bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
De la dictadura modernizante hasta la posdemocracía híbrida. Los cambios políticos y económicos en Brasil (1964-1985)
Authors: Szilágyi István
Published: April 2019

Durante los últimos setenta años en el continente latinoamericano se agudizaron las contradicciones de la crisis estructural de la economía, de la política y de la sociedad. Se presentaron las distintas estrategias y tentativas para superar la crisis estructural del hemisferio. Una de estas respuestas fue la intervención militar de las fuerzas armadas latinoamericanas. Con la intervención del Ejército brasileño de 1 de abril de 1964 en el continente comenzó la época del nuevo golpismo. Las dictaduras y los regímenes militares de nuevos tipos establecieron los estados de excepción y los sistemas políticos autoritarios e iniciaron la refundación y la reorganización total de las estructuras económicas, sociales y políticas. A finales de la década de los años ochenta fueron derrocadas las dictaduras militares y comenzó una nueva etapa en la historia de América Latina. En Brasil fracasó el régimen militar en marzo de 1985, fue introducido y restablecido el sistema democrático y comenzó la nueva época del cambio. El país se mudó y se modernizó. A pesar de las transformaciones y cambios mencionados, permanecieron los históricos enclaves autoritarios y heredados en el sistema político brasileño y no disminuyeron las desigualdades económicas y sociales tampoco. El ensayo analiza las transformaciones, los cambios políticos, económicos y los procesos llevados a cabo en Brasil durante la época de la dictadura.
Piles of Money: “Hemorrhoids” Are a Billion-Dollar Industry
Authors: Cosman Bard C.
Published: April 2019

Two persistent problems confront anyone wishing to gauge the public-health cost and impact of hemorrhoids. First, there is the slipperiness of the term “hemorrhoids,” which both patients and physicians use with imprecision. Second, there is endoscopic over-diagnosis of prominent anal cushions as internal hemorrhoids. While these factors both inflate the apparent cost of hemorrhoids, the fact remains that hemorrhoid diagnosis and treatment has become a billion-dollar industry.
Medullary thyroid cancer. Returning to the need to determine the preoperative basal calcitonin level in patients with thyroid nodular pathology
Authors: Stanyakina Elena E. , Romanov Ilia S. , Kondratieva Tatiana T. , Krylov Alexander S. , Ryzhkov Alexey D. , Shiryaev Sergey V.
Published: April 2019

There are International and Russian guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma. There is a recommendation to determine the basal level of calcitonin for all patients with nodular thyroid disease at the all of these documents. However, this test is not performed for this category of patients routinely even in large clinics for a number of reasons, the main one, which seems to be an economic issue. Six months ago a patient addressed to our clinic who underwent surgical treatment for a papillary carcinoma (follicular variant) of the thyroid gland in the volume of thyroidectomy with pre-tracheal lymphodissection and subsequent course of radioiodine therapy at the place of residence. A relapse of the disease was suspected on the control examination at the place of residence and the patient was sent for consultation to the polyclinic of the N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology. In our clinic, diagnostic studies were carried out, including a revision of the finished cytological and histological preparations and a conclusion was obtained – medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. Determination of basal level of calcitonin in serum showed a value of 1292 pg/ml. The level of basal calcitonin significantly decreased after repeated surgical treatment. This case shows that in order to avoid such mistake, which is described in our clinical case, it seems necessary to follow the national recommendations, international standards to determine the level of basal calcitonin for all patients with thyroid nodal pathology who consulted and treated in medical institutions.
Analytic architecture to overcome real time traffic control as an intelligent transportation system using big data
Authors: Ramana N Venkata , Kumar P. V. M Seravana , Nagesh Puvvada
Published: April 2019

Big data is a term that describes the large volume of data – both structured and unstructuredthat includes a business on a day-to-day basis including Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The emerging connected technologies created around ubiquitous digital devices have opened unique opportunities to enhance the performance of the ITS. However, magnitude and heterogeneity of the Big Data are beyond the capabilities of the existing approaches in ITS. Therefore, there is a crucial need to develop new tools and systems to keep pace with the Big Data proliferation. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive and flexible architecture based on distributed computing platform for real-time traffic control. The architecture is based on systematic analysis of the requirements of the existing traffic control systems. In it, the Big Data analytics engine informs the control logic. We have partly realized the architecture in a prototype platform that employs Kafka, a state-of-the-art Big Data tool for building data pipelines and stream processing. We demonstrate our approach on a case study of controlling the opening and closing of a freeway hard shoulder lane in microscopic traffic simulation.
Do Local Institutions Affect Labour Market Participation? The Italian Case
Authors: Agovino Massimiliano , Garofalo Antonio , Cerciello Massimiliano
Published: April 2019

Italy features very low labour market participation rates for both men and women, coupled with a sizeable participation gender gap. This work investigates empirically the relation between institutional quality and labour market participation at the local level. Using official records on the Italian provinces over the 2004–2012 timespan and the Institutional Quality Index, we use a Spatial Lag of X model to gauge the direct and indirect impact of local institutions on male and female participation rates, with particular regard to the participation gender gap. The results support the idea that institutional quality has a significant impact on local labour market participation, for both men and women, while it does not affect the participation gap. Moreover, institutions generate spatial spillovers, affecting participation in neighbouring provinces. Finally, the availability of public child care facilities is as a key determinant of female participation.
Effect of process variations of polycaprolactone modification on wood durability, dimensional stability and boron leaching
Authors: Ermeydan Mahmut Ali , Kartal Zeynep Nur , Tomak Eylem D.
Published: April 2019

