bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative evaluation of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease by stress radiography
Authors: Kaimoto Tatsuki , Fujita Yukihiro , Kanno Nobuo , Beale Brian , Hara Yasushi , Yamaguchi Shinya
Published: February 2020

BACKGROUND To establish a quantitative parameter reflecting displacement of the tibia relative to the femoral condyle in dogs with damage to the cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL).ANIMALS One hundred and forty-eight client-owned dogs with intact (n=34), partial rupture (n=43), or complete rupture (n=93) of the CrCL confirmed by arthroscopy of the stifle joint.PROCEDURES The Cranial Tibial Displacement Index (CTDI) was measured on mediolateral radiographs obtained in lateral recumbency with the tarsal and stifle joints at 90° of flexion. The sensitivity and specificity of the CTDI for assessment of CrCL damage was compared with that of the cranial drawer test, tibial compression test, fat pad sign, and radiographic OA score.RESULTS The mean CTDI (mean ±SD) scores were 0.5±0.1, 0.8±0.2, and 1.2±0.3 in the groups with an intact, partially ruptured, and completely ruptured CrCL, respectively; the differences between the three study groups were statistically significant (p<0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the CTDI for distinguishing damaged and intact CrCLs were 89.0%, 85.3%, 96.0%, and 65.9%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The CTDI, which quantifies cranial displacement of the tibia, could be an objective indicator reflecting the grade of CrCL damage. CrCL injury could be evaluated indirectly from the CTDI score, which may allow a minimally invasive early diagnosis of a ruptured CrCL.
Comparison of validity of Bookmark and Angoff Standard Setting Methods in Medical performance tests
Authors: afrashteh majid yousefi
Published: February 2020

Introduction One of the main processes in evaluating of the students’ performance is standard staging to determine the passage for the test. The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of two methods of Angoff and bookmark in standard setting. Method Participants included 190 master’s students graduated in laboratory sciences since past year. Designed by a group of experts, a performance test with 32 item was used in this study to assess laboratory skills of graduates of medical laboratory sciences. Moreover, two groups of experts voluntarily participated in this study to set the cut-score. To assess the process validity, a 5-item questionnaire was asked from two groups of penists. To investigate the internal validity, the variance of the cut scores determined by the members of the two panels was compared with the F ratio. External validity was assessed by using four indices of correlation test with criterion score. Results Comparison of the two methods of Angoff and bookmarking showed that the mean of process validity indices was higher in bookmarking method. In order to assess internal validity, conclusion: Homogeneity of results and co-ordination of judges' scores were considered. Conclusion In evaluating of the external validity (concordance of the cut score with the criterion score), All five external validity indices supported the bookmark method.
Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tavakoli Ahmad , Alavian Seyed Moayed , Moghoofei Mohsen , Mostafaei Shayan , Abbasi Saeedeh , Farahmand Mohammad
Published: February 2020

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an important emerging health issue in patients on hemodialysis (HD). To date, numerous studies have reported controversial findings regarding the seroprevalence of HEV among this high-risk group around the world. The aim of the present study was to estimate the overall seroprevalence of HEV in HD patients.Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google scholar from inception to January 10, 2020 with standard keywords. Pooled seroprevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random intercept logistic regression model.Results: A total of 56 studies met the inclusion criteria compromising 9483 HD patients. The pooled seroprevalence of HEV was estimated 9.31% (95%CI: 6.83%-12.57%). The seroprevalence of HEV was increased from 6.6% between the years of 1994 and 2000 to 11.13% from the year of 2016 to 2020. Blood transfusion was associated with a nearly two-fold increase in the rate of HEV seropositivity (OR=1.99; 95%CI: 1.50-2.63, P value < 0.0001, I2=6.5%).Conclusions: Our results indicated an increased exposure of HD patients with HEV infection over the last decade. We concluded that blood transfusion, age and duration of HD are considerable risk factors for acquiring HEV infection among HD patients.
Association of RETN and TNFRSF1B polymorphisms with TNF-α inhibitor response in rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Trinh Nga Thi , Kim Hyun Jeong , Kim Woorim , Kang Sang Oh , Min Kyung Hyun , Yeon Ha Rim , Kim Joo Hee , Choi In Ah , Jung Ju Yang , Kim Hyoun Ah , Lee Kyung Eun
Published: February 2020

Background: Despite the improvement from the introduction of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA), TNFi therapy fails for more than 30% or results in a partial response. Thus, we aimed to explore treatment marker by examining the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with response to TNFi therapy.Method: Genes associated with RA or RA treatment were reviewed and fourteen SNPs with minor allele frequency ≥ 20% in the East Asian populations were selected and analyzed. Data were collected from 105 RA patients. Our primary endpoint was the disease activity score using 28-joint count after six months of treatment (DAS28-6month). The secondary outcomes were the subcomponents of DAS28.Results: A total of 88 patients were included in the final analyses. Among the 14 SNPs analyzed, one SNP showed statistical significance in DAS28-6month: patients with the GG allele of RETN rs1862513 had a 4.7 times higher chance of low disease activity at 6-months than GC or CC-carriers (p = 0.033), as indicated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Rs3397 was marginally significant in univariate analysis (p=0.059), but was significant in the multivariable model (p=0.041). The final model explained 24.5% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in DAS28-6month.Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that, among the genes related to RA, SNPs in RETN and TNFRSF1B were associated with the response of TNFi treatment.
Prognostic Effect of Preoperative Apolipoprotein B Level in Surgical Patients with Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Kun , Wu Tingchun , chen zhen
Published: February 2020

