bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Геннадий Михайлович Козубов. 90 лет со дня рождения
Authors: Плюснина Светлана Николаевна
Published: April 2018

Десять лет назад, в 2008 г., вышла в свет книга «Жизнеописание отдельно взятого представителя русской науки в XX веке». Как написано на ее титульном листе, «…в популярно-мемуарной форме приведено описание сложной и богатой событиями жизни Заслуженного деятеля науки Российской Федерации и Республики Коми, доктора биологических наук, профессора Г.М. Козубова». Вряд ли мы сможем рассказать о жизни Геннадия Михайловича лучше и интереснее, чем написано в этом произведении. Можно лишь отметить, что нам посчастливилось работать рядом с ним, крупным ученым в области репродуктивной биологии хвойных и лесного хозяйства.
Фенетическое разнообразие популяций верховки обыкновенной Leucaspius delineatus (Heckel, 1843) крупных речных систем европейского северо-востока России
Authors: Рафиков Руслан Раисович
Published: April 2018

Проведено исследование верховки обыкновенной – Leucaspius delineatus (Heckel, 1843), недавно обнаруженной в бассейне среднего течения р. Печоры. Анализ морфологических признаков свидетельствует о наличии географической изменчивости популяций из водоемов рек бассейна Вычегды и Печоры. Формирование таковой является результатом естественного расселения вида и его длительного обитания в условиях локальных ландшафтно-географических зон.
Figures of Thought and the Socius
Authors: Graafland Arie
Published: April 2018

Starting from a faculty wide discussion on teaching architecture and urbanism in the nineties at the TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture, I develop a brief historical overview of more recent planning and mapping techniques. During the many meetings at the faculty, discussions swept from ‘architectural’ approaches, to ‘computational’, to ‘urban’, and ‘scientific’. Although more professional experts were involved, coming from Maastricht University where new teaching models were introduced earlier on, the meetings never ended in a consensus on how to teach urbanism. What seemed to be lacking was a more historically informed approach. I use James Corner’s four approaches to mapping techniques to show not merely a ‘technique’, but the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a particular approach. Every planning technique creates its own ‘social field’ in which it operates: the socius.
Drawing the Impossible
Authors: Tipene Luke
Published: April 2018

This pictorial essay reflects on a unique category of architectural drawing that depicts spaces that cannot physically exist. It suggests that this specific mode of drawing plays a significant role in the production of meaning in social space through depicting ephemeral characteristics of our social relations. This argument is discussed in relation to Michel Foucault’s theoretical allegory of the heterotopic mirror, and illustrated through accompanying images of the drawing project The Virtual Relations (2009). This project used the methodology of “drawing the impossible” with Henri Lefebvre’s theory for the production of space to explore ephemeral conditions of social interaction in the domestic interior as five spatial descriptions.
Designing Space for the Majority
Authors: Simone AbdouMaliq
Published: April 2018

Social, historical and architectural research on urbanization processes in the Global South have increasingly valorized the contributions of an “urban majority” — a heuristic composite of working poor, working and lower middle class residents — to the formation of intricate repertoires of built forms, economic practices, infrastructures of affect, and collective sensibilities. Despite oscillating registers of structural violence, colonial residue, geopolitical instability, and systematic dispossession, metropolitan landscapes of the South are replete with an incessantly recalibrated intensity of working with and through uncertainty to deliver ways of life that skirt precarity. The auto-construction of the majority is usually associated with particular forms and practices. If the territories of operation usually associated with this urban majority may find themselves increasingly hemmed in by countervailing forces, is it possible to imagine new forms through which the “archives” of their capacities might be expressed? By intervening into the increasingly formatted, homogenized venues of residential and commercial space, it is possible to conceive new possibilities of the ways in which “majority life” can be re-enacted, but in a manner that strategically modulates the very ways in which that life is made visible.
Activating Design Social
Authors: Hasdell Peter
Published: April 2018

Does the social turn in design enable transformative change in design and society? Or is it incremental change, where design confirms existing social systems with little impact? Many claims for design social have been made, often underpinned by the altruism of doing good and social engagement. The recent popularity of social design, design activism, service design, co-design, and commoning, show design as conjoined to other disciplines, but to what end? What role does design play within dialogical pairings? Does the socialising of design diffuse the agency of design to the social sciences? As we interrogate and define, conceptually and in praxis, the hybridisation of two different domains, there is a need to critically engage the question of how to define ways in which design social can become an impactful, rather simply than a consensual, confirmation. In addition this enquiry is to seek out how design social can lead to transformative moments within design practice that impacts design methodologies, social structures and its agencies.
Serious Games as Social Innovation
Authors: Wirman Hanna
Published: April 2018

