bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GraphTwist
Authors: Zhou Yang , Liu Ling , Lee Kisung , Zhang Qi
Published: July 2015

Large-scale real-world graphs are known to have highly skewed vertex degree distribution and highly skewed edge weight distribution. Existing vertex-centric iterative graph computation models suffer from a number of serious problems: (1) poor performance of parallel execution due to inherent workload imbalance at vertex level; (2) inefficient CPU resource utilization due to short execution time for low-degree vertices compared to the cost of in-memory or on-disk vertex access; and (3) incapability of pruning insignificant vertices or edges to improve the computational performance. In this paper, we address the above technical challenges by designing and implementing a scalable, efficient, and provably correct two-tier graph parallel processing system, GraphTwist. At storage and access tier, GraphTwist maximizes parallel efficiency by employing three graph parallel abstractions for partitioning a big graph by slice, strip or dice based partitioning techniques. At computation tier, GraphTwist presents two utility-aware pruning strategies: slice pruning and cut pruning, to further improve the computational performance while preserving the computational utility defined by graph applications. Theoretic analysis is provided to quantitatively prove that iterative graph computations powered by utility-aware pruning techniques can achieve a very good approximation with bounds on the introduced error.
Incremental knowledge base construction using DeepDive
Authors: Shin Jaeho , Wu Sen , Wang Feiran , De Sa Christopher , Zhang Ce , Ré Christopher
Published: July 2015

Populating a database with unstructured information is a long-standing problem in industry and research that encompasses problems of extraction, cleaning, and integration. Recent names used for this problem include dealing with dark data and knowledge base construction (KBC). In this work, we describe DeepDive, a system that combines database and machine learning ideas to help develop KBC systems, and we present techniques to make the KBC process more efficient. We observe that the KBC process is iterative, and we develop techniques to incrementally produce inference results for KBC systems. We propose two methods for incremental inference, based respectively on sampling and variational techniques. We also study the tradeoff space of these methods and develop a simple rule-based optimizer. DeepDive includes all of these contributions, and we evaluate DeepDive on five KBC systems, showing that it can speed up KBC inference tasks by up to two orders of magnitude with negligible impact on quality.
Learning user preferences by adaptive pairwise comparison
Authors: Qian Li , Gao Jinyang , Jagadish H. V.
Published: July 2015

Users make choices among multi-attribute objects in a data set in a variety of domains including used car purchase, job search and hotel room booking. Individual users sometimes have strong preferences between objects, but these preferences may not be universally shared by all users. If we can cast these preferences as derived from a quantitative user-specific preference function, then we can predict user preferences by learning their preference function, even though the preference function itself is not directly observable, and may be hard to express.

In this paper we study the problem of preference learning with pairwise comparisons on a set of entities with multiple attributes. We formalize the problem into two subproblems, namely
preference estimation
and
comparison selection.
We propose an innovative approach to estimate the preference, and introduce a binary search strategy to adaptively select the comparisons. We introduce the concept of an
orthogonal query
to support this adaptive selection, as well as a novel S-tree index to enable efficient evaluation of orthogonal queries.

We integrate these components into a system for inferring user preference with adaptive pairwise comparisons. Our experiments and user study demonstrate that our adaptive system significantly outperforms the naïve random selection system on both real data and synthetic data, with either simulated or real user feedback. We also show our preference learning approach is much more effective than existing approaches, and our S-tree can be constructed efficiently and perform orthogonal query at interactive speeds.
Glass-forming ability and mechanical properties of a Zr52.8Cu29.1Ni7.3Al9.8Y1bulk metallic glass prepared by hereditary process
Authors: Lu Shuaidan , Sun Shuchen , Huang Xiaoxiao , Zhu Xiaoping , Tu Ganfeng , Li Kuanhe
Published: July 2015

Zr-based bulk metallic glass possesses the highest potential as a structural material among metallic glasses. However, the production conditions have a great effect on its glass-forming ability (GFA) and mechanical characteristics. In this paper, an attempt was made to find the effect of a hereditary structure on the GFA and mechanical properties of a solid Zr52.8Cu29.1Ni7.3Al9.8Y1bulk metallic glass in order to evaluate a novel process of using binary alloys as precursors, which have a hereditary relation to the aim metallic glass (MGs). When the quenching temperature is below the threshold overheating temperature, the hereditary process can improve the GFA and compressive strength obviously. At a quenching temperature of 1523 K, the hereditary process can improve the supercooled liquid region ΔTxfrom 33 K to 55 K and the compressive strength from 1555 MPa to 1652 MPa.
Hypomagnesemia due to two novel TRPM6 mutations
Authors: Coulter Michelle , Colvin Caroline , Korf Bruce , Messiaen Ludwine , Tuanama Benjamin , Crowley Michael , Crossman David K. , McCormick Kenneth
Published: July 2015

Although most hypocalcemia with hypomagenesemia in the neonatal period is due to transient neonatal hypoparathyroidism, magnesium channel defects should also be considered.

