bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SPINE SCANER: RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF OBSERVATION RESULTS
Authors: Cherepanov Evgeny Arkadyevich , Gladkov Aleksandr Vjacheslavovich , Titarenko Yaroslav Sergeyevich
Published: January 2019

Objective. The assessment of reliability of data obtained using a firmware domestic complex Spine Scaner. Material and Methods. Fifty four healthy volunteers have been examined. Criteria for inclusion in the study were the absence of orthopedic pathology, and the Roland-Morris Back Pain Questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire scores being 0. Two independent observers with a different skill level performed the study. Intraobserver and interobserver data repeatability was assessed by the analysis of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and reliability coefficient for each of 31 tested parameters. Results. The observation without fixation of a patient exhibited a low repeatability, with a correlation coefficient being 0.39. Other observation stages showed the acceptable ICC mean values. The best repeatability was achieved in the study performed by the same observer, with the ICC value beiing 0.86. The interobserver repeatability had the lesser values: 0.61 for independent identification of anatomic references and 0.77 for the references identified by one of the observers. Conclusion. The Spine Scaner can be used in clinical practice for defining a shape and spatial orientation of the spine under the following conditions: a reliable fixation of the patient’s trunk, wide experience of the observer, and a strict adherence to the study protocol.
Influence of Dopants on Structure of Polycrystalline Bismuth Niobate
Authors: Czekaj D. , Lisińska-Czekaj A.
Published: January 2019

Bismuth niobate (BiNbO4) has attracted attention as a low-fired ceramics with promising microwave application potential. BiNbO4 ceramics was fabricated by mixed oxide method and sintered at temperature T<1000°C. As the sintering aids a small amount of CuO oxide was used. The crystalline structure of the ceramic samples was examined by X-ray diffraction method at room temperature. The Rietveld refinement method was used for analysis of diffraction data. As a result an influence of dopants on crystal structure of bismuth niobate (BiNbO4) ceramics was revealed. It was found that fabricated BiNbO4 ceramics adopted the orthorhombic symmetry (α-BiNbO4 phase, Pnna (52) space group). Small differences in elementary cell parameters were found.
Article Entitled: Determination of Multi-Class Pesticide Residues in Sour Cherries by LC-MS/MS
Authors: Bursić Vojislava , Vuković Gorica , Đukić Marina , Petrović Aleksandra , Cara Magdalena , Marinković Dušan , Đurović-Pejčev Rada
Published: January 2019

During 2018 a total of 42 sour cherry samples were collected and analysed for pesticide residues by LCMS/MS with the carbofuran–D3 and acetamiprid-D3 as internal standards. The study showed that 42.86% of the analysed samples contained pesticide residues. In percentage terms, it seems to be high, but most of the detections were below the recommended MRL values, which is encouraging. The analysis indicated that three of the analysed sour cherry samples (7.14%) contained pesticide residues above the MRLs (propiconazole, methomyl, dimethoate and prochloraz). In spite of the low concentrations, ten samples contained multiple detections, i.e. 55.56% of the analysed samples contained more than one pesticide residue.
Creative Genius as Inherently Relevant and Beneficial: The View from Mount Olympus
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: January 2019

The author responds to Kaufman’s (2018) target essay from a unique perspective – research on creative genius. Although the author began studying little-c creativity, he switched to Big-C creativity when he did his doctoral dissertation, and continued that work for the rest of his career. One implication of such research is that the relevance of creative genius cannot be questioned, even if its benefits are sometimes ambiguous (however obviously consequential). Another implication is that creative geniuses do not require training in creativity, whatever usefulness such instruction may possess for everyday creativity.
Educational Consequences of Creativity: A Creative Learning Perspective
Authors: Beghetto Ronald A. , Karwowski Maciej
Published: January 2019

How can creativity be encouraged in schools and what are the educational consequences of doing so? We address this question from a creative learning perspective. Specifically, we open by discussing how this question can be approached from at least two different perspectives: one that positions creativity and academic learning as competing goals and another that conceptualizes these goals as compatible. We discuss how a creative learning perspective helps to reframe this question and clarify the educational consequences of doing so. We close by briefly outlining five considerations for promoting favorable outcomes with respect to encouraging creativity in schools and classrooms.
Will Becoming More Creative Make us More Tolerant?
Authors: Groyecka Agata
Published: January 2019

This commentary attempts to address the question of “Why creativity matters?” from the perspective of social psychology, by pointing out processes, which promote creativity while diminishing prejudices. I argue that through enhancing creativity, stereotyping can be reduced which can translate to the further improvement of intergroup relations. The common correlates of low prejudices and creativity supporting this hypothesis, are presented in this paper and comprise: (1) cognitive flexibility, (2) openness to experience and (3) perspective taking. Further, I invoke the existing literature regarding the link between schema-inconsistencies and creativity, which highlights the interrelatedness of these processes, but views creativity as an outcome, rather than a tool for social change. The assumed relationship can be seen as an opening to numerous future research paths, as it can give rise to various detailed questions from the points of view of basic and applied psychology.
Uniquely Creative: Developing a New Outline for Positive Outcomes
Authors: Kaufman James C.
Published: January 2019

