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Based on elements and passages from the work of Graça Graúna, an indigenous Potiguara scholar, this article discusses the important contribution of contemporary indigenous literature to the renewal of social theory about Brazil and its people, tensioning the hegemonic Brazilian sociology in our representation of national society, with emphasis on overcoming the ethnic invisibilization crossed by the desire for social emancipation in pluricultural perspective. Based on the study of the indigenous issue and Indianism in Brazilian literature, from the chronicles of travelers and missionaries in the colonial period to the present day, as well as the author’s own reading of these canons, it is shown how the original peoples were being converted, excluded, made captives, associated with losers and subspecies. That is, erased from the condition of subjects and their sociocultural realities by the efforts undertaken by the Brazilian intelligentsia in order to propagate ideas about the Brazilian people and its identity as a Eurocentered nation. Finally, Graça Graúna’s interpretation of education and human rights and her actions against the thesis of the “Temporal Framework” and in the sorority to indigenous relatives are pointed out. It is the expectation of these reflections and analyses to shed light on literary projects aligned with indigenous cosmologies, self-histories and knowledge in the production of a social thought with a decolonial perspective and feminist sensibility, in the construction of new collective and utopic project(s) for the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare high-grade malignant subtype of chondrosarcoma that is characterized by undifferentiated, round, or spindled mesenchymal cells, interspersed with islands of hyaline cartilage. We report a primary intracranial extra-axial mesenchymal chondrosarcoma in a 16-month-old patient with a review of the literature focusing on intracranial extra-axial MCs with or without skull involvement in pediatric patients, including differential diagnosis. The patient was admitted with a swelling in the right temporooccipital region. There was intracranial extra-dural extension of the mass, which abuts the neural parenchyma without any invasion. A complete tumor resection was performed. Pathological diagnosis was mesenchymal chondrosarcoma. The patient was free of symptoms after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective communication is critical in healthcare facilitation. Our aim is to illustrate the impact of digital communication tools in the field of neurosurgery based on the cumulative recently published reports to show an evidence-based review of both benefits and limitations. We performed a systematic review of records published from January 2003 to March 2018. A specific set of keywords such as "digital" and "communication" were used on PubMed database to conduct a thorough online search. 13 articles, out of 52, were comprehensively studied after complying with our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Many of the reviewed studies reported several applications of digital health communication tools in neurosurgery including 46% (6/13) in the Emergency Room and 23% (3/13) in the Operating Room. 38.5% (5/13) were applied in teaching hospitals. Reviewed studies were divided into two groups according to their applications (interventional (3/13) and non-interventional (10/13)). In the Emergency Room, digital health tools facilitated timely diagnosis and management, while in the operating room it permitted revolutionary robotic surgery. It showed potential for "no-risk learning" at academic institutions. While the fruitful impacts were convincing of the digital communication tools' ability to enhance healthcare in neurosurgery, proper adherence to regulations against data loss and theft, two potential complications of digital tool misuse, must be maintained. Additionally, both time efficiency and the necessity of waiting for better implementation of communication tools proved to be obstacles to consistent digital tool integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory-related lipid transfer protein 5 (StarD5) on liver cholesterol/lipid homeostasis is not clearly defined. The ablation of StarD5 was analyzed in mice on a normal or Western diet (WD) to determine its importance in hepatic lipid accumulation and fibrosis compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Rescue experiments in StarD5−/− mice and hepatocytes were performed. In addition to increased hepatic triglyceride (TG)-cholesterol levels, global StarD5−/− mice fed a normal diet displayed reduced plasma triglycerides and liver very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion as compared with WT counterparts. Insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) scoring were elevated, demonstrating developing insulin resistance (IR). WD-fed StarD5−/− mice upregulated WW domain containing transcription regulator 1 (TAZ or WWTR1) expression with accelerated liver fibrosis when compared with WD-fed WT mice. Suppression of oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7B1) coupled with chronic accumulation of toxic oxysterol levels correlated with presentation of fibrosis. "Hepatocyte-selective" StarD5 overexpression in StarD5−/− mice restored expression, reduced hepatic triglycerides, and improved HOMA-IR. Observations in two additional mouse and one human metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) model were supportive. The downregulation of StarD5 with hepatic lipid excess is a previously unappreciated physiological function appearing to promote lipid storage for future needs. Conversely, lingering downregulation of StarD5 with prolonged lipid-cholesterol excess accelerates fatty liver's transition to fibrosis; mediated via dysregulation in the oxysterol signaling pathway. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: We have found that deletion of the cholesterol transport protein StarD5 in mice leads to an increase in insulin resistance and lipid accumulation due to the upregulation of lipid synthesis and decrease VLDL secretion from the liver. In addition, deletion of StarD5 increased fibrosis when mice were fed a Western diet. This represents a novel pathway of fibrosis development in the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) have been described in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with possible etiologies including autoimmunity, drug related toxicity, and recurrent infections. A comprehensive study of ILD in MDS patients has not been previously performed. Out of 827 consecutive biopsy proven MDS patients seen at our institution from June 1970–May 2010, 18 (2%) were found to have ILD. There was no statistical significance in baseline characteristics between patients with ILD (ILD +) vs those without ILD (ILD−). Cytogenetic studies were reported in 14 ILD + patients out of whom 43% had 5q- abnormalities (21% isolated and 22% part of complex karyotype). Prevalence of high risk MDS was similar between both groups (22% vs 29% in ILD−) with similar overall survival. ILD was diagnosed prior to MDS in the majority of cases (72%) with a median time to MDS diagnosis of 22.3 months. Our study suggests that ILD are present in a higher percentage than anticipated in the MDS population. Deletion 5q was frequent in ILD+ cases and this requires further study. Prior MDS treatment and autoimmunity seemed to play no significant role in ILD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have reported the beneficial effects of antioxidants in human diseases. Among their biological effects, a majority of antioxidants scavenge reactive radicals in the body, thereby reducing oxidative stress that is associated with the pathogenesis of many diseases. Antioxidant dendrimers are a new class of potent antioxidant compounds reported recently. In this study, six polyphenol-based antioxidant dendrimers with or without electron donating groups (methoxy group) were synthesized in order to elucidate the influence of electron donating groups (EDG) on their antioxidant activities. Syringaldehyde (2 ortho methoxy groups), vanillin (1 ortho methoxy group), and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (0 methoxy group) were derivatized with propargylamine to form building blocks for the dendrimers. All the six dendrimers contain polyether cores, which were synthesized by attaching pentaerythritol and methyl α- d -glucopyranoside to in-house prepared spacer units. To prepare generation 1 antioxidant dendrimers, microwave energy and granulated metallic copper catalyst were used to link the cores and building blocks together via alkyne-azide 1,3-cycloaddition click chemistry. These reaction conditions resulted in high yields of the target dendrimers that were free from copper contamination. Based on DPPH antioxidant assay, antioxidant dendrimers decorated with syringaldehyde and vanillin exhibited over 70- and 170-fold increase in antioxidant activity compared to syringaldehyde and vanillin, respectively. The antioxidant activity of dendrimers increased with increasing number of EDG groups. Similar results were obtained when the dendrimers were used to protect DNA and human LDL against organic carbon and nitrogen-based free radicals. In addition, the antioxidant dendrimers did not show any pro-oxidant activity on DNA in the presence of physiological amounts of copper. Although the dendrimers showed potent antioxidant activities against carbon and nitrogen free radicals, EPR and DNA protection studies revealed lack of effectiveness of these dendrimers against hydroxyl radicals. The dendrimers were not cytotoxic to CHO-K1 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing loss (HL) is a significant public health issue in developing countries like Jordan, yet it remains under-prioritized due to competing healthcare agendas and limited resources. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on HL in Jordan and provides an overview of the country's hearing healthcare situation. A narrative review was conducted by searching databases including PubMed and Scopus using the search keywords 'hearing loss’, 'deaf', 'hearing healthcare', 'audiology', and 'Jordan', to identify relevant literature on HL epidemiology, impact, and hearing healthcare services. Official national statistics on HL across the population are lacking. Estimates of HL from local research for newborns align with international averages but exceed global levels for infants with risk factors. The estimates for adults suggest a lower prevalence compared to global reports. Most studies focus on the negative psychosocial and educational impacts on Jordanians with HL. Enhancements in hearing healthcare services are needed to improve