We report a case of persistent hypomagnesemia in an 8-day-old Hispanic male who presented with generalized seizures. He was initially found to have hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and normal parathyroid hormone. Serum calcium normalized with administration of calcitriol and calcium carbonate. Serum magnesium improved with oral magnesium sulfate. However, 1 week after magnesium was discontinued, serum magnesium declined to 0.5 mg/dL. Magnesium supplementation was immediately restarted, and periodic seizure activity resolved after serum magnesium concentration was maintained above 0.9 mg/dL. The child was eventually weaned off oral calcium and calcitriol with persistent normocalemia. However, supraphysiologic oral magnesium doses were necessary to prevent seizures and maintain serum magnesium at the low limit of normal.

As his clinical presentation suggested primary renal magnesium wastage,

Two novel
Putting the pieces together: cryptorchidism – do we know everything?
Authors: Komarowska Marta Diana , Hermanowicz Adam , Debek Wojciech
Published: July 2015

Cryptorchidism is one of the most common birth defects in male children, and it has a potential impact on future health. It is the best-characterized risk factor for reduced fertility and testicular cancer. However, the etiology of cryptorchidism remains largely unknown. In the literature, we find different opinions and theories on this topic. Probably, the etiology is multifactorial, and hormonal, genetic and environmental factors may regulate testicular development and descent from intra-abdominal location into the bottom of the scrotum. The descent of the testis is a complex, two-stage process. A critical role in testicular descent has been attributed to androgens, insulin-like hormone 3 (insl3) and anti-Müllerian hormone. It is believed that interaction between Leydig and Sertoli cells may cause impaired spermatogenesis. Based on recent knowledge of germ cell development, it is believed that the best treatment for undescended testis is orchiopexy between 6th and 12th month of life. Long follow-up studies are needed to focus on the effect of this recommendation.
Are obesity and metabolic syndrome associated with plasma adropin levels in children?
Authors: Kocaoglu Celebi , Buyukinan Muammer , Erdem Said Sami , Ozel Ahmet
Published: July 2015

Studies performed on mice suggest that adropin is a peptide hormone playing a role in metabolic homeostasis and prevention of obesity-associated insulin resistance. Our study was conducted to investigate the role of adropin in children with obesity or metabolic syndrome. The study group consisted of 70 patients, including 42 obese and 28 with metabolic syndrome, and 26 healthy volunteers. After anthropometric variables and blood pressure of all participants were measured, serum lipids were analyzed, liver USG and oral glucose tolerance test were performed, and HOMA-IR values were calculated. Plasma adropin levels were collectively analyzed from collected plasma samples. In patient and control groups, no difference was observed in the levels of adropin (327.7±124.7 vs. 344.6±208.5 ng/L, respectively). The adropin levels of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and control groups also showed no difference (316±142.3, 335.8±112.5, and 344.6±208.5 ng/L, respectively). While the adropin levels of patients with and without hepatic steatosis were 319.6±123.7 and 347.8±128.7 ng/L, respectively, patients with HOMA-IR values of <3.16 and ≥3.16 had levels 342.3±124.8 and 296.5±136.7 ng/L, respectively. Although statistically insignificant, our findings are considered to support the hypothesis suggesting a nexus between adropin and obesity and metabolic syndrome. Small sample size in our study may have prevented our results to reach a more significant level. So, long-term follow-up studies with large population are needed to enlighten the role of adropin in metabolic homeostasis.
Novel molecular mechanisms involved in hormonal regulation of lactate production in Sertoli cells
Authors: Regueira Mariana , Artagaveytia Silvana Lucía , Galardo María Noel , Pellizzari Eliana Herminia , Cigorraga Selva Beatriz , Meroni Silvina Beatriz , Riera María Fernanda
Published: July 2015

The aim of the study was to analyze molecular mechanisms involved in FSH and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) regulation of lactate production in rat Sertoli cells. The regulation of the availability of pyruvate, which is converted to lactate, could be a mechanism utilized by hormones to ensure lactate supply to germ cells. On one hand, the regulation of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase (PFKFB) expression could result in increased glycolysis, while an increase in pyruvate availability may also result from a lower conversion to acetyl-CoA by negative regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) activity by phosphorylation. Sertoli cell cultures obtained from 20-day-old rats were used. Stimulation of the cultures with FSH or bFGF showed that FSH increases Pfkfb1 and Pfkfb3 expression while bFGF increases Pfkfb1 mRNA levels. Additionally, we observed that FSH-stimulated lactate production was inhibited in the presence of a PFKFB3 inhibitor, revealing the physiological relevance of this mechanism. As for the regulation of PDC, analysis of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (Pdk) expression showed that FSH increases Pdk3 and decreases Pdk4 mRNA levels while bFGF increases the expression of all Pdks. In addition, we showed that bFGF increases phosphorylated PDC levels and that bFGF-stimulated lactate production is partially inhibited in the presence of a PDK inhibitor. Altogether, these results add new information regarding novel molecular mechanisms involved in hormonal regulation of lactate production in Sertoli cells. Considering that lactate is essential for the production of energy in spermatocytes and spermatids, these mechanisms might be relevant in maintaining spermatogenesis and male fertility.
Genotype-Frequency Estimation from High-Throughput Sequencing Data
Authors: Maruki Takahiro , Lynch Michael
Published: July 2015