There were four broad takeaways from the commentaries by the distinguished contributors. First, there was a caution on focusing too much on the positive outcomes. Second, there were several important considerations noted that can enrich the discussion. Third, people made a strong case for revisiting old outcomes with new methods and theories. Finally, there were suggestions for “new” positive outcomes that creativity may predict. I build on these and my own thoughts to offer an outline to cover a (hopefully expandable) list of potential outcomes. I end with a call for open commentaries to be considered for a future special section in this journal.
Child’s creative activity as an opportunity to develop metalearning skills – analysis of an educational programmeCreating my own textbook – I know what I want to learn and how
Authors: Żak-Skalimowska Monika
Published: January 2019

The objective of my project entitled “Creating my own text-book - I know what I want to learn and how” was to develop children’s awareness of a broadly defined ability to learn, through the creation of their own textbooks, which they would like to use at school. The main aim of the research described below was to gain an understanding of what children them-selves would consider to be an ideal textbook from which to learn, what they would really like to learn about, and what are their interests and needs in terms of learning at school. Twenty-seven pupils from the III-rd grade of primary school participated in the project. The educational project lasted five months. A basic assumption of the research was that pupils have their own personal knowledge with regard to the content of what they would like to be taught at school. Conclusions from the research were formulated on the basis of interviews carried out with the children and an analysis of the textbooks which they created. The results show that the pupils who participated in the educational project are able to describe what their ideal school textbook should be like. The objective of the present paper is to present the conclusions drawn from the educational project from the perspective of developing meta-learning skills in young, school-aged children.
Ian McEwan’s Parable of Reading in Black Dogs
Authors: Bădulescu Dana
Published: January 2019

This paper aims to explore Ian McEwan’s vision of Europe in his 1992 novel Black Dogs. Published some three years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Black Dogs plunges its readers into a fictional experience that enhances their sense of an irrational fear and their apprehensions of evil forces haunting Europe’s past and present and bursting out in the shape of a pair of menacing creatures in London, France, Poland and Germany. Taking the reader back and forth in time and space in a narrative of mobility, McEwan projects a complex vision of Europe, where memory plays tricks and sheds light upon an essential, albeit inscrutable truth at the same time. Feeling that he belongs nowhere, in particular, Jeremy, the narrator-protagonist, probes into the past to find the key to the present, which overarches the future of the continent. In order to do so, his mind sweeps over moments and places, projecting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle which only the reading process can fit together. Looking into McEwan’s memory-oriented narrative strategies, the paper will focus on the emblematic role of the reader in a novel which is a parable of cultural, epistemological and literary reading.
Predictive analytics of insurance claims using multivariate decision trees
Authors: Quan Zhiyu , Valdez Emiliano A.
Published: January 2019

Because of its many advantages, the use of decision trees has become an increasingly popular alternative predictive tool for building classification and regression models. Its origins date back for about five decades where the algorithm can be broadly described by repeatedly partitioning the regions of the explanatory variables and thereby creating a tree-based model for predicting the response. Innovations to the original methods, such as random forests and gradient boosting, have further improved the capabilities of using decision trees as a predictive model. In addition, the extension of using decision trees with multivariate response variables started to develop and it is the purpose of this paper to apply multivariate tree models to insurance claims data with correlated responses. This extension to multivariate response variables inherits several advantages of the univariate decision tree models such as distribution-free feature, ability to rank essential explanatory variables, and high predictive accuracy, to name a few. To illustrate the approach, we analyze a dataset drawn from the Wisconsin Local Government Property Insurance Fund (LGPIF)which offers multi-line insurance coverage of property, motor vehicle, and contractors’ equipments.With multivariate tree models, we are able to capture the inherent relationship among the response variables and we find that the marginal predictive model based on multivariate trees is an improvement in prediction accuracy from that based on simply the univariate trees.
Application of Artificial Neural Networks in the Dimensioning of Retention Reservoirs
Authors: Pochwat Kamil Błażej , Słyś Daniel
Published: January 2019

