bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PSR J1012+5307: a millisecond pulsar with an extremely low-mass white dwarf companion
Authors: Mata Sánchez D , Istrate A G , van Kerkwijk M H , Breton R P , Kaplan D L
Published: April 2020

Binaries harbouring millisecond pulsars (MSPs) enable a unique path to determine neutron star (NS) masses: radio pulsations reveal the motion of the NS, while that of the companion can be characterized through studies in the optical range. PSR J1012+5307 is an MSP in a 14.5-h orbit with a helium-core white dwarf (WD) companion. In this work we present the analysis of an optical spectroscopic campaign, where the companion star absorption features reveal one of the lightest known WDs. We determine a WD radial velocity semi-amplitude of $K_2 = 218.9 \pm 2.2\, \rm km\, s^{-1}$, which combined with that of the pulsar derived from the precise radio timing, yields a mass ratio of q = 10.44 ± 0.11. We also attempt to infer the WD mass from observational constraints using new binary evolution models for extremely low-mass (ELM) WDs, but find that they cannot reproduce all observed parameters simultaneously. In particular, we cannot reconcile the radius predicted from binary evolution with the measurement from the photometric analysis ($R_{\rm WD}=0.047_{-0.002}^{+0.003}\, \mathrm{ R}_{\odot }$). Our limited understanding of ELM WD evolution, which results from binary interaction, therefore comes as the main factor limiting the precision with which we can measure the mass of the WD in this system. Our conservative WD mass estimate of $M_{\rm WD} = 0.165 \pm 0.015\, \mathrm{ M}_{\rm \odot }$, along with the mass ratio enables us to infer a pulsar mass of $M_{\rm NS} = 1.72 \pm 0.16\, \mathrm{ M}_{\rm \odot }$. This value is clearly above the canonical $\sim 1.4\, \mathrm{ M}_{\rm \odot }$, therefore adding PSR J1012+5307 to the growing list of massive MSPs.
TFmotifView: a webserver for the visualization of transcription factor motifs in genomic regions
Authors: Leporcq Clémentine , Spill Yannick , Balaramane Delphine , Toussaint Christophe , Weber Michaël , Bardet Anaïs Flore
Published: April 2020

Transcription factors (TFs) regulate the expression of gene expression. The binding specificities of many TFs have been deciphered and summarized as position-weight matrices, also called TF motifs. Despite the availability of hundreds of known TF motifs in databases, it remains non-trivial to quickly query and visualize the enrichment of known TF motifs in genomic regions of interest. Towards this goal, we developed TFmotifView, a web server that allows to study the distribution of known TF motifs in genomic regions. Based on input genomic regions and selected TF motifs, TFmotifView performs an overlap of the genomic regions with TF motif occurrences identified using a dynamic P-value threshold. TFmotifView generates three different outputs: (i) an enrichment table and scatterplot calculating the significance of TF motif occurrences in genomic regions compared to control regions, (ii) a genomic view of the organisation of TF motifs in each genomic region and (iii) a metaplot summarizing the position of TF motifs relative to the center of the regions. TFmotifView will contribute to the integration of TF motif information with a wide range of genomic datasets towards the goal to better understand the regulation of gene expression by transcription factors. TFmotifView is freely available at http://bardet.u-strasbg.fr/tfmotifview/.
Spatial organization-dependent EphA2 transcriptional responses revealed by ligand nanocalipers
Authors: Verheyen Toon , Fang Trixy , Lindenhofer Dominik , Wang Yang , Akopyan Karen , Lindqvist Arne , Högberg Björn , Teixeira Ana I
Published: April 2020

Ligand binding induces extensive spatial reorganization and clustering of the EphA2 receptor at the cell membrane. It has previously been shown that the nanoscale spatial distribution of ligands modulates EphA2 receptor reorganization, activation and the invasive properties of cancer cells. However, intracellular signaling downstream of EphA2 receptor activation by nanoscale spatially distributed ligands has not been elucidated. Here, we used DNA origami nanostructures to control the positions of ephrin-A5 ligands at the nanoscale and investigated EphA2 activation and transcriptional responses following ligand binding. Using RNA-seq, we determined the transcriptional profiles of human glioblastoma cells treated with DNA nanocalipers presenting a single ephrin-A5 dimer or two dimers spaced 14, 40 or 100 nm apart. These cells displayed divergent transcriptional responses to the differing ephrin-A5 nano-organization. Specifically, ephrin-A5 dimers spaced 40 or 100 nm apart showed the highest levels of differential expressed genes compared to treatment with nanocalipers that do not present ephrin-A5. These findings show that the nanoscale organization of ephrin-A5 modulates transcriptional responses to EphA2 activation.
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19: A living systematic review protocol
Authors: Bravo-Jeria Rocío , Rojas Reyes María Ximena , Ariel Franco Juan Víctor , Acuña María Paz , Torres López Luz Ángela , Rada Gabriel ,   COVID-19 L·OVE Working Group
Published: April 2020

Objective

To determine the relative impact of the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine on outcomes important to patients with COVID 19.

Design

This is the protocol of a living systematic review.

