphe , Koen-Alonso Mariano
Published: September 2019

Marine protected areas (MPAs) design is a complex process that typically involves diverse stakeholders, requiring compromise between diverging priorities. Such compromises, when not carefully understood, can threaten the ecological effectiveness of MPAs. Using the example of the Canadian Laurentian Channel MPA, we studied a planning process from initial scientific advice to the final MPA. We analysed the impacts of successive boundary modifications to the draft MPA, often made to accommodate extractive industries, on the protection of seven species initially identified as potential conservation priorities. We also quantified the potential economic impacts of changes in boundary modifications on the fisheries industry. Results show that reducing the proposed MPA size by 33.4% helped reduce the potential economic impact on the fishing industry by 65.5%, but it resulted in up to 43% decrease in protection of species of conservation priority. Changes in MPA boundary delineation during the design were not subjected to formal scientific reviews, raising questions on the potential effectiveness of this MPA. Better integration of science in MPA design is required to help assess the impacts that trade-offs made during stakeholder consultations can have on the MPA ecological effectiveness.
Tomographic analysis of quantum and classical de Sitter cosmological models
Authors: Stornaiolo Cosimo
Published: September 2019

In this work, we show the importance of introducing the quantum tomography formalism to analyze the properties of wave functions in quantum cosmology. In particular, we examine the initial conditions of the universe proposed by various authors in the context of de Sitter’s cosmology studying their classical limit and comparing it with the classical tomogram obtained from the Hamiltonian constraint in General Relativity. This comparison gives us the opportunity to find under which conditions there is a transition from the quantum universe to the classical one. A relevant result is that in these models the decay of the cosmological constant is a sufficient condition for this transition.
Four-dimensional Lorentzian plane symmetric static Ricci solitons
Authors: Hussain Ibrar , Tahirullah  , Khan Suhail
Published: September 2019

Our focus is to investigate the Ricci solitons of the plane symmetric and static four-dimensional Lorentzian metrics. It is found that these metrics admit shrinking and concircular potential Ricci soliton vector fields with either 6- or 10-dimensional Lie algebra. Further, it is observed that the 4-dimensional Lorentzian static Ricci soliton manifolds are Einsteinian and hence the Ricci solitons are the trivial Ricci solitons.
Recrystallization Microstructure Prediction of a Hot‐Rolled AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Sheet by Using the Cellular Automata Method
Authors: Chen Ming , Hu Xiaodong , Zhao Hongyang , Ju Dongying
Published: September 2019

A large reduction rolling process was used to obtain complete dynamic recrystallization (DRX) microstructures with fine recrystallization grains. Based on the hyperbolic sinusoidal equation that included an Arrhenius term, a constitutive model of flow stress was established for the unidirectional solidification sheet of AZ31 magnesium alloy. Furthermore, discretized by the cellular automata (CA) method, a real‐time nucleation equation coupled flow stress was developed for the numerical simulation of the microstructural evolution during DRX. The stress and strain results of finite element analysis were inducted to CA simulation to bridge the macroscopic rolling process analysis with the microscopic DRX activities. Considering that the nucleation of recrystallization may occur at the grain and R‐grain boundary, the DRX processes under different deformation conditions were simulated. The evolution of microstructure, percentages of DRX, and sizes of recrystallization grains were discussed in detail. Results of DRX simulation were compared with those from electron backscatter diffraction analysis, and the simulated microstructure was in good agreement with the actual pattern obtained using experiment analysis. The simulation technique provides a flexible way for predicting the morphological variations of DRX microstructure accompanied with plastic deformation on a hot‐rolled sheet.
A Rare Presentation of a Rare Entity: Wellens Syndrome with Subtle Terminal T Wave Changes
Authors: Arisha Mohammed J. , Hallak Ahmad , Khan Ahmad
Published: September 2019