Background To assess the prognostic value of preoperative apolipoprotein B level in surgical patients with renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Materials and Methods The study included 307 ccRCC patients receiving radical or partial nephrectomy between 2003 and 2012 in our center. The correlations among the preoperative ApoB, clinico-pathological parameters, and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results A total of 193 men (62.9%) and 114 women (37.1%) with ccRCC underwent radical or partial nephrectomy were enrolled in the present study. The OS at five years after operation was 90.6% for all patients, 87.4% for the lower ApoB group, and 97.0% for the higher ApoB group. The CSS at 5 years after surgery was 90.2% for all patients, 86.7% for the lower ApoB group, and 97.0% for the higher ApoB group. A higher ApoB level was related to a better OS and CSS in ccRCC patients (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, age >60 (P=0.008 and P=0.023), lower Apo B level (P= 0.019 and P= 0.018), were independent prognostic factors for OS and CSS, respectively. Conclusions In the Apo apolipoprotein family, the preoperative ApoB level has an important clinical significance for predicting the prognosis survival rate of the ccRCC patients.
Relationship between IL-10 and PD-L1 in liver hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and cell lines
Authors: Qian Qian , Wu Changping , Chen Jianping , Wang Weibing
Published: February 2020

Background Programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L1) plays a critical role in host immunity in the setting of cancer progression. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is a multi-cellular, multi-functional cytokine that regulates cell growth and differentiation and participates in inflammatory and immune responses. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between PD-L1 and IL-10 and their clinical importance in liver hepatocellular carcinoma(LIHC).Methods LIHC patients (n=100) who underwent surgery with preoperative therapy were included in the study. By immuno-histochemical staining, PD-L1, IL-10 and CD8 positive cells were examined in resected specimens. The gene expression levels of PD-L1, IL-10 and Met were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blots, and differentially compared in cancer, adjacent and normal tissues. In cell experiments, the Bel7405 and MHCC97-H cell-lines were incubated with IL-10 or anti-IL-10 antibody, and then PD-L1 and Met expression levels were compared by ELISA and Western blots. The effect of crizotinib and/or IL-10 on the proliferation, invasion and migration of LIHC cell-lines was estimated by CCK8 and transwell assay.Results In tumor tissues, the mRNA and protein levels of PD-L1, IL-10 and Met were higher than those in adjacent tissues. The high expression levels of PD-L1 and IL-10 indicated a poor prognosis. IL-10 reduced the expression of PD-L1 in LIHC cell-lines via Met signaling pathway. Over-expression of PD-L1 in increased the levels of IL-10, and Met in in LIHC tissue and cell lines. The combination of crizotinib and IL-10 were more effective in inhibiting the proliferation, migration and invasion of LIHC cell lines. Conclusions The combination of IL-10 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibody may have therapeutic promise in treating LIHC.
Prognostic value of the miR-200 family in bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mei Yanhui , Zheng Jianbo , Xiang Ping , Liu Cheng , Fan Yidong
Published: February 2020

Introduction : The association between the miR-200 family and the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of the miR-200 family in patients with bladder cancer.Methods : Electronic databases were searched to identify the studies that had assessed the association between the miR-200 family and prognosis in patients with bladder cancer. Hazard ratios ( HRs ) and 95% confidence interval ( CI ) for overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) from eligible studies were used to calculate combined hazard ratios. The heterogeneity across the included studies was assessed by Cochrane´s Q test and I 2 statistic. The Begg´s funnel plot and Egger´s linear regression teats were used to evaluate the potential publication bias. The meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 and Stata SE12.0 according to the PRISMA guidelines.Results : A total of 1152 patients from 8 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that the high expression of the miR-200 family was associated with better OS (pooled hazard ratio: 0.50, 95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.62), CSS (pooled hazard ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval: 0.22-0.59) and RFS (pooled hazard ratio: 0.48, 95% confidence interval: 0.36-0.65). Both Begg's funnel plots test and Egger's test verified that there was no publication bias within the included cohorts. Conclusion : This study suggests that the high expression of the miR-200 family is significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with bladder cancer.
The Feasibility of Laparoscopic TSME Preserving Left Colic Artery and Superior Rectal Artery for Upper Rectal Cancer
Authors: Zhang Chi , Xu Yingying , Wei Hao-tang , Zhang Qinyuan , Hu Wenqing , Abe Masanobu , Du Zhuoran , Zong Liang , Hu Xiang
Published: February 2020