Data sources

We will conduct searches in PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), trial registries, grey literature and in a centralised repository in L·OVE (Living OVerview of Evidence). L·OVE is a platform that maps PICO questions to evidence from Epistemonikos database. In response to the COVID-19 emergency, L·OVE was adapted to expand the range of evidence it covers and customised to group all COVID-19 evidence in one place. The search will cover the period until the day before submission to a journal.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies and methods

We will follow a common protocol for multiple parallel systematic reviews, already published and submitted to PROSPERO (awaiting ID allocation).

We will include randomised controlled trials evaluating the effect of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine — as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs — versus placebo or no treatment in patients with COVID-19. Randomised trials evaluating chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in infections caused by other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, and non-randomised studies in COVID-19 will be searched in case no direct evidence from randomised trials is found, or if the direct evidence provides low- or very low-certainty for critical outcomes.

Two reviewers will independently screen each study for eligibility, extract data, and assess the risk of bias. We will perform random-effects meta-analyses and use GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence for each outcome.

A living, web-based version of this review will be openly available during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will resubmit it if the conclusions change or there are substantial updates.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethics approval is considered necessary. The results of this review will be widely disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, social networks and traditional media.
Functional Connectivity based Brain Signatures of Behavioral Regulation in Children with ADHD, DCD and ADHD-DCD
Authors: Rohr Christiane S. , Bray Signe , Dewey Deborah
Published: April 2020

Background

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle with behavioral self-regulation (BR), which is associated with daily-life challenges. ADHD sometimes presents with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), but little is known about BR in DCD. BR is thought to involve limbic, prefrontal, parietal and temporal brain areas. Given the risk for negative outcomes, gaining a better understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying BR in children with ADHD and/or DCD is imperative.

Methods

Resting-state fMRI data collected from 115 children (31 typically developing (TD), 35 ADHD, 21 DCD, 28 ADHD-DCD) aged 7-17 years were preprocessed and motion was mitigated using ICA-AROMA. Emotion control, inhibition, and shifting were assessed as subdomains of BR. Functional connectivity (FC) maps were computed for ten limbic, prefrontal, parietal and temporal regions of interest and were investigated for associations with BR subdomains across all participants as well as for significant group differences.

Results

Multiple FC patterns were associated with BR across all participants. Some FC patterns were associated with multiple BR subdomains, while others were associated with only one. Differences in BR were found only between children with ADHD (i.e. ADHD and ADHD-DCD) and those without ADHD (i.e. TD and DCD). FC differences were also found between children with and without ADHD.

Conclusions

Our results show dimensional associations between BR subdomain scores and whole-brain FC and highlight the potential of these associative patterns as brain-based signatures of BR in children with and without ADHD.
Proximity-based proteomics reveals the thylakoid lumen proteome in the cyanobacteriumSynechococcussp. PCC 7002
Authors: Dahlgren Kelsey K. , Gates Colin , Lee Thomas , Cameron Jeffrey C.
Published: April 2020

Cyanobacteria possess unique intracellular organization. Many proteomic studies have examined different features of cyanobacteria to learn about the structure-function relationships between the intracellular structures of cyanobacteria and their roles in cells. While these studies have made great progress in understanding cyanobacterial physiology, the previous fractionation methods used to purify cellular structures have limitations; specifically, certain regions of cells cannot be purified with existing fractionation methods. Proximity-based proteomics techniques were developed to overcome the limitations of biochemical fractionation for proteomics. Proximity-based proteomics relies on spatiotemporal protein labeling followed by mass spectrometry of the labeled proteins to determine the proteome of the region of interest. We have performed proximity-based proteomics in the cyanobacteriumSynechococcus sp.PCC 7002 with the APEX2 enzyme, an engineered ascorbate peroxidase. We determined the proteome of the thylakoid lumen, a region of the cell that has remained challenging to study with existing methods, using a PsbU-APEX2 gene fusion. This study demonstrates the power of APEX2 as a tool to study the cell biology of intracellular features of cyanobacteria with enhanced spatiotemporal resolution.
Anthropometric measurements in children with ASD point to genomic imprinting imbalance
Authors: Niculae Alexandru-Ștefan
Published: April 2020

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a large set of neurodevelopmental disorders of complex aetiology. A mix of genetic and environmental factors are likely to cause ASD. Genetic risk for autism comes from common genetic variation.

Genomic imprinting refers to genes that have different expression patterns according to the parent of origin – being silenced when imprinted. Paternally active genes increase resource extraction from the mother and reduce resource burden on the father.

Children with ASD show consistent overgrowth during their first 1-2 years of life. Recently, it has been shown that children with higher birth weight and length have an increased risk of developing ASD. This overgrowth and apparent larger birth weight and length are consistent with the notion that a paternally biased genome might underlie the risk for ASD.

The study compared height, weight, head circumference and thoracic circumference for age-matched (ages 4-8 years old) male children with ASD (n=30) with neurotypical children (n=33).

No clinically significant differences were found among the two groups.

