bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Family Benefits In Member States Of The European Union: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Stănescu Simona Maria , Nemţanu Mirela Ileana
Published: June 2015

The article intends to be a screening of family benefits in the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU) and to contribute to the research of shared trends with respect to family approach in these countries. Four types of family benefits including eight distinctive categories are analysed: child-benefit, child care allowances, child-raising allowances, and other benefits (birth and adoption grants, allowance for single parents, special allowances for children with disabilities, advance payments for maintenance and other allowances). The paper is based on primary and secondary analysis of 28 sets of national data provided through the European Union's Mutual Information System on Social Protection (MISSOC). Three categories of member states are considered: founder member states of the EU, other “old” member states, and the new Central and Eastern ones. Chronological development of national regulations with impact on family benefits is analysed in connection with the moment of becoming a member state. Various forms of family benefits legislation and their main subjects of interest are further researched. The last part of the article looks at the coverage of family benefits. Seven member states operate in this respect based on regulations adopted before EU accession. Belgium, Finland, and Lithuania have the “most preserved” family regulations per category of member states. The first three topics of family regulations are: child, family, and allowance / benefit. The most frequently provided family benefits are: birth and adoption grants, and special allowance for children with disabilities. All eight family benefits are provided in France, Finland, Hungary, and Slovenia. Only two types of family benefits are available in Ireland, Spain, and Cyprus.
The Constitutive Relationship and Processing Map of Hot Deformation in A100 steel
Authors: Liu Yongkang , Yin Zongmei , Luo Junting , Chunxiang Zhang , Zhang Yanshu
Published: June 2015

Isothermal compression tests were conducted on A100 steel using a Gleeble 1500 thermal simulator at a temperature range of 900–1,200°C and strain rate range of 0.001–3 s−1. Results show that the A100 steel has higher strength than the Aermet 100 steel at high temperatures. Constant values, such as A, α, and n, and activate energy Q were obtained through the regression processing of the stress–strain data curves under different strains. A set of constitutive equations for A100 steel was proposed by using an Arrhenius-type equation. The optimum processing craft ranges for A100 steel based on the analysis of the hot working diagram and deformation mechanism are as follows: temperature range of 1,000–1,100°C and strain rate range of 0.01–0.1 s−1. The average grain size within this working range is 7–22.5 μm.
What is the ‘Future’ of Greek? Towards a Pragmatic Analysis
Authors: Chiou Michael
Published: June 2015

The paper investigates the problems related to futurity and modality in modern Greek. The discussion of Greek temporal future expressions is conducted with reference to relevant literature from the areas of English linguistics, cognitive studies and pragmatics. The focus is on the status of future-oriented expressions and the question whether they are primarily epistemic in nature, whether they are tense-based, or modality-based. It is argued that the future tense in Greek has a modal semantic base conveying epistemic modality and that the preferred future prospective reading is a pragmatic development of the semantic modal base. The author further suggests that the future reading is a kind of presumptive meaning which follows from the neo-Gricean Principle of Informativeness, known as the I-principle (Levinson 2000) being a generalised interpretation which does not depend on contextual information.
Design and absorption analysis of a new multiband split-S-shaped metamaterial
Authors: Islam Sikder Sunbeam , Iqbal Faruque Mohammad Rashed , Islam Mohammad Tariqul
Published: June 2015

The design and absorption analysis of a unit cell of a new multiband split-S-shaped metamaterial is presented in this paper. The computer simulation technology (CST) software based on finite-difference time-domain method was used for the design of the unit cell and its S-parameter calculations. The proposed design shows the resonance frequency within the S-band, X-band, and Ku-band of the microwave spectra. In addition, the proposed material can be used in ε-negative, μ-negative, near-zero refractive index, and double-negative applications as well. The measured result is presented, which shows good conformity with the simulated result. The material shows nearly the same characteristics with bit shifted transmittance at the higher frequency side after reducing the coupling capacitance in the y- or z-axis of the proposed metamaterial. Moreover, it is evident from the investigation that, for shifting the lower ring in the z-axis, 15% more absorption can be achieved for the proposed metamaterial. The simple design, multipurpose applications, and compact size have made the design novel in the electromagnetic paradigm.
microRNAs That Promote or Inhibit Memory Formation in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Busto Germain U , Guven-Ozkan Tugba , Fulga Tudor A , Van Vactor David , Davis Ronald L
Published: June 2015

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Prior studies have shown that they regulate numerous physiological processes critical for normal development, cellular growth control, and organismal behavior. Here, we systematically surveyed 134 different miRNAs for roles in olfactory learning and memory formation using “sponge” technology to titrate their activity broadly in the Drosophila melanogaster central nervous system. We identified at least five different miRNAs involved in memory formation or retention from this large screen, including miR-9c, miR-31a, miR-305, miR-974, and miR-980. Surprisingly, the titration of some miRNAs increased memory, while the titration of others decreased memory. We performed more detailed experiments on two miRNAs, miR-974 and miR-31a, by mapping their roles to subpopulations of brain neurons and testing the functional involvement in memory of potential mRNA targets through bioinformatics and a RNA interference knockdown approach. This screen offers an important first step toward the comprehensive identification of all miRNAs and their potential targets that serve in gene regulatory networks important for normal learning and memory.
From Food Mail to Nutrition North Canada: Reconsidering federal food subsidy programs for northern Ontario
Authors: Burnett Kristin , Skinner Kelly , LeBlanc Joseph
Published: June 2015

