bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Committees Shape Legislative Behavior: An Examination of Interests and Institutions
Authors: Miler Kristina
Published: June 2017

Whether institutional position or legislators’ interests drive legislative behavior is a central question in the congressional literature. This article focuses on the committee system in the House of Representatives and leverages the distinction between committee requests and assignments to shed new light on this debate. There is strong evidence that institutional position is largely responsible for increased legislative activity in relevant policy areas. However, there are limits to the institutional advantages of membership and its influence. The benefits of membership do not accrue to legislators immediately, and during their first term, legislators’ expressed interest increases their activity. By their second term, the power of the institution balances out these differences of interest. Legislators’ interests also play an important role in more costly behavior, like passing legislation. Legislators adapt to their institutional position, but they also remain true to the issues they believed deserved their attention when they first entered Congress.
Risk factors for wound complications and 30-day mortality after major lower limb amputations in patients with peripheral arterial disease
Authors: Morisaki Koichi , Yamaoka Terutoshi , Iwasa Kazuomi
Published: June 2017

Purpose

Risk factors for wound complications or 30-day mortality after major amputation in patients with peripheral arterial disease remain unclear. We investigated the outcomes of major amputation in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Methods

Patients who underwent major amputation from 2008 to 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The main outcome measures were risk factors for wound complications and 30-day mortality after major lower limb amputations. Major amputation was defined as above-knee amputation or below-knee amputation. Wound complications were defined as surgical site infection or wound dehiscence.

Results

In total, 106 consecutive patients underwent major amputation. The average age was 77.3 ± 11.2 years, 67.9% of patients had diabetes mellitus and 35.8% were undergoing hemodialysis. Patients who underwent primary amputation constituted 61.9% of the cohort, and the proportions of above-knee amputation and below-knee amputation were 66.9% and 33.1%, respectively. The wound complication rate was 13.3% overall, 10.3% in above-knee amputation, and 19.5% in below-knee amputation. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors for wound complications were female sex (hazard ratio, 4.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.40–17.3; P = 0.01) and below-knee amputation (hazard ratio, 4.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.20–17.6; P = 0.03). The 30-day mortality rate was 7.6%, pneumonia comprised the most frequent cause of 30-day mortality, followed by sepsis and cardiac death. Multivariate analysis showed that a low serum albumin concentration (hazard ratio, 3.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–16.3; P = 0.03) was a risk factor for 30-day mortality.

Conclusions

Female sex and below-knee amputation were risk factors for wound complications. A low serum albumin concentration was a risk factor for 30-day mortality after major amputation in Japanese patients with peripheral arterial disease.
Extra-vascular findings in patients undergoing magnetic resonance angiography of the abdomen, pelvis and lower extremities: A retrospective study of 352 patients
Authors: Sohns Jan M , Menke Jan , Bergau Leonard , Weiss Bernhard G , Schmuck Sebastian , Weiberg Desiree , Staab Wieland , Derlin Thorsten , Dorenkamp Marc , Sohns Christian
Published: June 2017

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of extra-vascular findings in patients undergoing magnetic resonance angiography of the abdomen, pelvis and lower extremities.

Materials and methods

Three hundred fifty-two patients underwent abdominal, pelvic and lower extremity 1.5 T magnetic resonance angiography. Clinically relevant vascular and extra-vascular findings were identified. Relevant vascular findings were classified as stenosis, occlusion, aneurysm, sclerosis, dissection or vasculitis. Relevant extra-vascular findings were categorized as ‘safe’ (Group A), intermediate – requiring additional investigation – (Group B) and malignant/endangering – requiring change of therapy (Group C).

Results

A total of 2152 clinically relevant vascular findings was identified (6.1/patient). The most frequent vascular finding was femoral artery stenosis (10.6%). Four hundred fifty-one extra-vascular findings were observed (1.3/patient) and classified into Group A (78%), Group B (19.5%) and Group C findings (2.4%). The most frequent malignant findings were lung cancer, lymphoma, osteosarcoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma (7/352 patients).

Conclusions

Extravascular findings are frequently encountered in magnetic resonance angiography performed for vascular indications. Clinically relevant findings are seen in a substantial part of patients and should prompt further diagnostic work-up.
Challenges in management of left ventricular thrombus
Authors: Habash Fuad , Vallurupalli Srikanth
Published: June 2017

Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) complicates both ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies and is a potential cause of thromboembolic complications such as stroke. Management of LVT in the 21st century is primarily based on studies before the widespread use of potent pharmacological and interventional therapies such as primary percutaneous coronary intervention, especially in the setting of acute myocardial infarction. Though advances in diagnostic technology have improved detection of LVT, clinicians face several uncertainties in the management of LVT in daily practice. The aim of this paper is to examine several controversies in the diagnosis and management of LVT. Prospective studies are needed to advance therapy of LVT.
Buddhism, Social Justice and Caste: Reflections on Buddhist Engagement with Caste in India and Sri Lanka
Authors: Silva Kalinga Tudor
Published: June 2017

