bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Purification and characterization of two killer toxins originated from Torulaspora delbrueckii (Lindner) and Wickerhamomyces anomalus (E.C.Hansen) Kurtzman, Robnett, and Basehoar-Powers
Authors: Abu-Mejdad Najwa Mohammed Jameel Ali , Al-Badran Adnan I. , Al-Saadoon Abdullah H. 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Ecological killer yeasts have had few studies compared with laboratory killer yeasts. The killer yeasts are known in excreting killer toxins that kill sensitive or susceptible yeasts. The killer toxins, such as TK and WK excreted from two yeast isolates (Torulaspora delbrueckii and Wickerhamomyces anomalus) have protenious nature with different molecular weight depending on yeast species.

Results
A qualitative test was conducted to determine the ability of both isolates to produce killer toxins on the media of yeast extract and malt extract broth when the two toxins were first purified by ammonium sulfate salt at 40% concentration and then by dialysis for the killer toxin TK and gel filtration method for WK. The molecular weight of TK was estimated at about 15 kDa, while WK was at 45 kDa. The chemical properties of the killer toxins were also studied. The results showed that the two killer toxins were with protenious nature.

Conclusion
Both yeast isolates (Torulaspora delbrueckii and Wickerhamomyces anomalus) had the ability of producing different kinds of killer toxins. The two killer toxins (TK and WK) were identified for the first time in Iraq, and their production involves many steps of economically unexpansive purification method with a good quality and high purity of producing killer toxins. The results confirmed that the nature of killer toxins (WK and TK) was similar to protein compounds resulted from the transition in UV and functional groups.
Psychiatric comorbidity and quality of life in patients undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: Elhadad Ayman Abdulfattah , Ragab Afaf Zein El Abedin , Atia Salma Abdelsamed Abdelsamed 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Hemodialysis has been shown to have an adverse impact on the emotional status of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Common associated psychological problems include depression, anxiety, fatigue, decreased quality of life, and an increased risk for suicide. This cross-sectional study aims to psychiatric assessment of ESRD patients on dialysis and patients’ quality of life (QOL). One hundred and seventeen patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis aged from 26 years to 77 years were enrolled from the Dialysis Unit at Shebin El Kom Teaching Hospital and Menoufia University Hospital and were approved by the local medical ethical committee. Cases were selected during the study period from October 2018 till May 2019. A semi-structured interview, clinical psychiatric assessment, psychometric test measuring psychiatric disorders, and psychometric test measuring QOL were measured.

Results
A reduction in scores of all domains of QOL was observed in ESRD patients with depression compared with patients without depression. There was a statistically significant correlation between QOL and presence of clinical illness either diabetes or hypertension among ESRD patients (P < 0.05). It was found that there was a reduction in all domains of QOL in patients with clinical illness compared with patients without.

Conclusions
Incidence of psychiatric illness among end-stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis is high. The most prevalent psychiatric disorders among these patients are depression and anxiety disorders. Poor quality of life (QOL) was also observed in ESRD patients.
Assessment of cardiac diastolic function in infants of diabetic mothers using tissue Doppler echocardiography
Authors: Sobeih Alaa A. , Sakr Magdy M. A. , Abolmaaty Rehab K. 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Limited number of studies evaluated cardiac diastolic function in infants of diabetic mothers using tissue Doppler imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate diastolic parameters in full-term infants of diabetic mothers compared to healthy full-term neonates using both conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. This study is a comparative study. Fifty consecutive infants of diabetic mothers (cases) in the first 3 days of life: 25 neonates with poor maternal glycemic control (Hemoglobin A1c > 7.5 g/dl) and 25 neonates with good maternal glycemic control (Hemoglobin A1c ≤ 7.5 g/dl). Thirty healthy full-term infants of non-diabetic mothers with age and sex matching were included as controls. The studied groups were assessed by conventional pulsed wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging.

