bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New role for the (pro)renin receptor in T-cell development
Authors: Geisberger Sabrina , Maschke Ulrike , Gebhardt Matthias , Kleinewietfeld Markus , Manzel Arndt , Linker Ralf A. , Chidgey Ann , Dechend Ralf , Nguyen Genevieve , Daumke Oliver , Muller Dominik N. , Wright Mark D. , Binger Katrina J.
Published: June 2015

Key Points

PRR deletion in T cells drastically reduces the number of peripheral and thymic CD3+ T cells. We identify multiple stages of thymocyte development that require PRR expression.
Effect of Extra-Framework Cations of LTL Nanozeolites to Inhibit Oil Oxidation
Authors: Tan Kok-Hou , Cham Hooi-Ying , Awala Hussein , Ling Tau Chuan , Mukti Rino R , Wong Ka-Lun , Mintova Svetlana , Ng Eng-Poh
Published: June 2015

Lubricant oils take significant part in current health and environmental considerations since they are an integral and indispensable component of modern technology. Antioxidants are probably the most important additives used in oils because oxidative deterioration plays a major role in oil degradation. Zeolite nanoparticles (NPs) have been proven as another option as green antioxidants in oil formulation. The anti-oxidative behavior of zeolite NPs is obvious; however, the phenomenon is still under investigation. Herein, a study of the effect of extra-framework cations stabilized on Linde Type L (LTL) zeolite NPs (ca. 20 nm) on inhibition of oxidation in palm oil-based lubricant oil is reported. Hydrophilic LTL zeolites with a Si/Al ratio of 3.2 containing four different inorganic cations (Li+, Na+, K+, Ca2+) were applied. The oxidation of the lubricant oil was followed by visual observation, colorimetry, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, total acid number (TAN), and rheology analyses. The effect of extra-framework cations to slow down the rate of oil oxidation and to control the viscosity of oil is demonstrated. The degradation rate of the lubricant oil samples is decreased considerably as the polarizability of cation is increased with the presence of zeolite NPs. More importantly, the microporous zeolite NPs have a great influence in halting the steps that lead to the polymerization of the oils and thus increasing the lifetime of oils.
Antioxidative effects of cerium dioxide nanoparticles ameliorate age-related male infertility: optimistic results in rats and the review of clinical clues for integrative concept of men health and fertility
Authors: Kobyliak Nazarii M. , Falalyeyeva Tetyana M. , Kuryk Olena G. , Beregova Tetyana V. , Bodnar Petro M. , Zholobak Nadiya M. , Shcherbakov Oleksandr B. , Bubnov Rostyslav V. , Spivak Mykola Ya
Published: June 2015

Background

Male infertility has largely idiopathic, multifactorial origin. Oxidative stress is a major factor that affects spermatogenesis, in particular in aging. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CNPs) due to their antioxidative properties are promising to impact on the development of male infertility.The aimsof this study were to investigate the effects of CNPs on fertility parameters in 24-month male rats and to overview relevant literature in the field of personalized treatments, predictive diagnosis, and preventive measures for male health and fertility.

Methods

We included 30 24-month-old male rats. After a week of adaptation to the standard diet, the rats were randomly divided into three groups with ten rats in each. Group 1 (controls) received only a standard diet. The rats of group 2 and 3 in adjunct to the standard diet during 10 days received intragastrically 10 % sodium citrate and citrate-coated CNPs in dose 1 mg/kg, respectively. We assessed sex hormones, epididymal sperm parameters and spermatogenesis, ultrasound, and morphological data of rat reproductive organs.

Results

After a 10-day administration of CNPs, we revealed significant decrease of lipid peroxidation product levels in serum and increase of catalase and SOD activity, associated with increase of sperm count (p< 0.001) and improvement in quantitative sperm parameters (motility, viability, and percentage of spermatozoa). We found no significant changes between sperm quantitative parameters in citrate-treated rats and controls and observed age-related decrease of activated Leydig cell number and focal atrophy of the seminiferous tubules. In CNP group, we observed regeneration of seminiferous tubules, increase number and activation of Leydig cells, and 2.5-fold significant increase of serum testosterone. Ultrasound data showed the slight increase of linear measurement and volume of rat testes in CNP group. Review highlights the benefits for predictive diagnosis, preventive measures, and personalized approaches to manage male infertility in the general concept of male health also related to aging.

Conclusion

Citrate-coated 2–5-nm CNPs lead to increase in sex hormones levels, sperm count, and quality, as well as the activation of spermatogenesis in 24-month-old male rats. Nanoceria demonstrated the perspectives to be an effective infertility treatment via reduction of oxidative stress in male reproductive organs, in particular in aging.
The impact of repeated autologous infusion of haematopoietic stem cells in patients with liver insufficiency
Authors: Zekri Abdel-Rahman N. , Salama Hosny , Medhat Eman , Musa Sherief , Abdel-Haleem Hanan , Ahmed Ola S. , Khedr Hanan Abdel Hafez , Lotfy Mai M. , Zachariah Khaled S. , Bahnassy Abeer A.
Published: June 2015

Introduction

The worldwide shortage of donor livers has prompted the search for alternative cell therapies. Previous data from our laboratory proved a supportive role for stem cell therapy in the treatment of end-stage liver disease patients. Therefore; this study was conducted to assess the clinical and biochemical effects of repeated stem cell infusion.