In this study, in situ graft polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) was studied for its potential to limit boric acid (BA) leaching from wood, and to increase the dimensional stability and biological durability of wood against Coniophora puteana and Trametes versicolor fungi. For this purpose, CL monomer with/without BA was impregnated into wood, and the monomer was polymerized in wood cell walls using various methods and combinations of reactants. It was found that biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) grafting at high monomer concentrations could inhibit fungal degradation of wood cell walls, as well as improve the dimensional stability of wood up to 55% and reduce water uptake (WU) by about 50%. However, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis revealed that in situ graft polymerization of CL is not an effective method to prevent BA leaching from wood.
Implicitness, automaticity, and consciousness in language attitudes research
Authors: Pantos Andrew
Published: April 2019

Over the past several years, there has been increasing interest in incorporating implicit attitude measures into language attitudes research. While the tools used to measure implicit attitudes are relatively new to linguists, they are grounded in a long history of social cognition research, where dual processing models of attitude formation have been discussed and debated for decades. As the use of these methods becomes more prevalent in language attitudes research, there is a growing tendency for language attitudes researchers to overlook the foundational literature and focus only on sociolinguistic studies as precedent. As a result, there is a tendency to conflate and misuse terminology – most notably the terms automatic, implicit, and unconscious – and to mischaracterize the kinds of conclusions that can safely be drawn from experimental studies. The purpose of this paper is to help language attitudes researchers by providing perspective on the theoretical traditions of dual processing models and an analysis of the implications of selecting particular attitudes measures, and to make an appeal for the use of clear and consistent terminology in reporting this type of language attitudes research.
Optimizing model and algorithm for railway freight loading problem
Authors: Chen Hao , Wang Yugang , Lucas Raquel Martínez
Published: April 2019

This paper constructed an optimizing model on multiple vehicles and multiple goods, which is used in a study on the loading problem for railway freight. We take the maximum utilization coefficient of car loading capacity, volume capacity and layout optimal degree as objective functions. Several major factors in railway transportation have been cited as constraints: center of gravity, non-overlapping freight, transportation circumscription, car marked loading capacity and volume capacity. In order to increase the car utilization coefficient and obtain flat layers in the loading scheme, an improved genetic annealing algorithm is proposed to solve this optimizing model. The proposed algorithm can efficiently obtain a satisfactory loading scheme in railway transportation. At the end, a numerical example shows that the proposed model and algorithm are better than First Fit Algorithm and Neural Network Algorithm in goods loading capacity and volume capacity, the new loading schemes are more flat on each layer.
Strategy variability in numerosity comparison task: a study in young and older adults
Authors: Roquet Angélique , Lemaire Patrick
Published: April 2019

We investigated strategies used by young and older adults in dot comparison tasks to further our understanding of mechanisms underlying numerosity discrimination and age-related differences therein. The participants were shown a series of two dot collections and asked to select the largest collection. Analyses of verbal protocols collected on each trial, solution times, and percentages of errors documented the strategy repertoire and strategy distribution in young and older adults. Based on visual features of dot collections, both young and older adults used a set of 9 strategies and selected strategies on a trial-by-trial basis. The findings also documented age-related differences (i.e., strategy preferences) and similarities (e.g., number of strategies used by individuals) in strategies and performance. Strategy variability found here has important implications for understanding numerosity comparison and contrasts with previous findings suggesting that participants use a single strategy when they compare dot collections.
Dependence of UO2 surface morphology on processing history within a single synthetic route
Authors: Abbott Erik C. , Brenkmann Alexandria , Galbraith Craig , Ong Joshua , Schwerdt Ian J. , Albrecht Brent D. , Tasdizen Tolga , McDonald IV Luther W.
Published: April 2019

This study aims to determine forensic signatures for processing history of UO2 based on modifications in intermediate materials within the uranyl peroxide route. Uranyl peroxide was calcined to multiple intermediate U-oxides including Am-UO3, α-UO3, and α-U3O8 during the production of UO2. The intermediate U-oxides were then reduced to α-UO2 via hydrogen reduction under identical conditions. Powder X-ray diffractometry (p-XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze powders of the intermediate U-oxides and resulting UO2 to evaluate the phase and purity of the freshly synthesized materials. All U-oxides were also analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the morphology of the freshly prepared powders. The microscopy images were subsequently analyzed using the Morphological Analysis for Materials (MAMA) version 2.1 software to quantitatively compare differences in the morphology of UO2 from each intermediate U-oxide. In addition, the microscopy images were analyzed using a machine learning model which was trained based on a VGG 16 architecture. Results show no differences in the XRD or XPS spectra of the UO2 produced from each intermediate. However, results from both the segmentation and machine learning proved that the morphology was quantifiably different. In addition, the morphology of UO2 was very similar, if not identical, to the intermediate material from which it was prepared, thus making quantitative morphological analysis a reliable forensic signature of processing history.
Leaching of 137Cs from Chernobyl fuel debris: corium and “lava”
Authors: Zubekhina Bella Yu. , Burakov Boris E. , Bogdanova Oksana G. , Petrov Yuriy Yu.
Published: April 2019