Wellens syndrome is an electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern involving T waves in precordial leads that was first described in 1982 among a group of patients presenting with unstable angina suggestive of critical stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary. It is crucial for emergency physicians and internists to be able to recognize these patterns, as they occur in the symptom-free periods and represent a pre-infarction state that needs early intervention. Type A, which is characterized by biphasic T waves, mainly in V2 and V3, poses a significant challenge to recognize the pattern, and failure to do so can lead to devastating outcome. We report a case of type A Wellens syndrome with subtle T wave changes that went unnoticed during the initial assessment and led to start off on a wrong foot.
Response of Leptomeningeal Metastases in EGFR-Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer to Afatinib in the Absence of Radiotherapy
Authors: Llinás-Quintero Néstor , González-Hoyos David , Yepes Andrés , Herrera Diego A. , Peláez-Arroyave Sebastián , Caicedo-Zamudio Carlos , Blanco-Daza Erick , Cuello-López Javier
Published: September 2019

Palliative radiotherapy is currently the medical standard of care for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with symptomatic CNS and leptomeningeal disease. We report the case of a 62-year-old male patient with EGFR mutation (del19+) NSLC with symptomatic lymph node, bone, CNS, and leptomeningeal metastases. Taking into account on one hand the response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and on the other hand the short- to medium-term side effects of radiotherapy and the lack of timely availability in our healthcare system, the patient was treated with afatinib (40 mg daily) and exhibited a rapid response with improvement of neurological symptoms. The patient presented partial response of extracranial, CNS, and leptomeningeal lesions at 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment, currently completing 16 months of progression-free survival despite presenting mild dermatological and gastrointestinal toxicities. Afatinib is an effective and safe option in patients with NSLC EGFR mutation del19+ with CNS and leptomeningeal compromise avoiding or delaying radiotherapy and its side effects, especially in countries where there is a lack of access to this kind of therapy.
Altered Serum MicroRNA Profile May Serve as an Auxiliary Tool for Discriminating Aggressive Thyroid Carcinoma from Nonaggressive Thyroid Cancer and Benign Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Zhang Aisen , Wang Cheng , Lu Hui , Chen Xi , Ba Yi , Zhang Chunni , Zhang Chen-Yu
Published: September 2019

Thyroid cancers are the most common malignancy of the endocrine system; however, there is no reliable blood biomarkers for thyroid cancer diagnosis and even for aggressive and nonaggressive thyroid cancers as well as benign nodule discrimination. The present study is aimed at evaluating whether circulating microRNA (miRNA) can differentiate aggressive and nonaggressive thyroid cancer from benign thyroid nodules. In this study, we performed a multiphase, case-control study to screen serum miRNA expression profile in 100 patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), 15 patients with aggressive medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), 91 patients with benign nodules, and 89 healthy controls using TaqMan low-density array followed by extensive reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR validation. The results showed that the serum levels of miR-222-3p, miR-17-5p, and miR-451a were markedly increased, while miR-146a-5p, miR-132-3p, and miR-183-3p were significantly decreased in the PTC and benign nodule groups compared with the control group. There was no difference in the miRNA expression profile between the PTC group and the benign nodule group. Nevertheless, the serum levels of miR-222-3p and miR-17-5p were significantly increased in the MTC group than the benign nodule and control group. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated that the 2 miRNAs and their panel can accurately discriminate MTC from the benign nodule group and healthy controls. These findings indicated that the altered circulating miRNAs may discriminate PTC and benign thyroid nodules from controls, and serum miR-222-3p and miR-17-5p have the potential to serve as auxiliary tools for diagnosing more aggressive thyroid carcinomas, such as MTC.
Frequency Spectrum-Based Optimal Texture Window Size Selection for High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Image Analysis
Authors: Cao Min , Ming Dongping , Xu Lu , Fang Ju , Liu Lin , Ling Xiao , Ma Weizhi
Published: September 2019

