bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heart Failure in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Rosano Giuseppe MC ,   Clinical Academic Group Cardiovascular, St George’s Hospital NHS Trust Medical School, London, UK, Vitale Cristiana ,   Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome, Italy, Seferovic Petar ,   Department of Cardiology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Published: February 2017

Diabetes and heart failure are closely related: patients with diabetes have an increased risk of developing heart failure and those with heart failure are at higher risk of developing diabetes. Furthermore, antidiabetic medications increase the risk of mortality and hospitalisation for heart failure in patients with and without pre-existing heart failure. When the two diseases are considered individually, heart failure has a much poorer prognosis than diabetes mellitus; therefore heart failure has to be a priority for treatment in patients presenting with the two conditions, and the diabetic patient with heart failure should be managed by the heart failure team. No specific randomised clinical trials have been conducted to test the effect of cardiovascular drugs in diabetic patients with heart failure, but a wealth of evidence suggests that all interventions effective at improving prognosis in patients with heart failure are equally beneficial in patients with and without diabetes. The negative effect of glucose-lowering agents in patients with heart failure or at increased risk of heart failure has become evident after the withdrawal of rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione, from the EU market due to evidence of increased risk of cardiovascular events and hospitalisations for heart failure. An important issue that remains unresolved is the optimal target level of glycated haemoglobin, as recent studies have demonstrated significant reductions in total mortality, morbidity and risk of heart failure despite achieving HbA1c levels similar to those observed in the UKPDS study conducted some decades ago. Meta-analyses showed that intensive glucose lowering is not associated with any significant reduction in cardiovascular risk but conversely results in a significant increase in heart failure risk. Different medications have different risk: benefit ratios in diabetic patients with heart failure; therefore, the heart failure team must judge the required intensity of glycaemic control, the type and dose of glucose lowering agents and any change in glucose-lowering therapy, according to the clinical conditions present.
Hybrid Approach to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention to Treat Chronic Total Occlusions
Authors: McNeice Andrew ,   Department of Cardiology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, Ladwiniec Andrew ,   Department of Cardiology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, Walsh Simon ,   Department of Cardiology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, Hanratty Colm ,   Department of Cardiology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Published: February 2017

The hybrid approach is a systematic algorithm-led percutaneous coronary intervention strategy based on the identification of key anatomical features on coronary angiography to treat chronic total occlusions. The aims of this approach are to provide a standardised tool for physician training and programme development, avoiding futile strategies to improve safety, procedural success and reduce the contrast and radiation required to complete the case.
Actualización en caracterización molecular de levaduras de interés industrial
Authors: Vásquez C Jorge Alberto , Ramirez Castrillón Mauricio , Monsalve F Zulma Isabel
Published: February 2017

Las levaduras, además de ser un modelo de la investigación biomédica, tienen diversas aplicaciones en la industria alimentaria, en agricultura y la producción de etanol combustible. Dado que la calidad y la cantidad del producto dependen de la dinámica y la frecuencia de los microorganismos presentes en la fermentación, el uso de herramientas de caracterización molecular se ha incrementado y popularizado en las industrias que emplean levaduras. Estas técnicas se basan en la amplificación o análisis por enzimas de restricción de una porción del ADN genómico de levadura y se clasifican de acuerdo a su capacidad de resolución taxonómica para discriminar a nivel inter o intra-específica. La primera parte de la revisión incluye pruebas interespecíficas tales como, análisis de restricción o RFLP para las regiones ITS2, ITS1-5.8, D1 / D2 de los genes 26S ribosomal DNA. La segunda parte incluye, pruebas de uso común para caracterización nivel de cepa, tales como: la amplificación aleatoria del ADN polimórfico (RAPD), análisis cromosómico por electroforesis en gel de campo pulsado (PFGE), análisis de restricción del ADN mitocondrial (ADNmt- RFLP) análisis por mini / micro satélites y la huella genética de ADN por amplificación de regiones interdelta de los transposones Ty. Esta revisión describe y discute los detalles técnicos de los métodos más utilizados para la caracterización molecular de las levaduras y algunos ejemplos de sus aplicaciones en el contexto industrial.Palabras clave: Levaduras, caracterización molecular, identificación intraespecífica especies, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Relações e conflitos entre crianças na Educação Infantil: o que elas pensam e falam sobre isso
Authors: Corsi Bianca Rodriguez
Published: February 2017

Atualmente corrobora-se a ideia da importância da infância e de dar voz às crianças, uma vez que estas são compreendidas enquanto sujeitos capazes de construir, transformar, produzir e reproduzir cultura. A partir deste novo paradigma e de uma problemática real da dinâmica de crianças da Educação Infantil, os conflitos interpessoais ocorridos entre elas, filmou-se e apresentou-se para as crianças, de 5 a 6 anos, cenas de suas rotinas objetivando que elas deem suas opiniões, hipóteses e sugestões acerca do que são conflitos e como se resolvem. Ouvir o que as crianças têm a dizer acerca dos conflitos que vivenciam valida a ideia da criança enquanto produtora de cultura e de conhecimento e, ainda, expande as possibilidades de pesquisa tendo como sustentação teórica e metodológica a Sociologia da Infância.
Theoretical framework for predicting the response of tolerably mobile subsea installations
Authors: Cocjin M. L. , Gourvenec S. M. , White D. J. , Randolph M. F.
Published: February 2017

