bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning in the workplace: the role of Nurse Managers
Authors: Yen Margaret , Trede Franziska , Patterson Carmel
Published: September 2015

Objective
This research explores Nurse Managers’ (NMs’) influence on workplace learning. The facilitation of staff learning has implications for the role of NMs, who are responsible for the quality and safety of patient care. However, this aspect of their work is implicit and there is limited research in the area.

Methods
This paper discusses the findings from one hospital as part of a broader philosophical hermeneutic study conducted in two public hospitals over a 20-month timeframe. NMs participated in interviews, a period of observation, follow-up interviews and a focus group. Transcribed data was thematically analysed. Eraut’s ‘Two triangle theory of workplace learning’ was used to interpret participants’ accounts of how they facilitated workplace learning.

Findings
The analysis found that NMs worked to positively influence staff performance through learning in three domains: orientating new staff, assessing staff performance and managing underperformance.

Conclusions
This study purports that NMs influence workplace learning in ways that are seldom recognised. A more conscious understanding of the impact of their role can enable NMs to more purposefully influence workplace learning. Such understanding also has implications for the professional preparation of NMs for their role in the context of workplace learning, facilitating learning for change and enabling the advancement of quality and safety in healthcare.

What is known about the topic?
Studies exploring the influence of Nurse Managers in workplace learning have been limited to their role in the facilitation of formal learning. There is a paucity of research that examines their role in influencing informal learning.

What does this paper add?
The findings of this study draw on Eraut’s ‘Two triangle theory of workplace learning’ to further define the interdependent relationship between management and educational practices.

What are the implications for practitioners?
NMs’ awareness and deliberate use of their management role to enhance workplace learning will not only strengthen their role, but will also foster good learning environments and quality nursing services.
National dental waitlists: what would it take to reset to zero?
Authors: Dudko Yevgeni , Kruger Estie , Tennant Marc
Published: September 2015

Objective
Over the years, long public dental waitlists across Australia have received much attention from the media. The issue for eligible patients, namely a further deterioration of dental health because of not being able to address dental concerns relatively quickly, has been the subject of several state and Federal initiatives. The present study provides a cost model for eliminating public dental waitlists across Australia and compares these results with the cost of contracting out public dental care to private clinics.

Methods
Waitlist data from across Australia were collected from publicly available sources and confirmed through direct communication with each individual State or Territory Dental Health body. Average costs associated with employing key dental personnel and performance figures were used from previously published data to estimate the potential financial commitment and probable public benefits.

Results
The cost model suggests that, on average, it would be more than twice as expensive to contract the work out to private dental clinics as to treat eligible patients within public dental clinics. It is estimated that the cost of eliminating the legacy dental waiting lists (over 12 months) would be between A$50 and A$100 million depending on the method adopted. The effort would require some 360 dental teams.

Conclusion
The design of the Australian public dental care system that is targeted at meeting the needs of eligible patients into the future, in addition to being effective and sustainable, must also offer a level of protection to the taxpayer. The ability to address waitlist backlog identified in the present study clearly would require a mix of service models depending on service availability at different locations. Further research is needed to optimise the mix of service providers to address community needs.

What is known about the topic?
Long public dental waitlists across Australia have received much attention from the media. The topic has been the subject of debate at the government level and, over the years, has seen an increase in allocation of public funds in an effort to address the policy needs.

What does this paper add?
This study calculates the actual number of people on the public dental waitlist, provides a detailed analysis of the distribution of the demand for the services and offers a cost model for resetting public dental waitlists across Australia.

What are the implications for practitioners?
This study carries no implications for individual practitioners at the clinical level. However, at the state and national levels, this model offers direction to a more cost-effective allocation of public funds and human resources.
Anal intraepithelial neoplasia among HIV-positive men who have sex with men
Authors: Mata-Marín José A. , Hernández-Figueroa Jorge , Huerta-García Gloria , Sandoval-Ramírez Jorge , Pichardo-Farfán Miguel , Manjarrez-Tellez Bulmaro , Ramírez-Mendoza Pablo , Gaytan-Martínez Jesús
Published: September 2015

Neoplasia is the second most common cause of mortality in HIV patients. The prevalence of anal cancer among men who have sex with men (MSM) has continued to increase since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy. We screened 94 HIV-infected MSM patients. We found high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) in six of the patients. The calculated prevalence of HSIL was 6.4% (95% confidence interval: 2.9–13.2). The study and implementation of screening programs for high-risk groups is a priority.
Spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall erosivity in New Zealand
Authors: Klik Andreas , Haas Kathrin , Dvorackova Anna , Fuller Ian C.
Published: September 2015

Rainfall and its kinetic energy, expressed by rainfall erosivity, drives soil erosion processes by water. One of the most commonly used erosivity parameters is the rainfall-runoff erosivity factor R of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. The goal of this study was to investigate for the first time the spatial distribution of annual rainfall erosivity in New Zealand. High-resolution data from 35 weather stations were used to calculate the R-factors. Based on these results, region-specific equations were developed and were applied by using long-term precipitation records from 597 stations. The values were interpolated with a geographic information system to generate a map showing spatial variations of rainfall erosivity. Annual R-values vary across both islands by a factor of 30, from <550 MJ mm ha–1 h–1 in parts of Central Otago to >16 000 MJ mm ha–1 h–1 in the Southern Alps. These large differences are related to climatic and topographic features. Nevertheless, the data show a high correlation to the precipitation. In most parts of New Zealand, highest erosivity values occurred in December and January, whereas the lowest values were observed in August.
Human cell structure-driven model construction for predicting protein subcellular location from biological images
Authors: Shao Wei , Liu Mingxia , Zhang Daoqiang
Published: September 2015

