bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of high-resolution computed tomography in the follow-up of diffuse lung disease
Authors: Elicker Brett M. , Kallianos Kimberly G. , Henry Travis S.
Published: June 2017

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lung is a key component of the multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis in diffuse lung disease (DLD). HRCT also plays an important role in the follow-up of patients with established DLD. In this respect, serial HRCT examinations may provide valuable information that cannot be determined from clinical history and other diagnostic tests, such as pulmonary function tests. Important roles of HRCT in this context include assisting in determining prognosis, monitoring for the efficacy of treatment, detecting progression of disease or complications, and evaluating patients with worsening or acute symptoms. Both clinicians and radiologists should be aware of the expected evolution of HRCT changes in a variety of DLDs. The goals of this paper are to discuss: 1) the expected evolution of HRCT findings over time in common DLDs; 2) the role of serial HRCT examinations in formulating an initial diagnosis; and 3) the role of HRCT in the follow-up of patients with known DLD.
Mechanisms, measurement and management of exertional dyspnoea in asthma
Authors: Weatherald Jason , Lougheed M. Diane , Taillé Camille , Garcia Gilles
Published: June 2017

Asthma is a heterogeneous condition, with dyspnoea during exercise affecting individuals to a variable degree. This narrative review explores the mechanisms and measurement of exertional dyspnoea in asthma and summarises the available evidence for the efficacy of various interventions on exertional dyspnoea. Studies on the mechanisms of dyspnoea in asthma have largely utilised direct bronchoprovocation challenges, rather than exercise, which may invoke different physiological mechanisms. Thus, the description of dyspnoea during methacholine challenge can differ from what is experienced during daily activities, including exercise. Dyspnoea perception during exercise is influenced by many interacting variables, such as asthma severity and phenotype, bronchoconstriction, dynamic hyperinflation, respiratory drive and psychological factors. In addition to the intensity of dyspnoea, the qualitative description of dyspnoea may give important clues as to the underlying mechanism and may be an important endpoint for future interventional studies. There is currently little evidence demonstrating whether pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions specifically improve exertional dyspnoea, which is an important area for future research.
Feasibility of a physical activity intervention during and shortly after chemotherapy for testicular cancer
Authors: Thorsen Lene , Kirkegaard Camilla , Loge Jon Håvard , Kiserud Cecilie E. , Johansen Merethe Lia , Gjerset Gunhild M. , Edvardsen Elisabeth , Hamre Hanne , Ikdahl Tone , Fosså Sophie D.
Published: June 2017

Background

Given the risk of developing acute and long-term adverse effects in patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy for testicular cancer (TC), risk-reducing interventions, such as physical activity (PA), may be relevant. Limited knowledge is available on the challenges met when conducting PA intervention trials in patients with TC during and shortly after chemotherapy. The aims of the present feasibility study are therefore to determine patient recruitment, compliance and adherence to a PA intervention.

Results

Patients with metastatic TC referred to cisplatin-based chemotherapy were eligible. They followed an individual low-threshold PA intervention, including counseling from a personal coach during and 3 months after chemotherapy. Outcomes were recruitment rate, compliance rate and adherence to the intervention including preferences for type of PA and barriers for PA. During 8 months 12 of 18 eligible patients were invited, all consented, but three dropped out. Walking and low intensity activities were preferred and nausea and feeling unwell were the most often reported barriers towards PA.

Discussion

In order to achieve adequate recruitment, compliance and complete data in future PA intervention trials, close cooperation with treating physicians, individual PA plans and availability of personalized coaching are required.

Trial registration NCT01749774, November 2012, ClinicalTrials.gov
Patterning and gastrulation defects caused by thetw18lethal are due to loss ofPpp2r1a
Authors: Lange Lisette , Marks Matthias , Liu Jinhua , Wittler Lars , Bauer Hermann , Piehl Sandra , Bläß Gabriele , Timmermann Bernd , Herrmann Bernhard G.
Published: June 2017

The mouse t haplotype, a variant 20 cM genomic region on Chromosome 17, harbors 16 embryonic control genes identified by recessive lethal mutations isolated from wild mouse populations. Due to technical constraints so far only one of these, the tw5 lethal, has been cloned and molecularly characterized. Here we report the molecular isolation of the tw18 lethal. Embryos carrying the tw18 lethal die from major gastrulation defects commencing with primitive streak formation at E6.5. We have used transcriptome and marker gene analyses to describe the molecular etiology of the tw18 phenotype. We show that both WNT and Nodal signal transduction are impaired in the mutant epiblast, causing embryonic patterning defects and failure of primitive streak and mesoderm formation. By using a candidate gene approach, gene knockout by homologous recombination and genetic rescue, we have identified the gene causing the tw18 phenotype as Ppp2r1a, encoding the PP2A scaffolding subunit PR65alpha. Our work highlights the importance of phosphatase 2A in embryonic patterning, primitive streak formation, gastrulation, and mesoderm formation downstream of WNT and Nodal signaling.
Low extracellular potassium prolongs repolarization and evokes early afterdepolarization in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes
Authors: Kuusela Jukka , Larsson Kim , Shah Disheet , Prajapati Chandra , Aalto-Setälä Katriina
Published: June 2017