One of the essential needs for retention reservoirs is to reduce the volume of wastewater flows in sewer systems. Their main advantage is the potential to increase retention in the system, which in turn improves hydraulic safety by reducing the risk of node flooding and the emergence of the phenomenon of “urban flooding”. The increasingly common use of retention reservoirs, the observed changes in the climate and the development of dedicated software tools necessitate the updating of the methods used to dimension retention reservoirs. So far, the best known procedures in this regard involve the application of analytical formulas and tools in the hydrodynamic modelling of current sewage systems. In each case the basis for the retention facility design is the evaluation of rainfall in terms of the probability of occurrence and duration that would result in a critical rainwater flow condition in the sewer system in order to define the required reservoir retention capacity. The purpose of this paper is to analyse of the feasibility of applying artificial neural networks in the preliminary estimation of the duration of critical rainfalls. Such an application of these networks is essential to the process of hydrodynamic modelling of the system and to determining the required retention capacity of the reservoir. The study used an artificial neural network model typically used as part of planning processes, as well as the Statistica software suite.
Analysis of Combined Sewer Flow Storage Scenarios Prior to Wastewater Treatment Plant
Authors: Sakson Grażyna , Zawilski Marek , Brzezińska Agnieszka
Published: January 2019

Combined sewer systems in cities are increasingly equipped with additional storage facilities or other installations necessary for keeping the wastewater treatment plants from overloading during wet weather and reducing combined sewer overflows into receiving waters. Effective methods for reducing such negative phenomena include the temporary storage of wet weather flow in an end-of-pipe separate tank or in a sewer system. In this paper, four scenarios of wastewater storage for the Group Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWWTP) in Lodz (Poland) have been analysed: a storage in a separate single tank located in GWWTP, a storage in the bypass channel in GWWTP, in-sewer storage, and a combination of the aforementioned variants, also with real time control (RTC) system introduced. The basic calculations were performed using the EPA’s SWMM software for the period of 5 years (2004-2008). The chosen solution - storage in a separate storage tank - has been verified based on the inflow dataset from the years 2009-2013. The specific volume of the separate storage tank should be at least 22 m3per hectare of impervious catchment area, but it could be reduced if additional in-sewer storage with RTC were introduced. Both options allow the effective protection of receiving waters against discharge of untreated sewage during wet weather.
Assessment of the Monitoring of an Industrial Waste Landfill
Authors: Janas Monika , Zawadzka Alicja
Published: January 2019

Industrial waste deposited in landfills poses a threat to the environment and can cause its deterioration. The physical and chemical processes that result in the formation of a number of harmful substances occur in the mass of stored waste. When released to the environment these compounds can be dangerous to all its elements, especially to groundwater. The monitoring of landfill impact plays an important role in assessing the state of the environment. It allows us to follow what changes take place in the waste bed itself, and in particular elements of the environment. On the basis of long-term monitoring studies (conducted in the years 1995-2016), the quality of groundwater around the industrial waste landfill in Zgierz was determined and its impact on the environment was characterized. The quality of conducted monitoring was assessed in relation to the current regulations. Analysis of the results of groundwater quality tests confirms that the industrial landfill in the operational phase due to a number of applied security measures has not contributed to the deterioration of groundwater quality. In the post-operational phase, groundwater contamination is observed, and consequently irreversible changes occur in the environment. The negative impact of the landfill can be due to the disruption of sealing layers and elution of pollutants from the waste by rainwater. The landfill site monitoring plays a key role in assessing causal relationships occurring between the state of the landfill and elements of the environment in its vicinity.
Representation of Solutions and Finite Time Stability for Delay Differential Systems with Impulsive Effects
Authors: You Zhongli , Wang JinRong , Zhou Yong , Fečkan Michal
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we study finite time stability for linear and nonlinear delay systems with linear impulsive conditions and linear parts defined by permutable matrices. We introduce a new concept of impulsive delayed matrix function and apply the variation of constants method to seek a representation of solution of linear impulsive delay systems, which can be well used to deal with finite time stability. We establish sufficient conditions for the finite time stability results by using the properties of impulsive delayed matrix exponential and Gronwall’s integral inequalities. Finally, we give numerical examples to demonstrate the validity of theoretical results and present some possible advantage by comparing the current work with the previous literature.
Why and how to predict sea level changes at a tide gauge station with prediction intervals
Authors: Iz H. Bâki
Published: January 2019

Predicting sea level rise is essential for current climate discussions. Empirical models put in use to monitor and analyze sea level variations observed at globally distributed tide gauge stations during the last decade can provide reliable predictions with high resolution. Meanwhile, prediction intervals, an alternative to confidence intervals, are to be recognized and deployed in sea level studies. Predictions together with their prediction intervals, as demonstrated in this study, can quantify the uncertainty of a single future observation from a population, instead of the uncertainty of a conceivable average sea level namely a confidence interval, and it is thereby, better suited for coastal risk assessment to guide policy development for mitigation and adaptation responses.
Intellectual property and agricultural trade: Producer perceptions of tea and coffee as potential geographical indications
Authors: Maina Fredah Wangui , Mburu John , Ackello-Ogutu Chris , Egelyng Henrik
Published: January 2019