Motivation: The systematic study of subcellular location pattern is very important for fully characterizing the human proteome. Nowadays, with the great advances in automated microscopic imaging, accurate bioimage-based classification methods to predict protein subcellular locations are highly desired. All existing models were constructed on the independent parallel hypothesis, where the cellular component classes are positioned independently in a multi-class classification engine. The important structural information of cellular compartments is missed. To deal with this problem for developing more accurate models, we proposed a novel cell structure-driven classifier construction approach (SC-PSorter) by employing the prior biological structural information in the learning model. Specifically, the structural relationship among the cellular components is reflected by a new codeword matrix under the error correcting output coding framework. Then, we construct multiple SC-PSorter-based classifiers corresponding to the columns of the error correcting output coding codeword matrix using a multi-kernel support vector machine classification approach. Finally, we perform the classifier ensemble by combining those multiple SC-PSorter-based classifiers via majority voting.

Results: We evaluate our method on a collection of 1636 immunohistochemistry images from the Human Protein Atlas database. The experimental results show that our method achieves an overall accuracy of 89.0%, which is 6.4% higher than the state-of-the-art method.

Availability and implementation: The dataset and code can be downloaded from https://github.com/shaoweinuaa/.

Contact:  dqzhang@nuaa.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
CD30 cell graphs of Hodgkin lymphoma are not scale-free—an image analysis approach
Authors: Schäfer Hendrik , Schäfer Tim , Ackermann Jörg , Dichter Norbert , Döring Claudia , Hartmann Sylvia , Hansmann Martin-Leo , Koch Ina
Published: September 2015

Motivation: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of B-cell lymphoma. To diagnose the subtypes, biopsies are taken and immunostained. The slides are scanned to produce high-resolution digital whole slide images (WSI). Pathologists manually inspect the spatial distribution of cells, but little is known on the statistical properties of cell distributions in WSIs. Such properties would give valuable information for the construction of theoretical models that describe the invasion of malignant cells in the lymph node and the intercellular interactions.

Results: In this work, we define and discuss HL cell graphs. We identify CD30+ cells in HL WSIs, bringing together the fields of digital imaging and network analysis. We define special graphs based on the positions of the immunostained cells. We present an automatic analysis of complete WSIs to determine significant morphological and immunohistochemical features of HL cells and their spatial distribution in the lymph node tissue under three different medical conditions: lymphadenitis (LA) and two types of HL. We analyze the vertex degree distributions of CD30 cell graphs and compare them to a null model. CD30 cell graphs show higher vertex degrees than expected by a random unit disk graph, suggesting clustering of the cells. We found that a gamma distribution is suitable to model the vertex degree distributions of CD30 cell graphs, meaning that they are not scale-free. Moreover, we compare the graphs for LA and two subtypes of HL. LA and classical HL showed different vertex degree distributions. The vertex degree distributions of the two HL subtypes NScHL and mixed cellularity HL (MXcHL) were similar.

Availability and implementation: The CellProfiler pipeline used for cell detection is available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/cellgraphs/.

Contact:  ina.koch@bioinformatik.uni-frankfurt.de

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
New insights into hepatitis B virus biology and implications for novel antiviral strategies
Authors: Chen Jieliang , Wu Min , Liu Kuancheng , Zhang Wen , Li Yaming , Zhou Xiaohui , Bai Lu , Yuan Zhenghong
Published: September 2015

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a small DNA virus with a unique replication mode, can cause chronic hepatitis (CHB), which is characterized by the persistence of the viral covalently closed circular DNA that serves as the template for HBV replication and the production of large amounts of secreted HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) that is present in excess of the levels of infectious virus. Despite the success of currently approved antiviral treatments for CHB patients, including interferon and nucleotide analogs, which suppress HBV replication and reduce the risk of CHB-related liver diseases, these therapies fail to eradicate the virus in most of the patients. With the development of the cell and animal models for HBV study, a better understanding of the HBV life cycle has been achieved and a series of novel antiviral strategies that target different stages of HBV replication have been designed to overcome the viral factors that contribute to HBV persistence. Such basic HBV research advancements and therapeutic developments are the subject of this review.
Evaluating Measurement Invariance in Categorical Data Latent Variable Models with the EPC-Interest
Authors: Oberski Daniel L. , Vermunt Jeroen K. , Moors Guy B. D.
Published: September 2015