This paper is a critique of the report released on 25 November 2014 by the Auditor General of Canada (AG), Michael Ferguson, on Nutrition North Canada (NNC), a subsidy program designed to lower the cost of “perishable nutritious food” in northern communities. We argue that the situation is far more complicated than the AG’s report allows and suggest that looking at the challenges faced by the provincial Norths will show the real deficits of NNC.
Modelling probability of default and optimal PTI level by using a household survey
Authors: Balás Tamás , Banai Ádám , Hosszú Zsuzsanna
Published: June 2015

The risks of household lending are still a major issue in Hungarian banking. The proportion of non-performing loans is rising continuously. We constructed a model to find those factors which have significant effect on the probability of default of households’ mortgages. We also used this model to calibrate the optimal level of household mortgages’ payment-to-income ratios, which is important from a regulatory point of view. Our results show that the denomination of the loan and the indebtedness of the household are crucial factors in the performance of the loan. We also show that loans contracted via agents are riskier than others. The results carry two important messages from a regulatory perspective. Prescribing the same payment-to-income (PTI) ratios for HUF and FX loans may be unnecessarily restrictive for the former and excessively permissive for the latter. The uniform regulation of households with different income levels may also lead to undesired anomalies.
Vizuális analóg skála felhasználásával végzett postoperativ fájdalom vizsgálatának klinikai vonatkozásai thoracotomizált betegeken a Markusovszky Egyetemi Oktatókórház Mellkassebészeti Osztályán
Authors: Kiss Béla , Papp Mátyás , Bödecs Tamás , Kecskés László
Published: June 2015

Absztrakt

Célkitűzés: A szerzők a Markusovszky Egyetemi Oktatókórház
Mellkassebészeti Osztályán vizsgálták az általuk operált betegek postoperativ
fájdalmának mértékét, és egyes fájdalomcsillapítási módszerek összehasonlítását
végezték el. Betegek és módszer: A vizsgálat 10 hónapig
tartott, 268 thoracotomizált beteg adatait dolgozták fel. A betegeket két
csoportba osztották: egyik csoport transdermalisan felszívódó fentanyltapaszt
kapott és intraoperativ intercostalis blokád is történt. A másik betegcsoport
epiduralis anaesthesiában (EDA) részesült. A műtét napján és további két napig
vizuális analóg skála (VAS) felhasználásával mérték a postoperativ fájdalmakat.
A vizsgálók feljegyezték a premedikáció és a műtét megkezdése közötti időt, a
műtétek idejét, az intraoperativ és postoperativ időben adott gyógyszereket,
azok hatóanyagait, valamint dózisait, a beadás idejét. Külön jegyezték azokat az
eseteket, amikor intraoperative bordatörés történt. Feljegyezték a törött bordák
számát és az operáló orvos személyét is. Eredmények: A szerzők
az összegyűjtött adatok elemzése során egyváltozós varianciaanalízist, valamint
lineárisregresszió-vizsgálatot végeztek. Az elemzések kapcsán megismert
eredmények közül a szignifikáns, illetve az úgynevezett szignifikanciaközeli
összefüggéseket közlik. Függő változóként a 0., az 1. és a 2. postoperativ napi
fájdalom (f0, f1, f2) szerepelt. Az eredményeket – azok sokszínűsége miatt – a
részletes részben mutatják be. Következtetések: A szerzők
megállapítják, hogy az általuk bevezetett módszer, a perioperativ transdermalis
fentanyltapasz intraoperativ intercostalis blokáddal kiegészítve, kellő
hatékonyságú fájdalomcsillapítást ért el, amely – az állandó szérumfentanylszint
miatt – úgy a betegek, mint az ápolószemélyzet részére megfelelőnek bizonyult. A
módszer alternatívát nyújthat a mellkassebészetben elterjedt epiduralis
anaesthesiával szemben.
Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in brain and heart by immunohistochemistry in a hospital-based autopsy series in Durango, Mexico
Authors: Alvarado-Esquivel Cosme , Sánchez-Anguiano Luis Francisco , Mendoza-Larios Alejandra , Hernández-Tinoco Jesús , Pérez-Ochoa José Francisco , Antuna-Salcido Elizabeth Irasema , Rábago-Sánchez Elizabeth , Liesenfeld Oliver
Published: June 2015

The presence of tissue cysts of Toxoplasma gondii has only poorly been investigated in autopsy series. We determined the presence of T. gondii cysts in a series of 51 autopsies in a public hospital using immunohistochemistry of brain and heart tissues. The association of tissue cysts with the general characteristics of the autopsy cases was also investigated.

Of the 51 cases studied, five (9.8%) were positive by immunohistochemistry for T. gondii cysts in the brain. None of the heart specimens was positive for T. gondii cysts. The presence of T. gondii cysts in brains did not vary with age, sex, birthplace, residence, education, occupation, or the presence of pathology in the brain. In contrast, multivariate analysis showed that the presence of T. gondii cysts was associated with undernourishment (OR = 33.90; 95% CI: 2.82–406.32; P = 0.005).

