bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Activation of the tryptophan/serotonin pathway is associated with severity and predicts outcomes in pneumonia: results of a long-term cohort study
Authors: Meier Marc A. , Ottiger Manuel , Vögeli Alaadin , Steuer Christian , Bernasconi Luca , Thomann Robert , Christ-Crain Mirjam , Henzen Christoph , Hoess Claus , Zimmerli Werner , Huber Andreas , Mueller Beat , Schuetz Philipp 
Published: January 2017

AbstractBackground:As part of the immune defense during infection, an increase in enzyme activity of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) leads to a breakdown of tryptophan to kynurenine. In previous animal studies, therapeutic antagonism of IDO resulted in reduced sepsis mortality. We investigated the prognostic ability of tryptophan, serotonin, kynurenine and IDO (represented by the ratio of kynurenine/tryptophan) to predict adverse clinical outcomes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).Methods:We measured tryptophan, serotonin and kynurenine on admission plasma samples from CAP patients included in a previous multicenter trial by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We studied their association with inflammation (C-reactive protein), infection (procalcitonin) and clinical outcome.Results:Mortality in the 268 included patients was 45% within 6 years of follow-up. IDO and kynurenine showed a strong positive correlation with markers of infection (procalcitonin) and inflammation (C-reactive protein) as well as sepsis and CAP severity scores. Tryptophan showed similar, but negative correlations. In a multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and comorbidities, higher IDO activity and lower tryptophan levels were strongly associated with short-term adverse outcome defined as death and/or ICU admission within 30 days with adjusted odds ratios of 9.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–59.5, p=0.021] and 0.11 (95% CI 0.02–0.70, p=0.021). Multivariate analysis did not reveal significant associations for kynurenine and serotonin.Conclusions:In hospitalized CAP patients, higher IDO activity and lower tryptophan levels independently predicted disease severity and short-term adverse outcome. Whether therapeutic modulation of IDO has positive effects on outcome needs further investigation.
On generalized σ,τ-n-derivations in prime near-rings
Authors: Ashraf Mohammad , Siddeeque Mohammad Aslam 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
In the present paper, we introduce the notion of generalized

(
σ
,
τ
)

{(\sigma,\tau)}

-n-derivations in a near-ring N and investigate a property involving generalized

(
σ
,
τ
)

{(\sigma,\tau)}

-n-derivations of a prime near-ring N, which makes N a commutative ring. Additive commutativity of a prime near-ring N satisfying certain identities involving generalized

(
σ
,
τ
)

{(\sigma,\tau)}

-n-derivations is also obtained.
Response Surface Optimization and Kinetics of Isopropyl Palmitate Synthesis using Homogeneous Acid Catalyst
Authors: Chandane Vishal S. , Rathod Ajit P. , Wasewar Kailas L. , Sonawane Shriram S. 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
Fatty acid esters (FAE) are widely applied in the field of cosmetics, personal care products and various other allied applications. This work describes the synthesis of isopropyl palmitate (FAE) by esterification of palmitic acid with isopropyl alcohol catalyzed by p-toluene sulfonic acid (p-TSA) in a batch reactor. Response surface methodology (RSM) with Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD) was employed to design the experiments as well as to optimize the conversion of palmitic acid. The effects of various process parameters namely catalyst amount, molar ratio of alcohol to acid and reaction temperature on conversion of palmitic acid were evaluated. The high correlation coefficient (R2=0.973) between model and experimental data indicated that the data fitted well in the model. The optimal process conditions were found to be, catalyst amount of 5 % (wt/wt), molar ratio of alcohol to acid of 7:1 and temperature of 82 °C. Moreover, the kinetic model was developed at these optimized process conditions using second order kinetics and validated with experimental results. The kinetic model and experimental results were found to be in good agreement. The kinetic rate constants and equilibrium constant increased with increase in temperature. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor were found to be 45.21 kJ mol−1 and 1.96×105 L mol−1 h−1 respectively. The optimized process parameters obtained from RSM, equilibrium rate constants and the parameters evaluated from kinetic model may be useful for the simulation of pervaporation reactor and reactive distillation column for the synthesis of isopropyl palmitate.
Genetic Programming based Drag Model with Improved Prediction Accuracy for Fluidization Systems
Authors: Sonolikar R. R. , Patil M. P. , Mankar R. B. , Tambe S. S. , Kulkarni B. D. 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
The drag coefficient plays a vital role in the modeling of gas-solid flows. Its knowledge is essential for understanding the momentum exchange between the gas and solid phases of a fluidization system, and correctly predicting the related hydrodynamics. There exists a number of models for predicting the magnitude of the drag coefficient. However, their major limitation is that they predict widely differing drag coefficient values over same parameter ranges. The parameter ranges over which models possess a good drag prediction accuracy are also not specified explicitly. Accordingly, the present investigation employs Geldart’s group B particles fluidization data from various studies covering wide ranges of Re and εs
to propose a new unified drag coefficient model. A novel artificial intelligence based formalism namely genetic programming (GP) has been used to obtain this model. It is developed using the pressure drop approach, and its performance has been assessed rigorously for predicting the bed height, pressure drop, and solid volume fraction at different magnitudes of Reynolds number, by simulating a 3D bubbling fluidized bed. The new drag model has been found to possess better prediction accuracy and applicability over a much wider range of Re and εs
than a number of existing models. Owing to the superior performance of the new drag model, it has a potential to gainfully replace the existing drag models in predicting the hydrodynamic behavior of fluidized beds.
Ethnopharmacological investigation of the aerial part of Phragmites karka (Poaceae)
Authors: Sultan Ramiz Ahmed , Kabir Mohammad Shah Hafez , Uddin Mir Muhammad Nasir , Uddin Mohi , Mahmud Zobaer Al , Raihan Sheikh Zahir , Qais Nazmul 
Published: January 2017

