bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cutting Edge: TAK1 Safeguards Macrophages against Proinflammatory Cell Death
Authors: Sanjo Hideki , Nakayama Jun , Yoshizawa Takahiro , Fehling Hans Joerg , Akira Shizuo , Taki Shinsuke 
Published: June 2019

Abstract
TGF-β–activated kinase 1 (TAK1) is known to play vital roles for innate and adaptive immunity; however, little is known about its potential role in limiting biological responses such as inflammation. In this study, we report that macrophage TAK1 participates in negatively regulating inflammation by restraining proinflammatory cell death. Macrophages from TAK1-deficient mice underwent cell death in response to LPS and poly(I:C), which took place in a manner dependent on TLR/TRIF-induced active Caspase8-mediated cleavage of gasdermin D, known as an executioner of pyroptosis. Likewise, TNF-α induced Caspase8-dependent gasdermin D processing following cell death in TAK1-deficient macrophages. Importantly, we demonstrated that this type of proinflammatory macrophage death is linked to susceptibility to septic shock in mice lacking TAK1 in macrophages in a TNF-α–independent fashion. Taken together, our data revealed that TAK1 acts as a signaling checkpoint to protect macrophages from unique proinflammatory cell death, ensuring the maintenance of innate immune homeostasis.
Performing Hamlet
Authors: Croall Jonathan 
Published: June 2019

Hamlet is arguably the most famous play on the planet, and the greatest of all Shakespeare’s works. Its rich story and complex leading role have provoked intense debate and myriad interpretations.
To play such a uniquely multi-faceted character as Hamlet represents the supreme challenge for a young actor. Performing Hamlet contains Jonathan Croall’s revealing in-depth interviews with five distinguished actors who have played the Prince this century:
Jude Law: ‘You get to speak possibly the most beautiful lines about humankind ever given to an actor.’
Simon Russell Beale: ‘Hamlet is a very hospitable role: it will take anything you throw at it.’
David Tennant: ‘No other part has been so satisfying. It was tough, but utterly compelling.’
Maxine Peake: ‘Hamlet was a way of accessing bits of me as an actress I’ve not been able to access before.’
Adrian Lester: ‘Working with Peter Brook on Hamlet changed me as an actor, and for the better.’
The book benefits from the author’s interviews with six leading directors of the play during these years: Greg Doran, Nicholas Hytner, Michael Grandage, John Caird, Sarah Frankcom and Simon Godwin. Many other productions are described, from those starring Michael Redgrave, Alec Guinness and Paul Scofield in the 1950s, to the performances of Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott and Paapa Essiedu in recent times. The volume also includes an updated text of the author’s earlier book Hamlet Observed, and an account of actors’ experiences of performing at Elsinore.
Populair, afgewezen, genegeerd, controversieel of gemiddeld
Authors: van der Wilt Femke , van der Veen Chiel , van Kruistum Claudia , van Oers Bert 
Published: June 2019

Abstract

Popular, rejected, neglected, controversial, or average: Do young children of different sociometric groups differ in their level of oral communicative competence?

Children’s sociometric status refers to their position within the peer group and plays a major role in their future social-cognitive development. It is therefore important to investigate factors that are related to it. Although it has been suggested that one of these factors is children’s level of oral communicative competence, little attention has been paid to its potential role. Therefore, the present study investigated sociometric group differences in the level of oral communicative competence in a sample of N = 570 children in early childhood education. Sociometric status was measured using a nomination procedure. Based on peer nominations, children were categorized into five sociometric groups: (1) popular (generally well-liked), (2) rejected (generally disliked), (3) neglected (low visibility and neither liked nor disliked), (4) controversial (high visibility and both liked and disliked), and (5) average (at or about the mean on both likability and visibility). In addition, children’s level of oral communicative competence was assessed with the Nijmegen Test for Pragmatics. Results of multi-level analyses revealed significant sociometric group differences: Children who were rejected or neglected by their peers exhibited lower levels of oral communicative competence than average children. Based on these findings, early childhood teachers are encouraged to pay more explicit attention to the promotion of their pupils’ oral communicative competence.
Effect of essential oils of Myrtaceae plants on the Penicillium commune
Authors: Tančinová Dana , Foltí­nová Denisa , Mašková Zuzana , Štefániková Jana , Árvay Július 
Published: June 2019