Even though Buddhism probably had some emancipatory potential for the downtrodden from its inception in the sixth century BCE, this potential gradually declined in its establishment as an ideology of the ruling dynasties largely upheld by the religious practices of the masses in ancient and medieval Ceylon. The nineteenth century Buddhist revival in Ceylon under the leadership of Anagarika Dharmapala did contain some anti-colonial tendencies, but this new form of Sinhala Buddhism subsequently became an ideology of the Sinhala ruling classes in independent Sri Lanka. Against this background, the Navayana Buddhism invented by Dr Ambedkar built on the emancipatory potential of Buddhism by converting it into a moral foundation for the Dalit struggle against untouchability and inherited social disadvantages. This article explores the ambivalent and contradictory dynamics in the hegemonic and transformative tendencies in Buddhism within the larger South Asian context.
Custom‐made foot orthoses: an analysis of prescription characteristics from an Australian commercial orthotic laboratory
Authors: Menz Hylton B. , Allan Jamie J. , Bonanno Daniel R. , Landorf Karl B. , Murley George S.
Published: June 2017

Background

Foot orthoses are widely used in the prevention and treatment of foot disorders. The aim of this study was to describe characteristics of custom‐made foot orthosis prescriptions from a Australian podiatric orthotic laboratory.

Methods

One thousand consecutive foot orthosis prescription forms were obtained from a commercial prescription foot orthosis laboratory located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Footwork Podiatric Laboratory). Each item from the prescription form was documented in relation to orthosis type, cast correction, arch fill technique, cast modifications, shell material, shell modifications and cover material. Cluster analysis and discriminant function analysis were applied to identify patterns in the prescription data.

Results

Prescriptions were obtained from 178 clinical practices across Australia and Hong Kong, with patients ranging in age from 5 to 92 years. Three broad categories (‘clusters') were observed that were indicative of increasing ‘control’ of rearfoot pronation. A combination of five variables (rearfoot cast correction, cover shape, orthosis type, forefoot cast correction and plantar fascial accommodation) was able to identify these clusters with an accuracy of 70%. Significant differences between clusters were observed in relation to age and sex of the patient and the geographic location of the prescribing clinician.

Conclusion

Foot orthosis prescriptions are complex, but can be broadly classified into three categories. Selection of these prescription subtypes appears to be influenced by both patient factors (age and sex) and clinician factors (clinic location).
High-resolution Radon preconditioning for full-waveform inversion of land seismic data
Authors: Cheng Xin , Jiao Kun , Sun Dong , Xu Zhen , Vigh Denes , El-Emam Adel
Published: June 2017

Over the past decade, acoustic full-waveform inversion (FWI) has become one of the standard methods in the industry to construct high-resolution velocity fields from the seismic data acquired. While most of the successful applications are for marine acquisition data with rich low-frequency diving or postcritical waves at large offsets, the application of acoustic FWI on land data remains a challenging topic. Land acoustic FWI application faces many severe difficulties, such as the presence of strong elastic effects, large near-surface velocity contrast, and heterogeneous, topography variations, etc. In addition, it is well-known that low-frequency transmitted seismic energy is crucial for the success of FWI to overcome sensitivity to starting velocity fields; unfortunately, those are the parts of the data that suffer the most from a low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in land acquisition. We have developed an acoustic FWI application on a land data set from North Kuwait, and demonstrated our solutions to mitigate some of the challenges posed by land data. More specifically, we have developed a semblance-based high-resolution Radon (HR-Radon) inversion approach to enhance the S/N of the low-frequency part of the FWI input data and to ultimately improve the convergence of the land FWI workflow. To mitigate the impact of elastic effects, we included only the diving and postcritical early arrivals in the waveform inversion. Our results show that, with the aid of HR-Radon preconditioning and a carefully designed workflow, acoustic FWI has the ability to derive a reliable high-resolution near-surface model that could not be otherwise recovered through traditional tomographic methods.
Non-contrast MR angiography using three-dimensional balanced steady-state free-precession imaging for evaluation of stenosis in the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery: a preliminary comparative study with computed tomography angiography
Authors: Cardia Patricia P , Penachim Thiago J , Prando Adilson , Torres Ulysses S , D'Ippólito Giuseppe
Published: June 2017

Objective:

Although non-contrast MR angiography (NC-MRA) is well established for the evaluation of renal artery stenosis, its usefulness in the evaluation of other abdominal aortic branches remains to be studied. This study aimed at evaluating the image quality and diagnostic accuracy of NC-MRA using a three-dimensional balanced steady-state free-precession sequence in identifying stenosis in the celiac trunk (CTR) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) as compared with CT angiography (CTA) as the reference standard.

Methods:

41 patients underwent both NC-MRA and CTA of the abdominal aorta. Two radiologists analyzed the quality of the images (diagnostic vs non-diagnostic) and the performance (accuracy, sensitivity and specificity) of NC-MRA for the identification of arterial stenosis. Kappa tests were used to determine the interobserver agreement and the intermethod agreement between NC-MRA and CTA.