Tolerable mobility of subsea foundations and pipelines supporting offshore oil and gas developments has recently become an accepted design concept. It enables a smaller foundation footprint and so is a potential cost-saving alternative to conventionally engineered ‘fixed’ seabed foundations. Dominant sources of loading on subsea infrastructure arise from connection misalignment or thermal and pressure-induced expansion, and these are reduced if the structure is permitted to displace while ensuring that additional loading is not induced by excessive settlements. A sound prediction of the resulting sliding response will provide a robust design basis for mobile subsea infrastructure. This paper presents a theoretical model based on critical state soil mechanics to predict the performance of a subsea installation that is founded on soft, normally consolidated or lightly overconsolidated soil, and subjected to intermittent horizontal sliding movements. The framework is validated against centrifuge test results and is shown to capture the essential elements of the soil–structure interaction, which include: (a) the changing soil strength from cycles of sliding and pore pressure generation; (b) the regain in strength due to dissipation of excess pore pressure (consolidation); and (c) the soil contraction and consequent settlement of the foundation caused by the consolidation process.
Párhuzamok és különbségek: középiskolai tanárképzés a Lajtán innen és túl a 19. század második felében
Authors: Patyi Gábor
Published: February 2017

Az 1848–49-es forradalmat és szabadságharcot követő önkényuralmi időszakban a Habsburg Birodalom felsőoktatását, Ausztria és Magyarország tanárképzési rendszerét egységesen szabályozták. A Gróf Leo Thun Hohenstein miniszter nevével összekapcsolódó tanárképzési reform alapvetően a német mintát követte; a középiskolai tanárképzés meghatározó közegeivé az egyetemek bölcsészkarait tette. A kiegyezés megkötését követően az Osztrák-Magyar Monarchia két fele az oktatásügyi kérdéseket önállóan szabályozhatta. Hazánkban sajátos, hazai gyökerű intézményként kapott szerepet a tanárképzésben a tanárképző intézet és a hozzá kapcsolódó gyakorlóiskola. Ausztriában a német modelltől kevésbé tértek el, pedagógiai szemináriumokat alapítottak.
A csecsemő- és kisgyermeknevelő alapképzési szak képzési és kimeneti követelményei egy országos vizsgálat fényében
Authors: Gyöngy Kinga
Published: February 2017

2011-ben országos feltáró vizsgálatot folytattunk a kisgyermeknevelő szakmai jellemzőkről. Az akkor dolgozó kisgyermeknevelő populáció 13,9%-ától (N=920) kaptunk válaszokat. A nyílt kérdésekre adott írásos válaszok tartalomelemzését a szöveg digitalizálása után Maxdictio bővítménnyel rendelkező MAXQDA12 (VERBI GmbH) számítógépes szoftver segítségével végeztük el. Írásunkban az így kirajzolódó szakmai képet vetjük össze a 18/2016. (VIII. 5.) EMMI rendeletben szereplő, képzési és kimeneti követelményekben leírt tudással, képességekkel, attitűddel, autonómiával.
Iskola a Krisna-völgyben
Authors: Kopházi-Molnár Erzsébet , Madarász Gáborné
Published: February 2017

Jelen dolgozat célja, hogy bemutasson egy iskolát, mely a somogyvámosi Krisna-völgyben található. A Krisna-tudatú hívők több mint húsz évvel ezelőtt telepedtek le itt, s azóta iskolát és óvodát is működtetnek. Az iskola illeszkedik ugyan a hagyományosnak nevezhető magyar oktatási rendszerhez, és az egyházi iskolák közé sorolják, annak szervezése és tanítási módszerei azonban az ún. alternatív iskolákéval mutat sok tekintetben hasonlóságot. Mivel írásos anyag eddig erről a fiatal iskoláról nem állt rendelkezésre, a tanulmány ennek bemutatására tesz kísérletet.
O PROCESSO DE REFLEXÃO NO CONTEXTO DA AÇÃO: A PERCEPÇÃO DE EXECUTIVOS E EMPREENDEDORES
Authors: Silva Anielson Barbosa da , Araújo Guilherme Diniz , Carrazzoni Matheus Dias
Published: February 2017

Este artigo analisa o processo de reflexão de gestores que atuam em cargos executivos de médias e grandes empresas e de empreendedores. Foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa com executivos e empreendedores e os resultados revelaram significados envolvendo a relação entre reflexão e prática gerencial a partir das experiências, significados, barreiras, facilitadores e estímulos à reflexão no contexto organizacional. A reflexão apresenta-se como fator relevante para o processo de aprendizagem, resolução de problemas e geração de soluções criativas no contexto da ação profissional. O estudo traz contribuições para ampliar a compreensão sobre a dimensão subjetiva da prática gerencial.
Developing a Web-Based Supporting Application for Individual Evacuation Plans Through Hazard Risk and Geographical Analyses
Authors: Inoguchi Munenari ,   Faculty of Informatics, Shizuoka University  3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka 432-8011, Japan, Sekikawa Takahiro , Tamura Keiko ,   Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan,   Risk Management Office, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
Published: February 2017