Kenya tea and coffee are major foreign exchange earners and have high reputation among consumers in the international market. Faced by declining prices and competition from other sub-sectors, production area under these commodities has been declining. Use of intellectual property (IP) rights to protect and market agricultural commodities has been on the increase. Geographical indications as IP have been successfully implemented in developed countries and increasingly in developing countries. The study assesses producers’ awareness and perceptions of territorial-based qualities and the influence on product profits from the two export beverage crops, tea and coffee. Factor analysis was conducted on Likert scale perception questions administered to producers of coffee and tea from Muranga and Kirinyaga, respectively, in the Central region of Kenya. Producers of the two products were aware of the uniqueness of their products and their geographical source. Only perceptions related to market access in coffee and tea, and policies and rules as well as role of county government in coffee positively influenced income. Rather than have GI as a certification trademark, a prescriptive sui generis law would provide the required streamlining needed for collective participation of various actors along the value chain of potential GI products.
Ontology learning algorithm using weak functions
Authors: Zhu Linli , Hua Gang , Aslam Adnan
Published: January 2019

Ontology is widely used in information retrieval, image processing and other various disciplines. This article discusses how to use machine learning approach to solve the most essential similarity calculation problem in multi-dividing ontology setting. The ontology function is regarded as a combination of several weak ontology functions, and the optimal ontology function is obtained by an iterative algorithm. In addition, the performance of the algorithm is analyzed from a theoretical point of view by statistical methods, and several results are obtained.
Improving Care for the Frail in Nova Scotia: An Implementation Evaluation of a Frailty Portal in Primary Care Practice
Authors: Lawson Beverley , Sampalli Tara , Warner Grace , Burge Fred , Moorhouse Paige , Gibson Rick , Wood Stephanie , Harnish Ashley , Bedford Lisa G. , Edwards Lynn , Ryan-Carson Shannon
Published: January 2019

Background: Understanding and addressing the needs of frail patients has been identified as an important strategy by the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA). Primary care (PC) providers are in a key position to aid in the identification of, and response to frailty as part of routine care. Unlike singular chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension which garner a disease-based approach and identification as part of standard practice, frailty is only just emerging as a concept for PC. The web-based Frailty Portal was developed to aid in the identification of, assessment and care planning for frail patients in PC practice. In this study we assess the implementation feasibility and impact of the Frailty Portal by: (1) identifying factors influencing the Frailty Portal’s use in community PC practice, and (2) examination of the immediate impact of the ‘Frailty Portal’ on frail patients, their caregivers and PC providers. Methods: A convergent mixed method approach was implemented among PC providers in community-based practice in the NSHA, Central Zone. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently over a 9-month period. A sample of patients who underwent assessment and/or their caregiver were approached for survey participation. Results: Fourteen community PC providers (10 family physicians, 4 nurse practitioners) completed 48 patient assessments and completed or begun 41 care plans; semi-structured interviews were conducted among 9 providers. Nine patients and 5 caregivers participated in the survey. PC providers viewed frailty as an important concept but implementation challenges were met, primarily with respect to the time required for use and lack of fit with traditional practice routines. Additional barriers included tool usability and accessibility, training and care planning steps, and privacy. Impacts of the tools use with respect to confidence and knowledge showed early promise. Conclusion: This feasibility study highlights the need for added health system supports, resources and financial incentives for successful implementation of the Frailty Portal in community PC practice. We suggest future implementation integrate the Frailty Portal to practice electronic medical records (EMRs) and target providers with largely geriatric practice populations and those practicing within interdisciplinary, collaborative primary healthcare (PHC) teams.
Disease Control Priorities Third Edition: Time to Put a Theory of Change Into Practice Comment on "Disease Control Priorities Third Edition Is Published: A Theory of Change Is Needed for Translating Evidence to Health Policy"
Authors: Isaranuwatchai Wanrudee , Li Ryan , Glassman Amanda , Teerawattananon Yot , Culye Anthony J. , Chalkidou Kalipso
Published: January 2019

The Disease Control Priorities program (DCP) has pioneered the use of economic evidence in health. The theory of change (ToC) put forward by Norheim is a further welcome and necessary step towards translating DCP evidence into better priority setting in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We also agree that institutionalising evidence for informed priority-setting processes is crucial. Unfortunately, there have been missed opportunities for the DCP program to challenge ill-judged global norms about opportunity costs and too little respect has been shown for the wider set of local circumstances that may enable, or disable, the productive application of the DCP evidence base. We suggest that the best way forward for the global health community is a new platform that integrates the many existing development initiatives and that is driven by countries’ asks.
Role of serum Immunoglobulin E level in diagnosis of severity of cough variant asthma
Authors: Nemat Bilan , Orang-Poor Hannaneh , Dastranji Azar
Published: January 2019