Methods

Ninety patients with liver cirrhosis were randomized to receive either one session treatment (G-I) or two sessions 4 months apart (G-II) of autologous haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) transplantation and a control group (G-III) who received regular liver treatment. G-CSF was administered to transplanted patients before infusion; HSCs were isolated from 400 cc bone marrow (BM) aspirate. CD34+/CD133+ cells were purified: 50 % of the cells were infused locally in the portal vein on the same day and the other 50 % were differentiated to MSC and infused systemically in a peripheral vein (one session treatment G-I). In G-II, the same process was repeated after 4 months from the first treatment (two session’s treatment G-II). Liver function was monitored for 12 months after stem cell therapy (SCT).

Results

Statistically significant improvement was reported in the transplanted patients (G-1) as regards the mean serum albumin, bilirubin and INR levels which started to improve after 2 weeks of treatment and continued to improve till the 6th month in the single infusion group. The two sessions infused group (G-II) showed sustained response which continued throughout the all follow-up period (12 month). By the end of the study, 36.7 % of the patients in G-I and 66.7 % in G-II showed improvement in the degree of ascites compared to the control group (G-III). We also reported an improvement in the hepatic functional reserve as assessed by the Child-Pugh and MELD score. Safety of the procedure was evidenced by the low incidence of complications encountered.

Conclusion

In patients with end-stage liver disease, the repeated infusion with combined routes portal and peripheral veins has a beneficial effect on liver functions with minimal adverse events and more lasting clinical efficacy after repeated HSCs infusion.
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for doxorubicin cardiomyopathy: hopes and fears
Authors: Ezquer Fernando , Gutiérrez Jaime , Ezquer Marcelo , Caglevic Christian , Salgado Helio C , Calligaris Sebastián D
Published: June 2015

Chemotherapy has made an essential contribution to cancer treatment in recent decades despite its adverse effects. As cancer survivors have increased, concern about ex-patient lifespan has become more important too. Doxorubicin is an effective anti-neoplastic drug that produces a cardiotoxic effect. Cancer survivors who received doxorubicin became more vulnerable to cardiac disease than the normal population did. Many efforts have been made to prevent cardiac toxicity in patients with cancer. However, current therapies cannot guarantee permanent cardiac protection. One of their main limitations is that they do not promote myocardium regeneration. In this review, we summarize and discuss the promising use of mesenchymal stem cells for cardio-protection or cardio-regeneration therapies and consider their regenerative potential without leaving aside their controversial effects on tumor progression.
Radiosynthesis and first preclinical evaluation of the novel norepinephrine transporter pet-ligand [11C]ME@HAPTHI
Authors: Rami-Mark Christina , Berroterán-Infante Neydher , Philippe Cecile , Foltin Stefanie , Vraka Chrysoula , Hoepping Alexander , Lanzenberger Rupert , Hacker Marcus , Mitterhauser Markus , Wadsak Wolfgang
Published: June 2015

Background

The norepinephrine transporter (NET) has been demonstrated to be relevant to a multitude of neurological, psychiatric and cardiovascular pathologies. Due to the wide range of possible applications for PET imaging of the NET together with the limitations of currently available radioligands, novel PET tracers for imaging of the cerebral NET with improved pharmacological and pharmacodynamic properties are needed.

Methods

The present study addresses the radiosynthesis and first preclinical evaluation of the novel NET PET tracer [11C]Me@HAPTHI by describing its affinity, selectivity, metabolic stability, plasma free fraction, blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration and binding behaviour in in vitro autoradiography.

Results

[11C]Me@HAPTHI was prepared and displayed outstanding affinity and selectivity as well as excellent in vitro metabolic stability, and it is likely to penetrate the BBB. Moreover, selective NET binding in in vitro autoradiography was observed in human brain and rat heart tissue samples.

Conclusions

All preclinical results and radiosynthetic key-parameters indicate that the novel benzothiadiazole dioxide-based PET tracer [11C]Me@HAPTHI is a feasible and improved NET radioligand and might prospectively facilitate clinical NET imaging.
Aspirations, challenges, and open issues for software-based 5G networks in extremely dense and heterogeneous scenarios
Authors: M. Borges Vinicius C. , Cardoso Kleber Vieira , Cerqueira Eduardo , Nogueira Michele , Santos Aldri
Published: June 2015

An upsurge of heterogeneous wireless devices and wide-ranging applications on extremely dense urban scenarios has led to challenging conditions that cannot be easily handled by 4G systems, such as the inefficient use of the frequency spectrum and the high energy consumption. In order to address those challenges, the 5G system design demands new architectures to cope with specific requirements, such as scalability, resilience, and energy efficiency. These requirements play a fundamental role in extremely dense scenarios. In addition, when jointly addressed, they have distinct priorities depending mainly on the specific user application demands. In this context, this article presents a management architecture for 5G system, called Wireless Software-basEd architecture for Extremely Dense networks (WiSEED). It is grounded on a software-based perspective of management and jointly manages three key operational services, as follows: routing, mobility, and spectrum usage. Such perspective of management is possible due to programmable network technologies, i.e., network function virtualization and software-defined networking. The architecture mainly intends to provide a better trade-off between the 5G requirements themselves and a high quality ubiquitous and seamless services, as well as efficient mobile broadband Internet for end users. Trace-driven simulation results from a case study show improvements when the management architecture is employed over conflicting requirements.
Characterization of proteins regulated by interleukin-4 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes
Authors: Shiau Ming-Yuh , Lu Hsu-Feng , Chang Yih-Hsin , Chiu Yen-Chih , Shih Yung-Luen
Published: June 2015