After the 2011 East Japan Earthquake, the Japanese Cabinet Office has promoted local governments and communities to develop a “Community Disaster Management Plan.” Local governments started to hold workshops to develop the said plan for residents in local communities. However, only a few residents (i.e., those who are interested in disaster prevention) participate in these workshops; thus, most residents do not have opportunities to survey disaster prevention. Considering this issue, we decided to develop a supporting application for individual disaster management plans by analyzing hazard risks and land features. In this research, we focused on evacuation planning for residents. Furthermore, we developed it as web-based application as any resident connected to the internet may be struggling with their evacuation. In our proposed application, users have to take seven steps: (1) learn features of tsunami attack and countermeasures during a tsunami disaster, (2) set start point for evacuation, (3) set first and second goal for evacuation based on lessons learned from the “Miracle of Kamaishi,” (4) search the shortest evacuation route from start point through the first goal to the second goal, (5) review change of elevation on the evacuation route, (6) review hazard risks and land feature on the evacuation route and to reroute if necessary, and (7) download their settled evacuation route to their own devices as a GPX file. After developing a prototype of the application, we published it as a web service. While the publishing was in process, we gathered logs on how users took actions based on our proposed application. Approximately 10 days after publishing the prototype, we analyzed the path of users’ action flow, and we detected issues that need to be resolved to improve esidents’ disaster management capacity during tsunami disasters. Generally, our application helped prepared users for tsunami disaster prevention.
Disaster Information System Using Natural Language Processing
Authors: Kosaka Naoko ,   NTT Secure Platform Laboratories  3-9-11, Midori-cho Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-8585, Japan, Koyama Akira , Kokogawa Tomohiro , Maeda Yuji , Koumoto Hiroko , Suzuki Shingo , Yamaguchi Kenshi , Inui Kentaro ,   Tokoha University, Shizuoka, Japan,   National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Ibaraki, Japan,   Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
Published: February 2017

In this paper, we analyze incident response management work using free-formed information that is important for incident response communication. We develop a standard operating procedure for the work and study a support method based on a language processing technology to prevent missing or overlapping necessary tasks and optimize management of progress and integration management of related tasks. A prototype system was developed and evaluated in a workshop held by a local government, or in an exercise. As a result, it is confirmed that the use of language processing technology can make incident response management work efficient.
Impact of different casein to fat ratios on the physicochemical composition, functionality and sensory quality of mozzarella cheese
Authors: Sameen Aysha , Sattar Muhammad Umair , Huma Nuzhat
Published: February 2017

Cheese is widely used as an ingredient in prepared foods to add taste, texture and nutritional quality. Mozzarella cheese is pasta filata product, manufactured in various shapes and used as pizza ingredient. Milk composition especially casein to fat ratio (C/F) is prime factor that dictate the functionality and sensory properties of Mozzarella cheese. Large restaurants do not purchase cheese from local manufacturer due to their non standardized manufacturing parameter which imparts variability in product quality. The study was aimed to standardize the mozzarella cheese manufacturing conditions with special reference to C/F and investigate its impact on the mozzarella cheese quality. Results showed significant (p<0.01) increase in cheese protein and stretchability with increase in C/F of cheese milk. However, moisture, fat and meltability are inversely related with C/F. High C/F results in fat reduction in cheese which adversely affect the mozzarella cheese sensory attributes. Casein to fat ratio (C/F) 0.8 was found to produce mozzarella cheese with good stretchability (35.61cm), optimum melt time (118.33 sec.) and excellent sensory properties.
Repair of Double Head Pectoralis Major Tendon Avulsion into its Native Footprint Using Bi-cortical EndoButtons and Tendon Sliding Technique
Authors: Prabhu Jagadish , Faqi Mohammed Khalid , Alkhalifa Fahad , Tayara Bader Kamal , Awad Rashad Khamis
Published: February 2017

Injuries to the pectoralis major muscle are relatively infrequent. The mechanism of injury is usually an eccentric shortening of the pectoralis major under heavy load, such as when performing a bench press exercise. We report a case that presented to us with a history of sudden pain in the left pectoral region while doing heavy bench press exercise. The patient sustained a type III D pectoralis muscle –tendon avulsion. Surgical repair was done through a bi-cortical tendon sliding technique using two cortical buttons. In this article we describe our modifications to the previously described surgical technique for the pectoralis major tendon repair using the EndoButton and tension – slide technique, aiming to overcome the possible complications.
Distribution of Yellow Wagtail Forms Motacilla flava – Complex in the North of Western Siberia, Russia
Authors: Golovatin Mikhail G. , Sokolov Vasiliy A.
Published: February 2017