Results:

NC-MRA provided diagnostic quality images of the CTR and SMA in 87.8% and 90.2% of cases, respectively, with high interobserver agreement (kappa 0.95 and 0.80, respectively). For stenosis assessment, NC-MRA had a sensitivity of 100%, a positive-predictive value of 50% and a negative-predictive value of 100% for both segments, with accuracies of 88.8% for the CTR and 94.5% for the SMA.

Conclusion:

NC-MRA is an accurate method for detecting stenosis in the CTR and SMA.

Advances in knowledge:

Data from this study suggest that MR angiography with balanced steady-state free-precession sequence is a viable non-contrast alternative for stenosis evaluation of these branches in patients for whom a contrast-enhanced examination is contraindicated.
Factors influencing brown fat activation in FDG PET/CT: a retrospective analysis of 15,000+ cases
Authors: Steinberg Jeffrey D , Vogel Wouter , Vegt Erik
Published: June 2017

Objective:

Brown fat can exhibit high uptake of fluorine-18 fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) on positron emission tomography (PET) and interferes with interpretation of the scan. The goal of this study was to identify factors that may influence brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation.

Methods:

A retrospective study of 18F-FDG PET scans was performed using a database of 15,109 PET/CT reports. BAT activation reported by nuclear medicine physicians and factors influencing BAT activation were gathered. The data were analyzed using in-house software.

Results:

The total reported BAT activation was 3.6%. BAT activation was reported significantly more often in patients who were female (p < 0.0001), younger (p < 0.0001), with lower body mass index (p < 0.0001), with lower blood glucose levels (p = 0.01), indicated for breast cancer (p = 0.004), not administered chemotherapy recently before the scan (p < 0.0001) and shown to have BAT activation in a previous scan (p < 0.0001). BAT activation was also reported significantly more for lower outdoor temperatures (p < 0.0001) and for late morning scans than for afternoon (p = 0.005) and early morning (p = 0.001) scans.

Conclusion:

This retrospective study of 15,109 scans highlights multiple factors contributing to BAT activation on 18F-FDG PET. The identification of new factors influencing BAT and confirmation of previously identified factors with a larger data set can be used to more accurately identify patients at risk for BAT activation so that prevention strategies can be implemented.

Advances in knowledge:

This study presents new factors associated with higher incidence of BAT activation, such as time of day, previous BAT activation and breast cancer. Conversely, recent chemotherapy was associated with reduced incidence of BAT activation.
Clinical effects of chemoradiotherapy in pursuit of optimal treatment of locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer
Authors: Sui Kenta , Okabayashi Takehiro , Shima Yasuo , Morita Sojiro , Iwata Jun , Sumiyoshi Tatsuaki , Saisaka Yuichi , Hata Yasuhiro , Noda Yoshihiro , Matsumoto Manabu , Nishioka Akihito , Iiyama Tastuo , Shimada Yasuhiro
Published: June 2017

Objective:

The treatment of locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer remains extremely challenging, particularly as the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) remains unclear.

Methods:

We studied 93 patients (8.0%) with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer without distant metastases from among a total group of 1168 patients who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer from March 2005 to November 2015 at the Kochi Health Sciences Center, Kochi, Japan. We therefore evaluated the clinical efficacy of CRT in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Results:

Of the 93 patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer, 35 patients (37.6%) were subsequently classified as having resectable disease following CRT. The median overall survival of patients who received CRT alone for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer was 8.0 months, and all died within 3 years. On the other hand, the overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates in patients who were reclassified as having resectable tumour after CRT were 71.3%, 39.2% and 23.5%, respectively. Our pathological assessments after surgical resection suggested that CRT might be associated with a significant reduction in the risk of lymph node metastases in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Conclusion:

The results of this study suggested that CRT is clinically effective in improving survival, particularly in association with the resultant possibility of curative resection.

Advances in knowledge:

The best treatment strategy for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer is the subject of considerable debate, and CRT is only recommended if cancer has only grown around the pancreas without any distant metastases.
Focal accumulation of preribosomes outside the nucleolus during metaphase–anaphase in budding yeast
Authors: Moriggi Giulia , Gaspar Sonia G. , Nieto Blanca , Bustelo Xosé R. , Dosil Mercedes
Published: June 2017

Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains one nucleolus that remains intact in the mother-cell side of the nucleus throughout most of mitosis. Based on this, it is assumed that the bulk of ribosome production during cell division occurs in the mother cell. Here, we show that the ribosome synthesis machinery localizes not only in the nucleolus but also at a center that is present in the bud side of the nucleus after the initiation of mitosis. This center can be visualized by live microscopy as a punctate body located in close proximity to the nuclear envelope and opposite to the nucleolus. It contains ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and precursors of both 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits. Proteins that actively participate in ribosome synthesis, but not functionally defective variants, accumulate in that site. The formation of this body occurs in the metaphase-to-anaphase transition when discrete regions of rDNA occasionally exit the nucleolus and move into the bud. Collectively, our data unveil the existence of a previously unknown mechanism for preribosome accumulation at the nuclear periphery in budding yeast. We propose that this might be a strategy to expedite the delivery of ribosomes to the growing bud.
«ΟΔΥΣΣΕΑΣ 2000-2015»: Σχολική Εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση με την χρήση των ΤΠΕ στην πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση. Μια αποτίμηση της ερευνητικής συνεισφοράς
Authors: Αναστασιάδης Παναγιώτης
Published: June 2017