We demonstrated cerebral T. gondii cysts in an autopsy series in Durango City, Mexico. Results suggest that T. gondii can be more readily found in brain than in heart of infected individuals. This is the first report of an association between the presence of T. gondii in brains and undernourishment.
Multicenter evaluation of the Elecsys Toxo IgG and IgM tests for the diagnosis of infection with Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Meylan Pascal , Paris Luc , Liesenfeld Oliver
Published: June 2015

Detection of IgG and IgM antibodies is commonly performed for the diagnosis of infection with Toxoplasma gondii. We determined the accuracy of the Elecsys Toxo IgG and IgM test at four European laboratories compared to local reference methods. Coefficients of variation for reproducibility ranged from 1.0 to 6.5% for IgG and from 0.8 to 3.2% for IgM. Seroconversion panels revealed high overall concordance with the reference tests. The Elecsys test detected IgG antibodies earlier than the Cobas Core IgG test in 19 of 47 panels; persisting IgM antibodies were observed in the VIDAS but not the Elecsys test in five of 47 panels. In 31.4% of latent stage sera with persistent IgM antibodies (positive LIASON IgM), the Elecsys IgM test gave negative results indicating increased “clinical” specificity. Sensitivity and specificity of the Elecsys IgG assay ranged from 99.45 to 100% and 87.50–99.80%, respectively, and 91.11–95.74 and 98.45–99.79% for the Elecsys IgM assay, respectively.

In conclusion, excellent reproducibility and accuracy make the Elecsys Toxo G and M tests highly suitable for the detection of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. The lower detection rates for persistent IgM in the Elecsys IgM test increase “clinical” specificity and decrease the need for follow-up testing.
La Trinidad. El Dios experimentado y vivido por Santa Teresa de Jesús
Authors: Londoño Rómulo Cuartas
Published: June 2015

El Dios que experimenta, vive y comunica Santa Teresa en sus escritos es el Dios Trinidad, presente en su vida y actuando  en ella desde el comienzo hasta su plenitud. Esto significa que la Santa vive una especial relación con cada una de las Personas de la Santísima Trinidad y con la Trinidad en su conjunto. Resaltamos en este estudio a la misma Santa como una biografía teológica, su existencia doxológica, la ordinaria experiencia de sentirse inhabitada por la Trinidad. Hacemos especial énfasis en el realismo de la inhabitación trinitaria en la vida ordinaria del creyente según se desprende del testimonio de Santa Teresa
È sufficiente il pensiero di essere donna perché mi cadano le ali (V X, 8). Donna in Europa – la rivoluzione femminista di Teresa d’Ávila
Authors: Dobner Cristiana
Published: June 2015

“É sufficiente essere donna perché mi cadano le ali” (V 10, 8). Questa eloquente affermazione di santa Teresa di Gesu è una perfetta testimonianza della mentalità che dominava l’epoca in cui viveva. Una attenta lettura dei testi Teresiani fa sorgere alcuni quesiti: Le sono veramente cadute le ali? Cosa ne pensa in realtà santa Teresa sulla donna, sulla Carmelitana? La riformatrice del Carmelo, ha iniziato a valutare le cose in modo personale senza preoccuparsi del giudizio degli altri. Ha iniziato la rivoluzione epistemologica e la continua nelle epoche successive. Oggi, l’ambiente feministico della “Diotima” la riguarda come una donna ideale.L’articolo presenta i principii del suddetto ambiente, tocca la questione del linguaggio di Teresa, cerca di analizzare lo sviluppo della subcultura Teresiana e il suo impatto sull’epoca in cui viveva.
Wpływ św. Teresy z Ávili na życie duchowe Edyty Stein
Authors: Grzegorczyk Anna
Published: June 2015

W dziełach Edyty Stein zaznaczają się wyraźnie myśli św. Teresy z Ávili. Zapewne podobieństwo charakterologiczne ma pewne uzasadnienie w tym względzie, jednakże powinowactwa te wynikają przede wszystkim z duchowości karmelitańskiej, w której obie są zakorzenione. Ta bliska paralela widoczna jest przede wszystkim w odniesieniu do takich kategorii jak prawda, mądrość czy kwestia kobieca. Pomimo dystansu historycznego i wielu biograficznych różnic obie święte włączają się w tradycję karmelitańską przez wspólne im duchowe doświadczenie, rozumienie i wyrażanie.
Ambrozjańska krytyka astrologicznej koncepcji fatum Juliusza Firmicjusza Maternusa. Analiza Quaestio CXV
Authors: Babiarz Grzegorz
Published: June 2015

Polemika Ambrozjastra z Juliuszem Firmicjuszem Maternusem została przedstawiona w pięciu punktach. Pierwszy jest wprowadzeniem w polemikę. Drugi opisuje fatum w kategoriach aktu niewiary, ponieważ deprecjonuje Stwórcę i przyczynia się do wykreowania jego obrazu jako niesprawiedliwego i despotycznego. Trzeci prezentuje metodę obecną w astrologii przy budowaniu fałszywego kultu: odrzucenie pojęcia cudu oraz modlitwy. Kolejny dotyczy skutków zaburzenia racjonalności powodowanych logiką fatum. Ostatni ukazuje destrukcję struktury osoby uwikłanej w nieracjonalność.
Epifaniusza z Salaminy krytyka doktryny herodian
Authors: Ibkowska Elżbieta
Published: June 2015