Image texture is an important visual cue in image processing and analysis. Texture feature expression is an important task of geo-objects expression by using a high spatial resolution remote sensing image. Texture features based on gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) are widely used in image spatial analysis where the spatial scale is especially of great significance. Based on the Fourier frequency-spectral analysis, this paper proposes an optimal scale selection method for GLCM. Different subset textures are firstly upscaled by GLCM with different window sizes. Then the multiscale texture feature images are converted into the frequency domain by Fourier transform. Consequently, the radial distribution and angular distribution curves changing with different window sizes from spectrum energy can be achieved, by which the texture window size can be selected. In order to verify the validity of this proposed texture scale selection method, this paper uses high-resolution fusion images to classify land cover based on multiscale texture expression. The results show that the proposed method combining frequency-spectral analysis-based texture scale selection can guarantee the quality and accuracy of the classification, which further proves the effectiveness of optimal texture window size selection method bases on frequency spectrum analysis. Other than scale selection in spatial domain, this paper casts a novel idea for texture scale selection in the frequency domain, which is meant for scale processing of remote sensing image.
Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetite-Alginate Nanoparticles for Enhancement of Nickel and Cobalt Ion Adsorption from Wastewater
Authors: El-Shamy Omnia A. A. , El-Azabawy Ragaa E. , El-Azabawy Olfat. E.
Published: September 2019

Superparamagnetic magnetite-alginate nanoparticles (M-AlgNPs) were synthesized utilizing a coprecipitation method. Then, the prepared M-AlgNPs were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) to affirm the formation and the crystallinity of this composite. In addition, the surface morphology of the prepared nanoparticles was inspected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which revealed well-dispersed nanoparticles of Fe3O4 into alginate. The adsorption characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles for removing Ni+2 and Co+2 from wastewater were evaluated via atomic absorption measurements (AAS). The elimination efficiency of the M-AlgNPs was detected at pH=7 in 100 ppm (initial concentration) of Ni+2 and Co+2, separately. The M-AlgNPs provided the maximum equilibrium uptake percentage for Ni+2 and Co+2 of 97.88 and 95.01%, respectively. The adsorption of Ni+2 and Co+2 onto the M-AlgNP surface was found to fit the Langmuir model with R2 values higher than that obtained from the Freundlich model for both metal ions. Moreover, RL “separating factor” for the adsorption process was assessed and found to be less than unity; this expresses the higher ability of the investigated metal ions to be adsorbed onto the M-AlgNP surface. The adsorption method was discovered to be pH-dependent and well-suited to the isothermal equations of Langmuir and Freundlich. For regeneration studies, M-AlgNPs have been investigated and results confirmed that it could be reused with effective sorption capacity over three cycles.
Controlled Synthesis of Porous Co3O4 Nanostructures for Efficient Electrochemical Sensing of Glucose
Authors: Luo Jiankang , Wu Jun , Liu Zheng , Li Zenghe , Deng Li
Published: September 2019

A shape-controlled strategy was developed to synthesize porous Co3O4 nanoparticles, and the delicate morphology including nanourchins, nanowires, nanoflowers, and nanoplates could be well adjusted by adopting different anion precursors. The Co3O4 nanomaterials were further applied as the electrocatalysts for glucose detection, and the effect of nanostructure on the electrochemical performance was investigated. Results show that Co3O4 nanourchins illustrate the highest glucose sensitivity of 565 mA mM-1 cm-2 and a good linear detection ranging from 20 μM to 0.25 mM. The improved performance of obtained products was originally from the large surface area and high pore volume, which leads to a significantly increased accessibility of reactant and decreased Faradic electron transfer resistance, making it a promising candidate for glucose sensing.
Theoretical Researches about u-Maximal Subgroups and Its Applications in Charactering IntuG
Authors: Zhang Li , Cai Zheng-Qun
Published: September 2019

Let G be a finite group and u be the class of all finite supersoluble groups. A supersoluble subgroup U of G is called u-maximal in G if for any supersoluble subgroup V of G containing U, V=U. Moreover, IntuG is the intersection of all u-maximal subgroups of G. This paper obtains some new criteria on IntuG, by assuming that some subgroups of G are either Φ-I-supplemented or Φ-I-embedded in G. Here, a subgroup H of G is called Φ-I-supplemented in G if there exists a subnormal subgroup T of G such that G=HT and H∩THG/HG≤ΦH/HGIntuG and Φ-I-embedded in G if there exists a S-quasinormal subgroup T of G such that HT is S-quasinormal in G and H∩THG/HG≤ΦH/HGIntuG.
Transcription Factor SOX18 Promotes Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Progression and Alleviates Cabozantinib-Mediated Inhibitory Effects
Authors: Huaqi Yin , Caipeng Qin , Qiang Wang , Yiqing Du , Xiang Dai , Xu Tang , Xiaowei Zhang , Qing Li , Shijun Liu , Tao Xu
Published: September 2019