Many variables crucial to the social sciences are not directly observed but instead are latent and measured indirectly. When an external variable of interest affects this measurement, estimates of its relationship with the latent variable will then be biased. Such violations of “measurement invariance” may, for example, confound true differences across countries in postmaterialism with measurement differences. To deal with this problem, researchers commonly aim at “partial measurement invariance” that is, to account for those differences that may be present and important. To evaluate this importance directly through sensitivity analysis, the “EPC-interest” was recently introduced for continuous data. However, latent variable models in the social sciences often use categorical data. The current paper therefore extends the EPC-interest to latent variable models for categorical data and demonstrates its use in example analyses of U.S. Senate votes as well as respondent rankings of postmaterialism values in the World Values Study.
Model-free Estimation of Tuning Curves and Their Attentional Modulation, Based on Sparse and Noisy Data
Authors: Helmer Markus , Kozyrev Vladislav , Stephan Valeska , Treue Stefan , Geisel Theo , Battaglia Demian
Published: September 2015

Tuning curves are the functions that relate the responses of sensory neurons to various values within one continuous stimulus dimension (such as the orientation of a bar in the visual domain or the frequency of a tone in the auditory domain). They are commonly determined by fitting a model e.g. a Gaussian or other bell-shaped curves to the measured responses to a small subset of discrete stimuli in the relevant dimension. However, as neuronal responses are irregular and experimental measurements noisy, it is often difficult to determine reliably the appropriate model from the data. We illustrate this general problem by fitting diverse models to representative recordings from area MT in rhesus monkey visual cortex during multiple attentional tasks involving complex composite stimuli. We find that all models can be well-fitted, that the best model generally varies between neurons and that statistical comparisons between neuronal responses across different experimental conditions are affected quantitatively and qualitatively by specific model choices. As a robust alternative to an often arbitrary model selection, we introduce a model-free approach, in which features of interest are extracted directly from the measured response data without the need of fitting any model. In our attentional datasets, we demonstrate that data-driven methods provide descriptions of tuning curve features such as preferred stimulus direction or attentional gain modulations which are in agreement with fit-based approaches when a good fit exists. Furthermore, these methods naturally extend to the frequent cases of uncertain model selection. We show that model-free approaches can identify attentional modulation patterns, such as general alterations of the irregular shape of tuning curves, which cannot be captured by fitting stereotyped conventional models. Finally, by comparing datasets across different conditions, we demonstrate effects of attention that are cell-and even stimulus-specific. Based on these proofs-of-concept, we conclude that our data-driven methods can reliably extract relevant tuning information from neuronal recordings, including cells whose seemingly haphazard response curves defy conventional fitting approaches.
New Methods for Treatment Effect Calibration, with Applications to Non-Inferiority Trials
Authors: Zhang Zhiwei , Nie Lei , Soon Guoxing , Hu Zonghui
Published: September 2015

In comparative effectiveness research, it is often of interest to calibrate treatment effect estimates from a clinical trial to a target population that differs from the study population. One important application is an indirect comparison of a new treatment with a placebo control on the basis of two separate randomized clinical trials: a non-inferiority trial comparing the new treatment with an active control and a historical trial comparing the active control with placebo. The available methods for treatment effect calibration include an outcome regression (OR) method based on a regression model for the outcome and a weighting method based on a propensity score (PS) model. This article proposes new methods for treatment effect calibration: one based on a conditional effect (CE) model and two doubly robust (DR) methods. The first DR method involves a PS model and an OR model, is asymptotically valid if either model is correct, and attains the semiparametric information bound if both models are correct. The second DR method involves a PS model, a CE model, and possibly an OR model, is asymptotically valid under the union of the PS and CE models, and attains the semiparametric information bound if all three models are correct. The various methods are compared in a simulation study and applied to recent clinical trials for treating human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Improved integer programming models for simple assembly line balancing and related problems
Authors: Ritt Marcus , Costa Alysson M.
Published: September 2015

We propose a stronger formulation of the precedence constraints and the station limits for the simple assembly line balancing problem. The linear relaxation of the improved integer program theoretically dominates all previous formulations using impulse variables, and produces solutions of significantly better quality in practice. The improved formulation can be used to strengthen related problems with similar restrictions. We demonstrate their effectiveness on the U‐shaped assembly line balancing problem and on the bin packing problem with precedence constraints.
An overview of exact algorithms for the Euclidean Steiner tree problem in n‐space
Authors: Fampa Marcia , Lee Jon , Maculan Nelson
Published: September 2015

The Euclidean Steiner tree problem (ESTP) in is to find a shortest network interconnecting p given points in n‐dimensional Euclidean space. The problem was first described in the plane and an algorithm with very good practical efficiency has been proposed to solve this particular case. The generalization for higher dimensions was proposed in the 19th century, however the numerical solution of the problem remains very challenging when . We give an overview of the exact algorithms presented in the literature for the ESTP when and discuss their common and distinguished features, their advantages and drawbacks, and some possible directions for improvement toward the numerical solution of large instances of the problem.
An Area-Efficient Unified Architecture for Multi-Functional Double-Precision Floating-Point Computation
Authors: Guo Wei , Ri KwangHyok , Cui Luping , Wei Jizeng
Published: September 2015