Samples of Chernobyl fuel debris such as corium and “lava” had been studied using repeated static leach test MCC-1 at temperature of 25 and 90 °C in distilled water and simulated seawater. A normalized 137Cs mass loss (NLCs) estimated for corium samples after 168 days in distilled and seawater was 3.2–3.5 g/m2 at 25 °C and 113–114 g/m2 at 90 °C. For “lava” samples NLCs varied from 1.4 to 13.2 g/m2 at 90 °C for 56 days (in distilled and seawater) and from 0.1 to 0.4 g/m2 at 25 °C in seawater for 140 days. Chemical durability of Chernobyl “lava” in distilled and seawater evaluated using 137Cs specific activity in leachates is higher than one for corium. Further study is proposed in order to obtain more quantitative data.
Kultursensible Begleitung am Lebensende: Beitrag der Sozialen Arbeit
Authors: Wasner Maria
Published: April 2019

Die Begleitung von Menschen am Lebensende wurde in den letzten Jahren immer mehr als ein zentrales Element der Gesundheitsversorgung erkannt. Es haben aber immer noch nicht alle Betroffenen gleichermaßen Zugang zu einer guten Versorgung am Lebensende, davon sind insbesondere Menschen mit anderen kulturellen Hintergründen betroffen. Um allen eine gute Versorgung am Lebensende zu ermöglichen, werden Forderungen nach einer kultursensiblen Begleitung immer lauter. Im aktuellen Diskurs zum Begriff Kultur dominieren zwei unterschiedliche Kulturverständnisse, nämlich das essentialistische und das konstruktivistische. Letzterer Ansatz geht davon aus, dass abgeschlossene Kulturen nicht (mehr) existieren, sondern dass jede Person in unterschiedliche Kulturen eingebunden ist, mit teilweise sich widersprechenden Werten und Regeln. Aus diesem Grunde sollte eine kultursensible Begleitung immer auf einer individuellen Ebene erfolgen. Hilfreich dabei ist die Verwendung einer transkulturellen Anamnese – vorausgesetzt der Begleiter verfügt über die dafür notwendigen Kompetenzen: Hintergrundwissen und Erfahrung, Selbstreflexivität und narrative Empathie. Die Soziale Arbeit ist durch ihr Selbstverständnis, ihre Haltung und ihre Kompetenzen geradezu prädestiniert, Menschen am Lebensende und ihre Angehörigen kultursensibel zu begleiten. An einzelnen Tätigkeitsfeldern wird dies exemplarisch erläutert.
Spiritualität als Ressource in der Sozialen Arbeit
Authors: Rehn Julia
Published: April 2019

Aktuell findet die Verbindung von Sozialer Arbeit und Spiritualität im deutschsprachigen Raum vorrangig implizit Verbreitung. Wie kommt die Ressource Spiritualität dennoch in der Sozialen Arbeit zum Einsatz? Anhand von Literatur, Erfahrungsberichten und einem Fallbeispiel wird die Verbreitung dieses Schnittmengenbereiches untersucht. Bereits bestehende Verbindungen existieren in der Suchthilfe und im Hospizbereich. Das Fellow-Traveller-Modell und die HOPE-Fragen aus dem angloamerikanischen Raum werden vorgestellt und auf ihre hiesige Verwendung geprüft.

Die Ressourcenstärke von Spiritualität korreliert positiv mit dem Befähigungsansatz der Sozialen Arbeit. Langjährige Bezugsbetreuung bietet die supportive Erfahrung von Eingebundensein in ein überindividuelles Ganzes. Sozialarbeiterisches Handeln bildet einen spirituellen Prozess ab: sich Verbindungen bewusst zu werden, diese in Raum und Zeit herzustellen und mit Leben zu füllen. Spiritualität enthält ein supportives Potenzial, welches in Verbindung mit Sozialer Arbeit einen lebenspraktischen Niederschlag finden kann. Die Verbindung beider Erlebnisbereiche ist noch zu selten und sollte ausgeweitet werden. Sie bietet die Möglichkeit, Menschen in Krisenzeiten sehr eng durch den persönlichen und beruflichen Alltag zu begleiten.
On Cartographic Techniques in Literature
Authors: Smid Robert
Published: April 2019

My article investigates the manifold interactions between textual and diagrammatic elements. First, it outlines the changes in literary and cultural studies in the wake of the so-called ‘topographical turn,’ which have made possible the identification of certain cartographic practices as cultural techniques. Second, it discusses Friedrich Kittler’s idea of literature as a cultural technique itself, and considers how this concept can be reconciled with the topographical turn. Third, it analyses a handful of cartographic techniques employed in narratives and argues for a field of scriptural operations that provide a common ground for jointly reading maps and novels. Fourth, it carries out a reading of Thomas Pynchon’sGravity’s Rainbowwhich focuses on how the diagrammatic inscription of the V2 rocket and its arc condition both the protagonists’ movement on the novel’s plane and the map-making instances in the narrative. Fifth and finally, it points out why Pynchon’s work might be considered a medial counterpart of a map if the topographical approach, instead of being considered a comparison between fictional and real locations, is understood as a scrutiny into the operations indispensable to creating a fictional territory.
Magnetic hyperfine field splitting in the Zintl phase Eu2Mg4Si3
Authors: Block Theresa , Numakura Ryosuke , Kosaka Masashi , Michimura Shinji , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: April 2019