access, affordability, and quality of audiology services across the country. Research and governmental efforts are necessary to establish national-level official statistics, implement effective prevention strategies, and improve audiological services. This requires integrated healthcare policies, community-based interventions, and international cooperation to reduce the burden of HL and foster more inclusive societies in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Celiac Disease (CD) is associated with increased susceptibility to certain bacterial and viral infections. Herpes zoster (HZ) is a viral infection that can be prevented by immunization. In the US, the vaccine is recommended for adults ≥ 50 or ≥ 19 with certain at-risk conditions, not including CD. Aims: We aimed to determine if adult patients aged < 50 or ≥ 50 years with CD had a higher risk of developing HZ. Methods: We designed a retrospective cohort study. CD was defined as patients with the ICD-10 code for CD and positive Celiac serology. Patients with negative serology and lacking CD ICD-10 codes served as controls. Patients who had HZ before CD diagnosis were excluded. We formed two sub-cohorts, those aged < 50 (cohort 1) and aged ≥ 50 years (cohort 2), and evaluated HZ infection at 10-year follow-up. To account for confounding variables, we performed 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). Results: Following PSM, cohort 1 had 6,826 CD patients, and cohort 2 had 5,337 CD patients and respective matched controls. After ten years of follow-up, in cohort 1, 62 CD patients developed HZ versus 57 controls, RR: 1.09 (CI: 0.76–1.56, p-value = 0.64). In cohort 2, 200 CD patients developed HZ versus 159 controls, RR: 1.2 (CI: 1.02–1.54, p-value = 0.03). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the likelihood of getting HZ in CD patients < 50, although CD patients ≥ 50 had a modestly increased risk. Our findings do not support routine early vaccination for HZ in CD, and the vaccine should be offered at age 50. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Acidity- and size-controlled SAPO-34 zeolites were prepared via a hydrothermal method. • The SAPO-34 catalysts were tested to convert ethylene to propylene (ETP) directly. • Proper size and acidity of the SAPO-34 catalyst were required for an efficient ETP process. Acidity- and size-controlled SAPO-34 zeolites were prepared via a hydrothermal method by controlling the type and ratio of the structure-directing agents (SDA) such as tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) and/or morpholine (MP). The SAPO-34 catalysts were applied and tested for their ability to convert ethylene to propylene (ETP) directly. The propylene formation from ethylene showed a volcano-type trend with a crystal size of 0.3–13 μm of the SAPO-34 zeolite by changing the ratio of TEAOH and MP. In addition, the propylene yield increased with an increase in the Si/(Si + P + Al) ratio from 0.042 to 0.105 and decreased at a Si/(Si + P + Al) ratio of 0.119. The results show that the proper size and acidity of the SAPO-34 catalyst with controlling the ratio of TEAOH and MP are required for an efficient ETP transformation process. The improved catalytic performance achieved while controlling the size and acidity may be related to number and strength of the active acid sites on the SAPO-34 zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study which aimed to determine the physical characteristics of broiler carcasses based on body weight, was done at the Laboratory of Animal Product Processing Technology, Animal Husbandry, Universitas Padjadjaran, using 25 broilers strain Coobb with body weight between 1.3 - 1.7 kg. Analysis equipment used is analytical scales, thermometers and penetrometers to observe the carcass percentage, meat percentage, tenderness, water holding capacity, and cooking losses. This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments of T-1 (BW 1.3 kg), T-2 (BW 1.4 kg), T-3 (BW 1.5 kg), T-4 (BW 1.6 kg) and T-5 (BW 1.7 kg). Results indicated that the treatment had significant affected (P> 0.05) the carcass percentage, meat percentage, tenderness, water holding capacity, and cooking losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syringaldehyde- and vanillin-based antioxidant dendrimers were synthesized via microwave-assisted alkyne--azide 1,3-dipolar cydoaddition using copper granules as a catalyst The use of Cu(l) as a catalyst resulted in copper contaminated dendrimers. To produce copper-free antioxidant dendrimers for biological applications, Cu(I) was substituted with copper granules. Copper granules were ineffective at both room temperature and under reflux conditions (<5% yield). However, they were an excellent catalyst when dendrimer synthesis was performed under microwave irradiation, giving yields up to 94% within 8 h. ICP-mass analysis of the antioxidant dendrimers obtained with this method showed virtually no copper contamination (9 ppm), which was the same as the background level. The synthesized antioxidants, free from copper contamination, demonstrated potent radical scavenging with IC50 values of less than 3 µM in the 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyI (DPPH) assay. In comparison, dendrimers synthesized from Cu(I)-catalyzed click chemistry showed a high level of copper contamination (4800 ppm) and no detectable antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]