After weaning, relative paternal contribution to a child’s somatic development would increase, thus one would expect paternally active genes to start changing the child’s behaviour, so as to make the child less demanding of resources (overall, and thus also on the father), with a counterweight represented by maternally active genes. A relative overabundance of paternally active genes would explain the data presented here, that shows children with ASD being no different from controls. Given the fact presented by other studies, that children with ASD seem to get a head start in growth, the lack of differences found in this 4-8 years old group indicates that children with ASD might actually fall behind in somatic growth, or at least stagnate by middle childhood.
Movement history influences pendulum test kinematics in children with spastic cerebral palsy
Authors: Jente Willaert , Desloovere Kaat , Van Campenhout Anja , Ting Lena H. , De Groote Friedl
Published: April 2020

The pendulum test assesses quadriceps spasticity by dropping the lower leg of a relaxed patient from the horizontal position and observing limb movement. The first swing excursion decreases with increasing spasticity severity. Our recent simulation study suggests that the reduced initial swing results from muscle short-range stiffness and its interaction with reflex hyper-excitability. Short-range stiffness emerges from the thixotropic behavior of muscles where fiber stiffness upon stretch increases when the muscle is held isometric. Fiber stiffness might thus be higher during the first swing of the pendulum test than during consecutive swings. In addition, it has recently been suggested that muscle spindle firing reflects fiber force rather than velocity and therefore, reflex activity might depend on fiber stiffness. If this hypothesized mechanism is true, we expect to observe larger first swing excursions and reduced reflex muscle activity when the leg is moved rather than kept isometric before release, especially in patients with increased reflex activity. We performed the pendulum test in 15 children with cerebral palsy (CP) and 15 age-matched typically developing (TD) children in two conditions. In the hold condition, the leg was kept isometric in the extended position before release. In the movement condition, the leg was moved up and down before release to reduce the contribution of short-range stiffness. Knee kinematics and muscle activity were recorded. Moving the leg before release increased first swing excursion (p < 0.001) and this increase was larger in children with CP (21°) than in TD children (8°) (p < 0.005). In addition, pre-movement delayed reflex onset by 87 ms (p < 0.05) and reduced reflex activity as assessed through the area under the curve of rectus femoris electromyography (p < 0.05) in children with CP. The movement history dependence of pendulum kinematics and reflex activity supports our hypothesis that muscle short-range stiffness and its interaction with reflex hyper-excitability contribute to joint hyper-resistance in spastic CP. Our results have implications for standardizing movement history in clinical tests of spasticity and for understanding the role of spasticity in functional movements, where movement history differs from movement history in clinical tests.
Corporate governance and value relevance of accounting information
Authors: Almujamed Hesham I. , Alfraih Mishari M.
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how the characteristics of the board of directors (BoD) shape earnings and book value information available to market participants.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors investigated the impact of board size, presence of non-executives and role duality as proxies of effective corporate governance on the value relevance of financial reporting for 178 firms on the Kuwait stock exchange in 2013. Regression analysis based on Ohlson’s (1995) valuation model was used to test hypotheses.

Findings

The authors found that board size was significantly associated with company value and that Kuwaiti firms with large boards increased the value-relevance of earnings and book value. The influence of role duality was positive although not significant. The presence of non-executives on the board had a negative correlation with market value (not significant).

Research limitations/implications

These findings deliver empirical support for the prediction that the characteristics of the BoD improve the value relevance of financial reporting. Limitations such as small sample size and one-year duration of the study did not negate the basic findings, however. Future studies will use larger samples, longer duration and additional board characteristics.

Practical implications

This study provides empirical support for the hypothesis that board size influences market valuation. This study may benefit managers, investors and other decision-makers.

Originality/value

This study delivers empirical evidence on the impact of board characteristics on the value relevance of accounting information. It will be useful for regulators and market participants monitoring the influence of board characteristics on the value relevance of accounting information.
Facebook as a follow-up tool for women with criminal justice histories
Authors: Lipnicky Ashlyn , Kelly Patricia J. , Ramaswamy Megha
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to measure Facebook (FB) use as a tool for maintaining research contact with hard-to-reach women with criminal justice histories.

Design/methodology/approach

Retrospective data were analyzed from a jail health intervention. Bivariate analysis compared the rates of follow-up between FB group users and non-FB group users at one post-intervention time point. Multivariate models explored predictors for FB group follow-up.

Findings

Among 184 participants, 89 (48.4%) used the private research FB group. This group was more likely to complete the follow-up survey one year after enrollment compared to non-FB group users (P = 0.002). Regression analyses showed that, compared to non-FB group users, FB group users were more likely to be younger and have a history of sexually transmitted infections.

Practical implications

FB is popular among women with criminal justice histories. Use of this social media site with study participants from hard-to-reach populations may enhance study retention.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in examining the long-term use of FB as a research strategy to maintain contain with typically hard-to-reach populations.
Individuals' intention to use sports wearables: the moderating role of technophobia
Authors: Cavdar Aksoy Nilsah , Kocak Alan Alev , Tumer Kabadayi Ebru , Aksoy Alican
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the wearable devices market as an essential representative of the digital age using a framework based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the context of sports wearables.