Background Laparoscopic TSME preserving left colic artery and superior rectal artery is still a technical challenging procedure. To show the feasibility of this procedure for upper rectal cancer, we conducted this study. Methods A total of 184 patients with upper rectal cancer were retrospectively collected in our cancer center between Apr 2010 and Apr 2017. These patients were treated by either laparoscopic TSME (n=46) or laparoscopic TME (n=138). In the group of TSME, left colonic artery and superior rectal artery were preserved while they were not in TME group. Results The operation time in TSME group was longer than that in TME group (218.56 ± 35.85 vs. 201.13 ± 42.65, P=0.004). Further, the resected lymph nodes in TSME group is more than that in TME group (19.43 ± 9.46 vs. 18.03 ± 7.43, P= 0.024). The blood loss between TSME and TME groups achieved no significance. There was no mortality occured in either TSME or TME group. One patient in TME group was converted to laparotomy. Total postoperative complication rate in TSME and TME groups were 8.7% and 17.4%, respectively. For severe complication between the two groups (anastomotic leakage and stenosis), they showed no difference. Conclusions Laparoscopic TSME preserving left colic artery and superior rectal artery can be safely conducted for upper rectal cancer.
A spatially explicit analysis of chronic diseases in small areas: A case study of diabetes in Santiago, Chile
Authors: Crespo Ricardo , Alvarez Claudio , Hernandez Ignacio , Garcia Christian
Published: February 2020

Background There is a strong spatial correlation between demographics and chronic diseases in urban areas. Thus, most of the public policies aimed at improving prevention plans and optimizing the allocation of resources in health networks should be designed specifically for socioeconomic reality of the population. One way to tackle this challenge is by exploring the spatial patterns that link the sociodemographic attributes that characterize a community, its risk of suffering chronic diseases, and its accessibility to treatment at a small area geographical level. Due the inherent complexity of cities, advanced clustering methods are needed to find significant spatial patterns. Our main motivation is to provide stakeholders with valuable information to optimize the spatial distributions of health services and the provision of human resources. For the case study, we chose to investigate diabetes in Santiago, Chile. Methods To deal with spatiality, we used two advanced statistical techniques: spatial microsimulation and a self-organizing map (SOM). Spatial microsimulation allows spatial disaggregation of health indicators data to a small area level. In turn, SOM unlike classical clustering methods, incorporate a learning component through neural networks, which makes it more appropriate to model complex adaptive systems, such as cities. Thus, while spatial microsimulation generates the data for the analysis, the SOM method finds the relevant socio-economic clusters. As socioeconomic attributes for the clustering we selected age, sex, educational level and per capita income. We used public surveys as input data. Results Significant spatial patterns of people with low income, low educational level and high diabetes prevalence exhibit a lower density of public health services. This group of people comprises approximately the 62 percent of the whole population of the city and is located toward the periphery of the city. Conclusions Our approach allowed us to understand that the current criteria for locating the health network would be based primarily on population density and/or the number of people reported with diabetes and only, to a lower extent, on the ability of patients to cope with the disease from a sociodemographic perspective. We recommend that allocation of future health services and optimization of the current supply chain should take into account the location of the most vulnerable people. Keywords Chronic diseases, spatial microsimulation, self-organizing maps, supply chain optimization
Mining database for the clinical significance and prognostic value of ESRP1 in skin cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Wang Baihe , Kou Caixia , Sun Jianfang , Xu Xiulian
Published: February 2020

Background ESRP1 has been described as epithelium-specific splicing regulator involved in many tumors progression. However, the role of ESRP1 in skin cutaneous melanoma is unclear. In the present study, we explored the expression levels of ESRP1 in melanoma and its effect on prognosis and immune infiltration. Methods This study integrated the information from ONCOMINE, GEPIA and UALCAN databases. We explored the genes closely related to ESRP1 using LINKEDIMECS and further analyzed the target kinase, miRNA and transcription factors of ESRP1.GSEA software was used to analyze the changes of GO function enrichment and KEGG pathway after ESRP1 and its related 100 genes changes. Finally, TIMER was used to analyze the relationship between ESRP1 and tumor immune cell infiltration. Results The expression of ESRP1mRNA was significantly downregulated in SKCM patients in comparison with healthy control based on tumor stage and lymph node metastasis status. Low level of ESRP1 expression correlated with better overall survival. ESRP1 is specifically related to tumor-associated kinases CDK1, miRNA138, and transcription factors ETF. Functional network analysis demonstrated that ESRP1 is involved in the regulation of the condensed chromosome, epidermis development, translational initiation, ribosome, drug metabolism, and chemical carcinogenesis. Mechanistically, results suggested that ESRP1 might play an important role in regulating tumor-associated macrophages polarization, DCs infiltration, Treg cells and T cell exhaustion. Conclusion Our study demonstrates ESRP1 expression and its prognostic value and potential regulatory networks in SKCM, shedding light on the clinical significance of ESRP1 and providing a novel biomarker for determining prognosis and immune inﬁltration in SKCM.
KCTD15 Gene Expression Regulates Adipocyte Differentiation and Is Associated with Obesity in Humans
Authors: Xu Zihui , Xu Jing , Zhao Xu , Yang Ying , Zhang Kebin , Wang Min
Published: February 2020