Abstract

Background:
In this ethnopharmacological study, methanolic extract of the aerial plant parts of Phragmites karka (Family: Poaceae) and its petroleum ether and carbon tetrachloride fractions were investigated for bioactivities in Swiss-albino mice, namely, analgesic, central nervous system (CNS) depressant, hypoglycemic, and antidiarrheal activity.

Methods:
The cold methanolic extract of the aerial plant parts of Phragmites karka (MEPK) was first prepared, and it was then further fractionated as petroleum ether (PEFMEPK) and carbon tetrachloride (CTFMEPK) fractions. Analgesic activity was performed employing acidic acid-induced writhing test, central analgesic effect by radiant heat tail-flick method. CNS depressant activity was evaluated by phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time test. Hypoglycemic activity was tested by glucose tolerance test (GTT). Antidiarrheal activity was evaluated by castor oil-induced diarrhea method. For all in vivo tests, doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight were used.

Results:
In the mice model, the MEPK, PEFMEPK, and CTFMEPK fractions showed significant peripheral analgesic activity at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight with percentage of inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing 77.67 (p<0.001), 33.50 (p<0.001), and 40.29 (p<0.001), respectively, compared to the standard dichlofenac (60.68%, p<0.001) group. The hypoglycemic properties of MEPK, PEFMEPK, and CTFMEPK extracts were evaluated in normoglycemic mice where the reduction of blood glucose level after 30 min of glucose load were 69.85%, 78.91%, and 72.73%, respectively, and for standard glibenclamide, the reduction was 72.85%. All results were significant (p<0.05). In the case of the CNS depressant activity by phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time test, the crude ME significantly reduced sleep latency by 57.14% and increased the duration of sleep by 63.29% compared to the control, which were comparable to that of standard diazepam (65.71% and 77.62%, respectively). Among all the extract and fractions, methanolic extract showed the maximum antidiarrheal effect. The methanolic extract at 200 mg/kg dose induced a significant decrease in the total number of defecation in 4 h (69.05% of inhibition, p<0.001) and at 400 mg/kg dose showed 76.19% of inhibition (p<0.001).

Conclusions:
In light of the available literature, these findings represent the first experimental investigation of biological activities of P. karka in the perspective of their traditional use.
Strength of the Shoulder Rotators in Second-League Volleyball Players
Authors: Popieluch Aneta , Staniszewski Michał , Wychowański Michał 
Published: January 2017

Abstract

Introduction.
The main aim of the study was to assess the strength of the shoulder rotator muscles of a group of second-league volleyball players. These muscles are assumed to have a crucial impact on attack effectiveness in volleyball. Strength was assessed based on peak torque values obtained for the rotator muscles measured using the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) method. Torque was measured in both limbs and the differences between the two limbs were examined. The torque values obtained for the volleyball players were also compared against those measured in a group of students who had never trained any sports.