In this paper, we propose a unified architecture for computation of double-precision floating-point division, reciprocal, square root, inverse square root and multiplication with a significant area reduction. First, a double-precision multiplication-based divider, the common datapath shared with these arithmetic computations, is optimized by a modified Goldschmidt algorithm to achieve better area efficiency. In this algorithm, a linear-degree minimax approximation instead of second-degree is used to obtain a 15-bit precision estimate of the reciprocal so that we can get a rather small lookup table (LUT) as well as reduced amount of computation when accumulating the partial products. Two Goldschmidt iterations specially designed for hardware reuse are performed to gain the final accurate result of division. By virtue of the pipelined processing, the time cost for the two iterations is minimized. Second, a reconfigurable datapath with a little extra area cost is introduced to dynamically support multiple double-precision computations by executing the optimized divider iteratively. The design is finally implemented and synthesized in SMIC 0.13-μm CMOS process. The experimental results show that the proposed design can achieve a speed of 400 MHz with area of 61.6 K logic gates and 9-Kb LUT. Compared with other works, the area efficiency (performance/area ratio) of the proposed unified architecture is increased by about 20% in average, which is a better performance-area trade-off for embedded microprocessors.
Design Methodology of High Frequency M-ary ASK, FSK and QAM
Authors: Bhanja Mousumi , Tamang Surya Prakash , Das Ritika , Ray Baidyanath
Published: September 2015

This paper proposes a high data rate, low-power, low-voltage design of OTA-based M-ary ASK, FSK and QAM modulator and demodulator circuits. Conventional D/A converter of M-ary circuit has been replaced with the operational transconductance amplifier-based n-bits to 2n level converter which operates with input frequencies up to 2.1 GHz. OTA-based oscillator and PLL is being designed for high speed M-ary FSK. Eye diagram analysis has been carried out, conforming a very low signal distortion. Theoretical analysis of bit error rate has been done. The circuit analysis and simulation results confirm the reliability and accuracy of the design. Effective layouts and die photographs of the proposed designs are also presented.
Atom–atom entanglement dynamics enhancement via classically driven atoms coupled to a non-resonance single mode cavity field filled with nonlinear Kerr media
Authors: Ateto M. S.
Published: September 2015

Entanglement dynamics of two identical non-interacting atoms (qubits) coupled individually with simultaneous classical and quantum fields are studied. The cavity field is filled with a nonlinear Kerr medium and initially prepared in a coherent state. The atoms are initially set up as a Bell-like pure state (BS). We present an approach for diagonalization of time-dependent nonlinear Hamiltonian of the system exactly. Connection between the change in the degree of entanglement and tomography of field state in phase space are also illustrated and interpreted. We demonstrate the possibility of atom–atom (qubit–qubit) entanglement optimization by suitably choosing initial interaction settings. Overall, we show that both classical driving amplitude and detuning as well as Kerr media and initial atomic states acts as the control parameters for the qubit–qubit entanglement. By adjusting of these parameters, accurately, entanglement can be enhanced noticeably and high degree of steady periodical entanglement can be generated. Moreover, starting with initial atomic BSs in presence of classical driving suppresses coherences randomness and considerably accompanied with (for specific values of detuning) slight decrease in their amplitudes. Furthermore, the addition of cross Kerr term suppresses degree of entanglement noticeably, where entanglement creation and enhancement could just be possible if cross Kerr effect is moved out from interaction. Our present approach promises the great advantage of being suitable for large quantum systems of various kinds of nonlinearities.
Water Quality, Household Perceptions and Averting Behavior: Evidence from Nicaragua
Authors: Vásquez William F. , Mozumder Pallab , Franceschi Dina
Published: September 2015

We investigate household perceptions of water quality and associated averting behaviors using household survey data from León, Nicaragua. Seemingly unrelated instrumental variable probit models are estimated to take the potential endogeneity of water quality perceptions and the relationship between different averting behaviors into account. Survey results indicate that a large majority of households use tap water for drinking purposes. Less than 26% of sampled households implement in-home water treatments and about 33% of households consume bottled water. Results indicate that observed averting behaviors (i.e., consumption of bottled water and in-home water treatments), or lack thereof, are primarily driven by the perceived quality of tap water. Findings also indicate that perceptions of water quality are associated with service performance and assessment of water quality relative to peers. Policy implications are discussed.
Solution of Contact Problems for Nonlinear Gao Beam and Obstacle
Authors: Machalová J. , Netuka H.
Published: September 2015

Contact problem for a large deformed beam with an elastic obstacle is formulated, analyzed, and numerically solved. The beam model is governed by a nonlinear fourth-order differential equation developed by Gao, while the obstacle is considered as the elastic foundation of Winkler’s type in some distance under the beam. The problem is static without a friction and modeled either using Signorini conditions or by means of normal compliance contact conditions. The problems are then reformulated as optimal control problems which is useful both for theoretical aspects and for solution methods. Discretization is based on using the mixed finite element method with independent discretization and interpolations for foundation and beam elements. Numerical examples demonstrate usefulness of the presented solution method. Results for the nonlinear Gao beam are compared with results for the classical Euler-Bernoulli beam model.
Statins Promote Long-Term Recovery after Ischemic Stroke by Reconnecting Noradrenergic Neuronal Circuitry
Authors: Cho Kyoung Joo , Cheon So Young , Kim Gyung Whan
Published: September 2015

Inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase (statins), widely used to lower cholesterol in coronary heart and vascular disease, are effective drugs in reducing the risk of stroke and improving its outcome in the long term. After ischemic stroke, cardiac autonomic dysfunction and psychological problems are common complications related to deficits in the noradrenergic (NA) system. This study investigated the effects of statins on the recovery of NA neuron circuitry and its function after transient focal cerebral ischemia (tFCI). Using the wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) transgene technique combined with the recombinant adenoviral vector system, NA-specific neuronal pathways were labeled, and were identified in the locus coeruleus (LC), where NA neurons originate. NA circuitry in the atorvastatin-treated group recovered faster than in the vehicle-treated group. The damaged NA circuitry was partly reorganized with the gradual recovery of autonomic dysfunction and neurobehavioral deficit. Newly proliferated cells might contribute to reorganizing NA neurons and lead anatomic and functional recovery of NA neurons. Statins may be implicated to play facilitating roles in the recovery of the NA neuron and its function.
Ultra‐Small Fatty Acid‐Stabilized Magnetite Nanocolloids Synthesized by In Situ Hydrolytic Precipitation
Authors: El-Boubbou Kheireddine , Al-Kaysi Rabih O. , Al-Muhanna Muhanna K. , Bahhari Hassan M. , Al-Romaeh Abdulaziz I. , Darwish Nadim , Al-Saad Khaled O. , Al-Suwaidan Salem D.
Published: September 2015

Simple, fast, large‐scale, and cost‐effective preparation of uniform controlled magnetic nanoparticles remains a major hurdle on the way towards magnetically targeted applications at realistic technical conditions. Herein, we present a unique one‐pot approach that relies on simple basic hydrolytic in situ coprecipitation of inexpensive metal salts (Fe2+ and Fe3+) compartmentalized by stabilizing fatty acids and aided by the presence of alkylamines. The synthesis was performed at relatively low temperatures (~80°C) without the use of high‐boiling point solvents and elevated temperatures. This method allowed for the production of ultra‐small, colloidal, and hydrophobically stabilized magnetite metal oxide nanoparticles readily dispersed in organic solvents. The results reveal that the obtained magnetite nanoparticles exhibit narrow size distributions, good monodispersities, high saturation magnetizations, and excellent colloidal stabilities. When the [fatty acid] : [Fe] ratio was varied, control over nanoparticle diameters within the range of 2–10 nm was achieved. The amount of fatty acid and alkylamine used during the reaction proved critical in governing morphology, dispersity, uniformity, and colloidal stability. Upon exchange with water‐soluble polymers, the ultra‐small sized particles become biologically relevant, with great promise for theranostic applications as imaging and magnetically targeted delivery vehicles.
High Dynamic Optimized Carrier Loop Improvement for Tracking Doppler Rates
Authors: Fereidountabar Amirhossein , Cardarilli Gian Carlo , Re Marco
Published: September 2015

Mathematical analysis and optimization of a carrier tracking loop are presented. Due to fast changing of the carrier frequency in some satellite systems, such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Global Positioning System (GPS), or some planes like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), high dynamic tracking loops play a very important role. In this paper an optimized tracking loop consisting of a third-order Phase Locked Loop (PLL) assisted by a second-order Frequency Locked Loop (FLL) for UAVs is proposed and discussed. Based on this structure an optimal loop has been designed. The main advantages of this approach are the reduction of the computation complexity and smaller phase error. The paper shows the simulation results, comparing them with a previous work.
Sex-Specific Associations of Arsenic Exposure with Global DNA Methylation and Hydroxymethylation in Leukocytes: Results from Two Studies in Bangladesh
Authors: Niedzwiecki Megan M. , Liu Xinhua , Hall Megan N. , Thomas Tiffany , Slavkovich Vesna , Ilievski Vesna , Levy Diane , Alam Shafiul , Siddique Abu B. , Parvez Faruque , Graziano Joseph H. , Gamble Mary V.
Published: September 2015

Background: Depletion of global 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) is observed in human cancers and is strongly implicated in skin cancer development. Although arsenic (As)—a class I human carcinogen linked to skin lesion and cancer risk—is known to be associated with changes in global %5-methylcytosine (%5-mC), its influence on 5-hmC has not been widely studied.

Methods: We evaluated associations of As in drinking water, urine, and blood with global %5-mC and %5-hmC in two studies of Bangladeshi adults: (i) leukocyte DNA in the Nutritional Influences on Arsenic Toxicity study (n = 196; 49% male, 19–66 years); and (ii) peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA in the Folate and Oxidative Stress study (n = 375; 49% male, 30–63 years).

Results: Overall, As was not associated with global %5-mC or %5-hmC. Sex-specific analyses showed that associations of As exposure with global %5-hmC were positive in males and negative in females (P for interaction < 0.01). Analyses examining interactions by elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcys), an indicator of B-vitamin deficiency, found that tHcys also modified the association between As and global %5-hmC (P for interaction < 0.10).

Conclusion: In two samples, we observed associations between As exposure and global %5-hmC in blood DNA that were modified by sex and tHcys.