Background It has been substantiated by Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that genetic disparity influences the fat levels and obesity risk in various populations. Objective A meta-analysis of 15 genome-wide association studies identified regularly-used obesity-related variables at eight gene loci, inclusive of FTO, MC4R, TMEM18, KCTD15, GNPDA2, SH2B1, MTCH2 and NEGR1. However, the expression profiles of eight obesity-related genes remain largely unknown. Design, Patients, Measurements Based on the fundamental propositions specified in the Declaration of Helsinki, adipose tissue specimens were collected from 23 obese and 16 normal weight subjects, and the expression profiles of eight obesity-related genes identified by GWAS were examined in these white adipose tissues (WAT). The effects of KCTD15 gene on adipocyte differentiation in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were assessed. Results Among those obesity-related genes identified by GWAS, SH2B1, FTO, TMEM18 and KCTD15 are expressed at lower level in WAT of obese subjects compared to normal weight subjects, while NEGR1 shows higher expression level in the obese subjects. No changes were detected for MTCH2, GNPDA2 and MC4R. The expression of KCTD15 was negatively correlated with Body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of KCTD15 significantly suppressed cellular lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation. Conclusion This is the first study to identify the expression patterns of eight obesity-related genes bearing association with being obese in white adipose tissue of overweight people in China. Our study demonstrates that the expression of KCTD15 is associated with obesity in humans. Meanwhile, KCTD15 plays a critical role in the regulation of adipogenesis.
Ranibizumab prevents Müller cell edema by decreasing VEGF-A in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Wang Tianqin , Zhang Chaoyang , Xie Hai , Yi Qiuxue , Liu Dandan , Peng Qing , Li Weiye , Tian Haibin , Lu Lixia , Xu Jing-Ying , Xu Guo-Tong , Liu Lin , Zhang Jingfa
Published: February 2020

Background: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common cause of vision loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy. The efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy has been well demonstrated and become the standard of care in the management of DME. The present study is to explore the possible mechanism(s) of ranibizumab in protecting Müller cells from cellular edema in experimental diabetic retinopathy. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were rendered diabetes with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab was performed 8 weeks after diabetes onset. Four weeks later, the rats were killed and the retinas were harvested for examination. rMC-1 cells (rat Müller cell line) were treated with glyoxal for 24 hours, with or without ranibizumab. Cell viability was detected with CCK-8 assay. The expressions of inwardly rectifying K + channel 4.1 (Kir4.1), aquaporin 4 (AQP4), Dystrophin 71 (Dp71), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), glutamine synthetase (GS) and sodium-potassium-ATPase (Na + -K + -ATPase) were examined with Western blot. VEGF-A in the supernatant of cell culture was detected with ELISA. The intracellular potassium and sodium levels were detected with specific indicators. Results: Compared to the normal control, the protein expressions of Kir4.1, AQP4 and Dp71 were down-regulated significantly in diabetic rat retinas, which were prevented by ranibizumab. The above changes were recapitulated in vitro . As compared with the control, the intracellular potassium level in glyoxal-treated rMC-1 cells was increased, while the intracellular sodium level and Na + -K + -ATPase protein level remained unchanged. However, ranibizumab treatment increased Na + -K + -ATPase protein expression and decreased intracellular sodium, but not potassium level. Conclusion: Ranibizumab protected Müller cells from intracellular edema through up-regulation of Kir4.1, AQP4, and Dp71 by directly binding VEGF-A. It also increased the expression of Na + -K + -ATPase, contributing to reduction of the intracellular osmotic pressure.
Analyses of the relation between internal carotid artery siphon and non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy
Authors: fu zhiyong , Li Hongyang , Wang Yanling
Published: February 2020

Purpose To compare the differences of internal carotid artery siphon(ICAS) and ophthalmic artery (OA) in patients with unilateral non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and age-matched controls.
A transcriptional landscape of 28 porcine tissues obtained by Super deepSAGE sequencing
Authors: Huang Tinghua , Yang Min , Dong Kaihui , Xu Mingjiang , Liu Jinhui , Chen Zhi , Zhu Shijia , Chen Wang , Yin Jun , Jin Kai , Deng Yu , Guan Zhou , Huang Xiali , Yang Jun , Han Rongxun , Yao Min
Published: February 2020

Background: Gene expression regulators identified in transcriptome profiling experiments may serve as ideal targets for genetic manipulations in farm animals. Results: In this study, we developed a gene expression profile of 76,000+ unique transcripts for 224 porcine samples from 28 tissues collected from 32 animals using Super deepSAGE technology. Excellent sequencing depth was achieved for each multiplexed library, and replicated samples from the same tissues clustered together, demonstrating the high quality of Super deepSAGE data. Comparison with previous research indicated that our results not only have good reproducibility but also have greatly extended the coverage of the sample types as well as the number of genes. Clustering analysis revealed ten groups of genes showing distinct expression patterns among these samples. Our analysis of over-represented binding motifs identified 41 regulators, and we demonstrated a potential application of this dataset in infectious diseases and immune biology research by identifying an LPS-dependent transcription factor, runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1), in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The selected genes are specifically responsible for the transcription of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK), and vav1 oncogene (VAV1), which belong to the T and B cell signaling pathways.Conclusions: The Super deepSAGE technology and tissue-differential expression profiles are valuable resources for investigating the porcine gene expression regulation. The identified RUNX1 target genes belong to the T and B cell signaling pathways, making them novel potential targets for the diagnosis and therapy of bacterial infections and other immune disorders.
Blood eosinophil levels and prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Yu Songsong , Zhang Jie , Fang Qiuhong , Tong Zhaohui
Published: February 2020