The aim of this research was to determine the inhibitory effect of vapor phase of five essential oils (EOs) on the growth of seven strains of Penicillium commune isolated from moldy milk products. Another objective was to determine the minimum inhibitory doses (in vitro and probit analyses) of EOs, which at concentration 625 μL.L-1 of air completely inhibited the growth of all strains. The antifungal activity was evaluated by the micro-atmosphere method. The essential oils used in this study were extract of plants from family Myrtaceae. Only one essential oil – clove (from Syzygium aromaticum L.; leaves) completely inhibited the growth of all strains during cultivation at 25 °C and 5 °C. Eucalyptus essential oil (from Eucaliptus globulus; leaves), tea tree essential oil (from Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel; leaves), cajeput essential oil (from Melaleuca leucadendra L.; leaves and twigs), niaouli essential oil (from Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T.Blake; leaves) have different effects on the growth of P. commune strains. The order of tested essential oils according to the inhibition effect on the growth of the strains of P. commune (from the strongest to the weakest effect) was: clove > tea tree > cajeput > niaouli > eucalyptus. Clove EO that completely inhibited the growth of all strains was used to determine minimum inhibitory doses (MIDs). The MIDs were 125 µL.L-1 of air for two strains of P. commune and 250 µL.L-1 of air for five strains of P. commune on the 7th and 14th day of cultivation, also. Using probit analysis, predicted MIDs90 and MIDs50 were calculated. The MIDs90 were determined from 104.93 to 301.37 µL.L-1 of air.
Understanding Nation and Nationalism
Authors: Kundra Nakul 
Published: June 2019

AbstractDivided into four sections, this review paper on nation and nationalism gives a snippet view of the complex1 concept of nation and nationalism. The first section of the paper outlines the idea of nation and nationalism and the complexities involved in framing its scientific definition. The second section touches on the main schools of thought in the discipline, whereas the third section cursorily traces the development of the discourse of nation and nationalism from Rousseau to Benedict Anderson and Partha Chatterjee. The fourth section explores the critical validity of the concept. The paper does not intend to identify and address any knowledge gap; it discusses the theoretical development of the intricate concept of nation and nationalism.
Darkenfloxx™ for Two: Kantian Morality and the Presentations of Suicide in George Saunders'sTenth of Decemberand David Foster Wallace's “Good Old Neon”
Authors: Ng Audrey 
Published: June 2019

AbstractGeorge Saunders and David Foster Wallace are two American prose writers who rose to prominence in the late twentieth century. This article reads their short stories alongside the formal philosophy of Immanuel Kant, an eighteenth-century German philosopher who argues that rationality is the source of morality. Fictional discourse informs, invigorates and deepens Kant's philosophical theories. The dialogue between Kant's universal moral laws and the particularized aesthetic treatment of existence in Saunders's Tenth of December and Wallace's “Good Old Neon” illuminates our understanding of suicide and self-worth. The short stories explore suicide as the occasion of self-discovery and autonomy and collectively establish an ethical model of human relations where the individual's value is not self-inherent as Kant argues, but embedded within societal claims.
Research of expression and correlation of ADAM8 and EGFR in the osteosarcoma tissue
Authors: Liu Yan , Wen Jie 
Published: June 2019