Rapidly improving high-throughput sequencing technologies provide unprecedented opportunities for carrying out population-genomic studies with various organisms. To take full advantage of these methods, it is essential to correctly estimate allele and genotype frequencies, and here we present a maximum-likelihood method that accomplishes these tasks. The proposed method fully accounts for uncertainties resulting from sequencing errors and biparental chromosome sampling and yields essentially unbiased estimates with minimal sampling variances with moderately high depths of coverage regardless of a mating system and structure of the population. Moreover, we have developed statistical tests for examining the significance of polymorphisms and their genotypic deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. We examine the performance of the proposed method by computer simulations and apply it to low-coverage human data generated by high-throughput sequencing. The results show that the proposed method improves our ability to carry out population-genomic analyses in important ways. The software package of the proposed method is freely available from https://github.com/Takahiro-Maruki/Package-GFE.
Results of Surveillance Studies of Infectious Fish Diseases in Freshwater Aquaculture of Ukraine
Authors: Matvienko N. , Vashchenko A. , Tsiganok I. , Buchatsky L.
Published: July 2015

Aim. To investigate the epizootic state of fi sheries in Ukraine; to study the biological specifi cities of viral and bacterial isolates of fi sh in freshwater aquaculture. Methods. The epizootic state of fi sheries was defi ned ac- cording to the surveillance plan for fi sheries, virological (biosampling of sensitive fi sh species, virus isolation on sensitive passaged cell cultures), serological (enzyme immunoassay, virus neutralization test using sensitive passaged cell cultures) and molecular-biological (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction − RTPCR) methods of investigation were used. The pathogenicity of the isolated bacteria was studied in the biosample. The identifi cation was performed using Bergey’s Manual. The express-identifi cation of bacteria was performed using the standardized test-system API 20E Bio Merieux (France). Results. The IPNV isolates of rainbow trout were fi rst isolated in the fi sheries of different forms of ownership in the western regions of Ukraine (Volyn, L’viv, Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi regions). It was demonstrated that different age groups of carp are infested with the virus in the fi sheries of L’viv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Kyiv, and Odesa regions which testifi es to a wide spread of the virus in Ukraine. Out of fi sh infectious diseases the red spot-like disease and the swim bladder infl ammation of carp, the diseases of young trout and sturgeon were detected in the investigated fi sheries of Ukraine. Conclusions. The epizootic data were used to estimate the condition of the fi sheries in Ukraine in terms of fi sh infectious diseases. An infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, new for Ukraine, was revealed. It was found to affect rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss , Walbaum, 1792) and the spread of SVCV in carp fi sheries was demonstrated. As for bacterial fi sh diseases, the decrease in the epizootic situation was described along with considerable extension of the range of species of bacterial pathogens of fi sh. Annual systematic monitoring and measures of preventing the introduction of the agents of infectious diseases are the guarantee of protection of the specialized fi sheries of Ukraine.
Silver Nanoparticles for Catalysis of Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition: Atomistic Modeling
Authors: Paulsen Riley T. , Kilin Dmitri S.
Published: July 2015

The interest in adopting hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) rocket propulsion systems has rekindled because H2O2 is more environmentally friendly than alternative propellants, has a high density to maximize the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio, and is able to be stored non-cryogenically. Simulations utilizing ab initio molecular dynamics have been generated to analyze the decomposition of H2O2 on the surface of a silver (Ag) metal cluster. The electronic structure for an atomic model of gaseous H2O2 molecules in the vicinity of an Ag13 cluster – one central Ag atom coordinated by the remaining twelve Ag atoms – was analyzed through density functional theory (DFT). After undergoing thermalization, the system was equilibrated at a high temperature of approximately 2000 K. The molecular dynamics did confirm that the Ag catalyst functions in facilitating the H2O2 decomposition to the final products of water and oxygen, while that the overall mechanism contains several intermediates.
Um procedimento para prever recessões no Brasil a partir de indicadores antecedentes
Authors: Bohn Liana , Bueno Newton Paulo
Published: July 2015

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é testar, para o Brasil, uma nova abordagem de previsão de recessão que vem sendo proposta por autores oriundos de outros campos de pesquisa, como a física, e que pode ser útil para prever eventos extremos também na economia. Com a série de desemprego (de 1985 a 2012) suavizada a partir de splines, visa-se reconhecer, via análise fractal, indícios de uma mudança em sua tendência, a partir do desempenho passado. Após isso, utiliza-se a metodologia de análise discriminante para identificar as séries que apresentam comovimento com a série do desemprego. Concluiu-se que períodos de crescimento do desemprego são, em geral, precedidos em cerca de um ano por melhorias nas relações de troca, aumento das importações e queda dos salários mínimos reais em PPC.
Association of oral contraceptive and metformin did not improve insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Iwata Margareth Chiharu , Porquere Livia , Sorpreso Isabel C. Espósito , Baracat Edmund C. , Soares Júnior José Maria
Published: July 2015