Background: Studies about the clinical significance of high eosinophil levels in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are conflicting, and it has been less studied in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).This study was to examine blood eosinophil levels in relation to the prognosis of hospitalized patients with AECOPD.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with AECOPD as their primary diagnosis and admitted to Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2010 to December 2016. The patients were assigned according to the proportion and count of eosinophil in peripheral blood at their first hospitalization. Patients were grouped as ≤100, 100-300, and ≥300 eosinophils/µL of peripheral blood. The use of glucocorticoids, duration of hospitalization, in-hospital mortality, and re-hospitalization were examined.Results: Compared with the 100-300 eosinophils/µL group, the ≤100 eosinophils/µL group showed higher frequencies of fever, respiratory failure, and the use of systemic glucocorticoids. Eosinophil counts were not associated with in-hospital mortality and duration of hospitalization. The multivariable analysis showed that GOLD3/4 (odds ratio (OR)=2.04, 95%CI: 1.20-3.44, P=0.008), neutrophil count (OR=1.21, 95%CI: 1.03-1.41, P=0.019), systemic glucocorticoids (OR=1.84, 95%CI: 1.41-2.98, P=0.012), mechanical ventilation (OR=2.66, 95%CI: 1.36-5.18, P=0.004), and acute exacerbation in the past year before hospitalization (OR=2.03, 95%CI: 1.27-3.23, P=0.003) were independently associated with acute exacerbation within 1 year after discharge. Eosinophil count was not associated with acute exacerbation within 1 year after discharge.Conclusion: Peripheral blood eosinophil counts are not associated with the 1-year AECOPD prognosis.
Comparison of Effectiveness Using Different Dual Broncho- dilator Agents in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treatment
Authors: Cheng Shih-Lung
Published: February 2020

BackgroundThe efficacy and safety of fixed dual long-acting bronchodilators for chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD) patients has been well established; however, there is a paucity of clinical effectiveness comparison in patients with COPD treatment. The aim of the current study was to compare the efficacy of three once daily dual bronchodilator agents in patients with COPD.MethodsPatients with diagnosed COPD and treated with a long-acting beta agonist (LABA) + long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) fixed-dose combination therapy (UME/VIL [umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder], IND/GLY [indacaterol and glycopyrronium], and TIO/OLO [tiotoprium and olodaterol]) were enrolled in this retrospective study over a period of 12 months. Effectiveness assessments were evaluated using a COPD assessment test (CAT) and lung function parameters. Besides, times for acute exacerbation were also assessed.ResultsThe enrolled patients’ number was 77 in IND/GLY, 76 in UME/VIL and 83 in TIO/OLO. Lung function measurements with FEV1 had significantly improved for patients using TIO/OLO (98.7 ml) compared to those of IND/GLY (65.2 ml) and UMEC/VIL (64.4 ml) (p<0.001). CAT scores were also significantly decreased in patients treated with TIO/OLO (CAT down 5.6) than those with IND/GLY (3.8) and UMEC/VIL (3.9) (p=0.03). Acute exacerbation was also reduced in patients using TIO/OLO (4.8%) compared with those using IND/GLY (10.4%) and UMEC/VIL (10.5%) (p=0.01).ConclusionSignificant improvement in pulmonary function, symptoms were demonstrated after 12 months of LABA+LAMA fixed-dose combination therapy with 3 different treatment options. TIO/OLO demonstrated higher therapeutic effects compared with UME/VIL or IND/GLY. Determining clinical relevance will require a well-designed randomized controlled trial.Key Words: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dual bronchodilator, LABA/LAMA
How does Multimorbidity affect Middle-Aged Adults? A Cross-Sectional Survey in the Singapore Primary Healthcare Setting.
Authors: Sim Sai Zhen - , Koh Hui Li , Lee Sabrina Poay Sian , Young Doris Yee Ling , Lee Eng Sing
Published: February 2020

Background Multimorbidity is of increasing prevalence and importance. It has been associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HrQoL) especially in the elderly population. Despite substantial multimorbidity at midlife, defined as those between 40-64 years old, there is a paucity of research investigating the impact of multimorbidity in this population. This study aimed to investigate the association between multimorbidity and HrQoL in the middle-aged primary care population in Singapore. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 40-64 year old participants was conducted at a primary care centre in Singapore. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data regarding the participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, chronic conditions, and HrQoL, as measured by the EuroQol 5 dimensions 3-levels questionnaire (EQ5D-3L). The associations between multimorbidity and the components of the EQ5D were assessed using multivariable regression analyses. Results The study included 297 participants, aged 40-64 years, of which 124 (42.7%) had multimorbidity. Participants with multimorbidity had lower mean EQ5D Utilities Index (UI) and mean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores (UI = 0.804 ±0.251, VAS = 64.9 ±16.8) compared to those without multimorbidity (UI = 0.871 ±0.198, VAS = 68.5 ±16.0). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, those with multimorbidity had significantly lower EQ5D UI, (β-coefficient = -0.064 (C.I -0.125, -0.003), p = 0.04), but not significantly lower EQ5D VAS, (β-coefficient = -0.045 (C.I 0.102, 0.012), p = 0.12). Additionally, participants with multimorbidity had higher odds (OR = 2.41, p = 0.01) of reporting problems due to pain/discomfort. Conclusion Multimorbidity was not significantly associated with the overall health state, as measured by the EQ5D VAS, in middle-aged primary care patients. However, it was associated with the EQ5D UI which is a composite measure of five specific domains of HrQoL. Specifically, there was a significant association between multimorbidity and the pain domain. Further studies are required to understand the relationship between multimorbidity and pain to enable physicians to better manage pain and HrQoL in this population.
Recent progress on the study of nucleon structure from lattice QCD and future perspectives
Authors: Alexandrou Constantia
Published: February 2020