Epifaniusz z Salaminy, przedstawiając sektę herodian, wskazuje na to, iż uznają oni króla Heroda za Chrystusa, namaszczonego lwa z pokolenia Judy, który jest dla nich nadzieją i wyczekiwanym wybawcą. Swoją wiarę opierają na tekście z Księgi Rodzaju. Jednakże Epifaniusz kontrargumentuje, iż żaden z narodów nie pokładał ufności w Herodzie oraz nikt nie widział, aby ten był w stanie ocalić ludzi poprzez ofiarę z samego siebie. Dlatego też Epifaniusz przestrzega przed pójściem za poglądami herodian. Biskup Salaminy wskazuje ponadto, iż grupa herodian o wiele za daleko posunęła się w interpretowaniu tekstu Pisma Świętego. Nie dosyć, że nie brali oni pod uwagę całego kontekstu, zarówno bliższego, jak i dalszego, wybranych przez siebie fragmentów, to jeszcze próbowali je tak wyjaśniać, aby przypodobać się panującemu władcy – Herodowi. To pokazuje, iż ich egzegeza była w pełni podporządkowana politycznym celom i nie miała nic wspólnego z poszukiwaniem prawdy i Boskich zasad. W obecnych opracowaniach dotyczących stronnictw żydowskich z czasów Jezusa Chrystusa nie pojawia się w odniesieniu do herodian wzmianka dotycząca ich wiary, jakoby Herod był wyczekiwanym Chrystusem. Widać więc, że ich działalność polityczna była o wiele bardziej rozwinięta niż ich wiara w zbawczą rolę dynastii herodiańskiej. Jako stronnictwo byli oni wierni dynastii reprezentowanej przez Heroda Wielkiego, dzięki któremu awansowali w hierarchii społecznej. W poglądach religijnych byli zbliżeni do faryzeuszy, przez co wspólnymi siłami próbowali zwalczyć groźnego w ich przekonaniu przeciwnika, jakim był Jezus Chrystus.
Ateizm praktyczny czy a-teizm metodologiczny? Problem Boga w dziele Bycie i czas Martina Heideggera
Authors: Małyga Maciej
Published: June 2015

W niniejszym artykule podjęliśmy problem specyficznego rozumienia ateizmu w dziele Martina Heideggera Bycie i czas. „Ateizm” ów należy określić jako metodologiczne powstrzymanie się filozofa fenomenologa od sądu na temat Boga. Zasadnicza odpowiedź została zarysowana w czterech punktach. W punkcie pierwszym ukazaliśmy a) katolicyzm jako „wiarę pochodzenia” filozofa, z którą on jednak b) zrywa, a do reprezentującej ją c) kościelnej instytucji czuje głęboką niechęć. W punkcie drugim zatrzymaliśmy się nad treścią Bycia i czasu, ukazując najpierw, a) że problem Boga nie jest tam w żaden sposób poruszany. Wyjaśniliśmy to, b) tłumacząc Heideggera zamiar napisania ontologii fundamentalnej. Poprawną diagnozą tzw. ateizmu Heideggera jest określenie go jako c) ateizmu metodologicznego. Filozof poprzez zastosowanie d) „teologicznej różnicy” między byciem a Bogiem chce uniknąć e) niebezpieczeństwa urzeczowienia Boga. W trzecim punkcie zatrzymaliśmy się nad wydarzeniami, które krótko po publikacji Bycia i czasu mogły utrwalić sąd, że Heidegger to jednak filozof negujący Boga. Heidegger a) podjął bowiem diagnozę Nietzschego o „nieżyjącym Bogu chrześcijan” i b) związał swe nadzieje na duchową odnowę człowieka z ideologią narodowego socjalizmu. W ostatnim, czwartym punkcie przedstawiliśmy pierwsze reakcje teologii katolickiej na dzieło Heideggera. Najpierw ukazaliśmy, że a) był on odbierany jako propagator potocznie rozumianego ateizmu, następnie zasygnalizowaliśmy b) późniejsze, już pozytywne podejście katolickich myślicieli do Bycia i czasu.
Człowieczeństwo i bóstwo Syna Człowieczego w Jego męce, śmierci i zmartwychwstaniu. Trzy pouczenia Jezusa o swej pasji w ujęciu Markowym
Authors: Witkowski Stanisław
Published: June 2015

Jezus, pouczając trzykrotnie uczniów o swoim dramatycznym losie oraz ukazując cel swojego życia, posługiwał zawsze się tytułem „Syn Człowieczy”. Zawarł w nim swoje człowieczeństwo naznaczone wyjątkowym cierpieniem. Ukazał w ten sposób swoim uczniom, że Jego mesjańskość wyrazi się nie w triumfie, ziemskiej chwale, lecz przejdzie przez ekstremalne poniżenie, wzgardę i śmierć. Jezus – człowiek zmierzał do swego kresu w sposób zdecydowany i umotywowany. Klęska Syna Człowieczego, chociaż miała swoją widzialną przyczynę w ludzkich sprawcach, to jednak wypływała z planu Bożego, w którym zostały przewidziane zastępcza śmierć Jezusa za wszystkich ludzi oraz powstanie z martwych Syna Człowieczego.Wszystkie trzy pouczenia Jezusa podkreślają, że ostateczne zwycięstwo jest właśnie Jego dziełem. W ten sposób ewangelista Marek, który wyeksponował w losie Syna Człowieczego przede wszystkim cierpienia Jezusa, zwrócił także uwagę na Jego bóstwo. Tym samym ukazał, że człowieczeństwo i bóstwo Syna człowieczego łączą się ze sobą w sposób nierozerwalny.
Katolicka Agencja Prasowa – utworzenie i działalność pod kierunkiem ks. Józefa Gawliny
Authors: Szczepaniak Maciej
Published: June 2015