Obesity is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases. Our previous reports uncover the significant associations betweeninterleukin-4 (IL-4)/IL-4 receptorgenotypes and T2DM, as well asIL-4genotypes and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Theses observations suggest that IL-4 harbors the capacity to regulate lipid metabolism. The present study is aimed at further elucidating regulatory roles of IL-4 to lipid metabolism by identifying putative proteins in 3T3-L1 adipocytes which are differentially expressed under IL-4 treatment. Proteins in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes with altered expression levels under IL-4 treatment were identified by proteomic strategy. Our results revealed that IL-4 up-regulated levels of ATP synthase δ chain, Cytochromecreductase, Pyrophsphatase and Vimentin, whereas, Alpha-enolase, Gelsolin, Vinculin and Valosin were down-regulated. These observations suggest that IL-4 promotes energy metabolism and inhibit lipid deposits in adipocytes by up-regulating proteins accelerating ATP synthesis. Our results suggest that IL-4 facilitates adipocytes metabolism to catabolism with a favorable condition for lipolysis. These catabolized lipids in adipocytes triggered by IL-4 might either be released into periphery or metabolized intracellularlly, and modulate systemic energy metabolism.
Correlation-based reflection full-waveform inversion
Authors: Chi Benxin , Dong Liangguo , Liu Yuzhu
Published: June 2015

Because modeling for full-waveform inversion (FWI) cannot produce reflections unless the velocity model has the scattering potential (high wavenumbers), using a migration/demigration process to generate modeling data, which is a key step in what is now known as reflection FWI (RFWI), is a credible alternative to tackle the reflection nonlinearity associated with FWI. However, because RFWI depends on a conventional data residual or zero-lag correlation objective function, high nonlinearity can still exist when the true amplitude migration is not used, as well as at far offsets due to cycle skipping. To avoid the cycle skipping and the need for a true amplitude migration, we have developed a correlation-based reflection full-waveform inversion method to update the low-wavenumber components of the velocity model. The success of this method relies on a sensitivity kernel decomposition and a correlation-based objective function. The sensitivity kernel decomposition makes it possible to separate out the contributions of different subkernels and to smear the reflected wave residuals along the “rabbit-ear” wavepath to obtain middle and deep background model estimates. The correlation-based objective function measures differences in kinematic information and behaves in a more linear way than the traditional waveform residual misfit. Moreover, our approach is less sensitive to the frequency content and amplitude information of the seismic data, enabling reliable background velocity estimates to be obtained without the need for low frequencies and full-physics modeling. Because the kinematic features of reflected waves are described correctly, the inversion result of the proposed method can be used as a migration model or an initial model for conventional FWI to achieve a correct high-wavenumber model update.
Assessing source rock distribution in Heather and Draupne Formations of the Norwegian North Sea: A workflow using organic geochemical, petrophysical, and seismic character
Authors: Badics Balazs , Avu Anthony , Mackie Sean
Published: June 2015

The organic-rich upper Jurassic Draupne and Heather Formations are the main proven source rocks of the Norwegian North Sea. We have developed a workflow for the organic geochemical, petrophysical, and seismic characterization of the Draupne and Heather Formation source rocks in a [Formula: see text] study area in quadrant 25 in the Viking Graben in the Norwegian North Sea. We characterized the vertical and lateral organic richness variations using biostratigraphy, organic geochemical data, and petrophysical logs. The Draupne Formation is a rich (6.5 wt.% total organic carbon [TOC], 360 HI), oil-prone, immature to early oil mature source rock, representing a 25-m-thick condensed section, partly eroded over the Utsira high and thickening to 150–300 m toward the deep grabens. The underlying Heather Formation is also an oil-prone (4.4 wt.% TOC, 270 HI), 30- to 400-m-thick, more mature source rock. To map the TOC distribution using seismic, we performed detailed seismic interpretation and seismic attribute analysis following the petrophysical calibration of TOC with the [Formula: see text] ratio and P impedance on well data. Similar patterns of low-impedance high-TOC areas highlighted and mapped from the petrophysical studies at the Heather level were also observed on seismic relative acoustic impedance and amplitude maps over the study area. The poststack seismic data conditioning (structurally orientated noise reduction) improved the quality of the input megamerge seismic data and allowed the application of colored inversion, structural and fault imaging, as well as multiattribute combination and visualization techniques, which have been efficient in highlighting the distribution of high-TOC areas, structure and fault zones within the study area.
Randomized Phase III Trial of Paclitaxel Once Per Week Compared With Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Nab-Paclitaxel Once Per Week or Ixabepilone With Bevacizumab As First-Line Chemotherapy for Locally Recurrent or Metastatic Breast Cancer: CALGB 40502/NCCTG N063H (Alliance)
Authors: Rugo Hope S. , Barry William T. , Moreno-Aspitia Alvaro , Lyss Alan P. , Cirrincione Constance , Leung Eleanor , Mayer Erica L. , Naughton Michael , Toppmeyer Deborah , Carey Lisa A. , Perez Edith A. , Hudis Clifford , Winer Eric P.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

We compared nab-paclitaxel or ixabepilone once per week to paclitaxel with bevacizumab as first-line therapy for patients with advanced breast cancer (BC) to evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) for nab-paclitaxel or ixabepilone versus paclitaxel.