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is characterized by a prolonged QT-interval on electrocardiogram and by increased risk of sudden death. One of the most common and potentially life-threatening electrolyte disturbances is hypokalemia, characterized by low concentrations of K+. Using a multielectrode array platform and current clamp technique, we investigated the effect of low extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]Ex) on the electrophysiological properties of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) generated from a healthy control subject (WT) and from two symptomatic patients with type 1 of LQTS carrying G589D (LQT1A) or IVS7-2A>G mutation (LQT1B) in KCNQ1. The baseline prolongations of field potential durations (FPDs) and action potential durations (APDs) were longer in LQT1-CMs than in WT-CMs. Exposure to low [K+]Ex prolonged FPDs and APDs in a concentration-dependent fashion. LQT1-CMs were found to be more sensitive to low [K+]Ex compared to WT-CMs. At baseline, LQT1A-CMs had more prolonged APDs than LQT1B-CMs, but low [K+]Ex caused more pronounced APD prolongation in LQT1B-CMs. Early afterdepolarizations in the action potentials were observed in a subset of LQT1A-CMs with further prolonged baseline APDs and triangular phase 2 profiles. This work demonstrates that the hiPSC-derived CMs are sensitive to low [K+]Ex and provide a platform to study acquired LQTS.
Simultaneous stimulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis by feeding in the anterior intestine of the omnivorous GIFT tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus
Authors: Chen Yong-Jun , Zhang Ti-Yin , Chen Hai-Yan , Lin Shi-Mei , Luo Li , Wang De-Shou
Published: June 2017

The present study was performed to investigate the roles of anterior intestine in the postprandial glucose homeostasis of the omnivorous Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT). Sub-adult fish (about 173 g) were sampled at 0, 1, 3, 8 and 24 h post feeding (HPF) after 36 h of food deprivation, and the time course of changes in intestinal glucose transport, glycolysis, glycogenesis and gluconeogenesis at the transcription and enzyme activity level, as well as plasma glucose contents, were analyzed. Compared with 0 HPF (fasting for 36 h), the mRNA levels of both ATP-dependent sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 and facilitated glucose transporter 2 increased during 1-3 HPF, decreased at 8 HPF and then leveled off. These results indicated that intestinal uptake of glucose and its transport across the intestine to blood mainly occurred during 1-3 HPF, which subsequently resulted in the increase of plasma glucose level at the same time. Intestinal glycolysis was stimulated during 1-3 HPF, while glucose storage as glycogen was induced during 3-8 HPF. Unexpectedly, intestinal gluconeogenesis (IGNG) was also strongly induced during 1-3 HPF at the state of nutrient assimilation. The mRNA abundance and enzyme activities of glutamic-pyruvic and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminases increased during 1-3 HPF, suggesting that the precursors of IGNG might originate from some amino acids. Taken together, it was concluded that the anterior intestine played an important role in the regulation of postprandial glucose homeostasis in omnivorous tilapia, as it represented significant glycolytic potential and glucose storage. It was interesting that postprandial IGNG was stimulated by feeding temporarily, and its biological significance remains to be elucidated in fish.
Bar-coding neurodegeneration: Identifying sub-cellular effects of human neurodegenerative disease proteins using Drosophila leg neurons
Authors: Fernius Josefin , Starkenberg Annika , Thor Stefan
Published: June 2017

Genetic, biochemical and histological studies have identified a number of different proteins as key drivers of human neurodegenerative diseases. Whereas different proteins are typically involved in different disease, there is also considerable overlap. Addressing disease protein dysfunction in an in vivo neuronal context is often time-consuming and requires labor-intensive analysis of transgenic models. To facilitate the rapid, cellular analysis of disease protein dysfunction, we have developed a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) adult leg neuron assay. We tested the robustness of 41 transgenic fluorescent reporters, and identified a number that were readily detected in the legs, and could report on different cellular events. To test these reporters, we expressed a number of human proteins involved in neurodegenerative disease, both in their mutated and wild type versions, to address the effects on reporter expression and localization. We observed strikingly different effects of the different disease proteins upon the various reporters, with for example: Aβ1-42 being highly neuro-toxic, Tau, Parkin and Htt128Q affecting mitochondrial distribution/integrity, and Aβ1-42, Tau, Htt128Q and ATX182Q affecting the F-actin network. This study provides proof-of-concept for using the Drosophila adult leg for inexpensive and rapid analysis of cellular effects of neurodegenerative disease proteins in mature neurons.
Breaking the color barrier – a multi-selective antibody reporter offers innovative strategies of fluorescence detection
Authors: Gallo Eugenio , Jarvik Jonathan W.
Published: June 2017

A novel bi-partite fluorescence platform exploits the high affinity and selectivity of antibody scaffolds to capture and activate small-molecule fluorogens. In this report, we investigated the property of multi-selectivity activation by a single antibody against diverse cyanine family fluorogens. Our fluorescence screen identified three cell-impermeant fluorogens, each with unique emission spectra (blue, green and red) and nanomolar affinities. Most importantly, as a protein fusion tag to G-protein-coupled receptors, the antibody biosensor retained full activity – displaying bright fluorogen signals with minimal background on live cells. Because fluorogen-activating antibodies interact with their target ligands via non-covalent interactions, we were able to perform advanced multi-color detection strategies on live cells, previously difficult or impossible with conventional reporters. We found that by fine-tuning the concentrations of the different color fluorogen molecules in solution, a user may interchange the fluorescence signal (onset versus offset), execute real-time signal exchange via fluorogen competition, measure multi-channel fluorescence via co-labeling, and assess real-time cell surface receptor traffic via pulse-chase experiments. Thus, here we inform of an innovative reporter technology based on tri-color signal that allows user-defined fluorescence tuning in live-cell applications.
A putative antiviral role of plant cytidine deaminases
Authors: Martín Susana , Cuevas José M. , Grande-Pérez Ana , Elena Santiago F.
Published: June 2017

Background: A mechanism of innate antiviral immunity operating against viruses infecting mammalian cells has been described during the last decade.  Host cytidine deaminases (e.g., APOBEC3 proteins) edit viral genomes, giving rise to hypermutated nonfunctional viruses; consequently, viral fitness is reduced through lethal mutagenesis.  By contrast, sub-lethal hypermutagenesis may contribute to virus evolvability by increasing population diversity.  To prevent genome editing, some viruses have evolved proteins that mediate APOBEC3 degradation.  The model plantArabidopsis thalianagenome encodes nine cytidine deaminases (AtCDAs), raising the question of whether deamination is an antiviral mechanism in plants as well.