W latach 20. XX wieku w Warszawie rozpoczęła działalność Katolicka Agencja Prasowa (KAP). Należała do agencji ogólnoinformacyjnych, miała korespondentów w Polsce i na świecie, pełniła funkcje informacyjne wobec prasy polskiej i zagranicznej. Z wiadomych względów nie było możliwe jej wskrzeszenie w czasach rządów komunistycznych. Działalność KAP nie doczekała się monograficznych publikacji naukowych, a jej historia i znaczenie dla polskiej kultury pozostaje tematem słabo poznanym. Autor artykułu na podstawie materiałów archiwalnych oraz opublikowanych przez agencję depesz opisuje powstanie agencji i jej działalność w dwóch pierwszych latach istnienia, kiedy jej kierownikiem był ks. Józef Gawlina. Analiza źródeł pozwala stwierdzić, że pierwsza polska agencja prasowa o profilu katolickim zawdzięcza swoją ofertę informacyjną ks. Gawlinie, jego pracowitości i talentowi. Dzięki niemu KAP skutecznie weszła na rynek prasowy i konkurowała z agencją państwową. Wydaje się uzasadnione twierdzenie, że już w pierwszych latach istnienia stała się nowoczesnym forum informacji o Kościele, budzącym nieraz kontrowersje, ale zasługującym na uznanie. Jak wynika z materiału badawczego, KAP stanowiła cenne źródło informacji o Kościele. Wpłynęły na to takie przesłanki, jak: struktura pracy oparta na zagranicznych wzorcach, współpraca z zagranicznymi korespondentami i agencjami, tworzenie sieci korespondentów w lokalnych środowiskach kościelnych i szkolenie ich do pracy zgodnej ze standardami pracy dziennikarskiej, zapewnienie w serwisie komentarzy (backgroundu) pisanych przez znawców problematyki kościelnej. KAP pozwalała polskiemu odbiorcy zapoznać się z informacjami z życia Kościoła za granicą, a dzięki publikowanym przez agencję depeszom w krajowej i zagranicznej prasie pojawiły się liczne informacje o polskim życiu religijnym. Nie bez znaczenia pozostaje też wpływ KAP na obraz Polski na arenie międzynarodowej i w Stolicy Apostolskiej.
The Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Quality of Life Questionnaire: An Assessment Tool for Oncology
Authors: Anderson Roger T. , Keating Karen N. , Doll Helen A. , Camacho Fabian
Published: June 2015

Background.

Skin toxicity (hand-foot syndrome/hand-foot skin reaction, HFS/R) related to antineoplastic therapy is a significant issue in oncology practice, with potentially large impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Materials and Methods.

A patient-reported questionnaire, the hand-foot skin reaction and quality of life (HF-QoL) questionnaire was developed to measure the HFS/R symptoms associated with cancer therapeutic agents and their effect on daily activities. The validity and reliability of the HF-QoL questionnaire was tested in a randomized trial of capecitabine with sorafenib/placebo in 223 patients with locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer. Other measures completed included patient ratings of condition severity, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast cancer (FACT-B), and the clinician-rated National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE), version 3.0, hand-foot skin reaction grade. The psychometric properties of the HF-QoL tested included structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness. Finally, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was estimated.

Results.

The HF-QoL instrument comprises a 20-item symptom scale and an 18-item daily activity scale. Each scale demonstrated excellent measurement properties and discriminated between NCI-CTCAE grade and patient-rated condition severity with large effect sizes. The daily activity scale had excellent internal consistency and correlated with the FACT-B and HF-QoL symptom scores. Both HF-QoL scale scores increased linearly with increasing patient-rated condition severity. The MCIDs were estimated as 5 units for daily activities and 8 units for symptoms mean scores.

Conclusion.

The HF-QoL was sensitive to symptoms and HRQL issues associated with HFS/R among participants treated with capecitabine with and without sorafenib. The HF-QoL appears suitable for assessing the HRQL impairment associated with HFS/R to cancer therapies.

Implications for Practice:

Skin toxicity related to anticancer therapies is a significant issue in oncology practice. Several newer agents, as well as older therapies, are associated with the skin toxicity known as hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) or hand-foot syndrome (HFS). This study describes the development and validation of a brief, patient-reported questionnaire (the hand-foot skin reaction and quality of life questionnaire) supporting its suitability for use in clinical research to aid in early recognition of symptoms, to evaluate the effectiveness of agents for HFS/R treatment within clinical trials, and to evaluate the impact of these treatments on HFS/R-associated patients' health-related quality of life.
Phase I/II Trial of Imatinib and Bevacizumab in Patients With Advanced Melanoma and Other Advanced Cancers
Authors: Flaherty Keith T. , Hamilton Betty K. , Rosen Mark A. , Amaravadi Ravi K. , Schuchter Lynn M. , Gallagher Maryann , Chen Helen , Sehgal Chandra , O'Dwyer Peter J.
Published: June 2015

Background.

Vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor signaling in the tumor microenvironment appear to cooperate in promoting tumor angiogenesis.

Patients and Methods.

We conducted a phase I trial combining bevacizumab (i.v. every 2 weeks) and imatinib (oral daily). Once a recommended phase II dose combination was established, a phase II trial was initiated in patients with metastatic melanoma. A Simon 2-stage design was used with 23 patients required in the first stage and 41 patients in total should the criteria to proceed be met. We required that 50% of the patients be progression-free at 16 weeks. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and power Doppler ultrasonography were performed in patients with metastatic tumors amenable to imaging with these methods at baseline and after 4 weeks.