On the basis of the materials obtained from the studies carried out from 2000 to 2015, we present the data on distribution of the Yellow Wagtail forms in the north of Western Siberia, i.e. within the overlapping boundaries of the ranges of a complex set of several polytypical forms – Motacilla flava sensu lato. Four forms have been identified here: two forms from the group of Western Yellow Wagtails (M. f. thunbergi and M. f. beema & flava) and two forms from the group of Eastern Yellow Wagtails (M. t. plexa and M. t. tschutschensis). Western “black-headed” form M. f. thunbergi is spread in the area of the northern taiga, forest tundra and south shrub tundra within the Ob River basin, while eastern “black-headed” form M. t. plexa is found in the shrubby tundra and further to the east from the Ob River in forest tundra and northern taiga. Western “light headed” wagtails M. f. beema & flava spread as far as 65º05'N along the floodplain of the Ob River. Eastern “light-headed” wagtail M. t. tschutschensis penetrates the Taz peninsula and, through the anthropogenic sites, the north-east coast of the Yamal Peninsula, i.e. the Sabetta area as far as 71º14'N. The entire range of the Yellow Wagtail is characterized by the interchange of zones inhabited by “black-headed” (without the expressed eyebrows on males) and “light-headed” (with notable eyebrows on males or white-headed) forms from the north to the south.
PENGEMBANGAN KONTEN ONLINE UNTUK MENDUKUNG BLENDED LEARNING PADA PERKULIAHAN KIMIA KUANTUM DASAR
Authors: Kirna I Made
Published: February 2017

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) mengkaji karakteristik konten online yang sesuai dengan karakteristik mahasiswa dan karakteristik kajian Kimia Kuantum Dasar; dan (2) mengembangkan konten online yang valid dan memenuhi persyaratan practicality untuk mendukung Blended Learning (BL) di Jurusan Pendidikan Kimia UNDIKSHA. Subjek penelitian adalah mahasiswa Jurdik Kimia Semester 3 dan 5 serta dosen Jurusan Pendidikan Kimia UNDIKSHA. Data yang dibutuhkan adalah gaya belajar, respons mahasiswa, masukan mahasiswa dan dosen terhadap karakteristik konten online dan pengelolaan BL. Berdasarkan hasil kajian karakteristik mahasiswa dan kajian Kimia Kuantum Dasar dikembangkan konten online yang telah memenuhi persyaratan validitas dan practicality untuk mendukung BL. Kata Kunci: konten online, blended learning, pembelajaran kimia
MUTU PEMBELAJARAN DAN KOMPETENSI LULUSAN DIPLOMA III POLITEKNIK
Authors: Rifandi Ahmad
Published: February 2017

Abstrak: Penelitian survei ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap pengaruh profesionalisme guru, media, dan fasilitas belajar terhadap kualitas pembelajaran; pengaruh kualitas pembelajaran terhadap kompetensi lulusan; dan perbedaan hasil belajar pada Politeknik Negeri Bandung (POLBAN) dan Politeknik Manufaktur Negeri Bandung (POLMAN). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kualitas pembelajaran di POLBAN dipengaruhi oleh profesionalisme dosen dan fasilitas sedangkan kualitas pembelajaran di POLMAN dipengaruhi oleh media dan fasilitas.Kata Kunci: kompetensi lulusan, mutu pembelajaranTHE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION AND GRADUATE COMPETENCE OF DIPLOMA III POLYTECHNICAbstract: This survey study was aimed to reveal the influence of the teacher professionalism, learning media, and learning facilities towards the learning quality; the influence of the learning quality towards graduate competence; and the difference in the learning achievement between Politeknik Negeri Bandung (POLBAN) and Politeknik Manufaktur Negeri Bandung (POLMAN). The findings showed that the learning quality in POLBAN was influenced by teacher professionalism and facilities, whereas the learning quality in POLMAN was influenced by media and facilities.Keyword: Quality of Learning, Graduate Competence
Магнитоотражение и магнитооптический эффект Керра в пленках La-=SUB=-2/3-=/SUB=-Ba-=SUB=-1/3-=/SUB=-MnO-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=- при комнатной температуре
Authors: Телегин А.В. , Сухоруков Ю.П. , Носов А.П. , Бессонова В.А. , Ганьшина Е.А.
Published: February 2017

Представлены результаты исследования магнитооптического эффекта Керра и магнитоотражения естественного света в пленках La2/3Ba1/3MnO3/SrTiO3 разной толщины. Показано, что эффект Керра имеет максимальные значения в видимой и ближней ИК-области, а магнитоотражение достигает максимума порядка 10% в среднем ИК-диапазоне при температурах, близких к комнатным. Обсуждены физические механизмы, определяющие величину и знак эффектов, а также влияние тонкопленочного состояния на магнитооптические свойства. Проведена оценка магнитоотражения в рамках теории магниторефрактивного эффекта. Работа выполнена в рамках государственного задания ФАНО России (тема Спин" N 0120146330), программы УрО РАН N 15-9-2-4, проекта РФФИ N 15-02-02077 и гранта Минобразования РФ N 14.Z50.31.0025. DOI: 10.21883/FTT.2017.02.44049.303
Исследование связи степени дефектности светоизлучающих наногетероструктур зеленых InGaN/GaN-светодиодов с величиной порогового тока
Authors: Сергеев В.А. , Фролов И.В. , Радаев О.А.
Published: February 2017