Introduction: Cough variant asthma (CVA) is known by airway Hyper responsiveness and nonproductive chronic cough without wheezing for a minimum duration of 8 weeks. It is less common form of asthma. This study was conducted aiming to diagnose the role of serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in diagnosis of cough variant form of the disease. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 80 patients with an age range of 5-14 years were included with clinical criteria for CVA who referred to pulmonology clinic of Tabriz Children Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. Serum IgE level was measured and severity of CVA based on Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) classification was determined, finally the relationship between serum IgE level and severity of CVA was evaluated. Results: In patients with CVA without history of allergic disease, mean serum titer of IgE was 138.2 ± 17.5. Significant difference of serum IgE level in different severities of CVA was detected (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Serum IgE level in patients with CVA is a reliable marker for diagnosis and evaluation of the severity of disease.
The Effects of Group Discussion Based Education on the Promotion of Self-Management Behaviors in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Mahjubian Azam , Bahraminejad Nasrin , Kamali Koorosh
Published: January 2019

Introduction: Improving self-management of the patients undergoing hemodialysis is an effective way to reduce complications and to improve the quality of life of them. The current study aims to assess the effects of group discussion on the promotion of self-management behaviors in hemodialysis patients. Methods: In this quasi -experimental clinical trial study (with experimental and control groups) 60 patients were arranged in two experimental and control groups through using convenience sampling with random allocation. Self-management interventions were conducted on the experimental group during 3 to 4 sessions of group discussion. The control group received routine interventions. The data were collected through Li and colleagues' self-management standard questionnaire before and 3 months after the intervention. The data were analyzed via SPSS software version 13 and chi-square, t-test, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon test. Results: The results showed that the mean scores of four dimension of self-management including participation with the medical team, problem solving, self-care and emotional management after the implementation of group were significantly different between the experimental and control groups. Conclusion: Based on the findings, group discussion was an effective educational method to promote self-management of chronic hemodialysis patients. Therefore, holding group discussion to reinforce the self- management behaviors in patients undergoing hemodialysis is recommended.
The Right Liver Lobe Size/Albumin Concentration Ratio in Identifying Esophageal Varices among Patients with Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Akram Muhammad , Soomro Munawar Hussain , Magsi Mansoor
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND It is necessity to work more on non-invasive markers like right liver lobe size/albumin concentration ratio for predicting esophageal varices. We aimed to see the right liver lobe/albumin ratio in identifying esophageal varices among patients with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B and C. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among all indoor patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, General Hospital, Sector H-11/4 Islamabad, Pakistan, during May-December 2016. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used for data collection. Diagnosed cases of cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B and C virus infection aged 25 years or more were included. A pre-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software version 20. RESULTS A total number of 160 patients were included. Mean ± SD age was 56.04 ± 10.22 years, while 96 (60%) were men. Child-Turcotte-Pugh grades showed 41.88% of the patients with grade A, followed by grade B (38.12%), and grade C (20%). Esophageal varices were observed in 76.25% of the patients. The sensitivity was 86.89%, while specificity was 78.95%. The positive predictive value was 92.98% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 86.64% - 96.91%) and negative predictive value was 65.22% (CI = 49.75% - 78.64%) with a diagnostic accuracy of 85%. CONCLUSION The use of the studied non-invasive markers of portal hypertension particularly the right liver lobe size/albumin concentration ratio, can help physicians to restrict the use of endoscopic screening only to patients presenting a high probability of esophageal varices.
An Increased Level of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Masoudi Sahar , Hassanzadeh Nemati Amin , Fazli Hamid Reza , Beygi Samira , Moradzadeh Maliheh , Pourshams Akram , Mohamadkhani Ashraf
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND Aryl-carbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, is best known for its ability to mediate the effects of environmental toxins such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. AhR is expressed in several tumor cells and regulates the expression of genes in the signal transduction pathways. In this study, we examined the soluble levels of AhR in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS 123 samples, including 59 (48%) samples of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma based on histological evidence and 64 (52%) healthy control samples, were evaluated to determine plasma levels of AhR by Enzyme-linked immunoassay. RESULTS The median of AhR among patients was 0.280 ng/mL, which differed considerably from 0.07 ng/mL in the control group (p < 0.001). Significant differences of the AhR were observed between the plasma samples of the patients compared with the healthy group, with respect to male sex (p < 0.001), age groups (p = 0.001), diabetic status (p < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) categories (p = 0.035), and constantly smokers (p < 0.001). We also observed significant differences between the level of AhR expression between men and women (p = 0.01) and ever to never smokers (p = 0.009) in the case group. In addition, the age of 65 and a BMI of 25 or less were significant factors in plasma AhR levels ([1.61 95%CI 1.08-2.38] and [1.84 95%CI 1.22-2.77], respectively). CONCLUSION The results of this study can add diagnostic information to pancreatic cancer involving AhR and the potential efficacy of this receptor in therapeutic strategies.
Transient Expression of a Recombinant Monoclonal Antibody in HEK293T Cells
Authors: Mohammadian Omid , Rajabibazl Masoumeh , Bayat Hadi , Rahimpour Azam
Published: January 2019