This article investigates existing digital games that are developed and used in Hong Kong to serve the local community and tackle various educational, social, and environmental issues. An online review and interviews of experts in the field found that 517 games were used and developed in Hong Kong. The games are mostly available online for free use. In this article, a categorisation of fourteen domains is proposed based on the games' general themes and learning goals. This article discusses some examples of the games in the review, and explores the existing potential of serious games as social innovation in Hong Kong.
Adventurous Upcrafting Ventures
Authors: Wernli Markus
Published: April 2018

Since 2015, the Research Institute of Organic Treasures (R.I.O.T.) has combined fermentation practices and social experimentation in Hong Kong to give biological byproducts from human and urban metabolisms a regenerative purpose. Here putrescible wastes emitted from our kitchens, toilets, and bodies are considered our most foundational design material that contributes to a “world of eaters” (DuPuis 2015). In this applied design work, the concept of upcycling is socio-materially extended into shared forms of upskilling, and therefore referred to as upcrafting. In an effort to combine practical outcomes with long-term welfare creation, R.I.O.T. brings together laypersons, natural scientists, and artists, into open-ended explorations of alternative knowledge and change making, or what Melanie DuPuis calls “extended peer communities” (ibid. 155).
Ethopathology and Civilization Diseases: Niko and Elisabeth Tinbergen on Autism
Authors: Vicedo Marga
Published: April 2018

The idea that some diseases result from a poor fit between modern life and our biological make-up is part of the long history of what historian of medicine Charles Rosenberg has called the “progress-and-pathology narrative.” This article examines a key episode in that history: 1973 Nobel laureate Niko Tinbergen's use of an evolutionary framework to identify autism as a pathogenic effect of progress. Influenced by British psychiatrist John Bowlby's work, Tinbergen and his wife Elisabeth saw autistic children as victims of environmental stress caused mainly by mothers' failure to bond with their children and to protect them from conflicting situations. However, the author argues that their position was not “environmental.” For them, autism was due to a failure of socialization but the mechanisms that explain that failure were established by biological evolution. Situating their views within the context of Niko's concern about the derailment of biological evolution by cultural evolution, this article shows that their ideas are of special significance for understanding the persistence of the view that civilization poses a risk to human health.
Piperacillin-tazobactam use in ESBL Escherichia coli bacteremia: Should reporting be revised?
Authors: De L'Étoile-Morel Samuel , Cheng Matthew P , Cheng Alexander P , McDonald Emily G , Lee Todd C
Published: April 2018

Background: While certain extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae may appear susceptible to piperacillin-tazobactam in the laboratory, controversy exists regarding its appropriateness to treat serious infections. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recommends that piperacillin-tazobactam susceptibility be reported as tested, and that ESBL screening is not required in Enterobacteriaceae. We evaluated a sequential group of patients with ESBL Escherichia coli bacteremia to determine the factors associated with piperacillin-tazobactam use despite this controversy. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study at the McGill University Health Center (832 beds) in Montréal, Canada, from April 2010 to June 2015, examining patients with positive blood cultures that grew E. coli. Pediatric, untreated, and duplicate cultures within 14 days were excluded. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was determined in accordance with CLSI guidelines. Definitive therapy was defined as antibiotics given after susceptibility results became available. Results: There were 845 E. coli bacteremias in the data set, with a median patient age of 68 years (IQR 57–81.25) and a 30-day in-hospital mortality of 12.1%. Overall, there were 44 ceftriaxone-resistant, piperacillin-tazobactam-susceptible bloodstream infections (BSI), and 41 received definitive therapy. Of these, 14/41 (34.1%) received piperacillin-tazobactam and 30 had an infectious disease consult performed. Consult with infectious disease was associated with less use of piperacillin-tazobactam as definitive therapy (7/30 [23%] versus 7/11 [64%]; OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.03–0.96; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Piperacillin-tazobactam definitive therapy was used in approximately one-third of ceftriaxone-resistant E. coli bacteremias. Given a risk of increased mortality with the use of beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors for treating serious ESBL infections, microbiology laboratories should consider withholding piperacillin-tazobactam susceptibility results in such cases pending definitive evidence of clinical efficacy.
Proprioceptive force-reproduction of the rotator cuff in healthy subjects before and after muscle fatigue
Authors: Coskun Gursoy , Talu Burcu , Cools Ann
Published: April 2018

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the effects of fatigue on force reproduction during internal and external rotation of the shoulder using a single group repeated measure design.

METHODS:

Seventeen healthy male subjects who did not regularly compete in overhand sports and had no history of glenohumeral complaints took part in the study. Force reproduction was measured in the dominant shoulder. A target force had to be reproduced in three consecutive trials before and after a fatigue protocol. Maximal voluntary contraction was assessed to determine the target force. Measured data before and after fatigue were analyzed as well as error scores to examine the effect of fatigue.