Summary Objective: Objective: to compare clinical and laboratory parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) using metformin or combined oral contraceptive (COC) after 6 months. Methods: retrospective study analyzing records of patients with PCOS using the Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (AE-PCOS) Society criteria. The groups were: I-COC (21 tablets, pause of 7 days; n=16); II-metformin (850mg 12/12h, n=16); III-COC plus metformin (n=9). Body mass index (BMI), acne (% of improvement), modified Ferriman-Gallway index and menstrual cycle index (MCI), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), androstenedione (A) and homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were assessed Results: isolated use of COC compared to metformin was better regarding to acne, Ferriman index, MCI, LH, TT and A levels. On the other hand, metformin was better in the HOMA-IR index (4.44 and 1.67 respectively, p=0.0007). The association COC plus metformin, compared to metformin alone shows the maintenance of improvement of acne, Ferriman index, MCI, and testosterone levels. The HOMA-IR index remained lower in the metformin alone group (4.19 and 1.67, respectively; p=0,046). The comparison between COC plus metformin and COC alone, in turn, shows no difference in the improvement of acne, Ferriman index, MCI, LH, TT and A levels, indicating that the inclusion of metformin did not lead to additional benefits in these parameters. Still, the HOMA-IR index was similar in both groups (4.19 and 4.44 respectively; p=0.75), showing that the use of metformin associated with COC may not improve insulin resistance as much as it does if used alone. Conclusion: our data suggest that the combination of metformin and contraceptive does not improve insulin resistance as observed with metformin alone.
Clinical and mammographic profile of patients with breast cancer surgically treated
Authors: Muradas Raquel Rodrigues , Velho Maria Teresa Aquino de Campos , Riesgo Itamar dos Santos , Brum Alexandre Duarte , Rossi Raquel Montagner , Piovezan Julia Mottecy , Lacerda Melania
Published: July 2015

Summary Objective: to analyze the epidemiological, clinical and mammographic profile of women with breast cancer who were treated at the mastology clinic of the University Hospital of Santa Maria and who underwent breast surgery between January 2007 and December 2012. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study, approved by the Ethics in Research Committee. A review of the patients' medical records was performed. The data were then exported to a software program for statistical analysis, namely Minitab 14.1. Results: the patients' profile indicated that they were mostly born and raised in Santa Maria (respectively 11.1%, n=16, and 26.3%, n=68). They were about 55.6 years old (SD±12.3), white (90.2%, n=213), had already given birth and breastfed their children, were nonsmokers, but also overweight (average BMI of 27kg/m2). On physical examination of the first medical consultation, these patients, as described in the records: had a palpable mass (81.1%, n=184) measuring over three centimeters, located in the left breast, precisely in the upper outer quadrant (41.4%, n=81). Mammography (39%, n=109) showed that this lump was classified as BIRADS ® 5 (40%, n=81). On histopathological examination, the lump was diagnosed as an invasive ductal cancer (71.1%, n=191). Surgery was generally a radical mastectomy (84.7%, n=236) with axillary dissection (92.5%, n=222). Conclusion: some of the epidemiological, clinical and mammographic features mentioned above resembled those found in the literature reviewed. However, these patients had advanced disease and underwent non conservative surgical procedures.
Trends of 9,416 multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria
Authors: Oliveira Viviane Decicera Colombo , Rubio Fernando Góngora , Almeida Margarete Teresa Gottardo , Nogueira Mara Corrêa Lelles , Pignatari Antonio Carlos Campos
Published: July 2015

Summary Objective: a resistance of hospital-acquired bacteria to multiple antibiotics is a major concern worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate multidrugresistant (MDR) bacteria, clinical specimens, origin of specimen and trends, and correlate these with bacterial sensitivity and consumption of antimicrobials. Methods: 9,416 bacteria of nosocomial origin were evaluated in a tertiary hospital, from 1999 to 2008. MDR was defined for Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) as resistance to two or more classes/groups of antibiotics. Results: GNB MDR increased by 3.7 times over the study period (p<0.001). Acinetobacter baumannii was the most prevalent (36.2%). Over the study period, there were significant 4.8-fold and 14.6-fold increases for A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae (p<0.001), respectively. Sixty-seven percent of isolates of MDR GNB were isolated in intensive care units. The resistance of A. baumannii to carbapenems increased from 7.4 to 57.5% during the study period and concomitant with an increased consumption. Conclusion: that decade showed prevalence of GNB and a gradual increase in MDR GNB. There was an increase in carbapenem resistance of 50.1% during the study.
Ser seu Próprio Patrão? Aperfeiçoando-se a Educação Superior em Empreendedorismo
Authors: Lima Edmilson , Lopes Rose Mary Almeida , Nassif Vânia Maria Jorge , Silva Dirceu
Published: July 2015