Eu2Mg4Si3 ≡ (2Eu2+)(4Mg2+)(3Si4−) is an electron-precise Zintl phase. Its Hf2Co4P3-type structure contains three crystallographically independent europium sites. The divalent state of europium was manifested through 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy. In the paramagnetic regime (T = 78 K) the isomer shifts range from −9.16 to −11.29 mm s−1. Eu2Mg4Si3 shows complex magnetic hyperfine field splitting at T = 5.7 K with a superposition of three subspectra with magnetic hyperfine fields of 5.4 (Eu2), 20.4 (Eu1) and 22.4 (Eu3) T.
Matric Suction and Volume Characteristics of Compacted Clay Soil under Drying and Wetting Cycles
Authors: Liu Guanshi , Toll D. G. , Kong Lingwei , Asquith J. D.
Published: April 2019

The influence of drying and wetting cycles on matric suction and volume characteristics of a compacted low-plasticity clay soil was studied experimentally. An apparatus was developed in which soil specimens were placed in direct contact with a high-suction tensiometer, then repeated drying and wetting cycles were applied, with drying by means of evaporation and wetting using the application of water droplets. The matric suction, vertical and radial displacement, and mass change of the specimens were all monitored continuously during the cycles. The equipment is the first to provide natural drying, unconstrained shrinkage, or swelling with continuous measurements of volume, suction, and water content in a way that could readily be used in engineering practice. The results indicated that drying-wetting cycles resulted in accumulated irreversible shrinkage. However, the amount of shrinkage decayed very significantly as the number of cycles increased, and the behavior became almost repeatable after the third cycle. It was also observed that the positions of soil water retention curves under drying-wetting cycles shift downwards with the increasing number of cycles; the larger the number of cycles, the smaller the difference between the curves, and after two or three cycles, the difference became steady. The shape of the curves changed very obviously under the first three drying-wetting cycles but less significantly after this.
ASTM E1268: From Improvement to the New Standard Practice for Assessing the Degree of Banding or Orientation of Microstructures by Automatic Image Analysis
Authors: Kazakov Alexander , Vander Voort George F. , Kiselev Daniil , Kazakova Elena
Published: April 2019

It has been discovered through experiments that using directed secants is the only technique that is correct for estimation of the degree of banding segregation covered in ASTM E1268, Standard Practice for Assessing the Degree of Banding or Orientation of Microstructures. Unfortunately, none of the criteria chosen in this standard can adequately characterize banding; therefore, it is described verbally. Anisotropy and the degree of orientation used in this standard characterize only the elongation of the separate features of the structure but cannot assess the tendency of these features (pearlite, bainite, carbides, and so on) to be combined into bands. Using the directed secants method, we have proposed a criterion that adequately estimates the degree of microstructural banding for a wide range of steels and alloys, including all the structures that are listed in Annex A1 of ASTM E1268. This criterion is the ratio of the standard deviation of the volume fraction of a “second phase” on the secants that are parallel to the deformation direction to the standard deviation of the volume fraction of a “second phase” on the secants that are perpendicular to the deformation direction. Considering that the banding according to the new criterion and the anisotropy according to ASTM E1268 are estimated by the same technique, the introduction of the new criterion to ASTM E1268 will be simple. A draft of these improvements has been developed and successfully balloted. Further improvement of ASTM E1268 can be attributed to the use of an image analyzer. Therefore, the principles of the standard practice for assessing the degree of banding or orientation of microstructures by automatic image analysis have been formulated.
Error and Uncertainty in Metallographic Measurement
Authors: Keeble Michael E.
Published: April 2019

Technical standards are increasingly moving toward a requirement to understand and account for uncertainties in measurement. The need to quantify uncertainty, and to express it together with the measurement result, has been a focus for international standards for some time. In practice, this has led to a great deal of difficulty in some applications as to how uncertainty is assessed and how much uncertainty there really is from any part of the apparatus and process. Simultaneously, the competitive nature of business is driving a need for tighter manufacturing tolerances in order to improve technical performance or efficiencies. The consequences of errors in measurement are potentially more severe, and there is an associated need to measure with greater accuracy. New technologies can accommodate this need in many circumstances, but for a wide cross section of established businesses, it may not be financially viable to reinvent the process, and refining measurement accuracy is a preferable approach. Mathematical analysis can quantify uncertainty but does not always address how it may be improved. Understanding potential sources of error, and as importantly their relative contribution, can be essential to addressing the need to improve both reliability and reproducibility of results. The objective of this paper is to separate and examine individual sources of error in a number of typical measurements. We will focus on measurements of real microstructural features using optical microscopy and digital imaging. Areas examined will include metallographic preparation, microscope components and settings, camera selection and settings, software considerations, and some human factors. For each potential source of error, the relative contribution to total error will be assessed. Where possible, specific recommendations for best practice will be outlined.
Microstructure Analysis for the Detection of Intermetallic Phases Predictive of Toughness and Corrosion Resistance in Duplex and Lean Duplex Steels
Authors: Appleton Annemarie
Published: April 2019