RESULTS:

Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant influence only in the testing direction. No difference was found with the target value before or after the fatiguing repetitions. The inter-trial intra-class correlation coefficient showed high reliability.

CONCLUSIONS

: Force reproduction towards external rotation is more accurate than for internal rotation.
Effects of the Pilates exercise compared to whole body vibration and no treatment controls on muscular strength and quality of life in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Oliveira Laís C. , Oliveira Raphael G. , Pires-Oliveira Deise A.A.
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Interventions using Pilates and whole body vibration (WBV) have been conducted in postmenopausal women, aimed at increasing muscular strength and quality of life; however, some results are contradictory.

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the effects of Pilates vs. WBV on isokinetic muscle strength and quality of life in postmenopausal women.

METHODS:

Fifty-one (51) women were randomly assigned to the following groups, Pilates ([Formula: see text] 17), vibration ([Formula: see text] 17), or control ([Formula: see text] 17). Evaluations were performed for isokinetic muscular strength (N.m) of knee extensors and flexors (60[Formula: see text]/s and 180[Formula: see text]/s) and quality of life using the SF-36. The interventions were performed three times a week for six months, totaling 78 sessions. Analyzes for the primary outcomes were performed with intention-to-treat and covariance analyses adjusted for baseline outcomes.

RESULTS:

96.1% of participants completed the follow-up. The Pilates was superior ([Formula: see text] 0.05) to WBV for muscle strength of the knee flexors at 60[Formula: see text]/s (% Change: 16.71 [Formula: see text] 20.68 vs. 6.18 [Formula: see text] 19.42; Cohen’s [Formula: see text] 0.70) and superior ([Formula: see text] 0.05) to the control group in all muscular strength variables and in four SF-36 domains.

CONCLUSIONS:

Pilates is an alternative intervention superior to WBV when the goal is linked to the strength of the knee flexor muscles.
Stereological Investigation of the Effects of Treadmill Running Exercise on the Hippocampal Neurons in Middle-Aged APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice
Authors: Chao Fenglei , Jiang Lin , Zhang Yi , Zhou Chunni , Zhang Lei , Tang Jing , Liang Xin , Qi Yingqiang , Zhu Yanqing , Ma Jing , Tang Yong
Published: April 2018

The risk of cognitive decline during Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be reduced if physical activity is maintained; however, the specific neural events underlying this beneficial effect are still uncertain. To quantitatively investigate the neural events underlying the effect of running exercise on middle-aged AD subjects, 12-month-old male APP/PS1 mice were randomly assigned to a control group or running group, and age-matched non-transgenic littermates were used as a wild-type group. AD running group mice were subjected to a treadmill running protocol (regular and moderate intensity) for four months. Spatial learning and memory abilities were assessed using the Morris water maze. Hippocampal amyloid plaques were observed using Thioflavin S staining and immunohistochemistry. Hippocampal volume, number of neurons, and number of newborn cells (BrdU+ cells) in the hippocampus were estimated using stereological techniques, and newborn neurons were observed using double-labelling immunofluorescence. Marked neuronal loss in both the CA1 field and dentate gyrus (DG) and deficits in both the neurogenesis and survival of new neurons in the DG of middle-aged APP/PS1 mice were observed. Running exercise could improve the spatial learning and memory abilities, reduce amyloid plaques in the hippocampi, delay neuronal loss, induce neurogenesis, and promote the survival of newborn neurons in the DG of middle-aged APP/PS1 mice. Exercise-induced protection of neurons and adult neurogenesis within the DG might be part of the important structural basis of the improved spatial learning and memory abilities observed in AD mice.
Factors associated with long-term mechanical ventilation in extremely preterm infants
Authors: Yossef Lina , Shepherd Edward G. , Lynch Susan , Reber Kristina M. , Nelin Leif D.
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with long-term intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) in extremely preterm infants.

METHODS:

Study setting was a ten bed pod (SBP) part of the Level IV all referral NICU, dedicated to the care of infants born at <27 weeks and which utilizes a protocol-driven approach to care. All admissions to the SBP from 2005 to 2011 were included if admitted in the first week of life and alive at 56 days of age.

RESULTS:

There were 210 patients and 35% were on IPPV for ≥56 days (for the purposes of this study defined as long-term IPPV). Long-term IPPV patients were born earlier, had lower birth weight, were admitted later, and more likely to come from a level III NICU. LTV patients were more likely to have a PDA ligation, receive dopamine, receive TPN longer, and receive supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks PMA. In logistic regression modeling transfer from another Level III NICU (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5–9.2, p = 0.006) and recieveing dopamine (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.5–6.3, p = 0.002) were associated with long-term IPPV.