Material and methods.
The study involved 20 students (mean age = 20 ± 1 years) who played in the second league when the study was conducted. Their results were compared with those of a control group consisting of 30 students (mean age = 20 ± 1 years) who had not trained any sports. Peak torque of the shoulder rotator muscles was measured during external and internal rotation of the shoulder in isometric conditions. The assessment was performed on a special measuring station with the forearm in a vertical and horizontal position. The following basic statistics were calculated for the torque values obtained in the measurement: the mean, standard deviation, minimum value, and maximum value. The data were then subjected to statistical testing.

Results.
Compared to the students, the volleyball players had higher torque values of the internal and external rotators of the right and left shoulders, in both positions of the forearm. When the results obtained for the right and left limbs were compared for the group of volleyball players, it was found that the torque values for the right limb, which was the dominant limb, were significantly higher than those recorded for the left limb. The study also showed that the position of the forearm had an impact on torque values: when the forearm was in a horizontal position, higher mean values were obtained for the external rotators of the right (p < 0.05) and left (p < 0.01) limbs, and when it was in a vertical one, the internal rotators were stronger compared to the external rotators.

Conclusions.
The shoulder rotator muscles of the volleyball players were found to be considerably stronger than those of the students, and the rotators of the dominant limb were significantly stronger than those of the non-dominant limb in the group of volleyball players. The position of the forearm had a considerable impact on the strength of the internal and external rotator muscles. The maximal voluntary contraction method used in the study can be helpful in measuring the strength of the shoulder rotator muscles in any phase of the training process.
Religiös-spirituelle Dimension bei psychischen Krankheiten – Depression: positive und negative Auswirkungen religiösen Erlebens
Authors: Reischies Friedel M. 
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung
Religiosität wird als Schutzfaktor gegen Depression dargestellt. Es gibt positive religiöse Einflüsse wie positive Bewältigungsmechanismen der Depression und religiöse Mechanismen der Resilienz gegen ein Auftreten einer Depression. Es gibt aber auch negative religiöse Erlebnisse. Das zweischneidige Schwert der Religion bei der Depression wird in den Vordergrund gestellt. In der Zukunft ist die Rolle der Religiosität in der Psychiatrie der Depression mehr zu beachten. Die Art religiösen Erlebens des Patienten sollte diagnostisch wahrgenommen und berücksichtigt werden, vor allem jedoch auch in der Psychotherapie. Besonders gilt dies für die negativen religiösen Erlebensweisen.
Public discourse syndrome: Reformulating for clarity
Authors: Skopal Dana P. , Herke Maria 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe purpose of this article is to provide insights into the processes of public discourse and how information can be reformulated for public consumption. The article draws on data from readability research of public information documents conducted in Australia. Public information documents need to be understood by members of the public and a lexicogrammatical analysis, centred on a Theme and Rheme analysis, provides a platform through which readability, or a text’s coherence, can be further examined. The readability data combined with text analyses demonstrate readers’ preferences for clearer Theme structures and coherent development of information within the Rheme. The analysis highlights the functional differences between a text-section judged as difficult-to-read and a text-section preferred by the reader-participants, providing insights into the requirements for achieving clearer public discourse.
Hydrogen and Carbon Vapour Pressure Isotope Effects in Liquid Fluoroform Studied by Density Functional Theory
Authors: Oi Takao , Mitome Ryota , Yanase Satoshi 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
H/D and 12C/13C vapour pressure isotope effects (VPIEs) in liquid fluoroform (CHF3) were studied at the MPW1PW91/6-31 ++ G(d) level of theory. The CHF3 monomer and CHF3 molecules surrounded by other CHF3 molecules in every direction in CHF3 clusters were used as model molecules of vapour and liquid CHF3. Although experimental results in which the vapour pressure of liquid 12CHF3 is higher than that of liquid 12CDF3 and the vapour pressure of liquid 13CHF3 is higher than that of liquid 12CHF3 between 125 and 212 K were qualitatively reproduced, the present calculations overestimated the H/D VPIE and underestimated the 12C/13C VPIE. Temperature-dependent intermolecular interactions between hydrogen and fluorine atoms of neighbouring molecules were required to explain the temperature dependences of both H/D and 12C/13C VPIEs.
Vividness of Visual Imagery Depends on the Neural Overlap with Perception in Visual Areas
Authors: Dijkstra Nadine , Bosch Sander E. , van Gerven Marcel A.J. 
Published: January 2017