Показана возможность использования значений порогового тока для оценки качества светоизлучающих наногетероструктур зеленых InGaN/GaN-светодиодов. Определено, что значения порогового тока коррелируют со значениями тока, при котором наблюдается максимум токовой зависимости внешней квантовой эффективности светодиода. Показано, что при испытаниях в режиме постоянного тока светодиоды с большими значениями порогового тока деградируют быстрее, чем светодиоды с малыми значениями порогового тока. DOI: 10.21883/PJTF.2017.04.44302.16344
Pemanfaatan Algoritma WIT-Tree dan HITS untuk Klasifikasi Tingkat Keberhasilan Pemberdayaan Keluarga Miskin
Authors: Khomsah Siti , Winarko Edi
Published: February 2017

The successful rate of the poor families empowerment can be classified by characteristic patterns extracted from the database that contains the data of the poor families empowerment. The purpose of this research is to build a classification model to predict the level of success from poor families, who will receive assistance empowerment of poverty.   Classification models built with WARM, which is combining two methods, they are HITS and WIT-tree. HITS is used to obtained the weight of the attributes from the database. The weights are used as the attributes’s weight on methods WIT-tree. WIT-tree is used to generate the association rules that satisfy a minimum weight support and minimum weight confidence. The data used was 831 sample data poor families that divided into two classes, namely poor families in the standard of "developing" and poor families in the level of "underdeveloped".               The performance of classification model shows, weighting attribute using HITS approaches the accuracy of 86.45% and weighted attributes defined by the user approaches the accuracy of 66.13%. This study shows that the weight of the attributes obtained from HITS is better than the weight of the attributes specified by the user.
SMS and Web-Based e-Government Model Case Study: Citizens Complaints Management System at District of Gihosha –Burundi
Authors: Thierry Mugenzi , Priyambodo Tri Kuntoro
Published: February 2017

E-Government basically comprises the use of electronic communications technologies such as the internet, in enhancing and advancing the citizens access to public services. In most developing countries including Burundi, citizens are facing many difficulties for accessing public services. One of the identified problems is the poor quality of service in managing citizens’ complaints. This study proposes an SMS and web based e-Government Model as a solution. In this study, a case study of a complaint management system at District of Gihosha has been used as a reference to prove that SMS and Web based e-Government Model can enhances the access of public services. The objective of this study is the development of an SMS and web-based system that can enhances the process and the management of citizens’ complaints at District of Gihosha. The system has been developed using PHP as front end, Apache as web server, MySQL as Database and Gammu as SMS gateway. The obtained results after testing the system shows that all the functionalities of the developed system worked properly. Thus, the SMS and web based complaint management system developed is considered to be effective.
Mean Corpuscular Volume and Mortality in Patients with CKD
Authors: Hsieh Yao-Peng , Chang Chia-Chu , Kor Chew-Teng , Yang Yu , Wen Yao-Ko , Chiu Ping-Fang
Published: February 2017

Background and objectives

Mean corpuscular volume is the measure of the average size of the circulatory erythrocyte, and it is principally used as an index for the differential diagnosis of anemia. Recently, mean corpuscular volume has been associated with mortality in many clinical settings. However, the association of mean corpuscular volume with mortality in patients with CKD has not been fully addressed.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of 1439 patients with stages 3–5 CKD and baseline mean corpuscular volume values from 2004 to 2012 in a medical center. The study cohort was divided into the high–mean corpuscular volume group and the low–mean corpuscular volume group by the median value (90.8 fl) of mean corpuscular volume. The baseline patient information included demographic data, laboratory parameters, medications, and comorbid conditions. The independent association of mean corpuscular volume with mortality was examined using multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Results

Of the 1439 participants, 234 patients (16.2%) died during a median follow-up of 1.9 years (interquartile range, 1.1–3.8 years). The crude overall mortality rate was significantly higher in the high–mean corpuscular volume group (high–mean corpuscular volume group, 22.7%; low–mean corpuscular volume group, 9.7%; P<0.001). In the fully adjusted models, the high–mean corpuscular volume group was associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.62 to 2.96; P<0.001), cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 3.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.80 to 7.06; P<0.001), and infection-related mortality (hazard ratio, 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.41 to 3.49; P=0.001) compared with the low–mean corpuscular volume group.