Results.

A total of 17 patients were accrued to 4 dose and combination levels. Bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks could be safely combined with imatinib 800 mg daily. Common toxicities included fatigue, nausea, vomiting, edema, proteinuria, and anemia, but were not commonly severe. A total of 23 patients with metastatic melanoma (48% with American Joint Commission on Cancer stage M1c; median age, 63 years) were enrolled in the first stage of phase II. The 16-week progression-free survival rate was 35%, leading to termination of phase II after the first stage. In the small subset of patients who remained on study with lesions evaluable by DCE-MRI, significant decreases in tumor vascular permeability were noted, despite early disease progression using the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors.

Conclusion.

Bevacizumab and imatinib can be safely combined at the maximum doses used for each agent. We did not observe significant clinical activity with this regimen in melanoma patients.

Implications for Practice:

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted antiangiogenic therapy has proven clinical efficacy as a standalone therapy in renal cell carcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme. Also, enhancement of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy efficacy has been observed in colorectal, non-small-cell lung, breast, and ovarian cancers. Optimal strategies to cotarget angiogenic cytokines combined with VEGF have not been defined. It was found that bevacizumab could be safely combined with imatinib, which was used as a platelet-derived growth factor receptor inhibitor in our study. High-dose imatinib-related edema was not observed when paired with bevacizumab. This regimen might be suitable for further investigation in other cancers but apparently not in melanoma.
Cement mortars and geopolymers with the same strength class
Authors: Mobili Alessandra , Giosuè Chiara , Bitetti Michele , Tittarelli Francesca
Published: June 2015

Recycling of industrial waste materials to manufacture environmentally friendly mortars and concretes is gaining more and more interest, in particular for sustainability, rehabilitation and renovation purposes. In the present study geopolymers, which had been made using fly ash as a precursor and were subsequently subjected to curing at room temperature, were investigated. Geopolymeric and cementitious mortars with the same mechanical strength class were compared in both the fresh and hardened states. Despite the higher free shrinkage and lower adhesive strength on brick substrate, geopolymeric mortars behaved better than cement types in terms of lower dynamic modulus of elasticity, higher water vapour permeability, lower capillary water absorption and higher resistance to salt crystallisation.
Influence of bias voltage on sputter deposited V2O5 films
Authors: Pattabiraman Deepak Raj , Gupta Sudha , Madanagurusamy Sridharan
Published: June 2015

Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) thin films were deposited over thoroughly cleaned silicon dioxide (SiO2)-coated silicon (Si) (100) substrates by reactive dc magnetron sputtering technique at various substrate bias voltages keeping the other deposition parameters constant. The thickness value of the films measured using stylus probe technique was in the range of 200 to 230 nm. The films were characterized for their structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties using X-ray diffractometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and four-point probe method, respectively. The crystallinity of the films was improved at higher substrate bias voltages, which in turn had influence on the optical bandgap value and electrical resistivity. The optical bandgap of the deposited films were decreased to 2·68 eV from 2·71 eV as a result of removal of defects. The temperature coefficient of resistivity value of V2O5 films deposited at −100 V was found to be −1·9%/K. The results obtained are correlated to the substrate bias voltage.
Slow Capital, Fast Prices: Shocks to Funding Liquidity and Stock Price Reversals
Authors: Gissler Stefan
Published: June 2015

A V-shaped price pattern is often observed in financial markets – in response to a negative shock, prices fall \too far" before reversing course. This paper looks at one particular channel of such patterns: the link between a liquidity provider's balance sheet and asset prices. I examine a well-identified historical case study where a large exogenous shock to a liquidity provider's balance sheet resulted in severe capital constraints. Using evidence from German universal banks, who acted as market makers for selected stocks in the interwar period, I show in a difference-in-differences framework that binding capital constraints made stocks 15-20 percent more likely to be illiquid if they were connected to the distressed liquidity provider. This resulted in V-shaped price patterns during times of illiquidity, where prices declined on average 2.5 percent and reversed over the next one to three days. Investing in these particular stocks would have yielded substantial gains. These findings can be rationalized by a model that incorporates imperfect competition and asymmetric information. Under this model, banks' market{making reduces price volatility (and uninformed traders' reactions to price movements) in normal times whereas in distressed times, the price impact of noise trading is high and leads to sharp price declines that are unrelated to fundamentals.
Profiles of the Domestic Visitors of Dubrovnik Beaches in the Context of Altman’s Theory of Territoriality
Authors:   Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Sindik Joško , Vidak Nives
Published: June 2015

The experience of the beach as a territory in the context of Altman’s theory of territoriality, to our knowledge, has rarely been explored. The main research objective is cluster analysis of the participants (visitors of beaches in Dubrovnik) with respect to the intensity of the experience of the beaches as certain types of territory according to Altman’s concept of territoriality, taking into consideration the age and work experience in relation to gender, place of residence, type of beach and profession. The second objective was to determine the differences in the average scores according to preferences of the beach as a primary, secondary or public territory. The research was carried out on a sample of 81 participants (40 men and 41 women) from Dubrovnik (hometown), using the questionnaire Territorialism on the beaches. In a preliminary survey the questionnaire was successfully construed and showed good psychometric properties. The results showed that participants largely experience beach as a primary territory and rarely as a public one. The participants are grouped into three profiles, with specific characteristics, while within each profile the participants are grouped according to the dominant experience of the beach as a specific type of territory.
Tools of Quality in Determining the Characteristics of Services in Maritime Passenger Transport
Authors:   University of Split, Faculty of Maritime Studies, Split, Plazibat Veljko , Krčum Maja , Skračić Tomislav
Published: June 2015