Η συμπληρωματική Σχολική Εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση παρέχει τη δυνατότητα σε εκπαιδευτικούς και μαθητές να αναπτύξουν συνεργασίες στο πλαίσιο σχολικών δικτύων σε τοπικό, εθνικό και διεθνές επίπεδο, πάνω σε κάποια κοινή θεματική ενότητα. Το πρόγραμμα «ΟΔΥΣΣΕΑΣ 2000-2015» είναι ένα ολοκληρωμένο πρόγραμμα Σχολικής Εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευσης, το οποίο εστιάζει στην παιδαγωγική αξιοποίηση των ΤΠΕ και ιδιαίτερα της τηλεδιάσκεψης και των εφαρμογών του WEB 2.0, στοχεύοντας στη συνεργατική διερεύνηση και οικοδόμηση της γνώσης και την καλλιέργεια κρίσιμων κοινωνικών δεξιοτήτων ανάμεσα σε μαθητές δημοτικών σχολείων στην Ελλάδα και την Κύπρο. Σκοπός της εργασίας είναι η αποτύπωση της ερευνητικής συνεισφοράς των 15 πρώτων ετών (2000-2015) όπως αυτή αναδεικνύεται μέσα από τις διδακτορικές διατριβές και τις μεταπτυχιακές διπλωματικές εργασίες που εκπονήθηκαν στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος «ΟΔΥΣΣΕΑΣ».
The Value of Flexibility in Robust Location–Transportation Problems
Authors: Ardestani-Jaafari Amir , Delage Erick
Published: June 2017

This article studies a capacitated fixed-charge multiperiod location–transportation problem in which, while the location and capacity of each facility must be determined immediately, the determination of the final production and distribution of products can be delayed until actual orders are received in each period. In contexts where little is known about future demand, robust optimization, namely using a budgeted uncertainty set, becomes a natural method for identifying meaningful decisions. Unfortunately, it is well known that these types of multiperiod robust decision problems are computationally intractable. To overcome this difficulty, we propose a set of tractable conservative approximations for the problem that each exploit to a different extent the idea of reducing the flexibility of the delayed decisions. While all of these approximation models outperform previous approximation models that have been proposed for this problem, each also has the potential to reach a different level of compromise between efficiency of resolution and quality of the solution. A row generation algorithm is also presented to address problem instances of realistic size. We also demonstrate that full flexibility is often unnecessary to reach nearly, or even exact, optimal robust locations and capacities for the facilities. Finally, we illustrate our findings with an extensive numerical study where we evaluate the effect of the amount of uncertainty on the performance and structure of each approximate solution that can be obtained.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2016.0728 .
SORO EM PÓ: ESTADO VÍTREO E CONDIÇÕES DE OPERAÇÃO DO SPRAY DRYER
Authors: Perrone Ítalo Tuler , Silveira Arlan Caldas Pereira , Martins Evandro , Carvalho Antônio Fernandes , Schuck Pierre
Published: June 2017

O conhecimento sobre a secagem de soro mudou significativamente nos últimos 20 anos. As indústrias começaram a utilizar em maior escala conhecimentos técnicos e científicos para a produção do soro em pó. Os principais problemas em soro em pó são: a adesão e o empedramento durante a fabricação e estocagem levando a diminuição do rendimento industrial. Estes problemas baseiam-se no controle do estado vítreo durante o processo de secagem e estocagem. Devido a importância da transição vítrea, os parâmetros de operação do spray dryer devem ser ajustados para melhorar o soro em pó. Esta revisão destaca os trabalhos científicos que abordam o impacto destes fatores sobre a secagem do soro. Como conclusão visando a melhoria do processo de secagem de soro recomenda-se que as indústrias: apliquem termohigrômetros para determinar as propriedades do ar, estabeleçam a relação entre a atividade de água e a umidade relativa do ar de saída e ajustem os parâmetros de secagem baseados nas propriedades do ar e do soro.
Comparing monolithic and fused core HPLC columns for fast chromatographic analysis of fat-soluble vitamins
Authors: Kurdi Said El , Muaileq Dina Abu , Alhazmi Hassan A. , Bratty Mohammed Al , Deeb Sami El
Published: June 2017