Methods: Here we tested the effects of expression ofAtCDAs on the pararetrovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). Two different experiments were carried out. First, we transiently overexpressed each one of the nineA. thalianaAtCDAgenes inNicotianabigeloviiplants infected with CaMV, and characterized the resulting mutational spectra, comparing them with those generated under normal conditions.  Secondly, we createdA. thalianatransgenic plants expressing an artificial microRNA designed to knock-out the expression of up to sixAtCDAgenes.  This and control plants were then infected with CaMV.  Virus accumulation and mutational spectra where characterized in both types of plants.

Results:  We have shown that theA. thalianaAtCDA1gene product exerts a mutagenic activity, significantly increasing the number of G to A mutationsin vivo, with a concomitant reduction in the amount of CaMV genomes accumulated.  Furthermore, the magnitude of this mutagenic effect on CaMV accumulation is positively correlated with the level ofAtCDA1mRNA expression in the plant.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that deamination of viral genomes may also work as an antiviral mechanism in plants.
Case report: Percutaneous electrical neural field stimulation in two cases of sympathetically-mediated pain
Authors: Fraser Lynn , Woodbury Anna
Published: June 2017

Background: Fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) are both chronic pain syndromes with pathophysiologic mechanisms related to autonomic nervous system dysregulation and central sensitization.  Both syndromes are considered difficult to treat with conventional pain therapies. Case presentations: Here we describe a female veteran with fibromyalgia and a male veteran with CRPS, both of whom failed multiple pharmacologic, physical and psychological therapies for pain, but responded to percutaneous electrical neural field stimulation (PENFS) targeted at the auricular branches of the cranial nerves. Discussion: While PENFS applied to the body has been previously described for treatment of localized pain, PENFS effects on cranial nerve branches of the ear is not well-known, particularly when used for regional and full-body pain syndromes such as those described here. PENFS of the ear is a minimally-invasive, non-pharmacologic therapy that could lead to improved quality of life and decreased reliance on medication. However, further research is needed to guide clinical application, particularly in complex pain patients.
A bipedal mammalian model for spinal cord injury research: The tammar wallaby
Authors: Saunders Norman R. , Dziegielewska Katarzyna M. , Whish Sophie C. , Hinds Lyn A. , Wheaton Benjamin J. , Huang Yifan , Henry Steve , Habgood Mark D.
Published: June 2017

Background: Most animal studies of spinal cord injury are conducted in quadrupeds, usually rodents. It is unclear to what extent functional results from such studies can be translated to bipedal species such as humans because bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion involve very different patterns of spinal control of muscle coordination. Bipedalism requires upright trunk stability and coordinated postural muscle control; it has been suggested that peripheral sensory input is less important in humans than quadrupeds for recovery of locomotion following spinal injury.

Methods: We used an Australian macropod marsupial, the tammar wallaby(Macropuseugenii), because tammars exhibit an upright trunk posture, human-like alternating hindlimb movement when swimming and bipedal over-ground locomotion. Regulation of their muscle movements is more similar to humans than quadrupeds. At different postnatal (P) days (P7–60) tammars received a complete mid-thoracic spinal cord transection. Morphological repair, as well as functional use of hind limbs, was studied up to the time of their pouch exit.

Results:Growth of axons across the lesion restored supraspinal innervation in animals injured up to 3 weeks of age but not in animals injured after 6 weeks of age. At initial pouch exit (P180), the young injured at P7-21 were able to hop on their hind limbs similar to age-matched controls and to swim albeit with a different stroke. Those animals injured at P40-45 appeared to be incapable of normal use of hind limbs even while still in the pouch.

Conclusions: Data indicate that the characteristic over-ground locomotion of tammars provides a model in which regrowth of supraspinal connections across the site of injury can be studied in a bipedal animal. Forelimb weight-bearing motion and peripheral sensory input appear not to compensate for lack of hindlimb control, as occurs in quadrupeds. Tammars may be a more appropriate model for studies of therapeutic interventions relevant to humans.
Enterovirus D68 in Viet Nam (2009-2015)
Authors: Ny Nguyen Thi Han , Anh Nguyen To , Hang Vu Thi Ty , Nguyet Lam Anh , Thanh Tran Tan , Ha Do Quang , Minh Ngo Ngoc Quang , Ha Do Lien Anh , McBride Angela , Tuan Ha Manh , Baker Stephen , Tam Pham Thi Thanh , Phuc Tran My , Huong Dang Thao , Loi Tran Quoc , Vu Nguyen Tran Anh , Hung Nguyen Van , Minh Tran Thi Thuy , Xang Nguyen Van , Dong Nguyen , Nghia Ho Dang Trung , Chau Nguyen Van Vinh , Thwaites Guy , van Doorn H. Rogier , Anscombe Catherine , Le Van Tan ,   VIZIONS Consortium
Published: June 2017

Background: Since 1962, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been implicated in multiple outbreaks and sporadic cases of respiratory infection worldwide, especially in the USA and Europe with an increasing frequency between 2010 and 2014. We describe the detection, associated clinical features and molecular characterization of EV-D68 in central and southern Viet Nam between 2009 and 2015.