Research into the neural correlates of individual differences in imagery vividness point to an important role of the early visual cortex. However, there is also great fluctuation of vividness within individuals, such that only looking at differences between people necessarily obscures the picture. In this study, we show that variation in moment-to-moment experienced vividness of visual imagery, within human subjects, depends on the activity of a large network of brain areas, including frontal, parietal, and visual areas. Furthermore, using a novel multivariate analysis technique, we show that the neural overlap between imagery and perception in the entire visual system correlates with experienced imagery vividness. This shows that the neural basis of imagery vividness is much more complicated than studies of individual differences seemed to suggest.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTVisual imagery is the ability to visualize objects that are not in our direct line of sight: something that is important for memory, spatial reasoning, and many other tasks. It is known that the better people are at visual imagery, the better they can perform these tasks. However, the neural correlates of moment-to-moment variation in visual imagery remain unclear. In this study, we show that the more the neural response during imagery is similar to the neural response during perception, the more vivid or perception-like the imagery experience is.
A Quality Improvement Project to Decrease Human Milk Errors in the NICU
Authors: Oza-Frank Reena , Kachoria Rashmi , Dail James , Green Jasmine , Walls Krista , McClead Richard E. 
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUD AND OBJECTIVE
Ensuring safe human milk in the NICU is a complex process with many potential points for error, of which one of the most serious is administration of the wrong milk to the wrong infant. Our objective was to describe a quality improvement initiative that was associated with a reduction in human milk administration errors identified over a 6-year period in a typical, large NICU setting.

METHODS:
We employed a quasi-experimental time series quality improvement initiative by using tools from the model for improvement, Six Sigma methodology, and evidence-based interventions. Scanned errors were identified from the human milk barcode medication administration system. Scanned errors of interest were wrong-milk-to-wrong-infant, expired-milk, or preparation errors. The scanned error rate and the impact of additional improvement interventions from 2009 to 2015 were monitored by using statistical process control charts.

RESULTS:
From 2009 to 2015, the total number of errors scanned declined from 97.1 per 1000 bottles to 10.8. Specifically, the number of expired milk error scans declined from 84.0 per 1000 bottles to 8.9. The number of preparation errors (4.8 per 1000 bottles to 2.2) and wrong-milk-to-wrong-infant errors scanned (8.3 per 1000 bottles to 2.0) also declined.

CONCLUSIONS:
By reducing the number of errors scanned, the number of opportunities for errors also decreased. Interventions that likely had the greatest impact on reducing the number of scanned errors included installation of bedside (versus centralized) scanners and dedicated staff to handle milk.
Revisão sistemática: as principais complicações do acidente botrópico
Authors: Dos Santos Karla Camargo , De Almeida Mariana Miranda , Pessoa Anita De Moura , Saddi Vera Aparecida , Da Silva Júnior Nelson Jorge 
Published: January 2017

Resumo: Os acidentes ofídicos representam grave problema de saúde pública nas regiões tropicais devido à sua elevada incidência e morbimortalidade, especialmente os causados por jararacas. O presente artigo teve por objetivo conhecer, por meio de revisão
da literatura, as principais complicações dos acidentes botrópicos. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática através da análise de artigos científicos sobre o tema, com artigos de revisão, originais e casos clínicos escritos nos idiomas português, inglês datados entre o período de 2004 a 2015. O veneno botrópico é uma mistura de peptídeos
e proteínas farmacologicamente ativas, que induzem sintomas clássicos, aliado às frequentes infecções locais, trazendo diversas complicações a vítima. O veneno da jararaca fica armazenado no local da picada, causando forte lesão proteolítica com complicações locais como a dor, o edema, equimoses, bolhas, necrose, abscessos, celulite, erisipela, síndrome compartimental e déficit funcional e nas sistêmicas: a hemorragia, nefrotoxicidade, choque circulatório e insuficiência
renal aguda.
Palavras-chave: Acidentes com serpentes. Bothrops. Complicações.
Exames citológicos sugestivos de infecção pelo Papilomavírus Humano
Authors: Libera Larisse Silva Dalla , Alves Gracyely Nabratylva De Sousa , De Souza Haynslaine Gabriel , Carvalho Maria Adriana Santos , Saddi Vera Aparecida 
Published: January 2017