Results
Among pulsed wave Doppler parameters, cases had lower values than controls as regards mitral E velocity, mitral E/A ratio, tricuspid E velocity, and tricuspid E/A ratio, while neonates with poor maternal glycemic control had lower values than those with good maternal glycemic control as regards mitral E/A ratio, tricuspid E velocity, and tricuspid E/A ratio as well as higher mitral A velocity (denoting more diastolic dysfunction). Similarly, among tissue Doppler parameters, cases had lower values than controls as regards septal E' velocity, E'/A' ratio, left ventricular E' velocity, E'/A' ratio, and right ventricular E' velocity as well as higher septal A' velocity, left ventricular A' velocity, and right ventricular A' velocity, while neonates with poor maternal glycemic control had lower values than those with good maternal glycemic control as regards septal E' velocity, E'/A' ratio, left ventricular E' velocity, E'/A' ratio, and right ventricular E' velocity, as well as higher left ventricular A' velocity (denoting more diastolic dysfunction). Tissue Doppler was able to detect higher number of neonates with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction than conventional pulsed wave Doppler.

Conclusions
Tissue Doppler imaging was found to be able to detect diastolic dysfunction early in infants of diabetic mothers specifically as regards the left ventricle. Tissue Doppler imaging should be considered an integral part of cardiac function assessment in infants of diabetic mothers.
Postdiagnosis Body Mass Index, Weight Change, and Mortality From Prostate Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, and All Causes Among Survivors of Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer
Authors: Troeschel Alyssa N. , Hartman Terryl J. , Jacobs Eric J. , Stevens Victoria L. , Gansler Ted , Flanders W. Dana , McCullough Lauren E. , Wang Ying 
Published: April 2020

PURPOSE To investigate the association of postdiagnosis body mass index (BMI) and weight change with prostate cancer–specific mortality (PCSM), cardiovascular disease–related mortality (CVDM), and all-cause mortality among survivors of nonmetastatic prostate cancer. METHODS Men in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer between 1992 and 2013 were followed for mortality through December 2016. Current weight was self-reported on follow-up questionnaires approximately every 2 years. Postdiagnosis BMI was obtained from the first survey completed 1 to < 6 years after diagnosis. Weight change was the difference in weight between the first and second postdiagnosis surveys. Deaths occurring within 4 years of the follow-up were excluded to reduce bias from reverse causation. Analyses of BMI and weight change included 8,330 and 6,942 participants, respectively. RESULTS Postdiagnosis BMI analyses included 3,855 deaths from all causes (PCSM, n = 500; CVDM, n = 1,155). Using Cox proportional hazards models, hazard ratios (HRs) associated with postdiagnosis obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) compared with healthy weight (BMI 18.5 to < 25.0 kg/m2) were 1.28 for PCSM (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.67), 1.24 for CVDM (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.49), and 1.23 for all-cause mortality (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.35). Weight gain analyses included 2,973 deaths (PCSM, n = 375; CVDM, n = 881). Postdiagnosis weight gain (> 5% of body weight), compared with stable weight (± < 3%), was associated with a higher risk of PCSM (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.21 to 2.25) and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.45) but not CVDM. CONCLUSION Results suggest that among survivors of nonmetastatic prostate cancer with largely localized disease, postdiagnosis obesity is associated with higher CVDM and all-cause mortality, and possibly higher PCSM, and that postdiagnosis weight gain may be associated with a higher mortality as a result of all causes and prostate cancer.
Cardiac Myxoma Caused by Fumarate Hydratase Gene Deletion in Patient With Cortisol-Secreting Adrenocortical Adenoma
Authors: Suda Kentaro , Fukuoka Hidenori , Yamazaki Yuto , Shigemura Katsumi , Mukai Miki , Odake Yukiko , Matsumoto Ryusaku , Bando Hironori , Takahashi Michiko , Iguchi Genzo , Fujisawa Masato , Oka Masahiro , Ono Katsuhiko , Chihara Kazuo , Sasano Hironobu , Ogawa Wataru , Takahashi Yutaka 
Published: April 2020

Abstract

Context
Germline mutations in fumarate hydratase (FH) gene are known to cause hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC) and are occasionally accompanied with cutaneous and uterine leiomyoma or cortisol-producing adrenocortical hyperplasia. However, the association between FH mutations and cardiac or adrenocortical tumors has remained unknown. Here, we identified a novel deletion in FH, exhibiting cardiac myxoma and subclinical Cushing syndrome due to adrenocortical tumor.