HPLC stationary phases of monolithic and fused core type can be used to achieve fast chromatographic separation as an alternative to UPLC. In this study, monolithic and fused core stationary phases are compared for fast separation of four fat-soluble vitamins. Three new methods on the first and second generation monolithic silica RP-18e columns and a fused core pentafluoro-phenyl propyl column were developed. Application of three fused core columns offered comparable separations of retinyl palmitate, DL-α-tocopheryl acetate, cholecalciferol and menadione in terms of elution speed and separation efficiency. Separation was achieved in approx. 5 min with good resolution (Rs > 5) and precision (RSD ≤ 0.6 %). Monolithic columns showed, however, a higher number of theoretical plates, better precision and lower column backpressure than the fused core column. The three developed methods were successfully applied to separate and quantitate fat-soluble vitamins in commercial products.
Influence of concentration and type of microcrystalline cellulose on the physical properties of tablets containing Cornelian cherry fruits
Authors: Franc Aleš , Kurhajec Slavomir , Pavloková Sylvie , Sabadková Dana , Muselík Jan
Published: June 2017

The aim of this study was to find the optimal tablet composition with maximum content of dried fruits (Cornus mas L.). The effect of three different concentrations (12.5, 25 and 50 %) of two types of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel® PH 101 and Avicel® PH 200) and three different compression pressures (20, 60 and 100 MPa) on the physical properties of tablet blends and tablets was studied. Tablets containing 50 % Avicel® PH 101 compressed under 100 MPa were found to have the best physical properties. This combination of composition and compression pressure resulted in stable tablets even after storage under accelerated stability conditions (6 months, 40 °C and 75 % RH).
Genetic Parameters for Clinical Mastitis, Fertility and Somatic Cell Score in Czech Holstein Cattle
Authors: Zavadilová Ludmila , Štípková Miloslava , Svitáková Alena , Krupová Zuzana , Kašná Eva
Published: June 2017

Cases of mastitis (CM) from 38,236 lactations belonging to 16,497 cows were recorded on seven farms in the Czech Republic from 1996 to 2014. Clinical mastitis was analyzed with linear animal model as an all-or-none trait for each recorded lactation (CM305) and separately for each trimester of lactation (CM1, CM2, and CM3). Bivariate linear animal models were used to estimate the genetic correlation between these CM traits and lactation means for somatic cell score (SCS305), the interval between calving and first insemination (INT) and days open (DO). Factors included in the linear model were parity, herd, year of calving, calving season, fixed linear and quadratic regression on age at first calving, fixed linear and quadratic regression on milk production in the corresponding parity, permanent environmental effect of the cow, and additive genetic effect of the cow. Estimated heritabilities of the CM traits ranged from 0.01 to 0.03. Permanent environmental effects accounted for approximately two-thirds of the phenotypic variance. Genetic correlations of SCS305 with CM traits were 0.85±0.029, 0.81±0.086, 0.82±0.087, and 0.67±0.088 for CM305, CM1, CM2, and CM3, respectively. Genetic correlations of INT with CM305, CM1, CM2, and CM3, respectively, were 0.22±0.065, 0.19±0.084, 0.20±0.121 and 0.15±0.121: and genetic correlations of DO and the four CM traits were 0.28±0.079, 0.26±0.101, 0.43±0.134, and 0.15±0.131. For the 140 sires in the dataset, Spearman rank correlations among breeding values for the four CM traits and for SCS305 were uniformly high at 0.99±0.001.
Numerical Methods for Simulating the Motion of Porous Balls in Simple 3D Shear Flows Under Creeping Conditions
Authors: Guo Aixia , Pan Tsorng-Whay , He Jiwen , Glowinski Roland
Published: June 2017

In this article, two novel numerical methods have been developed for simulating fluid/porous particle
interactions in three-dimensional (3D) Stokes flow. The Brinkman–Debye–Bueche model is adopted for the
fluid flow inside the porous particle, being coupled with the Stokes equations for the fluid flow
outside the particle. The rotating motion of a porous ball and the interaction of two porous balls in bounded
shear flows have been studied by these two new methods. The numerical results show
that the porous particle permeability has a strong effect on the interaction of two porous balls.
Limit sets of Teichmüller geodesics with minimal nonuniquely ergodic vertical foliation, II
Authors: Brock Jeffrey , Leininger Christopher , Modami Babak , Rafi Kasra
Published: June 2017

Given a sequence of curves on a surface, we provide conditions which ensure that (1) the sequence is an infinite quasi-geodesic in the curve complex, (2) the limit in the Gromov boundary is represented by a nonuniquely ergodic ending lamination, and (3) the sequence divides into a finite set of subsequences, each of which projectively converges to one of the ergodic measures on the ending lamination. The conditions are sufficiently robust, allowing us to construct sequences on a closed surface of genus g for which the space of measures has the maximal dimension

3
⁢
g

-
3

{3g-3}

, for example.