Patients and Methods

Eligible patients were age ≥ 18 years with chemotherapy-naive advanced BC. Patients were randomly assigned to bevacizumab with paclitaxel 90 mg/m2(arm A), nab-paclitaxel 150 mg/m2(arm B), or ixabepilone 16 mg/m2(arm C), once per week for 3 of 4 weeks. Planned enrollment was 900 patients, which would give 88% power to detect a hazard ratio of 0.73.

Results

In all, 799 patients were enrolled, and 783 received treatment (97% received bevacizumab). Arm C was closed for futility at the first interim analysis (n = 241), and arm A (n = 267) and arm B (n = 275) were closed for futility at the second interim analysis. Median PFS for paclitaxel was 11 months, ixabepilone was inferior to paclitaxel (PFS, 7.4 months; hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.31 to 1.93; P < .001), and nab-paclitaxel was not superior to paclitaxel (PFS, 9.3 months; hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.45; P = .054). Results were concordant with overall survival; time to treatment failure was significantly shorter in both experimental arms v paclitaxel. Hematologic and nonhematologic toxicity, including peripheral neuropathy, was increased with nab-paclitaxel, with more frequent and earlier dose reductions.

Conclusion

In patients with chemotherapy-naive advanced BC, ixabepilone once per week was inferior to paclitaxel, and nab-paclitaxel was not superior with a trend toward inferiority. Toxicity was increased in the experimental arms, particularly for nab-paclitaxel. Paclitaxel once per week remains the preferred palliative chemotherapy in this setting.
High Graft CD8 Cell Dose Predicts Improved Survival and Enables Better Donor Selection in Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplantation With Reduced-Intensity Conditioning
Authors: Reshef Ran , Huffman Austin P. , Gao Amy , Luskin Marlise R. , Frey Noelle V. , Gill Saar I. , Hexner Elizabeth O. , Kambayashi Taku , Loren Alison W. , Luger Selina M. , Mangan James K. , Nasta Sunita D. , Richman Lee P. , Sell Mary , Stadtmauer Edward A. , Vonderheide Robert H. , Mick Rosemarie , Porter David L.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

To characterize the impact of graft T-cell composition on outcomes of reduced-intensity conditioned (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (alloHSCT) in adults with hematologic malignancies.

Patients and Methods

We evaluated associations between graft T-cell doses and outcomes in 200 patients who underwent RIC alloHSCT with a peripheral blood stem-cell graft. We then studied 21 alloHSCT donors to identify predictors of optimal graft T-cell content.

Results

Higher CD8 cell doses were associated with a lower risk for relapse (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.43; P = .009) and improved relapse-free survival (aHR, 0.50; P = .006) and overall survival (aHR, 0.57; P = .04) without a significant increase in graft-versus-host disease or nonrelapse mortality. A cutoff level of 0.72 × 108 CD8 cells per kilogram optimally segregated patients receiving CD8hi and CD8lo grafts with differing overall survival (P = .007). Donor age inversely correlated with graft CD8 dose. Consequently, older donors were unlikely to provide a CD8hi graft, whereas approximately half of younger donors provided CD8hi grafts. Compared with recipients of older sibling donor grafts (consistently containing CD8lo doses), survival was significantly better for recipients of younger unrelated donor grafts with CD8hi doses (P = .03), but not for recipients of younger unrelated donor CD8lo grafts (P = .28). In addition, graft CD8 content could be predicted by measuring the proportion of CD8 cells in a screening blood sample from stem-cell donors.

Conclusion

Higher graft CD8 dose, which was restricted to young donors, predicted better survival in patients undergoing RIC alloHSCT.
Morphology and burrowing energetics of semi-fossorial skinks (Liopholis)
Authors: Wu Nicholas C. , Alton Lesley A. , Clemente Christofer J. , Kearney Michael R. , White Craig R.
Published: June 2015

Burrowing is an important form of locomotion in reptiles, but no study has examined the energetic cost of burrowing for reptiles. This is significant since burrowing is the most energetically expensive mode of locomotion undertaken by animals, and many burrowing species therefore show specialisations for their subterranean lifestyle. We examined the effect of temperature and substrate characteristics (coarse sand or fine sand) on the net energetic cost of burrowing (NCOB) and burrowing rate in two species of the Egernia group of skinks (Liopholis striata and Liopholis inornata) and compared it with those of other burrowing animals. We further tested for morphological specialisations among burrowing species by comparing the relationship between body shape and retreat preference in Egernia skinks. For L. striata and L. inornata, NCOB is 350 times more expensive than the predicted cost of pedestrian terrestrial locomotion. Temperature had a positive effect on burrowing rate for both species, and a negative effect on NCOB for L. striata but not L. inornata. Both NCOB and burrowing rate were independent of substrate type. Burrows constructed by skinks had smaller cross-sectional area than those constructed by mammals of comparable mass, and NCOB of skinks was lower than that of mammals of similar mass. After accounting for body size, retreat preference was significantly correlated with body shape in Egernia group skinks. Species of Egernia group skinks that use burrows for retreats have narrower bodies and shorter front limbs than other species. We conclude that the morphological specialisations of burrowing skinks allow them to construct relatively narrow burrows, thereby reducing NCOB and the total cost of constructing their burrow retreats.
Oxygen safety margins set thermal limits in an insect model system
Authors: Boardman Leigh , Terblanche John S.
Published: June 2015