Case Description
A 44-year-old man was referred to our hospital for cardiac and adrenal tumor evaluation. He had a history of multiple painful, dermal papules and nodules diagnosed as cutaneous leiomyoma. The surgically resected cardiac tumor was diagnosed as myxoma. The adrenal tumor was clinically diagnosed as subclinical Cushing syndrome. Laparoscopically resected adrenal tumor was pathologically diagnosed as adrenocortical adenoma harboring unique histological findings similar to primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD). DNA analysis revealed a germline deletion in FH c0.737delT (p. Phe225Leufs*31) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in cardiac myxoma. As a functional analysis of FH in cardiac myxoma, low FH protein expression with elevated 2-succinocysteine (2SC), a marker of FH dysfunction, was immunohistochemically detected. However, in adrenocortical tumor, LOH of FH was not detected, and FH or 2SC expression was not altered.

Conclusions
This is the first case of HLRCC complicated by cardiac myxoma. LOH of FH deletion and its dysfunction were identified in cardiac myxoma. The association between FH deletion and adrenocortical lesion, however, needs to be further clarified.
Promoting equity in immunization coverage through supply chain design in Pakistan
Authors: Zameer Mariam , Phillips-White Nora , Folorunso Olamide , Belt Rachel , Setayesh Hamidreza , Asghar Naeem , Chandio Arshad 
Published: April 2020

To improve equity in immunization coverage, potent immunization products must be available in the communities in which low coverage rates persist. Most supply side investments are focused on replacing or establishing new health facilities to improve access to immunization. However, supply chain design must be improved to ensure that potent vaccines are available at all facilities to promote immunization equity. We used the supply chain design process in Pakistan as an opportunity to conceptualize how supply chains could impact equity outcomes. This paper outlines our approach and key considerations for assessing supply chain design as a contributing factor in achieving equitable delivery of immunization services. We conducted a supply chain analysis based on sub-national supply chain and immunization coverage at district level. Supply chain metrics included cold chain coverage and distances between vaccination sites and storage locations. Immunization coverage metrics included the third-dose diphtheria- tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccination rate and the disparity in DTP3 coverage between urban and rural areas. All metrics were analyzed at the district level. Despite data limitations, triangulation across these metrics provided useful insights into the potential contributions of supply chain to equitable program performance at the district level within each province. Overall, our analysis identified supply chain gaps, highlighted supply chain contributions to program performance and informed future health system investments to prioritize children unreached by immunization services.
Dysphagia: a guide for nurses in general practice
Authors: Nazarko Linda 
Published: April 2020

Dysphagia is common in older adults. Linda Nazarko gives an overview of how practice nurses can support individuals living with dysphagiaThe practice nurse may encounter people who present with a variety of medical problems that are ultimately caused by swallowing difficulties. These difficulties may be acute or longstanding, severe or mild. The number of adults living with swallowing difficulties is set to rise in line with population ageing and the increasing levels of frailty and comorbidities that occur in older adults. This article aims to provide a guide to why dysphagia develops, how dysphagia is diagnosed and how the practice nurse can support individuals who are living with dysphagia.
Dispersion independent long-haul photon-counting optical time-domain reflectometry
Authors: Li Bin , Zhang Ruiming , Wang Yong , Li Hao , You Lixing , Ou Zhonghua , Zhou Heng , Ling Yun , Wang Yunxiang , Deng Guangwei , Wang You , Song Haizhi , Qiu Kun , Zhou Qiang 
Published: April 2020