CONCLUSIONS:

In this cohort of infants born at <27 weeks gestation 35% were on long term IPPV. There are identifiable factors known on admission and occurring during the NICU stay that are associated with long-term IPPV.
Development and application of computer assisted optimal method for treatment of femoral neck fracture
Authors: Wang Monan , Zhang Kai , Yang Ning
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

To help doctors decide their treatment from the aspect of mechanical analysis, the work built a computer assisted optimal system for treatment of femoral neck fracture oriented to clinical application.

OBJECTIVE:

The whole system encompassed the following three parts: Preprocessing module, finite element mechanical analysis module, post processing module.

METHODS:

Preprocessing module included parametric modeling of bone, parametric modeling of fracture face, parametric modeling of fixed screw and fixed position and input and transmission of model parameters. Finite element mechanical analysis module included grid division, element type setting, material property setting, contact setting, constraint and load setting, analysis method setting and batch processing operation. Post processing module included extraction and display of batch processing operation results, image generation of batch processing operation, optimal program operation and optimal result display.

RESULTS:

The system implemented the whole operations from input of fracture parameters to output of the optimal fixed plan according to specific patient real fracture parameter and optimal rules, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the system.

CONCLUSIONS:

Meanwhile, the system had a friendly interface, simple operation and could improve the system function quickly through modifying single module.
Face recognition for video surveillance with aligned facial landmarks learning
Authors: Lin Jirui , Xiao Laiyuan , Wu Tao
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Video-based face recognition has attracted much attention owning to its wide range of applications such as video surveillance. There are various approaches for facial feature extraction. Feature vectors extracted by these approaches tend to have large dimension and may include redundant information for face representation, which limits the application of methods with high accuracy such as machine learning.

OBJECTIVE:

Facial landmarks represent the intrinsic characteristics of human face, which can be utilized to decrease redundant information and reduce the computation complexity. But feature points extracted in each frame of a video are irregular which needed to be aligned.

METHODS:

This paper presents a novel method which is based on facial landmarks and machine learning. We proposed a method to align the feature data into a common co-ordinate frame, and use a robust AdaBoost algorithm for classification.

RESULTS:

Experiments on the public Honda/UCSD database demonstrate the superior performance of our method to several state-of-the-art approaches. Experiments on Yale database show the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed method.

CONCLUSION:

The proposed methods can improve the image-set based recognition performance.
RF ablation thermal simulation model: Parameter sensitivity analysis
Authors: Wang Xiaoru , Gao Hongjian , Wu Shuicai , Bai Yanping , Zhou Zhuhuang
Published: April 2018

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of the research is to obtain the relative influences of some critical electro-thermal parameters on the ablation temperature and lesion volume during temperature-controlled radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver tumor by parameter sensitivity analysis.

METHODS:

The finite element method (FEM) has been used to establish the simulation model of RFA temperature field, and the sensitivity of the tissue parameters has been analyzed. The effects of six parameters have been taken into account, including the thermal specific capacity ( Cp), the thermal conductivity ([Formula: see text]), the electrical conductivity ( Sigma), the density ( rho), the dielectric constant ( Epsilon) and the resistance ([Formula: see text]). The simulation processes based on different parameter values have been accomplished with Comsol Multiphysics software, and the sensitivity parameters have been obtained utilizing the variance contribution rate ( SS%) or the main effects.

RESULTS:

It was found that the ablation temperature and lesion volume increased with increasing the values of [Formula: see text]and Sigma, but was a reverse situation for Cp and rho. Besides, the influence of [Formula: see text] on ablation volume was relatively small and Epsilon had a negligible effect on ablation temperature.

CONCLUSIONS:

It is concluded that these parameter sensitivity results can provide scientific and reliable reference for the specificity analysis of the RF ablation models.
Interactions of Twisted Ω-loops in a Model Solar Convection Zone
Authors: Jouve L. , Brun A. S. , Aulanier G.
Published: April 2018

This study aims at investigating the ability of strong interactions between magnetic field concentrations during their rise through the convection zone to produce complex active regions at the solar surface. To do so, we perform numerical simulations of buoyant magnetic structures evolving and interacting in a model solar convection zone. We first produce a 3D model of rotating convection and then introduce idealized magnetic structures close to the bottom of the computational domain. These structures possess a certain degree of field line twist and they are made buoyant on a particular extension in longitude. The resulting twisted Ω-loops will thus evolve inside a spherical convective shell possessing large-scale mean flows. We present results on the interaction between two such loops with various initial parameters (mainly buoyancy and twist) and on the complexity of the emerging magnetic field. In agreement with analytical predictions, we find that if the loops are introduced with opposite handedness and same axial field direction or the same handedness but opposite axial field, they bounce against each other. The emerging region is then constituted of two separated bipolar structures. On the contrary, if the loops are introduced with the same direction of axial and peripheral magnetic fields and are sufficiently close, they merge while rising. This more interesting case produces complex magnetic structures with a high degree of non-neutralized currents, especially when the convective motions act significantly on the magnetic field. This indicates that those interactions could be good candidates to produce eruptive events like flares or CMEs.
Interplanetary Type III Bursts and Electron Density Fluctuations in the Solar Wind
Authors: Krupar V. , Maksimovic M. , Kontar E. P. , Zaslavsky A. , Santolik O. , Soucek J. , Kruparova O. , Eastwood J. P. , Szabo A.
Published: April 2018