Methods: Enterovirus/rhinovirus PCR positive respiratory or CSF samples taken from children and adults with respiratory/central nervous system infections in Viet Nam were tested by an EV-D68 specific PCR. The included samples were derived from 3 different observational studies conducted at referral hospitals across central and southern Viet Nam 2009-2015. Whole-genome sequencing was carried out using a MiSeq based approach. Phylogenetic reconstruction and estimation of evolutionary rate and recombination were carried out in BEAST and Recombination Detection Program, respectively.

Results: EV-D68 was detected in 21/625 (3.4%) enterovirus/rhinovirus PCR positive respiratory samples but in none of the 15 CSF. All the EV-D68 patients were young children (age range: 11.8 – 24.5 months) and had moderate respiratory infections. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the Vietnamese sequences clustered with those from Asian countries, of which 9 fell in the B1 clade, and the remaining sequence was identified within the A2 clade. One intra sub-clade recombination event was detected, representing the second reported recombination within EV-D68. The evolutionary rate of EV-D68 was estimated to be 5.12E-3 substitutions/site/year. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the virus was imported into Viet Nam in 2008.

Conclusions: We have demonstrated for the first time EV-D68 has been circulating at low levels in Viet Nam since 2008, associated with moderate acute respiratory infection in children. EV-D68 in Viet Nam is most closely related to Asian viruses, and clusters separately from recent US and European viruses that were suggested to be associated with acute flaccid paralysis.
Strategic Investment in Renewable Energy Sources: The Effect of Supply Intermittency
Authors: Aflaki Sam , Netessine Serguei
Published: June 2017

To analyze incentives for investing in the capacity to generate renewable electricity, we model the trade-off between renewable (e.g., wind) and nonrenewable (e.g., natural gas) technology. Renewable technology has a higher investment cost and yields only an intermittent supply of electricity; nonrenewable technology is reliable and has lower investment cost but entails both fuel expenditures and carbon emission costs. With reference to existing electricity markets, we model several interrelated contexts—the vertically integrated electricity supplier, market competition, and partial market competition with long-term fixed-price contracts for renewable electricity—and examine the effect of carbon taxes on the cost and share of wind capacity in an energy portfolio. We find that the intermittency of renewable technologies drives the effectiveness of carbon pricing mechanisms, which suggests that charging more for emissions could unexpectedly discourage investment in renewables. We also show that market liberalization may reduce investment in renewable capacity while increasing the overall system’s cost and emissions. Fixed-price contracts with renewable generators can mitigate these detrimental effects, but not without possibly creating other problems. In short, actions to reduce the intermittency of renewable sources may be more effective than carbon taxes alone at promoting investment in renewable generation capacity.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2017.0621 .
Risk Aversion, Information Acquisition, and Technology Adoption
Authors: Smith James E. , Ulu Canan
Published: June 2017

We use a dynamic programming model to study the impacts of risk aversion on information acquisition in technology adoption decisions. In this model, the benefit of the technology is uncertain and, in each period, the decision maker (DM) may adopt the technology, reject the technology, or pay to acquire a signal about the benefit of the technology. The dynamic programming state variables are the DM’s wealth and a probability distribution that describes the DM’s beliefs about the benefit of the technology; these distributions are updated over time using Bayes’ rule. If the signal-generating process satisfies the monotone-likelihood ratio property and the DM is risk neutral, the value functions and policies satisfy natural monotonicity properties: a likelihood-ratio improvement in the distribution on benefits leads to an increase in the value function and moves the DM away from rejection and toward adoption. With risk aversion, the value functions (now representing expected utilities) will be monotonic, but the policies need not be monotonic, even with reasonable utility functions. However, if we assume the DM exhibits decreasing absolute risk aversion and is not “too risk averse,” the policies can be shown to be monotonic. Establishing these structural properties requires the use of some novel proof techniques that may prove useful in other contexts. We also study the impact of changing risk attitudes on the optimal policy.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2017.1601 .
Að þjóna sömu herrum en keppa þó: Sameiginlegt eignarhald á íslenskum hlutabréfamarkaði
Authors: Óladóttir Ásta Dís , Friðriksson Friðrik Árni , Magnússon Gylfi , Þráinsson Valur
Published: June 2017

Tilgangur þessarar greinar er að fjalla um og varpa ljósi á sameiginlegt eignarhald fyrirtækja á skráðum hlutabréfamarkaði á Íslandi og er það borið saman við umfang slíks eignarhalds í Bandaríkjunum. Nokkur umræða hefur verið um hversu fáir aðilar eiga stóra hluti í íslenskum fyrirtækjum sem eru í samkeppni við hvert annað og því er umfang þessa og þróun á íslenskum hlutabréfamarkaði greind. Sjónum er beint að þremur mörkuðum hér á landi þar sem tveir eða þrír keppinautar eru skráðir í Kauphöll Íslands. Það eru trygginga-, fjarskipta, og fasteignamarkaðir. Þá er umfang fjárfestinga lífeyrissjóða á íslenskum hlutabréfamarkaði greint á fjórum mismunandi tímapunktum; árin 2003, 2007, 2014 og 2016. Þótt erfitt sé að bera saman hlutabréfaeign milli tímabila sést að sameiginlegt eignarhald var mun minna fyrir efnahagshrunið árið 2008 en á árunum eftir hrun, bæði hjá öllum stærstu hluthöfum skráðra fyrirtækja og þá einkum lífeyrissjóðum. Um mitt ár 2016 var eign lífeyrissjóða í skráðum hlutafélögum í Kauphöll Íslands orðin umtalsverð eða um 50% af markaðsvirði allra skráðra félaga. Stærstu lífeyrissjóðirnir áttu hlut í nánast öllum hlutafélögum í kauphöllinni. Á þeim mörkuðum sem hér er fjallað um fara lífeyrissjóðirnir með yfir 45% eign í öllum skráðum fasteignafélögum, yfir 35% í öllum skráðum tryggingafélögum og yfir 50% í fjarskiptafyrirtækjum á markaði. Ekki liggur fyrir hvaða afleiðingar þetta sameiginlega eignarhald á íslenskum fyrirtækjum hefur á samkeppni og verð. Engar rannsóknir hafa enn verið gerðar á því. Bandarískar rannsóknir benda þó til þess að slíkt eignarhald hafi skaðleg áhrif á samkeppni. Í ljósi umfangs þess á Íslandi er ástæða til þess að greina áhrif þess hér og mun greinin því varpa betra ljósi á hvernig þróunin hefur verið á Íslandi síðustu tæpu tvo áratugi.
Kosningar, lýðræði og fatlað fólk
Authors: Traustadóttir Rannveig , Rice James G.
Published: June 2017