Conclusions

In patients with stages 3–5 CKD, mean corpuscular volume was associated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and infection-associated mortality, independent of other factors. The underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms warrant additional investigation.
The imperative for commodity-based intermodal freight transport demand modelling: a South African case study
Authors: Havenga Jan Hendrik , Simpson Zane P. , de Bod Anneke
Published: February 2017

Container forecasting typically focuses on its intermodal nature, container sizes and port container terminals. This leads to a commodity-blind approach to container forecasting, where the twenty-foot-equivalent is the forecasting output. The standardized unit is also increasing into many non-standard forms, indicated by the three main container market segments. This research deconstructs these segments and provides methodological and actual commodity-based container forecasting results for South Africa where intermodal solutions are still in its infancy and investments need to be made based on accurate forecasting
An empirical examination of the determinant of the US financial CEOs’ compensation for the post-financial crisis period
Authors: Shim Eunsup Daniel , Lee Jooh
Published: February 2017

The US financial crisis of 2008 and subsequent Global Financial Crisis were considered by many economists the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. As a results, Dodd-Frank Act has passed and aims “(1) to promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system, to end "too big to fail", (2) to protect the American taxpayer by ending bailouts, (3) to protect consumers from abusive financial services practices, and for other purposes.” The enactment of Dodd-Frank Act, in part, intended to significantly influence accountability on executive compensation especially for the financial institutions. This paper empirically investigates the changes in Financial CEOs’ compensation since the Financial Crisis of 2008. Our findings show that in the post- Financial Crisis period financial leverage is significant factor influencing the CEOs’ total compensation. In addition market based performance such as stock price and market-to-book ratio shows significant positive relationship with CEO compensation. This change can be interpreted an attempt to reduce opportunistic behavior of top executives after the financial crisis and the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act
Skills vs training needed by SMEs in the financial intermediation sector: Is a marriage between these two better?
Authors: Cant Michael Colin , Erdis Cindy , Kallier Safura M. , Van Heerden Bernard
Published: February 2017

SMEs within the financial intermediation sector has an important role to play in any economy and maybe even more so in a third world economy. This sector provides the country with essential financial functions, such as daily economic transactions, savings and insurance. Attaining the correct skills and receiving the correct training is essential in the survival of these SMEs in an ever changing business environment. This article focuses on the existing skills that SMEs in the financial intermediation sector possess and establishing the skills and training that they need or perceive to need in order to adapt to this environment. The target population for this study consisted of SMEs within the City of Tshwane in South Africa and structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. The results of the study showed that both employers and employees in the financial intermediation sector are in need of essential financial, technical and conceptual skills, and that these will have to be integrated to secure the best possible results
Households savings and inflation expectations: Cointegrated evidence from South Africa
Authors: Khumalo Mahlomola
Published: February 2017

The main aim of this paper is to find out if expected inflation by different sectors has a long-run effect on household savings in South Africa for the period 2002Q1 to 2013Q4. This is established using cointegration and innovation accounting techniques (variance decomposition and impulse response functions). Prior to the establishment of such relationship, the time series properties of data are performed and this include, the unit root test (Zivot-Andrews) in order to establish the stationarity within the series. The cointegration test reveals the existence of the long-run relationship between household savings and expected inflation in South Africa. Innovation accounting techniques indicated a significant contribution of the explanatory variables to household savings. VD shows that inflation expectations from analysis (A), business (B), finance (F) as well as trade unions (TU) bring some innovations into HHS and that variations in HHS are largely due to changes in expected inflation from TU. This is also supported by the GIRFs, which indicate that HHS reacts to shocks in expected inflation
Results of tuyere coke sampling with regard to application of appropriate coke strength after reaction (CSR) for a blast furnace
Authors: Shiau J-S. , Ko Y-C. , Ho C-K. , Hung M-T.
Published: February 2017

Raising pulverized coal injection (PCI) will decrease coke rate, but increase
the residence time of coke and abrasion in the blast furnace (BF). Thus,
insufficient coke strength will generate more coke fines in the lower BF and
result in lower permeability and production of hot metal (HM). For
understanding the behavior of coke at various HM productivities, a tuyere
coke sampler was used to collect the coke samples for measuring the coke
strength. Firstly, the difference of sampled coke under the conditions of
various HM productivities was explored. Secondly, the BF operating conditions
and causes of generating more coke fines was correlated by testing the coke
reaction rate after reaction. Finally, according to the above analysis
results, the relative regression equations had been obtained for sampling
coke properties, BF operation conditions and BF permeability. Furthermore,
the coke strength after reaction (CSR) quantitative target and its online
system at various blast conditions were set to provide some reference for
coke and HM production.
Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor
Authors: Condon Rachel , Allen Christopher
Published: February 2017

A 26-year-old female military officer directly accessed physical therapy, relating a 4-month history of deep, intermittent left medial knee pain with running. Following physical therapy treatment, she was referred to her primary care manager. Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee was ordered, revealing a peripheral nerve sheath tumor with benign features within the distal gracilis attached to the saphenous nerve.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(2):124. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.5757
Utilization of Physical Therapy Intervention Among Patients With Plantar Fasciitis in the United States
Authors: Fraser John J. , Glaviano Neal R. , Hertel Jay
Published: February 2017

Study Design

Retrospective observational study.

Background

Plantar fasciitis is responsible for 1 million ambulatory patient care visits annually in the United States. Few studies have investigated practice patterns in the treatment of patients with plantar fasciitis.

Objective

To assess physical therapist utilization and employment of manual therapy and supervised rehabilitation in the treatment of patients with plantar fasciitis.