We also study the limit sets in the Thurston boundary of Teichmüller geodesic rays defined by quadratic differentials whose vertical foliations are obtained from the constructions mentioned above. We prove that such examples exist for which the limit is a cycle in the 1-skeleton of the simplex of projective classes of measures visiting every vertex.
Motivation of Civic Education Teachers-in-Training in the Field of Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Hiller Katharina , Reichhart Barbara
Published: June 2017

The objective of teacher-training at university for political science is the development of professional competencies that enable teachers-in-training to act proficiently in all aspects of civic education. Although there are some studies that focus on civic education for teachers’ professional competencies, most of them relate to general capability and do not concern certain significant topics. Empirical results related to the definitive topics within civic education are scarce, particularly in the field of sustainable development. Questions arise regarding teacher-training where it relates to high self-efficacy and interest within the field of civic education compared to other subjects, based on the model of political competence by Detjen and colleagues. In this article, we present the results of a quasi-experimental trial with civic education teachers-in-training (N = 108). Results indicate that their self-efficacy in the field of sustainable development is low compared to other areas, although there is no significant difference in their level of interest in sustainable development compared to other topics.
Pedagogy is Coming Back! Some Hopeful Signs for Sustainable General Education and Worldview Education
Authors: Miedema Siebren
Published: June 2017

Neo-liberal voices are still very strong in education broadly speaking and have a marginalizing impact on normative pedagogies like religious, worldview, moral and civic education. But there are clear and hopeful signs that pedagogy is coming back. After sketching the current situation and its antecedents, the author addresses the views and ideas here provided by pedagogical spokespersons, teacher-leaders and teachers – most of them working in the domain of religious education or worldview education. How do they perceive the current changes in more normative and pedagogical-laden directions? What precisely has caused these changes? Is the return of pedagogy just a temporal hype or is it a real revitalization? What have been the consequences for them professionally and personally speaking? It is the author’s intention and hope that this article will encourage educators in general and religious and worldview educators in particular with an eye on fostering sustainable pedagogical approaches.
Software Systems Clustering Using Estimation of Distribution Approach
Authors: Tajgardan Mahjoubeh , Izadkhah Habib , Lotfi Shahriar
Published: June 2017

Software clustering is usually used for program understanding. Since the software clustering is a NP-complete problem, a number of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are proposed for solving this problem. In literature, there are two wellknown GAs for software clustering, namely, Bunch and DAGC, that use the genetic operators such as crossover and mutation to better search the solution space and generating better solutions during genetic algorithm evolutionary process. The major drawbacks of these operators are (1) the difficulty of defining operators, (2) the difficulty of determining the probability rate of these operators, and (3) do not guarantee to maintain building blocks. Estimation of Distribution (EDA) based approaches, by removing crossover and mutation operators and maintaining building blocks, can be used to solve the problems of genetic algorithms. This approach creates the probabilistic models from individuals to generate new population during evolutionary process, aiming to achieve more success in solving the problems. The aim of this paper is to recast EDA for software clustering problems, which can overcome the existing genetic operators’ limitations. For achieving this aim, we propose a new distribution probability function and a new EDA based algorithm for software clustering. To the best knowledge of the authors, EDA has not been investigated to solve the software clustering problem. The proposed EDA has been compared with two well-known genetic algorithms on twelve benchmarks. Experimental results show that the proposed approach provides more accurate results, improves the speed of convergence and provides better stability when compared against existing genetic algorithms such as Bunch and DAGC.
Anti-stress effects of a GSK-3β inhibitor, AR-A014418, in immobilization stress of variable duration in mice
Authors: Bali Anjana , Jaggi Amteshwar Singh
Published: June 2017

Background:

The present study was designed to explore the anti-stress role of AR-A014418, a selective glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitor (GSK-3β), on changes provoked by immobilization stress of varying duration.

Methods:

Acute stress of varying degree was induced by subjecting mice to immobilization stress of short duration (30 min) or long duration (120 min). Thereafter, these animals were exposed to the same stressor for 5 days to induce stress adaptation. The behavioral alterations were assessed using an actophotometer, a hole-board, and the open field and social interaction tests. The serum corticosterone levels were assessed as markers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The levels of total GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β-S9 were determined in the prefrontal cortex.

Results:

A single exposure to short or long immobilization stress produced behavioral and biochemical changes and the levels of p-GSK-3β-S9 decreased without affecting the total GSK-3β levels in the brain. However, repeated exposure to both short and long stress reversed the behavioral and biochemical changes along with the normalization of p-GSK-3β-S9 levels. The administration of AR-A014418, a selective GSK-3β inhibitor, diminished acute stress-induced behavioral and biochemical changes. Furthermore, AR-A014418 normalized acute stress-induced alterations in p-GSK-3β-S9 levels without changing total GSK-3β levels.

Conclusions:

Our study suggests that acute stress-induced decrease in p-GSK-3β-S9 levels in the brain contributes to the development of behavioral and biochemical alterations and the normalization of GSK-3β signaling may contribute to stress adaptive behavior in mice which have been subjected to repeated immobilization stress.
A regularized two-dimensional sampling algorithm
Authors: Chen Weidong
Published: June 2017

In this paper, a regularized sampling algorithm for band-limited signals is presented
in the two-dimensional case. The convergence of the regularized
sampling algorithm is studied and compared with Shannon’s sampling
theorem and the Tikhonov regularization method by some examples.
On the constitutive equations of fresh mortar
Authors: Kakavas P.A. , Konstantinidis A. , Hatzitrifon N.K. , Papadopoulos P. , Aifantis E.C.
Published: June 2017

A preliminary constitutive model is suggested for fresh mortar by taking into account the rheological properties of the base matrix (concrete matrix), as well as the interaction of the aggregates (concrete suspensions). The model may be applicable for interventions in monuments and restoration/protection of objects of cultural heritage.
Thrombectomy combined with indwelling-catheter thrombolysis is more effective than pure thrombectomy for the treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis
Authors: Wang Wenli , Wu Yanfang , Fang Tao , Xu Dunyuan
Published: June 2017

This study was a retrospective analysis of the efficacy of thrombectomy plus local catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) for the treatment of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LDVT).