Kosningaréttur er grundvallarréttur þegna í lýðræðisríkjum og þátttaka í kosningum álitin ein af mikilvægustu athöfnum borgaranna. Þó að þessi réttindi skuli tryggð öllum þegnum sýna alþjóðlegar rannsóknir að fatlað fólk er víða útilokað frá þátttöku í kosningum. Fatlað fólk er síður líklegt til að kjósa en ófatlað fólk og mætir iðulega ýmsum hindrunum ef það reynir að taka þátt í kosningum. Þessi grein fjallar um kosningaþátttöku fatlaðs fólks með hliðsjón af niðurstöðum alþjóðlegra rannsókna. Í upphafi eru raktar helstu hindranir í vegi kosningaþátttöku fatlaðs fólks og leitast við að svara hvaða áhrif þessar hindranir hafi, ekki aðeins fyrir fatlaða borgara, heldur jafnframt hvað það þýði fyrir heilbrigði lýðræðis og lýðræðislegra stofnana þegar hluti þegnanna mætir alvarlegum hindrunum varðandi borgaraleg grundvallarréttindi. Íslenskar rannsóknir á þessu sviði eru ekki fyrir hendi og engin skipuleg tölfræðileg gögn eru til varðandi þátttöku fatlaðs fólks í kosningum eða stjórnmálum hér á landi. Byggt á gögnum sem aflað var hjá tveimur fjölmennustu heildarsamtökum fatlaðs fólks hér á landi er rýnt í reynslu, aðstæður og möguleika fatlaðs fólks til þátttöku í kosningum á Íslandi, lagasetningar þar að lútandi og skyldur ríkisins til að stuðla að og tryggja þátttöku fatlaðs fólks í stjórnmálum og opinberu lífi, ekki síst í ljósi þess að Samningur Sameinuðu þjóðanna (SÞ) um réttindi fatlaðs fólks (SRFF) hefur verið fullgiltur hér á landi.
Viðhorf íslenskra og danskra stjórnenda til starfsumhverfis í ljósi norrænna gilda
Authors: Arnórsdóttir Bergþóra Hlín , Svansson Einar , Joensen Kári
Published: June 2017

Norræn forysta byggir á gildum sem notið hafa aukinnar athygli og vinsælda. Viðfangsefni greinarinnar er að fjalla um opinbera stjórnun á Íslandi og skoða hvort og þá með hvaða hætti íslenskir stjórnendur falla að gildum norrænnar forystu. Gerð var rannsókn að danskri fyrirmynd sem nefnist Opinberir stjórnendur – verkefni og viðhorf. Spurningalisti í formi vefkönnunar var lagður fyrir 1.685 opinbera stjórnendur, 524 svör bárust eða 31%. Megintilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að draga fram áherslur íslenskra stjórnenda í daglegum störfum, viðhorfum til starfsumhverfis og þess ramma sem unnið er í. Skoðað var starfsumhverfi íslenskra og danskra stjórnenda í samhengi við norræn gildi. Helstu niðurstöður benda til þess að opinber stjórnun á Íslandi einkennist af trausti, skýrum verkferlum, stuttum boðleiðum og litlu skrifræði. Helstu hindranir voru lítil áhrif á löggjöf og pólitískt bakland, tækifæri felast hins vegar í að hafa meiri áhrif og auka árangur í starfseminni. Samstarf og tengslanet var gott á vinnustaðnum og sanngjarnar kröfur voru gerðar til stjórnenda. Sérstaða hvors hóps fólst í því að danskir stjórnendur töldu skrifræði vera of mikið og að einfalda mætti verkferla í því sambandi. Íslenskir stjórnendur virtust hins vegar almennt hafa minni áhrif á starfsumhverfið en danskir starfsfélagar. Verkefni og viðhorf íslenskra opinberra stjórnenda ríma við norræn gildi þar sem opin samskipti, gagnrýni í hugsun og umhyggja eru helstu einkennin.
Elítur á Íslandi – einsleitni og innbyrðis tengsl
Authors: Torfason Magnús Þór , Einarsdóttir Þorgerður , Rafnsdóttir Guðbjörg Linda , Sigurðardóttir Margrét Sigrún
Published: June 2017