Metallographic techniques for microstructure analysis are used for detection of the presence of intermetallic phases in duplex stainless steels to the extent that toughness or corrosion resistance is affected significantly. Duplex (austenitic-ferritic) stainless steels are susceptible to the formation of intermetallic compounds during exposures in the temperature range from approximately 600°F to 1,750°F (320°C to 955°C). ASTM A923, Standard Test Methods for Detecting Detrimental Intermetallic Phase in Duplex Austenitic/Ferritic Stainless Steels, Test Method A (Sodium Hydroxide Etch Test for Classification of Etch Structures of Duplex Stainless Steels), is used as a rapid screening method to detect the presence or absence of intermetallic phases to the extent that they are detrimental to the toughness and corrosion resistance of the material. The use of these etch structures depends on the test method for which the specimens are being screened. Recent revisions have incorporated additional alloys that may be evaluated in accordance with this specification. For lean duplex alloys (composed of 30 % to 70 % ferrite content with a typical alloy composition having chromium [Cr] greater than 17 % and molybdenum [Mo] less than 1 % and with additions of nickel, manganese, nitrogen, and controlled low carbon content as well as other alloying elements), ASTM A1084-15a, Standard Test Method for Detecting Detrimental Phases in Lean Duplex Austenitic/Ferritic Stainless Steels, provides a metallographic procedure to show the appearance and approximate amount of chromium-containing detrimental phases in lean duplex stainless steel, despite the small size of the detrimental phases and the difficulty in achieving a fully reproducible etch structure. Microstructure results are correlated with toughness test and corrosion test results on a pass/fail basis. This newer process covers lean duplex stainless steels that were not well served by ASTM A923.
Effects of Strain Rate on the Mechanical Properties and Fracture Characteristics of a Dual Phase 980 Steel
Authors: Sharma Sukanya M. , Mishra Kishlay , Bhat Shrikant P. , Thadhani Naresh N. , Gokhale Arun M.
Published: April 2019

Dual phase (DP) steels are being increasingly used as structural components in the automotive industry owing to their combination of high strength and moderate ductility. Formability and crash resistance are important mechanical properties that expose the steel to high strain rates. Fracture characteristics of a DP steel at strain rates spanning seven orders of magnitude are investigated using quantitative fractography. The DP steel investigated in this study is comprised of a continuous matrix of martensite with interspersed ferrite islands. The data reveal that the flow stress, uniform strain, and ductility are substantially higher at the higher strain rates. Quantitative fractography, employed to understand the fracture characteristics, shows an increase in the extent of ductile fracture at high strain rates. In this presentation, the results demonstrating high strain rates facilitating dimpled ductile fracture and/or increased resistance to faceted fracture are discussed.
The Chinese Dream
Authors: Tsai Michelle Hui-Ju
Published: April 2019

Starting from Xi Jinping’s political initiative the Chinese Dream, this paper examines its capitalist and nationalist discourse constructed through the nation’s disciplinary system, and seeks to unravel how it is enmeshed with business operations in mainland China. The paper argues that Taiwanese businesspersons play an ambiguous role in the dream as both “foreign” and “Chinese” investors.
Assessing the Effects of Political Factors on Court Decisions in Corruption Litigation in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Chung-li
Published: April 2019

Using panel data on Taiwan district court verdicts from 2000 through 2015, this study examines the impact of resource inequality on corruption litigation to determine whether court decisions are politically biased. Contrary to expectations, it appears that superior resources give defendants only a limited advantage in corruption trials in Taiwan.
Business Groups, Institutions, and the China–Vietnam Rice Trade
Authors: Tso Chen-Dong
Published: April 2019

Recent high-level visits between China and Vietnam have prioritized Vietnamese rice exports, with varying results. When the issue was first raised in 2015, rice exports surged dramatically. From 2016 through 2017, they performed poorly despite efforts to encourage them. This paper argues that the buying behavior and lobbying preferences of business groups, made possible by a unique institutional setup, explain the different results.
Prognostic role of GPER/Ezrin in triple-negative breast cancer is associated with menopausal status
Authors: Ye Shuang , Xu Yuanyuan , Li Jiehao , Zheng Shuhui , Sun Peng , Wang Tinghuai
Published: April 2019