Design/methodology/approach

411 people, are both users and non-users of this technology were surveyed online, and the obtained data analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results support the effects of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and social influence on attitude toward sports wearables and attitude of usage intention. Further, technophobia moderates the relationship between performance expectancy and attitude. However, a moderating effect of technophobia on the relationship between effort expectancy and attitude was not observed.

Originality/value

Due to innovative technologies in the digital age we live in, the devices we use in everyday life have gained intelligence. As more developments take place, and related products enter the market, understanding how people react to these products becomes an important issue. While investigating this issue in the context of sports wearables in this study, an important psychological construct, technophobia, was included in the research model in order to explore the usage intention of individuals through the effects of psychological constructs, such as paranoia, fear, anxiety, cybernetic revolt and cellphone avoidance, and the strong combination of important constructs of phobia to go against technology.
Price and its forecasting of Chinese cross-border E-commerce
Authors: Chen Jianping , Tournois Nadine , Fu Qiming
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Cross-border e-commerce in China has been booming in recent years. This paper aims to study pricing in Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies and focuses on the baby food market, which is simply examined as a case study to highlight broader implications. In this intensely competitive sector, the biggest challenge faced by such companies is ensuring that they are in a position to be able set prices in the short-term to maximize their competitive advantage and profitability. The study of pricing will help management to make correct operational decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes transaction data, which were obtained from the Taobao e-commerce platform. Taobao is the largest e-commerce retail platform in the world. We analyzed factors, including business models, homogeneity, reputation ratings and sales volumes, which may affect pricing.

Findings

This study found that consumers in the baby food sector of Chinese cross-border e-commerce are not price-sensitive. Consumers are reputation-rating-sensitive. The reputation ratings of sellers affect the price dispersion in e-commerce markets. The Core Price Dispersion Rate Model not only considers the prices but also takes sales volumes into account in the calculations. Finally, based on Gaussian processes, a model was developed for price forecasting in the area of cross-border e-commerce. The experimental results show that the proposed method is highly valuable for price forecasting.

Originality/value

This study provides a novel understanding of the baby food sector in the Chinese cross-border e-commerce market by examining the business model, price dispersion, reputation rating and correlation between the reputation of sellers, prices and sales volume. Furthermore, a model for price forecasting is proposed.
Mentoring and skill development in e-Internships
Authors: Jeske Debora , Linehan Carol
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Many employers experiment with virtual working modes for project-based work. Virtual internships are one such mode that is gaining increasing popularity worldwide, particularly e-internships that require remote working with employers. However, little is known about the extent to which e-internships present learning opportunities to such e-interns.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study examined mentoring experiences among a cross-sectional sample of 158 e-interns working for different companies. Data were collected using an online survey in two data collection rounds.

Findings

The length of the e-internships did not increase mentoring satisfaction, but the likelihood of e-interns having a mentor was higher the longer the e-internships. Mentoring was offered irrespective of working hours per week. Mentoring increased reported skill development, particularly in relation to their communication skills and their ability to think strategically about problems. In addition, mentored e-interns were more likely to have opportunities to cooperate with and help others. They likewise had opportunities to share information, knowledge and experiences.

Research limitations/implications

The study recruited interns from various countries. Potentially relevant cultural differences were not explored as part of this study.

Practical implications

The results demonstrate that the benefits of mentoring observed in relation to traditional internships can be fostered in e-internships. E-internships represent an opportunity for managers and employees, regardless of company size, to become mentors. E-internships thus represent another work-integrated as well as work-applied learning and skill development opportunity that creates additional options for many interns and organisations alike.

Originality/value

The evidence suggests that mentoring is becoming a regularly available feature for virtual and temporary workers such as e-interns, many of which are hired for short-term projects. As remote working has become a standard practice, e-internships are on the rise – and worthy of further study in order to promote best practices.
What if Hotelling's Firms Can Mass Customize?
Authors: Yazdani Alireza , Çil Eren B. , Pangburn Michael S.
Published: April 2020

Mass customization provides a mechanism by which firms can better target a broad scope of consumer preferences and thus, in so doing, potentially increase their profits. We study product‐design and price competition between two mass‐customizing firms that serve consumers with varying tastes and finite reservation prices. Mass customization has recently received notable attention in both industry and academia, but yet there have been few studies concerning its impact in competitive settings. We contribute to this sparse literature by analyzing a two‐stage non‐cooperative game between two firms serving a Hotelling linear city. By comparing symmetric equilibrium results in settings with and without mass customization, we find that customization changes the nature of competition. More specifically, we show that with customization, a symmetric equilibrium emerges only if the firms' customization cost lies below a threshold, however, the magnitude of that cost does not influence product design decisions in equilibrium. We find that the equilibrium with customizing firms will not sustain cost levels above that threshold. Furthermore, we show that mass customizers earn higher equilibrium profits when consumers' fit sensitivity either significantly or only slightly exceeds the product valuation. On the contrary, traditional firms are better off when facing moderate fit sensitivity. We also establish that competition with mass customization may lead to lower profits and consumer surplus.
Non‐steroidal mineralocorticoid antagonists: Prospects for renoprotection in diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Al Dhaybi Omar , Bakris George L.
Published: April 2020