The transcription factor SOX18, which was initially discovered as an activator of genetic transcription during embryogenesis, is now implicated in many diseases, including cancer, and is associated with the malignant tumor phenotype, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis. However, the role of SOX18 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is not well understood. In the current study, SOX18 expression was evaluated in a 250 case–cohort of primary ccRCC tissues that included 103 cases of matched normal kidney tissues and 21 cases of metastatic tissues. Functional and mechanistic analyses were performed in cells that had SOX18 either overexpressed or silenced to evaluate the effects of SOX18 on cell function, the cellular response to cabozantinib, and SOX18-mediated molecular mechanisms. Our data revealed that upregulation and nuclear translocation of SOX18 promoted ccRCC carcinogenesis and metastasis. Elevated SOX18 expression was associated with advanced pathologic grades and TNM stages, as well as poor patient survival. SOX18 also regulated the cell cycle and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition to promote the malignant phenotype in ccRCC cells. The activation of EGF/EGFR and HGF/c-MET signaling in vitro and in vivo was induced by SOX18. Moreover, SOX18 activation bypassed the inhibitory effects of cabozantinib on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, our data indicate that SOX18 may be a promising therapeutic target for ccRCC treatment.
Dental Health Status and Oral Health Care in Nursery School-Aged Children and their Parents Living in Poznan (Poland)
Authors: Gerreth Karolina , Ari Timucin , Bednarz Wojciech , Nowicki Michal , Borysewicz-Lewicka Maria
Published: September 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental health status of nursery age children and parents. The use of dental services was assessed. Subjects and Methods: The study was performed in nursery schools located in Poznan, Western Poland. Clinical examination was carried out in 157 children (48.41% males and 51.59% females), aged 10–42 months. Dental health status (the number of teeth with caries, fillings and extracted) of their parents was determined on the basis of data obtained from a questionnaire. The questions also concerned information on child’s and parents’ dental check-ups and opinion on their predisposition to dental caries. Results: Clinical examination revealed that 21.05% of boys and 18.51% of girls had dental caries. Most mothers had from 1 to 5 either carious and/or filled teeth (47.13%) or extracted teeth due to carious process (61.15%); the fathers’ values were similar at 46.50 and 66.24%, respectively. More mothers (84.71%) than fathers (72.62%) had regular dental check-ups (p = 0.02). The analysis of mother-father-child triads showed that when both parents visited the dentist regularly, more children were free of caries (56.68%) in comparison to those with the disease (13.38%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed that the dental health status, as well as oral care of nursery school children and their parents, is unsatisfactory. Therefore, there is a need to introduce an intensive dental educational program focusing on dental prophylaxis for nursery age children and their parents or caregivers.
SHIVA, Vandana. Monoculturas da Mente: perspectivas da biodiversidade e da biotecnologia. São Paulo: Gaia, 2003.
Authors: Geremias Olga Fogaça Balboni Cunha
Published: September 2019

Resenha de Monoculturas da Mente: perspectivas da biodiversidade e da biotecnologia.
A agricultura a partir do neoliberalismo: financeirização, poder corporativo e as ameaças à soberania alimentar
Authors: Goldfarb Yamila
Published: September 2019

O presente artigo foi elaborado a partir da fala realizada na mesa redonda “Soberania Alimentar, Biotecnologia e Monopólio” do seminário Terra, Alimento e Liberdade: o que você alimenta quando se alimenta?, realizado no Departamento de Geografia da Universidade de São Paulo em junho de 2013. O que busco expor neste artigo é um olhar sobre o momento atual em que vivemos a partir da noção de Regime Alimentar. Essa noção deve ser entendida como a forma em que se dão a produção, a circulação, a comercialização e o consumo dos alimentos no mundo. O objetivo é contribuir na elucidação de algumas das transformações ocorridas no campo do Brasil a partir da década de 1970, por meio da análise do estabelecimento do que chamamos Regime Alimentar Corporativo. Uma das hipóteses averiguadas foi a de que com o advento do neoliberalismo houve a consolidação e o aprofundamento da hegemonia das corporações do setor agroalimentar, bem como uma transformação no padrão alimentar, o que acarretou maior ameaça à soberania alimentar.
Empresa colonial, ontologia e violência
Authors: Mondragón Báez Héctor
Published: September 2019