A mismatch between oxygen availability and metabolic demand may constrain thermal tolerance. While considerable support for this idea has been found in marine organisms, results from insects are equivocal and raise the possibility that mode of gas exchange, oxygen safety margins and the physico-chemical properties of the gas medium influence heat tolerance estimates. Here, we examined critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and aerobic scope under altered oxygen supply and in two life stages that varied in metabolic demand in Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). We also systematically examined the influence of changes in gas properties on CTmax. Larvae have a lower oxygen safety margin (higher critical oxygen partial pressure at which metabolism is suppressed relative to metabolic demand) and significantly higher CTmax under normoxia than pupae (53°C vs 50°C). Larvae, but not pupae, were oxygen limited with hypoxia (2.5 kPa) decreasing CTmax significantly from 53 to 51°C. Humidifying hypoxic air relieved the oxygen limitation effect on CTmax in larvae, whereas variation in other gas properties did not affect CTmax. Our data suggest that oxygen safety margins set thermal limits in air-breathing invertebrates and the magnitude of this effect potentially reconciles differences in oxygen limitation effects on thermal tolerance found among diverse taxa to date.
Stress in Atlantic salmon: response to unpredictable chronic stress
Authors: Madaro A. , Olsen R. E. , Kristiansen T. S. , Ebbesson L. O. E. , Nilsen T. O. , Flik G. , Gorissen M.
Published: June 2015

Combinations of stressors occur regularly throughout an animal's life, especially in agriculture and aquaculture settings. If an animal fails to acclimate to these stressors, stress becomes chronic, and a condition of allostatic overload arises with negative results for animal welfare. In the current study we describe effects of exposing Atlantic salmon parr to the unpredictable chronic stressor (UCS) paradigm for three weeks. The paradigm involves exposure of fish to 7 unpredictable stressors three times a day. At the end of the trial, experimental and control fish were challenged with yet another novel stressor and sampled before and 1 h after that challenge. Plasma cortisol decreased steadily over time in stressed fish, indicative of exhaustion of the endocrine stress axis. This was confirmed by a lower cortisol response to the novel stressor at the end of the stress period in chronically stressed fish compared to the control group. In the preoptic area (POA) and pituitary gland, chronic stress resulted in decreased gene expression of 11βhsd2, gr1 and gr2 in POA and increased expression of those genes in the pituitary gland. POA crf expression and pituitary expression of pomcs and mr increased, whereas interrenal gene expression was unaffected. Exposure to the novel stressor had no effect on POA and interrenal gene expression. In the pituitary, crfr1, pomcs, 11βhsd2, grs and mr were down-regulated. In summary, our results provide a novel overview of the dynamic changes that occur at every level of the HPI-axis as a result of chronic stress in Atlantic salmon.
Representations of Karelians and the Karelian language in Karelian and Russian local newspapers
Authors: Tánczos Outi
Published: June 2015

The paper presents the results of a critical discourse analysis study conducted on two Karelian and two Russian local newspapers that are regularly published in the Republic of Karelia. Minority language media is often considered an important tool in minority language preservation. This paper focuses on representations of the Karelian language and culture in both minority and mainstream newspapers and the effects that these representations may have on the preservation and revitalisation efforts of Karelian.
Project Management in Russian Companies: State of Affairs and Statistical Analysis of Characteristics� Correlation
Authors: ������  , Bykova O.
Published: June 2015

The research objective is to analyze the current situation in the field of project management in Russian market and to determine the main factors and depended variables, that influence the decision-making process in the field of project system organization. The research demonstrates the result of surveying 57 companies in the Russian market.
Management Approach to the Interaction of Research Centers and Universities in the Economy of the Future
Authors: Варфаловская  , Varfalovskaya R.
Published: June 2015

Currently network communications play a big role in the economic development of Russian regions. This

structure of economic landscape leads to association of industrial enterprises and educational institutions

into training and production centers, consortia, and clusters providing fruitful interaction between partners.

Regional system of education is a model, the content of which must be gathered through social and stateprivate

partnerships, including those with Universities. Management strategy of scientific and educational

cluster is determined by social, economic, and pedagogical factors. The task of the cluster is creating a

competitive system of professional education for successful development of production management.
The usfulness of the SLUMS test for diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and dementia
Authors: Szcześniak Dorota , Rymaszewska Joanna
Published: June 2015

Cel

Celem pracy jest porównanie polskiej wersji testu The Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination z wystandaryzowanymi przesiewowymi narzędziami psychometrycznymi w detekcji łagodnych zaburzeń poznawczych i otępienia.