The essential purpose of this paper is to show how the tools of quality traditionally used in production processes can be efficiently applied to determining the characteristics of services in maritime passenger transport. Defining the characteristics of services in maritime passenger transport is the key to shipping company’s performance and raising competitive advantages of the overall sea-borne passenger traffic on maritime markets. The paper is based on the application of the QFD (quality function deployment) method and the Ishikawa diagram as an auxiliary tool in the implementation of the QFD method. The insights achieved in this paper can assist the managers of shipping companies in enhancing the existing and the introduction of new competitive services in maritime passenger transport.
Pretrage broda, temelj sigurnosne zaštite svakog broda
Authors:   Sveučilište u Dubrovniku, Pomorski odjel, Mojaš Nikša
Published: June 2015

U ovom se radu upoznajemo s osnovnim načinima i metodama kako se na najbolji način osposobiti za učinkovito i cjelovito planiranje pretrage broda u svrhu sigurnosne zaštite broda. Analiziramo na koji način unaprijed možemo uspješno organizirati pretragu broda, te se upoznajemo s dužnostima posade koja provodi pretragu i opremom koja se koristi u ovakvim postupcima. Posebnu pažnju posvećujemo posadi broda, kao osnovnim subjektima u svakoj akciji pretraživanja. Kroz dane upute izravno utječemo na njihovu što bolju osposobljenost i podizanje svijesti o potrebi bolje sigurnosne zaštite na brodu.
Microbial pesticide application during defoliator outbreaks may reduce loss of regional forest beetle richness
Authors: Wayland H. , Manderino R. , Crist T. O. , Haynes K. J.
Published: June 2015

To date, research on the effects of forest defoliator outbreaks and pesticide applications to suppress these outbreaks on non‐target forest arthropods has generally focused on non‐target Lepidoptera and has not examined effects on regional diversity. In this study, we assessed the effects of forest defoliation by gypsy moths and application of the microbial pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) to suppress gypsy moth populations on the species richness and (Shannon index) diversity of beetles in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. In addition, we examined how these disturbances affected overall beetle abundance and abundances within different feeding guilds (herbivore, predator, fungivore, or xylophage). Three years after a gypsy moth outbreak, beetles were sampled four times throughout spring and summer at 15 sites belonging to one of three disturbance histories: undisturbed, defoliated, or sprayed with Btk. Beetles were captured using blacklight traps and then sorted to family and morphospecies. We did not detect significant effects of defoliation or Btk on local species richness (α richness) or local diversity (α diversity) of beetles. However, defoliated sites had lower β richness, i.e., lower heterogeneity in beetle species composition among sites, in early summer than sites that were undisturbed or sprayed with Btk. Overall beetle abundance was lower in spring at sites sprayed with Btk, but not significantly different among disturbance histories in other seasons. Further, effects of disturbance history on abundance were not significantly different among feeding guilds. Though the local (α) richness and diversity of beetles were not significantly influenced by gypsy moth defoliation or Btk, the reduced spatial heterogeneity of species composition (lower β richness) in defoliated areas suggests gypsy moth outbreaks could adversely affect regional species richness (γ richness). Our findings additionally suggest that Btk may protect against negative effects of gypsy moth defoliation on the regional species richness of beetles.
The acid taste of climate change: 20th century acidification is re‐emerging during a climatic extreme event
Authors: Schweiger Andreas H. , Audorff Volker , Beierkuhnlein Carl
Published: June 2015

The current state of an ecosystem results from the complex interaction of abiotic and biotic drivers jointly influenced by their dynamics and the legacy of a systems' history. Negative synergies between emerging climatically extreme events and past environmental impacts are expected to shift ecological communities to alternative stable states or towards hysteretic successional trajectories. However, knowledge on mutual effects of environmental stressors is scarce especially for not experimentally controlled, natural ecosystems.

We investigated the effect of a prolonged drought and heat wave occurred during 2003 on the short‐term vegetation responses of forest springs, a waterlogged type of ecosystem which is highly abundant in Central European siliceous mountains. These landscapes experienced strong impairment by 20th century atmospheric acidification. For different levels of acidification, we investigated plant community composition and water chemistry of 57 springs before (1996) during (2003) and after (2004–2006) the summer of 2003 and quantified ecological resilience and elasticity related to this extreme event for single plant species and species assemblages of whole communities.

The extreme dry and hot summer 2003 significantly decreased discharge, increased water temperature and affected water chemistry of the investigated springs. Ecological resilience and elasticity against the climatic extreme event differed significantly between communities dependent on their previous impact by acidification. Springs which were less affected by acidification performed higher resilience and elasticity than strongly acidified springs.