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the major cause of kidney failure in the world and the combination of DKD and diabetes mellitus contributes to an additive incidence of worsening cardiovascular mortality rates. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) remain the mainstay of therapy and have reduced kidney function decline in DKD from 8 to 10 to ~4 mL/min/y. Sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, in the presence of ACE inhibitors or ARB agents, further slowdown DKD progression by an additional 58% to 1.8 mL/min/y. Moreover, SGLT2 inhibitors reduce heart failure risk. However, the normal rate of kidney function decline in humans is between 0.7 and 0.9 mL/min/y, hence, there is still room for improvement. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) already have a track record of benefit in heart failure risk reduction, and efficacy in reducing albuminuria and treating resistant hypertension; however hyperkalaemia and other adverse effects preclude their routine use in DKD. Novel non‐steroidal MRAs offer a reduced risk of hyperkalaemia, and yet have many benefits that they share with their steroidal cousins. This paper reviews the data for both steroidal and non‐steroidal MRAs in DKD and presents some data from soon‐to‐be‐completed ongoing renal and cardiovascular outcome trials in DKD.
Identification of a Novel Mycobacterial Histone H1 Homologue (HupB) as an Antigenic Target of pANCA Monoclonal Antibody and Serum Immunoglobulin A from Patients with Crohn's Disease
Authors: Cohavy Offer , Harth Gunter , Horwitz Marcus , Eggena Mark , Landers Carol , Sutton Christopher , Targan Stephan R. , Braun Jonathan
Published: April 2020

pANCA is a marker antibody associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including most patients with ulcerative colitis and a subset with Crohn's disease. This study addressed the hypothesis that pANCA reacts with an antigen(s) of microbial agents potentially relevant to IBD pathogenesis. Using a pANCA monoclonal antibody, we have previously identified the C-terminal basic random-coil domain of histone H1 as a pANCA autoantigen. BLAST analysis of the peptide databases revealed H1 epitope homologues in open reading frames of theMycobacterium tuberculosisgenome. Western analysis of extracts from six mycobacterial species directly demonstrated reactivity to a single, conserved ∼32-kDa protein. Direct protein sequencing, followed by gene cloning, revealed a novel 214-amino-acid protein, an iron-regulated protein recently termed HupB. Sequence analysis demonstrated its homology with the mammalian histone H1 gene family, and recombinant protein expression confirmed its reactivity with the 5-3 pANCA monoclonal antibody. Binding activity of patient serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) to HupB did not correlate with reactivity to histone H1 or pANCA, indicating the complex character of the pANCA antigen. However, anti-HupB IgA was strongly associated with Crohn's disease (P< 0.001). These findings indicate that the 5-3 pANCA monoclonal antibody detects a structural domain recurrent among mycobacteria and cross-reactive with a DNA-binding domain of histone H1. The association of HupB-binding serum IgA with IBD provides new evidence for the association of a mycobacterial species with Crohn's disease.
Influence of Environmental Conditions on Hydrogen Peroxide Formation by
Streptococcus gordonii
Authors: Barnard John P. , Stinson Murray W.
Published: April 2020

Hydrogen peroxide generated by viridans group streptococci has an antagonistic effect on many bacterial species, including a number of pathogens, in the oral environment. This study examines the influence of a variety of environmental conditions on rates of hydrogen peroxide synthesis by
Streptococcus gordonii
. Hydrogen peroxide was synthesized at every concentration of glucose and sucrose tested from 10 μM to 1 M, with the highest rates occurring at 0.1 mM sucrose and 1 mM glucose.
S. gordonii
appeared to have an intracellular store of polysaccharide which supported hydrogen peroxide formation even when the assay buffer contained no carbohydrate. Most heavy metal ions inhibited peroxidogenesis, and anaerobic conditions induced adaptive down-regulation of hydrogen peroxide synthesis; however, peroxidogenesis was generally insensitive to moderate increases in salt concentration, alteration of the mineral content of the assay solution, and changes in pH between 5.0 and 7.5. In contrast, stimulation of peroxidogenesis occurred in 1 mM Mg
2+
and 10 to 50 mM potassium
l
-lactate. Maximum peroxidogenesis occurred during the mid-logarithmic and late-logarithmic phases of bacterial growth. These bacterial responses may have significant implications for oral ecology and oral health.
Taming of preasymptotic small x evolution within resummation framework
Authors: Deak Michal , Frankfurt Leonid , Staśto Anna M. , Strikman Mark
Published: April 2020