The role of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) signaling, including promotion of Ezrin phosphorylation (which could be activated by estrogen), has not yet been clearly identified in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of GPER and Ezrin in TNBC patients. Clinicopathologic features including age, menopausal status, tumor size, nuclear grade, lymph node metastasis, AJCC TNM stage, and ER, PR and HER-2 expression were evaluated from 249 TNBC cases. Immunohistochemical staining of GPER and Ezrin was performed on TNBC pathological sections. Kaplan–Meier analyses, as well as logistic regressive and Cox regression model tests were applied to evaluate the prognostic significance between different subgroups. Compared to the GPER-low group, the GPER-high group exhibited higher TNM staging (P = 0.021), more death (P < 0.001), relapse (P < 0.001) and distant events (P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that GPER-high patients had a decreased OS (P < 0.001), PFS (P < 0.001), LRFS (P < 0.001) and DDFS (P < 0.001) than GPER-low patients. However, these differences in prognosis were not statistically significant in post-menopausal patients (OS, P = 0.8617; PFS, P = 0.1905; LRFS, P = 0.4378; DDFS, P = 0.2538). There was a significant positive correlation between GPER and Ezrin expression level (R = 0.508, P < 0.001) and the effect of Ezrin on survival prognosis corresponded with GPER. Moreover, a multivariable analysis confirmed that GPER and Ezrin level were both significantly associated with poor DDFS (HR: 0.346, 95% CI 0.182–0.658, P = 0.001; HR: 0.320, 95% CI 0.162–0.631, P = 0.001). Thus, overexpression of GPER and Ezrin may contribute to aggressive behavior and indicate unfavorable prognosis in TNBC; this may correspond to an individual’s estrogen levels.
MADD silencing enhances anti-tumor activity of TRAIL in anaplastic thyroid cancer
Authors: Saini Shikha , Sripada Lakshmi , Tulla Kiara , Qiao Guilin , Kunda Nicholas , Maker Ajay V , Prabhakar Bellur S
Published: April 2019

ATC is an aggressive disease with limited therapeutic options due to drug resistance. TRAIL is an attractive anti-cancer therapy that can trigger apoptosis in a cancer cell-selective manner. However, TRAIL resistance is a major clinical obstacle for its use as a therapeutic drug. Previously, we demonstrated that MADD is a cancer cell pro-survival factor that can modulate TRAIL resistance. However, its role, if any, in overcoming TRAIL resistance in ATC is unknown. First, we characterized ATC cell lines as either TRAIL resistant, TRAIL sensitive or moderately TRAIL sensitive and evaluated MADD expression/cellular localization. We determined the effect of MADD siRNA on cellular growth and investigated its effect on TRAIL treatment. We assessed the effect of combination treatment (MADD siRNA and TRAIL) on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The effect of combination treatment on tumor growth was assessed in vivo. We found increased levels of MADD in ATC cells relative to Nthy-ori 3-1. MADD protein localizes in the cytosol (endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi body) and membrane. MADD knockdown resulted in spontaneous cell death that was synergistically enhanced when combined with TRAIL treatment in otherwise resistant ATC cells. Combination treatment resulted in a significant reduction in MMP and enhanced generation of ROS indicating the putative mechanism of action. In an orthotopic mouse model of TRAIL-resistant ATC, treatment with MADD siRNA alone reduced tumor growth that, when combined with TRAIL, resulted in significant tumor regressions. We demonstrated the potential clinical utility of MADD knockdown in sensitizing cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in ATC.
Colchicine: An Impressive Effect on Posttransplant Capillary Leak Syndrome and Renal Failure
Authors: Cocchi Enrico , Chiale Federica , Gianoglio Bruno , Deorsola Luca , Pace Napoleone Carlo , Fagioli Franca , Peruzzi Licia
Published: April 2019

Capillary leak syndrome is a critical condition occasionally occurring posttransplant and is characterized by acute endothelial hyperpermeability leading to systemic protein-rich fluid extravasation and consequent hypovolemia, hypoperfusion, and acute kidney injury. Treatment is merely supportive and is based on osmotic drugs, diuretics, continuous renal replacement therapy, and surgical drainage. However, removal of the underlying inflammatory cause is mandatory to achieve stable resolution. Herein, we report the first successful treatment with colchicine in 2 life-threatening pediatric cases of capillary leak syndrome with renal failure occurring after transplant (heart and bone marrow) and unresponsive to any other line of therapy. Both cases were only palliated by supportive therapy and revealed an impressively rapid response to colchicine both in terms of diuresis and clinical condition recovery, allowing for the cessation of renal replacement therapy in a few hours. In both patients, colchicine was temporarily discontinued for transient leukopenia (attributed to an additive effect with mycophenolate mofetil), resulting in extravasation, and renal failure recurrence was restored only after colchicine reintroduction. Although the association of colchicine with an immunosuppressive drug was formerly contraindicated, no other adverse events were noted when using a minimized dose. Both patients are now maintaining a good renal function without recurrence of extravasation after 6 months of follow-up. In conclusion, this strikingly positive experience forces physicians to consider this old and cost-effective drug as a new, powerful rescue tool in such critical cases.
Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) from Córdoba and San Luis provinces, Argentina
Authors: Márquez Javier A. , Principe Romina E. , Berejnoi Diego E. , Rodríguez José S. , Bedano José C. , Molineri Carlos
Published: April 2019

Nineteen geographical records for species of Odonata in 2 provinces of Argentina are documented. We provided records for 9 newly recorded species for Córdoba: Lestes spatula Fraser, 1946, Andinagrion peterseni (Ris, 1908), Argentagrion ambiguum (Ris, 1904), Erythemis attala (Selys in Sagra, 1857), Erythemis plebeja (Burmeister, 1839), Erythrodiplax media Borror, 1942, Micrathyria longifasciata Calvert, 1909, Micrathyria hypodidyma Calvert, 1906, and Tramea cophysa Hagen, 1867. In San Luis, we provided records for 10 newly recorded species: Hetaerina rosea Selys, 1853, Acanthagrion lancea Selys, 1876, Ischnura fluviatilis Selys, 1876, Oxyagrion rubidium (Rambur, 1842), Castoraeschna decurvata Dunkle & Cook, 1984, Rhionaeschna pallipes (Fraser, 1947), Phyllocycla argentina (Hagen in Selys, 1878), Erythrodiplax corallina (Brauer, 1865), Perithemis mooma Kirby, 1889, and Planiplax erythropyga (Karsch, 1891). Among these records, we extend the geographic distribution of A. peterseni and R. pallipes, which are endemic to Argentina and recorded P. erythropyga for the first time in Chaco phytogeographic province.
Task-Based Language Learning in a Real-World Digital Environment: The European Digital Kitchen, edited by Paul Seedhouse
Authors: Wilhelm Thorsten
Published: April 2019