Impact: Our findings suggest that As induces sex-specific changes in 5-hmC, an epigenetic mark that has been associated with cancer. Future research should explore whether altered %5-hmC is a mechanism underlying the sex-specific influences of As on skin lesion and cancer outcomes. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(11); 1748–57. ©2015 AACR.
Pleiotropic Analysis of Cancer Risk Loci on Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Risk
Authors: Lee Eunjung , Stram Daniel O. , Ek Weronica E. , Onstad Lynn E. , MacGregor Stuart , Gharahkhani Puya , Ye Weimin , Lagergren Jesper , Shaheen Nicholas J. , Murray Liam J. , Hardie Laura J. , Gammon Marilie D. , Chow Wong-Ho , Risch Harvey A. , Corley Douglas A. , Levine David M. , Whiteman David C. , Bernstein Leslie , Bird Nigel C. , Vaughan Thomas L. , Wu Anna H.
Published: September 2015

Background: Several cancer-associated loci identified from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been associated with risks of multiple cancer sites, suggesting pleiotropic effects. We investigated whether GWAS-identified risk variants for other common cancers are associated with risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) or its precursor, Barrett's esophagus.

Methods: We examined the associations between risks of EA and Barrett's esophagus and 387 SNPs that have been associated with risks of other cancers, by using genotype imputation data on 2,163 control participants and 3,885 (1,501 EA and 2,384 Barrett's esophagus) case patients from the Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Genetic Susceptibility Study, and investigated effect modification by smoking history, body mass index (BMI), and reflux/heartburn.

Results: After correcting for multiple testing, none of the tested 387 SNPs were statistically significantly associated with risk of EA or Barrett's esophagus. No evidence of effect modification by smoking, BMI, or reflux/heartburn was observed.

Conclusions: Genetic risk variants for common cancers identified from GWAS appear not to be associated with risks of EA or Barrett's esophagus.

Impact: To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of pleiotropic genetic associations with risks of EA and Barrett's esophagus. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(11); 1801–3. ©2015 AACR.
Digoxin Use After Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer and Survival: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Karasneh Reema A. , Murray Liam J. , Hughes Carmel M. , Cardwell Chris R.
Published: September 2015

Background: Digoxin has been shown to affect a number of pathways that are of relevance to cancer, and its use has been associated with increased risks of breast and uterus cancer and, more recently, a 40% increase in colorectal cancer risk. These findings raise questions about the safety of digoxin use in colorectal cancer patients, and, therefore, we investigated whether digoxin use after colorectal cancer diagnosis increased the risk of colorectal cancer–specific mortality.

Methods: A cohort of 10,357 colorectal cancer patients newly diagnosed from 1998 to 2009 was identified from English cancer registries and linked to the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (to provide digoxin and other prescription records) and to the Office of National Statistics mortality data (to identify 2,724 colorectal cancer–specific deaths). Using time-dependent Cox regression models, unadjusted and adjusted HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the association between postdiagnostic exposure to digoxin and colorectal cancer–specific mortality.

Results: Overall, 682 (6%) colorectal cancer patients used digoxin after diagnosis. Digoxin use was associated with a small increase in colorectal cancer–specific mortality before adjustment (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.07–1.46), but after adjustment for confounders, the association was attenuated (adjusted HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.91–1.34) and there was no evidence of a dose response.

Conclusions: In this large population-based colorectal cancer cohort, there was little evidence of an increase in colorectal cancer–specific mortality with digoxin use after diagnosis.

Impact: These results provide some reassurance that digoxin use is safe in colorectal cancer patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(11); 1804–7. ©2015 AACR.
ПРОТИВІРУСНА ТЕРАПІЯ ПРИ 2,3 ГЕНОТИПІ ВІРУСУ ГЕПАТИТУ С: КЛІНІЧНИЙ ТА ЕКОНОМІЧНИЙ АНАЛІЗ ЇЇ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ
Authors: Кірієнко В.Т. , Зайцев І.А. , Потій В.В.
Published: September 2015

Проведена оцінка порівняльної клінічної та економічної ефективності двох схем противірусної терапії хронічного гепатиту С, 2/3 генотипу вірусу HCV. Пацієнти групи А (п=25) отримували комбінацію інтерферону-a і рибавірину, пацієнти групи Б (n=36) – пегільованого інтерферону-a з рибавірином. Частота досягнення ранньої вірусологічної відповіді і відповіді на момент закінчення курсу терапії склала 80,0 і 94,3 %, СВВ - 72,0 і 91,7 % у групах А і Б відповідно (р>0,05 для всіх показників). Порівняльний фармакоекономічний аналіз двох схем противірусної терапії ХГС, генотип 2/3, продемонстрував, що більша ефективність витрат характерна для комбінованої терапії ІФН-a + Рибавірин. Ця схема терапії має значну економічну перевагу, якщо лікування хворих фінансується за рахунок національних програм і ставиться завдання вилікувати не конкретного хворого, а якомога більшу кількість пацієнтів. Однак така схема лікування ХГС має меншу клінічну ефективність, тому для пацієнта більш привабливою залишається терапія ПЕГ-ІФН-a + Рибавірин, що забезпечує більшу частоту СВВ та менший за величиною показник ефективності витрат.
ЛЕПТОСПІРОЗ, СПРИЧИНЕНИЙ КОМБІНАЦІЄЮ ЗБУДНИКІВ, У ТЕРНОПІЛЬСЬКІЙ ОБЛАСТІ
Authors: Васильєва Н.А. , Кравчук Ю.А.
Published: September 2015

На підставі аналізу випадків лептоспірозу у мешканців Тернопільської області, при лабораторному обстеженні яких протягом 1984-2014 рр. виявлені комбінації збудників, встановили, що в останні 10 років частота лептоспірозу-мікст суттєво зросла.Поєднання різних сероварів лептоспір як етіологічний чинник лептоспірозу-мікст підтверджується динамікою титрів антитіл до обох збудників за час спостереження. Це може бути однією з особливостей сучасних зоонозів.