O artigo tem por objetivo identificar formas de se melhorar a educação superior em empreendedorismo, focando o caso dos estudantes brasileiros interessados em ser seus própriospatrões, ou seja, emteremseus própriosnegócios. Eles são aqui chamados de fundadores intencionais. O estudo é um survey complementado por uma breve revisão da literatura. O questionário online foi respondido por 12.604 fundadores intencionais de um amplo espectro de cursos superiores de 37 instituições de ensino superior públicas e privadas brasileiras. Segundo suas respostas, eles têm mais alta demanda por educação em empreendedorismo e mais alta intenção empreendedora do que se vê em outros países. Três hipóteses foram testadas. Os resultados mostram que sua intenção de empreender e seu nível de crença em serem competentes para empreender com sucesso (self-efficacyou autoeficácia, em Português) são indiferentes à variação do quanto fazem de disciplinas e atividades de educação em empreendedorismo (EE) no ensino superior. Por outro lado, há relação significante e positiva entre a intenção empreendedora e a demanda por EE. A elevada demanda dos estudantes parece poder ser aproveitada como facilitadora do necessário aperfeiçoamento da EE no Brasil. As discussões e as conclusões do fim do artigo oferecem recomendações não apenas para a melhoria da educação superior, mas também para a realização de mais pesquisas.
MICROFINANCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS: THE CASE OF AGROAMIGO IN BRAZIL
Authors: MOSER RAFAEL MAGNUS BARBOSA , GONZALEZ LAURO
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTThis paper reports an empirical case study on the interface between microfinance and climate change actions. Climate change, which until recently seemed a luxury for the microfinance sector, now appears to be crucial for its future. For their low adaptive capacity, the millions of microfinance clients worldwide happen to be the most vulnerable to a changing climate. However, such an arena is still blurred from an academic viewpoint, and inexistent among Brazilian academia. Therefore, by investigating Brazil’s largest rural MFI, Agroamigo, we aim at providing an empirical contribution to green microfinance. The main conclusion is that, albeit Agroamigo offers important links to climate change initiatives, it will need to take better account of specific vulnerabilities and risks to protect its portfolio and clients better from climate change impacts.
BRAND EQUITY OF LAHORE FORT AS A TOURISM DESTINATION BRAND
Authors: KASHIF MUHAMMAD , SAMSI SITI ZAKIAH MELATU , SARIFUDDIN SYAMSULANG
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTStudies that measure the brand equity of destination brands by using the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) model in a developing country context are scarce. The present study investigates the destination brand equity of the Lahore Fort by employing the CBBE model in a developing country context of Pakistan. Following the positivist tradition, we adopted a survey-based approach to collect data from 237 tourists visiting the Lahore Fort. Data were collected through a questionnaire developed to explain the relationship of brand awareness, brand image, brand association, and brand loyalty with Lahore Fort’s overall brand equity. We used various robust statistical techniques such as correlation, regression and confirmatory factor analysis (using PLS method) to reach meaningful conclusions and found that brand image and brand associations positively contribute to brand loyalty. Furthermore, brand loyalty significantly contributes towards overall brand equity. Pragmatically, this study measures the customer based brand equity of the Lahore Fort, a destination brand. The results are useful as they suggest a few strategies that can help policy makers to enhance Lahore Fort’s brand performance.
Influência de gênero, idade e renda sobre o bem-estar de idosos cuidadores e não cuidadores
Authors: Tomomitsu Monica R.S.V. , Perracini Monica Rodrigues , Neri Anita Liberalesso
Published: July 2015

OBJETIVOS: Comparar idosos cuidadores e não cuidadores quanto às condições de saúde, psicossociais e de desempenho funcional e conhecer a influência das variáveis socioeconômicas sobre estes grupos. MÉTODO: Estudo envolvendo idosos residentes de três cidades brasileiras - Parnaíba-PI, Campinas-SP e Ivoti-RS - com base nos dados do estudo FIBRA. A amostra foi composta de 676 idosos, 338 cuidadores e 338 não cuidadores. Os cuidadores responderam afirmativamente a duas questões sobre a prestação de cuidado no Elders Life Stress Inventory. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: versões brasileiras da Geriatric Depression Scale, da Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, da escala de atividades instrumentais de vida diária (AIVD), de 13 itens de atividades avançadas de vida diária e escala de satisfação com a vida. Foram aplicadas questões de autorrelato sobre idade, gênero, renda familiar, número de doenças e fadiga. RESULTADOS: Os cuidadores compuseram 29,7% da amostra. A tarefa de cuidar era mais frequente entre as mulheres (65,7%), os idosos de 65 a 74 anos e os de menor renda familiar. Houve frequência maior de queixa de insônia entre os cuidadores comparados com os não cuidadores (p=0,013). Para os grupos, ser mais pobre significou maior frequência de insônia e de dependência em AIVD, além de mais sintomas depressivos entre os cuidadores (p=0,24). As mulheres eram as mais doentes e os homens os mais isolados socialmente. Os cuidadores mais velhos reportaram maior grau de dependência em AIVD (p=0,015). CONCLUSÃO: Circunstâncias socioeconômicas podem contribuir para desfechos negativos sobre as condições de saúde física e bem-estar psicológico, especialmente entre os cuidadores.
Efeitos de um programa de jogos pré-desportivos nos aspectos psicobiológicos de idosas
Authors: Bittar Irene Guarido Luz , Guerra Ricardo Luis Fernandes , Lopes Fabíola Cristina , Mello Marco Túlio de , Antunes Hanna Karen Moreira
Published: July 2015