It is well understood that the leading logarithmic approximation for the amplitudes of high energy processes is insufficient and that the next-to-leading logarithmic effects are very large and lead to instability of the solution. The resummation at low x, which includes kinematical constraints and other corrections leads to stable result. Using previously established resummation procedure we study in detail the preasymptotic effects which occur in the solution to the resummed BFKL equation when the energy is not very large. We find that in addition to the well known reduction of the intercept, which governs the energy dependence of the gluon Green’s function, resummation leads to the delay of the onset of its small x growth. Moreover the gluon Green’s function develops a dip or a plateau in wide range of rapidities, which increases for large scales. The preasymptotic region in the gluon Green’s function extends to about 8 units in rapidity for the transverse scales of the order of 30–100 GeV. To visualize the expected behavior of physical processes with two equal hard scales we calculate the cross section of the process $$\gamma ^{*}+\gamma ^{*}\rightarrow X$$γ∗+γ∗→X to be probed at future very high-energy electron-positron colliders. We find that at $$\gamma ^*\gamma ^*$$γ∗γ∗ energies below $$100 \; \mathrm{{GeV}}$$100GeV the BFKL Pomeron leads to smaller value of the cross section than the Born approximation, and only starts to dominate at energies about $$100 \; \mathrm{{GeV}}$$100GeV. This pattern is significantly different from the one which we find using LLx approximation. We also analyze the transverse momentum contributions to the cross section for different virtualities of the photons and find that the dominant contributions to the integral over the transverse momenta comes from lower values than the the external scales in the process under consideration.
A MODERN MODEL OF MASTERS’ IN DENTISTRY PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Authors: Kulbashna Ya. A. , Malanchuk V. O. , Nahirnyj Ya. P. , Skrypnyk I. L. , Zakharova V. O.
Published: April 2020

The article reveals that the system of masters’ in dentistry professional training in Ukraine does not sufficiently meet the international requirements and education levels regulated by the National Qualifications Framework. At the same time, the updated field standard of higher education in the specialty “Dentistry” (2019) contains a number of contradictory conditions, in particular: the availability of educational-professional training program and educational-scientific (optional for universities) one with different number of credits (300 and 360 correspondingly). The necessity to implement the levels of junior bachelor (dentist’s assistant) and bachelor (odontologist-hygienist) into the model of masters’ in dentistry professional training process was substantiated. This allows students of higher dental education institutions to start practical activity from the first year of studying, which can encourage them to increase the level of their professional competence and restore the preventive component of dental care to the population of Ukraine. It has been proved the expediency to prolong the period of masters’ in dentistry professional training to 6 years with the last year of practically oriented study to ensure compliance of dental education in Ukraine with the requirements of the World Federation for Medical Education in terms of the amount of academic load and the need to strengthen its practical component.

A modern model of masters’ in dentisry professional training has been developed in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework and the requirements of the World Federation of Medical Education.
Manoel Barbosa
Authors: Madeira Cláudia , Oliveira Fernando Matos
Published: April 2020

Manoel Barbosa possui um percurso singular na arte da performance em Portugal. Este artigo trata sobre o seu período formativo como artista e algumas das suas protoexperiências performativas, nomeadamente as primeiras performances realizadas em contexto colonial, que aqui são descritas e analisadas no âmbito de uma estética da resistência anticolonialista e antifascista.
Assessment of platelet indices and platelet activation markers in children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria
Authors: Asare Renate , Opoku-Okrah Clement , Danquah Kwabena Owusu , Opare-Sem Ohene , Addai-Mensah Otchere , Gyamfi Daniel , Amponsah Francis Agyei , Afriyie Edward Y. , Duneeh Richard Vikpebah , Ofosu David Ntiamoah , Frimpong Michael
Published: April 2020

Background

Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains one of the world’s major infectious diseases that cause most morbidity and mortality, particularly in children. In Ghana, most children below the ages of 5 years depending on the severity of the infection often lose their lives. However, it is still debatable why infection with falciparum malaria contributes to thrombocytopenia.

Methods

This study sought to investigate the expression of the various platelet indices and activation markers in children with falciparum malaria. Platelet indices (Platelet count [PLT], Plateletcrite [PCT], Mean Platelet Volume [MPV], Platelet Distribution Width [PDW] and Platelet-Large Cell Ratio [P-LCR]) and platelet surface membrane glycoproteins (GPIIb/IIIa [PAC-1], P-selectin [CD62p] and GPIV [CD36]) expressions were determined in children with falciparum malaria (cases) and healthy children (controls) using automated blood cell analysis and flow cytometry techniques, respectively.

Results

Except for P-LCR, all the other platelet indices (PLT, MPV, PDW, and PCT) were significantly lower in the cases than the controls (P < 0.05). Also, it was observed that the level of expression of the activation markers; PAC 1 and CD62p showed a significant (P < 0.05) decreased before and after activation in falciparum malaria cases than in the controls. On the contrary, CD36 expression in the controls did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) from the malaria cases. Platelet activation markers were known to be associated with increased risk of falciparum malaria with the mean fluorescence intensity of PAC1 (Odds Ratio [OR] 34.0, Relative Risk [RR] 4.47, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 4.904–235.7; p < 0.0001) and CD36 (OR 4.2, RR 1.82, 95% CI 0.9824–17.96; p = 0.04). Moreover, the percentage expression of CD62p (OR 4.0, RR 1.80, 95% CI 0.59–27.24; p = 0.19) was also observed to be probably associated with increased risk of falciparum malaria although not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Plasmodium falciparum malaria has been known to be associated with platelet activation markers, which probably contributes to thrombocytopenia.
Traumatic childhood events of parents enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)
Authors: Ellis Genette , Iles-Caven Yasmin , Northstone Kate , Golding Jean
Published: April 2020

Background: Early life experiences can have a significant impact on an individual’s later behaviour, the way they view the world, their beliefs and their success at forming strong interpersonal relationships. These factors may subsequently influence the way that the individual may parent their children, which in turn may have an effect on their child’s behaviour, mental health and world view. Research has linked early traumatic life experiences in the parent’s childhood to disorganised attachment to their own child. In this paper we describe the data collected from parents enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) on traumatic events experienced during their childhood, so that it can act as a resource for researchers in the future when considering outcomes on the adult, their children and grandchildren.