Background: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are considered the most important and financially successful category of the biopharmaceuticals. Extensive optimization of the expression vector, host system and culture parameters are required for the successful production of active monoclonal antibodies in mammalian cells. In this regards, transient expression enables rapid and cost-effective production of recombinant proteins for initial characterization. Methods: In the present study, an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) based bicistronic expression system has been evaluated for the transient expression of an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody in mammalian cells. The IRES based bicistronic vector was generated through sequential cloning of the Light chain (LC), IRES, and Heavy chain (HC) in an intermediate vector and transfer of the resulting fragment to the expression vector. Transfection of the HEK293T cells was performed and antibody expression was analyzed in cell culture supernatant. Results: Restriction enzyme analysis indicated successful cloning of the antibody coding unit in the expression vector. Analysis of EGFP expression indicated successful transfection of the HEK293T cells. Production levels of 220 µg/L of antibody were achieved in HEK293T cells during three days of culture. Conclusion: Our results show the convenience and efficiency of the bicistronic expression system for transient expression of the whole monoclonal antibodies in mammalian cells.
Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Berries Essential Oil of Algerian Juniperus thurifera (Var. aurasiaca)
Authors: Boudjedjou Lamia , Ramdani Messaoud , Zeraib Azzeddine , Benmeddour Tarek , Fercha Azzedine
Published: January 2019

Background: Over the past decade, most antibiotic research programs have focused on finding new compounds with antimicrobial activity. This study aims to investigate the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil (EO) extracted from ripe berries of Algerian Juniperus thurifera var. aurasiaca. Methods: The chemical composition of J. thurifera EO extracted by hydrodistillation was analyzed by using the GC-MS technique. Antibacterial activity of EO alone and in combination with three conventional antibiotics was assessed by using disc diffusion method against four bacterial strains. Results: Thirty-five components were identified, representing ~87 % of the oil. The main components were m-mentha-6,8-diene (15.43 %), β-pinene (10.59 %), elemol (8.31 %) and terpinene-4-ol (7.44 %). The essential oil showed strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, but no activity against P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis. Synergistic effects were observed because of the combined application of EO with gentamicin against all strains tested, and with amoxicillin against B. subtilis. Furthermore, the combination of EO/cefazolin demonstrated an additive effect against B. subtilis. In contrast, the combination of EO with amoxicillin and céfazoline revealed antagonistic effects against S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Conclusion: This is the first report on the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Algerian juniper berries’ essential oil. The results indicate that the studied EO may be a promising source of antibacterial compounds that could be useful for pharmaceutical applications especially in combination with conventional antibiotics.
Effect of Curcumin and N-Acetylcysteine on Brain Histology and Inflammatory Factors (MMP-2, 9 and TNF-α) in Rats Exposed to Arsenic
Authors: Fallah Mostafa , Moghble Najmeh , Javadi Iraj , Bahadoran Hossein , Shahriary Alireza
Published: January 2019

Background: Arsenic is a toxic element that widely widespread in environment. Inflammation is now considered as one of the major mechanisms implicated in arsenic poisoning. Curcumin (Cur) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) are potential antioxidants that protect cells against inflammation. This study aimed to compare the protective effect of Cur and NAC on brain histology and inflammatory factors, including matrix metalloproteinases-2, -9 (MMP-2, 9) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rats exposed to single dose of arsenic. Methods: Rats were exposed to single dose of arsenic (20mg/kg, by gavage) for 30 days and then treated with 300mg/kg NAC (by gavage) and 100mg/kg Cur (by gavage), individually. Serum level of TNF-α was measured using specific ELISA kits. MMP2 and MMP9 contents were measured using Gelatin Zymography method. Brain samples were collected for histopathological and morphological examinations. Results: Arsenic treatment induced white matter lesions and cellular damages at hippocampal CA1 area of the brain. The number of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells was significantly declined in arsenic exposed rats (p<0.05). Treatment with NAC and Cur improved these abnormalities. The mean levels of MMP2, MMP9 and TNF-α inflammatory biomarkers were slightly declined after treatment with NAC and Cur (p>0.05). Conclusion: NAC and Cur play an important role in protecting the hippocampal CA1 cells injury induced by arsenic.
Acknowledgement of Top Manuscript Reviewers 2018
Authors: Shayanfar Ali , Hamedeyazdan Sanaz , Garjani Alireza
Published: January 2019