OBJETIVO: Investigar o efeito de um programa de jogos pré-desportivos (JPD) nos aspectos psicobiológicos de idosas. MÉTODOS: 53 voluntárias idosas foram distribuídas em dois grupos: grupo Ativo (n=27) - submetido a um programa de JPD composto por atividades esportivas adaptadas, por seis meses, três vezes semanais, por uma hora; grupo Controle (n=26) - orientado a não modificar sua rotina, não se engajando em nenhum programa de atividade física sistematizada. A média (±desvio-padrão) da idade, estatura, massa corporal, índice de massa corpórea foram: 67,91±6,11anos; 1,55±0,06cm; 80,68±8,45kg; e 33,41±2,62kg/m2, respectivamente. Antes e após o início do programa proposto, as voluntárias responderam a uma bateria psicobiológica composta por: miniexame do estado mental; escala de sonolência de Epworth; índice de qualidade de sono de Pittsburgh; SF-36; escala geriátrica de depressão; IDATE-Traço/Estado; escala de humor de Brunel; nível de atividade física habitual; e questionário de imagem corporal. RESULTADOS : Após o término do período experimental, o grupo Ativo apresentou melhores respostas psicobiológicas de humor, representadas por menores escores de ansiedade, menores escores de depressão, melhor qualidade de vida com aumento da capacidade funcional e da vitalidade, além de melhora da imagem corporal, quando comparado ao grupo Controle. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados sugerem que um programa de seis meses de JPD produz impacto positivo nos aspectos psicobiológicos de idosas.
O uso da plataforma Balance Board como recurso fisioterápico em idosos
Authors: Treml Cleiton José , Kalil Filho Faruk Abrão , Ciccarino Renata Franco Leite , Wegner Rosemari Sandra , Saita Cleize Yoko de Souza , Corrêa Aline Geronasso
Published: July 2015

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar os efeitos de um programa de treinamento proprioceptivo convencional e de um protocolo com a utilização do videogame associado a Balance Board em indivíduos idosos, em relação a equilíbrio, mobilidade, flexibilidade e quedas. MÉTODO: Trata-se de pesquisa quase experimental, realizada com 32 indivíduos idosos. A amostra consistiu em dois grupos: o primeiro GC (n=16; idade=67,63 anos), com treinamento proprioceptivo convencional e o segundo, GE (n=16; idade=66,88 anos), em treinamento proprioceptivo com a nova ferramenta tecnológica. Foram realizados dez atendimentos, duas vezes na semana, duração de 30 minutos no GC com treinamento proprioceptivo convencional e 30 minutos no GE com plataforma Balance Board. RESULTADOS: Para o GE, somente a variável escala de Berg não apresentou diferença significativa (p<0,05) entre os momentos pré e pós-intervenção, sendo que na escala POMA (p=0,018), Unipodal (p=0,018) e testes de alcance funcional anterior e lateral (p=0,012) observou-se diferença estatística (p<0,05) significativa nos momentos avaliados. Já para o GC, tanto POMA (p=0,043) como a escala Unipodal (p=0,043) apresentaram diferenças significativas entre o momento pré e pós-intervenção. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que o treinamento proprioceptivo com realidade virtual mostrou ser mais eficiente que o treinamento proprioceptivo convencional em indivíduos idosos em relação ao equilíbrio, mobilidade, flexibilidade e quedas.
Estado nutricional e prevalência de doenças crônicas em idosos de um município do interior do Rio Grande do Sul
Authors: Scherer Rosangela , Scherer Fernanda , Conde Simara Rufatto , Dal Bosco Simone Morelo
Published: July 2015

OBJETIVO: Verificar os fatores de risco que interferem no estado nutricional dos idosos socialmente ativos de um município do interior do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. MÉTODOS: Estudo do tipo transversal, do qual participaram voluntariamente 284 idosos. Foi aplicado questionário individual estruturado contendo questões relativas aos hábitos alimentares e foram coletados os dados antropométricos (peso, altura, circunferência da cintura). RESULTADOS: 60,3% dos homens e 62,5% das mulheres estavam com sobrepeso. Com base na avaliação da circunferência da cintura, verificou-se um risco muito aumentado para o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares em 98,5% dos homens e 92,5% das mulheres. A maioria das mulheres (56,9%) informou usar algum medicamento contínuo, enquanto que entre os homens (52,5%), a maioria respondeu não consumir nenhum medicamento. Não se observou diferença significativa entre os diferentes estados nutricionais e os hábitos alimentares investigados. Entre os casados, o sobrepeso foi encontrado em 47,1% dos homens e em 35,6% das mulheres. CONCLUSÃO: A maioria da população idosa estudada apresentou sobrepeso e circunferência da cintura elevada entre homens e mulheres. Não se observou associação entre o estado nutricional e o número de refeições, ingestão de água, consumo diário de frutas e verduras, tipo de leite ingerido, consumo semanal de carnes, doces, frituras e leguminosas.
Liquid limit and hydraulic conductivity of brown coal composites
Authors: Stipcevich Jack T. , Kim Sungho , Xue Jianfeng
Published: July 2015

Adequate waste disposal is currently under high demand in Australia, due to a rapid growth in population. Australia’s scarcity and cost for the use of clays (most commonly used landfill liner material) have resulted in a search for alternative materials to achieve satisfactory performance in landfill design. This study explored liquid limit and hydraulic conductivity (HC) of coal composites for potential landfill liner use. Brown coal (lignite) was mixed with polyacrylamide (PAM) or sodium bentonite (Bt) to investigate liquid limits (LL), HC, and swelling behaviour. Each additive was subject to distilled water and sodium chloride solution (50 g/l) to investigate the effects of pore fluid chemistry. The addition of 2 wt% PAM resulted in approximately 82 percentage point (pp) increase in the LL of lignite with distilled water and 76 pp increase with 50 g/l sodium chloride (NaCl) solution. The HC of lignite also decreased by more than two orders of magnitude as the PAM content increased. The swell index of lignite composites increased with the addition of PAM. This exploratory study has found the unique property of brown coal and its composites that the LL, HC and swell index do not deteriorate significantly in the presence of highly concentrated electrolyte solution (50 g/l NaCl). Such distinct properties will be beneficial over currently used landfill liner materials.
Precariedad Estructural y Futuro de las Pensiones en España
Authors: Seguí-Cosme Salvador
Published: July 2015