Photon-counting optical time-domain reflectometry (PC-OTDR) based on single photon detection is an effective scheme to attain the high spatial resolution for optical fiber fault monitoring. Currently, due to the spatial resolution of PC-OTDR being proportional to the pulse width of a laser beam, short laser pulses are essential for a high spatial resolution. However, short laser pulses have a large bandwidth, which would be widened by the dispersion of fiber, causing inevitable deterioration in the spatial resolution, especially for long-haul fiber links. In this Letter, we propose a scheme of dispersion independent PC-OTDR based on an infinite backscatter technique. Our experimental results—with more than 45 km long fiber—show that the spatial resolution of the PC-OTDR system is independent with the total dispersion of the fiber under test. Our method provides an avenue for developing long-haul PC-OTDR with high performance.
Nonlinear optical absorption properties of InP nanowires and applications as a saturable absorber
Authors: Liu Junting , Nie Hongkun , Yan Bingzheng , Yang Kejian , Yang He , Khayrudinov Vladislav , Lipsanen Harri , Zhang Baitao , He Jingliang 
Published: April 2020

Indium phosphide (InP) nanowires (NWs) have attracted significant attention due to their exotic properties that are different from the bulk counterparts, and have been widely used for light generation, amplification, detection, modulation, and switching, etc. Here, high-quality InP NWs were directly grown on a quartz substrate by the Au-nanoparticle assisted vapor-liquid-solid method. We thoroughly studied their nonlinear optical absorption properties at 1.06 μm by the open-aperture Z-scan method. Interestingly, a transition phenomenon from saturable absorption (SA) to reverse saturable absorption (RSA) was observed with the increase of the incident laser intensity. In the analysis, we found that the effective nonlinear absorption coefficient (

β

eff

∼
−

10

2

cm
/
MW

) under the SA process was 3 orders of magnitude larger than that during the RSA processes. Furthermore, the SA properties of InP NWs were experimentally verified by using them as a saturable absorber for a passively

Q

-switched

Nd
:

YVO

4

solid-state laser at 1.06 μm, where the shortest pulse width of 462 ns and largest single pulse energy of 1.32 μJ were obtained. Moreover, the ultrafast carrier relaxation dynamics were basically studied, and the intra-band and inter-band ultrafast carrier relaxation times of 8.1 and 63.8 ps, respectively, were measured by a degenerate pump–probe method with the probe laser of 800 nm. These results well demonstrate the nonlinear optical absorption properties, which show the excellent light manipulating capabilities of InP NWs and pave a way for their applications in ultrafast nanophotonic devices.
Family History of Colorectal or Esophageal Cancer in Barrett's Esophagus and Potentially Explanatory Genetic Variants
Authors: Rubenstein Joel H. , Tavakkoli Anna , Koeppe Erika , Ulintz Peter , Inadomi John M. , Morgenstern Hal , Appelman Henry , Scheiman James M. , Schoenfeld Philip , Metko Val , Stoffel Elena M. 
Published: April 2020

INTRODUCTION:
We aimed to estimate the effects of a family history of colorectal cancer (CRC) or esophageal cancer on the risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and identify variants in cancer genes that may explain the association.

METHODS:
Men scheduled for screening colonoscopy were recruited to undergo upper endoscopy. Cases and noncases were screenees with and without BE, respectively. The effects of family histories on BE were estimated with logistic regression, adjusting for the potential confounders. We additionally recruited men recently diagnosed with BE by clinically indicated endoscopies. Banked germline DNA from cases of BE with ≥2 first-degree relatives (FDRs) with CRC and/or an FDR with esophageal cancer underwent next-generation sequencing using a panel of 275 cancer genes.

RESULTS:
Of the 822 men screened for CRC who underwent upper endoscopy, 70 were newly diagnosed with BE (8.5%). BE was associated with family histories of esophageal cancer (odds ratio = 2.63; 95% confidence interval = 1.07–6.47) and CRC in ≥2 vs 0 FDRs (odds ratio = 3.73; 95% confidence interval = 0.898–15.4). DNA analysis of subjects with both BE and a family history of cancer identified one or more germline variants of interest in genes associated with cancer predisposition in 10 of 14 subjects, including the same novel variant in EPHA5 in 2 unrelated individuals.