The editors of Pharmaceutical Sciences would like to thank all of our reviewers and particularly our top reviewers who have contributed to the journal in Volume 24 (2018)
TÜRKİYE’DE TÜKETİLEN KÜLTÜR BALIKLARINDA BESİN DEĞERİ VE YAĞ ASİDİ BAKIMINDAN FARKLILIKLAR
Authors: ÖZYILMAZ Ayşe
Published: January 2019

Bu çalışmada ülkemizde tüketilen kültüre alınmış olan ve
ticari öneme sahip; Muskar (Argyrosomus regius), Çipura (Sparus
aurata), Levrek (Dicentrarchus labrax) ve Alabalık (Oncorhynchus
mykiss) balıklarının et verimi, % yağ miktarı ve yağ asitleri
kompozisyonları araştırılmıştır. Balıkların ölçülen yağ seviyeleri arasındaki
ilişki Muskar<Levrek<Çipura<Alabalık şeklinde ve et verimleri ise
%55-66 aralığında bulunmuştur. Çalışmada kullanılan kültür balıklarının doymuş
yağ asitleri düzeyi (SFA) %29.10-40.40, tekli doymamış yağ asitleri düzeyi
(MUFA) %21.15-36.62, çoklu doymamış yağ asitleri düzeyi (PUFA) %11.95-21.44
arasında belirlenmiştir. Çalışmada kullanılan Muskar, Çipura ve alabalığın
temel yağ asitleri palmitik asit (C16:0), stearik asit (C18:0), linoleik asit
(LA C18:2n6), dokosaheksaenoik asit (DHA, C22:6n-3) olarak belirlenmiştir.
Levrek balığının temel yağ asitleri için ise bu sıralama C16:0, C18:0, DHA ve
eikosapentaenoik asit (EPA, C20:5n-3) şeklinde tespit edilmiştir. Çalışmada
kullanılan kültür balıklarının DHA ve EPA düzeyleri birbirlerinden farklılık
göstermiştir. Bu farklılık Muskar ve Levrek balıklarının DHA seviyeleri hariç
tüm balıklarda istatistiksel açıdan önemli bulunmuştur (P <0.05).
MANAGEMENT DECISION SUPPORTBY USING EARLY WARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Žilinskas Raimundas , Skyrius Rimvydas
Published: January 2019

Successful activities in a dynamic environment of today’s economy largely depend on the skills to have an adequate view of activity environment and its changes. The information activities of business decision makers relate their subjective potential of environment assessment and problem solving to the systems of environment monitoring and early warning, whose relevance is of expressed in various activities both at micro and macro levels. The paper discusses the features of the bank deposit insurance system in the Republic of Lithuania, its information needs and the role of early warning systems in its activities. Also, the paper examines a prototype of an early warning system in the Deposit Insurance Scheme of the Republic of Lithuania and the conditions for its application. There are specific groups of decision-important information and relations between their estimates. The proposed way of applying a composite set of decision criteria can be transferred to similar systems in other fields of activity.p>
SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC DOWNTURN (2008) IN LITHUANIA
Authors: Gruževskis Boguslavas , Zabarauskaitė Rasa
Published: January 2019

The world economic recession has a significant adverse impact on social economic development in Lithuania. The article aims at assessing the possible long-term social consequences of the economic downturn in Lithuania if no actions are taken from the Government, as well as at designing recommendations on the implementation of measures with a view to mitigate the consequences of the recession.The article analyses various social economic indicators in Lithuania with the aim to highlight the impact of the recent economic downturn on different aspects of living standards in the country. The article seeks to provide evidence on the critical need to address social problems in Lithuania as well as to outline the next steps to be taken to mitigate the negative consequences of the economic downturn.The analysis has shown that in Lithuania, the major negative social consequences of the economic decline for the population manifest themselves in job losses and income decrease, which in turn result in the rising long-term unemployment, growing social exclusion, higher emigration and other negative consequences. With regard to this, long-term negative consequences of the economic recession could be mitigated by addressing two vital issues, namely job losses and a decrease in household income in Lithuania.
THE EFFECTS OF ACTIVE LABOUR MARKET PROGRAMMES ON UNEMPLOYMENT DURATION
Authors: Laužadytė Agnė
Published: January 2019

This study estimates the effects of Active Labour Market Programmes on unemployment insurance (UI) benefit recipients in Denmark, depending on the time spent in unemployment before entry into the programme. I estimate two separate effects of the ALMPs in the duration model: a locking-in effect and a post-programme effect, and finally, the net effects of ALMPs on unemployment duration are calculated.The results in this study are in line with the findings of studies in other countries, i.e. I find that only one of ALMP types – Private Job training – reduces unemployment duration. Analysis leads to a conclusion in favour of activation of unemployed persons in their first year of unemployment; however, it does not support activation in the first 1–6 months of UI benefit spells.
THE ROLE OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN VALUE CREATION: THEORETICAL INSIGHTS
Authors: Česynienė Rima , Stankevičienė Asta
Published: January 2019