Metoda

W badaniu wzięło udział 58 mieszkańców domów pomocy społecznej, którzy zostali podzieleni na trzy grupy: osób nie ujawniających objawów otępienia, z podejrzeniem łagodnych zaburzeń poznawczych oraz z podejrzeniem otępienia. Wyniki testu The Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS) porównano z wynikami w testach Krótkiej Skali Oceny Stanu Psychicznego (MMSE), Krótkiego Testu Stanu Psychicznego (STMS) oraz testu Sprawdź Swoją Pamięć (TYM).

Wyniki

Średni wiek osób badanych wynosił 81,7 ± 8,62. W odniesieniu do poziomu edukacji, 37,9% ukończyło szkołę podstawową, 31% miało wykształcenie średni, natomiast 22,4% - wykształcenie wyższe. Wewnętrzna rzetelność testu SLUMS wynosiła 0,7031. Średni wynik w teście SLUMS u osób bez objawów otępienia wynosił 23,3 pkt., 19,3 pkt. u badanych z grupy zaburzeń poznawczych oraz 13,1 pkt. u osób z podejrzeniem otępienia. W porównaniu międzygrupowym powyższe wyniki różniły się istotnie statystycznie, pomiędzy osobami z podejrzeniem otępienia oraz z zaburzeniami poznawczymi (p = 0,01), podobnie w porównaniu do grupy nie ujawniającej objawów otępienia (p = 0,0001). Co więcej, test SLUMS stanowi przydatne narzędzie w różnicowaniu łagodnych zaburzeń poznawczych w grupie osób bez objawów (p = 0,017), podczas gdy wyniki skali MMSE nie dają takiej możliwości (p = 0,51).

Wnioski

Wydaje się, że test SLUMS może stanowić skuteczną alternatywę dla powszechnie stosowanego testu MMSE oraz efektywne narzędzie przydatne w detekcji łagodnych zaburzeń poznawczych, a nie jedynie rozszerzyć wachlarz możliwych do stosowania narzędzi przesiewowych.
Rola Gruzji w polityce zagranicznej Stanów Zjednoczonych w XXI w.
Authors: Kozłowski Andrzej
Published: June 2015

Georgia and the United States play in the international area complete different roles. Georgia is a small Caucasian country with limited potential, which could not rather play a crucial role in the foreign policy of the United States – the global actor with interests all over the world. Indeed, this situation took place in 90s. However, the beginning of 21st century and assuming the office of president by George W. Bush changed the position of this country and Georgia started to become more and more important in America foreign policy. The situation shifted when Barack Obama became a president in 2009. Since that time Georgia’s position in American foreign policy started to decrease. The last crisis, which happened in Ukraine and the worsening in relations between the United States and Russia may change the significance of Georgia. The main thesis of this article claims that the role and position of Georgia depend on changing interests of the United States in South Caucasus and Central Asia regions.
Does the Firm Information Environment Influence Financing Decisions? A Test Using Disclosure Regulation
Authors: Albring Susan , Banyi Monica , Dhaliwal Dan , Pereira Raynolde
Published: June 2015

Extant theory claims a firm’s information environment impacts the choice between debt and equity financing. However, empirical evidence supporting this contention is limited. We evaluate this relation within the context of Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD), which prohibited the use of selective disclosure. We find that firms with high proprietary costs of public disclosure are more likely to resort to debt financing following the passage of Reg FD. This relation is not sensitive to whether a firm has relied on selective disclosure in the pre-Reg FD regime. We also evaluate changes in firm disclosure policy and find that firms that adopted an expansive public disclosure policy are more likely to turn to equity financing. Overall, our evidence is consistent with the pecking order theory: firms with deteriorated firm information environments increase their use of less information-sensitive debt, whereas firms with improved information environments favor the use of equity financing.

This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting.
Tune up your classroom
Authors: Williams Kate
Published: June 2015

Ever thought of encouraging beat-clapping to learn times-tables or singing out spelling and punctuation rules? Try it, and see motivation soar, says Kate Williams.
Cross-curricular adventures with the Tour de France
Authors: Davis John
Published: June 2015

Increasing popularity of the Tour has boosted sales of bikes and children's interest in cycling. Find out how to link the race to geography, history, science, maths and more.
A literature review on models of inventory management under uncertainty
Authors: Ziukov Serhii
Published: June 2015

Inventories are raw materials, work-in-process goods and completely finished goods that are considered to be the portion of business’s assets that are ready or will be ready for sale. Formulating a suitable inventory model is one of the major concerns for an industry. The earliest scientific inventory management researches date back to the second decade of the past century, but the interest in this scientific area is still great. Again considering the reliability of any process is an important feature in the research activities. Values of some factors are very hard to define or almost unreal. In such cases, fuzzy models of inventory management take an important place. This paper analyzes possible parameters of existing models of inventory control. An attempt is made to provide an up-to-date review of existing literature, concentrating on descriptions of the characteristics and types of inventory control models that have been developed.
Urbanización marginal y asentamiento obrero en Villajoyosa (1950-1975)
Authors: Sebastiá Llinares Consuelo
Published: June 2015