The Spanish post-crisis scenario of structural unemployment and job insecurity poses a new challenge to the public pension system: The trajectories of structurally precarious contributions, which carry the risk that future generations of retirees dispose of social protection levels considerably inferior to those of the current generations. The Spanish public pension system, already troubled by problems of sustainability, should be rethought in the context of a redefinition of the social security subsystem linked to the labor market.
Everyday life in British Government, de R.A.W Rhodes
Authors: Heredia Mariana , Perelmiter Lusina
Published: July 2015

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Production of Biohydrogen from Wastewater by Klebsiella oxytoca ATCC 13182
Authors: Thakur Veena , Tiwari K. L. , Jadhav S. K.
Published: July 2015

Production of biohydrogen from distillery effluent was carried out by using Klebsiella oxytoca ATCC 13182. The work focuses on optimization of pH, temperature, and state of bacteria, which are the various affecting factors for fermentative biohydrogen production. Results indicates that at 35 °C for suspended cultures, the production was at its maximum (i.e., 91.33 ± 0.88 mL) when compared with other temperatures. At 35 °C and at pH 5 and 6, maximum productions of 117.67 ± 1.45 and 111.67 ± 2.72 mL were observed with no significant difference. When immobilized, Klebsiella oxytoca ATCC 13182 was used for biohydrogen production at optimized conditions, production was 186.33 ± 3.17 mL. Hence, immobilized cells were found to be more advantageous for biological hydrogen production over suspended form. Physicochemical analysis of the effluent was conducted before and after fermentation and the values suggested that the fermentative process is an efficient method for biological treatment of wastewater.
Influencing Factors for Organic Spill Recovery Performance with a Novel Polypropylene‐Methacrylate Sorbent
Authors: Li Shaoning , Wei Junfu , Chen Yuan , Cui Li , Zhang Yue , Dai Zhao , Zhao Shihuai
Published: July 2015

Insoluble organic matter released to the water body through accidental spillage imposes serious damage on the environment. Polypropylene (PP) fiber and methacrylate resin, however, end up in certain morphology or low sorption capacity after a single use. In this study, a novel sorbent was prepared by radiation‐induced graft polymerization of butyl methacrylate (BMA) onto PP fiber matrix to retain the advantages of both PP fibers and methacrylate resins to overcome the shortcomings of each used alone. The different parameters including irradiation power, irradiation time and monomer concentration that effect the grafting degree of grafted fiber were studied. The resulting grafted fibers (PP‐g‐BMA) were evaluated in this study in terms of sorption capacity, retention behaviors and reusability properties. The investigation revealed that the homopolymerization rate, organic matter temperature and pH values of organic‐over‐water aqueous solution are the most important factors in the sorption performance of polypropylene grafted fiber sorbent.
Decolourization of Methylene Blue in Water Using Bentonite Impregnated with Ti and Ag as Photocatalyst
Authors: Wu Edward Ming‐Yang , Kuo Shu‐Lung
Published: July 2015

This article used bentonite impregnated with titanium and silver, respectively, as photocatalyst, to degrade methylene blue (MB) under conditions of MB solutions exposed to sodium lamp and sunlight. Due to the semi‐conducting properties of synthesized bentonite catalysts, when exposed to sodium lamp and sunlight, catalyst particles are excited for photocatalysis to achieve decolourization. After an FT‐IR analysis, this study finds that smectite catalysts have significant and complicated wave crests between the fingerprint area with wave numbers 415~600 cm−1 and 750~1170 cm−1. The bentonite impregnated with Ti4+ (Sm‐Ti) and with Ag+ (Sm‐Ag) removes MB through the mechanisms of adsorption and degradation, while the commercial product of titanium dioxide (TiO2) only exhibits the capability of MB degradation. At present, a heterogeneous photocatalytic system has been fully applied for use in daily life, with its efficiency determined by the free radical action of electrons and holes, the generation efficiency of ·OH.
In‐stream Physical Heterogeneity, Rainfall Aided Flushing, and Discharge on Stream Water Quality
Authors: Gomes Pattiyage I. A. , Wai Onyx W. H.
Published: July 2015

Implications of instream physical heterogeneity, rainfall‐aided flushing, and stream discharge on water quality control have been investigated in a headwater stream of a climatic region that has contrasting dry and wet seasons. Dry (low flow) season's physical heterogeneity showed a positive correlation with good water quality. However, in the wet season, physical heterogeneity showed minor or no significance on water quality variations. Furthermore, physical heterogeneity appeared to be more complementary with good water quality subsequent to rainfall events. In many cases stream discharge was a reason for poor water quality. For the dry season, graywater inputs to the stream could be held responsible. In the wet season, it was probably the result of catchment level disturbances (e.g., regulation of ephemeral freshwater paths). Overall, this study revealed the importance of catchment‐based approaches on water quality improvement in tandem with in‐stream approaches framed on a temporal scale.
Parameters of hemodialysis adequacy and patients’ survival depending on treatment modalities
Authors: Djuric Petar , Popovic Jovan , Jankovic Aleksandar , Tosic Jelena , Dimkovic Nada
Published: July 2015