We review the progress achieved within the last five years in the
simulations of lattice QCD, as well as in the analysis for selected
quantities probing nucleon structure. In particular, we discuss results
on the nucleon electromagnetic form factors,
\sigmaσ-terms,
the momentum fraction carried by quark in the nucleon and the helicity
and transversity moments. All quantities are obtained using simulations
generated with quark masses fixed to their physical values. In addition,
we review the on-going effort to extract parton distribution functions
(PDFs) directly from lattice QCD using the quasi-PDF approach.
Roy Glauber and asymptotic diffraction theory
Authors: Osland Per
Published: February 2020

This is a review of Glauber’s asymptotic diffraction theory, in which
diffractive scattering is described in terms of interference between
semiclassical amplitudes, resulting from a stationary-phase
approximation. Typically two such amplitudes are sufficient to
accurately describe elastic scattering, but the stationary points are
located at complex values of the impact parameter. Their separation
controls the interference pattern, and their offsets from the real axis
determine the overall fall-off with momentum transfer. Asymptotically,
at large momentum transfers, the stationary points move towards
singularities of the profile function. I also include some reminiscences
from our collaboration.
Electric-dipole transitions in 6Li with a fully microscopic six-body calculation
Authors: Horiuchi Wataru , Satsuka Shuji
Published: February 2020

Exploring new excitation modes and the role of the nuclear clustering
has been of great interest. An interesting speculation was made in the
recent photoabsorption measurement of ^66Li
that implied the importance of the nuclear clustering. To understand the
excitation mechanism of ^66Li,
we perform a fully microscopic six-body calculation on the
electric-dipole (E1E1)
transitions and discuss how ^66Li
is excited by the E1E1
field as a function of the excitation energy. We show the various
cluster components in the six-body wave functions and discuss the role
of the nuclear clustering in the E1E1
excitations of ^66Li.
Exploring the unknown Lambda-neutron interaction
Authors: Gibson Benjamin , Afnan Iraj. R.
Published: February 2020

No published \LambdaΛn
scattering data exist. A relativistic heavy-ion experiment has suggested
that a \LambdaΛnn
bound state was seen. However, several theoretical analyses have cast
serious doubt on the bound-state assertion. Nevertheless, there could
exist a three-body \LambdaΛnn
resonance. Such a resonance could be used to constrain the
\LambdaΛn
interaction. We discuss \LambdaΛnn
calculations using nn and \LambdaΛn
pairwise interactions of rank-one, separable form that fit effective
range parameters of the nn system and those hypothesized for the as yet
unobserved \LambdaΛn
system based upon four different \LambdaΛN
potentials. The use of rank-one separable potentials allows one to
analytically continue the \LambdaΛnn
Faddeev equations onto the second complex energy plane in search of
resonance poles, by examining the eigenvalue spectrum of the kernel of
the Faddeev equations. Although each of the potential models predicts a
\LambdaΛnn
sub-threshold resonance pole, scaling of the
\LambdaΛn
interaction by as little as \sim∼5%
does produce a physical resonance. This suggests that one may use
photo-(electro-)production of the \LambdaΛnn
system from tritium as a tool to examine the strength of the
\LambdaΛn
interaction.
Self-financing for Conservation Based on Global Experiences – Case Study Preserving the Architectural Heritage of Historical Tripoli, Lebanon
Authors: El-Daghar Khaled
Published: February 2020

Funding has always been important for the continuity of any conservation project and the  achievement of the desired results. Its impact is particularly evident in the projects regarding the  heritage domains; it clearly shows the importance of having multiple participating bodies/entities and diverse self-funding sources without relying solely on governmental agencies or governmental funding, particularly in the developing countries where there is a  clear deficiency in the countries' potential ability to meet the developmental  needs of these heritage areas. The study aims to illustrate the relationship between continuity of financing operations and the sustainability of conservation projects. Financing and its efficiency equally affect all the phases of  the project: the pre-implementation stage, the implementation stage, and the post-implementation/operation stage (maintenance and follow-up). This is due to the fact that financing operations do not only affect the possibility of implementing a project, but also affect the quality level of the preservation, whereby buildings lose their values both tangible and intangible. This is due to the inaccuracy of studies, lack of precise equipment for work or lack of analyzing the different possibilities that might lead to the destruction or damage of buildings. In this context, light will be shed on different cases and models of global conservation projects in several countries by investigating and analysing its financial aspects to establish the different circumstances surrounding each project, such as goals and stages, and identifying the positive and negative points of each project. This will be done through several axes, legal, managerial, financial, and popular participation, the most important of which is the self-financing aspect. Each case will be discussed and evaluated separately at the level of the building, urbanization  and society as an integrated system to demonstrate their characteristics, namely successful architecture, historical gatherings, and surrounding community life. The paper proposes some methods for dealing with historic buildings as part of the urban and architectural heritage, where the legal, managerial, financial and community participation, especially the self-financing level, are considered in order to conserve these buildings.
Chemical modification of carbon particles to enhance the electrosorption of capacitive deionization process
Authors: Dou Chen , Zhai Shengyong , Liu Yiyang , Chen Peng , Yin Di , Huang Guangtuan , Zhang Lehua
Published: February 2020