A história, a economia, a lógica e a filosofia da empresa colonial continuam presentes no capitalismo do século XXI, esmagando as comunidades rurais. O poder de decisão está apenas nas mãos do capital transnacional, que se considera o portador do espírito do desenvolvimento global, diante do qual nada é e nada pode ter vida. Impõe a decisão radical de fazer seus megaprojetos e organiza o território como seu. É preciso substituir este destino manifesto do ser excludente e hegemônico pelo reconhecimento do Outro como diferente e fazer justiça aos até agora esmagados, com um regime que defenda seus direitos e com alternativas econômicas que os incluam.
Estudos sobre alimentação: entre saberes da vida cotidiana e impasses agroindustriais
Authors: Carneiro Henrique Soares
Published: September 2019

Os estudos sobre história da alimentação abrangem a sobrevivência dos povos e dos indivíduos, mas podem ser enfocados analiticamente em um nível micro e em outro macro. No âmbito da culinária enfoca-se uma história do cotidiano e das sensibilidades. Na história da agroindústria e indústria da alimentação verifica-se o esgotamento dos recursos naturais e uma irracionalidade sistêmica que compromete as condições de sustentabilidade socioambiental, ou seja, do metabolismo entre a humanidade e a natureza. O artigo enfoca alguns autores que buscaram situar a história desse desequilíbrio ecológico e social ao longo das revoluções agrícolas e industriais, destacando-se Michael Pollan e John Bellamy Foster e, no âmbito da história do cotidiano, o estudo de Luce Giard.
Superiority of Out-of-Office Blood Pressure for Predicting Hypertensive Heart Disease in Non-Hispanic Black Adults
Authors: Rader Florian , Franklin Stanley S. , Mirocha James , Vongpatanasin Wanpen , Haley Robert W. , Victor Ronald G.
Published: September 2019

Black Americans suffer disproportionately from hypertension and hypertensive heart disease. Out-of-office blood pressure (BP) is more predictive for cardiovascular complications than clinic BP; however, the relative abilities of clinic and out-of-office BP to predict left ventricular hypertrophy in black and white adults have not been established. Thus, we aimed to compare associations of out-of-office and clinic BP measurement with left ventricular hypertrophy by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging among non-Hispanic black and white adults. In this cross-sectional study, 1262 black and 927 white participants of the Dallas Heart Study ages 30 to 64 years underwent assessment of standardized clinic and out-of-office (research staff-obtained) BP and left ventricular mass index. In multivariable-adjusted analyses of treated and untreated participants, out-of-office BP was a stronger determinant of left ventricular hypertrophy than clinic BP (odds ratio per 10 mm Hg, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.34–1.64 for out-of-office systolic BP and 1.15 [1.04–1.28] for clinic systolic BP; 1.71 [1.43–2.05] for out-of-office diastolic BP, and 1.03 [0.86–1.24] for clinic diastolic BP). Non-Hispanic black race/ethnicity, treatment status, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction were also independent determinants of hypertrophy. Among treated Blacks, the differential association between out-of-office and clinic BP with hypertrophy was more pronounced than in treated white or untreated participants. In conclusion, protocol-driven supervised out-of-office BP monitoring provides important information that cannot be gleaned from clinic BP assessment alone. Our results underscore the importance of hypertension management programs outside the medical office to prevent hypertensive heart disease, especially in high-risk black adults.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00344903.
Dynamic Integrative Synaptic Plasticity Explains the Spacing Effect in the Transition from Short- to Long-Term Memory
Authors: Elliott Terry
Published: September 2019