Introduction. Retrospective studies showed that hemodiafiltration was
associated with a reduced risk of mortality compared with standard
hemodialysis in the patients with end-stage renal disease. Recently, a few
prospective randomized clinical trials found no advantage in survival with
hemodiafiltration as compared with high-flux hemodialysis and low-flux
hemodialysis. The aim of this study was to compare the parameters of
hemodialysis adequacy and two-year survival of patients depending on the
modality of hemodialysis. Material and Methods. A total of 159 hemodialysis
patients were divided into 3 groups according to the type of hemodialysis
treatment: group A - lowflux hemodialysis, group B - high-flux hemodialysis,
and group C - hemodiafiltration. All patients had the same duration of
hemodialysis sessions. The analysis included average one-year biochemical
parameters, and two-year survival of patients. Results. The patients on
hemodiafiltration were significantly younger, they had longer dialysis
vintage and higher index of dialysis adequancy as compared with the patients
on low-flux hemodialysis and high-flux hemodialysis, but without a difference
between the two latter groups. Compared to the patients on low-flux
hemodialysis, the patients on hemodiafiltration and high-flux hemodialysis
had significantly higher hemoglobin value with less frequent erythropoietin
stimulating agent use. According to Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the
patients on hemodiafiltration and high-flux hemodialysis had significantly
better two-year survival than the patients on low-flux hemodialysis. Cox
proportional hazards model confirmed that high-flux hemodialysis caused a
significantly lower relative risk of mortality (56% reduction) compared to
low-flux hemodialysis (hazard ratio 0.44; P=0.026), and hemodiafiltration
caused a 58% reduction in the relative risk of mortality compared to low-flux
dialysis (hazard ratio 0.42; P=0.105), but without a statistical
significance. Conclusion. This study has demonstrated two-year survival
benefit with high-flux hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration compared with
low-flux hemodialysis. There was no difference in survival between high-flux
hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration groups.
Pharmacogenomic determinants of response to cardiovascular drugs
Authors: Stankov Karmen , Stanimirov Bojan , Mikov Momir
Published: July 2015

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality
worldwide. Despite considerable advances in cardiovascular pharmacology,
significant inter-individual variability in response to drugs affects both
their efficacy and safety profile. Drug-gene associations have emerged as
important factors determining a spectrum of response to therapy.
Pharmacogenomic interactions in cardiovascular medicine are also involved in
etiology of adverse effects that may be life-threatening, such as
statininduced myopathy or a hemorrhage/thrombosis event during anticoagulant
therapy. Introduction of genetic tests prior to the initiation of therapy and
implementation of genetically-guided therapy represent a step forward to
achieving a goal of individualized medicine in cardiology, already present in
recommendations for warfarin and clopidogrel. However, further investigations
addressing genomic predictors of variability in response to drugs are still
needed and translating these findings into routine clinical practice remains
a substantial challenge.
Subclinical and manifested hypothyroidism as a consequence of thyroid autoimmune disease
Authors: Milosevic Dragoslav , Djurica Snezana , Davidovic Mladen , Stevic Radmila , Rajic Miodrag , Markovic Natasa
Published: July 2015

Chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto?s disease) is a slowly developing persistent
inflamation of the thyroid gland, which frequently leads to hypothyroidism.
Some of the up-to-date knowledge about hypothyroidism, both subclinical and
manifested, caused by autoimmune disease, was presented. Autoimmune thyroid
gland disease can occur at any age, but predominantly affects women after
periods of high emotional and physical stress or accidents, as well as during
periods of hormonal changes. It can also develop in families, and having an
autoimmune disease slightly increases the risk of developing another. This
paper showed an increasing incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism (4.17%) in
elderly, and, at the same time, the incidence of primary hypothyroidism
accounting for 1%. It is very usefull to estimate the stimulated thyrotropin
(TSH) response, as well as the value of fast, short time thyroid gland
reserves, analyzed by T3 and T4 serum level at 60th minute after TRH
stimulation. Treatment of choice for HT (hypothyroidism of any cause) is
thyroid hormone replacement. Drug of choice is orally administered
levothyroxine sodium, usually for life-time. The standard dose is
1.6-1.8mcg/kg body weight per day, but is in most cases patient dependent.
Elderly patients usually require smaller replacement dose of levothyroxine,
sometimes less than 1mcg/kg body weight per day with coronary dilatator at
the same time.
Autoimmune thyroid disease and associated rheumatic disorders
Authors: Kerimovic-Morina Djunajdar
Published: July 2015

Musculosceletal manifestations were found in patients with hyperthyroidism as
well as hypothyroidism. This article will review the available evidence that
autoimmune thyroid disease is associated with: Sj?gren?s sydrome (SS),
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) and spondyloarthropathies. Possible pathogenesis of these manifestations
has not been completely established. Sj?gren?s syndrome occurs in about 1/10
of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease; patients with SLE and
antithyroid antibodies were significantly older than those pattiens without
antibodies. Patients with systemic sclerosis and thyroid disease were
significantly younger than those without antibodies. Thyroid disfunction was
found three times more often in women with RA than in women with
noninflammatory rheumatic diseases, and those with thyroid disease tended to
have a shorter duration of arthritis.