The growth of the modern knowledge-based economy is becoming less dependent on tangible assets and, respectively, hinges more on the intangibles which are defined as human capital (HC). Despite the great number of scientific works dedicated to the HC phenomenon, the interest in this field had its “ups and downs” which caused changes not only in the notional concept itself, but also in the approach to its importance in value creation by measuring the returns of its investments. The purpose of the article is to analyse the evolution of these approaches. The nature of the article is both theoretical and analytical; it is based on quite an abundant list of scientific publications by Lithuanian and foreign authors. Adequate research methods were used in the study, such as a systematic analysis of scientific literature, logical comparative analysis and generalization. The originality of the study is ingrained in the fact that it reveals changes in the concept of human capital since its rise in the late 1960s until the most recent ideas which were formed and are still under development in the 2010s.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING
Authors: Bumelytė Junona , Galinienė Birutė , Markauskas Ramūnas
Published: January 2019

Housing is at the core of the European Union’s prosperity as it is important to achieve energy saving targets and to combat climate change whilst contributing to energy saving and security. During the programming period 2007–2013, the European Union Cohesion Policy has started playinga new and important role in the process of supporting investments into energy efficiency measures in the housing sector. The increasing need for effective renovation of housing stock, which was constructed in the period when energy resources were cheap, is most notable in Central and Eastern Europe. The use of the European Union fund for the renovation of housing stock in Lithuania servers as a basis for assessing the impact of such investments on energy saving, natural gas import and greenhouse gas emissions.
THE EVOLUTION OF MUNICIPAL BOND MARKET IN POLAND
Authors: Łękawa Zofia
Published: January 2019

The Act of 29 June 1995 on Bonds has formally launched the development of a market for municipal bonds in Poland. The changes not only affected the legal provisions, but also the attitudes of self-government activists and institutions engaged in the issue of municipal bonds; hence, the organization of the market had to be different. As a consequence, a new bond market, GPW Catalyst, has been established on 30 September 2009.The paper aims at presenting the municipal bond market in Poland. The main aspects of this market that are significant for its development are identified. An analysis and assessment of the market’s development are conducted using the experience of more than a decade of developing the municipal bond market in Poland. The environment that led to the launching of the first municipal bond market in East-Central Europe at the end of 2009 is presented. The main motivation was the need to indicate new sources of finance during the periods of recession and the crisis of the public finance sector.
HOW DO NEW EU MEMBER STATES COMPLY WITH THE FLEXICURITY CONCEPT?
Authors: Laporšek Suzana , Dolenc Primož
Published: January 2019

Abstract. The paper analyses the state of implementation of flexicurity policy components in the NMS and, by using panel regression analysis, estimates the impact of employment protection legislation, expenditures for active employment policies, participation in lifelong learning and net replacement rate on labour productivity and on long-term unemployment. The empirical analysis has shown that the labour markets in the NMS, on the overall, are not more rigid as compared to the EU-15; however, problematic remains low expenditure on active labour market policies, education and social protection, and the low participation in lifelong learning. NMS must, according to the results of the panel linear regression, improve their performance in the mentioned areas in order to improve their labour productivity and decrease long-term unemployment.Key words: flexicurity, labour market, labour productivity, long-term unemployment, European Union
THE IMPACT OF POPULATION IMMIGRATION ON THE LABOUR MARKET OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
Authors: Kasnauskienė Gindra , Vėbraitė Loreta
Published: January 2019

Abstract. The impact of immigration on the labour market has become a very important subject of public and political debates in recent years. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of immigration on the labour market of the United Kingdom in 1991–2010. Using a system of equations for immigration, unemployment, wage and gross domestic product, the structural vector error correction model and linear regression models were developed. The application of the structural vector error correction model has shown that immigration has a negative impact on the country’s labour market in the short run as it reduces real wages and increases unemployment. The linear regression models have indicated that immigration, ceteris paribus, negatively influencesunemployment and real wages in the long run.Key words: immigration, labour market, impact, short run, long run
REGULATION PROBLEMS AND THEIR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN THE LITHUANIAN EXPRESS CREDIT SECTOR
Authors: Pazniokas Rimgaudas , Jočienė Aldona
Published: January 2019

Abstract. Express credit institutions have started their activities only five years ago when the economic crisis came and increased the borrowing demand. Now, we have the consumer credit law and other legislative acts which aim to ensure this sector regulation. However, there still remain problems that have to be solved. The main of them are inconsistencies in consumers’ solvency evaluation in different companies, the lack of financial knowledge in society and its information, the aggressive lending and advertising policy. The increasing demand for this service shows its importance and proves the necessity to maintain it in the market while at the same time ensuring consumer protection.Key words: express credits, pay-day loans, consumer credit