Task-Based Language Learning in a Real-World Digital Environment: The European Digital KitchenEdited by Paul SeedhouseLondon, England: BloomsburyUS $128ISBN 9781474264075 (Hardback)304 pages2017
Source and Myth
Authors: Giuggioli Matteo
Published: April 2019

Going back to the early days of film, Italian cinema's attraction to opera showed no sign of abating in the aftermath of World War II, albeit with a change of direction and and an expansion into new expressive and semantic paths. The initiator of the new direction was Luchino Visconti in the 1950s, followed by a new generation of renowned Italian film directors in the 1960s. in the heated social, political, and artistic environment of the "economic miracle," Italian cinema of the 1960s first and foremost questioned the symbolic status that opera had acquired and maintained in Italian popular culture throughout the first half of the century. Prominent film directors identified opera as a relevant object for their critical inquiries into the controversial nation-building process and the customs of the Italian people. This article focuses on three films in which excerpts from opera activate complex intertextual plots: Valerio Zurlini's Girl with a Suitcase (1961), Bernardo Bertolucci's Before the Revolution (1964), and Marco Bellocchio's China is Near (1967). Against a backdrop of such different cinematic experiences, the article shows how opera acquired the common profile and value of a sublime and troubled mythology in 1960s Italian film culture.
12 Tips for Creating High Impact Clinical Encounter Videos - with Technical Pointers
Authors: Shi Ge , Lee Siyoung , Yuen Yue , Liu John , Rothman Zachary , Milaire Paul , Gillis Stephen , Henri-Bhargava Alexandre
Published: April 2019

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Videos are increasingly used in medical education. They are effective for teaching difficult-to-grasp concepts that rely heavily on visuospatial processing ability such as anatomy, surgical procedures, and physical exam maneuvers. Common pitfalls of existing videos include lackluster audiovisual quality, poor camera angles, absence of formal teaching as narration, or excessive length. This article serves to assist educators who wish to produce educational clinical encounter videos that maximize student learning. We detail 12 tips focused on improving the quality of clinical educational videos, mitigating cognitive load within a video, and understanding the technicalities of video production. These tips are based on review of existing literature on neurocognitive learning theories and the succeeding Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), as well as our experience in producing educational videos.
Dilatancy-triggering surface for advanced constitutive modelling of sand
Authors: Woo S. I. , Salgado R. , Prezzi M.
Published: April 2019

This paper presents, for sand, a formulation for a surface in stress space defining the onset of dilatancy based on the volumetric threshold strain concept, the expression for the small-strain shear modulus in terms of soil state and an expression for secant shear modulus degradation with increasing shear strain. The size of the surface depends on both density (void ratio) and mean effective stress. The use of the proposed surface is demonstrated for Toyoura sand. The paper also presents a multiaxial formulation for the surface that can include kinematic hardening. The proposed surface can be useful in constitutive modelling, especially to capture seismic or cyclic loading conditions.
Prevalencia de parásitos gastrointestinales en équidos del municipio de Coromoro (Santander, Colombia)
Authors: Cala-Delgado Daniel Leonardo , Santos-Parra Manuel Eduardo , Ortiz-Pineda Leonardo , Yunis-Aguinaga Jefferson
Published: April 2019

Introducción: el cultivo tradicional de la caña panelera es una de las principales actividades económicas en el departamento de Santander. Su proceso agroindustrial demanda un elevado número de equinos (caballares, asnales y mulares) para su transporte al trapiche y posterior transformación en panela. Al igual que en otros modelos productivos, estos animales resultan afectados por el parasitismo gastrointestinal. La diversidad de condiciones ambientales, tecnológicas y socioeconómicas recomienda identificar estos parásitos y valorar su presencia para proponer acciones de prevención y control con mejor información. Dada su población equina y su importancia, se escogió el municipio de Coromoro (Santander) para el cual no se encontraron reportes ni estudios previos.

Materiales y métodos: en 10 veredas de este municipio, se tomaron muestras de materia fecal de 100 équidos de diferentes edades. Las muestras se analizaron mediante la técnica de McMaster en el laboratorio de la Clínica Veterinaria Grandes y Pequeños Animales, y los resultados fueron analizados mediante estadística descriptiva, utilizando Microsoft Office Excel® 2010.

Resultados: se encontró que el 23% de los animales tenía poliparasitismo con diferentes especies, siendo el Oxyuris más frecuente en animales jóvenes, en tanto que no se determinó su presencia en animales adultos. Trichostrongylus se encontró con mayor frecuencia, tanto en jóvenes como en adultos, reportándose en el 59% de las muestras procesadas. Otros parásitos encontrados fueron Strongylus en el 16% y Trichonema en el 2% de los animales.