Repeated stimuli that are spaced apart in time promote the transition from short- to long-term memory, while massing repetitions together does not. Previously, we showed that a model of integrative synaptic plasticity, in which plasticity induction signals are integrated by a low-pass filter before plasticity is expressed, gives rise to a natural timescale at which to repeat stimuli, hinting at a partial account of this spacing effect. The account was only partial because the important role of neuromodulation was not considered. We now show that by extending the model to allow dynamic integrative synaptic plasticity, the model permits synapses to robustly discriminate between spaced and massed repetition protocols, suppressing the response to massed stimuli while maintaining that to spaced stimuli. This is achieved by dynamically coupling the filter decay rate to neuromodulatory signaling in a very simple model of the signaling cascades downstream from cAMP production. In particular, the model's parameters may be interpreted as corresponding to the duration and amplitude of the waves of activity in the MAPK pathway. We identify choices of parameters and repetition times for stimuli in this model that optimize the ability of synapses to discriminate between spaced and massed repetition protocols. The model is very robust to reasonable changes around these optimal parameters and times, but for large changes in parameters, the model predicts that massed and spaced stimuli cannot be distinguished or that the responses to both patterns are suppressed. A model of dynamic integrative synaptic plasticity therefore explains the spacing effect under normal conditions and also predicts its breakdown under abnormal conditions.
Aḥkām concerning the ahl al-bayt
Authors: Husayn Nebil A.
Published: September 2019

Although Islamic law generally identifies all free Muslim males as equal members of society, irrespective of race or ancestry, a peculiar exception is made for those who claim patrilineal descent from the Arab chieftain Hāshim b. ‘Abd Manāf, the great-grandfather of the Prophet Muḥammad. Drawing on hagiography and ḥadīth, Sunni and Shi‘i authors ascribe special nobility, privileges and customs to members of the clan of Hāshim. Jurists also incorporated their adoration of and respect for the Prophet’s family into their views of Islamic law. In particular, since the Prophet Muḥammad was revered as an individual who was pure (ṭāhir, zakī), some jurists held that Hāshimids possessed the same purity. The Prophet’s identities as an Arab and as a Qurashī also conferred certain legal privileges on members of these groups. After noting parallels to other high-status groups in early Muslim society, I examine more than a dozen laws that classical Sunni and Twelver Shi‘i jurists characterized as specific to the Prophet’s progeny and Household (ahl al-bayt).
The Best Way of Life for a Polis (Politics VII.1-3)
Authors: Lockwood Thornton C.
Published: September 2019

Politics VII.1-3 enacts a contest that concludes that ‘whether for a whole city-state in common or for an individual, the best way of life would be a practical one’ (ἄριστος βίος ὁ πρακτικός [VII.3 1325b15-16]). Scholarship on VII.1-3 has focused on the best way of life for an individual to the neglect and even misunderstanding of the best way of life for a polis. The best way of life for a polis is, I argue, a specification of the foreign policy or ‘inter-polis’ relations for the best constitution. Such a foreign policy appears to include the possibilities of both isolationism and regional hegemony, although Politics VII-VIII more broadly suggests that such latitude is constrained by the teleology of life, which shows that war should be pursued only for the sake of peace.
Aristote croit-il au déterminisme environnemental ? Les Grecs, les esclaves et les barbares (Pol. VII, 7)
Authors: Monteils-Laeng Laetitia
Published: September 2019

The tripartite division of peoples described in chapter 7 of book VII of Aristotle’s Politics identifies natural-born Greeks as the only people capable of free and well-ordered living in the polis. Ought we to infer from this passage that the underlying asymmetry between Greeks and non-Greeks somehow corresponds to the distinction, found in book I, between those who are masters by nature and those who are slaves by nature? The aim of this paper is to show that this claim is not only not self-evident, but that it runs counter to Aristotle’s non-providential finalism, which is incompatible with the notion that nature could favor one people to the detriment of all others. In other words, the Greek people is not the rightful heir of the order of the world to the extent that their natural superiority in the political realm is quite accidental.
Aristote : le nécessaire et le beau dans la cité « selon nos vœux »
Authors: Jaulin Annick
Published: September 2019