Methods: Data were collected via multiple questionnaires completed by parents enrolled into the ALSPAC study. During pregnancy and post-delivery, questionnaires were administered between 1990 and 1992 via post to the study mothers and their partners. Data were collected on life events including bereavement, sexual abuse, physical abuse, abandonment, neglect, memories of childhood and accidents. Other reports of traumatic events in childhood were reported by parents using free text. This can be made available to researchers for coding on request.
E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury
Authors: Ind Philip W
Published: April 2020

E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury is a recently recognised, acute pulmonary syndrome which has been reported (particularly from June to October 2019) throughout the USA, but not in Europe (although one probable case, in the UK, has been reported; Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, 2020 ). It presents acutely, most often in young men, as severe pulmonary consolidation, usually with respiratory failure. The mortality is around 2%. The cause(s) are unknown, but it is associated with vaping, particularly using unlicensed cannabis-containing products with tetrahydrocannabinol. Vitamin E acetate, often present in tetrahydrocannabinol-containing vape products as a solvent, has been implicated, as it has been identified in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury. This article reviews the recent literature, including clinical features, presentation and investigations, and possible mechanisms, in the context of vaping practices in the USA and the UK.
Pengaruh Intrusi Basalt terhadap Karakteristik dan Kualitas Batugamping pada Quarry Bukit Karang Putih, Indarung, Padang, Sumatra Barat
Authors: Marin Jenian , Winarno Tri , Rahmadani Ulfah
Published: April 2020

Quarry Bukit Karang Putih, Indarung milik PT Semen Padang adalah komplek batugamping berumur Jura diintrusi oleh basalt. Sebagai bahan baku utama industri semen, batugamping di lokasi penelitian harus memenuhi standar kualitas yang ditetapkan. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui karakteristik batugamping dari quarry Bukit Karang Putih dari aspek mineralogi dan kimia kualitasnya, dikaitkan dengan pengaruh keberadaan intrusi. Metode penelitian ini adalah survei lapangan untuk memetakan kondisi litologi dan pengambilan sampel. Sampel batugamping dan intrusi dianalisis petrografi dan geokimia XRF untuk mengetahui karakteristik dan kualitasnya, dikorelasikan dengan data pengeboran. Litologi daerah penelitian berupa batugamping kristalin, tuf terubahkan, serta intrusi basalt. Batugamping memiliki karakteristik warna putih, struktur masif, tekstur kristalin. Batuan tersusun oleh kalsit dengan bentuk kristal equant, batas sutured, dengan tekstur lamellar twinning yang menunjukkan adanya diagenesis lanjut akibat tekanan dan metamorfisme. Batugamping terintrusi retas basalt porfir yang berkomposisi plagioklas dan piroksen di antara gelas vulkanik. Analisis XRF menunjukkan bahwa kadar CaO batugamping menurun mendekati tubuh intrusi. Kadar SiO2 akan bertambah apabila semakin dekat dengan intrusi. Namun pengurangan kadar CaOtidakterlalu signifikan sehingga tetap memenuhi standar PT Semen Padang. Sementara penambahan kandungan SiO2 dari intrusi membuat kualitas batugamping semakin baik untuk dijadikan bahan baku semen.
Variasi dan Sebaran Litologi Batugamping di Kecamatan Todanan, Kabupaten Blora, Jwa Tengah
Authors: Setyawan Reddy , Hakim Abdurrahman , Sulestianson Afif , Bagaskara Alfa Aulia Satria , Febyani Fitria , Sutandiono Hasbi As-Sidiqi , Napitupulu Kristian Jhonson , Nurjayanti Nurjayanti
Published: April 2020