Type III bursts are generated by fast electron beams originated from magnetic reconnection sites of solar flares. As propagation of radio waves in the interplanetary medium is strongly affected by random electron density fluctuations, type III bursts provide us with a unique diagnostic tool for solar wind remote plasma measurements. Here, we performed a statistical survey of 152 simple and isolated type III bursts observed by the twin-spacecraft Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory mission. We investigated their time–frequency profiles in order to retrieve decay times as a function of frequency. Next, we performed Monte Carlo simulations to study the role of scattering due to random electron density fluctuations on time–frequency profiles of radio emissions generated in the interplanetary medium. For simplification, we assumed the presence of isotropic electron density fluctuations described by a power law with the Kolmogorov spectral index. Decay times obtained from observations and simulations were compared. We found that the characteristic exponential decay profile of type III bursts can be explained by the scattering of the fundamental component between the source and the observer despite restrictive assumptions included in the Monte Carlo simulation algorithm. Our results suggest that relative electron density fluctuations

in the solar wind are 0.06–0.07 over wide range of heliospheric distances.
Association between Myeloperoxidase Levels and Risk of Insulin Resistance in Egyptian Obese Women
Authors: Zaki Moushira , Basha Walaa , Reyad Hanaa , Mohamed Ramy , Hassan Naglaa , Kholousi Shams
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases.AIM: The current study aimed to investigate serum MPO levels in obese Egyptian women and assess its relation with insulin resistance (IR) and other biochemical risk parameters.METHODS: The study included 80 obese women and 50 age-and-sex-matched healthy controls. Insulin resistance (IR) was evaluated by the Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR).  Serum MPO, fasting glucose, insulin and blood lipids and anthropometry were measured. Obese cases were divided into three groups based on MPO tertiles. ROC analysis was performed to obtain the optimal cut-off values of MPO to predicate IR in obese women.RESULTS: The mean serum MPO was significantly higher in obese cases than controls. Cases in the highest MPO tertile had higher HOMA-IR, blood lipids and pressure levels compared with those in the lower tertile. The cutoff point of MPO was > 87.8 (ng/mL) and area under curves was 0.82 (p < 0.01) for diagnosis of IR. MPO levels were higher in obese Egyptian women than healthy controls.CONCLUSION: Elevation of MPO was associated with abnormal metabolic parameters. MPO might be used as an earlier biomarker for IR and metabolic disturbance in obese women.
Anxiety, Stress and Coping Patterns in Children in Dental Settings
Authors: Pop-Jordanova Nadica , Sarakinova Olivera , Pop-Stefanova-Trposka Maja , Zabokova-Bilbilova Efka , Kostadinovska Emilija
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND: Fear of the dentist and dental treatment is a common problem. It can cause treatment difficulties for the practitioner, as well as severe consequences for the patient. As is known, the level of stress can be evaluated thought electrodermal activity, cortisol measure in saliva, or indirectly by psychometric tests.AIM: The present study examined the psychological influence of dental interventions on the child as well as coping patterns used for stress diminution.METHODS: We examined two matched groups of patients: a) children with orthodontic problems (anomalies in shape, position and function of dentomaxillofacial structures) (N = 31, mean age 10.3 ± 2.02) years; and b) children with ordinary dental problems (N = 31, mean age 10.3 ± 2.4 years). As psychometric instruments, we used: 45 items Sarason’s scale for anxiety, 20 items simple Stress - test adapted for children, as well as A - cope test for evaluation coping patterns.RESULTS: Obtained scores confirmed the presence of moderate anxiety in both groups as well as moderate stress level. For Sarason’s test obtained scores for the group with dental problems are 20.63 ± 8.37 (from max 45); and for Stress test 7.63 ± 3.45 (from max 20); for the orthodontic group obtained scores are 18.66 ± 6.85 for Sarason’s test, while for the Stress test were 7.76 ± 3.78. One way ANOVA confirmed a significant difference in values of obtained scores related to the age and gender. Calculated Student t - test shows non-significant differences in obtained test results for both groups of examinees. Coping mechanisms evaluated by A - cope test shows that in both groups the most important patterns used for stress relief are: developing self-reliance and optimism; avoiding problems and engaging in demanding activity.CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that moderate stress level and anxiety are present in both groups of patients (orthodontic and dental). Obtained scores are depending on gender and age. As more used coping patterns in both groups are developing self-reliance and optimism; avoiding problems and engaging in demanding activity. Some strategies for managing this problem are discussed.
Pretibial Located Stewart-Treves Syndrome: Uncommon Presentation in a Bulgarian Patient!
Authors: Tchernev Georgi , Yungareva Irina , Mangarov Hristo , Stavrov Konstantin , Lozev Ilia , Temelkova Ivanka , Chernin Svetoslav , Pidakev Ivan , Tronnier Michael
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND: The Stewart-Treves syndrome with localisation in the region of the lower extremities is not something unusual as clinical pathology, but the clinical diagnostics is rather difficult, and it can be further complicated maximally because of: the similar locoregional findings in patients with other cutaneous malignancies.CASE REPORT: Presented is a rare form of an epithelioid variant of the Stewart Treves syndrome in a woman, aged 81, localised in the region of the lower leg and significantly advanced only for 2 months. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically and immunohistochemically. Amputation of the affected extremity was planned. Discussed are important etiopathogenetic aspects regarding the approach in patients with lymphedema and possibility for development of the Stewart Treves syndrome.CONCLUSION: Analyzing the evidence from the literature worldwide, we concluded that perhaps the only reliable (to some extent) therapeutic option in patients with Stewart Treves Syndrome is 1) the early diagnostics and 2) the following inevitable radical excision or amputation with the maximal field of surgical security in the proximal direction.
Ceraphron krogmanni (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae), a new species from Lower Saxony with unusual male genitalia
Authors: Ulmer Jonah , Miko Istvan , Deans Andrew
Published: April 2018