What is the criterion for distinguishing between the excellence of the excellent constitution κατ’ εὐχήν in Politics VII and the excellence of the other excellent constitutions ? Every constitution includes in its composition necessity and good. Yet, unlike what happens in the other excellent constitutions, in the best constitution of Politics VII there is a convergence, not an opposition, between necessity and goodness. This point is confirmed by a change in the meaning of the word ἀναγκαῖον (1328b13-14). In the constitution delineated in Book VII, ultimately matter and form are identical. Both the convergence between necessity and good and the fact that every citizen should be a good man or a ‘maker of virtue’ lead to equate the excellent constitution with the completed form of political capacity. Hence, the relationship between πολιτεία and ἀρίστη πολιτεία is similar to the relationship between ἔργον κιθαριστοῦ and ἔργον σπουδαίου κιθαριστοῦ.
The Role of Law and Legislation in the Philosophical Politics of Plato’s Republic
Authors: Ellison E. John
Published: September 2019

Law, often neglected in treatments of the Republic, is essential to the philosopher-kings’ rule. Only law accomplishes the partial divinization of citizens at which philosophical politics aims. Socrates’ interrogation of Thrasymachus and Glaucon reveals law to be a command whereby citizens participate in philosophical knowledge and limit the pleonexia congenital to humanity. Law does so primarily by instilling in souls a true opinion resistant to pleonectic passion, producing a state of political virtue. This primary work is supported by the musical and poetical education, itself shaped by law for the sake of law. Law persuades and compels the soul by appealing to both reason and spiritedness, enabling them to overcome the appetites. The soul’s consequent acceptance of truth and resistance to the passions indeed makes it resemble divinity. In so transforming the citizens through the law, the philosopher-king also unifies the city and makes it happy under his rule.
Nothospecies status for Kalanchoe auriculata, as K. ×auriculata (Crassulaceae)

Authors: SMITH GIDEON F. , FIGUEIREDO ESTRELA
Published: September 2019

Raadts (1977) published the combination Kalanchoe nyikae Engler (1895: 189) subsp. auriculata Raadts (1977: 113) (Crassulaceae) to recognise, at the rank of subspecies, material of what she at the time considered to be representatives of the East African K. nyikae that had basally auriculate or cordate, rather than peltate, leaf blades. In 1987 Wickens (1987: 36–37) followed this view and recognised K. nyikae subsp. auriculata and K. nyikae subsp. nyikae. Two years later, Raadts (1989: 171) stated the following about this material: “Diese Sippe wurde wegen der weitgehend übereinstimmenden Blütenmerkmale K. nyikae als Unterart zugeordnet (Raadts 1977[: 113]). Die von der diploiden K. nyikae abweichende Chromosomenzahl 2n=68 deutet jedoch auf eine Hybride hin, hervorgegangen aus einer Kreuzung der K. nyikae subsp. nyikae (2n=34) mit einem hexaploiden Partner (2n=102). Als Kreuzungspartner kommt die hexaploide K. glaucescens in Frage, deren Verbreitungsgebiet mit dem der K. nyikae subsp. nyikae zusammentrifft (Fig. 1, siehe Anhang).” [English: “This material was treated as a subspecies as a result of its floral features that are largely consistent with those of K. nyikae (Raadts 1977[: 113]). However, the chromosome number of 2n = 68, which differs from that of the diploid K. nyikae, indicates that it is a hybrid that arose from a crossing event of K. nyikae [subsp. nyikae] (2n = 34) with a hexaploid (2n = 102) species. As the hexaploid parent, K. glaucescens, the distribution of which overlaps with that of K. nyikae [subsp. nyikae], is brought into question (Figure 1 [on p. 172 of Raadts, 1989], see Appendix [on p. 173 of Raadts, 1989; a list of exsiccatae used for compiling the distribution map on p. 172]).”
Motivation to Teach in the Current Climate: An Examination of Three School Districts in Transition
Authors: Leech Nancy L. , Haug Carolyn A. , Ridgewell Natalie , Rubin Wendy
Published: September 2019

This study employed survey research methods to collect data from teachers from a district with long-term, high conflict between teachers and the school board and teachers from two districts with short-term, medium conflict between teachers and the school boards. Teachers in highly politicized school districts had quite different perceptions of teaching than those in more stable contexts. Differences included diminished perception of the value of teaching as a job, questioning the impact they could have on social inequities and disadvantages, and less support received from family and friends about their teaching career, among several others.