Впливу комбінації різних сероварів лептоспір на окремі епідеміологічні (сезонність), клінічні (форма та ступінь тяжкості недуги) особливості, а також гендерний розподіл не виявлено.
ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ВПЛИВУ РАННЬОГО ХІРУРГІЧНОГО ЛІКУВАННЯ З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ ГІДРОГЕЛЕВИХ РЕГЕНЕРАТИВНИХ ЗАСОБІВ ТА ГУБЧАСТИХ СОРБУЮЧИХ МАТЕРІАЛІВ НА ПОКАЗНИКИ МІКРОБНОГО ОБСІМЕНІННЯ РАН
Authors: Ковальчук А.О.
Published: September 2015

Досліджено динаміку змін показників мікробної контамінації експериментальних опікових ран у щурів при проведенні ранньої некректомії опікового струпу та подальшому закритті ран сучасними гідрогелевими пов’язками та сорбуючими губчастими засобами. Експериментально доведено, що комбіноване використання вторинного сорбуючого поліуретанового покриття та сітчастих гідрогелевих засобів на етапах раннього хірургічного лікування тварин значно знижує контамінацію патогенними мікроорганізмами, створює оптимальний мікроклімат для репаративної регенерації та оптимізує місцевий імунітет в опікових ранах.
ПОРІВНЯЛЬНИЙ АНАЛІЗ СТАНУ РЕФОРМУВАННЯ СИСТЕМИ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ’Я В ПІЛОТНИХ РЕГІОНАХ УКРАЇНИ
Authors: ДЗЮБА О.М. , КУЧЕРЕНКО Н.Т. , КАРАМЗІНА Л.А.
Published: September 2015

Мета: проведення порівняльного аналізу впровадження нових організаційно-правових та фінансово-економічних механізмів у пілотних регіонах (Вінницька, Дніпропетровська області, м. Київ).

Матеріали і методи. Були використані статистичні дані пілотних регіонів; застосовані економічний, статистичний, методи порівняльного аналізу.

Результаты. У пілотних регіонах впроваджені нові підходи до організації роботи закладів охорони здоров'я та їх кадрового забезпечення: на базі існуючої мережі закладів створено структуровану за видами медичної допомоги систему медичного обслуговування; організовано роботу центрів первинної медичної допомоги; перепрофільовано заклади охорони здоров'я, що надають вторинну (спеціалізовану) медичну допомогу, з урахуванням інтенсивності її надання; створено центри екстреної медичної допомоги; оптимізовано кадрове забезпечення.

Висновки. Необхідно запровадити набутий у пілотних регіонах досвід реформування системи охорони здоров’я на національному рівні.

Ключові слова: пілотні регіони, первинна медична допомога, екстрена медична допомога, вторинна медична допомога,  ефективність, якість медичної допомоги.
Indicators of prooxidant-antioxidant homeostasis of healthy animals under the introduction of melatonin
Authors: Ivankiv Ya. I. , Oleshchuk O. M.
Published: September 2015

The effect of melatonin on parameters of prooxidant-antioxidant homeostasis of healthy animals has been
studied.
It is shown that the introduction of the agent promotes the inhibition of lipid peroxidation processes, enhance
antioxidant protecting the body and link mitochondrial enzymes chain, it's suggests about its evidence antioxidant
properties.
The influence of thiotriazoline on the change of immune system in the blood of guinea-pigs under the conditions of development of experimental bronchial asthma
Authors: Reheda M. S. , Kolishetska М. А. , Yurevych V. R.
Published: September 2015

The aim of our research was to determine the character of the role and functional state of separate indexes
of the immune system in blood of guinea-pigs under the conditions of the development of experimental bronchial
asthma (BA ) and estimation of thiotriazoline influence on them. Decreasing of T-lymphocytes, stimulation of humoral
link of immunity, namely increasing of B-lymphocytes and immunoglobulins of A, M and G, elevation of circulatory
immune complexes and slump of complement blood plasma activity had been determined in this research. Immune
correcting action of thiotriazoline upon the pointed out indices in case of BA is revealed.
Morphological and functional state of liver of sex matured females of white rats in the conditions of experimental toxic hepatitis
Authors: Lymar L. Ye.
Published: September 2015

Parafunctions of organs of the reproductive system occupy one of the main places among gynaecological diseases
and are the issue of the day, because they result not only in the loss of capacity but also decline of reproductive function.
Concomitant diseases play a considerable role in the development of this pathology. Women of reproductive age
often have combination of violations of menstrual function with chronic hepatitis of different genesis. With the aim of
the detailed study and analysis of the indicated problem an experimental study was undertaken. We made a model
of chronic toxic hepatitis for the sex matured females of white rats. There were studied the results of morphological
changes in the liver of experimental animals, state of enzymatic, protein-synthesizing liver functions in the conditions
of experimental toxic hepatitis and their correlation with the results of clinical and biochemical researches. 50 sex
matured females of white rats were examined whom chronic toxic hepatitis (CT H) was modelled.
Relationship between carbohydrate and lipid metabolism violations and the tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in experimental alimentary obesity
Authors: Antonyshyn I. V.
Published: September 2015