Dentro de la línea actual sobre la promoción inmobiliaria marginal en las ciudades españolas, se pretende, mediante el análisis de casos concretos en Villajoyosa, establecer la caracterización de los agentes y mecanismos que intervienen en la gestación de esta tipología de promociones fragmentarias y descoordinadas, que se convierten en protagonistas del crecimiento urbano. Se plantea la necesidad de una ordenación y la puesta en marcha de medidas que regulen la actuación de los promotores. Posteriormente, el trabajo se centra en la identificación de todo un conjunto de fenómenos implicados en la estructura rústica preexistente, que inciden en las características conceptuales y formales de estos asentamientos.
Desarrollo turístico, promoción inmobiliaria y degradación medioambiental en el municipio de Benitachell (comarca de La Marina)
Authors: Montiel Molina Cristina
Published: June 2015

La especialización turístico-residencial de la franja litoral alicantina se manifiesta en una sustancial transformación de su estructura territorial y urbanística, como consecuencia de los cambios experimentados por el modelo socio-económico dominante. En este contexto, el municipio de Benitachell, por distintos motivos, recibe el impacto de forma tardía y singular; a los notables beneficios económicos derivados de la implantación del turismo se contrapone la degradación medioambiental inherente a la nueva actividad.
Nuevos retos en depuración y desalación de aguas en España
Authors: Olcina Cantos Jorge
Published: June 2015

La reciente aprobación del Plan Hidrológico Nacional ha abierto un nuevo marco de actuaciones para la planificación de los recursos de agua en España. Depuración y reutilización de aguas residuales y desalación de agua marina o salobre continental tienen un significado todavía pequeño entre los recursos hídricos que se aprovechan anualmente. Sin embargo, ofrecen grandes posibilidades de futuro dentro de la nueva concepción de la planificación de recursos de agua que valora el aprovechamiento integral y la gestión racional de las aguas existentes en un territorio.
Seed soak-sorting prior to sowing affects the size and quality of 1.5-year-old containerized Picea abies seedlings
Authors: Himanen Katri , Nygren Markku
Published: June 2015

We studied the effect of soak-sorting Norway spruce ( (L.) H. Karst.) seeds on emergence, development and quality of container seedlings in two commercial seed lots. The seeds, separated by soaking into bottom and surface fractions, were sown in June, and the seedlings were grown during two growing seasons under typical Finnish nursery conditions. The first summer seedlings were grown in a greenhouse and outdoors for the second, full growing season. All sunken seeds were full and viable according to radiography, whereas the floating seeds contained 2% and 13% larvae-filled and 8% and 11% anatomically immature seeds, depending on the seed lot. Seedlings grown from the bottom fraction seed emerged 2.5â3.5 days earlier than seedlings of storage dry (i.e. control) seed. Height, diameter, and shoot and root dry mass of the seedlings were affected by soaking after both the first and second growing seasons. The largest seedlings originated from the bottom fraction. The proportion of saleable seedlings was four percentage points higher in the bottom fraction than in the other seedlings. The effects of soaking found in this study are more notable than as previously reported for Norway spruce seedlings. This suggests that soaking and soak-sorting may be most useful when the growing conditions are stressful, i.e. when seeds are sown in summer rather than 1-year-old seedling crops sown in spring under the climate conditions typical of Finland.Picea abies
Hedging Flood Losses Using Cat Bonds
Authors: Têtu Alexandre , Lai Van Son , Soumaré Issouf , Gendron Michel
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we develop a methodology to model the risk of losses resulting from a natural disaster in which the intensity parameter of the non-homogeneous Poisson process has an upward trend and a seasonal component. We apply this model to losses due to floods in the Financial Assistance Program of the Government of Quebec (Canada). We use the historically observed risk premiums to assess the financial costs for the government if it had issued such instruments to hedge risk linked to floods.
Reference intervals for 24 laboratory parameters determined in 24-hour urine collections
Authors: Curcio Raffaele , Stettler Helen , Suter Paolo M. , Aksözen Jasmin Barman , Saleh Lanja , Spanaus Katharina , Bochud Murielle , Minder Elisabeth , von Eckardstein Arnold
Published: June 2015

Reference intervals for many laboratory parameters determined in 24-h urine collections are either not publicly available or based on small numbers, not sex specific or not from a representative sample.

Osmolality and concentrations or enzymatic activities of sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose, creatinine, citrate, cortisol, pancreatic α-amylase, total protein, albumin, transferrin, immunoglobulin G, α

By contrast to most published reference intervals, which do not stratify for sex, reference intervals of 12 of 24 laboratory parameters in 24-h urine collections and of eight of 16 parameters as creatinine-normalized ratios differed significantly between men and women. For six parameters calculated as 24-h urine excretion and four parameters calculated as creatinine-normalized ratios no reference intervals had been published before. For some parameters we found significant and relevant deviations from previously reported reference intervals, most notably for 24-h urine cortisol in women. Ten 24-h urine parameters showed weak or moderate sex-specific correlations with age.