Male genitalia phenotypes of Ceraphron (Jurine, 1807) are informative for species delimitation, but due to their minute size, these characters have not been used extensively. Recent developments in visualisation techniques, e.g. confocal laser scanning microscopy and high resolution bright field imaging, allow for more thorough examination of these minute anatomical structures and the development of a robust, male genitalia-based taxonomic system. We also establish a character set, a template, that will facilitate future revisions of these wasps.

Ceraphron krogmanni sp. nov. is described with outsized male genitalia and multiple diagnostic traits that are unique amongst Ceraphron species.
Two new Phlegmariurus species (Lycopodiaceae) and one new combination from Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Kiew Ruth , Kamin Imin
Published: April 2018

Two new species, Phlegmariurusiminii Kiew (Lycopodiaceae) from limestone karst and P.monticola Kiew from montane habitats, are described from Peninsular Malaysia and a new combination is made for Phlegmariuruspinifolius (Trevis.) Kiew. Phlegmariurusiminii, known from a single hill threatened by quarrying, is Critically Endangered; while P.monticola and P.pinifolius that are relatively widespread are of Least Concern.
La mer, entre mondialisation et fragmentation
Authors: Motte Martin
Published: April 2018

Le lien historique entre la mondialisation et la maritimisation relève de l’évidence, car les mers sont l’élément unifiant du monde depuis l’Antiquité. Mais la thalassocratie libérale dans laquelle nous vivons n’est pas la seule forme possible d’organisation des mers : d’autres systèmes ont existé par le passé et tendent à resurgir aujourd’hui. L’actuelle fragmentation de la mer annonce-t-elle la fin de la mondialisation ?
Frequency of Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab Injections for Diabetic Macular Edema in Medicare Beneficiaries
Authors: Wu Connie M. , Wu Annie M. , Greenberg Paul B. , Yu Fei , Lum Flora , Coleman Anne L.
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To describe the frequency and variation of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) and ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) use for diabetic macular edema (DME) in the United States.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

The authors obtained a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries from the Medicare Part B claims files from 2010 to 2013 and identified beneficiaries with DME using the ICD-9-CM code (362.07). Geographic variation was examined by comparing injection frequencies of bevacizumab and ranibizumab across U.S. census divisions using Chi-squared analysis.

RESULTS:

The sample included 5,290 Medicare beneficiaries with DME. Overall, there was greater bevacizumab use (86.4%) compared to ranibizumab use (13.6%). Frequency of bevacizumab use was highest in the Mountain division (92.2%) and lowest in the Mid-Atlantic (76.0%). The total number of bevacizumab and ranibizumab injections for DME varied significantly between U.S. census divisions (
P
< .0001).