Iceland has generally been characterized as a nation where social and economic equality are prominent, and where elite structures are relatively unimportant. There are, however, indications that elites exist, and futhermore, that they are becoming more pronounced and that inequality is on the rise. The goal of this paper is to analyze the business and commerce elite in Iceland the years 2014 and 2015, based on its relations with other elite groups and relations within the group. This allows conclusions to be drawn about the openness of the elite, its relations with the populace, and the democratic structures of the group. The analysis utilizes two data sets: Power and Democracy – A Study of Elites, and Gender Equality in Business: Evolution and Influence. Graphical analysis of elite structures was performed using R and igraph. The results indicate various internal relationship structures within the business and commerce elite. Residential homogeneity is prevalent, especially among male and older elites. A top management team member’s participation in politics or organized sports is predictive of greatly increased residential homogeneity in his or her team. The results suggest a layered elite structure and gaps in elite-populace relations. This indicates that it is important to consider the democratic structures of the Icelandic business elite and whether its homogeneity affects decision making within the elite.
Kosningar, lýðræði og fatlað fólk
Authors: Traustadóttir Rannveig , Rice James G.
Published: June 2017

The right to vote is a fundamental right of citizenship in democratic nations, and participation in elections in one of the most important acts undertaken by citizens. Although these rights are guaranteed to all citizens, international research shows that disabled people are widely excluded from participation in elections. Disabled people are less likely to vote than non-disabled people and often encounter various obstacles when they try to participate in elections. This article discusses the voting participation of disabled people in consideration of the international research. The main barriers that disabled people encounter in the voting process will first be outlined. This will be followed by questions concerning the effects these obstacles produce, not only for disabled citizens, but what this means overall for the health of democracy and democratic institutions when a portion of the citizenry encounter serious obstacles concerning their basic civil rights. Icelandic research in this field is extremely limited and no systematic statistical data exists on the participation of disabled people in elections, or politics in general, in this country. Based on data drawn from sources from two of the largest disabled people’s organization in the country, the focus here is on the experiences, circumstances and opportunities for disabled people to participate in elections in the country. The findings draw attention to the obligations of the state to promote and ensure the participation of disabled people in politics and public life in light of the recent ratification in Iceland of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Stronger Together: Aggregated Z-values of Traditional Quality Control Measurements and Patient Medians Improve Detection of Biases
Authors: Bietenbeck Andreas , Thaler Markus A , Luppa Peter B , Klawonn Frank
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

In clinical chemistry, quality control (QC) often relies on measurements of control samples, but limitations, such as a lack of commutability, compromise the ability of such measurements to detect out-of-control situations. Medians of patient results have also been used for QC purposes, but it may be difficult to distinguish changes observed in the patient population from analytical errors. This study aims to combine traditional control measurements and patient medians for facilitating detection of biases.

METHODS

The software package “rSimLab” was developed to simulate measurements of 5 analytes. Internal QC measurements and patient medians were assessed for detecting impermissible biases. Various control rules combined these parameters. A Westgard-like algorithm was evaluated and new rules that aggregate Z-values of QC parameters were proposed.

RESULTS

Mathematical approximations estimated the required sample size for calculating meaningful patient medians. The appropriate number was highly dependent on the ratio of the spread of sample values to their center. Instead of applying a threshold to each QC parameter separately like the Westgard algorithm, the proposed aggregation of Z-values averaged these parameters. This behavior was found beneficial, as a bias could affect QC parameters unequally, resulting in differences between their Z-transformed values. In our simulations, control rules tended to outperform the simple QC parameters they combined. The inclusion of patient medians substantially improved bias detection for some analytes.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient result medians can supplement traditional QC, and aggregations of Z-values are novel and beneficial tools for QC strategies to detect biases.
Autonome Aneignung und planerische Regel in der Kasseler Schule
Authors: Bellin-Harder Florian
Published: June 2017

Florian Bellin-Harder fasst in seinem Beitrag die Ideen der Kasseler Schule zur Aneignung von Freiraum am Beispiel der Diskussion um die Pflanzung und Pflege von Straßenbäumen zusammen. Es geht dabei um die Frage der Zuständigkeit für den öffentlichen Straßenraum. Bellin-Harder stellt dar, wie in Publikationen der 1980er Jahre der Universität Kassel Konflikte zwischen alltäglicher Nutzung und Nutzbarkeit und offizieller Grünplanung und Grünflächenpflege verhandelt wurden. Aneignung ist nach dieser Lesart der Akt der gesellschaftlichen Teilhabe über soziale Interaktion, indem man seine Zuständigkeit für Raum ausübt (oder auch nicht). Wenn einem diese Zuständigkeit nicht zugestanden wird, kann das zu »Enteignung« und »Bevormundung« führen, etwa über das Lichtregime von Straßenbäumen. Am Beispiel der 1982 auf der documenta von Joseph Beys initiierten »sozialen Plastik« der 7000 Eichen erläutert Bellin-Harder das Dilemma, in das Planung sich hineinmanövriert, wenn sie Aneignung im Rahmen offizieller Planung etablieren will.
Von Freiraumintendanten und -aktivisten
Authors: Ahn Susann , Lüdicke Felix
Published: June 2017

Susann Ahn und Felix Lüdicke stellen in ihrem Beitrag Konzepte zur professionellen Initiierung, Aktivierung und Begleitung von »Aneignung« an Beispielen aus den 1970er Jahren in München vor. Die Spielstraße im Münchner Olympiapark und das Spielkonzept für das Olympische Dorf verfolgten Ansätze einer »Freiraumintendanz«, wie sie Günther Gzrimek dauerhaft für den Olympiapark konzipiert hatte, um (mit erzieherischem Auftrag zur Emanzipation) die kreative und selbsttätige Aneignung des Benutzerparks immer wieder aufs Neue anzuregen. Diese Ansätze wollen die Autoren angesichts aktuell formulierter Forderungen nach mehr Teilhabe und Aneignung wieder stärker in den Fokus der Fachdiskussion rücken.
Bürgerrecht durch Straßenbäume
Authors: Dümpelmann Sonja
Published: June 2017