DISCUSSION:
We found an increased risk for BE associated with a family history of esophageal cancer or CRC. Although analysis of germline DNA yielded no clinically actionable findings, discovery of the same EPHA5 variant of uncertain significance in 2 of 14 cases merits additional investigation.
Kategoria praw dziecka w refleksji dydaktyki akademickiej
Authors: Turczyk Małgorzata 
Published: April 2020

Turczyk Małgorzata, Kategoria praw dziecka w refleksji dydaktyki akademickiej [The category of children’s rights in the reflection of academic didactics]. Kultura – Społeczeństwo – Edukacja nr 2(14) 2018, Poznań 2018, pp. 119–126, Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISSN 2300-0422. DOI 10.14746/kse.2018.14.10.
This paper concerns the place and meaning of a new category of children’s rights, which also finds its place in the area of interest of academic didactics. The current approach to human rights in schooling is basically normative, thus, the present academic didactics is challenged to prepare students of education – and teaching – related faculties to confront the issues in the field of children’s rights at work in a professional manner. The paper illustrates an author’s concept of didactics in terms of education to children’s rights at higher schools which was elaborated based of the research on the didactic aspects of children’s rights education for teachers and educationists on the academic level. The following issues were put in question and served as a basis for specific approaches to academic didactics in terms of education on children’s rights: an essence and need for inclusion of content related to children’s rights in academic learning practice, didactic tools at teacher’s disposal and their role in education for children’s rights. On the one hand, the paper presents a discussion on theprofessional preparation of teachers and educationists to face challenges related to protection and promotion of children’s rights within educational environments. On the other hand, it includes an attempt to merge the discrepancy between theory and practice in this field.
Sufficient conditions for symmetric matrices to have exactly one positive eigenvalue
Authors: Al-Saafin Doaa , Garloff Jürgen 
Published: April 2020

AbstractLet A = [aij] be a real symmetric matrix. If f : (0, ∞) → [0, ∞) is a Bernstein function, a sufficient condition for the matrix [f (aij)] to have only one positive eigenvalue is presented. By using this result, new results for a symmetric matrix with exactly one positive eigenvalue, e.g., properties of its Hadamard powers, are derived.
Uncharacteristic Task-Evoked Pupillary Responses Implicate Atypical Locus Ceruleus Activity in Autism
Authors: Granovetter Michael C. , Burlingham Charlie S. , Blauch Nicholas M. , Minshew Nancy J. , Heeger David J. , Behrmann Marlene 
Published: April 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized partly by atypical attentional engagement, reflected in exaggerated and variable responses to sensory stimuli. Attentional engagement is known to be regulated by the locus ceruleus (LC). Moderate baseline LC activity globally dampens neural responsivity and is associated with adaptive deployment and narrowing of attention to task-relevant stimuli. In contrast, increased baseline LC activity enhances neural responsivity across cortex and widening of attention to environmental stimuli regardless of their task relevance. Given attentional atypicalities in ASD, this study is the first to evaluate whether, under different attentional task demands, individuals with ASD exhibit a different profile of LC activity compared with typically developing controls. Males and females with ASD and age- and gender-matched controls participated in a one-back letter detection test while task-evoked pupillary responses, an established correlate for LC activity, were recorded. Participants completed this task in two conditions, either in the absence or presence of distractor auditory tones. Compared with controls, individuals with ASD evinced atypical pupillary responses in the presence versus absence of distractors. Notably, this atypical pupillary profile was evident despite the fact that both groups exhibited equivalent task performance. Moreover, between-group differences in pupillary responses were observed specifically in response to task-relevant events, providing confirmation that the group differences most likely were specifically associated with distinctions in LC activity. These findings suggest that individuals with ASD show atypical modulation of LC activity with changes in attentional demands, offering a possible mechanistic and neurobiological account for attentional atypicalities in ASD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIndividuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit atypical attentional behaviors, including altered sensory responses and atypical fixedness, but the neural mechanism underlying these behaviors remains elusive. One candidate mechanism is atypical locus ceruleus (LC) activity, as the LC plays a critical role in attentional modulation. Specifically, LC activity is involved in regulating the trade-off between environmental exploration and focused attention. This study shows that, under tightly controlled conditions, task-evoked pupil responses, an LC activity proxy, are lower in individuals with ASD than in controls, but only in the presence of task-irrelevant stimuli. This suggests that individuals with ASD evince atypical modulation of LC activity in accordance with changes in attentional demands, offering a mechanistic account for attentional atypicalities in ASD.