Daerah Todanan merupakan salah satu wilayah di Kabupaten Blora. Todanan merupakan wilayah dataran perbukitan landai yang secara geologi masuk ke dalam Zona Rembang. Zona Rembang merupakan bagian dari cekungan sedimentasi Jawa Timur bagian utara (East Java Geosyncline). Cekungan ini terbentuk pada Oligosen Akhir yang berarah Timur. Tujuan dilakukan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui variasi litologi batugamping, umur dan fasies dari batugamping yang diharapkan dapat memperkaya pengetahuan geologi di lokasi ini. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah observasi lapangan untuk mendapatkan data variasi litologi. Sampel batuan yang didapatkan dari lapangan selanjutnya dilakukan analisis petrografi dan mikrofosil. Hasil dari observasi di lapangan, dapat diketahui kondisi geomorfologi, variasi litologi dan kondisi struktur geologi di lokasi penelitian. Geomorfologi lokasi penelitian terbagi menjadi Dataran Landai Denudasional, Bergelombang Miring Denudasional, Berbukit Bergelombang Karst, Bergelombang Miring Struktural Karst, Bergelombang Miring Struktural Lembah Sinklin, dan Bergelombang Miring Struktural Bukit Antiklin. Struktur geologi cukup sulit dilakukan di lapangan, karena sebagian besar area di lokasi penelitian tertutup oleh hutan jati, sawah, dan pemukiman. Variasi litologi yag ditemukan di lapangan adalah Satuan Batupasir Karbonatan, Satuan Batugamping Kalkarenit, Satuan Lempung Karbonatan, Satuan Batugamping Wackestone, Satuan Batugamping Grainstone, dan Satuan Batugamping Packestone. Satuan litologi Wackestone, Grainstone dan Packestone terendapkan di fasies fore reef.
A JUSTA MEDIDA EM OLÍMPICA 13
Authors: Onelley Gloria Braga
Published: April 2020

RESUMO      Com base no princípio de que a narrativa mítica, nos epinícios de Píndaro, constitui um exemplum ora positivo ora negativo para o herói-atleta laureado, propomo-nos, no presente artigo, discutir o topos da justa medida, na tessitura de Olímpica 13, ode consagrada a Xenofonte de Corinto por sua dupla vitória (corrida a pé e pentatlo) alcançada na 79ª. Olimpíada (464 a. C.), por meio da relação de contraste entre o herói mítico e o herói vencedor.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Píndaro; epinício; herói; metron.
“Toda a minha vida escrevi”: leitura de três livros de Melo e Castro / All My Life I Wrote”: Reading Three Books by Melo e Castro
Authors: Carvalho Maria do Socorro Fernandes de
Published: April 2020

Resumo: Este pequeno texto parte da constatação de recorrências literárias entre a Poesia Experimental de E. M. Melo e Castro e a Poesia Concreta brasileira, que tem origem no diálogo intertextual ocorrido no cerne das rupturas literárias das vanguardas nas décadas de 1950 e 1960 no Brasil e em Portugal. Trato dessas relações a partir da leitura de três livros de poesia escritos pelo poeta português: Queda livre, de 1961, Ideogramas, de 1962 e Poligonia do soneto, de 1963.Palavras-chave: experimentação; poesia concreta; vanguarda; ruptura; modernidade.Abstract: This text is based on the observation of literary recurrences between E. M. Melo e Castro’s Experimental Poetry and Brazilian Concrete Poetry, which originates from the intertextual dialogue that took place at the heart of the literary ruptures of the avant-garde in the 1950s and 1960s in Brazil and Portugal. I deal with these relations from the reading of three poetry books written by the Portuguese poet: Queda Livre, 1961, Ideogramas, 1962 and Poligonia do soneto, 1963.Keywords: experimentation; concrete poetry; avant-garde; rupture; modernity.
Bioaerosol assessment of indoor air in hospital wards from a tertiary care hospital
Authors: Kotgire Santosh , Akhtar Rabia , Damle Ajit , Siddiqui Sufia , Padekar Hira
Published: April 2020

Exposure to microorganisms suspended in the air of both occupational and residential indoor environments is associated with a wide range of adverse health effects with major public health impacts. The quality of indoor air is one of the most significant factors affecting the health and well being of people. So the present study was conducted to assess bacteriological and fungal concentration of the indoor air of a teaching tertiary care institute hospital.

The present study was carried for a period of three months from June 2018 to August 2018. Air sampling was performed with passive air sampling (settle plate’s methods) according to the 1/1/1 scheme (a Petri dish with a diameter of 9 cm was placed for 1 hour, 1 meter above the floor, and about 1 meter away from the walls). Each ward Petri dishes was exposed for 60 min in the morning and afternoon. Bacteria and fungi was collected on nutrient Agar, Blood Agar and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar(SDA). To obtain the appropriate surface density for counting and to determine the load with respect to time of exposure, the sampling times were set at 60 min in the morning (at 10.00-11.00 AM) and afternoon (2:00-3.00 PM). Both quantitative and qualitative analyses was conducted.

The results indicate that the bacterial CFU/m air has been recorded in the range of 65.52 CFU/ m to 1179 CFU/ m at 60 min exposure. The results indicate that the fungal CFU/m air has been recorded in the range no growth to 262 CFU/ m at 60 min exposure. Gram Positive Bacteria were isolated more than Gram Negative Bacteria with predominance of . Whereas, the fungal isolates includes dominance of Candida spp followed by Aspergillus spp.

This study revealed that hospital buildings were being ventilated by the aid of natural ventilation system which may increase the possibility of entrance of pollutants from unhygienic external environment. Modern built environment can be a potential source of bioaerosols. Bio-aerosol monitoring in hospitals can be used for tracking of nosocomial infections, identify the source and spread of airborne microorganisms to control hospital associated infections (HAI).