CONCLUSION:

Bevacizumab is used more frequently than ranibizumab for the treatment of DME among Medicare beneficiaries, with significant geographic variation.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2018;49:241–244.]
Variable Clinical Profile of Fovea Plana in Normal Children
Authors: Villegas Victor M. , Schwartz Stephen G. , Hamet Tina D. , McKeown Craig A. , Capó Hilda , Flynn Harry W.
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

This study is designed to illustrate various clinical findings associated with fovea plana in normal children.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

A retrospective chart review of pediatric subjects with a diagnosis of fovea plana was conducted to evaluate the characteristics associated with this condition.

RESULTS:

All eyes had 20/40 or better best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). In five of six subjects (83%), there was bilateral fovea plana. Astigmatism equal or greater than +1.5 diopters was present in 45% of eyes. On spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), a foveal depression was absent in 82% of eyes and the inner nuclear layer was present in the center of the fovea in all eyes analyzed.

CONCLUSION:

Fovea plana is typically a bilateral disease and occurs in patients with generally good BCVA despite abnormal SD-OCT findings. However, unilateral disease may also be present. Astigmatism may be more prevalent in patients with fovea plana than initially suspected.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2018;49:251–257.]
Longitudinal Quantification of Retinal Nonperfusion in the Macula of Eyes With Retinal Vein Occlusion Receiving Anti-VEGF Therapy: Secondary Analysis of the WAVE Randomized Trial
Authors: Ou William C. , Lampen Shaun I.R. , Wykoff Charles C.
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Longitudinal quantification of retinal nonperfusion (RNP) in eyes with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) undergoing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Thirty eyes with ischemic RVO were randomized to ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) (monotherapy) or ranibizumab plus peripheral laser (combination therapy) in a 12-month, prospective trial. RNP on fluorescein angiography was quantified within the macula through 12 months of follow-up.

RESULTS:

Baseline mean macular RNP areas were 5.04 mm
2
and 8.30 mm
2
in the monotherapy (n = 5) and combination therapy (n = 15) cohorts, respectively. Through month 12, mean macular RNP area increased 0.36 mm
2
and 0.53 mm
2
in the monotherapy and combination therapy cohorts, respectively (
P
= .77). Marked, progressive RNP was observed in three eyes (12%). No areas of reperfusion were detected in any eye.

CONCLUSION:

Among ischemic RVO eyes in WAVE, macular RNP was common at baseline and remained stable over time in most eyes, though marked RNP progression occurred in a minority of eyes.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2018;49:258–264.]
Pilot Evaluation of a New Surgical Technique for Persistent or Recurrent Large Macular Holes
Authors: Primavera Vito , Centoducati Teresa , Agea Luciana , Zucchiatti Ilaria , Querques Lea , Querques Giuseppe
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To describe a new surgical technique for persistent or recurrent large macular holes (MHs).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Patients with recurrent or persistent large MHs following vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling were recruited between October and September 2017 in this pilot study. All patients underwent preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp ophthalmoscopy, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). This new technique consisted in autologous ILM patch transplantation on top of MH under perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) bubble, using SF6 as tamponade. The patients maintained a prone position for 3 days.

RESULTS:

Five eyes of five consecutive patients (two males, three females; mean age: 67.4 years) with recurrent (one patient) or persistent (four patients) MHs were successfully treated. At 1-month follow-up, mean BCVA increased from approximately 20/400 to approximately 20/63, and MHs were closed in all cases. Mean follow-up was 5 months ± 2.2 months (6 months for four out of five included eyes). Positive outcomes were consistent at last follow-up.

CONCLUSION:

This new technique consisting of autologous ILM patch transplantation on top of MH under PFCL bubble using SF6 as tamponade may represent a validated surgical option for persistent or recurrent large MHs.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2018;49:266–268.]
The political economy of corporate governance reform in South Africa
Authors: Diamond G. , Price G.
Published: April 2018

This study describes the political-economic dimension of corporate governance reform in South Africa. It then investigates the relationship between corporate governance institutions and systems on the one hand and the political, economic and historical context of South African society on the other. The study establishes the political, economic and historical determinants of corporate governance reform as they evolved in the course of South African corporate history. The study concludes that South African corporate governance reform and such reform in the Commonwealth economic systems have a lot in common in terms of their historical evolution. This is despite the reasons for such reform being vastly different. The outcome of the political process in South Africa, for very specific reasons, is that a specific shareholder model of corporate governance became the corporate governance system in South Africa.
Outsourcing the information technology function: Perspectives from employees
Authors: Sadiq Sohail M.
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this paper is to investigate human aspects of outsourcing and its impact on employees and organizational performance. This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted in Saudi Arabia. Based on an extensive review of literature, the paper uses empirical research to analyse employees’ attitude towards outsourcing. Results based on the analysis of data from 178 firms in Saudi Arabia indicate that employees largely perceive outsourcing as a positive development. Limitations of this paper relate to the relatively small size of the sample. Findings have several practical implications for small start-up firms and even larger firms that are deciding to outsource IT function in the Arabian Gulf region. The results provide managers with evidence supporting the benefits of IT outsourcing. This paper makes a valuable contribution given the fact that there are only a limited number of comprehensive studies dealing with the assessment of employees’ attitude towards outsourcing IT functions. Most previous studies have looked into business aspects of outsourcing in IT function.
“Does race really matter?” Consumer identity and advertising effectiveness in post-apartheid South Africa
Authors: Johnson G. D.
Published: April 2018