Methods

A retrospective review of the PearlDiver patient record database was used to evaluate physical therapist utilization and use of manual therapy and supervised rehabilitation in patients with plantar fasciitis between 2007 and 2011. An International Classification of Diseases code (728.71) was used to identify plantar fasciitis, and Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify evaluations (97001), manual therapy (97140), and rehabilitation services (97110, 97530, 97112).

Results

A total of 819 963 unique patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis accounted for 5 739 737 visits from 2007 to 2011, comprising 2.7% of all patients in the database. Only 7.1% (95% confidence interval: 7.0%, 7.1%) of patients received a physical therapist evaluation. Of the 57 800 patients evaluated by a physical therapist (59.8% female), 50 382 (87.2% ± 0.4%) received manual therapy, with significant increases in utilization per annum. A large proportion (89.5% ± 0.4%) received rehabilitation following physical therapist evaluation.

Conclusion

Despite plantar fasciitis being a frequently occurring musculoskeletal condition, a small proportion of patients with plantar fasciitis were seen by physical therapists. Most patients who were evaluated by a physical therapist received manual therapy and a course of supervised rehabilitation as part of their plan of care.

Level of Evidence

Treatment, level 2a. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(2):49–55. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.6999
Increasing Recreational Physical Activity in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Pragmatic Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Ben-Ami Noa , Chodick Gabriel , Mirovsky Yigal , Pincus Tamar , Shapiro Yair
Published: February 2017

Study Design

Prospective, pragmatic, nonrandomized controlled clinical trial.

Background

Clinical guidelines recommend physical activity for the treatment of chronic low back pain. But engaging patients in physical activity has proven difficult. Known obstacles to physical activity include low self-efficacy and fear avoidance.

Objectives

This study tested the effectiveness of an enhanced transtheoretical model intervention (ETMI) aimed at increasing recreational physical activity in patients with chronic low back pain, in comparison to usual physical therapy.

Methods

Patients (n = 220) referred to physical therapy for chronic low back pain were allocated to ETMI or to a control group. The ETMI was delivered by physical therapists and based on behavior-change principles, combined with increased reassurance, therapeutic alliance, and exposure to reduce fear avoidance. The primary outcome was back pain-related disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire). Secondary outcomes included pain intensity, mental and physical health, and levels of physical activity.

Results

Intention-to-treat analysis in 189 patients at 12 months indicated that patients in the ETMI group had significantly lower disability compared to usual physical therapy. The difference in mean change from baseline between the interventions was 2.7 points (95% confidence interval: 0.9, 4.5) on the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. At 12 months, worst pain, physical activity, and physical health were all significantly better in patients receiving ETMI. The average number of sessions was 3.5 for the ETMI group and 5.1 for controls.

Conclusion

Targeting obstacles to physical activity with an intervention that includes components to address self-efficacy and fear avoidance appears to be more effective than usual physical therapy care in reducing long-term disability. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms that impact outcomes in this intervention package.

Level of Evidence

Therapy, level 2b. Registered June 7, 2012 at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01631344). J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(2):57–66. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7057
Nano-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Nano-MRI) Gives Personalized Medicine a New Perspective
Authors: Rosa Lorenzo , Blackledge Jonathan , Boretti Albert
Published: February 2017

This paper reviews some of the major and most recent advances in nanoscale-magnetic resonance imaging (nano-MRI) for personalized medicine (PM). Nano-MRI may drastically expand the capabilities of the traditional magnetic resonance images (MRI), down to the nanometer scale and possibly, in the near future, at the atomic scale. Nano-MRI is potentially able to observe structures which cannot be seen using today’s molecular imaging, with sensitivities of many billions of times better than MRI as currently used in hospitals, for example. The paper briefly reports on the foremost research themes in nano-MRI.
Improved Methods for Fire Risk Assessment in Low-Income and Informal Settlements
Authors: Twigg John , Christie Nicola , Haworth James , Osuteye Emmanuel , Skarlatidou Artemis
Published: February 2017

Fires cause over 300,000 deaths annually worldwide and leave millions more with permanent injuries: some 95% of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. Burn injury risk is strongly associated with low-income and informal (or slum) settlements, which are growing rapidly in an urbanising world. Fire policy and mitigation strategies in poorer countries are constrained by inadequate data on incidence, impacts, and causes, which is mainly due to a lack of capacity and resources for data collection, analysis, and modelling. As a first step towards overcoming such challenges, this project reviewed the literature on the subject to assess the potential of a range of methods and tools for identifying, assessing, and addressing fire risk in low-income and informal settlements; the process was supported by an expert workshop at University College London in May 2016. We suggest that community-based risk and vulnerability assessment methods, which are widely used in disaster risk reduction, could be adapted to urban fire risk assessment, and could be enhanced by advances in crowdsourcing and citizen science for geospatial data creation and collection. To assist urban planners, emergency managers, and community organisations who are working in resource-constrained settings to identify and assess relevant fire risk factors, we also suggest an improved analytical framework based on the Haddon Matrix.
Design, Manufacture and Testing of Capacitive Pressure Sensors for Low-Pressure Measurement Ranges
Authors: Mitrakos Vasileios , Macintyre Lisa , Denison Fiona , Hands Philip , Desmulliez Marc
Published: February 2017