Objective: To lay a foundation for the research on the targeted therapy of osteosarcoma or the regulatory mechanism of the occurrence and development of osteosarcoma by studying the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 8 (ADAM8) and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) in osteosarcoma.Methods: Osteosarcoma tissues, osteochondroma tissues, osteoarthritis tissues and normal bone tissues were selected and included in this research. By use of tissue chips and immunohistochemistry, the expression levels of ADAM8 and EGFR in the previously-mentioned tissues were observed and compared. Spearman’s rank correlation test was used to analyze the correlation of ADAM8 and EGFR and their relationship with clinicopathological factors in these cases.Results: The positive expression levels of ADAM8 in osteosarcoma tissues, osteochondroma tissues, osteoarthritis tissues and normal bone tissues were 80.95%, 36.36%, 62.86% and 24.14% respectively, the difference was of statistical significance (p < .05); the positive expression levels of EGFR in osteosarcoma tissues, osteochondroma tissues, osteoarthritis tissues and normal bone tissues were 66.67%, 9.09%, 40.00% and 4.76% respectively, the difference was of statistical significance (p < .05); Spearman’s rank correlation test showed that ADAM8 was positively correlated with EGFR (r = .379, p < .05).Conclusions: Both ADAM8 and EGFR have a much higher expression in osteosarcoma tissues, and the combined detection of two indexes can be considered as a new method in the clinical diagnosis of osteosarcoma.
Redes personales de apoyo entre desplazados, desmovilizados y comunidad receptora
Authors: Sierra Yuly Carolina , Palacio Jorge , Madariaga Camilo , Ávila-Toscano José Hernando 
Published: June 2019

En Colombia miles de excombatientes ilegales cumplen un proceso de reintegración a la sociedad, siendo necesario comprender la forma como reconstruyen sus relaciones con las personas que los reciben en los nuevos escenarios sociales, dónde también se encuentran las víctimas de su accionar. Con el objetivo de analizar las redes personales de víctimas, desmovilizados y miembros de una comunidad receptora, se analizó mediante un estudio descriptivo las redes personales de 17 individuos (6 víctimas, 5 desmovilizados y 6 miembros de la comunidad receptora), quienes respondieron un cuestionario de redes mediante entrevista semiestructurada. Los resultados muestran redes poco densas entre los desmovilizados aunque con mejores recursos de apoyo que en los demás grupos. Existe poca integración con desmovilizados y víctimas en redes de la comunidad receptora y se observa preferencia por constituir relaciones con lazos fuertes.
Efficacy of Crude Extract from Candle Brush (Senna didymobotrya) Leaves against Aspergillus niger in Reduction of Post-harvest Losses in Tomatoes
Authors: Orwa C. A. , Njue L. G. 
Published: June 2019

Background: Senna didymobotrya grows naturally in East Africa and is commonly used to treat microbial infections by African communities due to the presence of various phytochemicals such as alkaloids, terpenoid, anthraquinones, tannins, saponins, phenols and flavonoids.
Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the crude extract of candle brush (Senna didymobotrya) leaves against Aspergillus niger in the reduction of post-harvest losses in tomatoes.
Methods: A completely randomised design with two treatments, each replicated six times was used. In this study. Dried leaves were ground into a fine powder and extracted using the Soxhlet apparatus with 100% methanol. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of the extract were determined against Aspergillus niger. The shelf life of tomatoes was determined by spraying the extract reconstituted in water at 0.4 g/ml and further analysed the total viable counts at three-day intervals and checking for the growth of mould, colour changes and odours as indicators of spoilage.
Results: After extraction 22 g of the crude extract was obtained from the dried leaves The MIC and MFC of the methanol crude extract against Aspergillus niger were 0.04 g/ml. The shelf life of the treated tomatoes was 14 days while for the untreated was 9 days. T-test results at (P0.05) showed a significant difference between the treated and untreated samples based on the total viable counts.
Conclusion: The crude extract of the candle brush inhibited the growth of Aspergillus niger in fresh tomatoes and also prolonged the shelf life of tomatoes for 14 days. Further studies should be done to evaluate the market acceptability of the tomatoes.
In vitro Susceptibility Pattern of Major Gram Negative Isolates to Selected Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Gupta Shalini , Mandale Pankaj 
Published: June 2019