Our study shows that strong negative synergies between emerging climatic extreme events and past environmental impairments occur on landscape scale. Hitherto, such interactions between climate change, hydrochemistry, and the responses of ecosystems have been neglected.
Assisted History Matching for Fractured Reservoirs by Use of Hough-Transform-Based Parameterization
Authors: Lu Le , Zhang Dongxiao
Published: June 2015

Successful production in fractured reservoirs is significantly dependent on knowledge of the location, orientation, and conductivity of the fractures. Early water breakthrough can be prevented and sweep efficiency can be improved with the help of comprehensive and accurate information of fracture distributions. However, it is a challenge to estimate fracture distributions by conventional-history-matching methods because of the complexity of such reservoirs. Although there has been great progress in assisted-history-matching techniques during the last 2 decades, estimating fracture distributions in fractured reservoirs is still inefficient because of the strong heterogeneity and spatial discontinuity of model parameters. The performance of assisted-history-matching methods, such as the ensemble Kalman filter, can be significantly degraded by the non-Gaussian distributions of the parameters, such as effective permeability and porosity. On the other hand, although the geometric shapes of fractures may be generated properly at the initial step, they are difficult to preserve after updating, which results in geologically unrealistic fracture-distribution maps. In this study, we develop an assisted-history-matching method for fractured reservoirs with a Hough-transform-based parameterization. The facies maps of fractured reservoirs are parameterized into Hough-function fields in a discrete Hough space, whereas each gridblock in the Hough domain represents a fracture defined by its two Cartesian coordinates: angle θ of its normal and ρ of its algebraic distance from the origin in the flow domain. The length and axial position of the fractures are defined by two additional parameters on the same grid. The Hough-function value of each gridblock in the Hough domain is used as the indicator of the existence of the fracture in the facies map. When this parameterization is implemented in assisted history matching, the parameter fields in the Hough space, instead of the facies maps, are updated conditional on the production history. An inverse transform is performed to generate facies maps for the reservoir simulator. Pointwise prior information, such as known fractures discovered from well-log data, as well as the statistics of fracture orientation, can be honored by the inverse transform throughout the history-matching process. Applications and the effectiveness of this method are demonstrated by 2D synthetic-waterflooding examples. The fracture distributions in reference fields are identified by this method, and updated models are capable of providing improved predictions for prolonged periods of production.
Effect of heat treatment on fouling resistance and the rejection of small and neutral solutes by reverse osmosis membranes
Authors: Fujioka Takahiro , Oshima Nagayasu , Suzuki Ryoichi , Higgins Michael , Price William E. , Henderson Rita K. , Nghiem Long D.
Published: June 2015

The effects of heat treatment on membrane fouling resistance and the rejection of small and neutral solutes by reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were elucidated. RO membrane modification by heat treatment reduced fouling and improved boron rejection. However, heat treatment also caused a decrease in the water permeability of RO membranes. Significant improvement on fouling resistance by heat treatment was observed when RO concentrate was used to simulate a feed solution with high fouling propensity. The improved fouling resistance is likely to be due to changes in the hydrophobic interaction between the membrane surface and foulants. Boron rejection by the ESPA2 membrane was enhanced by heat treatment from 26 to 68% (when evaluated at the permeate flux of 20 L/m2 h). Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy revealed that heat treatment did not significantly influence the free-volume hole-radius of the membrane active skin layer. The results reported in this study suggested that changes in the other membrane properties such as free-volume fraction and thickness may be the main cause improving boron rejection.
Managed aquifer recharge: state-of-the-art and opportunities
Authors: Maliva Robert G.
Published: June 2015

The performance of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems is highly dependent upon local hydrogeology, which controls the movement and mixing of stored water and fluid–rock interactions, which can impact recharged water quality. The leading edge of MAR technology is the integration of data obtained using conventional and advanced aquifer characterization technologies into groundwater models that have improved predictive capabilities. Borehole and surface geophysical technologies and geostatistical and stochastic modeling methods, in particular, offer opportunities for improved aquifer characterization and modeling. The objective is to develop more accurate groundwater models that can be used as site-screening tools to identify locations and aquifers that have the greatest potential for successful implementation of MAR and to evaluate various design and operational options to find optimal local solutions.
Screening reactive materials as permeable barriers to treat lead and benzene contaminated groundwater
Authors: Obiri-Nyarko Franklin , Kwiatkowska-Malina Jolanta , Kasela Tomasz
Published: June 2015

Laboratory batch experiments were performed to: (i) select two individual and two mixtures of potential reactive materials for permeable barriers to treat groundwater contaminated with benzene and soluble lead (Pb2+); (ii) investigate the involved contaminant removal mechanisms; and (iii) determine the permeability and assess the environmental compatibility of the selected materials. Five individual reactive materials (zeolite, diatomaceous earth, brown coal, compost, and zero-valent iron as control) and four mixtures (compost:brown coal, compost:zeolite, compost:mulch, and mulch:diatomaceous earth) in different ratios were investigated. Benzene and Pb2+ were investigated separately using Pb2+/benzene spiked deionized water. Zeolite and brown coal were selected as individual materials for Pb and benzene based on their removal efficiencies. For the material mixtures, compost:brown coal (1:3) and compost:zeolite mixtures (1:3) were selected for Pb, whereas compost:zeolite (1:1) and compost:brown coal (1:5) were selected for benzene. The sequential extraction of Pb from these selected reactive materials showed that Pb was held mainly in the exchangeable fraction (52%–76%). Benzene was removed by biodegradation and sorption, with the latter contributing most to its removal (60%–99%). The selected materials were compatible with the environment considering the amounts of toxic metals leached from them, and their permeabilities were in the range of 4.2 × 10−5–2.14 × 10−3 m s−1.