The experimental group underwent thrombectomy plus LCDT, whereas the control group underwent thrombectomy plus systemic thrombolysis via the dorsalis pedis vein. Venography and vascular color Doppler ultrasound were performed 7 days after surgery and at follow-up. The differences in the thigh and calf circumferences of normal and affected limbs were compared between groups. The venous patency score and venous patency rate were used for outcome evaluation. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a lower venous patency score and higher venous patency rate after treatment (P<0.05). Thirty patients were followed for 3 to 6 months, and according to the last evaluation, the differences in thigh and calf circumference between the normal and affected limbs remained lower in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05). Moreover, the venous patency score was lower, and the venous patency rate was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Thrombectomy plus CDT yields a higher venous patency rate and lower recurrence rate than pure thrombectomy for the treatment of LDVT.
A characterization of holomorphic bivariate functions of bounded index
Authors: Patterson Richard F. , Nuray Fatih
Published: June 2017

The following notion of bounded index for complex entire functions was presented by Lepson. function f(z) is of bounded index if there exists an integer N independent of z, such that

max

{
l
:
0
≤
l
≤
N
}

|

f

(
l
)

(
z
)

|

l
!

≥

|

f

(
n
)

(
z
)

|

n
!

for all

n
.

$$ \max\limits_{\{l: 0\leq l\leq N\}} \left \{ \frac{|{f^{(l)}(z)}|}{l!}\right \}
\geq \frac{|{f^{(n)}(z)}|}{n!}\quad\text{for all}\,\, n. $$

The main goal of this paper is extend this notion to holomorphic bivariate function. To that end, we obtain the following definition. A holomorphic bivariate function is of bounded index, if there exist two integers M and N such that M and N are the least integers such that

max

{
(
k
,
l
)
:
0
,
0
≤
k
,
l
≤
M
,
N
}

|

f

(
k
,
l
)

(
z
,
w
)

|

k
!

l
!

≥

|

f

(
m
,
n
)

(
z
,
w
)

|

m
!

n
!

for all

m

and

n
.

$$ \max\limits_{\{(k,l): 0,0\leq k, l\leq M, N\}} \left \{ \frac{|{f^{(k,l)}(z,w)}|}{k!\,l!}\right \} \geq \frac{|{f^{(m,n)}(z,w)}|}{m!\,n!}\quad\text{for all}\,\, m \, \text{and}\,\, n. $$

Using this notion we present necessary and sufficient conditions that ensure that a holomorphic bivariate function is of bounded index.
Asymptotic expansion of double Laplace-type integrals with a curve of minimal points and application to an exit time problem
Authors: Benaissa Abdallah , Benlahcene Moussa
Published: June 2017

In this paper we consider the problem of the asymptotic expansion of double Laplace-type integrals, in the case when the setγof points where the phase achieves its absolute minimum is a simple curve. It will be shown that the asymptotic behaviour of such integrals is governed by the order of degeneracy of normal derivatives of the phase with respect to the curveγ. Complete asymptotic expansions will be constructed if that order is constant alongγ, and the first two coefficients will be explicitly computed. If not, a uniform asymptotic expansion method, involving special functions, is suggested.
Modelling prescription behaviour of general practitioners
Authors: Hudecová Šárka , Pešta Michal , Hlubinka Daniel
Published: June 2017

The health care costs have been rapidly rising in recent years and the public health insurance companies are highly interested in prescription policies of general practitioners. In our contribution, a complex model for prescription behaviour of Belgian general practitioners is built using the structural equation modelling (SEM) framework. The model involves a large number of prescribed medicament groups as well as doctors’ and patients’ characteristics. As one of the results, a relatively small number of medicament groups, which effectively describe the prescription behaviour of a given doctor, is obtained. These indicators are consequently used in a generalized linear model for predicting the drug expenses per patient. Such a model can be used as a useful guideline for the expenses’ assessment of a particular practitioner.
Smetana’s List of His Own Works until 1858
Authors: Mojžíšová Olga
Published: June 2017