Background: The choice of choosing right anti-microbial therapy in hospitals depends on the knowledge of local anti-microbial susceptibility profile. This retrospective study was conducted to assess the in vitro susceptibility pattern of different pathogen isolates to various antibiotics including Cefepime-Amikacin-Antibiotic resistant breakers (ARBs)* in various hospitals across the Jaipur City.
Methods: To characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of different isolates from various hospitals across the Jaipur City, a retrospective, observational analysis was done for antibiogram data. A total of 1201 Gram negative isolates collected during the period from January 2017 to December 2017 were included in the study. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done in accordance with the recommendations of Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines.
Results: Of the total 1201 Gram negative isolates included in this study, 51.6% were from wounds and pus specimens, 40.1% were from respiratory and 8.2% from blood. P. aeruginosa (49.7%) was the most frequently isolated pathogen distantly followed by A. baumannii (21.6%), K. pneumoniae (16.6%) and E. coli (12.1%). The highest susceptibility was reported to polymyxins (100%) including Colistin and Polymyxin B, among all the tested bacteria’s and system wise. Among all the antibiotic tested, (Cefepime-Amikacin-ARBs*) sensitivity ranged for 87.9% to 52% on pathogens (E. coli, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa) tested from samples of skin and soft tissue, respiratory tract, blood stream, followed by Meropenem ranged for 78.4% to 55% on pathogens (E. coli, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa), followed by ceftazidime-tazobactam ranged for 82.7% to 58% on pathogens (E. coli, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa) and 22.7% sensitive for A. baumannii to Cefoperazone sulbactam. Based on pathogen type, E. coli exhibited highest overall susceptibility and the lowest was reported by A. baumannii. The susceptibility of A. baumannii ranged from 1-26% to all the tested antibiotics except polymyxins with 100% susceptibility.
Conclusions: This in vitro susceptibility data suggests that Cefepime-Amikacin-ARBs* can serve as important therapeutic option for the treatment of various resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections to relieve the excess pressure on last resort antibiotics, carbapenems and other drugs including Colistin and polymyxin B. Cefepime-Amikacin-ARBs*on the basis of antimicrobial susceptibility data can be considered as an effective therapeutic option for carbapenems in treating gram negative bacterial infections, and could be considered as a broad spectrum antibiotic sparer’s like carbapenem, colistin and Polymyxin B.
Pattern of Blood Donation Practices among Students of a Nigerian University
Authors: I. Ugwu, N. , N. Ugwu C. , O. Oti W. J. , J. Uneke C. 
Published: June 2019

Background: Blood transfusion service is an indispensable component of health care. Despite the increased demand for blood, the supply of safe blood has been inadequate.
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the pattern of blood donation practices among medical students in Abakaliki.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at Ebonyi State University Abakaliki between October 2017 and March 2018. Stratified sampling technique was used to recruit participants from medical students using pre-tested, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire, to assess their pattern of blood donation practices. Data was analysed using SPSS software, version 20.
Results: One hundred and fifty eight medical students who participated in the study were made up of 90 (58.4%) males and 68 (41.6%) females. The most prevalent age group was 20 to 25years. One hundred and forty three (93%) of the participants were single. The most common blood group was O Rh positive, followed by A Rh positive then B Rh positive while AB Rh negative was the least. Majority of the participants have never donated blood. The minority who have ever donated blood, donated either once or twice and the donation was made for a family member or friend.
Conclusion: Participants were found to have poor pattern of blood donation practices. Misconception, fear, cultural and religious influences deter people from practicing voluntary non-remunerated blood donation. Conducting awareness and enlightenment programs regularly will help to keep them well informed and motivated to practice voluntary non-remunerated blood donation.
Bayesian Benefits for Binomial Applications in Practice
Authors: Tuyl Frank , Howley Peter 
Published: June 2019

Introduction: When it comes to the practice, and teaching, of statistics, the world has primarily focused on what is known as classical or frequentist methods, rather than Bayesian methods.
Scope of the Study: This paper demonstrates some beneficial properties of Bayesian methods within the commonly practiced domain of inference by utilizing consultancy case studies, one concerning an unusual sample size question and one on the detection of mail items with high biosecurity risk material.
Methods: We introduce through practical applications two more aspects of the Bayesian approach which we believe are invaluable to practitioners and instructors. Having in mind readers who may be less familiar with statistical software, we have added Excel instructions which are easy to translate for those who are familiar with any such software.
Findings: These cases reflect two valuable aspects for both practitioners and instructors which are unique to the Bayesian paradigm. They are: 1. including prior information to improve inference and how to apply sensitivity analysis to this inclusion and 2. the effortless inference for functions of parameters, compared with frequentist approaches. These examples involving the binomial parameter have not been considered from this perspective before, are of significant practical value and thus benefit students and instructors of courses teaching Bayesian techniques and endeavoring to include authentic learning experiences.
Methodological Flaws: A Review of Sample Masters Theses
Authors: Tulu Geberew , Tolosa Tigist , Page Linda 
Published: June 2019