By applying up-to-date analytical methods and clinical chemistry analyzers to 24-h urine collections from a large population-based cohort we provide as yet the most comprehensive set of sex-specific reference intervals calculated according to CLSI guidelines for parameters determined in 24-h urine collections.
Automated urine screening devices make urine sediment microscopy in diagnostic laboratories economically viable
Authors: Zaman Zahur
Published: June 2015

Automated urinalysis devices are reproducible, accurate and faster than the standard manual microscopy. Economic analysis has shown that decreases in turn-around-time and labour cost savings offered by these devices make them more economic than manual microscopy.
Wall-crossing in genus zero Landau–Ginzburg theory
Authors: Ross Dustin , Ruan Yongbin
Published: June 2015

We study a family of moduli spaces and corresponding quantum invariants introduced recently by Fan–Jarvis–Ruan. The family has a wall-and-chamber structure relative to a positive rational parameter ϵ. For a Fermat quasi-homogeneous polynomial W (not necessarily of Calabi–Yau type), we study natural generating functions packaging the invariants. Our wall-crossing formula relates the generating functions by showing that they all lie on the Lagrangian cone associated to the Fan–Jarvis–Ruan–Witten theory of W. For arbitrarily small parameter ϵ, a specialization of our generating function is a hypergeometric series called the big I-function which determines the entire Lagrangian cone. As a special case of our wall-crossing, we obtain a new geometric interpretation of the Landau–Ginzburg mirror theorem.
Vitamin D3 in cancer prevention and therapy: the nutritional issue
Authors: Chirumbolo Salvatore
Published: June 2015

The action of vitamin D3, in its biological form 1α,25(OH)2vitD3 or calcitriol, may be summarized as a steroid-like hormone able to modulate basic functions of cell encompassing energy balance, stress response, mitochondria biogenesis, intracellular calcium oscillations, and replication/apoptosis mechanisms leading to cell survival. Moreover, calcitriol exerts a potent role as an innate and adaptive immune cytokine as immunity is closely related to self-maintenance through its energetic/metabolic balance and homeostasis of cell turnover. Therefore, vitamin D might be the ancestral form of survival hormones developed with calcified vertebrate bearing skeleton in order to survive far from water. This characteristic may suggest that the role of dietary vitamin D in preventing cancer is simply ancillary to the many factors playing a major role in contrasting impairment in energy balance and cell survival. Most probably, the immune role of calcitriol might be included in the maintenance, mostly by adipose tissue, of an anti-inflammatory, tolerant immune status, depending on the immune tolerance and modulation from the gut. A balance closely modulated by the leptin axis, which when impairments in metabolism occur, such as in insulin resistance or obesity, calcitriol is unable to face at this imbalance, while leptin plays a major role and cancer progression may be promoted. Furthermore, this mechanism promotes epithelial/mesenchymal transition-mediated fibrosis, leading to cancer resistance to immune control and drug action. Interestingly, this pathologic picture is triggered by deficiency in vitamin D from the diet. Therefore, a dietary habit including vitamin D sources, besides flavonoids, may ameliorate lifestyle and health span in most individuals, depending on their genetic background.
Creativity and effectiveness in organizations. A new approach to an old question1
Authors: Bratnicka Katarzyna
Published: June 2015

Juxtaposing the important insights of previous multilevel research, the following overarching question emerges as the central concern of this article: How do emergent processes and top- management initiatives affect the impact of organizational creativity on organizational effectiveness? To shed light on this question, I direct attention to bottom-up emergent processes and top-down management initiatives, which, I argue, offers important opportunities for the genesis of additional creativity effects.

In all, the purpose of this article has been to address to recent theories and debates about the nature of organizational creativity and to highlight the crude beginnings of an alternative, multilevel approach. I explore how the dimensions of organizational creativity generated through emergent processes and top management initiatives plays a significant role in the leveraging organizational effectiveness.
Separation Of Non-Periodic And Periodic 2D Profile Features Using B-Spline Functions
Authors: Janecki Dariusz , Cedro Leszek , Zwierzchowski Jarosław
Published: June 2015

The form, waviness and roughness components of a measured profile are separated by means of digital filters. The aim of analysis was to develop an algorithm for one-dimensional filtering of profiles using approximation by means of B-splines. The theory of B-spline functions introduced by Schoenberg and extended by Unser et al. was used. Unlike the spline filter proposed by Krystek, which is described in ISO standards, the algorithm does not take into account the bending energy of a filtered profile in the functional whose minimization is the principle of the filter. Appropriate smoothness of a filtered profile is achieved by selecting an appropriate distance between nodes of the spline function. In this paper, we determine the Fourier transforms of the filter impulse response at different impulse positions, with respect to the nodes. We show that the filter cutoff length is equal to half of the node-to-node distance. The inclination of the filter frequency characteristic in the transition band can be adjusted by selecting an appropriate degree of the B-spline function. The paper includes examples of separation of 2D roughness, as well as separation of form and waviness of roundness profiles.
Faults Classification Of Power Electronic Circuits Based On A Support Vector Data Description Method
Authors: Cui Jiang
Published: June 2015

Power electronic circuits (PECs) are prone to various failures, whose classification is of paramount importance. This paper presents a data-driven based fault diagnosis technique, which employs a support vector data description (SVDD) method to perform fault classification of PECs. In the presented method, fault signals (e.g. currents, voltages, etc.) are collected from accessible nodes of circuits, and then signal processing techniques (e.g. Fourier analysis, wavelet transform, etc.) are adopted to extract feature samples, which are subsequently used to perform offline machine learning. Finally, the SVDD classifier is used to implement fault classification task. However, in some cases, the conventional SVDD cannot achieve good classification performance, because this classifier may generate some so-called refusal areas (RAs), and in our design these RAs are resolved with the one-against-one support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The obtained experiment results from simulated and actual circuits demonstrate that the improved SVDD has a classification performance close to the conventional one-against-one SVM, and can be applied to fault classification of PECs in practice.