This article presents the design, manufacture and testing of a capacitive pressure sensor with a high, tunable performance to low compressive loads (<10 kPa) and a resolution of less than 0.5 kPa. Such a performance is required for the monitoring of treatment efficacy delivered by compression garments to treat or prevent medical conditions such as deep vein thrombosis, leg ulcers, varicose veins or hypertrophic scars. Current commercial sensors used in such medical applications have been found to be either impractical, costly or of insufficient resolution. A microstructured elastomer film of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) blend with a tunable Young’s modulus was used as the force-sensing dielectric medium. The resulting 18 mm × 18 mm parallel-plate capacitive pressure sensor was characterised in the range of 0.8 to 6.5 kPa. The microstructuring of the surface morphology of the elastomer film combined with the tuning of the Young’s modulus of the PDMS blend is demonstrated to enhance the sensor performance achieving a 0.25 kPa pressure resolution and a 10 pF capacitive change under 6.5 kPa compressive load. The resulting sensor holds good potential for the targeted medical application.
Real-Time Performance of a Self-Powered Environmental IoT Sensor Network System
Authors: Wu Fan , Rüdiger Christoph , Yuce Mehmet
Published: February 2017

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play an increasingly important role in monitoring applications in many areas. With the emergence of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), many more lowpower sensors will need to be deployed in various environments to collect and monitor data about environmental factors in real time. Providing power supply to these sensor nodes becomes a critical challenge for realizations of IoT applications as sensor nodes are normally battery-powered and have a limited lifetime. This paper proposes a wireless sensor network that is powered by solar energy harvesting. The sensor network monitors the environmental data with low-power sensor electronics and forms a network using multiple XBee wireless modules. A detailed performance analysis of the network system under solar energy harvesting has been presented. The sensor network system and the proposed energy-harvesting techniques are configured to achieve a continuous energy source for the sensor network. The proposed energy-harvesting system has been successfully designed to enable an energy solution in order to keep sensor nodes active and reliable for a whole day. The paper also outlines some of our experiences in real-time implementation of a sensor network system with energy harvesting.
Deceleration of High-velocity Interstellar Photon Sails into Bound Orbits at α Centauri
Authors: Heller René , Hippke Michael
Published: February 2017

At a distance of about 4.22 ly, it would take about 100,000 years for humans to visit our closest stellar neighbor Proxima Centauri using modern chemical thrusters. New technologies are now being developed that involve high-power lasers firing at 1 gram solar sails in near-Earth orbits, accelerating them to 20% the speed of light (c) within minutes. Although such an interstellar probe could reach Proxima 20 years after launch, without propellant to slow it down it would traverse the system within hours. Here we demonstrate how the stellar photon pressures of the stellar triple α Cen A, B, and C (Proxima) can be used together with gravity assists to decelerate incoming solar sails from Earth. The maximum injection speed at α Cen A to park a sail with a mass-to-surface ratio (σ) similar to graphene (7.6 × 10−4 gram m−2) in orbit around Proxima is about 13,800 km s−1 (4.6% c), implying travel times from Earth to α Cen A and B of about 95 years and another 46 years (with a residual velocity of 1280 km s−1) to Proxima. The size of such a low-σ sail required to carry a payload of 10 grams is about 105 m2 = (316 m)2. Such a sail could use solar photons instead of an expensive laser system to gain interstellar velocities at departure. Photogravitational assists allow visits of three stellar systems and an Earth-sized potentially habitable planet in one shot, promising extremely high scientific yields.
Presidents and Their Speeches at National Commemorations
Authors: Babič Saša , Fikfak Jurij
Published: February 2017

Presidents, prime ministers, and similar leaders occupy a special place among heroes and celebrities. They are special in many ways, not least because their privileged position, attained through a general or parliamentary elections, already places them at the center of public discourse. This allows them—and at the same time requires them—to express their opinions on a broad range of topics, events, and other issues. A previously “ordinary” individual suddenly becomes a central figure that determines which topics take priority, which discourses are politically correct, and so on. This article mainly focuses on analyzing the conceptual metaphors found in the speeches of four Slovenian presidents and selected leaders of other countries at various events, especially those involving state-building.
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Med heroji in slavnimi osebnostmi imajo posebno mesto predsedniki držav, vlad ipd. Posebni so na več načinov, npr. s tem, da jih že njihov privilegirani položaj, na katerega so prišli po splošnih volitvah ali volitvah v parlamentu postavlja v središče javnih diskurzov. Na ta način jim omogoča in hkrati od njih zahteva izjavljanje o najrazličnejših temah, dogodkih ipd. Včerajšnji “navadni” posameznik naenkrat postane osrednja figura, ki določa, katere teme so prioritetne, kateri diskurzi so politično korektni itd. Osrednji fokus besedila avtorjev je analiza konceptualnih metafor v govorih nekaterih tujih in štirih slovenskih predsednikov ob različnih, predvsem državotvornih ritualih.