Activated carbon particle electrodes modified by oxygen or nitrogen groups could be promising electrode candidates for capacitive deionization (CDI) processes. In this work, activated carbon particle electrodes were modified by phosphoric acid, nitric acid, urea, melamine, and zinc chloride to enhance desalination of an aqueous electrolytic solution. The modified activated carbon particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller measurements and electrochemical scanning. The electrodes with oxygen or nitrogen groups on the surface exhibited a much higher desalination capacity and charge efficiency than those without any surface modification. Particularly, the activated carbon particle electrode modified by phosphoric acid exhibited a desalination capacity of 15.52 mg/g at 1.4 V in 500 mg/L NaCl solution, which was approximately eight times that of the unmodified electrode (2.46 mg/g). The enhancement was attributed to a higher specific capacitance, a lower electrochemical impedance and an increase in oxygen or nitrogen-containing groups on the surface.
W trosce o szkołę z opieką lekarską. Wskazania higieniczno-pedagogiczne Adolfa Klęska w przekazie „Przyjaciela Szkoły” (1922–1936)
Authors: Michalski Grzegorz
Published: February 2020

W Polsce międzywojennej ważną rolę w kształceniu i doskonaleniu pedagogicznym nauczycieli odgrywały programowo sprofilowane w tym celu czasopisma. Do jednych z nich należał wydawany w Poznaniu przez Leonarda Borkowskiego w latach 1922–1939 dwutygodnik „Przyjaciel Szkoły”. W przeciwieństwie do innych ukazujących się wówczas tego typu periodyków, w każdym kolejnym numerze redakcja wyjątkowo dużo miejsca przeznaczała na teksty krakowskiego lekarza – Adolfa Klęska, który przedstawiał czytelnikom wybrane aspekty funkcjonowania szkoły oraz obowiązki i różne zakresy działalności nauczycieli, ukazując te zagadnienia w kontekście konieczności przestrzegania zasad higieny i dbania o ochronę zdrowia uczniów. Nie tylko dokładnie tłumaczył, na czym polega rola i zadania lekarza szkolnego oraz jego współpraca w tym zakresie z nauczycielami, ale przekazywał także szereg praktycznych porad dotyczących poznania dziecka i zapewnienia mu odpowiednich warunków do rozwoju i nauki, uwarunkowań i organizacji nauczania oraz udzielania uczniom pierwszej pomocy w nagłych wypadkach.
Kształcenie specjalne w dwudziestoleciu międzywojennym w Polsce. Twórczynie pedagogiki specjalnej
Authors: Kulbaka Jacek
Published: February 2020

W tekście przedstawiono genezę i formy organizacyjne kształcenia specjalnego w Polsce w latach międzywojennych (1918–1939). Zwrócono szczególną uwagę na uwarunkowania towarzyszące rozwojowi szkolnictwa specjalnego (ekonomiczne, polityczne, społeczne, prawne). Intencją autora było przypomnienie i przedstawienie sylwetek osób szczególnie zasłużonych dla kształcenia specjalnego w Polsce oraz ukazanie genezy i działalności Państwowego Instytutu Pedagogiki Specjalnej (PIPS).
Myśl i praktyka tyflopedagogiczna Matki Elżbiety – Róży Czackiej
Authors: Kuczyńska-Kwapisz Jadwiga , Dycht Marzena
Published: February 2020

W artykule przedstawiono fakty z życia Róży Marii Czackiej i jej działalność. Matka Elżbieta Róża Czacka była prekursorką edukacji i rehabilitacji osób niewidomych i słabowidzących w Polsce; twórczynią nowoczesnych, wzorcowo funkcjonujących instytucji, będących praktyczną egzemplifikacją jej teoretycznych koncepcji i założeń. Scharakteryzowano również dzieło Matki Elżbiety, uwzględniając jego kontekst naukowy i pragmatyczny. Tyflologiczne i socjalne inicjatywy, niosące wsparcie osobom z dysfunkcją wzroku oraz aktywność w tworzeniu globalnych, systemowych rozwiązań w dziedzinie polityki społecznej i oświatowej dotyczącej tej grupy osób z niepełnosprawnością, sytuują Różę Marię Czacką w gronie postaci znaczących dla polskiej pedagogiki specjalnej, w tym zwłaszcza tyflopedagogiki.
Pedagogiczne inspiracje Henryka Ruszczyca w teorii i praktyce wychowania osób niewidomych
Authors: Dycht Marzena
Published: February 2020

Opracowanie przedstawia – w ujęciu syntetycznym – poglądy pedagogiczne i działalność wychowawczą Henryka Ruszczyca w Zakładzie dla Niewidomych w Laskach. Projekt wychowania jego autorstwa, ceniony we współczesnej tyflopedagogice, został ujęty na tle uznanych systemów i koncepcji pedagogicznych: S.B. Matki Elżbiety – Róży Czackiej, Feliksa Antoine’a Dupanloupa Philibert’a, Janusza Korczaka oraz św. Jana Bosko, będących źródłem inspiracji dla myśli i praktyki pedagogicznej XX wieku.
Uwarunkowania funkcjonowania drużyny harcerskiej na terenie gimnazjum salezjańskiego w Sokołowie Podlaskim w okresie Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej
Authors: Jurczyszyn Marek
Published: February 2020