Sonja Dümpelmann stellt das historische Beispiel einer afro-amerikanischen Bürgerinitiative im New York City der 1960er Jahre vor, die durch Pflanzung von Straßenbäumen auf die Vernachlässigung ihres Wohnumfeldes durch die Stadtverwaltung aufmerksam machen wollte und der es damit gelang, den Straßenraum auch als politisch aufgeladenen Sozialraum zu etablieren. Die Aneignung als Form der Kritik fand hier auf zwei Ebenen statt: Zum einen wurde in den Straßenraum durch die neu gepflanzten Bäume gestaltend eingegriffen, zum anderen eigneten sich die Aktivisten auch die Zuständigkeit für eine Aufgabe an, die von offizieller Seite vernachlässigt worden war. Der Beitrag vergleicht diese Initiative mit einigen anderen Baumpflanzaktivitäten in der US-amerikanischen Stadtentwicklungsgeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts und arbeitet die Unterschiede zwischen Top-down und Bottom-up gesteuerten Programmen heraus. Mit interessanten Parallelen zum Beitrag von Bellin-Harder wird hier deutlich, welche Bedeutung das Wohnumfeld für die politische Aufladung von öffentlichem Raum haben kann.
Zur Paradoxie von Planung und Aneignung
Authors: Ostermeyer Serjoscha P.
Published: June 2017

Serjoscha P. Ostermeyer verwirft in seinem Beitrag die grundlegende Einordnung von aktuellen Aneignungsaktivitäten im öffentlichen Raum nach den Kategorien von »produktiv« und »destruktiv«. Stattdessen schlägt er eine komplexere Matrix vor, die zwischen »geplanter« und »ungeplanter« Aneignung sowohl aus der Perspektive der Raumproduzenten als auch der Raumnutzer unterscheidet. Anhand von Beispielen aus der Stadt Magdeburg verweist er auf die verschiedenen möglichen Betrachtungsweisen von Interventionen durch Aneignung, je nachdem, ob man die Perspektive der Stadtverwaltung, der Planungsdisziplinen, der Anwohner oder der temporären Initiativen in den Blick nimmt. Unabhängig von den realen Veränderungen des Raumes verweist der Beitrag auf den sozialen Lerneffekt bei den Akteuren der Aneignung, der von Bedeutung ist, wenn Stadtentwicklung auch als Stadtgesellschaftsentwicklung begriffen wird.
Von Recht auf Garten
Authors: Mölders Tanja , Kühnemann Pia
Published: June 2017

Tanja Mölders und Pia Kühnemann übertragen das von Henri Lefebvre konstatierte »Recht auf Stadt« in eine Forderung nach dem »Recht auf Garten«. Die Autorinnen stellen zunächst die Definition des Verhältnisses von »Natur« und »Gesellschaft« in den theoretischen Ansätzen der Sozialen Ökologie dar. In Verbindung mit Lefebvres Überlegungen zu drei Dimensionen von »Raum« legen sie damit die Basis für ihre empirische Fallstudie vor. Anhand eines Urban Gardening Projektes in Hannover, dem NordStadtGarten, untersuchen sie, inwiefern dieses Projekt als gezielte Kritik an herrschenden Raumverhältnissen interpretiert werden kann. Gestützt auf eigene Beobachtungen und Aussagen der Initiativgruppe machen sie deutlich, dass der Akt der Raumaneignung und die eigenwillige Nutzung und Gestaltung des Gartens Instrumente der Kritik, gleichzeitig aber auch Anlässe für Experimente zu einer anderen Form von gemeinschaftlicher Raum- und Lebensgestaltung sind.
Zwischennutzer, Raumpioniere, Raumunternehmer
Authors: Hauck Thomas E.
Published: June 2017

Thomas E. Hauck erinnert in seinem Beitrag an das intensiv diskutierte Phänomen und Konzept der »Zwischennutzung«, das in den 2000er Jahren als Kritik an einer investorenhörigen Stadtentwicklung zu einem alternativen Stadtentwicklungsmodell in Berlin und darüber hinaus erhoben wurde. Dieses Modell einer nutzergetragenen Stadtentwicklung wurde in den Folgejahren angesichts wachsender Städte und den dadurch schwindenden »urbanen Spielräumen« an die jeweilige Situation angepasst. Er stellt die konzeptionellen Akteurs-Typen dieses Wandels vor und diskutiert ihre Relevanz in Zeiten der »doppelten Innenentwicklung«.
Vergangenheitsverhältnisse
Authors: Denschlag Felix
Published: June 2017

Ist Identität eine Funktion des Gedächtnisses? Mithilfe von Walter Benjamins Erfahrungstheorie kritisiert Felix Denschlag die Theorie des »kollektiven Gedächtnisses« von Maurice Halbwachs sowie Jan und Aleida Assmann und ergänzt sie im Sinne einer Theorie der Vergangenheitsverhältnisse. Der Identitätsbegriff wird - gegenüber der Konstruktion einer bruchlosen Kontinuität - als »kontinuierliche Diskontinuität« begriffen und dem willentlich verfügbaren Gedächtnis wird ein weit darüber hinaus gehender Bereich einer »schöpferischen Unordnung« entgegensetzt. Auf diese Weise lässt sich das individuelle Erfahrungsmoment gegenüber der intersubjektiv verfügbaren und beherrschbaren sozialen Identität betonen.
Stabilisasi Tanah Lempung dengan Mengunakan Larutan Asam Sulfat (H2so4) pada Tanah Dasar di Daerah Godong - Purwodadi Km 50 Kabupaten Grogogan
Authors: Prabandiyani RW Sri , Hardiyati Siti , Muhrozi Muhrozi , Pardoyo Bambang
Published: June 2017