In this article it was considered the rates of protein and lipid metabolism, tumor necrosis factor-α, and adipose
tissue specific hormones in the blood serum of rats in case of alimentary obesity. It was established that diet-induced
obesity in rats is accompanied by increased production of leptin, total cholesterol and triglycerides. BMI is the most
important component that determines the interaction of immune and metabolic processes in terms of alimentary
obesity and positively associated with leptin, TN F-α and total cholesterol. TN F-α, including atherogenic properties,
is associated with the increase of leptin.
Outer-Sphere Extraction of Uranyl(VI) from HNO3(aq) to 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Nonafluorobutanesulfonate Ionic Liquid: Towards Decontamination of Uranium Wastes
Authors: Takao Koichiro , Arakawa Kohei , Mori Takahiro , Harada Masayuki , Ikeda Yasuhisa
Published: September 2015

Extraction behavior of U(VI) from an HNO3 aqueous solution to 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nonafluorobutanesulfonate ([BMI][NfO]) ionic liquid and recovery of the extracted U(VI) by using H2O2 were investigated. With increasing [HNO3], the distribution ratio of U(VI) tends to decrease (e.g., 4.08 at [HNO3] = 0.01 M, 0.15 at [HNO3] = 1.00 M). Such extraction behavior is mainly governed by [H+], while coordination of NO3− to UO22+ also offers minor contribution to prevent partitioning of U(VI) to [BMI][NfO]. The U(VI) extraction in the current system is exclusively driven by NfO− to form an outer-sphere complex like {[UO2(OH2)5](NfO)4}2−. Addition of 30 wt % H2O2 to [BMI][NfO] containing U(VI) resulted in pale yellow precipitate of [(UO2)(O2)(H2O)2]·2H2O. The recovery efficiency increases with increasing pH of the aqueous layer, and reaches >90% at pH >1.5. This is in line with deprotonation from H2O2 through the precipitation of [(UO2)(O2)(H2O)2]·2H2O, i.e., UO22+ + H2O2 + 4H2O = [(UO2)(O2)(H2O)2]·2H2O (s) + 2H+.
Lockout: Spacing Trauma and Recovery in the Aftermath of the Virginia Tech Shootings
Authors: Hofer Stefanie
Published: September 2015

Reflecting on the role that writing played in the recovery process, the author describes the mourning process after the loss of her husband during the Virginia Tech massacre on April 16, 2007. She analyzes how her traumatization was intensified by the interaction with the public. The private and tranquil space of her home is portrayed as the center of mourning and healing. Through writing, she regained emotional control in and over literary and figurative spaces of traumatization, enabling her gradual reintegration into the public life.
Requiem for Vietnam: Reflections and Countertransferences of a Psychoanalyst
Authors: Lindy Jacob D.
Published: September 2015

As a psychoanalyst with forty years of clinical experience with traumatized veterans, I began this paper as an exercise in my own life review, chronicling the lasting impact of treating war trauma on the therapist. I was curious to examine to what extent and in what form emotional memory—including countertransference from these treatments—might continue to occupy part of the internal landscape of the analyst’s mind. Over time, and somewhat unexpectedly after a trip to Vietnam, my life review and reflections evolved to include the views of former patients themselves, an informal thirty-year follow-up on veterans whose original treatments colleagues and I documented in Vietnam: A Casebook .
La perversión ordinaria… ¡aún!
Authors: Lebrun Jean-Pierre
Published: September 2015

A partir de lo que llama clínica de lo cotidiano —esa que no llega a la consulta privada, fundamentalmente marcada por la precariedad, no solo económica— el autor interroga las profundas modificaciones de las sociedades contemporáneas que afectan las subjetividades, e intenta dar cuenta de ello, mediante el concepto de perversión ordinaria. Se trata del sujeto, quien, incitado por el discurso de lo social, consiente en impugnar el trabajo psíquico que le permitiría sostener la relación con el agujero del Otro al que cada ser hablante se ve confrontado. Dicho concepto indica por sí mismo que no se trata de perversión, sino de neurosis de aspecto perverso, aunque tampoco neurosis conviene, pues el referente ya no es el Edipo. ¿Qué es entonces? El artículo responde a este interrogante convocando principalmente la ausencia de la instancia fálica a la que, hasta ayer, el niño quedaba referido, vía la intervención del padre.
Bodies that Desire
Authors: Matos Xênia Amaral
Published: September 2015

O melodrama desenvolveu-se na França durante o século dezoito e é majoritariamente caracterizado por abordar relações amorosas e familiares através de uma abordagem emotiva. O melodrama influenciou diversos autores como Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo e Tennessee Williams. Tennessee Williams é um dramaturgo norte-americano famoso pela peça A Streetcar Named Desire. Suas peças exploram o emocionalismo, os conflitos amorosos, a decadência econômica e os problemas familiares. Este trabalho apresenta uma análise da construção melodramática das protagonistas femininas Amanda e Laura Wingfield (The Glass Menagerie) e Blanche DuBois (A Streetcar Named Desire). Discute também como o melodrama auxilia a construir o desfecho trágico dessas personagens.