This paper reports results of a review of Masters theses from four academic units at the College of Education and Behavioral Studies, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The purpose of this review was to explore and reflect on the appropriateness of research designs of Masters theses across four academic units. The review focused on the research designs, tools, methods of data analyses, and sampling used in the theses. A total of 121 Masters theses were randomly selected. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The review found similar research designs adopted by theses across each academic unit. Findings common to the theses under review include: qualitative data analysis was hardly explained using appropriate methods of qualitative data analysis. In addition, in most of the theses, the sample size was not determined and justified using the proper sample size calculation formula or justification. Therefore, there is a need for the college and academic units on how the research course instructors and supervisors support students to craft their research designs properly. Finally, the researchers suggest that more studies of this kind need to be conducted in the broader context in other higher education institutions in order to build up a more coherent picture of the area.
Peer victimization in single‐grade and multigrade classrooms
Authors: Rambaran J. Ashwin , van Duijn Marijtje A. J. , Dijkstra Jan Kornelis , Veenstra René 
Published: June 2019

AbstractAlthough peer victimization mainly takes place within classrooms, little is known about the impact of the classroom context. To this end, we examined whether single‐grade and multigrade classrooms (referring to classrooms with one and two grades in the same room) differ in victim–bully relationships in a sample of elementary school children (646 students; age 8–12 years; 50% boys). The occurrence of victim–bully relationships was similar in single‐grade and multigrade classrooms formed for administrative reasons, but lower in multigrade classrooms formed for pedagogical reasons. Social network analyses did not provide evidence that peer victimization depended on age differences between children in any of the three classroom contexts. Moreover, in administrative multigrade classrooms, cross‐grade victim–bully relationships were less likely than same‐grade victim–bully relationships. The findings did not indicate that children in administrative multigrade classrooms are better or worse off in terms of victim–bully relationships than are children in single‐grade classrooms.
Connectivity‐based selection of optimal deep brain stimulation contacts: A feasibility study
Authors: Krishna Vibhor , Sammartino Francesco , Rabbani Qinwan , Changizi Barbara , Agrawal Punit , Deogaonkar Milind , Knopp Michael , Young Nicole , Rezai Ali 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe selection of optimal deep brain stimulation (DBS) parameters is time‐consuming, experience‐dependent, and best suited when acute effects of stimulation can be observed (e.g., tremor reduction).ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that optimal stimulation location can be estimated based on the cortical connections of DBS contacts.MethodsWe analyzed a cohort of 38 patients with Parkinson's disease (24 training, and 14 test cohort). Using whole‐brain probabilistic tractography, we first mapped the cortical regions associated with stimulation‐induced efficacy (rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor improvement) and side effects (paresthesia, motor contractions, and visual disturbances). We then trained a support vector machine classifier to categorize DBS contacts into efficacious, defined by a therapeutic window ≥2 V (threshold for side effect minus threshold for efficacy), based on their connections with cortical regions associated with efficacy versus side effects. The connectivity‐based classifications were then compared with actual stimulation contacts using receiver‐operating characteristics (ROC) curves.ResultsUnique cortical clusters were associated with stimulation‐induced efficacy and side effects. In the training dataset, 42 of the 47 stimulation contacts were accurately classified as efficacious, with a therapeutic window of ≥3 V in 31 (66%) and between 2 and 2.9 V in 11 (24%) electrodes. This connectivity‐based estimation was successfully replicated in the test cohort with similar accuracy (area under ROC = 0.83).ConclusionsCortical connections can predict the efficacy of DBS contacts and potentially facilitate DBS programming. The clinical utility of this paradigm in optimizing DBS outcomes should be prospectively tested, especially for directional electrodes.