Praktyczna realizacja harcerskiego systemu wychowawczego w drużynie im. Tadeusza Kościuszki w okresie międzywojennym była różna w poszczególnych okresach. Najpierw praca przebiegała w podniosłym klimacie pierwszych lat niepodległości. Wkrótce nadszedł rok 1920 – wojna z bolszewicką Rosją, kiedy za wierność ideałom i wartościom harcerskim kilku młodych gimnazjalistów zapłaciło najwyższą cenę – swoje życie. Później nastąpił okres systematycznej pracy w drużynie i zastępach, której celem było integralne kształtowanie osobowości harcerzy. Podejmowano próby uatrakcyjnienia tematyki i formy organizacyjnej zajęć harcerskich, aby dostosować je do potrzeb kolejnych roczników młodzieży gimnazjalnej.
Antoni Bolesław Dobrowolski o związkach oświaty z nauką – w kontekście dyskusji na temat organizacji i rozwoju nauki w niepodległej Polsce
Authors: Piskurewicz Jan
Published: February 2020

W artykule omówione zostały poglądy Antoniego Bolesława Dobrowolskiego na temat roli oświaty w rozwoju nauki w niepodległej Polsce. Dobrowolski wskazywał zwłaszcza na warunki konieczne do przygotowania odpowiednich kadr badawczych, a także uświadamiał całemu społeczeństwu wagę badań naukowych i koniecznych środków materialnych przeznaczonych na ich finansowanie. Swoje credo w tych kwestiach przedstawił na I Zjeździe Nauki Polskiej, zwołanym w Warszawie w 1920 roku oraz na posiedzeniu Koła Naukoznawczego przy Kasie im. Mianowskiego w roku 1938, a więc na początku i jednocześnie u kresu II Rzeczypospolitej. Mimo kontrowersyjnego charakteru tych wypowiedzi, stanowią one interesujący, istotny fragment polskiej myśli pedagogicznej w II Rzeczypospolitej.
Jana Patočki doświadczenie „jedności pierwotnego świata” jako przesłanka myślenia i działania pedagogicznego – rekonstrukcje (część pierwsza)
Authors: Gara Jarosław
Published: February 2020

Jan Patočka swoim życiem i twórczością w pełni zasłużył na miano współczesnego Sokratesa. Bieg jego życia i meandry twórczości tworzyły puzzle doskonale się uzupełniające i zależne od siebie. Zainteresowania filozoficzne czeskiego fenomenologa oscylowały wokół doświadczenia „jedności pierwotnego świata”, w którego centrum znajdował się świat naturalny. Poddając analizie strukturę doświadczenia tego świata, autor niniejszego opracowania bada takie kategorie, jak: czas, cielesność, dom, otwartość, praca. Następnie rekonstruuje jedną z opcji odczytywania filozofii wychowania Patočki i ewolucji jej podstawowych zagadnień. Kluczową ideą w tej filozofii jest ruch, jako coś, co specyfikuje otwartą strukturę istnienia człowieka. W tym kontekście w sposób heurystyczny zostały sformułowane podstawowe kierunki myślenia i działania pedagogicznego, które implikuje tytułowe doświadczenie „jedności pierwotnego świata”. Artykuł publikowany jest w dwóch częściach, które stanowią integralną całość autorskiego ujęcia tytułowego problemu. Część pierwsza artykułu ma charakter studialnej rekonstrukcji. Część druga publikacji ma charakter autorskich implementacji twórczości Jana Patočki.
Ontological Freedom in Jan Patočka’s “Natural World as a Philosophical Problem” with Regard to Husserl’s Phenomenology
Authors: Rybák David
Published: February 2020

In his post-doctoral dissertation Přirozený svět jako filosofický problém (The Natural World as a Philosophical Problem; orig. publ. 1936) Jan Patočka critically deals with modern metaphysics of subjectivity, at the same time introducing phenomenology with its phenomenological reduction. I would like to investigate this issue in the text just mentioned and briefly compare the similarities and differences in Edmund Husserl’s phenomenology. Patočka provides a deepening of phenomenology by approaching the ontological conditions for the phenomenological reduction in the negativity of freedom in which the spontaneity of ‘having-the-world’ originates.
Thinking without Heidegger?
Authors: Horsthemke Kai
Published: February 2020

There has been a resurgence of Martin Heidegger’s ideas in recent years, especially within English-language philosophy of education. Yet, there have also been other developments that deserve to be taken seriously, first and foremost the indication that his anti-Semitism informs not only his personal beliefs and political stance but is already rooted in his philosophy, notably his ontology. It is these developments and the context of Heidegger’s philosophy that are examined first, before I return to the purported significance of his ideas for education towards the end of this essay.
Sexual Addiction: Terminology, Etiology, Phenomenology and Diagnostics
Authors: Kurlak Iryna
Published: February 2020

This article analyzes selected aspects of the construct of sexoholism as a manifestation of behavioral addiction on the basis of an interdisciplinary approach. It emphasizes the role of sensuality and selectivity of a healthy person in the sexual life. The emphasis is put on defining problems of sexoholism and the identification of its specific, characteristic features that distinguish it from other similar concept. Historical and diagnostic aspects of the study of the construct of erotomania are also described. The article analyzes various triggers that may affect the onset of sexual addiction: somatic, mental, social, situational.