An expansive clay soil material that is composed of various minerals include kaolinite, montmorillonite and illite group. Mineral montmorilinite have the sensitivity to the effects of the water is very easy to expand and contract. High and low levels of development (swelling) and shrinkage (shrinkage) expansive clay is determined by the high and low content of montmorillonite on expansive clay granules. Because of these properties are very high content of montmorillonite often cause problems in the building. This study uses a solution of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as a stabilizer through the compaction process Modified Proctor on OMC Proctor standard by the number of collisions each is 10 x, 25 x and 56 x, and the amount of additional water in cc on dry ground, with variations in increments of 100%, water by 90%:10% H2SO4, water by 80%: 20% H2SO4 and water by 90%: 30% H2SO4. This research was conducted testing-testing in the laboratory include: physical properties, mechanical properties. swelling pressure, swelling potential and CBR with curing and no curing. Results of the test-the test, can increase the value of physical and mechanical properties, while pergujian against swelling pressure and swelling potential is not significantly increased.
Assessment of Lean Construction Principles: A Case Study at Semarang Medical Centre Hospital Project
Authors: Roy Adi Wijaya Matias , Utomo Dwi Hatmoko Jati , Suripin Suripin
Published: June 2017

The lean construction frameworks have been developed for years to enhance the poor performance of Indonesian project delivery system which influenced by the waste of non-value adding activities. Never the less most of the developments were limited on working process and lack in people empowerment. Toyota Way which integrate working process optimization and people empowerment, was developed as a lean construction frame works. This paper aimed to assess the implementation of Toyota Way principles in project delivery system by observing project’s delivery current state (status quo). The assessment began by conducting a questionnaire survey about Toyota Way implementation which then validated by interview with involved stakeholders and field observation. The assessment showed that project’s stakeholders were still unfamiliar with Toyota Way concept. Although some Toyota Way guidelines have been used in projects completion process such as visual management and training program, it found that those guidelines had not fully implemented. The project delivery system was lack of process focus and concerns more on relationship inter-parties. It also found thatToyota Way implementation will constrained by the difficulties to change the status quo of project delivery. Moreover, it seems that construction projects need practical guidelines to simplify the Toyota Way implementation in project delivery system such as project flow evaluation and system of reflection.
Aplikasi Manajemen Risiko pada Pembangunan Sistem Penyediaan Air Minum (SPAM) Regional Jawa Tengah (Studi Kasus pada Pembangunan Jaringan Transmisi SPAM Regional Bregas)
Authors: Septiani Hernoni , Wibowo M. Agung , Syafrudin Syafrudin
Published: June 2017

The increasing need for drinking water and undistributed raw water source needs solution with SPAM, Central Java Region. One of it is SPAM Bregas Region which the service locations are in Brebes Districts, Tegal City, and Tegal District. In the process of the transmission network development, there come some risks that hamper so that it needs for further research. This research aims to identify risks, analyze the amount of risk probability and give policy recommendations. The responden of study are government agencies as providers the transmission pipelines development projects of Bregas Regional SPAM, also the supervision consultants and contractors as a service providers. The method used is to spread the questionnaire to each stakeholder for structuring the risk of using RBS (Risk Breakdown Structure) and multiplying the value of the impact and frequency to obtain the value of the level of risk for each risk factor. The results showed the risks that happened in transmission network development in Bregas Regional SPAM are different from each stakeholder. Risks from perception of the supervising consultant 21.95% is accepted, 18.29% mitigated, and 59.76% avoided. Risk from owner perseption 32.93% is accepted, 23.17% mitigated, and 43.90% avoided. Rizks from contractor perseption 23.17% is accepted, 29.27 mitigated, and 47.56% avoided. Overall stakeholder’s biggest risk is land acquisition.
Pengaruh Penerapan Sistem Manajemen Mutu terhadap Kualitas Pelaksanaan Kegiatan Operasi dan Pemeliharaan (Studi Kasus: Tugas Pembantuan Operasi dan Pemeliharaan Daerah Irigasi Kedung Asem dan Daerah Irigasi Bodri Provinsi Jawa Tengah)
Authors: Amin Mualim , Wibowo M. Agung , Atmojo Pranoto Samto
Published: June 2017

A decrease in irrigation network performance system operation and maintenance are the impact of the operation management system and irrigation maintenance which does not suitable with the technical demands of the irrigation network design. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the application of quality management system in ministry of public works to the quality of the operations and maintenance on the Tasks Operation and Maintenance. The object of the research was in Kedung Asem and Bodri Irrigation Area, it was seen from three variables, namely: (1) the management of resources, (2) the implementation of the activities, (3) measurement, analysis and improvement. Data were obtained from observation andquestionnaire, and then were processed by using descriptive method and linear regression method. The results says that the quality management system in resource management is perceived as good enough category; the implementation activities, measurement, analysis and improvement were perceived good by the respondents. Identification of the quality of the operations and maintenance were also perceived good; further, performance index ratings of irrigation systems are performing well. The results of multiple linear regression equation is Y =12.883+1,181X1+0,449X2 +1,210X3, the conclusions hypothesis testing shows that the implication of quality management system give positive and significant effect on improving the quality of operations and maintenance work on the Tasks Operation and Maintenance of (DI) Kedung Asem and (DI) Bodri Irrigation Area.