Bedřich Smetana made three lists of his own compositions. The first, dated 1841, presents a selection of compositions from the period of his grammar school studies in 1840–1841. The second was made in Sweden in late 1858 and early ’59, and it contains works composed in Prague and Gothenburg between 1845 and 1858. The last, most extensive list was made gradually from 1875 until 1883. The most important list is the second one, which gives a nearly complete overview of Smetana’s works from the 1840s and ’50s, and it is of particular value for the Prague period through 1856, during which the genesis and chronology of his works are less clear. The introductory part of the study characterizes all three lists and provides information about their creation. This is followed by an edition of the second list with commentary. The edition presents a complete version of the list based on the original, and in the appended commentaries, it explains and, where necessary, corrects Smetana’s information on the basis of the sources and of the discoveries of existing Smetana research.
Biosensing with optical fiber gratings
Authors: Chiavaioli Francesco , Baldini Francesco , Tombelli Sara , Trono Cosimo , Giannetti Ambra
Published: June 2017

Optical fiber gratings (OFGs), especially long-period gratings (LPGs) and etched or tilted fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), are playing an increasing role in the chemical and biochemical sensing based on the measurement of a surface refractive index (RI) change through a label-free configuration. In these devices, the electric field evanescent wave at the fiber/surrounding medium interface changes its optical properties (i.e. intensity and wavelength) as a result of the RI variation due to the interaction between a biological recognition layer deposited over the fiber and the analyte under investigation. The use of OFG-based technology platforms takes the advantages of optical fiber peculiarities, which are hardly offered by the other sensing systems, such as compactness, lightness, high compatibility with optoelectronic devices (both sources and detectors), and multiplexing and remote measurement capability as the signal is spectrally modulated. During the last decade, the growing request in practical applications pushed the technology behind the OFG-based sensors over its limits by means of the deposition of thin film overlays, nanocoatings, and nanostructures, in general. Here, we review efforts toward utilizing these nanomaterials as coatings for high-performance and low-detection limit devices. Moreover, we review the recent development in OFG-based biosensing and identify some of the key challenges for practical applications. While high-performance metrics are starting to be achieved experimentally, there are still open questions pertaining to an effective and reliable detection of small molecules, possibly up to single molecule, sensing in vivo and multi-target detection using OFG-based technology platforms.
The Interpersonal Pollution and its Effect on Group Members’ Well-Being, and on Culture of Unity in Organizational Context
Authors: Pietrulewicz Bogdan
Published: June 2017

The new concept of “interpersonal pollution” and its antecedents and effects, i.e. on organizational members’ health and well-being and on organizational outcomes are investigated. Building upon this work this presentation proposes a model and tentative definition of a broader construct, i.e. “organizational pollution”, and identifies its potential antecedents and explores its impact on humans’ health and well-being and organizational outcomes. In particular our model explores the roles played by leaders’ and members’ dark personalities and lack of environmental concern, by unethical leadership, by both the characteristics of the community and the organization, including the latter’s physical and ethical environment, and finally their link to organizational pollution. This new model implications for organizational and environmental psychology are discussed.
Marital Dialogue – between Conflict, Agreement and Relationship Breakdown
Authors: Kornaszewska-Polak Monika
Published: June 2017

Marital dialogue plays an essential role in shaping the relationship between spouses and supports experiencing personal I in the context of the community – We. In these couples, where dialogue is going well, it fulfils the function of a secure base forming a community based on the foundation of unity. However, contemporary culture denies an interpersonal dialogue the authenticity and engagement, emphasizing individualistic attitudes, preoccupation with oneself, leading to relationship and community disintegration and breakdown. This paper is to present the authors twenty year research into bonds, communication styles, marital conflicts and ways of coping with them. The research shows various issues related to developing the interpersonal dialogue and thus creating bonds and unity in the marriage and family. At first, the research devoted to the transmission of generation patterns in the family is presented and it is followed by presentation of selected psychological factors influencing marriage quality and marital satisfaction.
Anaerobic Capacity of Sailors with Disabilities
Authors: Prokopowicz Grzegorz , Molik Bartosz , Prokopowicz Katarzyna , Ogonowska-Słodownik Anna , Lencse-Mucha Judit , Morgulec-Adamowicz  , Kosmol Andrzej , Perkowski Krzysztof , Chamera Tomasz , Grzywacz Tomasz
Published: June 2017

Introduction. A review of Polish and international literature does not give a clear indication of the level of anaerobic capacity that sailors with disabilities demonstrate with regard to their functional capacities. This study sought to determine differences in functional capacity levels between sailors from three medical and functional groups. Material and methods. The research was carried out during a sports camp at the National Sailing Centre in Górki Zachodnie in 2014. Eighteen males with locomotor disabilities were included in the study. The athletes were members of the National Team of Sailors with Disabilities of the Polish Yachting Association. The sportsmen competed in the Skud 18 and 2.4mR Paralympic classes. A 30-second Wingate test for upper limbs was employed in the study. Results. Significant differences in mean power (MP) values were noted between the groups under investigation. The group of wheelchair sailors with improper core stability (A) and the group of wheelchair sailors with proper core stability (B) had significantly lower scores than the group of study participants who were able to move freely, that is to walk (C). Conclusions. The study revealed that a 30-second anaerobic capacity test performed on an arm ergometer differentiated disabled sailors from selected groups in terms of mean power. Research on anaerobic capacity may be used to verify the current classification in Paralympic sailing and will make it possible to differentiate present competition categories.