Resumo: Esse trabalho visou analisar a prevalência de alterações citológicas sugestivas de infecção por HPV, em resultados
de amostras cervicais de mulheres atendidas em uma unidade de pronto atendimento. Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo descritivo, que utilizou como fonte de coleta de dados, fichas laudadas de exame citológico de pacientes atendidas na Unidade CAIS Progresso do município de Anápolis, Goiás. Dentre 3.831 fichas de exame citológico cervical,
somente 24 apresentaram alterações citopatológicas e, destas, nove foram classificadas com algum tipo de neoplasia intraepitelial cervical (NIC). Houve periodicidade do exame preventivo em mais de 50% dos casos alterados. Mesmo com a periodicidade do exame citológico houve casos de alterações citopatológicas que podem sugerir uma possível
infecção pelo HPV e consequentemente o desenvolvimento do câncer cervical.
Palavras-chave: Câncer cervical. Papilomavírus humano. Papanicolau.
Avaliação dos níveis glicêmicos, de hemoglobina glicada (A1C) e hemoglobinas variantes em policiais militares do Estado de Goiás, Brasil
Authors: De Melo Neto José Rodrigues , Figueiredo Rodrigo Moura , Costa Carla Danielle Dias , Penna Karlla Greick Batista Dias , De Alcântara Keila Correia , Costa Sérgio Henrique Nascente 
Published: January 2017

Resumo: A prevalência de diabetes mellitus (DM) na população mundial tem sofrido um aumento dramático. A hemoglobina glicada A1C é útil para o diagnóstico da DM, mas hemoglobinopatias podem interferir com o teste, e devem ser levadas em consideração. Investigar a prevalência de DM e hemoglobinopatias entre policiais militares no Estado
de Goiás, Brasil. Entre agosto de 2014 e abril de 2015, policiais militares foram convidados a fornecer amostra de sangue para os testes de índices de glicemia, hemoglobina glicada e de investigação das variantes de hemoglobina. Os índices glicêmicos foram avaliados através da medição do nível de glicose em jejum com equipamento automatizado
A15 do BioSystems®; para A1C utilizou-se equipamento flexor EL200 (ELITech®) e para hemoglobina foi realizada eletroforese em pH alcalino. As amostras com hemoglobina anormal foram confirmadas por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência (HPLC). Também mediu-se a hemoglobina A2 por troca iônica, com kits BioSystems®. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas utilizando o programa GraphPad Prism Versão 5.4. O estudo incluiu 396 policiais, com idades entre 23 e 57 anos. DM foi detectado em 2,3% dos indivíduos com correlação positiva (r = 0,641; p =
A expressão da IL-17A por melanócitos neoplásicos e seu possível envolvimento no escape da resposta imune antitumoral
Authors: Nunes Larissa Mesquita , Sobrinho Hermínio Maurício Da Rocha , Silva Camila de Magalhães Nardelli , Modesto Déborah Capel , Marinho Larissa Cardoso , Wastowski Isabela Jubé 
Published: January 2017

Resumo: A expressão da citocina pró-inflamatória interleucina 17 (IL-17), produzida especialmente por células Th17
por melanócitos neoplásicos pode contribuir para o crescimento das células tumorais e a angiogênese, colaborando para
o escape da resposta imune tumoral. Objetivo: avaliar a expressão da citocina IL-17 em amostras histológicas de 47
pacientes com diagnóstico de melanoma atendidos em um Hospital de Oncologia de Goiânia-GO. Método: as amostras
histológicas dos pacientes diagnosticados com melanoma foram avaliadas pelo método de imunohistoquímica. Resultados:
dos 47 pacientes avaliados, 14 eram do sexo masculino, idade 76 ± 12 anos e 33 eram do sexo feminino, com idade
média de 63 ± 19 anos. Houve uma correlação positiva entre a expressão tecidual de IL-17 e a presença de metástases
(p