This study examines the effects of consumers’ multiple identities on advertising effectiveness. Based on the In-group Bias Theory, the study investigates how the race of an advertisement model, in comparison to another social identity (i.e. socioeconomic position), influences advertising effectiveness. Results indicate that, even though race “matters”, the socioeconomic position of the model also predicts advertising effectiveness depending on viewers’ racial group. Findings suggest ways to design successful cross-cultural advertising strategies in post-apartheid South Africa.
Relation between business satisfaction and board dimensions in joint ventures between Spanish and Moroccan SMEs
Authors: Argente-Linares E. , López-Pérez M. V. , Rodríguez-Ariza L.
Published: April 2018

Businesses commonly access new markets through joint ventures, and these partnerships may adopt diverse structures of government, among which the Board of Directors often plays a key role. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to observe which characteristics of the Board most affect the success of joint ventures between Spanish and Moroccan SMEs, operating in Morocco. Using a structured questionnaire, we analyse the characteristics of the Board that affect success, as measured by the partners’ satisfaction with the performance achieved. The results show that factors influencing overall partners’ satisfaction with the joint venture include the existence of external directors, the existence of directors with a significant level of ownership in the partnership, the existence of an audit committee, and the (low) frequency of Board meetings. All these measures can be said to be indicators of the type of control held over the partnership, as a means of ensuring the partners’ goals are achieved.
The determinants of box office performance in the film industry revisited
Authors: Pangarker N. A. , Smit E.v.d.M.
Published: April 2018

The film industry is a significant player in the global economy. It calls for significant up-front investments with the result that analysts, studios and investors alike are interested in predicting box office success as part of financial risk management.This study utilises global box office revenue in assessing the effects of eight explanatory variables, identified from previous studies, in the explanation of revenue. Nearly three decades after the seminal study the extension of the original methodology to global rather than USA data, still confirms production cost, releases by major studios, award nominations and sequels to successful films as the key drivers of global box office revenue. The evidence further suggests that in the modern global context, the film genre, the release date around holidays and positive critical reviews play a less significant role than in the original investigation.
Marketing capability and export performance: The moderating effect of export performance
Authors: Al-Aali A. , Lim J-S. , Khan T. , Khurshid M.
Published: April 2018

As global competition around the world continues to intensify, firms are seeking strategies that will increase export performance. The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of export involvement on the relationships among marketing capabilities, export performance, and export intensity. The main study was conducted by a questionnaire using the Saudi Arabia export ventures as the sampling frame. Data was analyzed with LISREL to test the moderating effect of export involvement. This study found that export involvement moderates the relationships among marketing capabilities, export performance, and export intensity. Product and distribution capabilities show a significant direct effect on export performance for the low involvement exporters. For the high involvement exporters, the promotion and distribution capabilities have a significant effect on export performance. The impact of the three marketing capabilities on export performance is moderated by export involvement. Depending on the level of export involvement, firms should selectively target different marketing capabilities to improve export performance. This paper fills the gap in our understanding of the differential impact of various marketing capabilities on export performance for firms in different levels of export involvement.
The development of an integrated framework in order to address King III’s IT governance principles at a strategic level
Authors: Goosen R. , Rudman R.
Published: April 2018

In today’s technologically advanced business environments, Information Technology (IT) has become the center of most businesses’ strategic activities. It is for this reason that the King III report has dedicated a chapter to addressing IT governance principles, holding the board of directors (senior management) responsible for addressing such principles. The King III report does provide broad level guidance, however lack sufficient detail on its interpretation. Although various guidelines in the form of IT control frameworks -models and -standards exist, it remains theoretical in nature and companies tend to implement these guidelines in an ad hoc manner. This ad hoc implementation of controls leads to unnecessary controls being implemented, resulting in an ineffective IT governance system that does not address each key strategic risk area. The objective of this research is to develop an integrated best practices framework, which will provide guidance to senior management in how to effectively and efficiently address King III’s IT governance principles by taking a business’ unique strategic objectives into account. A detailed literature review was performed of different control frameworks,-models and standards. These were analysed to identify a list of similar and overlapping control areas. These control areas were thereafter mapped to a list of strategic objectives applicable to most businesses. In doing so, effective and efficient IT governance principles which are understood by senior management, are able to be implemented.