Conclusiones: se encontraron parásitos en el 71% de los especímenes, indicando el carácter endémico del parasitismo, circunstancia que permite suponer diversos grados de afectación de la salud y, consecuentemente, de la capacidad productiva de los animales. Se hace necesario adelantar estudios para evaluar el impacto económico del parasitismo a fin de diseñar estrategias racionales de prevención y control en el área estudiada.
Las vicisitudes de los compromisos comerciales internacionales de Colombia
Authors: Vilar- Rubiano Fabían Enrique
Published: April 2019

Propósito: en la última década, Colombia ha orientado su políticapública de integración económica hacia la celebración intensiva detratados internacionales de naturaleza comercial que conlleva la generaciónde derechos y la asunción de obligaciones a nivel interno einternacional; en consecuencia, cada vez cobra mayor importanciala manera como el Estado colombiano da cumplimiento a las obligacionescomerciales internacionales derivadas de la implementaciónde los Tratados de Libre Comercio (tlc) en vigor para Colombia.Descripción: este artículo aborda el análisis de los inconvenientescuando se presentan en el ámbito de la incorporación de los tlc alordenamiento jurídico interno. Punto de vista: este asunto eventualmentepuede llegar a afectar a Colombia en el escenario internacionaly su política comercial en los últimos años, como consecuencia delproceso de honrar el principio de pacta sunt servanda del Derechointernacional en el marco de los tlc. Conclusiones: de esta manera, seacude a la hermenéutica para examinar la jurisprudencia de la CorteConstitucional cuando ha dispuesto declarar inconstitucional asuntosque están íntimamente relacionados con los tlc, convirtiéndoseen verdaderas vicisitudes de los compromisos comerciales internacionalesque Colombia debe afrontar.
El significado real de que Colombia sea un Estado Social de Derecho
Authors: Cabrera- Suárez Lizandro Alfonso
Published: April 2019

Objetivo: el ejercicio consistirá en establecer las significaciones de los conceptos tratados en relación con el principio del Estado Social de Derecho en Colombia.Metodología: en efecto, ¿qué significa que Colombia sea un Estado Social de Derecho? La expresión significa que los constituyentes en representación del pueblo decidieron una forma específica de Estado con exclusión de otras. Pero ¿qué lo caracteriza?Resultados: se trata de un tema supremamente rico y lleno de implicaciones que, aunque daría para escribir libros enteros, se presentará de manera sintética intentando reunir todos los elementos importantes de la discusión a su alrededor.Conclusiones: si no hay Estado de Derecho, no existe democracia. El Estado Social de Derecho se esfuerza también en la realización de los derechos sociales fundamentales.
El pluralismo jurídico y los derechos a la Pachamama
Authors: Antúnez- Sánchez Alcides , Díaz-Ocampo Eduardo
Published: April 2019

Objetivo: demostrar el reconocimiento constitucional que se le ha dado a la naturaleza en la nación ecuatoriana, lo que le ha permitido ser sujeto de derechos como novedad jurídica en construcción y evolución en el siglo xxi, así como de su desarrollo normativo dentro del derecho positivo y en las políticas públicas.Metodología: para ello fueron utilizados el método histórico-jurídico, el de análisis-síntesis y el de inducción-deducción.Hallazgos: a partir de las últimas décadas del siglo xx, el pluralismo jurídico ha cobrado relevancia por su incidencia en el escenario social. La Filosofía del Derecho y la Sociología, aunque con orientaciones y posturas diversas, se ocupan de la definición de nuevos constructos teóricos requeridos para abordar la esencia del pluralismo jurídico en el contexto actual, reevaluándolo y brindándole nuevas vertientes de análisis.Conclusiones: el Estado ecuatoriano garantiza a los pueblos indígenas la conservación y el desarrollo de sus formas tradicionales de convivencia y organización social, pues constituyen una expresión de la interculturalidad. Esto ha tenido una incidencia positiva en la protección constitucional a la naturaleza y en su desarrollo normativo a partir de los textos constitucionales.
Optogenetics: Therapeutic spark in neuropathic pain
Authors: Wang Long , Liu Kang
Published: April 2019

Optogenetics is an emerging field, which uses light and molecular genetics to manipulate the activity of live cells by expressing light-sensitive proteins. With the discovery of bacteriorhodopsin, a light-sensitive bacterial protein, in 1971 Oesterhelt and Stoeckenius laid the pavement of optogenetics. However, the cross-integration of different disciplines is a little more than a decade old. The toolbox contains fluorescent sensors and optogenetic actuators which enable visualization of signaling events and manipulation of cellular activities, respectively. Neuropathic pain is a pain caused either by damage or disease that affects the somatosensory system. The exact mechanism for the neuropathic pain is not known, however proposed mechanisms include immune reactions, ion channel expressions, and inflammation. Current regimen for the disease provides about 50% relief for only 40-60% of patients. Recent in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate the potential therapeutic applications of optogenetics by manipulating the activity of neurons. This review summarizes the basic concept, therapeutic applications for neuropathy and potential of optogenetics to reach from bench to bedside in the near future.